Keen to make your house sustainable? Confused on where to start? Come and learn the benefits of sustainable living by talking to people already trying it.

Australia New Zealand Solar Energy Society (ANZSES) and CEFE offer an outstanding chance to listen, look and learn about how to reduce your energy, water and waste needs. 

Homes across Eurobodalla and Bega will open their doors on Sunday 14th September. There will be practical information & local perspectives on how to design your home to be cool in summer without air-conditioning and warm in winter with little or no heating.

Tickets available at the house: $5 per house visited, children free.  Details on houses open are on the ANZSES website www.sustainablehouseday.com.

 
The hardworking volunteers from Moruya Surf Lifesaving Club, together with contractor Clay Stafford, installed the first of the renewable energy systems on the north facing wall of the club house on the last weekend in June 2008. The new Photovoltaic Cells with a 2KW capacity that are now providing energy for the club is the first stage of the installation project. Solar Hot Water systems are on their way as is a wind turbine to boost the energy supply. Moruya Surf Club representative Mike Hallahan is thrilled that installation has begun. "It’s great that the Surf Club will be able to reduce its energy bills and the money saved can be used for much needed things such as equipment to support our Life Savers, Nippers and members” he says.

The entire project has been spearheaded by a joint collaboration of local climate action group Clean Energy for Eternity and Lifesaving Australia (through the local branch . A swim paddle event held on the Moruya River in May saw over 100 hundred competitors brave the cool water and raise money for the Lifesaving Energy Project by gaining sponsorship from the wider community. Local businesses have also been very supportive. “It is becoming very apparent that the general population want to do all they can to reduce our impact on Climate Change.” Local co-ordinator for Clean Energy for Eternity Gabriele Harding says. “By seeing public buildings install renewable energy systems shows leadership and forward thinking at a local level.”

A date is yet to be set for the official opening of the new renewable systems.

We the people of the Bega Valley support the objective of meeting a target of a reduction in our energy use by 50% and generation of 50% clean energy by the year 2020 in order to tackle climate change.
Further, we request that the Bega Valley Shire Council commit to working with the community to meet these targets and to establish a working group with the aim of reducing greenhouse emissions within the Shire. The working group will report back to the community within 6 months.