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Re: disagree - Back to the leadership question of the Long Emergency
2006-06-05 23:38:49 UTC
Well Said Anna!
Small victories and celebrate them. Its amazing how those small achievements mount up and before you realise it your influencing your family, friends and work mates. I always find great satisfaction in someone asking me why I choose one product over another or why I don't have two cars or why I choose one energy supplier over another or grow some fruit and veggies. It gives me the opportunity to share some sustainable wisdom. Its a great feeling when it effects a change in that person no matter how small. You find when you practise what you preach and allow people to come to you they will always be more receptive to what you have to say.
Mark -
Re: Energy Conservation campaign
2006-06-05 08:23:29 UTC
G'day Terri
I strongly recommend you jump onto the CERES website www.ceres.org.au and have a look at the energy component of the Sustainable Schools education modules. We right energy management plans for schools and a large part is behaviour change. Our experience has been that it is not enough just to put up signage with simple action. look for emotive images with real impacts. Find out what motivates the kids in your part of the world and link energy conservation to the things they feel passionate about. To give you an example our community is a peninsula and surrounded by surf beaches. Obviously the surf and water activity occupies a large part of our children's lives. Global warming has potentially a huge impact on marine environments and so may effect their enjoyment of those beaches. We have been successful in motivating students by having them come up with a project that will benefit their immediate environment and then offer them a percentage of the savings from the energy efficiency programme. vested interest can work well. Saving GHG has a visible tangible and local benefit.
Cheers
Mark -
Re: Long Emergency Round II/ZEROWASTE
2006-06-02 09:28:15 UTC
G'day Richard and all our organisation
[email protected] has developed a working collaboration that targets schools with the view that our schools are not just centres of our communities but are a key trigger for change within those communities. we have managed to establish the Zerowaste programme which draws together local, state and federal government resources, schools, Sustainable education providers (CERES), small business, universities and NGO's. First stage is to engage schools within our region and have them commit to incorporating Sustainable education and practise into the curriculum which most are very keen to do The Sustainable schools programme is provided by www.ceres.org.au and involves PD sessions with staff and or parent groups and runs over a 4 year period. It has a core module with the 4 key area's of Sustainability Energy, Water, Waste and Biodiversity. We use energy and water as the spearhead with each school undergoing a professional and comprehensive auditing process for energy, water and waste consumption from which they gain a short and long term management plan. No cost, low cost recommendations are made and implemented. The school is then encouraged to place all savings into a sustainability fund which in turn is used to fund more programmes that reduce their GHG emissions and in turn their footprint. We call this the Sustainable loop funding. Each schools pays for the auditing process and in return is sponsored by local and state governments for the sustainable education modules from CERES. We have also managed to obtain funding for implementation of the audit findings from State and federal bodies. It seems obvious that governments are more interested in measurable results than funding the audit process. The audit process has been designed to involve the whole school community as students and staff collect the inventory data. This serves as a great tool for whole school involvement and cuts the cost of the auditing process dramatically. We then conduct the audit inspection, compile a report and present it to staff and or students along with a motivation presentation on the consequences and effects of Global warming. This serves as an excellent tool in getting everyone on board in the new "Don't Waste It" culture. The same process is applied to water, waste and biodiversity issues through the PD sessions. Schools are also given assistance for future funding applications. The funding we gained from the EPA has allowed us to offer this programme to all 53 schools in our region and to our knowledge was the first of its type anywhere in Australia. So far we have identified an average 18% cost reduction with up to a 3 year payback on energy consumption and 20% GHG emissions reduction. 60% on water consumption 50% on solid waste. and increases in biodiversity on school grounds. All of this activity is driven and implemented by the students. The great benefit is that much of this action is disseminating into the home with many schools conducting ecological footprint surveys as part of homework activities. We are still to conduct research as to how effective we are in influencing the behaviour at home. If you would like to see what the schools are achieving jump onto to CERES website at the top of this page. they have some fantastic testimonials and success stories. Previously our education department didn't seem to want to become involved but they have just recently launched a similar programme to combat energy consumption which is very welcome and encouraging sign. The difference with what we have established is it is a more holistic and comprehensive approach. Now that we have engaged schools in reducing their waste in all forms, We are moving on to the next stage which is mitigation at source and Carbon sequestration. We are aiming to make these schools "Carbon Neutral" or "Emission Free Schools" From this point we are then one tree or solar panel away from turning our schools into Carbon Sinks as apposed to Carbon emitters. We want to embarrass and encourage business and government. If our kids can do it, Why can't You? so to speak.
Cheers
Mark Smith
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