Mar 7, 2025 | Clean Energy, Climate Policy, Lighter Footprints Events, Nuclear
Held for the first time in the Malvern Town Hall, the Lighter Footprints annual energy transition event featuring Simon Holmes à Court and Ric Brazzale was a big success. The 400 attendees were treated to an inviting array of community organisation stalls, an engaging...
Mar 1, 2025 | Communicating climate change, Family activity, Lighter Footprints Events, Volunteering
“For the Kids”. So true at the Ashburton Festival – climate volunteers getting out there for kids, families turning up with kids. This is why we step up and talk of all the good things that climate action can bring to communities, and listen deeply...
Feb 25, 2025 | Clean Energy, Federal election, Kooyong, Vote Climate
The community really turned out to launch our 2025 Kooyong Votes Climate campaign. Starting off with a bang! Sarah Hegarty said that the campaign launch was fantastic. “A highlight for me was to see the venue packed out with people – just about standing...
Feb 4, 2025 | Clean Energy, Federal election, Kooyong, Local government, Taking Action
One on one conversations really matter They are our most effective form of communication with our community. Our Saturday morning conversations interrupt people in their daily lives and say implicitly, “Look up, climate change matters, you need to think about this...
Jan 21, 2025 | Communicating climate change, Disinformation, Social Media
Can Bluesky become a new Twitter? Part A: Bluesky – helping to get people to field campaigns and election events In the 2022 election, particularly in Kooyong, Twitter was used extensively in helping to gather volunteers and getting them to campaign events as...
Nov 18, 2024 | Climate change, Climate Policy, Communicating climate change, Federal election
Trump’s election and climate Although a major setback, climate impacts can be lessened if other countries stay the course Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics writes “The energy transition is now well under way. The economics of renewable technologies are so...
Nov 18, 2024 | Boroondara Council, Lighter Footprints Forum, Local government
What a win! From a pretty conservative Council to a strong climate-active majority The result is historic, a profound shift, and a testament to the huge volunteer efforts for individual progressive Councillors across Boroondara. As Lighter Footprints committee member...
Nov 17, 2024 | Boroondara Council, Kooyong, Local government, Planning
Activity Centre Proposal Camberwell has been designated by the state government as an Activity Centre ‘pilot’ with the plan to implement the rules developed across metropolitan Melbourne. The State government’s Camberwell Activity Centre includes the Commercial ‘Core’...
Sep 4, 2024 | Clean Energy, Climate Policy, Energy, Gas, Nuclear
Energy Policy: Facts and Fiction with Dr Dylan McConnell In order to be strong advocates for the energy policy Australia needs to rapidly decarbonise the Lighter Footprints community seeks information from well credentialed experts. On Wednesday 21st August we were...
Sep 2, 2024 | Electrification, Energy
Can you believe it? Attendees at the upcoming Electrify Boroondara Expo could probably save a total of $100,000 per annum if they used the Victorian Energy Compare website! Let’s justify this claim! In December 2023 the ACCC published a report into the National...
Aug 29, 2024 | Boroondara Council, Electrification, Gas
Presentation of Petition to the City of Boroondara The Kew Recreation Centre is undergoing a major redevelopment, however in October 2022 a section of the steel roof structure partially collapsed. There is more detail on progress here on the Boroondara Council’s...
Aug 12, 2024 | Clean Energy, Climate Policy, Energy, Nuclear
After all these years of numerous detours, blind alleys or failed energy plans, coupled with Peter Dutton’s nuclear challenge, it’s time for a clear-eyed look at some energy supply facts. What about nuclear, and what is the likely impact of the Liberal policy? What...
Aug 2, 2024 | Clean Energy, Electrification, Energy Efficiency
Despite the wintery conditions, was an enthusiastic audience to listen to our speakers Tim Forcey, David Coote, Ken Parker and David Strang, learn about electrifying and increasing their home’s energy efficiency, and launch Tim Forcey’s new book, The Efficient...
Jul 15, 2024 | Solar, Solutions
What can we do and why? The road to net zero is one we must travel and it is important that we arrive as soon as possible. The good news is that every individual can play their part even if the heavy lifting must be done by Government and Industry. Lighter...
Jul 2, 2024 | Carbon, Clean Energy, Climate change, Coal, Gas
The Macroeconomics of Australia’s Energy Transition: Wednesday 19 June, 2024 at the Balwyn Park Centre There was a full house of over 150 attendees to hear Richard Denniss, Executive Director of the Australia Institute, in conversation with Heidi Lee CEO of...
Feb 5, 2024 | Bushfire, Carbon, Forests, Lighter Footprints Working Groups
AUGUST UPDATE New Threat: Vic Forests reinvents itself as the “Healthy Forests Foundation” ABC journalist Michael Slezak writes that senior Vic Forests staff, have “teamed up with other powerful industry bosses to set up a new organisation”, to...
Sep 25, 2023 | Forests, Lighter Footprints Events, Lighter Footprints Working Groups
Family forest adventure and Greater Glider spotlighting On Saturday 16th September Lighter Footprints, Boroondara ACF and Kinglake Friends of the Forest hosted our first Family Forest event. It was a most wonderful event. We had over 60 participants ranging in age...
Sep 19, 2023 | Energy Efficiency, Lighter Footprints Events
Learn more about being cooler in summer and warmer in winter Lighter Footprints members were delighted to welcome two experienced industry speakers talking about increasing home comfort (and lowering energy bills) through draught proofing and insulation. A big thanks...
Jun 14, 2023 | Clean Energy, Electrification, Gas, Lighter Footprints Events
On May 24th Lighter Footprints was delighted to welcome home energy expert Tim Forcey and public health physician Dr Genevieve Cowie to our meeting on electrification. The summary below has blue links in bold to the full video presentation chapter points. You can...
Jun 11, 2023 | Clean Energy, Climate change, Climate Policy, Electrification, Sustainable Building
Sustainable Architecture: Passivhaus (Passive House) vs Passive Solar Buildings This article relates to alterations, renovations and new builds. It attempts to clarify the differences between the passive solar design and Passivhaus design approaches. Many people...
Mar 14, 2023 | Clean Energy, Electric vehicle, Gas, Lighter Footprints Events, Offshore wind
Annual Energy Update 2023 with Simon Holmes à Court It’s been a momentous year in 2022. In Australia, we are close to fossils/renewables crossover, Victoria’s electricity is now 40% clean, and in the US a Tesla Model 3 is now cheaper to drive away than the...
Aug 26, 2022 | Biodiversity, Boroondara Council, Climate Policy, Planning
Canopy tree and climate change in Boroondara. Why should we be concerned? Benefits of Canopy Trees Whether in public spaces or on private land, trees enhance our sense of well-being, help reduce the urban heat island effect and support biodiversity. Canopy trees cool...
Aug 9, 2022 | Carbon credits, Clean Energy, Climate Policy, Economics, Electric vehicle
Overview Labor’s climate bill passes the lower house Amended by Greens and independents to make 43% by 2030 a floor, not a ceiling, Labor’s climate bill passes the lower house, and heads to a Senate inquiry which is due to report by the end of August. The...
Jul 25, 2022 | Carbon credits, Carbon markets
The situation with carbon markets is becoming more fluid by the day! Welcome to this diary style blog, with updates and links to useful papers, public discussion and media responses to issues recently raised about the integrity of our carbon markets. Lighter Footpints...
Jul 6, 2022 | Gas, Methane, State climate policy
Summary Although the Victorian Gas Substitution Roadmap (VGSR) creates an expectation that Victoria will move away from fossil gas, the limited measures proposed fall short of what is needed to move Victoria, the heaviest gas-using state, away from gas at a speed that...
