Logan and Albert Conservation Association
Transition Movement - what is it?
A Transition Initiative is a community working together to look Peak Oil and Climate Change squarely in the eye and address this BIG question: "for all those aspects of life that this community needs in order to sustain itself and thrive, how do we significantly increase resilience (to mitigate the effects of Peak Oil) and drastically reduce carbon emissions (to mitigate the effects of Climate Change)?"
The Transition Movement was born out of the Kinsale Energy Descent Action Plan (see link below), inspired by David Holgrem's book Permaculture - Principles and Pathways Beyond Sustainability and Richard Heinberg's book Powerdown. While this movement started in the UK in late 2005, it has spread rapidly in Europe, North & South America, South Africa, Australia & NZ. There are over 100 officially recognised Transition Towns (or cities, districts, villages, islands & even a forest!) and over 900 other communities worldwide thinking about the energy descent journey (see links)
In the transition approach, cutting carbon is one of many resilience indicators for communities to prepare for an energy-lean future.
Other community resilience indicators might include:
Transition Towns - sustainable communities and energy descent
The Sunshine Coast became Australia's first Transition Initiative in September 2007 after delivering the successful Time for an Oil Change energy descent action planning course, establishing the Sunshine Coast Energy Action Centre (www.seac.net.au) as a community education centre focussed on positive solutions to climate change and peak oil, and also for its part as a catalyst for Australia's first Energy Descent Action Plan (EDAP).
Sonya Wallace and Janet Millington are the founders and co-ordinators of Transition Sunshine Coast and have been working on these initiatives for almost two years. They will share their experiences and the lessons they have learnt about transitioning to ensure your venture is an ongoing success. Sonya has a background in emergency planning, communications and crisis management, and also has her Permaculture Design Certificate. Janet is a well-known permaculture teacher, a respected school teacher, school garden expert and now published author. Janet has her Diploma of Permaculture and a Master of Education.
Transition Towns are becoming increasingly popular around the world as people decide to take real action in making the move from oil dependency to local resilience in their local area. These workshops will give you the skills and tools to do the same in your community and join the rapidly growing Australian network.
Brisbane Saturday 15 November 2008
12.30 - 4.00 pm Queens Park
Save our Reef, Save our Pacific Neighbours
State government was not present at the Brisbane community action event to hear and share citizens' concerns for the impacts of global warming.
Members of the Greens, Queensland Conservation Council and the World Wildlife Fund marched today with other residents from Brisbane and nearby areas in the Walk against Warming, in conjunction with walkers from every other Australian capital city. Walkers formed a large map of Queensland. See it here.
Queensland Conservation Council spokesman Toby Hutcheon said that a good outcome for us would be for the Rudd government to take a strong role in the lead-up to the UN climate negotiations in Poland.
Clean energy, strong climate targets, and a safe future. It was worth voting for, it's worth fighting for.
Canungra community hosted the recent film forum on Australia Pumping Empty which was incredible. Engineer and energy expert, Lionel Orford, attended the evening and spoke of our imminent future and our only real alternatives to the energy crisis we face - conservation and sharing our resources to get by with less. Attendees travelled from Boonah, Beaudesert, Ipswich, Canungra area, Tamborine Mountain, Beechmont! Not big in numbers, but big in awareness. Deputy Mayor, Cr Dave Cockburn, and indigenous elder, John Long, opened the forum onto Scenic Rim Transition to Resilience.
Lionel said Peak Oil almost certainly happened in the first half of 2008 and we now face a worldwide decline rate of as much as 9% a year from existing oil fields. Some experts believe that Peak Oil was the underlying trigger for the worldwide economic crisis. This, in turn, caused demand for oil to fall faster than supply resulting in the dramatic drop in the oil price over the last few months. Lionel predicts prices will remain volatile and will spike up again as soon as there is any economic recovery. However, he states the oil price can't just go up and up - anything over about $120-150 destroys demand in fairly short order - as we have recently observed.
It was truly a most amazing forum listening to Lionel Orford - he had the audience riveted to their seats !
As part of the Silent Voices forum, attendees received an invitation to meet with Mayor Pam Parker and Division 11 Councillor Hajnal Ban. Come along and Share a cuppa with the Mayor
When Friday 21 November 2008
Where Zarraffa's Coffee Shop Cusack Lane Jimboomba (near Coles).
Council's website advises that Division Six residents will have the opportunity to chat with Councillor Luke Smith during two community consultation days planned for November. See website for details. Bookings were needed for 2 days - 20 and 21 November. If successful, Cr Smith will continue to meet with residents in Loganholme and Bethania on a regular basis throughout 2009. Former Beaudesert Shire residents had monthly 'councillor access meetings'.
Seems this is not a common practice in Logan. We really appreciated knowing that opportunity was available - without booking. Are Logan councillors too busy to schedule some community access time?
Community groups in far north Queensland are very alarmed at the Premier's recent announcement that the draft FNQ2025 Plan would be amended to allow large scale tourism developments outside the urban footprint.
News reports state that accommodation for up to 250 people and accompanying facilities with a floor area of no more than 4000sqm will be allowed outside the Cairns urban footprint, as long as they are not in areas of high ecological significance or on good-quality agricultural land.
Small-scale developments such as backpacker hostels and farm stays, which are already allowed, will have the option of taking in up to 100 people and have larger facilities.
Community is very concerned at the watering down of urban sprawl constraints under the Plan and the potential damage to sensitive areas which warrant
protection. While the formal submission period on FNQ2025 has ended, CAFNEC wants to keep up the pressure for amendment of FNQ2025 so that it protects wildlife corridors and important habitat, especially for cassowaries.
Join the campaign by sending a letter to the Deputy Premier using the points suggested in this letter by CAFNEC here.
Current opportunities to support current Queensland Parliamentary EPetitions are available here including recycled sewerage effluent, daylight savings, Gold Coast Hospital,light rail for Brisbane, proposed destruction of Fairy house to upgrade roads, mining in Wildlife Reserves.
Other opportunities to comment and help shape our future are available online as follows:
The federal government’s discussion paper on improving fuel efficiency of Australian vehicles is open for comment until 7 November 2008. See www.environment.gov.au/settlements/transport/
According to Minister for Natural Resources and Water Queensland has a number of river systems which have been almost untouched by development and are therefore in near natural condition, with all, or almost all, of their natural values intact. They are important because they:
• help sustain healthy ecosystems for native plants and animals
• support sustainable economic activities, such as grazing, fishing and eco-tourism
• provide unique opportunities for recreation and tourism.
One way of preserving this valuable part of our natural heritage for the benefit of current and future generations is to designate them as ‘declared wild rivers'.
Do you agree with this statement? Read more about this process and have a say. You can do this online from here.
The full Living Planet Report 2008 goes into detail about the many ways humans are depleting our natural capital. The Living Planet Report, which is published every two years, is produced with the Zoological Society of London and the Global Footprint Network and I encourage readers to download and examine the full document. More information and report download link are available here.
But the good news is that we have the means to reverse the ecological devastation. The report outlines how we can put ourselves on a more sustainable path via global strategies.
For example, with carbon emissions from fossil fuel use noted as the greatest component of humanity's footprint, the report outlines how energy efficiency and clean energy generation can help deliver a more sustainable future. The global carbon footprint has grown more than 10-fold since 1961.
"We humans have been very good at creating problems - but we can be equally good at solving them. A sustainable world is not an unachievable goal. As the world looks to restore its economies we must build in long-term environmental as well as economic sustainability and social sustainability."
Sustainablity must be measured as ecological sustainability - not purely economic. Each one of us has a part to play in the future of our planet - our home that we share with millions of other species.
Residents living in western areas of Logan were invited to attend community forums held in Greenbank, Jimboomba and Logan Village. Council invited us to share your thoughts about life in our local area and how it could be improved or enhanced. The forum outcomes will inform service providers and Council of the projects the community considers most important.The outcomes will be collated and published on councils' website.
The big question is will they actually hear what we say and try to process further actions to meet our needs? Last forum was held at Greenbank Rural Fire Brigade, Ison Road Wednesday 12 November, 2008.
We also said that we valued our rural lifestyle and quality of life granted by benefits of both bush beauty and ecosystem services.
The current Queensland government lead by Premier Bligh is proposing a vision for Queensland in 2020 called Towards Q2. Do you share the same vision? What is important to you and your community? This link takes you to the website for Tomorrow's Queensland where you can read what Queenslanders have said already at the several community forums held around the state. Three more forums are planned - last one in SEQ is 3 November at Yeronga in Brisbane. Go online for details to register. Last forum is 5 November - so use the date to be guided for closing date for ideas to have your say.
Fill in the online form which guides you to comment on the the 2 targets nominated by the Bligh government team for each area of economy, environment, education, health and communities. OR you can mail directly to the Premier at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Where do toxic industries fit in this vision? Not mentioned. Where does farming and food security fit in? Not mentioned. What does 50% more mean for nature conservation and public recreation? Is that measurable? Your input can help to address your concerns. Lets find out if the government hears what we say!
The comments from the Logan forum are available here. All feedback is here.
The SouthEast Queensland Regional Plan Review - 12 months earlier than originally planned is expected beginning December 2008. This will involve more "community consultation" opportunities. Please try to find time to participate in sharing ideas and growing our children's future on our single planet.