Sustainable Penrith

FREE Sustainable Living Workshops

2011-11-03T14:24:00.003+11:00

Council is once again offering a series of FREE Sustainable Living workshops for the community. These are a fantastic opportunity to learn about how to reduce your impact on our environment and save some money as well! For more information, click on the image below to make it larger.

These workshops are being held as part of Council's Werrington Creek Rehabilitation Project.

Council staff have a clothing round up!

2011-11-03T10:56:00.002+11:00

Sharon from the Salvo's is presented with a ute-load of clothes, donated by Penrith Council staff.

What happens when you have a clothing drive at Penrith Council? You get that many clothes you need a ute just to transport it all! Here in the Sustainability Unit we wanted to promote ‘Buy Nothing New Month’ to Council staff, and we figured a clothing drive was a great way to do it. We chose to donate the clothes to the local Salvo’s op shop – the Salvo’s are a partner of ‘Buy Nothing New Month’ and they do some great work for the community.

So with that we put the word out to staff to have a Spring clean and go through their wardrobes. They did the rest and the result was a ute-load of clothes! We didn’t count them (we’d still be counting), but we ‘guesstimate’ there’s about 200kg of clothes in there – a decent haul by any standards. Sharon, the Manager of the local Salvo’s Store, was thrilled with the result. In recent times they’ve been having difficulty attracting donations, so these clothes were warmly welcomed.

How about having a Spring clean of your own, and donate it to your local op shop? It’s a great opportunity to make some more room in your wardrobe and help out a charity. And why not ask your boss if you can do a clothing drive at your work? All it takes are some emails to your fellow staff and some signs to remind people – it’s easy to organise, doesn’t take much time and it’s great ‘social capital’ for a business.

Blue Mountains Eco Homes Tour

2011-10-28T11:12:00.008+11:00

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to participate in the latest Eco Homes Tour, which was held in the upper Blue Mountains. The tours are organised by Blue Mountains architect Nigel Bell, who specialises in designing sustainable homes. The homes are graciously opened by the home owners, and there is always a selection of different homes and building styles on show. All the money raised from the tours go to the Katoomba High School P&C, so you’re supporting a good cause too.

If you’re interested in hearing about the next tour which is likely to be held in May or so next year, visit www.ecohomestour.com.au, add your name to their email list and they’ll let you know when it’s happening.

The first stop for the day was a house still very much under construction in Blackheath. The home is designed to make the most of the views and the sun, with lots of windows on the north side. What caught my eye most was the timber work in the house. The timber was almost all from the house block itself, they felled the timber and had it milled on site. The builder handling the timber work was a craftsman in the true sense of the word, his previous work including restoration work on the Globe Theatre in the UK. This was the playhouse where many of Shakespeare’s plays were held, and the restoration was period correct – traditional methods and no power tools! The Blackheath home also featured earthern walls using soil from the site. This provides ‘thermal mass’ which basically helps to regulate the temperature inside the house.

Back on the bus and we travelled to Little Hartley to visit Hartley Green Power. They had a range of solar and wind generators, with most of them in use so you can check them out in action. What got most people’s attention was the electric Caterham style sports car – which was charged with solar power! There were also a number of electric bikes and scooters on display as well.

The next stop was a short trip around the corner to a house in Little Hartley. This house was actually designed by Nigel, and the happy owners had been living there for a while. It features passive solar design, strawbale walls with an earthern covering, was completely ‘off the grid’ through solar PV and was self sufficient for water as well. It was a great chance to talk to the owners and see what it was actually like to live in a house like this.

After a brief stop for lunch we visited a heritage listed cottage in Lithgow, originally built in 1878. The cottage had been restored, and it also featured a new extension using passive solar design and recycled materials. The owner was a history buff and the home was a great reflection of that – it felt part way between a museum, an antiques store and a home design magazine photo shoot! What’s more is the beautiful garden was almost all food plants, so it was really practical too. I was particularly fond of the office chair made from a WWII bomber seat – what a great example of upcycling!

The last stop on the tour was another house still under construction in Mount Victoria. Dubbed ‘the house that ebay built’ by the owner, it featured a stack of recycled materials in its construction which were bought cheaply online. The owner was also saving money by doing almost everything by himself, and only calling on specific trades people as he needed them. The highlight for me was the home made rammed earth walls, which used soil from a construction site in Katoomba. They were low on embodied energy and looked fantastic, and a have strength similar to concrete when complete.

Overall the Eco Homes Tour was a fantastic opportunity to visit a selection of sustainable homes and talk to the owners, builders and architects involved in bringing them to life. If you’re looking at building or renovating your house and making it more sustainable, or just enjoy checking out eco homes and sustainable architecture, it’s well worth getting along to the next Eco Homes Tour.

Water in Penrith Photo Competition

2011-09-21T14:45:00.002+10:00

The Water in Penrith Photo Competition is on again! There are some fantastic prizes on offer, not to mention a free nature photography walk (booking essential). For more information click on the image below.

Love food? Want to learn from a Masterchef in some FREE cooking workshops?

2011-09-21T12:06:00.003+10:00

Why not come along to one of Council’s Love Food Hate Waste workshops? We’ve got Jay Huxley from this year’s Masterchef doing some cooking demonstrations at the Hawkesbury Harvest Farmers and Fine Food Market, as well as a range of different cooking workshops for you. The workshops include:

Recipe Planning and Cooking – Create healthy and interesting menus to save money and time, while learning tasty cooking tips.

Kitchen Gardening with Kids – Pot some seedlings, plant bean sprouts and learn how to cook a yummy omelette or salad with them.

Sustainable Food Shopping and Menu Planning – Learn hints and tips on creating a weekly menu and shopping list, and how to make the most of leftovers.

Booking is essential for the workshops. For more information click here visit the Council website

Sustainable House Day - Sunday 12 September

2011-09-09T16:50:00.002+10:00

We love Sustainable House Day - a day when owners of sustainable houses open their doors and let everyone check out the amazing things they have done. We love being able to see what other people have done, but more importantly to be able to talk to people who have done things with their own money in the real world - without the usual sales pitch or rolled eyes you usually get when asking about the sustainability credentials of products and appliances!

To find out more about Sustainable House Day and to see the houses opening their doors near you, visit their website by clicking here.

Walk to Work Day – 16th September

2011-09-08T16:17:00.003+10:00

Walk to Work day is on again! Now in its 13th year, the Cancer Council National Walk to Work Day is an annual event which helps people to build regular walking into their daily routine.

Did you know that people who walk before and during work are generally healthier, more productive and creative and less likely to be sick? Regular walking can also help to relieve feelings of depression or anxiety, and it improves our environment by reducing car dependency.

We’d love to hear about the creative ways you will participate in Walk to Work Day on the16th September. Let us know what you’re up to by emailing us at mdesmarch@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

Here are some suggestions on how you can Walk to Work:
• If you can't walk all the way, get off the bus or train a few stops early and walk the rest of your journey
• If you must drive, leave the car at least a kilometre from your destination and walk the rest of the way.
• Take a half-hour walk at lunchtime and where possible, use the stairs.
• If you are required to sit a lot at work, get up and walk around at least once every hour.

So, step into Spring, put your feet first and register at www.walk.com.au to take part in Cancer Council Walk to Work Day.

Spring Gardening Festival - Sat 10 September

2011-08-26T14:46:00.006+10:00

Well the days are getting warmer and Spring is just around the corner – what better way to enjoy it than by getting outside in the garden? The good news is the Library have organised the Spring Garden Festival to celebrate all things gardening. If you've got a green thumb (or you’re like me and you wish your brown thumb was a little greener), the Festival is not to be missed. On the day 1000 trees and shrubs will be given away! There are also a range of really interesting talks throughout the day:

Talks in the Library Theatrette
10am – Sustainable gardening in suburbia – I did it, you can too!
11am – Container growing – veggie garden in a box
12pm – Composting
1pm – Worm farming
2pm – Sydney Food Fairness Alliance

Talks in PC Training Room
10am – Benefits of a garden club
10.30am – Bush regeneration
11.30am – Fuchsias
12.30pm – Therapeutic properties of herbal teas
1.30pm – Salvias

Talks in Woodlands Room
10.30am – Pest management the permaculture way

In addition to all of the talks, a range of friendly experts will be on hand with information on different gardening topics, plus there’ll be pruning and propagating demos, plant varities to check out, handouts and so on. If you’ve got a question you’d like to answer, these are the people to ask! Some of the groups who’ll be on hand to help you include:

• Nepean Bonsai Society
• The In-Ground Fuchsia Group
• The Bromeliad Society of Australia
• The Australian Geranium Society
• Bushcare
• Blue Mountains and Nepean Herb Group
• Blue Mountains and Penrith Districts Orchid Society
• Hazelbrook & Woodford Garden Festival
• Lower Blue Mountains Garden Club,
• Penrith City Garden Club
• Sydney Food Fairness Alliance
• Permaculture Blue Mountains

We’re really looking forward to it, and we hope to see you there! For more information call the library on (02) 4732 7891.

E-Waste Drop Off Day - Sat 10 Sep

2011-08-19T15:39:00.004+10:00

Following the massive success of the first E-waste collection day, Council is holding another one on Saturday 10 September. This is a perfect opportunity to dispose of items like old TVs, computers, phones etc in a sustainable way.

The E-waste collection day goes from 9am-3.30pm at Jamison Park (South Penrith), and entry is via Jamison Road. More information on the day, including the items you can drop off, can be found on the Council website, please click here to view it.

The first E-Waste recycling drop off day was held on 19 February 2011 at Jamison Park. In under 7 hours, 1095 vehicles dropped off a massive 72.5 tonnes of computers, televisions and other old electronic appliances!

St Clair couple reduce their annual water and energy bills by almost $1000 with simple changes!

2011-08-05T16:44:00.006+10:00

Have you ever wondered what effect all those little things you could be doing at home would have on the environment and your wallet? Sure they say all those little things add up, but how much? A couple from St Clair recently wondered this, and what they’ve achieved is outstanding!

Zuzana Cernak-Frketic and Robert Frketic of St Clair became inspired after attending one of Penrith City Council’s recent Sustainable Living workshops. “The workshop we attended ‘Home sustainability basics’ gave us the motivation and inspiration to do something about reducing our water and energy use” explains Zuzana.

“The first thing I did was to determine what our daily usage was by calculating the average of past water and electricity usage bills (this was based on 12 months) using a spreadsheet. Our average daily usage was 471 litres of water and 19.5 kWh of energy. The next thing I did was an itemised water audit to determine how much water each water activity uses. I did this by doing a water meter reading before and after each activity. Then I did an audit of what we used”. By doing this, they were able to track their energy and water usage and work out exactly how much they were saving.

So what did they achieve?
Zuzana and Robert were able to achieve a massive 68% reduction in their water use, and a 52% reduction in their energy use – this equates to saving a total of $985 a year! “The results blew us away. We are so pleased that we are doing something for the environment and our wallets”.

Their energy and water usage and what they were able to save is outlined in the table below.

How did they do it?
Saving almost $1,000 on your annual energy and water bills is an amazing achievement in itself – not to mention the positive outcomes for the environment. So we asked Zuzana what they did to get such fantastic results. We’ve outlined their top tips below, and we challenge you to take on some of them in your own home and see what you save!

Zuzana and Robert’s top tips for saving energy:
• Turn off all electrical appliances/services at the power point when not is use
• Cook in bulk (make 4-6 servings per dish)
• Cook more than one item when using the oven
• Trade your rechargeable cordless phone for a phone with a cord – this means there’s no need to charge your batteries all the time
• Use hot water bottles and multiple layers of clothing to heat up and stay warm
• Use the torch to move around the house at night instead of flicking on light switches
• Have two 24 hour TV/computer/radio free days
• For parties use a wood fire oven and wood fire pot to cook for your guests
• Once a week eat only raw food. Have a competition of who can make the tastiest and most creative salad made from either vegetables or fruit, and use herbs from the garden

Zuzana and Robert’s top tips for saving water:
• Shower for 4 minutes (use a shower timer)
• Only use the washing machine when it’s full, and use cold water only
• Use a bucket in the shower to collect the initial 30 seconds of cold water until it heats up and use this water to fill up the washing machine
• Wash vegetables and fruit under a bucket and use it to water the garden
• Mulch your garden (this cuts down on watering and improves the soil health)
• Use a broom instead of vacuuming tiles and floorboards
• When rinsing dishes, turn off the tap between dishes
• Use several buckets to collect water for the garden
• Wash your car in the rain
• Flush your toilet only when it’s needed (we have the motto “if it’s yellow let it mellow, if its brown, flush it down” attached on our bathroom wall for all to see)

Where to from here for our sustainability champions?
You’d think that they’d be pretty happy with what they’ve achieved, but Zuzana and Robert have even more goals that they want to achieve. In the short term this includes buying a more water efficient washing machine, borrowing a power mate meter from the library to determine the energy being used by each of their appliances, installing rain water tanks, and reusing grey water from the washing machine.

Within 6 months, their aim is to reduce their water consumption to less than 100 litres a day and their energy use to less than 5kwh per day. Using our energy and water costs from before, that equates to:
• An annual energy bill of $361 – that’s $90 a quarter!
• An annual water bill of $76 – that’s $19 a quarter!
We can’t wait to catch up with them at the end of the year and see how they are doing.

Jay from Masterchef set to cook up a storm in Penrith!

2011-07-22T14:06:00.005+10:00

In exciting news we’ve managed to sign up Jay Huxley, who was one of this years outstanding Masterchef contestants, to help out with some cooking demonstrations and workshops in Penrith.

Jay grew up in Cranebrook, and is passionate about sharing his love of cooking with us. “I am excited about the prospect of working on this project. The area and cause are both things that are close to my heart”.

Council has received funding from the Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), to develop a program of activities including cooking demonstrations and workshops as part of the Love Food Hate Waste program. Participants will learn about things like planning meals, cooking leftovers, as well as a bunch of Jay’s other cooking tips. We’re still finalising everything, but we’re really excited about what’s coming up later in the year.

To find out more about Love Food Hate Waste visit the official website. We’ll post more information here about what we’re doing in Penrith as it comes to hand, however in the mean time why not check out Jay’s website and check out his handy work! www.jayhuxley.com

Naidoc Week celebrations – a great celebration for the whole community!

2011-07-19T16:34:00.004+10:00

Once again the Penrith NAIDOC celebrations were a great success! After a week of wild and windy weather, the day was perfect with heaps of sunshine and barely a whisper of wind. There were things for the whole family, though the kids were particularly well looked after – the giant slide was definitely a crowd favourite. Even Echo, Council’s sustainability mascot dropped in and joined in the fun. If you missed this great community event, make sure you make an effort to come down next year.

Recycling on an industrial scale

2011-07-19T12:23:00.007+10:00

Old industrial buildings and structures have a unique beauty and style all of their own. One only has to look at something like the Queen Victoria Building to be reminded of the old saying ‘they sure don’t make ‘em like they used to’. And in many respects, that’s great! New buildings are becoming more and more sustainable in how they are built, and more efficient in how they are run – and that’s great for the environment and for us.

At the same time there are a bunch of old industrial sites which are sitting unloved and unmaintained. Of course the million dollar question is what’s the best thing to do with them? Sure you could pull it down, but why not make use of that beautiful industrial style and local history? And how good would it be if you could make it into something that the community can use and cherish?

Well we’ve found a few examples (a couple of Sydney ones and one from New York) which do exactly that. It’s a great reminder that we should never be afraid to think outside of the box, because that’s where some of the most exciting sustainability ideas lie.

Paddington Reservoir, Paddington NSW
Images from City of Sydney

Paddington Reservoir was built between 1866 and 1878 as a key water storage facility for Sydney. After being decommissioned in 1899, the site served as a workshop and service station. However in 1991 part of the roof collapsed and the area was closed off for a number of years for safety reasons. It has since been revitalised into a stunning community park, which celebrates it’s beauty and also its history. For more information click here.

Ballast Point Park, Birchgrove NSW
Image from Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority

Ballast Point Park was used between 1788 and 1800 as a source of ballast for ships returning to Europe. It was owned by a variety of people, and then served as a fuel depot from the 1920s to the 1990s. Again it was derelict for a number of years, before being revitalised into a fantastic community park. For more information click here.

High Line Park, New York
Images from www.treehugger.com

The High Line is an elevated railway that was built in the 1930s in Manhattan, as the previous railway line on the street was causing too many accidents. It was used until 1980, and likewise it fell into a state of disrepair. Following a number of years of community and legal debate about what to do with it, it was rebuilt as thread of elevated parkway creating much needed parkland for the city of New York. For more info check out the High Line website.

Of course other well known examples include The Brickpit at Sydney Olympic Park and the nearby Newington Armoury. All of these examples serve to highlight the potential for creating great resources when you use the principles of sustainability and think outside of the box!

Sustaining the Meadow sows the seeds of success!

2011-07-13T10:14:00.001+10:00

We love hearing about some of the great sustainability initiatives which are being undertaken in the local community. The ‘Sustaining the Meadow’ project is a great example!

Held in Claremont Meadows, the project involved a series of sustainability workshops for local residents over the last couple of months. Topics included creating your own seed raising mix, sowing seeds, vegetable gardening in a box, organic pest control and creating a worm farm. The workshops weren’t just theory either, participants at each workshop got to get in and get their hands dirty! The workshop series was coordinated by the St Marys Area Community Development Project, with funding from Penrith City Council’s Magnetic Places Program.

By all reports everyone had a great time at the workshops and walked away brimming with new information and enthusiasm – we can’t wait to see what they get up to with their new skills!

If you’d like more information about the Sustaining the Meadow project, or other exciting programs happening in the Claremont Meadows area, call Greg Harriden on 9673 2169. Greg is a Community Development Worker with the St Marys Area Community Development Project and he would love to hear from you.

Getting a handle on the carbon tax

2011-07-12T10:12:00.004+10:00

The Federal Government have just announced their plans for a carbon tax for Australia, and quite rightly it’s got people across the country talking about it. Basically the big questions are what is it, how is it going to work, and how is it going to affect my household/work/business?

We’ve done a little research to try and make it easier for you to understand what it means for you and the country as a whole.

The Federal Government have established www.cleanenergyfuture.gov.au to help people learn more. One of the great features is this household calculator , where you can quickly and easily estimate what the impact of the proposed changes will be. I just did it for my own household, and it was nice and easy to use.

So how does a carbon tax like this go towards addressing the issue of climate change? Here’s a simple graphic which explains the principle behind it.

Another good link we’ve found is this 6 page pdf. The document outlines the key actions and activities which will be undertaken as part of the proposed scheme, such as things like investing in renewable energy.

Come celebrate NAIDOC week at Jamison Park

2011-07-07T10:20:00.004+10:00

NAIDOC Week is a time to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and is an opportunity to recognise the contributions of Indigenous Australians in various fields.

NAIDOC stands for the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. Its origins can be traced back to the 1920s, when Aboriginal groups sought to increase awareness in the wider community of the status and treatment of Indigenous Australians. To learn more, check out the NAIDOC website.

To celebrate this important event, why not come down to Jamison Park on Friday 8 July? The event runs from 10.30am to 3.30pm and will include singers, games, barbeque, mixed netball and touch football competitions, and activities for children!

Last seen in 1898!

2011-06-24T14:41:00.003+10:00

Can you imagine discovering an animal that hasn’t been seen for 113 years? I certainly can’t, but that’s exactly what happened recently in a nature reserve in Columbia!

This red-crested tree rat (Santamartamys rufodorsalis), dropped in to an ecolodge in the El Dorado Nature Reserve, where a couple of nature conservation volunteers were able to get these photos. It was last observed in 1898, despite a number of surveys since then to find it. It apparently hung around for a couple of hours, before scuttling off back into the bush.

To give that some perspective, 1898 was the year the first referendums were held about Australia becoming a single nation! It’s also the year that the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney was completed. To see what Penrith looked like back then, check this out.

For more information on the sighting of this cute little critter, check out the Conservation International website.

Okay, here's one more pic for you all.

Fridge Buyback

2011-06-23T12:49:00.004+10:00

A lot of people have a second fridge somewhere, quietly humming along and using more electricity than they really need to use. With electricity prices going up, these fridges (which are usually older and less efficient) are going to cost more and more to run. It’s estimated that these fridges cost about $225 a year to run as it is, not to mention the tonne of carbon they produce each year!

So what’s the best way to get rid of one of these old fridges? The answer to that is Fridge Buyback. Basically Fridge Buyback will pay you up to $35 to collect your fridge, and it will then be professionally recycled (and all the nasty refrigerant gases are captured too). As always terms and conditions apply, but the basics are that the fridge has to be a working second fridge, be 250L or more in size, and be over 10 years old.

Fridge Buyback is funded through the NSW Climate Change Fund, and is available to a number of areas in the Sydney and greater region. So far over 430 households in Penrith have participated in the scheme, which won the Best Specific Environmental Initiative category of the Virgin Blue Business Awards as part of the United Nations Association of Australia’s World Environment Day Awards.

For more information call 1800 708 401 or visit www.fridgebuyback.com.au

Sydney by bike

2011-06-20T14:33:00.009+10:00

Following on from my previous post about exploring your own backyard, on the weekend I decided to take advantage of the great weather and do just that. My partner was working at Mosman, so I took the opportunity to throw the bike in the back and carpool with her, and go exploring from there.

I’ll admit that I drove to Kirribilli and parked the car on a residential street, but it saved me riding back up the hill to Mosman at the end of the day (not to mention avoiding the traffic along Military Road!).

I started with a leisurely cruise along the foreshore to Luna Park, looking over the harbour to the Opera House, Botanic Gardens and Circular Quay. From there it was up the hill to North Sydney, which is also where you access both the pedestrian and bicycle paths across the Harbour Bridge. The east side is for pedestrians only, and the west side is for bikes. Suffice to say the views from the bridge are magnificent! If you’ve never walked or ridden across the bridge, I highly recommend it.

The cycleway from the bridge meets up with the new bike lanes on Kent Street, which have been installed by the City of Sydney. Basically it is a dedicated lane on the street for bicycles, which is protected from cars and trucks on the road by a concrete medium strip. A full map of the cycleways can be found here on the City of Sydney’s website, to help you plan your trip.

From there I cut across Pyrmont Bridge past Darling Harbour, and again along more dedicated bike lanes through Pyrmont to the end of Anzac Bridge. While the Anzac Bridge doesn’t have the same beauty that the Harbour Bridge does, the views from it are also amazing.

From the end of Anzac Bridge I turned left to follow the edge of Rozelle Bay, where there are parklands and a shared pathway along the waterfront. This stretches around to meet Blackwattle Bay, and then you’re basically at the fishmarkets. From there I went back through Pyrmont and Darling Harbour, back up Kent Street and back across the Harbour Bridge to where I started.

Touring by bike in Sydney has never been easier and more inviting than with the new cycleways that have now been installed. It’s nice and cheap, and you can cover a lot more ground than if you were on foot. Just make sure you take some water and some basic tools and a puncture kit, and a reasonable quality lock just in case you want to drop into any shops along the way.

Explore the world in our own backyard

2011-06-10T11:27:00.004+10:00

Here in Penrith we're pretty spoilt when you think about it - we're a stones throw away from the world heritage listed bushland of the Blue Mountains, and to the other side we've got one of the most diverse and culturally rich cities in the country! But how often do we actually take the time to slow down and fully appreciate all that Sydney has to offer?

One person who has done that is photographer Louise Hawson, with her 52 Suburbs project. "My blog, 52 Suburbs came about when I was scouting for a new photographic project. I have always thought it odd that many people regard the world as fascinating but shut down when it comes to their own backyards, regarding them as ho hum and not particularly interesting. When I applied this thinking to my own city, Sydney, I realised I was just as guilty as anyone else — I had been drawn to many places overseas and constantly fantasised about travelling far away — but I was not very interested in Sydney. It felt like I’d stopped exploring it a long time ago and had been stuck instead in my own little patch for years."

Louise decided to visit a new suburb each week for a year (hence the 52 Suburbs name), and document the images of her visits on her blog at www.52suburbs.com. Originally just a pet project, word spread about her amazing images and more and more people started to hear about it. This has resulted in a book titled 52 Suburbs (pictured below), and there is also an exhibition of her photos on display at the Museum of Sydney until 9 October (details here). And yes, if you're wondering she did visit Penrith, see that post here.

52 Suburbs is a great reminder to all of us to open up our own eyes and appreciate the beauty and diversity of our own backyards. It's also a great example of the kind of great things that can happen when you follow your passion.

Carpool and win!

2011-06-06T16:38:00.003+10:00

There's never been a better time to join up to Western Sydney Carpool wwww.wscarpool.org. Car pooling a great way to save money and help look after the environment.

There's a bunch of benefits to carpooling, which include:
• Save money on fuel and tolls
• Play your part in reducing congestion on our roads
• Reduce wear and tear on your car by using it less often
• Enjoy priority parking at selected locations (Penrith Council will provide two dedicated spots in front of the Civic Centre)
• Reduce your carbon footprint
• Meet new people
• Stress less by sitting back and enjoying a ride to work

Western Sydney Carpool features a secure website which ‘matches’ you to commuters with similar travel arrangements, and it's absolutely free. All you need to do is log on to the system, and create a personal profile. The system will then identify other travellers who live within 15km of you with similar travelling needs.

Penrith Farmers Markets

2011-06-06T09:56:00.014+10:00

We love local food - it's fresh and tastey, it supports local farmers, and it's good for the environment too! Lucky for us Hawkesbury Harvest coordinate monthly farmers markets in Penrith, so there's a stack of yummy produce all in the one place.

The markets are held the first Saturday of the month from 8am to 1pm, on the grass area between Penrith Library and the Joan Sutherland Performing Arts Centre. For more information click here to check out the Hawkesbury Harvest website. Here's some photos from Saturday to give you an idea of what's on offer!

World Environment Day - Sunday 5 June

2011-06-02T17:45:00.002+10:00

This Sunday is World Environment Day! The day was started by the UN Environment Program back in ’72 to help make people more aware of the environment. The theme for this year’s World Environment Day is forests – they play a vital role in our climate, and they also provide essential habitat for plants and animals across the world! Here’s some ideas on what you could do this weekend to celebrate World Environment Day:

• Take a walk in one of our local nature reserves or bushland areas – The Penrith area is lucky to boast some great bushland areas including Castlereagh Nature Reserve, Agnes Banks Nature Reserve and Mulgoa Nature Reserve. The bonus is they’re fairly flat so they’re great for a leisurely stroll! For more information on these areas, click here.

• Visit the Blue Mountains National Park – The Blue Mountains are arguably up there with the most stunning landscapes in this country, and they’re located right on our doorstep! They play such a critical role in conserving biodiversity that they were added to the World Heritage List in 2000. Why not check out some of the amazing lookouts, or if you’re feeling more adventurous what about a bushwalk to the valley floor or a mountain bike ride? For more information click here.

• Drop in to Taronga Zoo – Zoos play a critical role in raising awareness about the threats to animals across the world, as well as working to breed species which are threatened in their native habitats. It’s also a great day out with the kids, and it offers some of the best views of Sydney Harbour around. My tip is to check out the fantastic free flight bird show. For more info on the zoo click here.

To find more information on World Environment Day visit www.unep.org/wed

Call For Support of Graffiti Action Day - Clean! Paint! or Plant!

2011-05-09T11:11:00.002+10:00

Dear Keep Australia Beautiful NSW Supporters,

If you or any of your friends/neighbours have any illegal graffiti vandalism (like tagging) near you then this is your last chance to register for graffiti action day on 15th May. On Sunday 15th May people from across the State are banding together to clean off unsightly and unwanted graffiti vandalism in their local communities.

Form a group with your friends and or neighbours and email us at graffitiactionday@kabnsw.org.au with your site and we will contact you with all the information you need. We will supply all of the safe removal products and safety equipment for free and you can learn how to use the products on YouTube. Or you can decide to paint or plant to cover or protect walls and fences.

It doesn’t matter if you have a small area or a huge area to clean, we want to hear from you and help you get rid of it. If you are unable to do it on Sunday May 15 then a day very close to that date is fine.

Please email us at graffitiactionday@kabnsw.org.au

Kind regards,
Phil Kelly

Keep Australia Beautiful NSW
Graffiti Action Day Program Manager

Western Sydney Carpool

2011-05-05T09:04:00.001+10:00

We would like to invite you to the Launch of the Western Sydney Carpool

The Western Sydney Carpool is an initiative of Transport NSW and is funded by the NSW Government. It aims to lessen the impact of commuter traffic by reducing the number of single passenger vehicles on our roads.

When: Friday 13th May

Where: The Nepean Room, Civic Centre

Time: 10.00 am

Come along and find out about this exciting new service

Morning Tea will be provided

Register before the launch at www.wscarpool.org and be in the running to win a $100 Woolworths Gift Card

The benefits of carpooling are wide ranging. By carpooling you can:

• Save money on fuel and tolls
• Play your part in reducing congestion on our roads
• Reduce wear and tear on your car by using it less often
• Enjoy priority parking at selected locations (Council will provide two dedicated spots in front of the
Civic Centre)
• Reduce your carbon footprint
• Meet new people
• Stress less by sitting back and enjoying a ride to work

A secure website will ‘match’ commuters with similar travel arrangements. Registration to participate is free. All you need to do is log on to the system, create a personal profile and then allow the system to search for others with similar travelling needs, living within a 15 kilometre radius of your home.

For more information about the scheme contact Council’s Transportation Planner:

Walter Sinnaduari on Ext. 7221

FREE Sustainable Living Community Workshops

2011-04-19T11:36:00.002+10:00

Council is offering FREE home sustainability workshops for local residents. These are a great opportunity for you to learn more about how you can reduce your impact on the environment, and to save some money around the home. Booking is essential as places are limited. To RSVP please contact Council on 02 4732 7750 or ahewson@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

Living with less chemicals
Are you concerned with how many chemicals you use in your home? Find out how to replace them with some clean and green alternatives.
Sat 7 May, 1.30pm-3.30pm
Penrith Library Theatrette

Veggie garden in a box
Ever wanted to start a veggie garden but weren’t sure where to start? A veggie garden in a box is an easy and cheap way to get started, without all the maintenance of big veggie patch. They’re also perfect for those in townhouses or units.
Sun 8 May, 10.00am-12.00pm
Penrith Library Theatrette

Home sustainability basics
Want to make your home more sustainable, but not sure where to start? Let us help you! This workshop covers everything from the easy actions like energy efficient items through to bigger things like solar and rainwater tanks. For renters it even covers how to approach your landlord about these changes.
Sat 14 May, 10.00am-12.00pm
St Marys Community Centre

Native gardening
Native gardens provide habitat for local birds and animals, and they don’t use much water either! Learn hints and tips to make your native garden both beautiful and healthy.
Sun 15 May, 10.00am-12.00pm
Penrith Library Theatrette

Introduction to permaculture
Permaculture works with nature’s natural systems and cycles to achieve a low impact lifestyle. In this workshop you’ll learn about permaculture and how to incorporate it’s principals into your life.
Sat 21 May, 10.00am-12.00pm
St Mary’s Community Centre

Composting
Composting is a great way to recycle your own food and garden organic waste and produce rich healthy compost which your garden will love. In this workshop you’ll learn all the hints and tips necessary to create and maintain your own compost system.
Sun 22 May, 10.00am-12.00pm
Penrith Library Theatrette

Worm farming
Ever thought about creating a worm farm, but weren’t sure where to start? This workshop is for you! Learn all the secrets of worm farming, and in no time you’ll be making your own dynamite fertilisers for your garden.
Sun 29 May, 10.00am-12.00pm
Penrith Library Theatrette

Eco renovating and building
Are you building or renovating? Why not take the opportunity to make your home more sustainable in the process! This workshop will cover some of the ideas and principles you can incorporate into your home to make it more sustainable.
Sat 4 Jun, 9.30am-12.30pm
Penrith Library Theatrette

Plant a Tree and Remember Mum

2011-04-13T15:11:00.002+10:00

This special community event welcomes people of all ages to nurture the environment and remember their mum with a commemorative planting.

WHEN: 9am – 12 noon
Mother’s Day – Sunday, 8 May 2011
WHERE: Manning Street Kingswood

Access is via Peppermint Crescent and Bringelly Road. Approximately 1 ½ kms from the Great Western Highway and Kingswood railway station.

You can either just turn up on the day or register by calling (02) 4732 8088 or email parks@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au to ensure we have enough plants for everyone.

Participation is free of charge

Support the environment and remember mum with a celebratory tree planting

Penrith’s Tale of the Garage Sale Trail

2011-04-13T14:35:00.007+10:00

A number of households across Penrith participated in the first national Garage Sale Trail on Sunday April 10. There was a great mix of items for sale, with everything from vintage motorbikes, furniture, clothes, golf buggies and kids toys! The day had a great community atmosphere, with many people taking the opportunity to catch up with friends and neighbours as they perused the bargains on offer.

Personally I picked up a bunch of records and a very funky ‘70s ceramic lamp base in mint condition, and I still had enough change from $50 to grab some lunch on the way home – got to love that!

Here’s some pictures from the day.

Penrith Residents Clean Up!

2011-04-13T14:26:00.004+10:00

E-Waste Collection Day
At the recent e-waste collection day held in Jamison Park, Penrith City Council collected 72 tonnes of electronic waste from households. More than 1000 cars came through on the day to drop their e-waste off to be recycled, and enough electronic waste was collected to fill 12 backyard swimming pools!

Chemical Clean Out
The Chemical Clean Out, hosted by Penrith City Council at Jamison Park, resulted in over 900 households having cleaned out their chemical clutter the right way. 35 tonnes of chemical waste was collected on the day, which has been collected for safe disposal and recycling. The event, held annually, will be next held in Penrith in February 2012.

Clean Up Australia Day
The residents of Penrith turned out in their hundreds to help clean up our environment at this years Clean Up Australia Day. Over 3000kgs of litter was collected from 53 different sites within Penrith City on Sunday 6 March. Cigarette butts were the most collected item, closely followed by drink containers and chip/snack packets.

Corner interactive: tell your story of St Marys

2011-04-07T14:24:00.004+10:00

CuriousWorks invites residents of St Marys and surrounding suburbs to video storytelling workshops to weave together the stories of St Marys.

Join us and learn the skills required to produce high quality digital stories that will build dynamic perceptions of local people and places, past and present. No experience necessary, just a pioneering spirit.

The videos produced will be showcased in a public-interactive installation under the evening sky at St Marys Corner, where local residents can gather and interact with large-scale projections carrying stories of their neighbourhood.

Workshop Dates:
Wed 13th April, 3.30 - 7.30pm, St Marys Corner (Meeting Room 1)
Wed 27th April, 3.30 - 7.30pm, St Marys Senior High School
Wed 4th May, 3.30 - 7.30pm, St Marys Senior High School

Outdoor Screening Date:
Thurs 12th May 5.30pm - 7.30pm St Marys Corner Piazza

Workshops are Free!

Apply now, drop us an email at mark@curiousworks.com.au

Heritage Festival - Amazing Stories from Unexpected Places

2011-04-05T11:24:00.000+10:00

Heritage festival is on and we have two events in the Library as part of this year’s festival:

Amazing Stories from Unexpected Places: Finding gems in Penrith Council archives - There will be two workshops on finding and utilising local government records for local and family history research. In these workshops, we will be revealing some of those amazing stories through the historical archives held in the Library’s Research Room.

When: Wednesday 6th April 6pm—8pm Thursday 14th April 10am—12pm

Where: Penrith City Library, Research Room

No charge
Tickets are limited.

Ebooks now available at the library!

2011-03-29T11:23:00.003+11:00

NEW today!

The library has now added eBooks to its Overdrive Download service. There is a range of both fiction and nonfiction titles for you to select from.

Browse – Checkout – Download.

Enjoy immediately or transfer to your iPod, eBook reader, such as iPad or Kobo, and other compatible devices.

Locate directly at http://penrith.lib.overdrive.com

OR via the Overdrive link on the Library Catalogue: http://opac.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

To checkout you will need to have your Penrith City Library card membership number together with your PIN [i.e. full date of birth – 8 characters – no dashes]

The popular audio download service will still be continued.

Neighbours Day - This Sunday

2011-03-25T15:06:00.002+11:00

Good neighbours are vital to any community, but with increasingly busy lives we often neglect to build relationships with those living nearby.

Sunday 27th March is Neighbour Day to celebrate our neighbours.

Participating in Neighbour Day is easy: just say g’day to the people living next door, or make a special effort to introduce yourself to the older residents in your street and anyone living alone. Swap telephone numbers for use in an emergency and help us build a safer, more connected community.

Some other suggestions for getting involved -invite them for a cup of tea, barbeque or picnic at a local park.

The sense of community that comes from being connected with your neighbours can provide many benefits including an increased sense of security, particularly for older or vulnerable people and developing friendships amongst children and adults.

Enjoy NEIGHBOUR DAY on Sunday!

The Garage Sale Trail is coming to Penrith!

2011-03-24T12:17:00.002+11:00

Rocky Elsom, captain of the Wallabies, is just one of the supporters of the Garage Sale Trail.

Need to clear out some of that stuff that’s cluttering up the garage or the spare room? Why not have a garage sale as part of the national Garage Sale Trail which is on Sunday April 10? It’s simple, just register online and your sale will show up on the Garage Sale Trail website and also in a map which will be printed in the Penrith Press – no need to put up signs everywhere! Best of all it’s free!

The first 100 garage sales to register across Penrith will also be eligible to receive a free pack which consists of a t-shirt, cap, balloons, and an information pack chock full of hints and tips to ensure you make the most out of your sale.

To find out more about how to get involved in the Garage Sale Trail, why not check out this quick video or visit www.garagesaletrail.com.au for more information.

The Garage Sale Trail is proudly supported in Penrith by Penrith City Council and Stocklands.

Earth Hour – Saturday 26 March, 8.30pm

2011-03-15T16:17:00.003+11:00

Saturday 26 March will see both individuals and organisations from across the world stand together in a show of support for action on climate change. Since it’s beginning back in 2007 (right here in Sydney!), Earth Hour has grown into one of the single largest community driven sustainability events in the world.

We reckon the best way to get involved in Earth Hour is to share it with your family and friends. If you’ve got kids, why not have some fun with it? Use it as an excuse to go camping and set up a tent in the backyard or even put out some sleeping bags in the loungeroom. Play spotlight in the backyard or what about some board games and card games by candlelight. If you don’t have kids, there’s no reason you can’t invite some mates over for a barbeque and do the same things! Or how about a romantic candlelit dinner with someone special?

We’d love to hear about how you will be celebrating Earth Hour this year. All of the submissions will go in the draw to win a $100 voucher to online eco store ‘Todae’. To get involved in the competition email chamilton@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au or call Council’s Sustainability Unit on 4732 7803 and let us know what you’re doing for Earth Hour – make sure you include your contact details in case you win!

This year the message for Earth Hour is to ‘go beyond the hour’ – this is a good as time as any to take that next ‘sustainability step’ you’ve been thinking about taking for a while. Not sure where to start? Earth Hour have a bunch of suggestions on things you can do:

http://www.earthhour.org.au/take-action/take-action-beyond-the-hour/

If you’re unsure about what impact that little step that you’re taking will have, just imagine how far the world would come if the millions of people across the world who participate in Earth Hour took a similar step as well?

For more information on Earth Hour itself, please visit www.earthhour.org.au/

Penrith free shuttle bus service

2011-03-15T10:29:00.008+11:00

The free Penrith Shuttle Bus runs every 15 minutes, seven days a week.

Monday to Friday
Between 9.00am and 2.30pm
Saturday and Sunday
Between 9.00am and 5.30pm

The free 787 Shuttle Bus is a great way to get around Penrith – it’s fast, free and easy to find. The Penrith free Shuttle Bus will operate on a continuous loop around the city centre – connecting the train station and transport interchange with local shops, the TAFE, entertainment and community hubs. You don’t need a ticket or a timetable – just look out for the green bus and jump on board.

For more information visit
www.131500.com.au or call 131500.

NRMA Community Grants

2011-03-07T13:48:00.004+11:00

The NRMA have announced funding for improving our communities, with funding of up to $5000 available for a project. Funding is available for the key areas of crime prevention, road safety, emergency readiness and response, and the environment. To find out more about the funding and how to apply, please click the link below:

Help your community save money and cut its carbon footprint

2011-02-07T10:14:00.033+11:00

There is a new opportunity for you to inspire your community, help reduce their power bills and take action on climate change. All you need to do is promote the NSW Energymark program to your community using a suite of materials available to you now.

NSW Energymark is now recruiting 500 volunteer convenors across metropolitan and regional New South Wales to host small-group discussions that could cut participants' power bills by up to 37 per cent and lighten their carbon footprint by 27 per cent.

What is NSW Energymark?
NSW Energymark is an effective education program initiated by CSIRO and delivered in partnership with the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water NSW, that can achieve significant energy, water and waste savings in your community.

Energymark's grassroots, bottom-up approach increases people's understanding of climate change, awareness of energy use and generation, and inspires the adoption and maintenance of habits conducive to a better environment.

How does it work?
The convenors don't need to be experts on the environment to take part. All they need do is gather one small group of 10 family, friends or workmates and host eight kitchen-table discussions on energy, climate change, water and waste. All meeting hosts will be given a range of materials that guide the sessions and receive support from a locally based coordinator.

How you can help
We ask that you promote this opportunity between now and the end of February 2011. To assist you with this, we have prepared a suite of materials for your council to use, including:

Web button for your website

Brochures – email and print

Editorial for your website or newsletters

Media release template

Advertisements – web and print.

Download promotional materials >

Queensland Flood Appeal

2011-01-14T12:17:00.006+11:00

Many of us have either friends or relatives that live in Queensland. A practical way for the Penrith community to assist our Queensland neighbours in their time of need is to make a donation to the Queensland Government Premiers Flood Relief Appeal. Anyone wishing to make a donation can do so at their local bank branch, online or via telephone. For more information on how to donate click here.

How about an early Spring clean?

2011-01-13T10:19:00.004+11:00

Now is the perfect time to get in and have a clean up around your house. How come? Because in February Penrith is hosting two FREE drop off services – an E-Waste disposal day and the Chemical Clean Out and – so get in now and clean up around the house!

The E-waste drop off day is being held on Saturday 19 February 2001 at Jamison Park, from 9am to 3.30pm. This is a perfect opportunity to dispose of items such as including televisions, computers, and small kitchen and household appliances. They will pulled apart, sorted and the materials will be recovered to be recycled into new items. For more information, please click here

The Chemical Clean Out is being held on Saturday 26 February 2011 at Jamison Park, from 9am to 3.30pm. The Clean Out allows you to safely dispose of items like solvents & household cleaners, floor care products, ammonia based cleaners, fluorescent globes and tubes, household batteries, car batteries, motor oils, fuels and fluids, paint & paint related products, pesticides, herbicides, poisons, gas bottles, fire extinguishers, pool chemicals, hobby chemicals, acids and alkalis. For more information, please click here

So get in and now and have a clean up in the house and the garage so you’re ready to take your items down to the clean ups!

Library Carpet Continues to Clean Up

2011-01-12T10:07:00.004+11:00

Most people have probably never thought about the carpet in Penrith library. To be honest, we hadn’t either. The good news is the library staff have - and the result is some amazing savings in energy and water use.

The carpet was replaced when the library was refurbished back in April 2008. When choosing the new carpet, the library staff made sure it was environmentally friendly and also cost effective. The new carpet is made from fully recyclable materials, so it can be remade into new carpet at the end of its lifespan. Also, due to its design it only requires ‘dry’ vacuuming. A traditional carpet requires a wet shampoo style cleaning, which uses a lot of water and energy. So far, by only having to use the dry vacuum the library has saved:

* 8710L of water – that’s the equivalent of 120 x 4 minute showers!
* 0.43 tonnes of CO2 emissions – that’s the equivalent of running 10 x 25W compact fluoro globes for 1500 hours!

Over 7,000 visitors and counting!

2010-12-24T11:30:00.001+11:00

With another year almost upon us, the Sustainable Penrith Blog has hit a significant milestone – we’ve had over 7,000 visitors! That’s 7,000 individual computers that have visited the blog, not total hits by the way.

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank you for your readership. We’d particularly like to thank all of those people who have left us comments or feedback on our posts.

On behalf of all of the staff at the Sustainability Unit, I’d like to wish you a safe and happy Christmas and a great New Year!

Council gets new green computers

2010-12-24T11:13:00.003+11:00

In a great example of sustainability, the new computers being installed in Penrith City Library will be carbon neutral! The new computers, which are faster and more energy efficient than the old ones, are being supplied by ACER Computer Australia & Dataflex (ACER Channel Partner). As part of the deal Penrith City Council received 90 trees and planting them will offset the carbon emissions for the lifetime of the computers. This is part of ACER’s mission to plant a million trees by 2011.

The new computers, which are being installed over the coming months, also have another advantage according to Penrith City Mayor Kevin Crameri OAM “The computers are much smaller than standard desktop computers and this which means more room for the individual to work and surf comfortably.”

One of most important parts of the deal is what happens when it comes time to replace the computers. They will be exchanged with ACER, where the working spare parts will be reused and they will be refurbished for distribution to Third World Countries.

Charles Chung, Managing Director (Oceanic) ACER Computers with Mayor Kevin Crameri OAM.

Want to be a climate change leader in your community?

2010-12-22T14:42:00.002+11:00

Volunteer for NSW Energymark and reduce your carbon footprint and power bills. CSIRO and the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water are looking for 500 volunteers to lead small group discussions on energy, climate change, water and waste.

You don't need to know a lot about energy and climate change - simply gather a small group of people (family, friends, neighbours, workmates) for discussions using support and material developed by CSIRO and the NSW Government.

To register, visit the Energymark website or call 1300 119 003.

Modern Cloth Nappies – Not what your Grandma used!

2010-12-22T14:35:00.007+11:00

Cloth nappies have come a long way in recent years – these days they work just as well as disposables, are easy to put on and wash and come in a myriad of colours and prints.

So just what are Modern Cloth Nappies? They come in various styles but essentially, they are the modern version of the cloth nappies of old. MCN’s have elastic in the legs and waist for a comfy fit and a closure system such as snaps or velcro.

There are a few types of MCN’s, each with their own advantages and uses. They can basically be divided into those that need a cover and those that don’t. Fitted nappies are those that require a waterproof cover. The nappy is made of fabric that absorbs liquid and usually has a built in closure. A cover is made of waterproof fabric which fits over the top of the fitted nappy.

The other type of cloth nappy are the ‘all-in-ones’, which are arguably the most popular type of MCN. These nappies don’t require a separate cover as they have a waterproof layer built in. The absorbent material is built into the nappy which has a closure system as described above. There are a lot of all-in-one nappies on the market that have a ‘snap’ down system to allow for size increases, which means that one nappy will last from birth until toilet training. Pocket nappies are similar in that they consist of a ‘shell’ of waterproof outing with a pocket opening in which absorbent material is stuffed inside the nappy. The advantage here is that you can customise that absorbency of the nappy using a variety of materials.

So why choose cloth? Apart from the obvious environmental concerns with using disposable nappies, cloth nappies save you money! There are many websites that have information on how much money you can save. Even calculating water and electricity for washing, cloth nappies work out much cheaper than using disposables, especially if you use them for more than one child! Don’t like ‘getting your hands dirty’? Cloth nappies can be stored in a sealed bucket until washing day (no soaking required), then just put the lot in the washing machine and when done, out on the line to dry in the sun.

Just think, every disposable nappy ever used is still in existence, sitting in a landfill somewhere. That’s where you can make the difference, every time you use a cloth nappy, that’s one less disposable that ends up in landfill. Where do you start I hear you ask? Just Google cloth nappies and you will find an abundance of options in brands, types, colours, costs and materials. Even one cloth nappy will make a difference.

We’d love to hear your feedback about whether you use cloth nappies or not, and what your experiences have been. Please leave a comment at the bottom of this article.

People's Choice Awards WINNERS 2010

2010-12-20T10:24:00.007+11:00

Thank you to everyone who gave a SHOUT OUT for Climate Change in 2010.

We saw amazing entries from all around Australia that were creative, resourceful and passionate about raising awareness of climate change. Make sure you keep sharing your videos and spreading the good word.

Please put your hands together for the winners of the 2010 Shout Out for Climate Change competition.

The competition was fierce and the judges had a difficult time deciding. But the results are in. Click here for the results

Why not make your Christmas presents Fair Trade this year?

2010-11-29T12:44:00.003+11:00

If you are looking for a unique Christmas present for someone special, why not look at getting them something that’s Fair Trade certified? Fair Trade empowers disadvantaged communities by paying them fair and stable prices for their work, helping them to gain the skills they need to develop their business, and giving them access to world markets. To help make your shopping easier, a Christmas guide has been released which outlines a number of Fair Trade products. To view the guide, please click here.

The Life Cycle of Jeans

2010-11-22T13:51:00.001+11:00

Have you ever wondered what goes into making a pair of jeans and getting them to the shop? Check out this video

The Miniature Earth

2010-11-04T09:12:00.003+11:00

If the population of the world was to be represented by just 100 people, what would it look like..... click here to find out

Fairtrade Locator Webpage

2010-11-01T10:57:00.003+11:00

Fairtrade is a certifying body that ensures farmers and producers in developing countries a fair price (the Fairtrade Price) for their produce, helping protect them from damaging fluctuations in world market prices. They also receive an additional sum of money (the Fairtrade Premium) for investment in social, economic and environmental development in their community, such as educational and medical facilities. Fairtrade Certification standards also prohibit the use of forced and abusive child labour

To see which products of fairtrade are located near you, click here

Peoples Choice Awards

2010-10-22T13:34:00.003+11:00

People’s Choice Award is now open!

Amazing entries have come in from all over Australia. See fantastic 60 second ads from young Australians who are passionate about climate change.The entry with the most votes will win an Apple iPod Touch.

For more information, click here

Sustainability in Business

2010-10-22T13:29:00.003+11:00

The Local Government and Shires Association of NSW (LGSA) have put together a number of case studies of businesses who have improved their sustainability, and saved money in the process. They’re great examples of how a sustainable approach to running business makes good business sense.

To read more about the case studies and the positive outcomes achieved, please click here.

Junk Busters

2010-10-22T12:02:00.003+11:00

The Junkbusters website is for people who are concerned about food marketing aimed at children. It is a one-stop shop for information on Australian government regulations and industry self-regulation covering all forms of media. Junkbusters exists to help concerned people take action against specific food marketing practices and examples.

For more information, click here

Visy Social Sustainability Grants Program 2010/2011

2010-10-14T09:48:00.005+11:00

Funding Round Opens 5 October - Closes 5 November.

This funding program targets projects that promote principles of social sustainability, this includes:

Achieving long-term economic and social security;
Empowering people and fostering participation;
Expanding and enabling cooperative networks to work towards a common, sustainable future

Please note:

Funding will be available ONLY to organisations which have Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status within the Penrith Local Government Area (LGA)

The information pack including guidelines and application form is available here

Please contact Council’s Community Projects Officer, Vesna Kapetanovic for further information on 4732 7771 or vkapetanovic@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

Business Recycling

2010-10-14T09:17:00.006+11:00

It can be difficult for a small business to find the reuse, recycling and waste services they need. Many don’t have the time or the experience in finding these types of services. So the Business Recycling website and hotline have been set up to make the job that much easier. Whether you run a café, a garage, a factory or an office block, you will be able to find reuse or recycling options for much of the waste generated by your business.

For more information, click here

Become a Fair Trade Champion - Take the $2 A Day Pledge & Win!

2010-10-12T10:37:00.002+11:00

TAKE THE PLEDGE & WIN!
$2 is less than most of us spend on a cup of coffee yet that is what more than 2 billion people around the world must survive on every day.This October you can become a Fairtrade Champion by pledging to spend at least $2 A Day on Fairtrade products for two weeks from October 17-31.By spending at least $2 A Day on Fairtrade coffee, tea, chocolate, hot chocolate, cotton and the many other Fairtrade products available, you will be helping to end poverty by providing developing country farmers, workers and their families with the opportunity to build a better future.This year each person taking the pledge will receive an exclusive Fairtrade Champion's Pack* and will also go into the running to win some great prizes.For more information and to register your pledge visit the $2 A Day website now!

*Terms & conditions apply (please see campaign website for full details).

Fairtrade Australia

PO Box 306,

Flinders Lane PO,

VIC 8009

Ride to Work on Wednesday 13

2010-10-12T09:57:00.003+11:00

Wednesday 13 is National Ride 2 Work Day. The day sees thousands of people across Australia ride to work - riding to work is a great way to save money and get some exercise too! The day encourages those not already cycling to work to give it a go for the first time. Not only that, but riders who register go in the draw to win a bunch of great prizes including a Trek 7.6FX bike valued at $2,000! For more information check out http://www.bv.com.au/ride-to-work/

Why did the chicken cross the road?

2010-10-11T16:05:00.000+11:00

To buy some more eggs!

Blue Hills Wetland Taken Over by Snap Happy Residents!

2010-09-21T14:21:00.002+10:00

Sunday morning saw 20 local residents armed to the teeth descend on Blue Hills wetland. No it wasn’t a riot, it was a swarm of photographers brandishing massive telescopic lenses, tripods, and other fancy equipment!

The photography walk was organised by Council as part of its Water in Penrith photography competition. One of the highlights of the walk was our ‘gun photographer’ Maggie, who was there to help people learn about photography and to get the most out of their cameras – and she was in high demand!

Thanks to everyone who came along, it was a pleasure having you all there. We can’t wait to see all of your entries in the competition! Hopefully there will be a few entries from the walk on Sunday.

To learn more about the Water in Penrith photography competition, please click here (entries close 11 October!). In the mean time please enjoy these shots from the walk at Blue Hills Wetland on Sunday (click on the pictures to see a bigger version).

Green Skills Training Program for Local Businesses

2010-09-17T12:01:00.002+10:00

Local businesses can now participate in a Green Skills training program, which helps them to become more environmentally friendly. Each workshop goes for two half day sessions, with topics including:

Caring for the Environment
Implementing and Monitoring Environmental Protection Measures
Develop Workplace Policy and Procedures for Sustainability

There is a nominal cost per person of $100 with the remainder of the training costs covered by Government funding that will be secured by the PBAs (Penrith Business Alliance)

For more information, click here

"Go Green or be left behind"

Local Kids Harness the Sun and Conquer the Waves

2010-09-14T10:10:00.007+10:00

Glorious sunny blue skies greeted the 2010 Solar Boat Challenge on Saturday at Penrith Pools. Almost 30 schools were pitched against each other in a bid to see who could build the best solar powered boat. Primary aged students built crafts which follow an overhead wire, whilst high school aged students built boats which were fully remote controlled.

The day started off with each team making presentations to a series of judges on how they designed, built and decorated their boats. This included a panel of engineers, who assessed the boats on their technical design and use of recycled materials. The engineers also had the all important task of allocating racing classes to each boat based on its design and construction.

You could tell when racing got underway, with all of the noise and excitement from the crowd of teachers, family and friends! The wire guided boats raced in a specifically constructed pool with a wire ‘track’ above it, while the remote controlled boats had to navigate around a series of buoys in the full size pool. A series of heats were held throughout the day, with a little bit of time allowed for the students to make those crucial tweaks (and in some cases emergency repairs) to their crafts. The wire guided boats finished their heats a little early, so some handicapped grudge matches were held for those all important bragging points, not to mention chocolate freddos for the winners!

Overall it was a fantastic day, with a number of winners over a range of different classes. Congratulations to all of the students involved, and we look forward to seeing you next year!

The wire guided boats ran in their own specially built pool.

Everyone was able to get close to the action

Preparing for a start with the remote control boats.

GO! The marshall signals the start of the race.

There was a big crowd in attendance

The crowd got into it too!

Take a peek inside a local sustainable house!

2010-09-09T11:39:00.000+10:00

Ever wanted to take a peek inside a regular house that has been improved to make it more sustainable? Ever wanted to chat to the people who own these homes, for an honest opinion without a sales spiel? Sustainable House Day gives you the chance to do just that!

Sustainable House Day, which is on this Sunday, is perfect for those people looking to make their home more sustainable, or even those people just curious to check out what other people are doing. Over 270 houses across the country will open their doors, with the owners on hand to answer all of your questions, and it’s all free!

For more information, and a list of the houses which will be opening their doors, check out the Sustainable House Day website:

National Threatened Species Day – 7 September

2010-09-06T15:03:00.000+10:00

Tomorrow is National Threatened Species Day. Held on 7 September every year, this day aims to make people more aware of the number of plants and animals at risk of extinction across our great country. This day, September 7, was chosen in recognition of the day the last Tasmanian Tiger died in Hobart Zoo, back in 1936.

Unfortunately, our environment is under stress from things such as land development, introduced plants and animals, pollution, and a changing climate. Sadly, about 50 native plant and animal species found in the Penrith area have been listed as threatened under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995. However, we can all take steps to help our local plants and animals.
Workshops are being held as part of the Ropes and South Creek Project on topics such as native gardening, seed collection and propagation, and bird habitat restoration. These are a great way to learn more about the different things we can all do to improve our local environment. To find out more these workshops, please click here.

Looking after local bushland by getting involved with Bushcare is another great way to make a difference. To find out more about Bushcare, please click here.

National Water Week - Calling All Amateur Photographers!

2010-08-27T15:28:00.000+10:00

To celebrate National Water Week, Penrith City Council is running an exciting Photographic Competition with the theme “Water in Penrith - Our Most Precious Resource”.

How to Enter:
We are calling for all creative amateur photographers to submit a photograph that captures what the theme “Water in Penrith - Our Most Precious Resource” means to them. All photos submitted must have been taken within the Penrith Local Government Area (refer to the map opposite for the boundaries). Photos will be judged on presentation of the theme, composition, focus, use of light, and creativity. For Terms and Conditions click here.
All photographic entries must include a completed entry form, and can be submitted as below. This and more information can be found on the National Water Week webpage on the Penrith City website

In digital jpeg format via email to photocomp@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au. All images must be of a high quality when viewed in an A4 format.

In digital jpeg format on CD and an A4 mounted photograph. All digital images must be of a high quality when viewed in an A4 format.

Send your photographic entry to:
“Water in Penrith” Photographic Competition
Penrith City Council PO Box 60, Penrith NSW 2751
Or drop into:
Penrith City Council 601 High Street, Penrith
Entries close Monday 11 October 2010
Up to 3 entries will be accepted per person.
The winners will be notified by 25 October 2010

Caring for Penrith's waterways and our precious water resources is everyone's responsibility.

Online Environmental Documentaries

2010-08-17T09:47:00.000+10:00

Come on a journey with the inspiring volunteers, landholders and Indigenous community taking action to restore our rivers, bushland and farmland in the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment in eight online documentaries commissioned by the Hawkesbury-Nepean CMA.

The films are:

Fighting a War on Willows – Willow Warriors in action
Stewards of the River – oyster farmers protecting our estuary
Our Rivers, more than just water – three Indigenous women tell their stories of connection to our waterways
Protecting the fringe – efforts to protect the 5000km fringe of the Blue Mountains World Heritage Area
Connecting bushland corridors across the landscape – the work to connect major regional bushland corridors
Farmers protecting soil and biodiversity – repairing major land degradation on the southern tablelands
Migadan – Dharawal story on the Bargo River
Biladurang – Wiradjuri creation story told on the River Lett

Check out the films at http://www.hn.cma.nsw.gov.au/ or order your free DVD by calling (02) 4725 3054 or emailing stacey.a.roberts@cma.nsw.gov.au

Walk Against Warming

2010-08-05T10:23:00.057+10:00

Take a step to tackle climate change and join the Penrith Walk Against Warming on Sunday 15 August!

A community initiative supported by Penrith City Council, the walk gives you the opportunity to hear from renowned climate change expert Andy Best, have your say on climate change and register for free cycling classes.

Walkers will meet at 10am at Weir Reserve, Bruce Neil Drive, Penrith on Sunday 15 August.

Highlights of the day include:

A talk from renowned climate change speaker Andy Best, who is a past recipient of the Churchill Fellowship for his work in sustainability education.
The opportunity to participate in filmed interviews so we can capture your voice on climate change.
Native plant give away.
The opportunity to register for free cycling classes to help you increase your confidence on your bike.
Kids can also get a free temporary tattoo from our friendly sustainability mascot, Echo the Eastern Water Dragon.

Residents are encouraged to bring their own water on the day, and fresh fruit will be supplied. Why not bring a picnic lunch to enjoy with the family after the walk?

For more information on the walk call Council’s Sustainability Unit on 4732 7983 or 0423 021 897

Shout Out for Climate Change

2010-07-01T09:45:00.001+10:00

The Shout Out for Climate Change competition offers young Australians the opportunity to share their thoughts and views on climate change.

If you are an aspiring film director, actor, advertising executive or just have a creative flair and care about the future of our planet, we are counting on you to shout out for climate change in the 2010 school and university competition.

Australian primary, secondary and tertiary students living and studying in Australia are eligible to enter the Shout Out for Climate change competition.

Through this competition you will have the opportunity to ‘shout out’ your ideas about combating climate change – and we will help you share them with Australia.

To find out more visit the website Shout out for Climate Change

Graffiti Action Day Tagged A Success

2010-06-21T11:32:00.000+10:00

Australia’s first ever Graffiti Action Day was held on Sunday 2nd May 2010, and it was a great success. 237 individual sites were targeted and 4178 m2 of illegal graffiti vandalism was removed.

A range of participants were involved on the day across the state. NSW Attorney General John Hatzistergos thanked the volunteers for pitching in on Graffiti Action Day 2010. “Everybody who rolled up their sleeves to help clean up the scourge of graffiti from communities on Graffiti Action Day should be congratulated. Their efforts send a clear message to graffiti vandals that they’ve had enough.” Mr Hatzistergos said.

Graffiti Action Day is a joint initiative between Keep Australia Beautiful NSW and the NSW Government. Details about Graffiti Action Day 2010 are available at http://www.blogger.com/www.kabnsw.org.au Stay tuned for updates about next year’s Graffiti Action Day 2011.To anonymously report graffiti vandalism crime, call the Crime Stoppers hotline 1800 333 000 or visit Crime Stoppers

Free Home Sustainability Assessment with Y Green

2010-05-10T13:47:00.002+10:00

Want to make your home more sustainable, but not quite sure where to start? Why not get a free Home Sustainability Assessment done by a pair of fully trained assessors!

The Y Green Western Sydney project is offering households in the Penrith area the opportunity to have assessors visit their home to conduct a Home Sustainability Assessment. The assessors will look at things like lighting, appliances, water fittings, insulation, and the heating and cooling efficiency of your house.

After the assessment, you receive a written report outlining how your house faired, along with some simple suggestions to help save on your energy and water bills. You will also receive information on government rebates for things like water tanks, solar panels and insulation. As an added bonus, residents who participate will also receive a $20 Bunnings gift voucher.

Coordinated by MTC Work Solutions and funded by the Australian Government’s Job Fund, the Y-Green project is a great opportunity for residents to learn more about sustainability and the simple options available to become more sustainable.

If you would like to have a free home sustainability assessment please visit www.ygreen.com.au or call 1300 139 996.

Get on your Bike - Join the Bicycle NSW Commuter Challenge

2010-05-07T14:57:00.011+10:00

Whether you are a seasoned cyclist or a Sunday rider, Bicycle NSW has put out the call to join the NSW Commuter Challenge.

The aim of the NSW Commuter Challenge is to reward those who cycle to and from work and for fitness and also to inspire those who are considering cycling as an alternative to their existing forms of transport.

The challenge invites individuals to register and accumulate 500km of cycling. There are great prizes and incentives for taking part and completing the challenge including cycle computers, Bicycle NSW memberships, a range of cycling accessories and free entry to a number of cycling events (including Sydney's largest recreational cycling event - Spring Cycle 2010).

To register simply complete the online registration form. You will be sent a digital logbook in which you can record your rides. Rides of any distance can be included in the logbook. The completed logbook participants will receive a gold medal, certificate of completion and the opportunity to win the prizes on offer.

You can register for the challenge anytime until Friday 26th November 2010. All participants have until Friday 17th December 2010 to complete the challenge.

For more information about the challenge call (02) 9704 0853, email challenge@bicyclensw.org.au or visit the website
http://www.bicyclensw.org.au

Love Food Hate Waste

2010-05-07T08:39:00.007+10:00

‘Love Food Hate Waste’ is a new campaign that has just been launched by the NSW Government to provide practical tips and tools to help reduce food waste at home.

We all love our food, but many of us probably don’t realise just how much food is being wasted across NSW. For instance, did you know that in NSW alone, households throw away more than $2.5 billion worth of edible food a year and send an average of 800,000 tonnes of food to landfill.

Not only are we wasting valuable food – and all of the resources that go into producing, packaging and transporting that food - but food sent to landfill produces methane gas. A greenhouse gas 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide.

The good news is that each and every household has the ability to make a difference, and for those of us lucky enough to live in Penrith, the 3 bin system means that we can make an even bigger difference.
In the past six months the amount of recyclable material being diverted from landfill has increased from 20% - 58%.

A-Grade compost, made from the green-lidded organics bin is now being used on the city’s sporting and recreational facilities.

So putting the right things into the right bins is working towards creating a greener future for Penrith.

In terms of reducing food waste, things as simple as planning your meals and your shopping, preparing and cooking the correct serving size, and learning how to best store food, all make a difference.

Loving food is about wasting less every day - saving you time and money, making a difference to our environment and living more sustainably.

For more information about 'Love Food Hate Waste' visit the website www.lovefoodhatewaste.nsw.gov.au

Take Action on Graffiti - 2 May 2010

2010-04-27T12:20:00.008+10:00

Take a stand against graffiti vandalism and take part in Graffiti Action Day this Sunday, 2 May 2010.

Keep Australia Beautiful NSW has teamed up with the NSW Government to stage Australia’s first Graffiti Action Day. A day which will see community members from all over the state banning together to reclaim local streets fouled by graffiti.

In our local area, Penrith City Council has partnered with Keep Australia Beautiful to deliver the Day and engage the community in removal of graffiti, raise awareness of good graffiti removal methods, and support non-government and community run facilities in repairing damage caused by graffiti.

A number of sites throughout Penrith have been identified for volunteers to “clean up” on the day, including:

- Claremont Meadow Shopping Centre, Myrtle St
- Great River Walk, Penrith (starting at the Log Cabin)

The day will run from 9am to 1pm. All cleaning materials and equipment will be provided by Keep Australia Beautiful - all you need is your interest and enthusiasm!

To register please contact Council's Public Domain Coordinator, Murray Halls, on either mhalls@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au or 4732 8067.

Take charge of your energy costs with a Power-Mate Energy Meter!

2010-04-16T08:55:00.008+10:00

Penrith residents can now borrow a Power-Mate energy meter from their local library to help reduce unnecessary energy costs.

Easy to use, the Power-Mate enables households to identify and reduce energy costs by showing people how much their appliances cost to run. By simply connecting the meter between the appliance and power socket, the meter measures the electricity use, greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs of the appliance whilst in use or on standby.

It is estimated that electrical appliances represent approximately 40% of a household's energy use. Many of these appliances are left on ‘standby’ when not in use, wasting electricity and money. Actions as simple as turning appliances off at the switch when not in use can mean savings of up to 10% of household energy bills.

The meters are available for library card holders to borrow from Penrith, St Clair and St Marys Libraries for a 21 day period. The library is free to join for residents within the Penrith local government area, all you need is current identification showing your present address.

For enquiries about loans or about becoming a member of the library please contact Penrith City Library on 4732 7891.

2010-04-09T13:57:00.011+10:00

Penrith Locals Support Earth Hour 2010

Earth Hour 2010 has rolled across the globe, once again bringing together millions of people around the world in support for action on climate change and sustainability. This year saw a record number of countries taking part, with more than 4,300 cities and towns in 126 countries celebrating the event. Across Australia, over 4,200 businesses, and 1,100 schools and universities registered their participation, with over 44,000 sites pledging "lights out" for Earth Hour. Penrith residents and businesses were also strong in showing their support, with 29 local businesses and schools registering their involvement with Council – a great result!! A huge thankyou and well done to those who supported Earth Hour 2010.

Local Businesses supporting Earth Hour 2010 included;

Eigh th Avenue Marekting

Nouveau Hair

York Jewellers

Earth Hour 2010 - Lights off to show you care!

2010-03-09T16:34:00.002+11:00

‘Lights out’ for Earth Hour is happening again in 2010 and this year individuals and families can win free solar power by registering!

Earth Hour is an annual event that gives you the opportunity to do something practical about climate change and let the community know that you care by participating in a very visual campaign! It aims to encourage households, schools, organisations and businesses to take the simple steps that are needed to cut our greenhouse gas emissions.

Earth Hour is in its fourth year in Australia and is being supported in 2010 by Penrith City Council. The highlight of the campaign revolves around a designated one hour period on Saturday 27 March when households, businesses, organisations and schools are encouraged to commit to turn their lights off between 8.30-9.30pm. This year Earth Hour also will focus on the broader aspects of sustainability, giving everyone something to do beyond the hour of darkness on Saturday 27 March, with the theme ‘Earth Hour, Every Hour’.

You will be joining many Council facilities that have already signed up, including the Civic Centre, Queen St Centre, Council Depot, Visitors Information Centre, Penrith Memorial Swimming Centre, Ripples Leisure Centre, the Penrith Whitewater Stadium and the St Clair Recreation Centre.
So, on Saturday 27 March, let's all start to make a switch to a sustainable lifestyle and show that together, we are not "just one person" and that collectively we can do it. In 2010, why not make a resolution during the hour of darkness? Anyone can make a change and do something to reduce their environmental impact all year round - from families to big businesses. There are lots of ways to be part of Earth Hour on the night and ways to take more action after Earth Hour.

Take advantage of the dark during Earth Hour and enjoy a romantic candlelit dinner for two, explore your backyard by torchlight, visit a planetarium and look at the stars or head to a park with some neighbours for a picnic by candlelight.

To show your support for Earth Hour simply email krace@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au or visit http://www.earthhour.org/ to sign your home up. You can also sign up your business or organisation at the same time. Signing up is absolutely free and can be done right up to the event.

For more information on Earth Hour and how you can save energy around the home visit Penrith City Council’s website http://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/ or contact the Sustainability Unit on (02) 4732 8074.

NSW Home Saver Rebates Program Extended

2010-02-22T15:59:00.001+11:00

Thanks to the extension of the NSW Home Saver Rebates program, every NSW household is eligible for up to $1,500 worth of rebates to improve the water and energy efficiency of their home.

Under the extension to the program, householders can now receive:
- $150 for the installation of a regulated or on-demand hot water circulator unit
- $200 for new 4 star dual flush toilets to replace single flush
- Up to $1500 for rainwater tanks that are connected to a washing machine and toilet
- $300 to replace an electric hot water system with solar, heat pump and 5-star gas hot water systems
- $150 for a 5-star water efficient washing machine (to 30 June 2010)
- $35 to have a second working fridge taken away

For more details on the rebates available, please visit - www.environment.nsw.gov.au/rebates/

Blue Skies Ahead for Solar

2010-02-22T15:38:00.007+11:00

It's happy days for solar supporters and our environment following the commencement of the NSW Solar Bonus Scheme on January 1 2010.

Under the new scheme introduced by the State Government, eligible customers will be paid a feed-in tariff of 60 cents per kilowatt hour (kWh) for energy generated by small scale solar systems or wind turbines.

Based on the total solar energy produced rather than what you don’t use, the scheme will see an average household paid around $1496 a year. That’s a 62 percent increase on the previous arrangements.

Considering the cost of electricity is normally around 17 to 20 cents kWh, systems installed under the scheme will pay for themselves in a far shorter time, after which they will generate an income for households.

For further details of the Solar Bonus Scheme, please visit
www.industry.nsw.gov.au/energy/sustainable/renewable/solar/solar-scheme

December Edition Sustainability Street Newsletter

2009-12-23T13:54:00.006+11:00

The December Edition of the Sustainability Street Newsletter is here!!!

Click here to download your copy and find great stories on:

The SITA Waste Tour
Sustainability Street Projects
12 Ways to a Climate Friendly Christmas
How to Give the Environment a Happy New Year!

If you would like to recieve this newsletter automatically please call the Sustainability Unit on 47323 8121 or send us an email.

Enjoy!

Copenhagen Accord Leaves Many Unhappy

2009-12-21T17:27:00.003+11:00

The Copenhagen Climate Change Conference has now closed, wrapping up the marathon talks that were attended by representatives from 193 nations.

The conference has seen the development of what will now be known as the Copenhagen Accord, which is a statement of intent surrounding climate change and not a legally binding treaty. The Accord was led by the United States, Brazil, China, India and South Africa, and rather than setting specified greenhouse gas cuts it instead outlines a committment to limit global temperature changes to within 2 degrees Celcius. This 2 degree C range is significant as it is seen as the threshold or tipping point for dangerous changes to our global climate.

Under the Accord all countries are to submit written plans to the United Nations outlining how they plan to curb carbon dioxide emissions by January 2010. These will then form part of the Accord.

The Accord also outlines a commitment to developing countries to provide $100billion per year in aid from 2020, although the details of this commitment are not yet clear.

It is important to note that generally United Nations led talks are meant to be agreed by unanimity, however a compromise was reached in this instance to avoid the talks collapsing entirely. Instead those countries that were in favour of the Accord can be listed alongiside those that were against.

The nations of Sudan, Nicaragua, Cuba, Venezula and Bolivia were very vocal in their denouncement of the Accord.

The details of the Accord will be followed up on during hte upcoming conference in Bonn, Germany due to take place in May 2010, with the final outcome expected in teim for the Conference in Mexico at the end of 2010.

12 Ways to a Climate Friendly Christmas

2009-12-18T12:19:00.006+11:00

Christmas is a time to celebrate, to give and to spend time with your family and friends. Our 12 Ways to a Climate Friendly Christmas is designed to encourage us all to still enjoy the fun and festive side of Christmas while also thinking about the part we can play in managing climate change. Check out our top 12 tips!

1. Shop locally - Supporting our local businesses not only helps to maintain a healthy local economy and encourage local jobs. It also helps to reduce the need to travel long distances in our cars and cuts back on greenhouse gas emissions.

2. Get a real Christmas Tree - The best alternative for a sustainable Christmas tree is a live one – consider a -native species or use a Christmas Bush or Christmas Bells. You can visit a tree farm for a cut tree or plant your own in a large pot to use year after year. If you use a synthetic tree take good care of it so it lasts a long time.

3. Buy sustainable gifts - Think sustainability in gift giving and you’ll discover some interesting new ideas. There are many unusual and useful products available that have been designed with the benefit of modern technology and a desire to reduce our impacts on the planet.

4. Give gifts which keep on giving - Many charities and environmental organisations offer gift services that not only solve the problem of buying for the person who has everything, but also help others, or the environment, for years to come and avoids unnecessary purchasing.

5. Wrap with recycled paper - Use wrapping paper that is made from recycled paper, or else use paper that can easily be recycled. Avoid foil papers, plastic ribbons and other materials that can’t be reused or put in your recycling bins.

6. Turn those Christmas lights off overnight - One of the delights of Christmas are the lights cheering our streets and homes. Turning lights off whenever they are not required reduces greenhouse gas emissions because of the reduced energy use – it’s also a great habit to get the family into. Why not try out the new LED or solar powered lights that are available.

7. Buy Green Power - Green Power is electricity guaranteed to be sourced from renewable sources, like solar, wind and hydro. This electricity produces no greenhouse gas emissions. Everyone can choose to source some or all of their electricity from Green Power all year round. Contact your electricity supplier for more information and support our Australian renewable energy industry.

7. Don’t Over cater during the Holidays - We all love our Christmas feast but try to keep the amount of food in line with the number of guests! Food wastage is a big issue in Australia where throw out $5.2billion worth of food every year.

8. Compost or Worm Farm your Leftovers - Why not use some of your spare time to set up a worm farm or compost system. Your Christmas and New Year leftovers will give your system a great kick start and reduce the amount of greenhouse gases generated when food is disposed of to landfill.

9. Give charity or e-cards- Giving charity cards is giving twice because it supports a good cause while sending a festive message. E-cards are also a great idea as there is no paper, ink and transport involved – not to mention they are cheap to boot!

10. Plan Your Trips- Avoid flying unless it’s necessary, and when you do offset your emissions. If you are driving plan your trips to make best use of your petrol and always drive to minimise your fuel consumption by accelerating slowly and keeping your tyres inflated.

11. Shutting Down- Save energy in your home or office by shutting down all of these appliances and items that you won’t be using over the Christmas break. If you are going away for an extended period of time think about what items won’t be required and turn them off at the wall to make big energy and greenhouse savings.

12. Use less shopping bags- Remember to take your reusable bags with you this Christmas and avoid plastic bags altogether. If you forget then try to consolidate your shopping into fewer bags and say no to extra bags at the checkout. In doing so, you will reduce the impacts on the environment from the manufacture and disposal of plastic bags.

Great Climate Related Links

2009-12-15T08:52:00.003+11:00

Check out the following links for some interesting information on climate change.

1. ABC Climate Change Timeline - showing how the Earth's climate has changed over time with interactive information and a range of future scenarios.

2. Please Help the World - short film from the opening ceremony of the United Nations COP15 in Copenhagen.

3. Raise Your Voice - youtube portal with a range of videos all relating to the Copenhagen climate change talks.

4. The Story of Cap and Trade - a short film presenting the arguments against the introduction of cap and trade legislation (like the proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme) which is proving very controversial but generating a lot of discussion.

5. Australia at Copenhagen - updates from the Conference as well as information about Australia's position.

Climate Talks Continuing

2009-12-15T08:46:00.005+11:00

The second week of climate talks is continuing in Copenhagen, with a dramatic walk out by 135 developing countries around noon on Monday.

The main session talks were suspended following protests that were led by African countries, accusing developed countries of trying to 'wreck' the Kyoto Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol places emissions reduction targets on developed countries but imposes no such limits on developing countries.

Talks have now resolved the impasse and the countries have returned to negotiations, however time has been lost. The next few days are sure to be frantic ones for negotiators as they try to resolve a long list of technical issues before more than 110 world leaders arrive in Copenhagen later this week to close the Conference.

To find out more and keep up to date visit the official website of the COP15 or Council's webpage which has links to further information.

Melting for a Cause

2009-12-08T09:01:00.003+11:00

A life size ice sculpture of a polar bear by animal sculptor Mark Coreth is slowly melting away outside the Bella Conference Centre in Copenhagen where the COP15 Climate Change talks are taking place.

The project is the brain child of Mark and not-for-profit group, Ice Bear Project, and came about after Mark travelled to Baffin Island in the Artctic in November 2007. During this trip Mark realised that while most people wouldn't get to visit the area, he could do his part to bring it to the attention of as many people as possible.

In the Arctic melting sea ice is threatening the future survival of polar bears. In Copenhagen the life size ice sculpture will slowly melt away over the next two weeks, leaving behind a puddle of water, a bronze skeleton and, hopefully, a powerful message about the far reaching implications of climate change.

To find out more or become a supporter visit http://www.icebearproject.org/. Image sourced from www.icebearproject.org.

Countdown to Copenhagen

2009-12-03T08:11:00.010+11:00

The lead up to the the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen is a great opportunity for all individuals, families, organisations and businesses to take concrete action to learn more about climate change and the difference that they can make.

Climate change is undoubtedly the biggest threat facing communities across the globe and it is an issue that will touch every citizen in some way. What is important to remember is that it is also an issue that we all have the power to act on.

The Copenhagen climate talks will see leaders from across the globe gather in an effort to agree on a new climate treaty to follow on from the Kyoto Protocol which ends in 2012.

The Copenhagen Climate Change Conference being held from 7 to 18 December 2009 marks the end date for negotiations on the new treaty and is expected to see governments from across the globe reach agreement on issues of mitigation (reducing greenhouse gas emissions), adaptation (coping with the inevitable consequences of climate change), and finance and technology (to help developing countries to step up actions to limit the growth of their emissions and adapt to climate change impacts).

There is significant scientific evidence to confirm that unfortuantely our climate has already changed, and is continuing to change at an accelerating rate.

Did you know?

Every year this century (2001-2008) has been amongst the top ten warmest years since instrumental records began.

The observed summer time melting of Arctic sea ice has far exceeded the worst case projection from climate models.
Global ocean temperatures reached the warmest ever recorded for each of June, July and August 2009.

Many of our climate indicators are tracking near or above the worst case projections from the most recent set of model simluations developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

(Source: The Copenhagen Diagnosis 2009: Updating the World on the Latest Climate Science . I Allison et. al UNSW CCRC)

Based on research by the CSIRO for the Hawkesbury-Nepean catchment, probable climate change related impacts for Penrith will include more extreme heat days, high winds, increased threat of fires, prolonged droughts, increased storm activity and flooding and increased costs for essentials like food, energy and water.

Because of this communities world wide must adapt and respond, and indeed have already begun to do so. The challenge facing governments and societies alike is to adjust our behaviours so as to minimise the effects of climate change while also preparing for its now unavoidable impacts with minimal social, environmental and economic costs.

With more than half of the world’s people living in cities, and with cities responsible for up to 75% of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions, it is vital that any workable climate change agreement acknowledge local governments and local communities.

We really can make a significant difference. Everyday choices can make a difference: from how you travel, your shopping choices, and how you use energy at home or in the workplace.

You can also show your support for the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference to produce real and fair outcomes by visiting the following sites:

Seal the Deal - United Nations led campaign
Hopenhagen
i speak earth - a coalition of global NGO's
Planetcall - targeting youth on climate change
Tcktcktck - a coalition of NGO's including Oxfam, World Vision and Greenpeace
Vote Earth - WWF Australia
Walk Against Warming - a coalition of NGO's including the Nature Conservation Council of NSW

For more information on climate change, the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference, or what you can do, visit our web page, or if you know of any more great links send them through so we can add them to our list.

Penrith City Achieves Exceptional Water Savings

2009-11-10T15:18:00.004+11:00

Penrith City Council and the community have been recognised as leaders in water management with Council selected as a finalist in the sustainable business process category in Sydney Water’s Every Drop Counts program. The winner will be announced at an awards night on 12 November.

In the annual reporting period Penrith City Council reduced its overall water consumption by 37.4 per cent, surpassing its goal of a 15 per cent reduction by 2015. Some facilities have reduced their water consumption by an outstanding 50 per cent or more compared to six years ago.

A number of initiatives and projects led to this great result, which will save millions of litres of fresh water over many years, including: retrofitted toilets and cisterns in Council buildings; the installation of an irrigation monitoring system at Mark Leece sporting fields; and, the installation of moisture sensors and the use of recycled water at Nepean Rugby Club and Greygums Oval.

Penrith City Council is leading the way in water management and has an accredited 5-Star water management system under the Sydney Water Every Drop Counts program.

The Penrith City community have also shown their commitment to water savings with almost 60 per cent of housholds taking part in one of Sydney Water’s water savings programs.
Australia is a dry continent and even when we are not in drought saving precious water is paramount. Residents and Council have made substantial improvements in water conservation ensuring this precious resource is here for future generations.

Sustainable Times - Term 4, 2009

2009-11-10T14:49:00.004+11:00

The latest edition of the Sustainable Times is out now. This newsletter is provided to all schools within Penrith City and contains great information on programs for local schools as well as what some of our schools, and students, have been up to.

Read on for stories including:

- Our Water, Our Future - Competition Winners

- Organics Tour Open for Tours

- Book Your Catchment Tour Now

- Sunshine for 2009 Solar Boat Challenge

- Winner's Artwork on Show

- Attn: HSC Students

If you have a story you would like included in the next edition of the Times, or to register for our electronic mailing list please email Council.

October Edition of the Sustainability Street Newsletter

2009-10-23T09:47:00.005+11:00

The October edition of Penrith's Sustainability Street newsletter is now available! Click here to get your very own copy!

Inside you will find:

The Wallacia-Mulgoa and St Clair Group Graduation
Native Plant Species information
A hot offer from Sydney Water
The website of the month
And great opportunities to attend FREE sustainability workshops such as Eco Lighting Day, Living Sustainably and the Organic Processing Tour!

To be added to our mailing list send your details to the Sustainability Unit or call on 02 4732 8050.

The 2009 Solar Boat Challenge

2009-10-20T14:23:00.018+11:00

Hundreds of dedicated solar boat enthusiasts came from far and wide to take part in the Penrith City Council sponsored Solar Boat Challenge held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre on 25 September 2009. 11 teams from local schools participated, competing against schools from as far away as Tasmania and Queensland.

Local schools included Cambridge Park Public School, Claremont Meadows Public School, Werrington Public School, Cambridge Park High School, Colyton High School, Glenmore Park High School, Jamison High School, Kingswood High School, Nepean High School, Penrith Anglican College and Penrith High School.

The Challenge aims to increase awareness in the areas of sustainability, climate change and alternative energies in an interesting way as teams work together to build a fully functional solar boat.

There were two categories available in the challenge. Groups could choose to build either a remote controlled, or a wire guided boat, catering for a range in levels of experience and expertise.

The remote controlled race is split into primary and secondary school divisions. Boats in this category are remote controlled and compete in an endurance race on the lake by undertaking a circuit, relying exclusively on solar power, with no batteries allowed (photo below).

The second event is the wire guided model race. These boats are not remote controlled and rely instead on a wire hanging above the boat to guide them on the track from one end of a pool to the other. These boats compete in a straight sprint race relying exclusively on solar power (photo below).

While the racing is important - that's not all that the event is about. The challenge requires that each team also show their understanding of the design, manufacture and racing process by creating a graphic presentation which is essentially a diary or log of the project from beginning to end. This helps to make sure that the teams are learning along the way and that the learning is an integral part of the challenge for all participants.

Marks are also provided for the presentation of the boat and it's design, with winners of each category decided on an aggregate of all components.

Penrith's primary schools were very successful with Cambridge Park Public School taking out first place in the Junior Wire Guided category, with Claremont Meadows Public School and Werrington Public School taking out second and third place respectively. Jamison High School also placed second in the Junior Remote Control Class.

Mrs Chris Jobson from Cambridge Park Public School was pleased the students did so well, picking up first place with their HMAS Featherduster, so named because it is so light!

Mrs Jobson said “”The Challenge was great and the kids really enjoyed what they did. They undertook research, investigated solar boats and then did all the building and shaping themselves. They worked as a team and there was great team spirit. They are a great group of kids.” (photo below)

They were many other activities on the day for the students to participate in while they waited for their race. Penrith City Council had information stands and fun activities including the “Eco Pursuit” board game. The Power House Museum also had a science exhibition with experiments running throughout the day (photo below).

If you are interested in finding out more visit the Solar Challenge website - http://www.solarchallenge.com.au/.

Sustainability Street Graduation 2009

2009-10-20T14:00:00.023+11:00

Saturday 19 September was an important day for members of Penrith's newest Sustainability Streets, Wallacia-Mulgoa Valley Rotary Club and St Clair Holy Spirit Church, with participants of the program graduating in a celebration held in the lovely grounds of Mamre House.

The day was a huge success, with many people helping to commemorate this momentous occasion, including special guests: former Mayor of Penrith City, Councillor Jim Aitken OAM, one of Council's Sustainability Champion, Councillor Karen McKeown and one of the founders of the Sustainability Street Approach, Frank Ryan of Vox Bandicoot, who travelled all the way from Melbourne to be there. We also had some Sustainability Street veterans from the more established Sustainability Streets there to celebrate including John and Susan from Mulgoa, and Shirley, Brian and Barry from Banool Avenue. Thank you to everyone who attended this graduation and made this day such a memorable event.

Frank was keen for everyone to see a video that would show how the Sustainability Street movement was part of a bigger global movement towards sustainability, but unfortunately the video wouldn't work! If you are interested in having a look you can watch the video via the following link to youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N1fiubmOqH4.

Frank also gave away an amazing prize at the graduation - $25,000! Of course, he was quick to point out that money can come in lots of forms and it wasn't necessarily in cold hard cash. Shirley from Banool Avenue in South Penrith was the lucky winner, picking up a very handy household thermometer which is used to make sure that you are heating and cooling your home and appliances to the right level. Even one degree difference either way can make a huge difference to your energy bills. If you would like your very own thermometer contact Council on 4732 8121 or send us an email.

A huge novelty cheque was also presented to both groups as part of the graduation ceremony to allow them to get a community project of their choice underway with both the Wallacia-Mulgoa Valley Rotary Club and St Clair Holy Spirit Church choosing to create a community native garden. And as part of our graduation celebration, each street member was presented with a certificate, a “local super hero” hat and a native seedling.

A big thankyou to both Roger French of the Wallacia-Mulgoa Rotary Club and Jeanne Appleton from St Clair Holy Spirit Church who got up and spoke about their Sustainability Journey, and for all their background efforts rallying the teams and organising meeting rooms.

It will be great to see how these groups continue their journey towards sustainability - we look forward to posting some photos of their project in the near future!

August Edition of the Sustainability Street Newsletter

2009-09-01T12:12:00.007+10:00

The August edition of Penrith's Sustainability Street newsletter is now available! Click here to download your copy for stories on:

Gardening at Mamre House
Preparing the Perfect Veggie Garden
A Vegertable Planting Guide
Companion Panting
Gardening Resources Available
The Age of Stupid" film review

To be added to our mailing list send your details to the Sustainability Unit or call on 02 4732 8050.

Interest Free Loans for Green Items

2009-07-22T16:38:00.004+10:00

July 1 saw the launch of a new Green Loans scheme by the Australian Government. The scheme provides assistance to Australian families interested in installing sustainable technologies, like solar, water saving and energy efficient products.

Under the program all Australian households are eligible to receive a FREE home sustainability assessment and report, which is valued at around $250. This assessment will provide householders with information on where they can make improvements to the sustainability of their home, and where the biggest gains are to be made. You can register now for your free assessment by visiting the Green Loans website or by calling 1800 895 076.

Once households have had a sustainability assessment completed they will become eligible to access a subsidy from the Government that will cover the interest on a loan of up to $10,000 over 4 years to implement the actions that were identified in the home assessment report. The household can chose which participating bank, credit union or building society they wish to apply for a loan with.

This is a fantastic opportunity to identify and fund sustainability improvements in the home. It's also worth noting that once the loans scheme becomes operational it still doesn't prevent you from accessing any of the rebates that are currently available, including those for hot water systems, insulation, rainwater tanks and greywater systems.

Latest Sustainability Street Newsletter

2009-07-22T16:32:00.004+10:00

The July edition of Penrith's Sustainability Street newsletter is now available. Click here to download your copy for stories on:

Giving Toxic Chemicals the Flick!

Recipes for Success

A Farm Yard Tale to Make You Think

Sustainability Streets Catch Up

Penrith Farmers & Fine Food Market

FREE Family Fun Day

FREE Home Sustainability Assessment

To be added to our mailing list send your details to the Sustainability Unit or call on 02 4732 8050.

2009-07-02T08:57:00.007+10:00

Download your copy of the June Edition of Sustainability Street! Simply click here. In this issue, you will find great stories on:

Living Green While You Clean

Watching Their Waste Line

The 3R's - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Composting Made Easy

Worm Farms & Worm Troubleshooting

Farmers Market Comes to Town

Website of the Month: TipJar

If you would like to be added to our mailing list to receive a copy of the newsletter automatically please email Carmel Hamilton with your name and contact details and specify whether you would like to recieve it electronically or in the mail.

FREE Help to Cut Power Bills for Low Income Households

2009-06-30T13:03:00.005+10:00

Penrith Council is partnering with the Department of Environment and Climate Change NSW in a Western Sydney pilot to help low income households in our area save money on their power bills and reduce carbon pollution.

The program is being offered to 1,000 homes in Western Sydney as part of a pilot which began in May 2009 and will finish at the end of July. The main program will be rolled out across NSW later in the year.

Every home that signs up will get a free:

home visit by a trained assessor to find ways to save power in your home

power saver kit to help kick-start your savings
power saver action plan to show you other ways to save power and money.

People signing up to the program are expected to save at least $95 a year on their power bills. After the trial in Western Sydney, the program will be rolled out to a further 219,000 low income families across the rest of NSW.

If you have a pensioner, low income or veteran card or are registered as an energy retailer hardship customer and own or rent a private home, call the Environment Line on 1300 361 967 to book an assessment and start saving power, money and carbon pollution for free. Visit http://www.savepower.nsw.gov.au/ for details.

World Environment Day 2009

2009-06-03T16:38:00.001+10:00

On World Environment Day, 5 June 2009, Penrith City Council will be presenting a cheque to the winners of the first funding round of the Pratt Foundation ‘Penrith Social Sustainability Grants Program’.

The grants were open to community organisations with deductible gift recipient status that support the vulnerable and disadvantaged in our community, made possible through the Pratt Foundation.

The Pratt Foundation has generously allocated $140,000 to be distributed for community benefit over the next six years, of which $40,000 has been allocated in 2009 to successful receipts in the first round. Council is proud to be the administrator of the local grants on behalf of the Foundation.

The grants will encourage community cohesion and cultural identity through projects that help to provide basic food, shelter and protection from harm, the maintenance of cultural and community identify and social and environmental actions that unite the community.

Three of Penrith’s Principles for a Sustainable City, adopted in 2003, strongly relate to social sustainability, including:

· Achieve long-term economic and social security;
· Empower people and foster participation;
· Expand and enable cooperative networks to work towards a common, sustainable future

The term ‘social sustainability’ is used to describe programs and projects that promote social inclusion, participation, cultural enrichment and connectedness. It also emphasises initiatives which support the vulnerable and disadvantaged in our communities.

Accordingly, the Visy Grants Program provides another important opportunity for Council to put into practice our commitment to social sustainability, and it will directly benefit the local community.

Congratulations to the successful applicants - keep up the great work and I hope this grant makes your job a little easier.

World Environment Day 2009 - Your planet Needs You – Unite to Combat Climate Change

2009-06-02T08:46:00.004+10:00

This Friday is an important day for communities worldwide – both present and future. It is World Environment Day.

World Environment Day was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1972 to mark the opening of the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment. Celebrated annually on June 5, World Environment Day is one of the principal vehicles through which the United Nations stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment and attracts political attention and action.

The theme for this years World Environment Day is ‘Your Planet Needs You! Unite to Combat Climate Change’.

On this World Environment Day, people from all walks of life are encouraged to take steps towards making the planet greener and cleaner. Switch off the lights. Take public transport. Recycle. Plant a tree.

Our planet needs more than just action by governments and corporations; it needs action from each and every one of us. Although individual actions may seem small in the face of global threats and trends, when billions of people join forces in common purpose we can make a tremendous difference.

World Environment Day is ‘a people’s day’, which means it is your opportunity to be part of the global action to promote the protection of our planet, the sustainable use of our natural resources, and the adoption of a lifestyle that is friendly to the environment. Be part of the growing voice that calls for all peoples of the world to unite and take positive action to combat climate change.

Remember, whoever you are, wherever you’re from, you can make a difference.

For further details see - http://www.unep.org/wed/2009/english/

On the Road to Sustainability

2009-05-19T17:22:00.006+10:00

Council's Senior Sustainability Planner, Bernadette Riad, has been a part of the Sustainability Team at Penrith City Council for many years now. During this time she has seen Council's commitment to sustainability grow and has been impressed by just how far we have managed to come along the road to sustainability.

This video was recorded as part of a symposium on Sustainability in Local Government and presents a short snapshot of the key steps in Penrith's journey towards sustainability. To find out more you can access a copy of our timeline by clicking here, or contact the Sustainability Unit on 4732 8050.

May Edition of Sustainability Street

2009-05-19T15:10:00.009+10:00

Download your copy of the May Edition of Sustainability Street! Simply click here.

In this issue, you will find great stories on:

Watching Your Waste Line

Upcoming Events

GaBaToiLaKi

Simple Water Saving Tips

Rainwater Tanks

Water Saving Services
The News in Brief

Sustainable Times - Term 2 Edition

2009-05-14T09:19:00.003+10:00

The latest edition of the Sustainable Times is now available. Sustainable Times is a newsletter targeted at local schools, however the information will be of use to anyone interested in sustainability.

This issue is jam packed full of information including stories on:

Schools take the Earth Hour Challenge

'For a Greener Future' Poster Challenge

Plant a Tree for Mum this Mothers Day

Activate 2750: Food for Thought

'Memories of Penrith' Creative Writing Competition

Get Involved in Schools Tree Day
New to Penrith: Farmers and Fine Food Markets

Schools Getting Down to Earth

Eco Schools Grants

How does our Organic Waste become Compost?

If your school has a story for the next edition please email Council by clicking here.

Climate Change on Council’s Agenda

2009-05-07T09:41:00.004+10:00

Unfortunately, our past climate is no longer a reliable guide to weather conditions in the future. The impacts of climate change are already being felt across Australia. Here in Penrith it will mean increasingly hotter weather, less rain, and more extreme weather events such as heat waves, intense rainfalls, wind gusts and electrical storms.

Maintaining our infrastructure and services under these changed conditions is set to be a challenge for Council. The decisions we make now can significantly impact on our ability to meet those challenges in the future.

So what should Council be doing do now - and in the years ahead - so that we are better able to cope with the challenges that climate change will bring?

These are the key questions being addressed through an important new project being undertaken, involving a process of climate change risk assessment and adaptation planning.

As part of the project, key staff from across Council will be invited to participate in interviews and workshops to identify, evaluate and rank climate change risks to Council’s infrastructure and services, and then identify and analyse options to treat those risks.

The support and participation of Council staff from across the organisation is critical to the success of this process and the value of its outcomes. Tapping into the knowledge of our staff and their understanding of what it is we do and how we do it, is vital in ensuring we develop effective responses to avoid or minimise the adverse impacts of climate change.

Some of our key external stakeholders have also been involved in providing their input to the risk assessment process.

The outcomes of this process will form the basis for an Adaptation Action Plan. This plan will be incorporated into Council’s existing risk management processes and will provide a strategic framework from which Council can implement actions to minimise climate risk and realise any potential opportunities.

To find out more about this important initiative please contact Council's Senior Strategic Planner, Bernadette Riad, on 4732 7629 or email briad@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au.