Hi Everyone! Welcome to our October Newsletter and welcome to our newest members! Our numbers are growing each month, and it's heartening to see so many people connecting around issues of waste, climate and community. We now have 111 subscribers and 204 members in our WAM Waste Action Maleny facebook group.
'THANK YOU'- As you no doubt know, WAM is a small non-profit group and we rely on donations to help us operate. We'd like to take this opportunity to thank two of our members (who wish to remain anonymous) for their generous donation to cover the cost of hall hire for our November Community Forum - see details in the DATE CLAIMER below. We are very grateful for this support.
Vollies Needed to Join WAM’s Media Team
We’re looking for volunteers to be part of the WAM media team. Currently we are managing our WAM FB group, FB page, WAM Freebies page, newsletter, website, regular column in Glasshouse Country News, plus materials for our info booth and press releases.
In particular we are seeking:
-writers/editors/researchers
-designer(s) for print and web tasks
-a Wordpress nerd or two (nerd being a term of deepest respect - we’re using Elementor)
-anyone with app building experience to help us work on the WAM app
-someone who can update the WAM Guide once a month
If you have some spare time and would like to help, please contact Ernie on 0432 914 469 or email wasteactionmaleny@gmail.com .
THIS WEEK'S GOOD NEWS STORY!
As you will no doubt have heard, the Queensland government announced this week that Queensland will have 70% renewable energy by 2032 and that reliance on coal power will be greatly reduced until it is phased out.
This represents a dramatic transition for Australia’s most coal-dependent state; at present only 21.4% of electricity used in Queensland is produced from renewable energy sources (Tasmania has 99.9% renewables followed by ACT and SA),
While these targets are a definite improvement on previous targets for renewables, the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) has made it very clear that we should be aiming for much higher renewables targets much sooner. It adds that only the most drastic cuts in carbon emissions from now would help prevent an environmental disaster.
We can all do our bit by reducing our energy consumption and opting for renewable power sources such as solar where we can, but our best course of action to secure our future may be to pressure government (State and National) to stick to these targets and increase them as needed.
While not wanting to seem cynical, let's hope this statue below is not a true representation of the future! It's titled 'Politicians Discussing Global Warming' and is located in Berlin.
UPCOMING EVENTS
What WAM is up to at the Sustainability Expo
WAM Information & Education Stall (8:30-3:30 - Main Hall)
Have a go at sorting waste
Find out how long items such as balloons & plastic bags take to break down (and what some alternatives may be)
Chat to our volunteers about waste issues
Enter our 'Guess How Many Bottle Tops' competition and win one of 4 donated prizes ('Every Woman's Guide to Saving The Planet' book, Boomerang Bag, reusable silicone snack bag, beeswax wrap). Entry is free but donations are appreciated.
Seed & Produce Swap (10 -11:00 - Outside Marquee)
Soul will be running her regular Seed & Produce Swap. Seed Library Talk (11:30-12:30 - Outside Marquee)
Soul will talk about how to harvest, store and plant seeds. Bunting Making Demonstration(1:00 -2:00 - Outside Marquee)
Yvonne from WAM will be running a workshop on how to create bunting to replace balloons & plastic decorations. For a small charge ($5), participants will be able to create (or place an order for) a 2m length of bunting.
WAM will be at the Spring Fair! We'll have an information and education stall and a 'Guess How Many Bottle Tops' competition for the kids, with a great kids' book as a prize (thank you Rosetta's).
We'll also have 'Recycled Tic Tac Toe' games (available to purchase by gold coin donation) and a 'Create Shapes using Bottle Tops' activity for kids.
Parking is limited, so catch one of the free shuttle buses running from 10am - 2pm.
This is a great family event - see you there!
DATE CLAIMER: Tues Nov 8th, 6-7pm Maleny Community Centre Hall
COMMUNITY FORUM ONE YEAR ON FROM COUNCIL'S CLIMATE EMERGENCY DECLARATION - WHERE TO FROM HERE?
WAM is hosting a community forum on Tues Nov 8th to provide an update on what has been achieved a year on from Sunshine Coast Council's Climate Emergency Declaration.
Panel participants include:
Cr David Law (who tabled the CED motion last Nov)
Cr Winston Johnston
Gillian Smith, Coordinator Sustainability Policy, SCC
John Brinnand, Urgent Climate Action Now SC
Dr Theresa Ashford, Lecturer in Social Science, USC
BJ Murphy, Emerging Jinibara Elder
We are hoping to use this as an opportunity for discussion about what is needed at a Community and Council level in response to the increasing challenges associated with climate change.
ALL ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND!
If you have any questions about this event, please contact Ernie at wasteactionmaleny@gmail.com
REGULAR ACTIVITIES
The next Sewing Circle is Tuesday 4th October.
Maleny Fix It Cafe
Photo below (from MNC website): Volunteers Jim & Nev fixing a wheelbarrow .
Don't let your broken items end up in landfill! Take them to the Maleny Fix It Cafe and see if one of the amazing volunteers can repair it for you (for a small donation).
The Cafe operates between 9:00-2:00 on the 2nd & 4th Thursday each month at the Maleny Neighbourhood Centre. (The Community Lunch is also available from 12.30 PM on those days.)
Items to be repaired can include:
Small sewing repairs to clothing
Minor repairs & adjustments for bicycles
Pottery wheels
Wooden furniture
Knife sharpening
Wheelbarrow wheels
Any small things – tie a leather decoration on a handbag
Sewing machine repairs – non electrical
Note: Repairs on electrical equipment not available.
Next Fix It Dates: Thurs 13 & 27October
We'll leave you with this cartoon that seems to say it all!
Our mailing address is:
wasteactionmaleny@gmail.com
