ZWA full text

Press Release - Now is the time to act on Zero Waste

Kim — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 01:00:00 -0400

MEDIA RELEASE MEDIA RELEASE MEDIA RELEASE

Now is the time to act on
Zero Waste.

(Regional, environmental and
business benefits.)

Zero Waste Australia will be highlighting
new processes for waste management in Australia at its international conference to be held at Luna Park in Sydney from the 13^th to 15 September this year. “With the still uncertain outcome of the
election, a new government will have to pick up the pieces of the National
Waste Policy and take management of it into a new era.” said Mr Kim Russell, Executive Director of
Zero Waste Australia (ZWA).

“One important benefit of the
election outcome is that it has provoked discussion about the linkages between
the city and our soil, the environment and our productive lands and waters.”
said Mr Russell.

According to Mr Russell, a new way
forward should see a total ban on organic waste to landfill and the return of
all organic waste safely back into our struggling agricultural soils. “Our
farmers battle every day with climate change, increasing fertiliser costs,
transport fees and degrading soil structures.”

“Landfills pump out methane from rotting
organic waste, while our soils die from a lack of good quality biological
compost products to sustain them. There is a link between organic waste and
agriculture. Asian communities maintained these links for thousands of years
and sustained their food supply and their communities. We ignore this link at our
peril.” he added.

“Much is made of the fact that
methane is 23 times worse than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas in the
atmosphere however this measure is the average impact over 100 years.” Mr
Russell emphasised “In the first twenty years that methane exists in the
atmosphere it is over sixty times worse! There is no more compelling case than
that to do something now.”

“Many people claim that zero waste
is unattainable”, said Mr Russell. However, he continued: “If the waste stream
is considered as part of a bigger system, then changes can be made which lead
to no waste. Recycling our organic waste is a very good place to start. It is
not only an aspiration but a reality!”

“Environment Minister Garrett
stated at the recent Enviro 10 Waste Conference in Melbourne that 9 jobs were created for every 10,000 tonnes of waste
recycled while the same amount of landfilled waste created only 3 jobs. You
would think that the necessary change should be obvious”

Mr Russell said that the proper
use of our waste outputs is important in our wider community. He said: “You
will hear claims from some that all activity produces waste. This is simply not
true. In any natural system all things produce outputs and in every other
natural system, except human society, those outputs become inputs for other
processes.”

“Living as humans in a natural
system we need to be doing exactly the same as the rest of nature” he added.

Research suggests that Australians
throw away around $8 billion worth of food per year. This is not consistent
with sustainable development and Australians must find another way.

“These first steps of engagement
in this area is a no-brainer, its about regions, its about Green House Gasses
both the avoidance in landfill and the sequestering of it in our farming soils,
its about jobs, its about the environment and we have an unprecedented
opportunity for the Green movement and agriculture to work together with our
cities to bring about significant change.”, said Mr Russell. “We shall all be
focussing on outcomes at this conference to give our new Federal Government
leadership in this important area.”

Further information can be
obtained from

Kim Russell

Executive Director

Zero Waste Australia

Mobile 0428 696 350

02 62900 874

Interactive workshop - National Waste Issues – Regional community solutions

Kim — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 02:58:59 -0400

Interactive workshop
National Waste Issues – Regional community solutions

Join us in an interactive workshop with international experts to discuss specific rural/regional solutions for nation-wide waste sector challenges.

When: Friday September 17th from 10.30 am - 3.30 pm
Where: ‘The Q’ Performing Arts centre - 253 Crawford St Queanbeyan

International waste sector experts

Iain Gulland
Director, Zero Waste Scotland (Scotland)
Mal Williams
CEO, Cylch - Wales Community Recycling Network (Wales)

Program
11.00 Opening
11.15 Rural waste sector challenges
11.35 Expert panel response
11.50 Workshops
The local challenges to making sustainability work
Innovation and local waste stream planning
Local business as a catalyst
1.15 Lunch
Plenary discussion
Small groups: Implementation actions – taking home the ideas
Summation
3.30 Finish
RSVP by September 10th – limited tickets only. SERRROC members $50 – max 2 per Council.
Others $100.
Bookings: The ‘Q’ Office 6298 0290 or online www.theq.net.au

Further information:
Geoff Pryor SERRROC Coordinator
geoffrey.pryor@qcc.nsw.gov.au
Tel 0447 443 382

Zero Waste Summit - 13th, 14th and 15th September 2010

Kim — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 02:51:15 -0400

Member delegates are
eligible for a 20% discount if you register for the Zero Waste Summit 2010
Which is being held at Luna Park in Sydney,
Australia on 13-15 September
2010. Please contact Kim Russell on 0428 696350 or the event organizer, Fiona Allen
ph: +61 2 8908 8538  |
fx:
+61 2 8908 8556  |   www.acevents.com.

COOL - Co-operating on Organics Out of Landfill

Kim — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 02:32:16 -0400

This is an exciting project to be anounced at the Zero Waste Summit.

Interaction and participation will be a key element to the Zero Waste Summit 2010

Kim — Wed, 05 May 2010 01:17:35 -0400

Interaction and participation will be a key element to the Zero Waste Summit 2010

We have had a great response to our call for papers and we will have an excellent line up of keynote speakers as well. We are also aiming to have a number of round tables to ensure that we have significant opportunities for delegates to participate and get issues raised. To that end we will ask delegates to submit questions to the round table moderators who will use the opportunity to put the issues to panel members.

The Zero Waste Summit 2010 will have plenary sessions as well as streams on Organics, Water, Technology and Energy. Stream Chairs will help identify and colate issues raised and then these will be discussed in the roundtables.

Closer to the day we will announce the stream chairs and the moderators for the round tables. In this way we hope to give our members and delegates a unique opportunity to engage in discussion of the issues facing anybody bold enough to aspire to Zero Waste Outcomes.

Comprehensive notes from Zero Waste Australia Conference 2009 available.

Kim — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 21:06:41 -0400

When you join Zero Waste Australia you will receive an excellent summary of the speakers and discussions at our conference last year which ran on the 30th November through to the 1st of December in Sydney

to view the contents and summary of Minister Peter Garret's Presentation Click > Here

This comprehensive summary was compiled by Gus Sharpe of Carbon Innovation Pty Limited.

Regards

Gerry Gillespie

President

Zero Waste Australia

Contacts for Zero Waste Australia

Become a member of ZWA and you will be eligible to receive up to 20% discount on the Summit registration..

Kim — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

If you join as an Individual member of Zero Waste Australia which costs $55.00 including GSTyou will receive up to 20% discount on the registration fees for the Zero Waste Summit.

All other memberships must be applied for in writing. Our
constitution states that all organisational members must be approved by
the board of Zero Waste Australia. Simply download
the application form, fill it in and send it to us. By Fax on 02
61039023 or please email them as attachments to enquiries@zerowasteaustralia.org
. Then once your membership application has been approved we will send
you back an invoice for payment.

Interactive workshop National Waste Issues – Regional community solutions

Kim — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 04:09:37 -0400

gward
10.6858

Normal
0

MicrosoftInternetExplorer4

st1\:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) }

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
table.MsoTableGrid
{mso-style-name:"Table Grid";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;
mso-border-alt:solid windowtext .5pt;
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-border-insideh:.5pt solid windowtext;
mso-border-insidev:.5pt solid windowtext;
mso-para-margin:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}

Interactive workshop

National Waste Issues – Regional community solutions

Join us in an interactive workshop with international
experts to discuss specific rural/regional solutions for nation-wide waste
sector challenges.

When: Friday September 17th from 10.30 am - 3.30 pm

Where: ‘The Q’ Performing Arts centre - 253
Crawford St Queanbeyan

International waste sector experts

Iain Gulland

Director, Zero Waste Scotland
(Scotland)

Mal Williams

CEO, Cylch - Wales
Community Recycling Network (Wales)

Program

11.00 Opening

11.15 Rural waste
sector challenges

11.35 Expert panel
response

11.50 Workshops

The local challenges to making sustainability work

Innovation and local waste stream planning

Local business as a catalyst

1.15 Lunch

Plenary discussion

Small groups: Implementation actions – taking home the ideas

Summation

3.30 Finish

RSVP by September 10th – limited tickets only. SERRROC
members $50 – max 2 per Council.

Others $100.

Bookings: The ‘Q’ Office 6298 0290 or online www.theq.net.au

Further information:

Geoff Pryor SERRROC Coordinator

geoffrey.pryor@qcc.nsw.gov.au

Tel 0447 443 382

Groundswell

Kim — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 03:23:01 -0500

The wider economic viability of collecting and composting urban organic waste for use as a cost effective, high quality agricultural input is about to be put to the test as part of a new partnership project between farmers and the Goulburn Mulwaree, Palerang, Queanbeyan City and Lachlan Councils.

The Groundswell project will get underway in Condobolin, in the Lachlan Shire, where collections are scheduled to start in May 2008, with collections to follow in Goulburn (August 2008), Queanbeyan and Palerang Shires (November 2008).

Developed in partnership with the Wiradjuri Condobolin Aboriginal Corporation, the Palerang Agricultural Society, Bettergrow, Zero Waste Australia and the South East office of the DECC Sustainability Programs Division, Groundswell builds on the successful City to Soil project run by DECC and Queanbeyan City Council in 2004.

City to Soil demonstrated that high quality, organic wastes from urban communities can be collected, composted and used in agriculture with positive economic and environmental results for farmers.

Going a step further, Groundswell will quantify the economic benefits to agriculture of returning quality organic product to soil and will identify models for the development of a permanent ‘pull’ market for recycled urban organics into agriculture.

For more information contact Gerry Gillespie on (02) 6229 7135

Zimbabwe bike project to help workers.

Kim — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 01:19:44 -0400

Donating your old bike to Revolve could mean a life-changing experience for a family in Zimbabwe, according to Zero Waste Australia Executive Officer, Kim Russell.

"We are partnering with Revolve to transport bikes donated by the Canberra regional community to families in Zimbabwe: said Mr Russell. "Many people in Zimbabwe who still have work, have a hard time paying to get to work with the rising costs of transport. Some of them are walking up to 20 miles a day to get to their job because they can no longer afford the inflationary cost of bus fare".

"A bike can change all that." said Mr Russell. "We are also looking to groups such as Service Clubs and Men's sheds to help us build small trailers and cages so that people can carry goods on their donated bikes as well" he added.

The Zimbabwe connection came about through Zero Wastes international connections and the family relationship between Kim Russell and cousin, Jim Holland who is the husband of Special Minister of State for Zimbabwe, Sekai Hove who is supporting the project.

"We really do appreciate the project and feel that the provision of bicycles will make a gret difference to people who cannot afford the expensive trips to and from their workplace" said Mr Holland.

"Our organisation, the Zimbabwe 3rd Millennium Foundation Trust, is registered as a trust. We will get the bikes into Zimbabwe with the help of the Association of Women's Clubs (AWC). They will get the bikes through customs and have plenty of storage space." he added.

Mr Holland is working on a program of distribution and accountability. He will be prioritising the people most in need and making arrangements for a maintenance program for the bicycles.

It is hoped to develop a "Register of Need". Once this is established, specific bikes and materials could be targeted to a given region or a particular family.

New Story

Kim — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:34:48 -0400

ABC Australian Story "Back to Earth"

Kim — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 02:54:29 -0400

Finally after 18 months, here is my story! Please let people in your network know. If you miss Monday's edition you can watch a repeat on ABC or watch the full program on the ABC Australian Story page. On that internet page there will also be a gallery of interviews & photo's after the show I'm told. After the show you can enter comments in the Guestbook and react to statements by others. What is the future of Biological Farming? How do we get healthy food production systems? How do we get carbon in the soil? Do we need GM?

ABC Australian Story "Back to Earth" on Monday 1 June 2009 at 8.00 pm (EST) and repeated on Saturday 6 June at 12.30 pm; also on ABC2: Tuesday 2 June at 8.00pm.

Watch a preview: http://www.abc.net.au/austory/default.htm

Dr Maarten Stapper is a man with some fascinating ideas on how to manage our land better.

He is unconventional, stubborn and difficult. Not even a near-fatal car accident could slow him down in his mission to feed the world using less chemicals.

As an advocate for biological farming, Dr Stapper has paid a high price for promoting a greener, cleaner way to grow food. Originally a CSIRO scientist, he left when it became clear his views on biological farming were incompatible with his employer.

Today, he travels the country to educate farmers on how to use less chemicals in their soil and on their crops.

Saudi prince develops ‘date detox’ in Belfast

Kim — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 00:08:54 -0500

Deserts could soon be irrigated with date stones under a process developed by
a Saudi royal studying at Queen’s University Belfast.

Prince Abdulrahman Bandar Al-Saud has found a novel use for the millions of
date stones that are thrown away in his country each year, devising a method
of using the carbon-rich seeds to purify waste water and industrial effluent.

The nephew of King Abdullah worked on the system as part of his PhD study at
Queen’s school of chemistry and chemical engineering.

For more click here.

Low carbon target still a threat to agriculture: NFF

Kim — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:12:33 -0500

Despite agriculture not being included in the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme and the low targets that have been set, the Federal Government must still take steps to ensure our food production is not compromised, according to the National Farmers' Federation.

The Federal Government today set a target of a 5-15pc cut in emissions by 2020, with the levels to depend on global agreements.

But NFF president David Crombie says the CPRS will still cause significant pain to businesses.

"It could potentially cripple Australia's food production, hinder our self-sufficient food supply and drastically slash our global competitiveness, adding excess baggage to our $30 billion a year export sector," Mr Crombie said.

For more click here.

##

Kim — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 20:08:32 -0500