Feb 5, 2024 | Bushfire, Carbon, Forests, Lighter Footprints Working Groups
FEBRUARY UPDATE Wombat Forests Victory! Community logging to cease Congratulations to the tireless Wombat Forest campaigners as VicForests, citing the threat of litigation, brings forward the end of community logging in Victoria’s west by February 5th. The state...
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...
Jul 3, 2022 | Clean Energy, Climate Policy, Lighter Footprints Events, Offshore wind
Lighter Footprints: June 29th on Offshore Wind We were fortunate to have Naomi Campbell, the Development Director of Star of the South and Pat Simons, Yes2Renewables Coordinator speaking at our June 29th event on offshore wind. You can listen to our speakers again on...
Jun 28, 2022 | Clean Energy, Offshore wind
Offshore Wind in Australia Australian Potential The potential for offshore wind is huge. University of Technology, Sydney experts writing in the Conversation state that “Offshore wind projects can provide a win-win-win for Australia: creating jobs for displaced fossil...
Jun 22, 2022 | Biodiversity, Climate change, Forests
The Bill has passed the Upper House. It was proposed by Mary-Anne Thomas, Minister for Health, (03) 8392 2261 on reception.thomas@minstaff.vic.gov.au or mary-anne.thomas@parliament.vic.gov.au, Electorate Office (03) 5428 2138. With proposed legislation that includes...
May 23, 2022 | Taking Action, Thank Yous & Celebrations, Volunteering, Vote Climate
Finally a climate election! No-one will forget watching the results on Saturday 21st, glued to the screen, excitement mounting as results trickled, then flooded across the country. As Vote Compass reminds us, the top voting issue in all of our electorate is climate,...
Mar 2, 2022 | Clean Energy, Climate change, Climate Policy, EV, Lighter Footprints Events
Australia is so well positioned to transition rapidly to clean energy, with vast potential to rapidly clean up our manufacturing and value add clean energy in decarbonised exports. Our energy system is becoming more resilient and distributed, and households are likely...
Feb 24, 2022 | Chisholm, Clean Energy, Economics, Vote Climate
Chisholm Federal seat is so quiet on climate and creating clean jobs With a razor thin margin of 0.57%, the Chisholm Federal Seat is poised on a knife edge. Chisholm is probably one of a the critical seats where a win for a climate candidate could have a very...
Nov 16, 2021 | Clean Energy, Climate Policy, National campaigns, Vote Climate
Australia has been awarded yet another Colossal Fossil, this time at Glasgow, for “appalling performance” on climate. Although moving away from fossil fuels was mentioned in a COP statement for the first time, Australia has helped to water down the text,...
Oct 28, 2021 | Clean Energy, Solar, Taking Action
So what are the benefits of using solar power and just how can you get started? This short article will help you with these questions. You can also check out Yarra Energy Foundation’s great summary page on solar here, Interested in a clear summary? Watch Peter...
Oct 18, 2021 | Clean Energy, Climate Policy, State climate policy
Going it Alone! What States can do for Climate Action The Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio, Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change gave a presentation on State climate action, opportunities and challenges. This was followed by a panel discussion with Simon...
Oct 14, 2021 | Boroondara Council, Letters, Local government
This is our chance to support increased funds for Boroondara’s Climate Action Plan This guide offers you some quick talking points and sample letters to help with calling and emailing Councillors and staff before October 25 meeting. For more ideas and background...
Sep 29, 2021 | Boroondara Council, Climate Emergency, Local government
On the 27th of September 2021, at 10.38pm, after substantial debate, Boroondara Councillors passed a Climate Emergency Declaration motion 7 to 4. Councillors who voted in favour: Mayor Thompson, Cr Gault, Cr Addis, Cr Hollingsworth, Cr Biggar, Cr Franco, Cr Gilles...
Sep 27, 2021 | Clean Energy, Local government, Solar
Rooftop Solar PV is now very affordable, reducing your energy bills and lowering your carbon emissions However, for many people wanting to install solar, they often face difficulty in deciding the type and size of solar rooftop installation or finding a reputable...
Sep 7, 2021 | Lighter Footprints Events, Local government, Meeting with MPs, Taking Action
Boroondara passes the Climate Action Plan and a Climate Emergency Declaration Boroondara’s new Climate Action Plan was unanimously passed by Boroondara Councillors on 27th September. The briefing notes note community-wide emissions reduction targets of 60% by 2030,...
Aug 1, 2021 | Climate change and health, Gas, Lighter Footprints Events, Taking Action
July’s meeting looked at Australia’s relationship with fossil gas at two scales, firstly, at a mega scale, looking at national and Victorian gas expansion plans with Friends of the Earth legendary campaigner Cam Walker, and secondly in our own backyard...
Jul 12, 2021 | Climate change and health, Climate Damage, Climate Policy, Communicating climate change, Lighter Footprints Working Groups, No category, Taking Action
Lighter Footprints is getting out on the streets! Together with our friends at the Kooyong Climate Change Alliance we will be holding street stalls on Saturday mornings, in shopping centres around Boroondara. We will be providing high quality information about making...
