Earth Hour 2009 - Have you signed up yet?

Penrith City Council is once again throwing its support behind Earth Hour - an annual event coordinated by WWF Australia to raise awareness of climate change, while at the same time encouraging households, schools, businesses and organisations to take the practical steps that are needed to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions by 5% over the coming year.

Initiated inSydney in 2007, the inaugural Earth Hour event in 2008 was the first international Earth Hour, helping spread the cause to all but one continent, across 35 different countries. Major cities across the globe took part with the cooperation and support of major businesses. With the tremendous success of Earth Hour 2008 behind us, Earth Hour 2009 is set to switch off the globe. Already 377 cities, and double the number of countries that participated in 2008, are committed with millions of people in households, communities, businesses and corporations set to switch off lights for just one hour to create a platform of support for action on climate change. The official date for Earth Hour 2009 is:

Saturday March 28 at 8:30pm

Earth Hour aims to demonstrate unprecedented solidarity and provide a visual mandate for action on climate change.Along with millions of others around the globe, Penrith City Council will "power down" for one hour on Saturday 28 March at 8.30pm by turning off non-essential lighting across Council owned facilities and encouraging all staff to switch off machines and unplug appliances at the power point before they leave the office.While turning the lights off is a great first step, the challenge is to take this commitment even further and make some simple and inexpensive changes in your home or business to reduce your energy use by 5% over the following year.So, why not make some plans to take advantage of the dark during Earth Hour? You could 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.

It’s easy to get involved.

1. Sign up to Earth Hour
Sign up your home, business, organisation or school to participate in Earth Hour. To sign up – just go to http://www.earthhour.org/. Alternatively email krace@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au or call the Sustainability Unit on 4732 8071 with your contact details. Signing up is absolutely free and you will also be provided with an Earth hour information pack. Turning off your lights will send a highly visible sign to the community of your commitment to addressing climate change.

2. Turn off appliances on standby
Many appliances and electronic equipment – including computers, photocopiers and even washing machines - actually draw electricity even when they are not in use. Getting rid of this wastage of energy is easy. Turn your appliances off at the switch whenever they are not in use and save money.

3. Switch to energy efficient lighting
There is a great range of energy efficient lighting options now available from lighting and hardware stores and online. As lights in your home or office give up the ghost replace them with a more energy efficient alternative and start saving on your bills.

4. Spread the word
Spread the word about Earth Hour and how easy it is to play a part in tackling climate change. Encourage fellow businesses, employees, family and friends to get involved – ask them to sign up and pledge their commitment.

5. Switch to Green Power
Green Power is electricity that has been accredited by the NSW Government as coming from clean, renewable sources with very little greenhouse gas emissions. Most energy providers have an accredited product available. Why not call your energy provider and find out what is available? For more information on Green Power visit http://www.greenpower.com.au/ .

For more ideas on how to save energy in your home, school or workplace visit http://www.energysmart.com.au./

Sustainable Times Newsletter T1 2009

The latest edition of Penrith City Council's Sustainable Times Newsletter is out now. The Sustainable Times is a newsletter aimed at local schools, and provides information on activities, projects and upcoming initiatives that might be of interest to schools and school children.

To download your copy simply click here. If you would like to be added to our mailing list send Krystie Race an email stating your prefernece for an electronic or hard copy. The term 4 edition for 2008 is packed with useful information, including stories on:

- Earth Hour 2009- Get Your School Involved

- Would You Like to Visit Japan in 2009?

- Taking Enviro-Adventure to the Schools

- Clean Up Schools Day

- Implementation of Ropes and South Creek Regional Open Space Plan

- Tree Planting at Ellison Reserve

Community Solar Power and Climate Change Workshop

Penrith residents came together in November 2008 to discuss the critical issue of climate change as part of the NSW Community Climate Summit Project.

The first of its kind in NSW, the NSW Community Climate Summit project gives everyday Australians a unique opportunity to discuss our response to the issue of climate change and to make recommendations to the NSW Government.

The discussions and deliberations from the Penrith forum brought forward a range of thoughts, concerns, suggestions, and recommendations surrounding the issue of climate change, and what we as individuals and communities can do to respond to this issue.

The views presented at the forum more than demonstrated the concern of our community with regards to climate change and the impact that it will have on our lives and our environment. Just as importantly though, it demonstrated that together, we can work to address this important issue.

Some of the key concerns discussed at the Penrith forum included; transport and the need for improved services in terms of connectivity and designated cycleways, the impact of storms and increased temperatures and the need for improvements to building design for energy efficiency and changed weather conditions, as well as issues surrounding current farming practices.

The outcomes of the Penrith forum will be brought together with those from forums held across the state at the NSW Forum being held in Sydney on February 20-21. Recommendations from the state forum presented to the NSW Minister for Climate Change and the Environment, Hon Carmel Tebbutt MP, following the event.

Eastern Water Dragon Sightings

The Eastern Water Dragon is Penrith’s symbol for sustainability and it features on the logo to brand Penrith City Council’s Sustainable Penrith program. It represents the environmental, social and economic health of Penrith City.

The Eastern Water Dragon habitat and numbers along the creek banks of Penrith City is a good indicator of the health of the City’s waterways.

Below are listings of the Eastern Water Dragons activities and hideouts:

*A young male eastern water dragon, spotted in a backyard on December 6th 2006 which was closely followed by a sighting along the waters edge around Werrington Lakes.

*A young Eastern Water Dragon which has taken up residency in a garden in Jamieson Street, Emu Plains, from April 2007. This young Dragon has been making itself very at home finding a number of sleeping positions around the house, including the top of a hot water tank and in front of a bedroom window ledge and enjoying the continuous supply of bugs found near a composting bin.

* This Female Water Dragon marvelled a household in Nepean Ave in Penrith on November 3rd, 2008 when she stared laying her eggs in front of a watchful crowd. Residents monitored the progress of her young.

*In October 2008 an Eastern Water Dragon decided to go for a quick dip in a local swimming pool in Emu plains.

*Four Eastern Water Dragons have been spotted by kayakers on December 6 2008, along the various channels from the boat landing site on the Nepean River at Castlereagh.

Have you seen a Water Dragon out and about in Penrith City? Let us know to help us build a database of Dragon sightings. Just tell us when, where and how many you saw.