SENG QLD December Newsletter - Emergency Climate Action

Welcome to Newsletter Number 63

Dear SENG Queensland members, contacts and friends,
We hope that you have had a great year!
What did the SENG Qld committee do this year? Our biggest initiative was the Climate Reality Series. While it was off to a slow start all those involved agreed that it was a successful series and we hope to bring you more next year.

We brought you the following CPD events:

The Climate Reality Series:

SENG QLD Events

Presentations from most of our events are available on our website. You can also see events held by other SENG branches.

We are also now starting to record all events held by SENG QLD, To access webcast events login to the Engineers Australia my-Portal and login using your member number or email and password and go to https://www.engineersaustralia.org.au/portal/webcasts.

While we don't have any events during December or January, your committee will be meeting to plan for next year. As always, the committee welcomes your input, ideas and suggestions for topics and speakers of interest.
We wish you all the best for a safe and joyful Season. See you next year.
Sustainable Engineering Society
Qld Branch
Engineers Australia

Steve Posselt is making the Climate Emergency Declaration and Mobilization petition (link is external)the focus of the final leg of his Connecting Climate Chaos kayak voyage from 1 January till 25 February 2017.

This is an emergency and we need the science to be taken seriously by all governments.

On News Years Day 2017, Steve will bring out Old Yella for one last time. He will paddle from his home in Ballina where he recuperated from the gruelling Paris journey, to Canberra. The trip will be down the coast to Moruya, and then turn right and drag the kayak up to Canberra.
See our website for more information.

Other Events

Tis the season for too much stuff

Sustainable Christmas Ideas

I'm Dreaming of a GREEN Christmas...

If you're a long term member of SENG, you probably remember these "Green" christmas hints from last year and the year before. We like them - so here they are for you again.

1. Buy practical gifts that will last or give an "activity" gift rather than a "thing"
Gifts that are useful, serve a purpose, and will last a long time are ideal. An activity based gift, like a day out at a theme park, or a night out at a concert, are also usually well received.

2. Save trees by viewing catalogues on-line instead
Put up a "no junk mail" sticker on your letter box and instead check the catalogues on-line. Most of the catalogues are available here: www.australiancatalogues.com

3. Recycle everything you can
Wrapping paper, Christmas cards, jars, plastic drink bottles, cans and glass bottles… remember to put everything that can be recycled into your recycling bin or in the 'Planet Ark' bins (for cards) at supermarkets. Put all your salad and veggie scraps into a compost bin or worm farm and get free fertilizer!

4. Crank the fan instead of the air conditioner
When it's hot use a fan instead of an air conditioner to save power and CO2 emissions. A pedestal or ceiling fan might use 90 watts on high, whereas a wall mounted reverse cycle air conditioner may use 2,000 watts and a big ducted system may use 5,000 watts!

5. Buy locally produced fresh food
Locally produced fresh food usually has lower carbon miles and is often better for you.

6. Eat fish, native meats, and veggies instead of beef and lamb
The production of beef and lamb results in large amounts of greenhouse gas. Choose veggies, native meats, chicken or seafood instead.

7. Choose sustainably caught or farmed fish
Ocean fish stocks of many species are under significant threat. Choose species such as:
• Whiting
• Australian Sardine
• Mussels
• Calamari, and
• Blue Swimmer Crab

Do not choose:
• Orange roughy (deep sea perch)
• Swordfish
• Gemfish/Hake
• Bigeye Tuna, or
• Shark/Flake

For a complete list of species have a look at the Australian Marine Conservation Society Australia’s Sustainable Seafood Guide

8. Now is the time to use the beer fridge
If needed, plug in the second fridge over the Christmas period, then once all the family have left, all the beer is gone, and you really don't need a second fridge, unplug it and save yourself $50 to $140 a year in electricity costs.

9. Drinking alcohol? Choose a Green Beer or Green Wine!
The two big brewers in Australia both produce a carbon neutral beer; Lion Nathan produce Bare Cove Radler (beer with a twist of lemon) while Fosters are responsible for Cascade Green (premium beer with low carbohydrates). For exampleTaylor's Eighty Acres wine is 100% carbon neutral.

10. Use the microwave or BBQ instead of the oven
Ovens use a large amount of electricity and they pump out waste heat (making your house even hotter and more difficult to keep cool). Cook using the microwave or barbie where possible.

11. Buy gifts on-line
The lack of a retail outlet means on-line shopping results in lower CO2 emissions. Legally downloaded music and film is even better as there is also no packaging.

12. Don't buy foil wrapping paper
It may look nice, but it isn't recyclable. Stick with the paper.

13. Plant a native or fruit tree
If you have room in your yard, why not plant another tree? A native tree will suck up CO2, provide habitat for native wildlife, and provide you with shade. Bigger trees like eucalypts are better but if you don't have the room go for a smaller native like a grevillea, wattle, bottlebrush or lily pilly. Or plant a fruit tree, that'll provide some of the same benefits but also give you free food.

14. Buy green energy to power the Christmas lights
If you have lots of Christmas lights, consider purchasing Green Power to power all the lights. Some energy retailers can supply a proportion of green power for no additional cost (it may even be cheaper than your current deal). Compare your current electricity retail deal with others here: www.switchwise.com.au or here: www.goswitch.com.au

15. Switch off the Christmas lights overnight
Save money on the power bill and minimise CO2 emissions by turning off the Christmas lights before you go to bed.

Going away for Christmas? Don't forget to ...
1. Kill the standby power
Remember to turn all non essential appliances off at the power point before you go. Things like computers, TV's, DVD players, microwaves, stereos, washing machines, and plug-in clocks.

2. Don't heat water while you're away
If going away for a fortnight or more, turn off your electric hot water system. For everyday its on yet no water is getting used it'll still use an extra 20 cents worth of electricity and 1.4 kg's of CO2. Flick the hot water switch in your power box to turn it off.

3. Offset your air travel
If you forgot to offset your air travel for these holidays it's probably too late to now, but for next time, remember to buy a carbon offset with your plane ticket. It'll render your flights carbon neutral and will probably only cost $5 extra.

4. Drive safely and efficiently
Drive to anticipate conditions. Brake and accelerate the least amount possible. An aggressive driver uses up to 30% more fuel than a moderate driver! Check that your tyres are inflated to the correct and equal pressure, and remove any needless items to reduce weight and drag. These will all save fuel.

5. Ask a neighbour to water your veggie patch
Don't have a veggie patch? Plant one! They're rewarding, get you out exercising in the back yard, the food produced is "low carbon", the food is very healthy, and if you get it working well the food is very cheap.

More christmas Ideas...

Watch the video here.

South Australian premier Jay Weatherill has announced a statewide referendum on the nuclear waste dump proposal, despite the fact that two thirds of the SA Citizens jury 'overwhelmingly' rejected the plans. Now there is more work to do to ensure the AI can continue to conduct and produce research and economic analysis as SA heads to the referendum. If you can spare a donation, chip in here!

Open Comment

David's Blog

Keep up to date by reading David's Blog on the SENG website. Log in using your to post comments or questions.

Join the conversation on our LinkedIn group page

If you have an idea to share, an issue you would like feedback on, or just want to follow the conversation, click here to join the group.