Blog
IEA’s massive about-face, Big Oil’s bad week, and a landmark win for our kids on climate
The world’s premier energy agency, the notoriously conservative International Energy Agency (IEA), has just released a landmark report that marks a huge shift in approach, setting out “an ambitious global energy roadmap” to reach net-zero by 2050. Of great...
Pizza, conversations and climate – May meeting wrap
Lighter Footprints Co-Convenor Mick Nolan was very pleased that we were all finally able to meet together in person. "It was so good to get out to the Guide Hall and speak to people face to face." "The C4C event was a buzz!" said Alison Wright, enjoying meeting...
Methane: Many times worse than carbon dioxide
Natural gas is not a clean option The 29 May episode of the Science Show on Radio National features Peter Newman, Professor of Sustainability at Curtin University. "Natural gas has been touted as a clean transition fuel as we move away from coal towards renewables to...
School Strike for Climate – Fund Our Future Not Gas.
Tens of thousands of school kids and their supporters gathered at Treasury Gardens yesterday, Friday 21st and in 47 other places around the country, demanding a future that is liveable, not one ruined by climate damage. This was the first strike after the pandemic...
Build your confidence. Climate Conversations with Climate for Change.
Are you a bit nervous about talking about climate to friends and workmates, especially to those who seem to be doubtful, worried or disengaged? Climate for Change (C4C) have been pioneering an award winning conversation format that really works. We met at The Marwal...
Community batteries are coming. Are you ready?
COMBAT ready? Community batteries will soon be appearing in our suburbs. In this blog we provide information about the role of community batteries.
Stunning lineup at Lighter Footprints Music Benefit at the Gaso
Music for climate at the Gasometer Hotel A packed Gaso Hotel was treated to 5 very impressive performers last Thursday night. The night was billed as an Earth Fest benefit with proceeds going to climate action group, Lighter Footprints. What a night! We review the 5...
Climate Targets & Tariffs: Australia on the World Stage
At our April 28 meeting, we were pleased and privileged to have Glen Klatovsky from Climate Action Network Australia (CANA) and Richie Merzian from The Australia Institute (TAI) addressing climate targets and tariffs shortly after the Biden Climate summit. Check out...
Earth Fest this Thurs 6: Lighter Footprints benefit at the Gaso!
It's on this Thursday 6th May - doors open at the iconic Gasometer Hotel, Collingwood at 7pm, with a stunning lineup of some of Melbourne's best young talent, in a benefit concert to support local climate action. We are delighted to invite you to 'Earth Fest’, a music...
Earth Day – then and now
Did you know the first #EarthDay was held in 1970? Sustainability expert and John Curtin Distinguished Professor Peter Newman reflects on what’s changed and what still needs to be done to address climate change by 2050. Peter Newman is the Professor of Sustainability...
The Biden Effect
Can Biden shift Australia’s climate approach? By Carolyn Ingvarson - Founder of Lighter Footprints It goes without saying that the US is a very powerful influence on Australia. Formal relations are strong, like the ANZUS Treaty, the Free Trade Agreement, and NATO. As...
Gas led recovery event blog
An event wrap-up:- for further info, please contact Mick Nolan or David Strang ('Energy Transition Group') At our March 25 meeting, we were pleased and privileged to have Tony Wood from the Grattan Institute and Bruce Mountain from the Victorian Energy Policy...
Lighter Footprints Planning Day 2021
A report from Myf Parker On Sunday 28th February 2021, 17 of our committed Lighter Footprints members met together at the Canterbury Guide Hall to plan for the upcoming year. Our meeting was wonderfully facilitated by Joan Staples, who is the current chair of Market...
A night with our current State MPs (Nov 2020 belated blog)
“Reflections and Hopes: Getting to know our local State MPs” Thank you to everyone who came along to our State MP forum event last November. And special thanks to John Kennedy MP (Hawthorn), Paul Hamer MP (Box Hill), and Will Fowles MP (Burwood) for making themselves...
No AGL for Westernport: an open letter to Richard Wynne
Open Letter to The Hon Richard Wynne, MLA for Richmond, Victoria. Minister for Planning. AGL’s proposed gas import terminal is completely at odds with jobs, the Victorian Government’s emissions reduction targets, and a clean energy future. Dear Mr Wynne, There has...
Simon Holmes à Court: Riding the Clean Energy Wave
2021: Riding the Clean Energy Wave An insider’s view with Simon Holmes à Court Wed, 24th February 2021 We were privileged to get a general update and some special insights into the Energy and Climate sector in Australia on 24th February from long-time friend of...
Bushfires in Australia – the story of fire in the Australian landscape
This blog relates the story of bushfires in Australia, revisits Australia's disastrous 2019-2020 bushfires, and makes connections with the numerous reports and resources that have followed. The Royal Commissions Federal and NSW) The report of the Royal Commission into...
Carolyn Ingvarson Honoured
Carolyn Ingvarson - winner of the ACF Peter Rawlinson Conservation Award 2020 We are delighted that our founder and Convenor of over 14 years has been awarded the ACF (Australian Conservation Foundation) 'Peter Rawlinson Award' 2020. Carolyn was awarded for her...
Gas Speedo
Gas Speedo: What the Gas Industry claims vs the whole gas picture Gas, Firming, Heating and Manufacturing Gas, Tax Royalties and Employment . Gas, Emissions and Transition
Gas-fired recovery facts
Gas is a dirty fuel, and a gas-fired recovery won’t lower prices or bring new jobs. Instead of throwing potentially “billions” of public funds at an industry in deep distress we could transition straight through to large scale renewables, and free up gas for industry by saving money with electric heating and cooling.
New Councils in Boroondara and Whitehorse
A challenging time to hold elections Now that we know what our local councils are going to look like after the recent local government elections, it is time to start considering how we work with them on the matters that are important to us. But first, let’s...
Want to write a letter to the editor? Here’s how!
Why write letters to newspapers? Letters to the editor are very popular with readers. A well written letter has the potential to change the view of thousands. Politicians take notice of letters and assign daily reading as a task to staff. Some letters like this one...
The Feds are cooking the books on Paris
Not on track. Not "in a canter". In November 2016, the Australian Government officially ratified the Paris Climate Agreement. But in the lead-up to the last Federal election in 2019, the Morrison Government began a misleading campaign that Australia is 'on track' to...
Hot Mess – a Radio National series on climate change
This is an excellent four-part series presented by Radio National's Richard Aedy on Climate Change Each heading below is a link to the RN episode page. Highly recommended. Another excellent RN climate change series is the talk by Swedish climate scientist Johan...
The Fight for our Forests continues
Forests store amazing amounts of carbon The amount of carbon stored in the world's forests is more than the carbon stored in fossil fuel reserves and more than the total carbon added to the atmosphere as a consequence of human activities in the last 150 years. In the...