by GreenSkills | Jun 9, 2017 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
Green Skills Inc has been engaged by the Torbay Catchment Group to undertake the community engagement plan for the review of the 2008 Torbay Watershed Plan. Green Skills Inc will work with the Torbay Catchment Group and the community of the Torbay catchment to:
- Involve the community through a range of mechanisms to ensure maximum efficiency in community engagement and opportunity for informing/feedback for issues and concerns (workshops & surveys).
- Inform the community of progress on the Torbay Restoration Plan, current context, new information and seek input into revision of catchment restoration plan.
- Consult the community to build community awareness and understanding, to identify/engage with new community and strengthen Torbay Catchment Group’s connection to community
- Identify gaps or emerging issues for inclusion in restoration plan review.
- Collaborate with the community by developing partnerships to formulate options and provide recommendations.
- Empower the community to implement and be a part of managing behaviour change.
The outcomes of the community engagement process will inform the content of the revised Torbay Restoration Plan. The Torbay Restoration Plan 2017 – 2027 will be released to the community in December 2017.
by GreenSkills | Jun 9, 2017 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
Green Skills was contracted by the City of Albany in January 2016 to coordinate and collate stakeholder and community input to the development of the City of Albany Natural Reserves Strategy and Action Plan 2016 – 2020. Engagement activities included:
- Meetings with individual staff members and councillors
- Facilitation of staff workshops
- Meetings with project team and key organizational stakeholders
- Collation of a 105 member stakeholder list and communications inviting submissions and involvement with workshops and on line or paper based surveys
- Wide ranging call for input through websites, Facebook pages, local media and static displays
- Facilitation of five stakeholder and community presentations and workshops attended by approximately 90 people
- Running of onsite surveys at Cosy Corner and Cape Riche with 69 respondents
- Running a general survey with 39 online responses through Survey Monkey and an additional 6 paper based response
- Call for detailed submissions.
All input was summarized in the Draft Report on Community Engagement, prepared by Green Skills.
Overall the community input from workshops reflected the love and appreciation that locals and visitors have for the region and for some specific natural reserves that are visited regularly often up to several times a week.
All contract conditions and timelines were met on schedule, numerous successful community engagement workshops run, and draft engagement plan document successfully completed and submitted to City of Albany for council adoption.
by GreenSkills | Jun 9, 2017 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
The Denmark Tip Shop and Recycling Centre was established by Green Skills in 2001, at the Denmark Waste Transfer Station with the approval of the Shire of Denmark.
The Tip Shop diverts materials from landfill to reduce resource consumption. It is based on the understanding a large percentage of that material can be reused without any processing.
In its first year of operation, the Tip Shop diverted 100 cubic meters from landfill. Since that time, the Tip Shop has become a major feature of the Denmark town and community. The Tip Shop has diverted more than 3,000 cubic metres of materials from landfill to date.
Toxic substances, such as car batteries are collected and recycled for their lead content. Aluminium and copper are also recycled. Materials collected and sold at the Tip Shop include household and garden furniture, books, clothes, toys, tools, crockery, and building materials.
The Tip Shop provides a social as well as environmental service to the local community through supporting lower income families and individuals. Finances generated through sales at the Tip Shop have enabled the Recycling Centre to become self sustaining and able to employ five people on a part time basis, and run a volunteering and disability employment program.
Improvements are happening all the time at the Tip Shop. In 2016 and 2017 new sheds have been built, the car park bitumised and a new tractor and truck acquired.
by GreenSkills | Jun 9, 2017 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
The 2017 Festival of Birds in March was another wonderful and entertaining celebration of the unique and beautiful bird fauna of the south coast of Western Australia.
The main event was the Festival of Birds Symposium at the WA Museum – Albany, featuring very well regarded speakers including Professor Steve Hopper, Nic Dunlop, Sarah Comer, Boyd Wykes, Keith Lightbody, Amellia Formby and others.
Other events in Albany and other South Coast locations in 2017 include:
- School based Education activities
- Bird outings and walks
- Talks at the Albany Library
- Spectacular bird photography
- Field trip
- Workshops
- Bird Identification
- Film Night
- Albany Kite Fiesta
by GreenSkills | Jun 9, 2017 | Green Skills Inc. - Sustainability Non-Profit
This innovative demand management program all began in 2007 with a major disruption to the electricity supply to Denmark and neighbouring Walpole, with a severe impact on the tourism industry.
The wider community called for Western Power, the state network utility, to substantially upgrade transmission lines. Local environmental groups initiated a different response aimed at reducing energy demand and increasing local renewable energy generation. The Green Town Denmark Walpole project arose from a partnership led by Western Power and the local community and including the relevant Local Governments, Chambers of Commerce, the Denmark Community Windfarm group, environment groups, Great Southern and South West Development Commissions, a local solar business and interested community members.
Over a six year period, this partnership developed a range of initiatives aimed at reducing the peak load and deferring the major line upgrade, reducing overall energy consumption, developing local jobs in the renewable energy production and reducing carbon emissions. The initiatives included:
- Research and Demonstration: Energy appliance inventory, an efficiency program aimed at the largest consumers, research and development on battery storage options and a trial of Energy Monitoring Units.
- Efficiency Improvements: including minor upgrades to lines, smart meters and homes and business audits.
- Education and Awareness: including market stalls, banners on town entries, workshops with rewards and free advice.
- Fuel Switching: including Solar Hot Water subsidies and private installation of PV solar.
The Green Town project was very successful, going beyond the original goals of a 10% reduction in peak demand, to achieve a 14% reduction and overall energy demand reduction. This was achieved for the two communities, Denmark and Walpole that were already energy efficient with an average consumption of 2.8kW per home at the peak.
