NSW Climate Change Summit

Have your Say on Climate Change

Climate change is one of the greatest environmental challenges to face humanity. It is an issue of local, national and global significance affecting every Australian. How we respond today will have far reaching implications in our lifetimes, and those of our future generations.

With climate change now firmly on the agenda of all levels of government, we must determine: How should we prepare for the impacts of climate change? What is the most appropriate course of action?

Penrith City Council has joined with the Nature Conservation Council of NSW and 16 other NSW councils to gain community input into how we address this critical issue.

Randomly selected community members will be invited to attend a two day forum to explore the issue of climate change and develop recommendations for Council and the NSW State Government. Following the local forum, participants will be invited to attend the NSW Climate Summit to be held in February 2009.

At the NSW Climate Summit, community representatives from across NSW will join with a broad range of stakeholders to discuss and debate how to best address climate change. By finding common ground, summit participants will produce a set of recommendations to present to the NSW Government which are reflective of a NSW consensus view.

Penrith residents are encouraged to participate in this important project. In addition to the local forum, Penrith City Council is encouraging residents to have their voice heard by making comment either via the Council website or at one of the displays located throughout the City, Council recognises the importance of the values, concerns, opinions and expertise of our community, and the need to consider these in our decision making and planning processes.

Climate change affects us all. By working together, we can address this issue. This project will enable our communities to be included in deliberations that directly contribute to climate change decision making at both a local and state level. Giving the community a stronger voice in decision making processes, and enabling action on climate change to be more reflective of community views.

For further information on this project visit www.nccnsw.org.au/nswclimatesummit or contact Bernadette Riad at Penrith City Council on 4732 7629

This project is coordinated by the Nature Conservation Council of NSW.
This project has been assisted by the New South Wales Government through its Environmental Trust.

WHY DO YOUNG CHILDREN NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE

There is a great article on Early Childhood Australia web site http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/ discussing the pros and cons of talking to children about climate change and whether this would be a frightening topic for children.

The article argues that it is irresponsible not to share information about how climate change may affect the lives of young children both now and in the future. We would also be missing an opportunity to help them learn how their actions can impact on the future of the planet. We can do this in a way that uses play and is not designed to make children anxious or depressed about their world. No doom and gloom approach should be used but rather a positive approach about how they as individuals can help their planet.

The best approach is to work with families, because they are the prime role model for their children; and with the children to enables them to learn through hands-on, concrete experiences how they can care for their world.

“A play approach to sustainability may involve, for example, children saving drinking water after meal-times to place on the garden; or it may include setting up a miniature compost bin in the home-corner kitchen so children can role-play putting scraps in the bin (as well as placing real food scraps in an actual compost bin).”[1]

Learning about sustainability can begin with very young children staff can role model and communicate what they are doing to children so that children learn e.g. simple comments like “lets put the tissue in the bin so it is safe and doesn’t end up as rubbish in the playground” can start sewing the seeds in children of a better way to behave to help the planet. From these simple beginnings of communicating with children to working with children on projects in the centres is just a short step. There are a myriad of centre based activities and projects children can be involved in as well as moving towards involving children in local and nation wide projects like “Clean up Australia Day”. The community and nation wide projects are ideal activities for school aged children to be involved in and through the children and their enthusiasm we can involve families which may well change some attitudes in adults.

By involving children in sustainability we are opening up their world to a range of knowledge e.g. science, technology, geography and social studies. There is also the benefit of assisting children to develop habits and attitudes that will last them a life time.

Submitted by: Joanna Pickford

[1] Source: Early Childhood Australia. 2008. Why do young people need to kknow about climage change. Early Childhood Austalia. Available from: http://www.earlychildhoodaustralia.org.au/resource_themes/sustainability_global_warming_and_climate_change/why_do_young_children_need_to_know_about_climate_change.html

Sustainable House Day - 13-14 September 2008

Homeowners open their doors, so others can learn how to live sustainably in comfort.

As part of the 7th annual Sustainable House Day, homes across the country will open so others can learn and experience the benefits of all aspects of sustainable living. And what’s more, these houses appear normal on the outside…so it’s only when stepping inside that the learning begins!

Event organiser Judy Celmins said “Over the 7 years Sustainable House Day has been showing people the benefits of energy efficiency in their homes, we have seen a dramatic increase in interest. People now realise they need to reduce their energy, water and waste needs in their home…but are confused on where to start.

That’s where Sustainable House Day can help. There is nothing better than talking to people who have already done it. You can learn the good, and the bad, from the home owner’s personal experience and talk to architects. And once you have experienced living in a home that is cool in summer, without airconditioning, and warm in winter with little or no heating, it’s hard not to get excited.

There will be a variety of sustainable living tips on display at the houses open this year. The aim is to motivate, and provide information so people can go home and start implementing some of the fundamentals straight away.

You can find an open house in your area by logging onto http://www.sustainablehouseday.com/ . Tickets can be purchased at any house visited for $5 per person per house, children free.

NSW Sustainability Street Conference - 30 August 2008

Sustainability Street Participants Gather to Share their Stories

Penrith City Council is hosting the first ever NSW Sustainability Street Conference, with the theme ‘Sharing Our Stories.’ The Conference will be held at Muru Mittigar Aboriginal Education and Cultural Centre, in Castlereagh on Saturday 30th August 2008 from 10.00am to 4.00pm.

‘Sharing our Stories’ will be a gathering of over 100 Sustainability Street participants from across NSW, where the program has been running successfully since in 2001. The Conference gives participants the opportunity to share their stories, present their unique experiences and to tell others about the projects that they have worked on with their Villages.

The conference will begin with a video introduction by ABC Broadcaster and Sustainability Street patron Geraldine Doogue. The Keynote speaker will be author and adventurer Lincoln Hall, whose books include ‘Dead Lucky': Life After Death on Everest’. Lincoln will share his unique perspective on the importance of looking after our earth and of what can be achieved through commitment and determination.

The Sustainability Street Approach (SSA), devised by environmental educators Vox Bandicoot, is a basic training program in sustainable living, which brings communities together to work for the future. A Sustainability Street Village, can literally be a street, or any other locally based community, such as a sporting club, workplace or school.

‘Keeping it very local is best’ says Vox Bandicoot Director, Frank Ryan. ‘We suggest you try and travel no further than you’d be prepared to walk or ride, to have a cup of tea with your neighbours and chat about your worms!’

‘Sustainability Street is about addressing the two biggest challenges facing humanity, how we can get along better with each other as a species and how we can get along better with the other 30 million species on the planet’ says Ryan. ‘It is like the ecological and social development equivalent of the slow food movement. It is a quiet revolution at a very local level, but it gathers a great deal of momentum and achieves big outcomes.”

The Sustainability Street Approach helps participants achieve significant reductions in waste, water and energy use around the home. It also encourages groups to work together on locally relevant sustainability based projects.

Since the first Sustainability Street Village began in Wollongong, over 60 villages have emerged across NSW, with over 200 villages across Australia. The NSW Environment Trust has provided support for eight council areas to run Sustainability Street in NSW.

Penrith City Council who are hosting the conference, have been great supporters of the Sustainability Street. Penrith’s Sustainability Street program has been running since late 2004, with six communities now up and running within the Penrith local government area. One of the highlights of the conference will be the opportunity to tour some of Penrith’s Sustainability Street Villages, including Penrith SSA pioneers, Banool Avenue.

For bookings or more information about NSW Sustainability Street 2008- Sharing our Stories, contact Krystie Race on 02 4732 8050 or krace@penrithcity.nsw.gov.au

Centres for Sustainability Launch

Residents who meet and use Kingswood Neighbourhood Centre may be unknowingly doing their bit to conserve our environment through Council’s Centres for Sustainability program.

Kingswood Neighbourhood Centre is one of the community’s newest centres and was designed using sustainable design principles including the choice of building materials and its placement to maximise solar efficiency.

On 23 July 2008, Council and community members celebrated the addition of solar panels and rainwater tanks, which make the centres even more friendly to the environment and cost effective.

Council’s Sustainability Champion Councillor Karen McKeown said: “Early indications are that the solar panels are actually producing more electricity than the centre uses.

The centre is important in that it makes for vibrant, healthy local communities through the activities that take place each week from a wide range of groups including playgroups, sporting groups, religious groups and training groups, as well as attracting many private functions.

This project is just one step towards realising Council’s vision of a sustainable City. Solar panels and water tanks have also been installed at Floribunda Community Centre in Glenmore Park. Council is taking a range of practical steps to make our own facilities and operations as sustainable as possible.

Latest Sustainable Times Out Now!

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 preference for an electronic or hard copy.The Term 3 edition for 2008 is packed with useful information, including stories on:

- The 'Eco Pursuit' Board Game

- Safety Around Pets

- Waste Wise Initiatives for Schools Update

- Next SPenSEN meeting

- International Solar Boat Challenge 2008

July Edition of the Sustainability Street Newsletter Out Now!

The latest edition of the Sustainability Street Newsletter for Penrith is out now. Click here to download your copy.

Read on for stories on:

- Continuing the Sustainability Street Journey
- Upcoming Street Dates
- Sustainability Streeters Keep the Vibe Going!
- Sustainability Street NSW Conference 2008 - 'Sharing Our Stories'
- National Tree Day - 27 July 2008
- Nature Reserve . . . In your backyard
- The News in Brief


If you would like to be added to our mailing list to receive a copy of the newsletter automatically just email Krystie Race and specify whether you would like to receive it electronically or in the mail.

Council achieves Milestone 5 of the Water Campaign

Council joined the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives Water Campaign in December 2003 and was awarded Milestone 5 on 26 May 2008 signifying the completion of all milestones in the program.

During the program Council reduced its water consumption by 35.28% from the baseline year (2001/2002), developing several policies and implementing several programs, including:

- The development of WaterWay: Councils strategy for improving corporate and community water quality and conservation;
- The development of the Data Management System in Finance 1: allowing Council to track and report on Water and Energy consumption at Council facilities;
- The incorporation of water conservation actions and key performance indicators in Outcome Manager: ensuring the delegation of responsibilities for water conservation and requiring regular reporting of progress against key performance indicators;
- Training of Council staff and community members on the importance of water conservation, and;
- Continual review and improvement of public open space irrigation: with public open space irrigation accounting for a significant proportion of Council’s water consumption.

Council’s participation in the Water Campaign has resulted in clearly defined objectives, strategies and actions for managing Council and community water resources and Council is committed to ensuring that these are achieved. The Water Campaign also assisted Council in integrating these water conservation objectives and actions into Council’s Strategic Plan, Management Plan and Annual Report. These were large tasks and have aligned Council’s Sustainability Plans with its Corporate Plans.

From more information on the Water Campaign visit Council's website at http://www.penrithcity.nsw.gov.au/index.asp?id=3769

Sustainability Streeters keep the vibe going!

Three months after the Sustainability Street graduation of the two latest streets – The Straight Rd Mulgoa and Penrith City Garden Club- the streets are about to embark on two community projects in the Local Government Area, with the Mulgoa Sustainability Street group working with Mulgoa Public School to build a community garden, and the Garden Club working with Mamre House to improve their plant propogation and irrigation systems.

The Mulgoa Sustainability Street group project will help to establish a community garden that can be used to grow fruit and vegetables for consumption by local residents and the school students. This will provide valuable learning experiences for all about how to establish a successful garden and provide additional opportunities for the school to undertake lessons on related sustainability issues such as ‘food miles’, recycling and composting, organic gardening and the importance of being waterwise. Susan Ward from Sustainability Street said: ‘This is an excellent opportunity for the information and knowledge gained from the Sustainability Street program to be shared more broadly with the local community’.


The Penrith City Garden Club community project with Mamre House to improve their plant propogation and irrigation systems will allow Mamre House to continue to propagate seedlings and provide the community with a beautiful range of local native plants. The project will also provide a great opportunity for a closer link to be developed between Mamre House and the Gardening Club and for the Garden Club members to add their own gardening knowledge and expertise to the project.

Both projects are expected to be completed by the end of June, with the bricks already laid down for the Mulgoa community vegetable garden. The funding for these community projects was made possible through grant funding provided by the NSW Government’s Environmental Trust, with Penrith City Gardening Club providing additional funding to go towards their project.

Council attends the Science in the Suburbs Expo

On 27 and 28 May staff from Council’s Sustainability Unit and Building Services Department participated in the Science in the Suburbs Expo at Sydney Olympic Park with an interactive display on the Solar Boat Challenge.

Science in the Suburbs is one part of the outreach programs undertaken as part of the Science in the City project run by the Australian Museum and the University of Sydney. Modelled on the successful Science in the City event, the expo provides students with the opportunity to attend talks, shows, workshops and activities on science and technology. The first day is for high schools and the second day for primary schools.

Council’s display on the Solar Boat Challenge gave kids the opportunity to find out more about the challenge, have a closer look at the model solar power boats and how they work, and learn more about solar energy. Some of the other organisations there on the day included University of Sydney, Questacon, Jenolan Caves, NSW Department of Primary Industries, University of Newcastle and Fizzics Education.

Science in the Suburbs events have been held since 2004 and cater for schools in outer Sydney and regional areas. The project is supported by the Australian Government through the Science Connections Programme administered by the Department of Education, Science and Training.