Keeping waste from landfill

I am very pleased to say that our local Council is now looking at ways of improving our waste management at events! And also letting the community know how well we are doing.

The Council sponsers a number of large public events each year, such as the Natuzzi The Parade Food Wine and Music Festival, the Adelaide Fashion Festival, Magill Road Alive and St Peters Fair. These events generate waste, and the community should be able to have confidence that as much of that waste as possible is diverted from landfill.

I put forward a motion at the recent Council meeting on Monday 4th April 2011, asking that the Council Staff investigate how we can set targets and improve our outcomes at all our public events, in keeping with the Council's objective of reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill. The motion also asked that once the Council has decided on targets and strategy, the outcomes be published each year in the Annual Report, so that the community can see that the objective is being achieved.

The motion can be seen in the Council Minutes 4/4/11 

This is the first motion I have submitted to Council, and I am very happy to say that it passed easily, with several other Councillors speaking in support.

Sustainable waste management is a key issue for me - ultimately I would like to see less waste being generated in the first place, and all organic waste being composted and returned to soil, as locally as possible. NPSP Council is already working with Zero Waste SA to establish kerbside collection of organic waste. I will continue being active in finding ways that the Council can support residents and local businesses in following the Waste Management Hierarchy -  the most important element of the Hierarchy is AVOID producing waste! Followed of course by Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Recover, Treat, Dispose.

How Green Are We?

I have been receiving emails from residents recently who are concerned about the waste management practices of the Council when it runs its flagship event, the Natuzzi The Parade Food Wine and Music Festival.

An event like this is an ideal opportunity for the Council to seek to improve its waste management practices. At an event where a large amount of waste is generated, residents want to know how much is being recycled and diverted from landfill, and what is being done each year to improve the outcome.

I have been following up this issue, and below I have posted a copy of the email I sent out to the concerned residents last week, Wednesday 10th February.

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Good morning....

...At the Council meeting on 17th January, I raised the matter in "Other Business", as this was advised to me previously as the best opportunity to do so. I explained that I had received emails from a number of residents who were concerned that waste management practices of previous Parade Food Wine & Music Festivals were not very effective at diverting waste from landfill, as seen from the Veolia Report from the 2010 Festival. I said that residents wanted to know what would be done to improve this outcome for the upcoming 2011 Festival and future Festivals.

Lisa Mara (Manager, Governance and Civic Affairs) responded to my question, and explained that a number of improvements for waste management had been put in place for the 2011 Festival. She read these out, and I was satisfied that these did indeed represent an improvement.

I then asked if these improvements could be made available to the public prior to the 2011 Festival via the Council website. She replied that she would consider this.

I did not feel the need to move any motion at this point.

At the Council meeting on 7th February, I raised the matter in "Questions Without Notice". I said that I was still receiving emails from residents. I asked if the waste management improvements had been made available on the Council website, and if not, could that happen prior to the 2011 Festival, as our residents had an interest in seeing that this year's Festival would in fact be more effective in diverting waste from landfill than previous years.

Lisa Mara replied that although she would not make specific operations procedures public, she would make available the list of improvements to waste management for this year's Festival on the website.

These interchanges do not appear in the Council Minutes. As far as I am aware, only decisions which are made by the whole Council voting will be recorded in the Minutes. The Minutes do not record discussions.

I intend to continue following the matter of sustainable waste management. I would like the outcome of this year's Festival waste management practices to be made available to the public, so that there is full accountability and transparency from the Council and the public can see how effectively Council is managing this issue and how good the outcomes are, and therefore how we can continue to improve.

I would like to see the Norwood Payneham and St Peters Council demonstrating their genuine commitment to sustainability practice and design into the future. Environmental sustainability is one of the four Outcomes of the City's Vision as outlined in the CityPlan 2030 (See link for information on CityPlan 2030 http://www.npsp.sa.gov.au/site/page.cfm?u=1707#objectives)

It is important and, I believe, appropriate for the City's residents to expect accountability and transparency regarding this Outcome.

Sustainable waste management goes well beyond the one-day annual event that is the Natuzzi The Parade Food Wine and Music Festival, but it is clear that this is a flagship event for the Council that provides an ideal opportunity to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to best practice in conserving resources and energy in the light of the environmental challenges that we face on a global and local scale.


Regards, 


Sophia MacRae

My Policies in more detail - text from my Policy Brochure

Detailed Policy Brochure, Sophia MacRae

I believe that all Councils benefit from having fresh, energetic, enthusiastic and committed people on their team. I believe in innovative, integrated long-term think that develops the synergy between the Council and the community.

I am committed to living with my family in this area for the long term. I will continue to be active in my community with my volunteer work. My professional work as a teacher and musician keeps me continually engaged with people young and old. 

If elected to Norwood Payneham & St Peters Council, I commit to being available and accountable to all constituents.

Are you concerned about traffic safety?

Our children and our elderly need to negotiate the roads and footpaths safely as they move around the neighbourhood. We all need safe roads. Council plays a huge role in improving safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. As a parent who commutes with my son on my bicycle, and walks to childcare and the shops, I have a particular interest in traffic safety, and if elected I will work with Council to ensure that safety for all is given the attention and resources it demands.

Do you want pleasant public space and access to community gardens?

By maintaining and enhancing facilities such as playgrounds, parks, cultural centres, community gardens and community noticeboards, the Council can encourage people to get involved in activities in their neighbourhood, which benefits the health and well-being of everyone in the community. Norwood Payneham & St Peters is blessed with a variety of beautiful communal spaces, and I want to help people make the most of them.

Do you want more support from Council regarding water and waste management?

Waste management is a key sustainability issue for our city. I believe that the recycling of organic waste is something that bears more consideration and consultation with the community. I would like to see more incentives for on-site composting of organic waste, and the assisted uptake of “Bokashi” bins for those without gardens.

I am also committed to water management and will work with the Council and residents to conserve water and to prevent waste run-off from polluting our stormwater. Better urban and residential design and assistance to residents for purchasing tanks and other basic infrastructure will improve our ability to retain the water in our city.

Do you care about trees and supporting our urban ecology?

I am committed to preserving our city's bio-diversity. The health of our community is linked to the health of our natural environment. The trees that line our streets, parks and wetlands are a haven for native birds and other life, and are vital to the bio-diversity of our urban surroundings. Council needs to be responsible and pro-active regarding the planting and maintenance of trees, and the management of native wildlife. If elected to Council, I will work to ensure that the proposed changes to the “Significant Tree” legislation do not adversely affect our residents or the amenity of our city. I will also work to rehabilitate the four creeks that run through our city.

Do you want to see the heritage character of NPSP preserved?

Sensitive, appropriate urban development is essential in order to retain the valuable heritage character of Norwood Payneham & St Peters. Flexibility and support are required from Council to ensure that rate payers are not overburdened with the expenses of maintaining old dwellings.

If elected, I will endeavour to see that Council operates an open channel for community consultation to ensure a healthy mix of heritage and well-designed contemporary buildings for NPSP.

Do you want to save money on energy and water?

Water and energy conservation is an important issue for all South Australians. Intelligent urban planning, utilising best-practise design principles, can greatly enhance our ability to use energy and water more efficiently. I aim to work effectively to encourage water-sensitive urban planning in our public spaces and to encourage developers to implement energy-efficient building materials and techniques in our city.

Do you love the culture of our city?

I am a qualified musician who has been teaching, performing and managing professional arts events for over twenty years. As a musician I have experienced first-hand the value of community spirit and openness, and how being involved in the arts benefits the vitality and heath of our community. Norwood Payneham & St Peters is well known for its involvement with the arts and cultural events. If elected, I will work to enhance this, and make the arts even more accessible to everyone.

 Are you concerned about fiscal responsibility and accountability from your Council?  

  

If elected to the Norwood Payneham & St Peters Council, I will be accessible and accountable to everyone in the community, and I'll be working hard to keep your rates as low as possible. 

I support local businesses, and want every dollar spent in our community to stay in our community for as long as possible, to create shared prosperity.

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 We all deserve to live in a pleasant neighbourhood where things just work well.

The Council is there to serve you.

I will demand effective programs and services for you.

I will ensure real community consultation, using the technology of today’s world.

Norwood Payneham & St Peters is already a great place to live, and I'm determined to make it even better.