This is where it all began: Zero Emissions Info Days at the monthly Mosman Market on the Village Green. Back in October 2020 we put up our marquee, signs and posters and gave out free zero emissions information. We had a wonderful day talking to people about saving money and sustainability and made lots of new friends.
Since then, we’ve held ten info days at markets, learning as we go, introducing new ways to interact including our Sun Pledge board, and our transport group volunteers bringing E-cars and E-bikes. We’ve had help along the way from Mosman Council, Energy Electric Bikes, Eat My Dust E-scooters and our wonderful volunteer community.
We’ve had great feedback and we’d like to help provide our free info to more areas. Would you like to help us expand to other markets on the North Shore and Northern Beaches? We’d love to hear from you!
We have opportunities for a team leader in each local LGA, and volunteers to come along wherever it suits them best. We provide the marquee, Tshirts, signs and information guides. No experience required: we can bring you up to speed with what has become well-oiled machine. You just need a passion for sustainability and a willingness to engage with like-minded people.
If you’re interested in joining in with one of our most rewarding volunteer activities we’d love to have you. Please contact Marieken, Louise or Ursula or fill out our volunteer form.
Zero Emissions Transport team at the Mosman Market
Our youngest volunteer, Theo, demonstrates how to measure household energy consumption.
Zero Emissions Transport: E-Scooter
Zero Emissions Transport: Kona, E-Bike, Tesla
Jenni Hagland
Chris and Graeme all kitted out
Kate shows off the variable speed pool pump
What is an Urban Renewable Energy Zone? Read on…
Imagine this. A clean, green, mini-power plant in the city where local businesses get paid for energy they collect from their roof; where cars and trucks are powered by the sun; where residences and businesses share energy storage; where having solar panels on your roof is not just smart, it’s normal.
It’s nearly here. Brookvale is home to the largest commercial area within the Northern Beaches and it’s also a powerhouse for renewable energy – 7000 solar panels producing 2 MWp. There are panels on car showrooms, hotels and office blocks, boutique brewers and coffee roasters. But there is room for so much more. Taking that number to 70,000 solar panels (which is 50% of Brookvale’s suitable roofs) is, well… You do the maths. 20 mW, the size of a small power station.
The trouble is, in spite of tax breaks, rebates and the best efforts of solar salesmen not enough businesses have jumped on the solar train. The obvious incentive – money – isn’t getting the attention of small business owners with day-to-day worries about Covid, cash flow and customers.
Zero Emissions Solutions volunteers are collaborating with Clean Energy for Eternity and Clear Sky Solar Investments to help reach the Northern Beaches Council ambitious target of 50% of suitable premises in the LGA installing solar panels by 2030. We’re putting early adopters – Solar Champions, we call them – together with skilled volunteers – Solar Ambassadors – to provide trusted peer-to-peer support, instead of the solar hard sell. We help with finance, we do the research, we fill in the forms. All businesses need is a roof.
The project launches officially in February of next year, but we’re already running pilot schemes and looking for Solar Ambassadors. And we’re thrilled to announce that we have just won a $5000 grant from the Northern Beaches Council towards the project.
If you’re a business owner or property owner in Brookvale, of if you feel inspired by the idea of an Urban Renewable Energy Zone, we’d love to hear from you.
After a nutty first six months of the year for Zero Emissions Solutions the idea was to slow things down a little in July and August.
Hmm. About that… Here’s how the diary ended up looking.
July 20: Solar My House Webinar, with David Veal of Solarpro (recording here)
July 19: Mosman Council delivers our Sustainable Living Guide to 30,000 households
August 3: Mosman Council Climate Action Community Committee
August 4: Zero Emissions Schools Network – Mosman, hosted by Beauty Point Public School
August 5: Solar My House Webinar, with Ruth Irwin of Mosman Council (recording here)
August 17: Ann-Charlott spoke with Nigel Howard and Joeline Hackman of War on Waste Northern Beaches, discussing what local residents can do to reduce emissions (recording here)
Representatives from Zero Emissions Solutions also attended seminars and meetings with (in no particular order) Vote Earth Now, Infinite Australia, AEVA, Groundswell, BZE Renewable Industrial Precincts, the Climate Council, 350.org, 1millionwomen and C4C. In particular, we recommend Professor Lesley Hughes briefing on the IPCC report, in conjunction with Australian Parents For Climate.
We worked with Arnies Recon to launch free EWaste Community Collection days for the Northern Beaches including Avalon 2 Sept, Dee Why 9 Sept, Manly 13 Sept, Mosman 16 Sept.
Finally, we continue to work with Clean Energy for Eternity on a major project to create an urban renewable energy zone – watch this space!
The New South Wales State Government has come up with two compelling reasons to make your next car electric. From September 1 this year there will be:
No stamp duty payable on EVs that cost under $78,000
$3000 rebate for the first 25,000 buyers of EVs that cost under $68,750
“Our transport sector currently makes up 20% of NSW emissions, with almost 50% from passenger vehicles. Electric vehicles are not only cheaper to run and quieter on our roads, but they also reduce both carbon emissions and air pollution which results in dramatically improved health outcomes for our communities.”
Andrew Constance, NSW Transport Minister
The NSW Government is investing half a billion dollars on tax cuts and incentives to make it easier to afford an EV over the next four years. It estimates the average NSW driver will save around $1000 a year in running costs by switching to an EV. Savings can be up to $7500 a year for businesses, taxis and freight. EVs buyers become eligible for the stamp duty waiver and rebate once the backdated legislation passes in parliament.*
“I’m excited by our area having cleaner air and quieter streets, with buses, cars, scooters and bikes being powered by the sun. These incentives plus the ongoing lower running costs of an EV will help many people to go electric”
Ursula Hogben, Co-founder, Zero Emissions Solutions
With such great reasons to go electric, interest in electric cars continues to grow. The Australian Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA) keeps an up to date list here. Prices (for new cars) range from $45000 for a brand new MG EV to north of $200k for an electric Porsche.
We’ll be talking with Michael Day, NSW Chair and National Treasurer of AEVA at our free community online event on Tuesday 19 Oct at 7pm. Join Ursula Hogben and Michael Day talking EVs, incentives, bidirectional charging and more. It’s free but spaces are limited so book here: https://events.humanitix.com/zero-emissions-transport-tue-19-oct
*Both incentives apply to battery and hydrogen fuel cell EVs, not plug-in hybrids.
So you’re interested in volunteering? In doing something meaningful and fun? In working with dynamic and inspiring people?
We’d love to have you.
Zero Emissions Solutions is an all-volunteer run community organisation working in Mosman and the Northern Beaches LGAs. We’re all about practical ways to take action on climate: things we can do that will have a real impact. No-one is going to solve the climate crisis on their own. Working together for zero emissions has to be the way forward.
Where to start?
Choose from a range of activities to match your skills and/or interests.
Solar My House is Zero Emissions Solutions flagship program. We’ve run over 30 events since 2019, reaching more than 300 households, creating guides, videos and case studies, and attending forums, local expos and online events. We’re always looking for people who are passionate about rooftop solar to get involved with organising events and taking this exciting program forward. You don’t need special skills, just enthusiasm for making a difference. If you can help, please contact Ann Charlott.
Zero Emissions Homes working group meets regularly and creates resources to save energy and emissions at home. They produce Council/LGA specific Sustainable Living Guides, the first was the Mosman Sustainable Living Guide provided to Mosman LGA’s 30,000 residents in mid 2021. They promote switching and supporting renewable energy to approx. halve household emissions. They also look at sustainable solutions including new house design, renovations, appliances, pools and policy. If you are interested in ecosmart retrofits, building trends and energy savings, please email Ursula on electric@zeroemissionssolutions.org
Out and about
The Zero Emissions Markets team launched our first market stall at Mosman in October last year. Since then, they’ve held 7 events. In 2022, their sights are set on exploring markets in the Northern Beaches. It’s a fun opportunity to meet like-minded volunteers and to have meaningful conversations with the local community. No experience required, just a big smile and an hour or two of your time! If you’re interested, please contact Lesley.
Our youngest volunteer, Theo, demonstrates how to measure household energy consumption.Mosman Markets group: Louise, Lesley, Fay
Zero Emissions Schools is run by Jenni Hagland and Liz Migliorini. They are responsible for the guides on our Schools page and they convene the Zero Emissions Schools Network (Mosman). If you’re involved in education, or if you’ve got school age children and want to get your school involved in sustainability, they would be keen to hear from you. Lots to do, from researching resources to project managing events. Please email Jenni on schools@zeroemissionssolutions.org
Worksheets to download Zero Emissions Schools Network Mosman: Mosman Public
Zoom zoom
Zero Emissions Transport is run by Ursula and the Zero Emissions Transport working group. They’ve put together great resources and guides to help electrify your transport on our Electric Vehicles and Electric Bikes pages. They’ve reached over 250 households with Zero Emissions Transport info sessions, and held 7 E-Transport Markets show and tells with electric cars, bikes, scooters and motorcycles. They’ve investigated second hand EVs, hosted a test-drive day, compiled a report on Councils installing chargers, and are creating case studies on many EVs. If you have an EV or are interested in EVs, and would like to be involved, please email Ursula on electric@zeroemissionssolutions.org
Zero Emissions Transport: E-ScooterGood storage space!
And finally…
If you’re good with words, pictures, sounds, and any other form of story-telling, Harriet wants your help. She puts together the newsletter, website, this blog, marketing materials, and tries to keep up with social media. If you’re an introvert who wants to save the world, or a wordpress genius, if you’re an instagram maven or a budding film maker, a demon proof reader or someone who just likes a yarn, just say hello to Harriet on hello@zeroemissionssolutions.org
We look forward to hearing from you!
Take a bird’s eye view of Brookvale and help us with an exciting new project.
Brookvale is home to the largest commercial area within the Northern Beaches and it’s also a powerhouse for renewable energy. Large and small, owner operated or rented, retail, service and light industrial; businesses of all shapes and sizes are taking advantage of low interest rates and high returns to go green and boost their bottom line at the same time.
We all know about regional solar farms but can it be done in a city? This article suggests yes. Who knows, maybe we can build a solar farm right here on the Northern Beaches!
Brookvale currently has nearly 7000 solar panels covering around 5% of suitable roof spaces. The Northern Beaches Council’s 2030 target of covering 50% of suitable roof space would see Brookvale become a virtual power station, producing 20MWp. That’s equivalent to the Royalla Solar Farm, Australia’s biggest solar farm, which can generate clean energy equivalent to the consumption of around 4,500 homes in the area.
How do we know this? Because Zero volunteer Chris Lee has spent hours counting them.
Now he’s onto the next phase of the study. It can all be done from your computer, so if you can navigate a spreadsheet and use Six Maps, we would love your help. You can do as much or as little as you like. Just get in touch with Chris and he will send you instructions on how to take a bird’s eye view.
Students and teachers from Beauty Point Public School played host for the third meeting of the Zero Emissions Schools Network (Mosman) on August 4rd. With greater Sydney in lockdown, it had to be online but, thanks to some video magic, we still got a tour around the school’s environmental trail.
The trail takes you past the vegetable gardens, with built-in watering systems, the cosy home for stingless native bees, the worm farm and the birds and bees highway.
The BPPS Green Team was launched in 2020. They have many ideas for improving sustainability around the school. The school has a water tank and it installed solar panels in October 2020 with assistance from Solar My School. Some of the students’ favourite activities are tree planting and biodiversity initiatives such as the birds and bees highway. Last year grants from Greening Australia and Sustainable Schools have funded planting including 6 large trees and 150 small tubestock trees.
The most colourful sustainability initiative is their rainbow lorikeet mural, which brightens up the playground while reducing UV reflection.
You have all achieved so much. I love what the schools are doing and proposing. Our schools and children are key to getting our community onboard and meeting our net zero target.
Mayor Corrigan
All Mosman Schools were represented at the meeting. It was a great opportunity to exchange ideas and cheer each other on. Thank you, Beauty Point Public School, for hosting, and for giving us a wonderful virtual tour. We look forward to our next meeting on 27 October at Sacred Heart, Mosman.
For more information on family friendly sustainability tips check out Zero Emissions Schools on our website or contact Jenni Hagland, Program Leader. Interested in a school network in your area? Get in touch!
Learning outside is much more fun
Back to zoom!
Planting trees and tube stock
The lights are on at Pioneer Clubhouse Balgowlah! And what a great photo of the ZESN volunteer team including advisors: L-R: Linda Robertson, Chris Lee, Susie Morgan, Tina Jackson, Anna Josephson, Ursula Hogben, Kirsty Gold, Ann-Charlott Paduch, Harriet Cunningham and Lesley Treleaven, and a shout out to Dof Dickinson who couldn’t be here.
Our first Sunny and Share rooftop solar installation is a 13.3kW system for Pioneer Clubhouse, a mental health not-for-profit organisation in Balgowlah. This was funded by our events, Community Giving Fund and private donations, and was launched at a lunch party.
In spite of the cold and rainy day, there was a great crowd who enjoyed yummy food, a raffle, a sale of artwork and freshly potted succulents, speeches, a cake, fairy lights, music and dancing. How lovely to see so many friends and supporters including the Northern Beaches Mayor Michael Regan, Deputy Mayor Candy Bingham, CEO of One Door Mental Health Kathi Boorman, and Bronwen Regan chief of staff for Federal MP for Warringah Zali Steggall OAM.
Sunflower on a rainy dayOur MC, RexGorgeous succulents for saleSpeeches……and a good giggle posing for photos
Thank you to the many people who made this possible! First, the hardworking Zero Emissions Solutions volunteer team and volunteer advisory board who brainstormed, dreamed, come up with ideas, and held many public and private events. Thank you everyone who came to our events and installed solar and switched to a renewable energy company through us, generating thank you contributions to our Community Giving Fund used to install this solar system. Thank you to Zali Steggall MP, Mayor Michael Regan, and the Northern Beaches Council for your support. Thank you also to Pioneer Clubhouse for embracing the idea and inviting us over, to Solarpro and Diamond Energy for their financial support. Thank you also to our event hosts, our customers, our supporters, and to our generous donors including Mosman IGA and many individuals! Finally, thank you to Julie Gianessini for her beautiful photos which give you just a taste of the fun we had.
The last six months have been our busiest so far. This is a quick run down of just some of the things we’ve been up to.
19 May: Kirsty & Anna from ZESN’s Advisory Group and Ursula attended the breakfast panel with Matt Kean MP, NSW Minister for Energy and Environment and Chris Bowen MP, Shadow Minister for Climate Change and Energy: Climate risks and opportunities ahead. NSW has announced the ‘Energy Infrastructure Roadmap’ for renewable energy and recently announced EV initiatives.
19 May: Second Zero Emissions Schools Network Mosman event, hosted by Mosman Public School, chaired by ZESN, supported by Mosman Council.
21 May: Ann-Charlott, Ursula and local climate group friends joined the School Strike for Climate in Sydney, and tens of thousands of Australians joined in capital cities and towns across Australia, to support a net zero emissions target for Australia.
26 May: Tina from ZESN’s Advisory Group and Ursula supported the North Sydney Conversations launch event: The Climate Crisis: Hard Truths and Reasons for Hope, with author Sarah Wilson, Prof Lesley Hughes, climate scientist and MC Dan Illic. Recording here: https://northsydneyconversations.com.au/2021/04/21/truthsandhope/
1 June: The fourth Mosman Council Climate Action Community Consultative Committee Meeting met to discuss Council’s draft Climate Action Plan – Resilience and Adaptation Strategy, with Mayor Corrigan, Cr Sherlock, Mosman Council team, and community members including Ursula from ZESN. The plan will be presented to Council in July 2021, then released for public consultation.
1 June: Ursula hosted a Climate for Change Conversation with facilitator C4C Carly Robertson leading on effective communications and positive climate action. ZESN volunteers discussed volunteer events and training, with training experts Fay Redmond and Narween Otto helping organise the next events. All welcome to join the Volunteer Events and Training working group.
3 June: Solar My House LIVE in Avalon, in collaboration with Our Blue Dot, hosted by Felix Williamson with Solarpro’s David Veal as our handy solar expert. A sell out, with people turned away at the door.
5 June: Mosman Markets: Lesley, Louise, Fay and the team ran the regular stall at Mosman Markets
5 June: Northern Beaches Simplifying Solar Expo: Ann-Charlott, Harriet and Chris manned a stall at NBC’s first Simplifying Solar Expo. 350 attendees came to sessions on solar and renewable energy, and then came by to chat with us and a range of businesses and organisations involved in sustainability, including SunSpot, the Australian Energy Foundation and the University of NSW School of Photovoltaic and Renewable Energy Engineering.
10 June: The launch of a new rooftop solar system at Pioneer Clubhouse, Balgowlah, attended by 30 guests including Michael Regan, Candy Bingham and Zali Steggall’s chief of staff.
If you’d like to work with us, or if you’d like us to visit your workplace or community group to talk about our activities, please get in touch. And if you’d like to be part of this vibrant community, come on in!
Schools working together is inspiring, as a group of 30 teachers, administrators and students discovered on May 19. Mosman Public School was host for the second meeting of the Zero Emissions Schools Network — Mosman. It was a lively and productive discussion.
Year 5/6 teacher, Kate Leary, and four members of Mosman Public School’s Sustainability Club, presented on their sustainability initiatives. These include rooftop solar and vegetable beds. Then students from the other schools working together gave updates on their own initiatives.
The range of ideas is inspiring: native bee hives, waste-free lunch days, vertical wall gardens, and auditing electricity usage with the Climate Clever app are just a few of the actions students are taking to reduce emissions.
Loani Tierney (Mosman Council) & Kate Leary(Mosman Public School) gave a presentation on worm farms and composting.
Beauty Point Public School will host the third meeting on August 4.
The Zero Emissions Schools Network – Mosman involves all eight schools in Mosman local government area, plus Cammeray Public School in North Sydney. If you are interested in creating a sustainability group at your school or a Zero Emissions Network in your LGA, the Zero Emissions Solutions Schools page has a great range of resources to get you started. Jenni is also available for one-on-one consultations and you can contact her via schools@zeroemissionssolutions.org.au.
