Funding Recipient Stories

North West Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Community Association (NWAICA) – a Round 1 Low Carbon Diet Community Funding grant recipient - was funded to develop resources for the implementation of a Low Carbon Project for the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Community in Brisbane North West Corridor.

NWAICA identified the need to develop a quality media resource to meet the learning style of the indigenous community for the purpose of education on carbon emissions and environmental impacts.

“The Project has highlighted and challenged traditional responsibilities of the urban dwellers, yet the participation of the community throughout the production of the DVD has been overwhelmingly positive” said Lynn Locke, Manager of NWAICA.

“Participation has given a sense of ownership and pride in the final product and it is anticipated that there will be strong numbers committed to the next stage of the household action plans for the reduction of carbon emissions.”

For more information contact Lynn Locke on 07 3855 5399

Sustainable Jamboree is a volunteer-based community group from the Centenary suburbs of Brisbane who were successful in Round One of the Low Carbon Diet Community Funding Program.

Their goal is to engage as many Centenary residents to make simple and low cost behavioural changes in response to climate change.

Attendees at two Carbon Diet workshops held this year heard climate change presentations and received guidance with household actions to reduce their carbon footprint.

Project Manager, Justin Clareburt, said the workshops were a great success with most participants participating in additional eco-team meetings with six group facilitators.

“We're so glad people have fun at these workshops, without losing their sense of urgency about climate change," Justin said.

Most participating households are achieving around 5 tonnes/annum in reductions. Sustainable Jamboree will repeat the program in early 2010.

Sustainable Jamboree has also engaged three local primary schools (Jindalee, Jamboree Heights and Middle Park State Schools) to participate in a Carbon Challenge. 87 families participated in the first Challenge at Jindalee State School commencing 23 June, reducing emissions by a total of 440 tonnes per annum.

For more information contact Ngaire McGaw on 07 3375 7268

The Rotary Club of Cooroy was one of the grant participants from Round 1 Low Carbon Diet Community Funding. The Club used its funds in two ways.

Firstly they ran a Sustainable Cooroy Expo in April 2009, attracting over 250 participants on the day, including 20 different local exhibitors who featured their ‘environmentally friendly’ products.  The exhibitors ranged from worm farms to cleaning products, from solar heating to water collection.

Secondly, the Club implemented a Low Carbon Diet Workshop with community members; 20 households were represented at the workshop and in total. By the end of the program the net reduction in ‘kilograms of carbon’ was 62,015 kg and 17,585 kg pledged.

One participant, who was very impressed with the program, said that he and he and his wife have decided to install Solar Power, as a consequence of being involved in our two events!

The Rotary Club of Cooroy was very impressed with the materials provided for the participants through the Low Carbon Diet Community Funding project.

For more information contact Elizabeth Henley on 07 5449 1096

The Upper Condamine Landcare Groups held a “Carbon Challenge” where businesses , schools and community groups each took the Low Carbon Diet.

“The feedback we received from participating groups was that there were so many really simple things they could do within the home and school environment to reduce their carbon emissions” said Coordinator Catherine Potter.

“Once they got into the habit of turning off lights and standby switches, it became part of their normal routine”.

Other areas where all participants were able to reduce their carbon footprint included taking shorter showers, increasing recycling and installing energy efficient light globes.

For more information contact Catherine Potter on 07 4661 9909

Toowoomba Regional Council launched its Low Carbon Diet program at the GardenFest in Toowoomba in September 2009.

The annual festival attracted 5,000 local gardeners keen to learn about low carbon gardening practices. The Council ran four low carbon workshops to teach hands-on skills from the Low Carbon Diet manual.

Hot composting workshops proved popular with gardeners. The no-dig garden workshops were a hit, showing simple ways to create backyard veggie gardens.

The Council also gave away 500 plant-a-tree kits. Each kit contained 20 native trees seeds. Each seed having the potential to offset 500kg of CO2 over its lifetime.

For more information, contact the Council’s Sustainability Awareness and Projects officer on 07 4688 6773.

Wynnum District Soccer Club, a Low Carbon Diet Community Funding recipient from Round Two, is just about to kick off their Low Carbon Diet activities.

“We’re really excited about the LCD program. It provides easy practical advice on how to reduce your carbon footprint at home,” said Debbie Linfoot, Program Co-ordinator.

“Our adult and kids Club members are looking forward to working together to motivate each other to make the best carbon savings we can – and hopefully reduce energy bills at the same time!”

For more information, contact Debbie Linfoot on 0419 235 018.