Latest Sustainability News

• Beyond Zero Emissions Radio
• Hawkesbury Water Book
• An Evening Talk: Understanding Dingoes
• Lao Cooking Workshop 
• Australia's Climate Action Summit
• Bike around Bankstown 
• The Hills Shire Council: Community Engagement
• Earth Hour, Every Hour
• Superfund looking at Renewables

Beyond Zero Emissions Radio: The only full hour of climate change solutions brings you voices from UWS.

The line up included Jen Dollin from the Office of Sustainability, Professor Bobby Banerjee from UWS School of Business, Emeritus Professor Richard Bawden and Professor David Ellsworth from the Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment.

Download the free podcast today from Beyond Zero Emissions website (opens in a new window).

Hawkesbury Water Book

An Evening Talk: Understanding Dingoes

The Hawkesbury Rainforest Network invites you to an evening talk on 'Understanding Dingoes' (opens in a new window) (PDF, 569Kb).

Dr Bard Purcell from UWS Hawkesbury has spent many years researching Dingoes in the Greater Blue Mountains region and will spend the night sharing his fascinating stories.

Where: Kurrajong CWA Hall
When: Friday, 20th April 2012
Time: 7pm start
Cost: Free for HRN members; $10 for non-members

Lao Cooking Workshop

Come along to our Lao Vegetarian Cooking workshop at Hawesbury Earth Care Centre. Prepare delightful Asian inspired dishes from Laos that will enchant your family. This month is Soup Up Thine Day.

The workshop provides:

• Hands on and fun instructions on how to make simple, delicious and nutritious meals;
• Straightforward and easy to prepare recipes;
• Tips on making vegetarian meals appeal to the whole family; and
• A tour of the community garden

Where: Hawkesburry Earth Care Centre / Community Garden
When: Saturday, 21st April 2012
Duration: 11am to 1pm
Cost: $25ea (lunch cooked is shared)

Bookings are essential. Call Ling on 0410 688 499 or email ling300ppm@gmail.com

Australia's Climate Action Summit

Australia’s 2012 grassroots Climate Action Summit (opens in a new window) (PDF, 730Kb) is to be held on the weekend of April 28-29 at the University of Western Sydney, Parramatta campus.

An opening panel 'Beyond the Carbon Price' will also be held on Friday April 27 at NSW Parliament House Theatrette, Macquarie St, Sydney. Speakers from the major political parties and the ACTU have been invited to address this scene-setting discussion.

Key high profile UWS academics will hold the following panel: "Leading the way in sustainable education, research and social action". Come along, listen and join in issues and skills workshops.

Visit the Climate Summit (opens in a new window) page for more information and register your attendance.

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Bike around Bankstown

Bring your bikes and helmets and join us for a bike ride around Bankstown.

‘Bike around Bankstown’ (opens in a new window) (PDF, 2771Kb) is a community bike ride and cycle skills course, completely free of charge!

Where: Garrison Point Car Park, Mirambeena Regional Park, Beatty Parade (off Henry Lawson Drive), Georges Hall
When: Saturday, 5th May 2012
Duration: 8.30am to 12pm (times vary between courses)

Bookings are essential. Visit Bankstown City Councils (opens in a new window) website or call 9707 9999 for more information.

The Hills Shire Council: Community Engagement

Are you a resident of The Hills Shire Council? Council is holding a number of great community engagement activities in your local area.

Council is conducting a series of focus groups and an online resident survey to find out ideas from the local community on what they would like to see happen to protect the environment. This information will than shape the development of the Environmental Sustainability Action Plan for the region. Have your say today and you could win one of many fantastic prizes.

Register your interest today with Evie Spice at espice@thehills.nsw.gov.au or fill out the online residential survey (opens in a new window).

‘Our Shire, Our Story’ is a great way to explore your local bushland and creeks, and identify native animals and plants in this natural environment photography competition. Let your photos tell a story about the special parts of your Shire.

Entries opened on the 1st March and close at 4pm 30th April 2012.

There are 8 different categories to enter and great prizes to be won. Visit The Hills Shire Council (opens in a new window) website for all the competition details.

The Hills Shire Council is also running Living Sustainable Workshops (opens in a new window) (PDF, 725Kb) with a variety of interesting and useful workshops, ranging from Nature Photography, Your Land and Water, Bushwalks and Talks, Save Power and Money, plus many more.

Bookings are essential and places are limited. Contact Gerard Nolan on gnolan@thehills.nsw.gov.au or 9843 0533 for enquires.

Why not check out your local council website to see the exciting things that are happening in your local area?

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Earth Hour, Every Hour

Earth Hour is held every year at 8:30pm on the last Saturday of March. Earth Hour is a WWF initiative symbolising the collective power of individuals, businesses and governments to reduce our impact on this planet. It reminds us that while our energy resources are limited, together we can collectively change our behaviours and reduce our carbon footprint.

Penrith City Council (opens in a new window) is celebrating Earth Hour 2012 with a fantastic competition. Let Council know what you are doing with your friends or family for Earth Hour, and you will go into the draw to win 4 passes to go rafting at Penrith Whitewater Stadium. For more information, please refer to the competition details (opens in a new window) (PDF, 289Kb).

Please be sure to switch your lights off on Saturday 31st March 2010 between 8:30pm to 9:30pm. Think Earth Hour, Every Hour, Everyday. If you no longer need an appliance or light, unplug, switch it off and save.

Superfund looking at Renewables

Beyond Zero Emissions in conjunction with a large grouping of superannuation funds is conducting some baseline research into interest in high performance high integrity superannuation options and would appreciate it if you could be a part of a short survey to test the market interest for a future (third party) product offering.
 
Beyond Zero Emissions requires over 1,000 responses to their short 10 question survey which should take 2-5 minutes of your time. To complete this survey, please see Superannuation for a better future survey (opens in a new window).

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Past news stories...