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Hi Friend,

Welcome to the Geelong Sustainability December Newsletter, our last of the year!


Firstly, we are thrilled to welcome Jane Spence as our new CEO to Geelong Sustainability this month, as we sadly farewell Dan Cowdell. Jane will have the next few weeks of handover with Dan before the Christmas break, ready to hit the ground running with the rest of the team when we return on Monday 6 January.


2024 has been another huge year for us, and we’d like to thank you all for your ongoing support. By contributing, donating, volunteering, taking part in our programs, or doing your bit within the community or at home, we’re really proud of what we’ve accomplished as a group.

Here are some of our highlights:

  • Deepening our engagement with First Nations including hosting the ‘First Nations Voices on Climate Action’ Climate Connect event.
  • Increasing our climate advocacy work by meeting with local MPs and joining with other environmental groups in building stronger campaigns such as the opposition to the Viva Energy Gas Import Terminal.
  • Continuing to support not-for-profit organisations in accessing vital energy upgrades through the Community Energy Revolving Fund and Community Power Hub program. 
  • Running the Electric Homes Program for a second year, including expanded products and services to help residents to get off gas, lower their energy bills and increase their home comfort. 

We look forward to continuing the momentum in 2025. 


Have a safe and happy festive season, 


The Geelong Sustainability team
(pictured above)

Climate Connect End of Year Celebration

Celebrate the close of an incredible year of climate action and community connection at our Climate Connect End of Year Celebration. You’ll also be able to meet our new CEO, Jane Spence, and farewell our outgoing CEO, Dan Cowdell. 


When: 5.30 - 7.00pm, Wednesday 11 December 

Where: Industrie 26, 26 Pakington Street, Geelong West 
     

Volunteer for the Postcard Day of Action

Join us for a day of community action as we work together to educate the community and achieve widespread opposition to the Viva Energy Gas Import Terminal. 

When: 10am, Saturday 14 December 
Where: Cafe Go, 37 Bellerine Street, Geelong (Map) 

Volunteers will gather at Cafe Go for a briefing before heading out into different parts of the community to engage with the public and collect names on postcards. 


We’d appreciate any time you can spare during the day, asking that you reconvene at 4.30pm if possible. 

     

Community Power Hub

Over the last 18 months, our Community Power Hub program has helped almost 50 community groups find better tariffs, improve energy efficiency, move off gas, install solar and plan towards net-zero emissions. 


We've worked with sports groups, community houses, golf clubs, kindergartens, not-for-profits (NFPs), schools, churches, food relief organisations, museums, charities and cultural clubs. And, we’d love to help you. 


The Community Power Hub is available to help local not-for-profit organisations to cut their energy use in the Greater Geelong, Surf Coast, Golden Plains and Queenscliff regions. 


Visit Community Power Hub to read how we helped Geelong Food Relief, and to contact Emma Chessell, the Community Energy Officer.
     

The Electric Homes Program Wraps Up for 2024

The Electric Homes Program has closed for another year, with over 630 households registered. What an amazing response! 

The most interest was in Hot Water Heat Pumps, with Heating and Cooling Split Systems a close second. 

Thank you to everyone who made the most of the program.

Renewables Not Gas Protest Picnic

What an incredible turnout for Saturday's Protest Picnic against the Viva Energy Gas Import Terminal! Despite the terrible weather and relocating indoors, over 160 passionate community members came together, proving once again the strength of our region and our opposition to this proposal. 

Our voices were loud and clear: we will not sit back and allow this project to threaten our community and our future. 
Our protest also gained national attention with ABC News and other local media in attendance. This media coverage amplifies our message and highlights the growing momentum of our campaign. Let’s capitalise on this energy and take the next step by emailing your MP.

     

Send a Letter to Your MP - Easy Letter Tool Available

We have developed a platform to enable you to easily send a letter to your local MP in opposition to the Viva Energy Gas Import Terminal proposal. 

We need to ensure our state politicians and the Minister for Planning hear our concerns. Sending an email is quick and impactful, and we’ve made it incredibly easy for you to do. It will take you around one minute to complete, but will make a huge impact towards us winning the campaign. 

Welcome to New Staff Members

Over the last month we’ve welcomed two new Program Coordinators to the Geelong Sustainability team. 

Behzad Falahati joins us to roll out the extended Climate Safe Rooms program in 2025. Behzad has been a member of Geelong Sustainability and volunteer since 2014, with a background in engineering. 

He loves spending time in nature with his family, whether leisurely cycling, going for walks or playing ball games. 

Jesse Holden will continue to run the Electric Homes Program as Ruth Blackhirst goes on maternity leave. Jesse is a passionate Environmental Sociologist, with a background in Climate Change Adaptation, Biodiversity Conservation and Human-Nature Systems Dynamics. 

Jesse loves climbing, hiking and mountain biking with his little Kelpie, Rrala.
     

Annual Snapshot of Community Emissions

Ironbark Sustainability released their Annual Snapshot Community Emissions Update in November with data updated to 2022/23. 

Most of our emissions for the Greater Geelong region come from electricity generation followed by fugitive emissions, ie. those from losses, leaks and other releases of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere 

with industries producing natural gas or oil.

The region's overall emissions declined by 11 percent from 2018/19 to 2022/23 and this was mostly due to a decline in emissions from electricity, which declined by 23 percent. Fugitive emissions only declined by 4.5 percent.

See Snapshot Climate for further information.

F2 Design

F2 Design specialises in high performance houses一up to ten-star energy rated一with integrated sustainability solutions combining admirable architecture into site responsive, cost effective homes. 

Follow up by one attendee at Sustainable House Day (where F2 Design was a sponsor), has resulted in F2 providing cost-effective upgrade options improving a volume-builder house design to a 9.4-Star NatHERS rating. 

Proof once again that NatHERS energy ratings can provide powerful guidance for making design and specification decisions. 


Learn more about F2 Design on their Sustainability Directory listing.



Visit Business Supporters if you’re interested in supporting us too.

     

The land we live, work and play on is Wadawurrung land;
always was, always will be.