After Saturday's forum, May 16th, thirteen local folks came together to share a beautiful lunch made from fresh local ingredients.

We basked in the warm Witta sun and gobbled up our treats that included sweet potato from Sandy Creek Organic Farm roasted in macadamia oil from Yandina with homegrown rosemary; local and homegrown vegetable frittata made from local eggs; gorgeous green salads that up until that morning were growing in Maleny gardens...just to name a few. Then, there was the fruit! Pineapples, mandarins, bananas. Your mouth watering yet??

What any local food picnic aims to highlight is the variety of food available within a short distance from where you live...it's local. Next time you're shopping, consider where the foods you buy are grown and/or made. Choose a local option, if possible.

So, organise your own local food picnic with your friends and family...it's easy, it's fun, it supports your local growers and producers and it's YUM!

This Saturday, March 28th from 8.30pm to 9.30pm is Earth Hour. It is a global event with more than 1 billion people switching off their lights to express unified concern about climate change and to demonstrate commitment to finding solutions to this crisis. Famous international landmarks such as the Sydney Opera House, the Eiffel Tower and the Acropolis, to name a few, have committed to switching off their lights for Earth Hour.

To take part, simply switch off all your lights for this one hour. "No need to sit in the dark on your own - Earth Hour candlelit dinners are gaining popularity in homes and restaurants around the world and are a really fun way to get family and friends involved too" says Elizabeth Campbell from Sustainable Maleny.

Active Project Groups

Last updated 6 September 09

The Queensland Government recently launched its Climate Smart home service. You may have seen the advertisements in the media. The service includes an energy audit, installation of 'green' light bulbs, installation of a wireless energy monitor (worth $240 - which you keep), installation of a water-efficient shower head (if needed) and tips on how to reduce your household energy consumption. All this is done by a qualified electrician. The service costs you $50.

For more information visit http://www.climatesmarthome.com/

On February 3rd 2009, the Australian Government announced its "Energy Efficient Homes Package" which includes rebates for installation of ceiling insulation OR a solar hot water system. The rebate for insulation or solar hot water system is $1600. Previously, the rebate for a solar hot water system was $1000. The rebates are not means-tested. Also, there is a $1000 rebate available to landlords that install ceiling insulation in their rental property.

Installing insulation and a solar hot water system is a very effective way to reduce your household energy costs. Insulation keeps your house cooler in summer and warmer in winter. A solar hot water system can save around 30% on your water-heating energy costs.

For more information about the Australian Government package go to: http://www.environment.gov.au/energyefficiency/index.html

Sustainable Maleny is excited to announce that with the generous support of the Maleny Neighbourhood Centre, we have an office operating on Mondays at the Maleny Neighbourhood Centre, Bunya Street, Maleny.

The office is currently the main hub for Sustainable Maleny administration, however the future vision for the room is for it to be a 'sustainability resource centre'. We envisage this facility to be a place where members and visitors can access information (through multimedia forms) about various aspects of sustainability, transition initiatives as well as information about Sustainable Maleny (how to get involved - membership, projects).

Many thanks to Maleny Neighbourhood Centre for helping to make the Sustainable Maleny office a reality.

The Transition Town workshop was a wonderfully inspiring afternoon. Thanks to the 40 or so participants who came and joined in on the somewhat chaotic, yet strangely exhilarating meeting of minds. With Morag and Evan's guidance, we have begun to sketch out the path ahead of us, from here to sustainability.

We started with introductions around the circle. Many of us have been moved by the opportunity presented by the crises unfolding on the world stage: climate change, peak oil, and financial breakdown.

Click "read more" to see the rest of this report, including links to pics and a video...

transition town maleny
building community resilience and reducing our carbon footprint

2-5pm Sat 25th Oct
2-5pm Sat 8th Nov
Hinterland Business Centre (downstairs)
Cost: $10

Come to one or both days of this exciting workshop and be part of a movement which is sweeping the world.

Transition Town is a positive global movement bringing communities together to respond to the twin challenges of climate change and the end of cheap oil. Around the world, there are hundreds of communities involved. The Transition Town initiative in Maleny will join with this international network (www.transitiontowns.org) and act as a node of the Sunshine Coast Transition Region (www.seac.net.au).

Maleny already has an amazing community, an abundance of positive action and a wealth of experience around environmental, economic and social issues. The Transition Town process presents us with an opportunity to recognise and map what we have, to vision where we want to go, and to think strategically about how we plan to get there. Transition Town provides the opportunity to rethink the way we live, to carefully consider what kind of community and world we would like to live in, and to engage in action to bring positive change.

By involving as many people and organisations as possible we can create the most innovative, effective and practical ideas for addressing peak oil and climate change in our local community, and have the energy and skills to carry them out. Also, by working together we can unleash the collective enthusiasm and genius of our community to make this transition.

The initial Transition Town Maleny workshops (25 Oct & 8 Nov) are being led by Morag Gamble and Evan Raymond (http://www.localfood.net.au) and coordinated through Sustainable Maleny (http://www.sustainablemaleny.org)

Sustainable Maleny public meeting
Saturday 18 October - 9.30am
Old Witta School, Witta
(Blackall Range Growers' Market)

The next Sustainable Maleny meeting is on this Saturday October 18 from 9.30am in the Old Witta School, coinciding with the monthly Blackall Range Growers' Market.

We're fortunate to have two special guests attend this month's meeting - Stuart McCarthy and Lionel Orford, both of whom featured in the film "Australia Pumping Empty - the Looming Peak Oil Crisis". Stuart McCarthy from ASPO Australia (Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas) will discuss current world oil production and how it relates to the present global financial crisis. Energy Technologist, Lionel Orford will discuss aspects of his soon-to-be-released book "Peak Capitalism".

Also, there will be updates on Sustainable Maleny's current and future projects. As usual, there will be time for attendees to make brief announcements about relevant issues and events.

See you there and don't forget your shopping bag!

Sustainable Maleny is very proud to announce a special film night and discussion panel which we hope will entertain, educate and inspire. The film is a brilliant one, but we're especially looking forward to the discussion panel afterwards, which will feature some local luminaries with inspiring visions for our future.

Australia Pumping Empty - Film night & discussion panel
Friday 17th October 7pm - 10pm
Maleny Community Centre
Maple Street
Maleny

Entry $8 ($6 SM members)
Supper available

Australia Pumping Empty

This recently released documentary explores the issue of Peak Oil from an Australian perspective, and clearly explains the real reasons behind rising energy, food and fuel costs. Featuring interviews with experts in a range of diverse fields from geology to oil production, this landmark film is an fascinating guide to the implications of Peak Oil for Australia.

Followed by

Discussion Panel

A facilitated discussion focussing on local solutions to this global issue. Featuring five inspiring guests:

• Bob Abbot - Mayor of the Sunshine Coast Regional Council
• Morag Gamble - Permaculture educator and local food advocate
• Sonya Wallace - Co-founder of the Sunshine Coast Energy Action Centre
• Stuart McCarthy - of the Association for the Study of Peak Oil (ASPO)