Let's talk climate and environment.
Our Shire is currently undertaking the groundwork to develop our community response to climate change. The majority of people now believe that climate change science is having an effect on our everyday lives and the effects will increase into the future. Our Council is also bound by the Local Government Act to consider the long-term effects of climate change in planning, decisions and actions. In developing our response to climate action, Council has a core team of Council staff, Councillors, Maryborough Climate Action Group, Maryborough Sustainability Group, Maryborough Education Centre and other key people from our community working on building a design team. This team will participate in workshops to help develop plans and ideas that move the Central Goldfields Shire in a positive way towards a better climate and environment.
Council will also be going through a transition to four streams of waste. Currently, broken glass is a real concern to the waste and recycling industry. Broken glass contaminates recycling waste and is also a hazard to those that have to handle and sort it. This has seen a bit of attention recently with many good and valid questions. Some of the answers to these questions still need more research to find the answers. The implementation of a container deposit scheme also throws another uncertainty into the mix.
I had the pleasure of visiting the Carisbrook Transfer Station recently to better understand our FOGO (food organics and garden organics) service. Our Council has been running an opt in green waste system offering a transition from organic waste to compost for those that use the service. Council had the forethought to invest in this project nearly 10 years ago. These ideas and plans make for a better environment, a more responsible Shire and offers potential growth and employment.
We live in a beautiful part of the world and our efforts now and into the future will help ensure it can stay as close to that as possible. Regardless of your stance on climate science and the impact caused by humans, we have an opportunity to be better and to do better. The more we act now and demand action from those in the positions of power to help make a transition to a more clean, sustainable future, the better off we all will be.
If you are interested in submitting an Expression of Interest for the Central Goldfields Climate Action Collaboration visit www.engage.cgoldshire.vic.gov.au/climateactioncollaboration or contact Council's Sustainability Officer Julia Walsh on 0428 895 491. EOI's close this Friday, 16 July.
