green action news - winter 2009

WORK I N G T O G E T H E R P R O T E C T I N G V I C T O R I A ’ S E N V I R O NM E N T ISSUE 8 Z WINTER 2009

Every little drop countsHelp us give water back to our rivers

PLUSVictoria – the Green Jobs State

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3Every drop counts

4Rudd still captive

to big polluters

Standing strong for solar

Show me the money

6Victoria:

the green jobs state?

8Five industries:

26,000 jobs

10Care workers

hop on board

green jobs train

11Multicultural

leader brings

love of nature to

manufacturing

11Don’t let renting

get you down12Industry leaders

go green

13 14Next stop:

Gippsland

Personal stories

of an iconic forest

T H I S I S S U E

Giving e-waste

a second life

Green Action NewsIssue 8, Winter 2009Cover photo AnsikDesign 2Fish ProductionsPrint Print BoundContributing writersFraser Brindley, Katelyn Fryer,Vicki Kyriakakis, VictoriaMcKenzie-McHarg, VerityMcLucas, Sophie Montcrieff,Kelly O’Shanassy, AnnetteSalkeld, Mark Wakeham. EditorVicki Kyriakakis (03) 9341 [email protected] sales enquiriesVicki Kyriakakis (03) 9341 [email protected] Membership enquiries Jennifer Jordan (03) 9341 [email protected] enquiriesSacha Myers (03) 9341 [email protected] Green Action News is anEnvironment Victoria publication.For more information, visitwww.environmentvictoria.org.au

As this edition of Green ActionNews goes to press, we’ve justbeen given two very differentbits of news.ON THE ONE HAND, we found out thatwe’ve finally had a breakthrough onelectronic waste, with state and federalenvironment ministers deciding tointroduce a ‘fluro recycling scheme’and to finalise recycling schemes fortyres, computers and televisions attheir next meeting in November.There’s still more work to do, but weknow that industry is with us on thisone. We’ll continue to push forconcrete decisions by the end of theyear. (You can read all about ourcampaign on electronic waste and whatyou can do to help on page 12).On the other hand, the stategovernment has just announced that itis investigating taking even more waterout of the Yarra and Thomson rivers.This is in addition to the billions of

litres they’ve already taken out. Ourrivers are in a dire situation. Every littledrop we take from them counts. Pleaseconsider making a donation to help us

fight for a future for our rivers. (Youcan find out more on page 3).We know from recent experience thatwhen different parts of our communitycome together, we can and do find abetter way forward. We can and have developed a plan tocombat climate change and to save ourshrinking rivers. We can and have comeup with solutions to change the way weproduce goods and consume them, sothat we use less precious resourcesand send less waste to landfill. Andwe’ve got the numbers to show that

implementing these solutions willcreate thousands of new jobs.We’ve got the answers and togetherwe’ve already achieved remarkableresults. A year ago, would you havepredicted that we could secure a $100million investment in a renewableenergy plant or billions into publictransport? As the state government’srecent announcement on our riversshows, however, our environmentneeds us now more than ever. We’re in a good position to get somereal change in the lead-up to the 2010elections. But we can’t do it alone.That’s why we’ve made it our goal toget 5 million people – every Victorian –to join our cause. We know thatsometimes one person can be easy toignore, but 5 million peoplesafeguarding our environment is aforce to be reckoned with.You’ll hear more about our newchallenge in coming months. Stay tuned!

A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH> Kelly O’Shanassy, Chief Executive Officer

“OUR ENVIRONMENTNEEDS US NOW MORETHAN EVER.”

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If you’re anything like me,you are passionate about ourrivers. Ever since I was a youngchild, growing up along the banksof the Moorabool River in Maude,I’ve loved rivers.

MY CHILDHOOD WAS SPENT playingnear or swimming in some of Victoria’smost beautiful rivers. Nowdays, I stillspend much of my free time paddlingalong the Yarra River in Melbourne. It’sa part of my daily life that I couldn’timagine having to live without.Many people don’t realise how preciousthe Yarra River is. My stretch of theriver is bordered by incredible cliffsand billabongs. It includes sceneryyou’d expect to see in a national park,not right in the heart of our capital city.Sadly, the rivers I am closest to, areslowly dying. The Yarra has less thanten per cent of its natural flow left. Therest is extracted for domestic andindustrial use. The Moorabool Riverhas suffered algal blooms. As I write,our national river, the Murray, issuffering an 800 kilometre algal bloomfrom Wodonga to Swan Hill. This bloom

is not only devastating for plants andanimals that rely on it for survival, but also for those of us who go fishingalong its banks, paddle along itswaters or live alongside and drink from it. Despite this time of crisis for ourrivers, however, the state governmentis planning to take even more waterfrom our rivers. Most of our rivers arerunning on a trickle, but the stategovernment still wants more fromthem. It may seem like only a smallvolume of water, but it’s the differencebetween life or death for our rivers.I’m wondering when our governmentsdecided that they had the right to giveup on our rivers? When did they decideit was OK to drain so much water fromthem that an 800 kilometre algalbloom could form? We have worked hard over many yearswith thousands of Victorians toconvince the state government to giveour rivers their fair share of water.Environment Victoria won legalprotection of water for rivers throughthe Victorian Water Act in 2005. Nowthe state government is denying thathard won nourishment to our riversand ignoring their legal right to water.

The state government is reviewingthe Victorian Water Act and we wantthe management of river water takenout of their hands, once and for all.We want independent managementso that our rivers get their fair share. Environment Victoria is developing ablueprint to strengthen the VictorianWater Act and will present this to ourpolitical leaders. We will alsomobilise thousands of people tostand up to government and tell themthat it is definitely not okay to give upon our rivers.

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As this edition of Green ActionNews goes to press, we’ve justbeen given the heads-up that thestate government is investigatingtaking more water out of the Yarraand Thompson Rivers. Weurgently need the funds tocontinue the fight to protect ourrivers’ rights to water. Join ustoday by donating now, using theform at the back of this newsletter.Please don’t delay. Our belovedrivers are in trouble and it’s up tous to save them.

STOP PRESS!!

Every drop counts

> Kelly O’Shanassy, Chief Executive Officer

HELP USSAVE OUR

RIVERS

w a t e r f o r r i v e r s

an 800 kilometre algal bloom is

strangling the mighty Murray.

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ALMOST ONE YEAR to the day since the Brumby Governmentfirst announced their dud scheme, we joined forces with theAlternative Technology Association, the Moreland EnergyFoundation and Friends of the Earth, to call on the Oppositionand minor parties to fix the feed-in tariff in Parliament.The rally was an outstanding success, with more than 250people joining us and politicians from across the politicalspectrum on the steps of Parliament to show broadcommunity support for improvements to the bill. We couldn’t have done it without you. Your actions are havingan effect. Almost 600 people have used Environment Victoria’sonline cyber-action form to send a letter to Ted Baillieu,leader of the opposition, calling on him to support

Environment Victoria’s amendments to the solar feed-in tariff.The Opposition now knows the community wants real actionon this issue, so we know the letters are working. If youhaven’t already done so, make sure you visit us atwww.environmentvictoria.org.au today and show your supportfor a real solar feed-in tariff.Thank you to all of you who attended the rally and who havebeen supportive of our campaign so far. Contact Victoria McKenzie-McHarg at [email protected] or 9341 8112 to find out more about how you can get involved in our Safe Climate campaign.

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s a f e c l i m a t e

THE ANNOUNCEMENT HEADLINED

with the fact that the governmentwould lift the upper end of theemissions reductions target rangefrom 15 to 25 per cent, but only ifnegotiations in Copenhagen at the endof the year lead to a stronginternational agreement.

Environment Victoria welcomes thisincrease. It means that the AustralianGovernment can now engage moreconstructively in the globalnegotiations.We were extremely disappointed,however, that this improvement cameat the expense of a further weakening

of the CPRS, with even morecompensation and carve-outs for ourbig polluters. With these changes inplace, Australia’s biggest and dirtiestpolluters will pay only 50 cents pertonne of pollution in the first year ofthe scheme. That’s less than thecost of a postage stamp.Despite community concern, thenon-negotiable reduction target of 5per cent still remains if the globalcommunity cannot reach a strongagreement in Copenhagen.The target led many of us to protestthe CPRS earlier this year outsidethe offices of federal MPs rightacross the country. EnvironmentVictoria held a community protesttogether with the local Maroondahclimate action group outside theoffice of Mr Mike Symon in thefederal electorate of Deakin. More than 40 community members attended and footage

of the protest can be seen atwww.environmentvictoria.org.au.We will continue to campaign forimprovements to the CPRS or, failingthat, to have it dumped in the Senate.You can help us make a real impact bylending us your voice or writing a letterto your local MP.

bell

nd

e a

Standing strong for our solar future

> Victoria McKenzie-McHarg, Safe Climate Campaigner

Environment

Victoria campaigner,

Victoria McKenzie-

McHarg speaks to

the crowd on the

steps of Parliament.

Environment Victoria continued the campaign for areal solar feed-in tariff for Victoria last month with arally on the steps of Parliament House.

z

Rudd still captive to the big polluters

On 6 May 2009, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd announced a number ofkey changes to his government’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme(CPRS): their central policy on climate change. While the increase tothe target range is welcome, the policy has gone from bad to worse.

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John Lender’s Retro Budget Lets the State Down

Seemingly written in 1989 rather than 2009, the state budget was areal ‘retro budget’. There is no substantial new funding to tackleclimate change, and they’ve really missed the opportunity to deliver agreen stimulus package. In its defence, the state governmenthas argued that the climate change programs will be fundedas part of a ‘green jobs’ package to be announced in June anda Climate Change White Paper to be delivered at the end of theyear. But spending $42 billion with no substantial new funding forclimate change, no new funding for energy efficiency programsand just $1 million for renewable energy projects means we’re leftwith little choice but to criticise this budget. Rivers were alsoneglected, with no substantial funding to improve the lot of ourstruggling waterways.On a more positive note, transport funding has been skewed heavilytowards public transport for the first time. We had a victory with thedecision to fund the extension of the Epping railway lineto South Morang – a campaign that past and presentEnvironment Victoria staff and supporters have foughthard for. The budget has also provided funding for theestablishment of the River Red Gum and Point NepeanNational Parks.Overall, as our CEO Kelly O’Shanassy said: “the Brumby Government hasa lot of work to do on climate change, rivers protection and delivering apositive environmental legacy between now and the 2010 state election.”We’re very disappointed by this budget but we’re hoping the Green Jobsand Economy Plan, the Climate Change White Paper andthe 2010 state budget will reverse a decade of under-expenditure and environmental decline.

Wayne Swan does a little better

By comparison, the federal budget did a little better,with some substantial new funding for climate changeprograms, including a new $1.5 billion scale solar program and$450 million for a new renewable energy fund. The coal industry wasn’tleft out however – it never is – with another $2 billion for carbon captureand storage to add to the billions already granted by state and federalgovernments. Again, there was substantial investment in publictransport, including funding for a new railway line through the westernsuburbs of Melbourne to separate regional and urban trains. Overall,the federal budget gave a nod to green jobs, but still fell short of thegreen stimulus packages delivered in the US, UK, China, South Koreaand elsewhere.


b u d g e t t i m e

> Mark Wakeham, Campaigns Director

Show me the moneyMay was budget month, with both the state and federalgovernments delivering their budgets for the year ahead.Environment Victoria’s Campaigns Director, Mark Wakehamtakes a close look at how John Lenders and Wayne Swanperformed for the environment.

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ENVIRONMENT GROUPS HAVE alwayssought to develop green industries. Foryears we’ve been advocating forrenewable energy, recycling, water andenergy efficiency and public transportindustries and jobs. With risingunemployment and recession,however, smart policy-makers aroundthe world are realising that we nowhave a unique opportunity to addressclimate change and economicslowdown by developing greenstimulus packages.Until very recently, much of the talkabout green jobs and green stimuluspackages has been nebulous andintangible. Everyone likes the idea ofgreen jobs, but what does it actuallymean and what do you have to do toget them? That’s why we decided tohold a summit in April to explore indepth the green job opportunities andchallenges before us in Victoria. We organised the summit jointly withthe Brotherhood of St Laurence for

several reasons. Firstly, we wanted tobuild our relationships with the socialsector. Perhaps most importantly,though, we share the social sector’svision that a green jobs plan candeliver not only for the environmentand the economy but also fordisadvantaged people. There are two main ways it can do this.Environment policies like energy andwater efficiency programs can actuallyreduce the cost of living for poorpeople, who spend a disproportionateamount of their income on energy andwater. A green jobs package could alsodeliver thousands of jobs for thosecurrently unemployed. There are win-win situations everywhere in thegreen jobs space.More than 170 leaders from all parts ofthe Victorian community attended theGreen Jobs summit. They came frombusinesses and industry, governmentagencies and political parties, unionsand academia, the community, social

sector and environment movement.As part of the summit, we undertook asubstantial piece of research: a reportentitled ‘Victoria, the Green Jobs State –Siezing the Opportunities’ (summarisedon pages 8-9). We’ve never had aresponse quite like the positivefeedback and demand that we’vereceived for this report. It’s currentlybeing downloaded over 1000 times aweek from the Environment Victoriawebsite.And we’re hoping all of this work paysoff when it comes to influencing stateand federal policy and expenditure.Importantly, the Brumby Governmenthas committed to developing a GreenJobs plan and a Green Economies planat the start of the year. We’re expectingthe Green Jobs plan to be released inJune. We’re hoping the plan will lead toa step-change in support of new greenjobs and industries and that 2009 will,in the future, be viewed as a turningpoint for the state’s environment,economy and society.

You can help us by lending us your voice.Politicians listen to voters. You can helpus by downloading the Green Jobsreport at www.environmentvictoria.org.au and then getting in touch withyour local MP to demand that theyadopt a green vision for Victoria’seconomy. Please also consider makinga donation to help us continue to pushfor a greener and more equitablefuture for Victorians. Together we canmake a difference.

Want to talk Green Jobs? Contact Mark Wakeham on (03) 9341 8127 orat [email protected]


g r e e n j o b s s u m m i t

Victoria:The GREENJOBSstate? Over the past six months, Environment Victoria

has been developing a proactive vision for howVictoria could become the Green Jobs state.

> Mark Wakeham, Campaigns Director

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Speaking at EnvironmentVictoria’s Green Jobs Summit,Evan Thornley, CEO of BetterPlace Australia, argued that afailure to invest in green jobs, was“a failure of business leadershipand a failure of creativeleadership to sense opportunity.”

I DON’T KNOW about the rest of you,but I’m bored to death with the brownversus green war. It’s a false construct.It doesn’t do anything that helps thedebate at all and it diverts energy awayfrom solutions. This forum, and the organisations thathave supported it, clearly believe thereis a better way and we’re here today totalk about things that are positive interms of their impact on carbon andwater, positive in terms of their impacton jobs and positive in terms of theirimpact on poverty. Most of the environmental challengeswe have are caused by waste. Andreducing waste tends to create valuefor businesses. Doing the work to dothat tends to create jobs, [and] itenables lower prices, which helpseverybody and most particularly thosein need. The simple framework I want to put outthere for you is that by making capital

investments in various forms – tochange equipment, and I’ll give yousimple examples of what I mean –what you do is reduce ongoing runningcosts. And so long as the impact of theongoing running costs is higher thanthe cost of the capital required to makethe investment, you’re in front.If you were an investment managerand you said, okay, so I can get myentire investment back in a couple of

years and then everything after that’sgravy, you’d say that was a no-brainerinvestment opportunity. Now I’m a passionate believer in theneed for a carbon price and the need toprice externalities properly so that wecapture the full costs of what we do…but what I’m saying is there is a bit of asense in the public debate that until wesolve the carbon price issue nothingcan be done about climate change. AndI think that’s absolute nonsense and inparticular it demonstrates a profoundlack of business leadership if therearen’t people out there who think thereare opportunities to create value, todelivery more than satisfactory returnson the capital they’ve raised and tocreate jobs. Want to watch Evan’s full presentation andhear him talk about the exciting future of theelectric car industry in Australia? Visitwww.environmentvictoria.org.au for this andother presentations from the summit.


CAN I QUOTE YOU ON THAT?

Quotable moments from EnvironmentVictoria’s Green Jobs Summit.

“ For too long as a community, we havepitted economic growth and environmentalprotection against one another. One doesnot have to suffer to enable the other. The choice between economic growth andenvironmental protection is, and always has been, a false one.”Kelly O’Shanassy, CEO,

Environment Victoria

“ Assisting the less well-off to reduce theircarbon emissions, ensuring they have theskills and capacity to take up theopportunities that will inevitably emerge inthe greener economy, is a win for theenvironment, a win for the economy and awin for social equity.”Tony Nicholson, CEO,

Brotherhood of St Laurence

“ Some people are too busy trying to defendthe way they’ve always done things, ratherthan finding ways of reducing waste and creating value, creating jobs andlowering prices. There’s plenty oftechnology out there.”Evan Thornley, CEO,

Better Place Australia

“ People often say to me, aren’t these strangebed-fellows that an organisation likeVECCI is associating with. And I simplysay, this is the future.”Wayne Kayler-Thomson, CEO,

Victorian Employers Chamber of

Commerce and Industry on working

with Environment Victoria

“ We've got a guy who works for us inBendigo, who was working in themunitions factor up there... he said, ‘you’vegot no idea the mental feeling that i have...I'm doing the same sort of work but [there]I was building stuff that’s going to war,and here I’m building renewable energyproduct’... It’s just a real good feelingindustry.”Steve Garner, General Manager,

Keppel Prince Engineering

want to hear more?

Visit www.environmentvictoria.org.au to see the full footage from the event.

GREEN JOBS, A ‘NO BRAINER’> Evan Thornley, CEO of Better Place Australia (edited version of presentation given at Environment Victoria’s Green Jobs Summit)

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g r e e n j o b r e p o r t

CASE STUDY 1: SOLAR HOT WATER –1590 jobs

Currently in Victoria, only 3 per cent ofhomes have a solar hot water supply.The industry supports about 700 jobsand generates $78 million a year.Boosting installations to 30 per cent ofVictorian houses by 2020, would treblethe size of the industry, reduceemissions by 1.8 million tonnes perannum and create 1,500 jobs directlyand a further 90 full-time plumbingroles. The most commonly linked jobswith solar hot water are in plumbing,but jobs will also be created inadministration, sales and marketing.The Green Jobs Report lists severalpolicy options to assist growth in thiskey area. These include introduction ofcash support, through rebates or taxincentives, compulsory phase-out ofelectric hot water systems andminimum building efficiency standards.The need to train ‘green plumbers’ isalso fast growing traction within theindustry and would form a crucialfoundation to its growth.

CASE STUDY 2: RAIL – 9150 jobs

In the 1980s Victoria’s manufacturingindustry used to contribute nearly 35per cent to the state’s gross domesticproduct. Now, it sits at just 12 per cent.Compounding the problem, NSW andVictoria recently awarded almost $3.8billion worth of rail contracts tooverseas manufacturers. About 1,000

people are currently employed bymajor rolling-stock manufacturers.Another 5,000 to 10,000 are employedin supply chains. The Green Jobs Reportdemonstrates that this trend can beturned around. Victoria’s transport plancommits $3.6 billion in new rail rollingstock over the next four years.Manufacturing just half of this inVictoria could create 2,250 full-timejobs and another 5,400 to 6,300 full-time jobs indirectly through thesupply chain. By strengthening localcontent requirements and agreeing tobuy 40 trams a year for 10 years,Victoria could create a further 150 full-time positions and provide work for 450 extra employees through thesupply chain.

CASE STUDY 3: WIND – 4000 jobs

Wind-power is the most advancedrenewable energy technology inAustralia. Internationally, however,Australia lags behind the rest of theworld. The Australian wind industrycurrently employs about 2,000 peoplenation-wide, almost double thoseworking in the sector in 2005. Itconstitutes 1,300 megawatts, a bigincrease from 100 megawatts in 2000.The main driver for this growth hasbeen the federal government’smandatory renewable energy target(MRET) scheme, which requireselectricity retailers to source 20 per centof their power from renewable energyresources by 2020. The target willincrease wind power fivefold over thenext seven years and generate $4 billionin investment and an extra 4,000 jobsfor the industry. The longevity of thesejobs is threatened, however, by MRETlegislation, which will see renewableenergy peak at 45,000 gigawatt hours in2024 and taper off to 23,000 by 2030.The result will be a rush to develop windprojects, with investment coming to ahalt by about 2016. Victoria currentlyhas 1,650 megawatts of wind projectsapproved and a further 2,513megawatts proposed. For projectedgrowth rates to occur, we’ll need skilledwind-farm developers, manufacturingoperations and maintenance staff.

Green jobs protect the Earth. That’s why Environment Victoria caresabout them. In our new Green Jobs Report, we looked at five industries thathave the capacity to not only deliver thousands of new Victorian jobs, butalso achieve real wins for our precious Victorian environment.

> Vicki Kyriakakis, Communications Manager

Five industries,26,000 jobs.

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CASE STUDY 4: ENERGY AND WATEREFFICIENCY – 9050 jobs

In 2002, the energy efficiency industrywas worth $3.8 billion and employed11,200 people. Water efficiency wasvalued at $3.5 billion and employed25,000 people. With ambitiousenvironmental policies, our Green Jobsreport argues that the energy efficiencysector could grow to $190 billion andwater efficiency to $35 billion by 2030.About half of Victoria’s homes currentlydo not have efficient shower-heads and40 per cent of homes more than 30years old, still have at least one single-flush toilet. About 1.2 million Victorianhomes built before 2004 still haveenergy ratings of 2-stars or less. Thepotential for green jobs in theseindustries is enormous. We proposethat a million homes be retrofitted forenergy and water efficiency over thenext five years. The retrofit, which will

cost about $2,800 for each home,would create between 3,100 and 6,900jobs and save more than 3 milliontonnes of greenhouse gas and 32.5billion litres of water each year. While40 per cent of these jobs will onlyrequire semi-skilled labour, trainingwould be essential. The Victorianplumbing industry estimates it alreadyneeds up to 4,000 new plumbers, whileexisting federal government policieswill require at least 500 more. Arainwater harvesting program couldalso generate an extra 2,150 direct andindirect jobs.

CASE STUDY 5:RECYCLING – 8185 jobs

Twenty years ago, recycling barelyexisted. Now, Victorians recycle morethan 60 per cent of their waste. Despitethis growth, however, 3.9 milliontonnes of waste still ends up in landfilleach year. The recycling industrycurrently employs more than 6,500Victorians and generates $3.6 billion ofeconomic activity. Kerbside recycling inparticular has really grown, employingnearly 1,900 people in transportationand 2060 in sorting. About 2,600 peopleare employed to reprocess materials.The EPA in the United States estimatesthat for every one job in landfill, sixjobs are created if the same material isrecycled. Based on these figures, wecould create more than 925 new jobs insorting if Victorians increased theirrecycling to 80 per cent. A further 1,175would be created in reprocessing. Andwe believe these estimates areconservative. An increase in recyclingwould also mean that new materialssuch as computers and other e-wastewould be recycled in greater numbers.Another 210 jobs could be created ifVictoria’s e-waste recycling rate grew

at the same rate as the Irish e-wasterecycling program. A furhter 5,875indirect jobs could also be created.Overhauling recycling in Melbourne’sCBD is one way to get there. Otherpractical solutions include creatinglocal recycling hubs for householditems not suitable for kerbsiderecycling, such as paint and timber,and discouraging landfill by boostinglevies from $9-$15 a tonne to bringthem in line with charges favoured inSydney - $46.70 and rising $10 a year.


KEPPEL PRINCE ENGINEERING:

A WIND POWER SUCCESS STORY

Keppel Prince Engineering was set up in 1979with five employees. Initially the company was setup to undertake construction work andmaintenance for the Alcoa aluminium smelter.Then, in 2000, the company had an opportunityto grow their business by manufacturing windtowers and offering tower installation services tothe wind industry. Keppel Prince invested $15million to expand and retool, and now have fivefactories in Portland. They employ 430 people,including 200 working on wind. Their annualturnover is $110 million, with 60 per cent of thatin wind energy business. “Keppel Prince’s wind related business couldexpand to 450 people and $150 million annuallywith the forecast growth in wind power,” saysgeneral manager Steve Garner. “If there weregood policies in place to sustain that growth, wewould expand further to manufacture other windcomponents. But that’s a big capital investment.We can’t do it if wind is going to continue withboom and bust.”

Want to know more? Download the full report from

our website at www.environmentvictoria.org.au.

EV025_GAN169_Final 1/6/09 11:32


s u s t a i n a b l e l i v i n g

> Katelyn Fryer, Sustainable Living Project Manager

More than 420 Home andCommunity Care (HACC) workersfrom Geelong, Colac and the SurfCoast have hopped on board thegreen jobs train withEnvironment Victoria’s HomeCarer Sustainability Training.

WITH BOTH ENERGY and water billsset to nearly double in the next fewyears, the program comes just in timefor cash strapped elderly residents ona budget. The HACC workers, who areset to complete their training thismonth, will help seniors and theirfamilies identify ways to reduce theirenergy and water use, and reduce theirwaste by performing an audit of theirhomes.“Home and community care workerstraditionally support the elderly anddisabled living in their own homes,helping them maintain theirindependence and wellbeing,” one careworker explained. “This new trainingwill enable us now to help our clientslive more sustainably and comfortably,and reduce their energy and water billsat the same time.”The trained carers will now be able toperform basic home energy, water andwaste audits in clients’ homes.Recommendations from the audits willbe relayed to local councils, the clientsand their families. HACC workers willrecommend simple and practical stepsto take, from small changes inbehaviour through to retrofittingappliances in clients’ homes. Sustainable Living Director, AnnetteSalkeld, said the workers would visitan estimated 5,000 clients in the threeregions every year. She said theprogram was designed to build theirskills and help them pass on their newknowledge to their clients. “Manyseniors don’t have access to this kindof information, so this is another wayto make sure they are getting thesupport they need to look after theenvironment,” Annette said. “It’s a

double win for our seniors who aregiven the information they need, andfor carers who have an additionalwork skill to add to their toolkit. Andit’s a great win for the environment.”The training is part of EnvironmentVictoria’s Eco-Wise Action regionalprogram and is supported by the Cityof Greater Geelong, the Colac OtwayShire and the Surf Coast Shire. Theprogram is funded through by theDepartment of Sustainability and theEnvironment.

WE’RE GOING TO GIPPSLAND NEXT!Interested in taking part? Contact Program Manager Katelyn Fryer [email protected] or on (03) 9341 8102.

Care workers hop on boardgreen jobs train

‘THIS NEW TRAININGWILL ENABLE USNOW TO HELP OURCLIENTS LIVE MORESUSTAINABLY ANDCOMFORTABLY...’

Home and Community Carer, Vicki Pollock (left), with Environment

Victoria’s Katelyn Fryer at the Surf Coast carer training session

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s u s t a i n a b l e l i v i n g

Multicultural leaderbrings love of nature to manufacturing

When Sophal Chim came toAustralia from Cambodia as arefugee, he brought with him alove of the natural environment,work experience in environmentaleducation and a degree inecotourism. His journey toreclaim them has turned him intoEnvironment Victoria’s latestenvironmental ambassador.

SOPHAL’S FAMILY WERE rice farmersin Cambodia. After seeing the erosionand land degradation caused byfarmers cutting down trees, Sophaland his family planted trees aroundtheir home and farm. The experienceshaped his concern for theenvironment and his burgeoning careerin manufacturing here in Australia.Settling in Australia, however, hasn’talways been easy, and Sophal wasdisappointed to realise that his degreeand work in environmental educationwould not be formally recognised here.His journey to set up a new career forhimself in his adopted land eventuallyled him to Environment Victoria’sMulticultural Leaders in Sustainability(MLS) program. After completing his English studies,

Sophal started a vocational trainingprogram in manufacturing at the AdultMigrant Education Centre, andEnvironment Victoria’s MLS program.When he graduates in June, Sophalwill take with him a greaterunderstanding of energy, water andwaste conservation issues, leadershipskills and greater confidence in publicspeaking. Sophal said continuing his educationwas an important way for him todemonstrate what he was capable of. “Ihave to start again and this will show Iam a good team person, I am reliableand can do a good project.”As with most participants in theprogram, MLS has become a cruciallaunching pad on the pathway to highereducation and employment. Sophal isnow completing a Certificate I in ActiveVolunteering and hopes to pass on hisnew knowledge to future employers.His long-term dream is to one day owna factory himself and implementenvironmental best practice standards.“I want to show future employers allthe things I learnt from MLS,” Sophalsaid. “To show them how to do it theright way, to do good for theenvironment. After MLS I am confidentto speak out for the environment.”

DON’T LETRENTINGGET YOUDOWNAre renters legally able to changetheir showerheads? How can youmake your toilet waste less waterif you don’t have dual flush? Whatdo you do when your rentedhouse has no curtains and you’reon a tight budget? EnvironmentVictoria has the answers.

OUR NEW VICTORIAN Green RentersGuide has the answers to all thesequestions and more. With sections oneverything from heating to fridges togetting around, it’s designed to helprenters make a big dint on theirenvironmental impact. Most of thesuggestions in the guide can beimplemented on a shoe string budget.Information is also included ongovernment rebates for renters andlandlords willing to spend a little bitextra for things like insulation andsolar hot water. The guide includes a checklist forpeople looking for a new place to rent,to make it easy to find a property whichhas the least environmental impactand the lowest bills. The guide,developed with help from the TenantsUnion of Victoria, includes anexplanation of renting law in Victoria.So don’t let renting get you down.

DOWNLOAD YOUR GUIDE FROM

www.envict.org.au/rentersguide

IT’S FREE!

Sophal Chim (far left) talks to South East Water staff and his fellow

students about tree planting, biodiversity, and water catchments.

> Sophie Montcrieff, Program Manager, Multicultural Leaders in Sustainability

~ ! @ # $ % ^ &

* ( + Q E I ,

O S L N M ? 2

5 0 = y u i p

g h k x n m

The Victorian Green Renters’ GuideSustainable living tips for renters

EV025_GAN169_Final 1/6/09 11:32


GAN: What was the impetus for the formation of the PSA?JOHN: Product Stewardship Australiawas created by the ConsumerElectronics Suppliers’ Association(CESA) as the implementation body forany future national electronicscollection, recycling and communityeducation scheme. [We] represent themajority of consumer electronicssuppliers in Australia and [our]activities have focused on the design,development and costing of permanentschemes that would be offered in allcapital cities as well as rural andregional areas.

GAN: Why does industry consider this issue important?JOHN: We’re eager to fulfill ourcorporate social and environmentalresponsibilities, yet also provide atake-back and recycling service to thecommunity. The federal environmentdepartment invited CESA/PSA todevelop an industry scheme in 2001,however it’s failed to deliver theenabling regulation that would allowour industry to invest millions increating a national scheme. It’s a sadsituation that government has acted soslowly, when there is clear communitydesire and industry commitment.

GAN: What would you like to see happen in relation to recycling e-waste in Australia? JOHN: The single most importantresponse I’d like to see in Australia isthe development of intelligentregulation that ensures effective andefficient industry-wide involvement intake-back and recycling schemes forall electrical and electronic goods. Pilotprojects, trials, and limited termcollection events are chiefly PRactivities that result in negligibleenvironmental benefit and minimalproduct recovery. There is no doubt inmy mind that smart regulation is thekey to achieving permanent national e-waste recycling that is accessible to allAustralians.

GAN: Much is made of the supposeddivide between what’s best for industryversus what’s best for the environment.What is the PSA’s position on this? JOHN: We have an unmatchedsituation in Australia where theconsumer electronics industryacknowledges its environmentalobligations and is keen to work withother stakeholders to deliver asolution. That's why PSA hasproactively collaborated withEnvironment Victoria, NSW TotalEnvironment Centre, local governmentpeak bodies, and several otherstakeholders as part of designing itsproposed national TV recyclingscheme. A sustainable future forAustralia has no place for

old-fashioned industry versusenvironment type argument. These areyesterday’s scenarios and belong toyesterday’s companies.

GAN: What can ordinary consumers do to help the PSA achieve its aims? JOHN: Ordinary consumers can doextra-ordinary things to bring aboutchange. People can write to theFederal Environment Minister - theHon Peter Garrett MP, and ask him tofast track the necessary regulation thatwill enable the TV industry to invest ina national TV take-back and recyclingscheme. They can also write to theVictorian Environment Minister - theHon Gavin Jennings, and ask him to bemuch more proactive in supportingfederal regulation and a permanentnational solution. At a practical level,consumers can check with their localcouncil and see whether there is an e-waste service in their municipality.They can also quiz retailers about whatrecycling services they provide whennew TVs are purchased. Also checkwith major e-waste recyclers such asSims, MRI and the TIC Group as towhat fee for service e-waste recyclingthey can offer.

e n v i r o n m e n t a l c h a m p i o n s

With over 15 years professional interest in ecodesign and take-backmeasures, John Gertsakis can be excused for getting a littleimpatient at the speed with which government has embraced e-waste recycling. But, as the Executive Director of ProductStewardship Australia (PSA) will tell you, tomorrow’s consumerelectronics companies are committed to a sustainable future.

Industryleaders pushfor green

EV025_GAN169_Final 1/6/09 11:32

THE WEBSITE, ‘REBORN: The Afterlifefor E-Waste’, and our accompanyingblog is stacked with information aboute-waste and what you can do to help usstop it from going to landfill. With yourhelp, we’re filling up the inboxes ofPeter Garrett and the stateenvironment ministers and lettingthem know that the community wantstheir electronic waste recycled. Currently, less than 5 per cent of ourold televisions, computers and otherelectronic equipment are recycled inAustralia. It’s been estimated thatwe’ve sent over 168 million items of e-waste to landfill.Not only is e-waste full of toxins thathave no place being in the ground, butit’s also full of embodied energy, waterand other resources that we really need.These should be recycled to help usreduce our greenhouse gas emissionsand lighten our ecological footprint.

Industry is already on board with thisone, so the only hurdle in the way of anational e-waste recycling scheme isthe government. Product Stewardship Australia (PSA),who represent brands such as Sony,Panasonic, Sharp and Sanyo, havebeen calling for regulations for a longtime to make sure that all ourelectronics companies areenvironmentally responsible. (You canread more about them in our interviewwith Executive Director, John Gertzakison page 11). And they’ve been joined by theAustralian Information IndustryAssociation (AIIA), the majorrepresentative body for the IT industry,who signed a compact agreeing thatthe responsibility for managing e-waste should lie primarily withmanufacturers.In our recent report, Victoria, the Green

Jobs State (see pages 8-9), weestimate that over 210 new jobs couldbe created if an e-waste recyclingscheme was introduced. Environment ministers at their meetingin Hobart in late May resolved torelease a consultation paper andconsider a final proposal when theynext meet in November 2009.Speaking afterwards, Peter Garret saidthat is was his expectation that “we willhave good, positive and final actions tobe taken by the end of the year oncomputers, televisions and the like.”We welcome these moves and lookforward to some concrete decisionslater in the year.In the meantime, we’ll continuecampaigning on the issue and remindministers that industry is on side, thecommunity is on side and there arejobs in it.”Visit www.reborn.org.au today and

help us convince them that this one is

a ‘no-brainer’.


p r o d u c t i o n & c o n s u m p t i o n

GIVING E-WASTE A SECOND LIFE> Fraser Brindley, Production & Consumption Campaigner

Environment Victoria has partnered with the Total Environment Centre in NSW,

on a national online campaign to get e-waste recycling introduced in Australia.

STICK IT ON

THE NATURE STRIP

Are you sick of seeing old TVs,computers and other e-wastedumped on the nature strip?We’ve designed a sticker to helpyou spread the word. Send your address [email protected] and we’llpost out some stickers for you toplaster that e-waste with.

EV025_GAN169_Final 1/6/09 11:32


r e g i o n a l p r o g r a m s

> Annette Salkeld, Sustainable Living Director

One of Environment Victoria’s flagship programs,the Regional Sustainable Living program is aboutto enter its fourth and final year.

AFTER A SUCCESSFUL year working in the Corangamiteand Geelong region, we’re picking up and moving over tocentral Gippsland. It’s an exciting move and one that willsee our program working closely with the community,local councils and community organisations, and theAustralian Conservation Foundation, our program partner.We’ll continue to focus on programs that engage thecommunity in ways to live more sustainably in the home,in their community and in the workplace. We’ll also bedrawing on the community’s expertise for relevant andinspiring ways to do this.Our experience shows that working together with thecommunity fosters significant reductions in the use ofenergy, water and the production of waste. It also savesmoney and builds workplace skills. And, as with previousprograms, we’ll be focusing on families, senior citizensand young people. We’ll launch our central Gippsland program at a publicmeeting in early July 2009 (check our website for thedate). We are inviting members of local environment andsustainability groups, community organisations, local andstate government representatives, business and membersof the community to come along. Out of this broadergroup, we’ll be recruiting a steering committee to shapehow the program unfolds. Already, we’ve seen a realinterest from people in the region and we look forward tobuilding a great community program.

Next stop:Gippsland

GKP STORYLINES DVD LAUNCHED> Verity McLucas, Healthy Rivers Campaign

What could a farmer, forester, conservationist,saw miller, indigenous elder, art teacher, apiarist,university student and pilot have in common?

THEY’VE ALL TAKEN part in Environment Victoria’sGunbower-Koondrook-Perricoota (GKP) Storylines project. Following the successful Hattah Lakes Storylines project,GKP Storylines is an initiative of our Healthy River’scampaign, made possible with funding from the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. The project brought together adiverse group of people for a four-day workshop atBendigo TAFE, to record the stories of their personalconnection to the iconic Murray River wetland forests of GKP.Together, these ten digital stories testify to the rich socialand cultural values of the site and present compellingarguments for why it must be protected and restored.The DVD of the stories will be screening locally at theBarham RSL on Tuesday, 23 June 2009 at 6.00pm. The screenings will be followed by a cocktail function and are free and open to all. RSVP is essential, however,so get in quickly. Contact Verity McLucas at [email protected] or on (03) 9341 8109 to book your spot.Watch our Hattah Lakes storylines online atwww.environmentvictoria.org.au.

The Regional Sustainable Living

program is supported by the

Department of Sustainability and

Environment. If you want to find

out more about how you can get

involved, contact Annette Salkeld

at [email protected]

or on (03) 9341 8118.

E V E N T

EV025_GAN169_Final 1/6/09 11:32


a p p e a l

YES! I WANT TO HELP ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA PROTECT OUTPRECIOUS RIVERS! HERE IS MY TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION OF:

�� $50 �� $100 �� $200 �� My own amount $ ________________

Please find enclosed a: �� Cheque or�� Money Order (payable to Environment Victoria INC.)

Or please debit this card: �� Visa �� Mastercard �� Amex

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�� I’d like to receive Green Action News by email

WE URGENTLYNEEDYOUR HELP!The state government has just announced that it is investigating taking even more waterfrom the Yarra and Thomson Rivers! Please join us today in the fight for our rivers. Please don’t delay. Our beloved rivers are in trouble and it’s up to us to protect them.

EV025_GAN169_Final 1/6/09 11:32

n o t i c e t h i s !

You’ve cared

about the environment all your life.

Protect the things that areimportant to you with a bequestto Environment Victoria.

By leaving a gift to EnvironmentVictoria in your will, you canmake sure that Victoria’s naturalenvironment is protected wellbeyond your lifetime and thatyour voice is heard on the issuesmost important to you. Your precious gift will helpEnvironment Victoria protect ournatural world on your behalf andtake a strong stance on behalf ofthe environment.

For more information on how you can leave a bequest toEnvironment Victoria, pleasecontact Kelly O’Shanassy on (03) 9341 8119 or visit us atwww.environmentvictoria.org.au

Environment Victoria. Working Together Protecting

Victoria’s Environment.

Please join us today in the fight for our rivers. You can fill in the donation form in this edition of Green Action News or online at www.environmentvictoria.org.au.

WEURGENTLYNEEDYOURHELP!

WHO’S WHO AT

ENVIRONMENT VICTORIA

Chief Executive Officer Kelly O’ShanassyCampaigns Director Mark Wakeham Sustainable Living DirectorAnnette Salkeld

OPERATIONS Organisational Services Manager Ivan KolkerAdministration Helen VineCommunications Officer Vicki KyriakakisMedia Officer Sacha Myers Fundraising Officer Jennifer JordanFinance Officer Despina Giannakis

HEALTHY RIVERSHealthy Rivers Campaign ManagersLeonie Duncan, Juliet Le Feuvre

SAFE CLIMATEClimate Change & Sustainable TransportCampaigner Victoria McKenzie-McHargPRODUCTION & CONSUMPTION

Production & Consumption CampaignerFraser Brindley

SUSTAINABLE LIVING PROGRAM Senior Project ManagerMurray IrwinProject Managers Nina Bailey, Katelyn Fryer, Liza PriceProject Officer Domenica SettleMulticultural Leaders Program Manager Sophie MoncrieffGreen Town Community Coordinator Natalia Valenzuela

BOARDPresident Russell FisherVice-President Sue NoyDr Sarah BekessyDoug GimesyJo TennerDavid OsbornElizabeth McKinnonAmanda Nuttall

REGULAR VOLUNTEERSSuzie Abubaker, KVL AswiniAndrew Booth, Stephen BrittainIvano Cascone, Eryn CoffeyCaroline Crockett, Amelia EasdalePeter Flanagan, Nick FrederickJanet Gellie, Colleen GuggisbergIan Hazewinkel, Michel HoganLydia Lange, Lance LesselsTriér Murphy, Swathi NalubolaPauline Ng, Ruby SandhuKathleen Sheehy, Les SmithSandy Yang, Goytom Yobio

INTERNSBheeshma Chand

CONTACT US:Phone: (03) 9341 8100 Email: [email protected]: (03) 9341 8199

PO Box 12575A’Beckett Street, Victoria, 8006www.environmentvictoria.org.au

EV025_GAN169_Final 1/6/09 11:32

green action news - winter 2009

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