Projects, Campaigns & Activites

As part of our on-going efforts to promote HOPE’s Charter, we have undertaken a commitment to become involved in, and / or to initiate projects.

2007 Calendar of Events

2006 Highlights

HOPE Annual General Meeting

Secretary / Treasurer’s Report
The preparations for the Clean Up Australia Day activities (27 Feb – 4 March) are well on the way. Already 5 local sites have been registered. Toowoomba City Council, University of Southern Queensland, Sport and Recreation Queensland, Crime Prevention Unit – Toowoomba and several schools have pledged their support / participation. HOPE is pleased to have had a hand in inviting Ian Kiernan, chairman of CUAD, to come Toowoomba on 14 February for the 2007 launch.

HOPE has agreed to take part in the Peace Festival in Warwick on 24th March. We are asking you to volunteer some of your time on that day. You can find more info on  www.peacefestival.org.au. Please phone Frank to discuss your availability.

The management team has further decided that other events for 2007 will include activities for World Environment Day (June), a presentation on Climate Change by Dr. Karey Harrison (USQ) and Toby Hutcheon (QCC), and activities around GM foods for which Bob Phelps (GeneEthics) will be available.

Prior to our management meeting we had another strategic development meeting with Helen Lewis, of Inside Outside Management. It is clear that a lot of work still needs to be done concerning the establishment of a more formal business structure for HOPE. We will have to meet to discuss HOPE’s mission statement, policies, etc. Frank and I went to see an accountant for assistance with the financial side. All help and suggestions are welcome. Thanks to Helen for once again giving freely of her time and expertise to help with our strategic planning activities.

I also wish to give thanks to our local state and federal politicians for their ongoing support through the provision of free photocopying, and to Phil for his donation of envelopes and postage stamps.

From the treasurer’s point of view I have good news. HOPE has received a very generous donation of $5000 to assist with the costs involved with becoming incorporated/a company. The not so good news was that we did not get funding from FRRR for our proposed Workshop Series on Energy Efficiency. We will be looking into other funding options. If anyone has any suggestions and/or experience with writing funding applications please let us know. We’d be grateful for your time and effort! Several other applications are pending, one for a digital camera and one for two additional computers. Fingers crossed!

Enjoy the rest of your summer! Miriam Sharp

Strategic Planning meeting Report
On January 20th 2007, a second strategic planning meeting was held, again facilitated by Helen Lewis of Inside Outside Management (a report on the first meeting was included in the December newsletter). In this second meeting, we revisited the information and ideas that had emerged from the previous meeting, especially our goals for future resources. It had been decided that one of our main aims was to find opportunities to raise HOPE’s public profile and identity, as a means to achieve our other aims. We then looked again at our “forms of production” – in other words, what we have to do to achieve this aim. In the earlier meeting we had come up with seven ideas:

• increased media contact, with HOPE members as advocates
• establishment of more environmental displays, especially in other parts of Qld
• increase in membership
• targeting specific groups to become members/networking
• statewide campaigns
• establishment of a shopfront (in some form)
• formalising HOPE’s structure by incorporation These ideas were tested in the second meeting by running them through a set of “testing guidelines”. Each idea was checked against:
  • Sustainability: If we take this action, will it lead towards the future resource base described in our holistic goal?
  • Cause and Effect: Does this action address the root cause of the problem?
  • Social: Have we considered or addressed any confusion, anger or opposition this action could create with people whose support we need in the future?
  • Financial: Does this action strengthen the weakest link in the chain of production?
  • Energy/Money Source and Use: Is the energy/money to be used in this action derived from the most appropriate course in terms of our holistic goal? Will the way in which the energy or money is to be used lead towards our holistic goal?
  • Society & Culture: Considering all the questions and our holistic goal, how do we feel about this action now?
  • Marginal Reaction: Which action provides the greatest return, in terms of our holistic goal, for the time and money spent?

By questioning everything in this comprehensive way, we were able to prioritise possible actions. Incorporation as an organisation was agreed to be the most important action for a number of reasons, including funding issues and public perception of HOPE. Increasing environmental displays and increasing membership were joint second on the list, followed by targeted membership/networking. A shopfront and increased media contact with members as advocates came next, with the recognition that more work would need to be done before these things could happen. State-wide campaigns came in at the bottom of the list.

The last part of the meeting was a discussion about charging a reasonable membership fee, and what we could offer people in return for that fee. Options for staggered fees were also discussed, including a reduction in return for volunteering services to HOPE. We would like to once again extend our thanks to Helen Lewis for her assistance and expertise. Stephanie Johnson

ECforum

Held: 5 August 2006.
Theme: The Earth Charter Initiative- A pathway to peace, non-violence and sustainability
Message: "The Earth Charter broadens the concept of sustainability, recognizing the indivisible nature and interrelatedness of environmental protection, human rights, social and economic justice, and peace and democracy."
OverviewA one day forum on the Earth Charter Initiative was held in Toowoomba on Saturday 5 August 2006. The venue for the forum was the Allison Dickson Lecture Theatre at the University of Southern Queensland (USQ). Eight speakers, who each donated their time and services, presented papers on the four major principles of the Earth Charter Initiative. There were 24 eager participants in attendance; and although the audience was small in number, the forum was successful for a number of reasons.
Click  here to read the final report. Well done to all who participated.

For more information about the Earth Chater, the forum HOPE held to support it and how YOU can support it, dip into all or some of these documents below.

 The Earth Charter.pdf (425kb)
 Endorse the Earth Charter (31kb)
 Brink Expedition (30kb)
 Cases of the Earth Charter in Motion (263kb)
 Solidarity for a Sustainable Future (Fiona Curtin, Green Cross International).pdf (1431.kb)
 Noel Preston - How can we address inequalities and enhance opportunities for all (45kb)
 Information about the Speakers (44kb)
 Program for HOPE's EC Forum held on 5 August 2006 (44kb)
 Report on EC Forum held on 5 August 2006 (37kb)

Projects

• a) Conduct a series of Information Evenings on the topics as listed below
  • Waste minimisation and management
  • Water conservation
  • Organic (non-toxic) gardening
  • Energy conservation
  • Pest plants and animals
• b) Upgrade Ecology Audit booklet and The HOPE Generator manual
• c) Assisting with the development of a regional waste management strategy
• d) Developing a series of information sheets on:
1. Saving energy in the home.
2. Minimising household waste.
3. Saving money and the environment.
4. Low impact babies and how to be an environmentally friendly parent.
5. Alternative cleaning materials for you and your house.
• e) Develope and then maintain a register of environmental, conservation and like-minded organisations in our region.
• f) Assisting with the development of a recycling and waste exchange guide and register for Toowoomba and its environs.

Campaigns

For the past eleven years, Householder’s Options to Protect the Environment (HOPE) has operated in the Toowoomba area. ‘Now it’s time to take its campaign activities and its message into the rest of Queensland’, says the group’s Convenor, Mr. Frank Ondrus.

•  The Earth Charter
  This document forms the basis of sound, sustainable living – social, economic and environmental – for all. Embracing the Earth Charter shows your support for a way of life that is balanced, at both the personal and global levels.
  Visit the Earth Charter website at:  www.earthcharter.org.au

• Keep Queensland GE free
  Research into the harmful effects of GE foods on humans and the wider environment is inadequate. We simply cannot claim that GE foods cause no harm. HOPE therefore supports the view that GE food and fibre crops should not be given entry into Queensland.
• Supporting the Fresh Water For All campaign
  Despite a petition circulated during 2003 (International Year of Fresh Water) supporting fresh water for all, this fundamental need remains largely unaddressed.
• Promoting Container Deposit Legislation for Queensland
  South Australia has a whole industry based on the recycling and reuse of drink containers – plastic, glass, aluminium, steel and liquid paperboard – dramatically reducing the volume of unnecessary waste going to landfill. Queensland ceased this practice years ago. We need to re-introduce it! (When you trade in those drink bottles; the Alola Foundation will gratefully accept any spare five-cent pieces!)
• Promotion of No Junk Mail Stickers
  Junk mail spilling out of our letterboxes and onto footpaths and gardens is at best an eyesore and at worst a vandal attractant. This problem can easily be addressed by applying a ‘No Junk Mail’ sticker. And landlords, take note, these stickers can make periods of non-occupancy much less obvious.

Promotional Activities

Representatives of HOPE travelled to Caboolture to participate in CREEC's Sustainable Living Fair to celebrate World Environment Day in June. Our information display was well received with dozens of people visiting the HOPE stall and taking advantage of our wide variety of free information.

We found the large attendance very encouraging and were very impressed by the number of young families showing a keen interest in sustainable living. It was also a beaut opportunity for some serious networking as well as being a very enjoyable day.

The picture shows our newly acquired shade tent, display boards, television and VCR courtesy of funding from the Gambling Community Benefit Fund.

Other activities

1. Collection and distribution of used plastic garden pots
2. Collection of used postage stamps (for fundraising purposes of other community groups)
3. Promoting the use of “No Junk Mail” stickers
4. Encouraging home composting & mulching
5. Promoting the benefits of every premises having a rain water tank
6. Promoting the establishment of community focused Recycling Centres - including the use of the Reverse Garbage Truck concept
7. Encouraging food manufacturers and distributors to include recycling logos and message on the labels of packaged foods
8. Liaising with various sectors of the community regarding waste minimisation practices
9. Supporting and promoting recognised environmental calendar events such as World Environment Day and National Biodiversity Month