It was fantastic to host the Cities Power Partnership Summit last week, an alliance of more than 100 councils, working towards more sustainable energy for our communities.
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Those in attendance were blown away not only by what is being achieved, but also by the whales cruising past the venue and the fantastic light show put on by nature with the storm on Thursday evening.
I was proud to report to them the progress Kiama has made since joining the partnership.
We’ve begun the job of installing renewable energy systems on council buildings such as the Blue Haven Bonaira aged care centre and Kiama Library. We’ve set up a Revolving Green Energy Fund to finance our renewable energy projects. Our famous Blowhole Point is now lit up with LED lighting. We also have an agreement with Endeavour Energy to replace all street lighting with LEDs. Staff are negotiating with developers to provide electric charging stations in their car parks. Finally, we’re building a community emissions profile to help set targets for reducing emissions or increasing renewable energy sources.
Unfortunately more than 90 per cent of our emissions come from sources council has little or no control over: heating, cooling, road transport. Should that stop us tackling this challenge? No.
Since 1859, our municipality has survived droughts and floods, wars and depressions, tragedy and triumph. We’ve even seen plans by government to have us become just another suburb of Wollongong or Nowra. There’s no reason we can’t apply that same attitude to climate change and sustainable energy.
We were able to set up the Gerringong Gerroa Sewerage Scheme, which diverts 87 mega litres of waste a year from the ocean to farm paddocks. There’s also our award-winning OK Organics Kiama program, which has allowed us to reduce our landfill waste by more than 40 per cent and have 75 per cent of our waste recycled or composted.
It proves we are willing to embrace change when necessary.
I urge everyone to turn their mind to those achievers in our midst, and nominate them for the 2019 Australia Day Awards. Our local awards allow us to recognise those who play a part, large or small, in our community, get their deserved moment in the spotlight. Nomination forms are available at kiama.nsw.gov.au/australiaday and must be in by 4pm, Friday, October 26.
