Issues related to the Environment, Climate Change, Water and Energy

Second-hand Sunday (29 November 2009)

Second-hand Sunday is a free community event that gives everyone an opportunity to give away or collect unwanted but useable items from homes across the ACT. Second-hand Sunday is this coming Sunday 29 November  2009, from 9.00am to 3.00pm Registered participants display a Second-hand Sunday poster at the front of their home along with any unwanted but useable items they want to give away.The list of addresses and a summary of the items being given away is available at www.tams.act.gov.au/secondhandsunday or a hard copy of this list is available at any ACT public library. Although it is too late to …

ABC News: Canberra Airport to 'shoulder Sydney overload' (Aircraft Noise)

ABC News is reporting that the Canberra Airport is extolling  its curfew free status to become the defacto second airport for Sydney as well as indicating an almost obscene willingness to take excess air traffic from Newcastle, Bankstown and Richmond. The North Canberra Community Council has consistently campaigned for the introduction of a night-time curfew at Canberra Airport to protect the amenity of residents. The airports eagerness to accept additional air traffic simply confirms the Council’s fears that Canberra Airport will use its curfew free status for dumping night-time aircraft movements in to Canberra. These aircraft movements would not be …

Hazard reduction activities (Watson)

The ACT Government is currently undertaking bushfire hazard reduction work at sites throughout urban Canberra. These include Kaleen (along the corridor running through the suburb); MacArthur Hill in Fadden; along Belconnen Way between Benjamin Way and Eastern Valley Way; and in Watson near Aspinall Street.

FOMM: Assistance sought to water tree and shurb seedlings (22 November 2009)

The Friends of Mount Majura are looking for volunteers with some spare time to to help with the watering of tree and shrub seedlings planted in 2009 this coming Sunday, 22 November 2009. You’ll get to see native grasses – wallaby, spear, red leg – flowering and setting seeds for the first time in many years as well as seedlings of Kurrajong (Brachychiton populneus). You will also appreciate how effective recent rabbit control measures have been.

Report: ACT Conservation Council Forum – A Conservation Vision for the ACT's Northen Rim

Deputy Chair of the North Canberra Community Council, Richard Larson attened a recent forum hosted by the ACT Conservation Council on 22 October 2009.  The topic under discussion at this forum was “A Conservation Vision for the ACT’s Northen Rim”. Richard has provided notes from this forum and advises that of interest to all northsiders were the talks on Mulligans Flat and a proposal for a second (northern) national park for the ACT which could also include the reserves on Mt Majura and Mt Ainslie. The notes taken have been reproduced below:

climateXchange: a source of information and views on climate change and sustainability solutions for Canberra

climateXchange.org.au is a local not-for-profit website established by a small group of volunteers to bring together in one place local information and views on climate change and sustainability solutions. The aim of the website is not to duplicate what is already being done by existing local organisations, but rather bring together in one place links to all the relevant groups and businesses in Canberra and region, and their upcoming events, so that it is easier to get an overall picture of what’s happening locally. They would also like to see more dialogue happening through the website’s forums to facilitate shared …

Community Forum: YOUth LEADing Australia! – Congress and Community Forum (24-26 November 2009)

OzGreen is an independent not for profit organisation best described as a social enterprise, which educates, engages and empowers young people, adults, corporations and communities to tackle critical environmental sustainability challenges (such as climate change and water) and become agents for positive social change. OzGREEN’s transformative learning and leadership programs foster informed participation, harness people’s special contributions and build pathways for ongoing engagement. Between the 24-26 November 2009 there will both a Local Climate Congress and a Community Forum as part of the YOUth LEADing Australia! program organised by OzGreen. Information on these two events has been reproduced below:

Invitation to comment (documentation): EIS Proposal – Sandford Street Extension to the Federal Highway (Closing 30 November 2009)

Earlier this week we published an article advising that ACTPLA was consulting and seeking comments and feedback with regard to a proposed EIS for the proposed Sandford Street extension (currently Morisset Street) to the Federal Highway. We are pleased to advise that the documentation has now been received and it is available for viewing as online documents or downloadable as a .zip archive. View the documents online (via Scribd.com) Download the documents as a .zip archive The NCCC would be pleased to include contributor feedback in any response as the Council has repeatedly indicated concerns about traffic issues and impact …

ACT Environmental Defender's Office (ACT) Annual General Meeting (17 November 2009)

The Environmental Defender’s Office (ACT) is a non-profit community legal centre based in Canberra, advising on environmental and planning law with an aim of increasing public awareness of environmental laws and remedies. They advise on questions of Commonwealth, ACT & NSW law and offer a free telephone advice service on environmental law questions. Annual General Meeting When: Tuesday 17 November, 6pm Where: Jamieson House, 43 Constitution Ave, Reid Please RSVP to edoact@edo.org.au, All members are welcome to attend.