ENVIRONMENT

MATTERS

INSIDE

MBDC ENVIRONMENT STRATEGY 2018-2023

BREATHELIFE CAMPAIGN

WASTE TO RESOURCES MANAGEMENT PLAN

SUSTAINABLE LIVING MOUNT BARKER

AU T U M N 2 0 1 8

Our Council, through our Mayor, Ann Ferguson, has become one of 7,400 cities globally that has become a

member of THE GLOBAL COVENANT OF MAYORS

FOR CLIMATE & ENERGY, an international alliance of

cities and local governments that share a vision of embracing voluntary action to resist climate change andmove to a low carbon emission and resilient society.

By becoming a signatory, Mount Barker District Council

has committed to implement policies and measures

through council operations and the community that will;

• reduce greenhouse gas emissions,• prepare and adapt for future impacts of climate change,• increase access to sustainable energy and• track and monitor the progress made toward these objectives.

The agreement requires that targets, plans and actions are quantified and consistent with the commitments thatare defined through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) adopted in Parisin 2015. The Paris Climate Agreement has been signed by197 countries and will come into effect in 2020.

Mount Barker District Council is already participating in the Resilient Hills & Coasts (RH&C) project with local government, NRM Board and state and federal governmentpartners to develop a Regional Climate Change AdaptationPlan for the Adelaide Hills, Fleurieu Peninsula and KangarooIsland region. This Adaptation Plan provides the foundationfor a coordinated and collaborative response to climatechange impacts. In addition, Mount Barker District Councilhas derived a more specific local action plan for the Mount Barker district.

The GlobalCovenant ofMayors forClimate & Energy

T H E PA R I S C L I M AT E AG R E E M E N T K E Y P O I N TS

TEMPERATURES 2100

Keep warming well below 2 degrees Celsius.

Continue efforts to limit the rise in temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius.

FINANCE 2020-2025

Rich countries must provide 100 billion dollars from 2020 as a floor.

Amount to be updated by 2025.

DIFFERENTIATION

Developed countries must lead in the reduction of greenhouse gasses.

Developing nations are to enhance efforts and move over time to cuts.

EMISSION OBJECTIVES 2050

Aim for greenhouse gases emissions to peak as soon as possible.

From 2050, rapid reductions to achieve a balance between emissions.

BURDEN SHARING

Developed countries must provide financial resources for developing

countries. Other countries are invited to support on a voluntary basis.

REVIEW MECHANISM 2023

Review every five years: the first world reveiw will be 2023.

Each review will inform countries to update and enhance their pledges.

CLIMATE DAMAGE

Vulnerable countries have won recognition of the need for averting,

minimising and addressing losses suffered due to climate change.

The 5-year Environment Strategy has recently beenadopted and embraced by council. The Strategy reflects the significance of a strong Council leadership role to ensureour environment is protected as populations increasewithin a changing climate and landscape.

Five key topic areas were developed in consultation with the community, staff and elected members whilst incorporating the latest research, trends and projections.

These key topic areas identify broad goals with achievable,yet ambitious actions that will ultimately contribute to reducing our environmental footprint.

A smaller footprint for

Mount Barker DistrictMOUNT BARKER DISTRICT ENVIRONMENT STRATEGY 2018-2023

������������ ��������

�����������

�������������������

����������������

THE KEY ENVIRONMENT GOALS ARE:

• To reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 3% per year (on 2017 emission levels)

• To implement adaptive responses to climate change

• To increase Council’s renewable energy sources and improve energy efficiency

• To support the implementation of Council’s Biodiversity Strategy

• To build community awareness and support best practices in sustainable development in urban and rural settings

• To improve integration of energy efficiency measures into the development process

• To improve accessibility of sustainable transport options

• To reduce household mains water consumption by 10% per capita by 2023 (below 2017 levels)

• To minimise the impact of development on stormwaterrunoff and riverbank erosion

• To recycle 100% of treated wastewater

• To reduce waste to landfill by 10% per capita

• To improve waste recycling rates

For a full list of the actions and to read the environment strategy, visit the Mount Barker District Council website

http://www.mountbarker.sa.gov.au/environment1

Low

Carbon &

Resilient

Biodiverse

LiveableWater

Wise

Resource

Efficient

S USTA I N A B L E M O U N T B A R K E R

With growth continuing at pace in Mount Barker,

ensuring development is sustainable is one of

Council's greatest challenges.

To see how to live a more sustainable lifestyle at

your property or neighbourhood check out the

Living Sustainably virtual community.

http://www.mountbarker.sa.gov.au/webdata/

miniSites/living-sustainably/index.htm

Waste and Recycling

SUSTAINABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT IS ONE OF FIVE KEY

FOCUS AREAS IDENTIFIED IN THE ENVIRONMENT PLAN.

Council is developing an action plan focussing on

recycling waste streams.

The Waste to Resources Plan will assist with

providing cost effective services to the community

and will reduce waste to landfill whilst reducing

the ecological footprint of council and the Mount

Barker Community.

With an extra 15,000 residents expected to move into thedistrict within the next 17 years and a recent substantial increase in costs associated with sending waste to landfill,council and community need to work together to avoid generating waste in the first place and recycling or reusingthe waste we do produce.

Plastic is being

eaten by marine life

and ultimately

proves fatal

It is estimated that

by 2025, there will be

155 million tonnes of

waste in our oceans,

predominantly

plastic

Why is recycling

plastic and reducing

our plastic use so

important?

In addition to not

breaking down fast or ever,

plastic materials also break

down dangerously.

A lot of plastic contains

toxins, such as

phthalates, BPA and

flame retardants.

People are exposed

to chemicals from

plastic multiple times

per day through the air,

dust, water, food and

use of consumer

products

An estimated

8 million tonnes of

plastic enters the

ocean every year

‘In a business-as-usual

scenario, the ocean is

expected to contain one

tonne of plastic for every

three tonnes of fish by 2025,

and by 2050, more plastics

than fish [by weight]’

Ellen MacArthur Foundation

Currently 47% of the district’s waste is diverted from landfillby the collection of green organics and recyclables. Our goal

is to REDUCE WASTE DISPOSAL TO LANDFILL BY 10%

(PER PERSON ) TO REACH A 52% DIVERSION RATE.

The waste management hierarchy shows the most preferableactions when considering our lifestyle and product choicesand the most effective way to minimise waste.

SIMPLE WAYS YOU CAN MINIMISE WASTE

AVOID AND REDUCE Choosing products that have no orminimal packaging is one of the easiest ways to reduce waste!Purchase a reusable coffee cup and water bottle, pack lunch in lunch boxes that don’t require plastic wrapping and avoid individually wrapped snacks. Avoid products that haveunnecessary packaging like fruit and vegetables.

REUSE Many containers, shopping bags, jars and containers can be reused for many purposes around thehouse and shed and for storage. Local schools and childcarecentres will accept boxes and jars for art and craft activitieswhile old rags and newspapers can be donated to animalshelters. Old clothes and toys can be donated to your local opportunity shop, can be given to Windmill Hill salvage yardor perhaps get together with other people in your street and have a garage sale.

RECYCLE Don’t forget that you can cash in your cans andbottles for 10 cents each at Scout Recycling Centre at Windmill Hill or Mount Barker Bottle and Can – Secker RoadMount Barker. Chickens, compost bins and worm farms willprevent food scraps going into your bins! Make sure youknow which items can be placed in your recycling and green

bin. This is the easiest way to reduce your waste to landfill!

Soft plastics (any plastic that can be scrunched) can be recycled at Coles Supermarkets as a part of their

REDcycle program.

Source: Plastic Oceans Foundation

G R E E N B U S I N E S S I N FOCUS

Hemp Hemp Hooray in Mount Barker

Teresa McDowell is the true example of “practice what youpreach”. With 12 years behind her as a successful businesswoman and a lifetime passion for the environment, it is notsurprising that Teresa is at the forefront of the hemp movement as the Founder and Hemp Living Advocate. Witha list of awards, she has successfully been an integral part of lobbying to allow farmers in South Australia to grow hemp.Her passion for hemp oil grew from studying aromatherapy,research and natural health.

Teresa produces 11 natural skin and body care products,which are available at the permanent shop front ‘HempHemp Hooray’. A variety of hemp products can also befound in store including face washers, hats and bags.

The business is also run to the highest standard of sustainability with recyclable packaging, no use of harmfulBPA plastics and product processes that ensure no bi-products are disposed of into our waste water system. All products are sourced from Australia and more locallywhere possible. Teresa proudly boasts and lives by themotto “what we do to ourselves, we do to the Earth”.

Support our local green businesses and visit Hemp Hemp

Hooray at 20 Gawler Street Mount Barker, or shop on line at

www.hemphemphooray.com.au

To have your green business profiled, please contact Council’s Environmental Project Officer on 8391 7217 oremontgomery@mountbarker.sa.gov.au

Items that CAN be placed in

this bin:

Any remaining items that cannot be recycled or composted, provided it is not in the non-permitted list or EPA landfill banned list below

Non-recyclable items

Crockery, glass etc

Cling film/soft plastics

Nappies

Items that CAN be placed in

this bin:

Cans including aerosols

All glass bottles and jars (lids off )

Paper and cardboard

Milk and juice cartons

Newspapers and magazines

All plastic containers including milk, juice and soft drink bottles, shampoo and detergent bottles, yoghurt and margarine containers (recycling symbols 1 to 6)

Pizza boxes

Items that CAN be placed in

this bin:

Lawn clippings

Pruning

Small branches and twigs

Leaves

Sweepings

Food or kitchen scraps

Soft papers like kitchen towel and tissues

Other organics like nail clippings and dog waste, provided it is not wrapped in plastic (compostable bags ok)

Weekly140L Blue lid

Fortnightly (alternative week to Green Organics)

240L Yellow lid

Fortnightly (alternative week to Recyclables)

240L Green lid (townships only)

Items NOT permitted in

this bin:

Liquid waste

Hot ashes

Hazardous or radioactive materials

Medical waste and syringes

Automobile parts

Items NOT permitted in

this bin:

Plastic bags (including when filled with recycling)

Polystyrene foam

Liquids

Cling film

General rubbish

Green organics/garden waste

Items NOT permitted in

this bin:

Garden pots

Plastic

Hot ashes

Bricks/rubble/soil

Any other rubbish

Gas cylinders

Food waste

THE FIRST AUSTRALIAN COUNCIL TO

JOIN THE BREATHELIFE CAMPAIGN,

MOUNT BARKER IS FOCUSSING ON

URBAN GREENING, WALKING AND

RIDING TRAILS AND IMPROVING

PUBLIC TRANSPORT OPTIONS TO

KEEP ITS ENVIRONMENT

POLLUTION-FREE, HEALTHY AND

HIGHLY LIVEABLE…..

BreatheLife

BIODIVERSITY IN FOCUS

The white striped Free-tail Bat is one of 15 species of microbats that can be found in the Mount Lofty Ranges.

Bats have an extraordinary high frequency call to searchfor insects for food. The call returns to the bat as an echoallowing them to determine the size of an insect andwhere it is…this is known as ECHOLOCATION and eachspecies has its own frequency. As humans, we are onlyable to detect the calls of two microbat species, onebeing the White Striped Free-tail Bat.

The bats live in hollows or caves where they will hibernate or go into “torpor” in the cooler months. Mircobats generally live for about 10 years and each year,these mammals have one or two live young.

Source: Adelaide Bat Care Image: Terry Reardon

ENVIRONMENTAL DATABASE

To receive news, events, competitions and environmental

tips, register for Council’s first electronic environment

mail list by: emailing Council’s Environmental Project

Officer, Emma Montgomery at

emontgomery@mountbarker.sa.gov.au

MOUNT BARKER LOCAL GOVERNMENT CENTRE

6 Dutton Road, Mount Barker

PO Box 54, Mount Barker, SA 5251 T 8391 7200

F 8391 7299 E council@mountbarker.sa.gov.au

W mountbarker.sa.gov.au

White Striped Free-tail Bat Austronomus australis

Mount Barker, the first Australian Council to join the Breathe-Life community and one of the country’s fastest-growing regional centres, will focus on urban greening, walking andriding trails and improving public transport options to keepits liveability high. BreatheLife is a joint campaign led by theWorld Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Environment and the Climate & Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)to initiate change to protect our health and the earth fromthe effects of air pollution.

The largest town in the Adelaide Hills and on track to becomeSouth Australia’s second-biggest city, Mount Barker also intends to improve all facets of operations and to reduce itsecological footprint including improving waste management,increasing clean energy, becoming water wise and supporting

sustainable and clean lifestyles throughout the community.

THE BREATHELIFE CAMPAIGN

WILL CONTRIBUTE TO COUNCIL’S GOAL TO REDUCE

ITS ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT.

Sustainable Living Mount Barker“Sustainable Living Mount Barker” is a Community-basedSocial Marketing (CBSM) project which aims to achievelong-term behaviour change within the community by engaging the urban community and leading to behaviourchange relating to an increased use of local plants in urban settings. The Goolwa to Wellington Local Action Planning (GWLAP) Group and Mount Barker District Councilhave partnered with community groups, clubs, schools and local residents within the urban areas of the MountBarker District.

Sustainable Living Mount Barker is a focussed engagementand social-marketing campaign involving groups and individuals in a range of activities designed to increaseawareness and involvement in ecologically sustainablelifestyles. The focus of the project is to raise awareness andunderstanding and to engage more residents in caring fortheir local environment, particularly watercourses by practising sustainable gardening with a focus on local plantspecies and wildlife. It will create positive community sentiment within the Mount Barker community in choosinggarden plants that contribute to local biodiversity.

The project provides incentives for the removal of weeds,the use of native plants and obvious social rewards for making a wildlife friendly garden by providing subsidisedplant sales and stickers for wheelie bins/garden stake signswith “My garden is wildlife friendly”.

For more information, contact David Cooney, Manager Open Space and Environment on 83917226 ordcooney@mountbarker.sa.gov.au

WEEDS IN FOCUS

Blackberry Rubus fruticosus

Blackberries produce a dark purple fruit that is

spread by seeds that have been eaten and

distributed by birds and mammals. It grows

profusely and quickly invades large areas, which is

why it is both a declared plant and a Weed of

National Significance (WoNS). Under the Natural

Resources Management Act (2004), declared plants

have to be destroyed or controlled.

Many people choose to spray Blackberry with a

herbicide when flowering or fruiting between

November and April. Slashing alone will remove

the plant but will not kill it. Biological control using

the blackberry leaf rust, Phragmidium violaceum,

is currently being trialed by various government

organisations.

For more information including fact sheets, visit

PIRSA http://www.pir.sa.gov.au/

or your Natural Resources Management Board,

www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au

DID YOU

KNOW?

There are 16 species

of Blackberry in

Australia