If you would like to follow the progress of the forming Sydney Coastal Ecovillage, check their website at: www.scev.org

You can catch up with the news, information from overseas ecovillages, and also subscribe to their email newsletter.

The latest issue (No. 4 2009) of Sustainable Development Update (SDU), featuring the interactions between ecological issues and social and economic development, is now available at: http://www.albaeco.com/sdu/

From the Contents:

- Invest in ecosystems to climate-proof vulnerable economies.
- Scientists warn: Compounding crises outrun our ability to deal with them.
- Cost of adapting to climate change much higher than previously thought.
- Editorial: Swedish EU Presidency + biodiversity = music to my ears!
- Sustainability School: Planetary boundaries

SDU focuses on links between ecology, society and the economy. It is produced by Albaeco, an independent non-profit organisation, in cooperation with the Stockholm Resilience Centre at Stockholm University; the Beijer International Institute of Ecological Economics; the Resilience Alliance; and the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI). It is produced with support from Sida, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.

The latest two issues of Between the Lines from The Australia Institute - https://www.tai.org.au/ - are ATTACHED

In the contents:

090921
1. Electricity and pricing signals …
2. … How is our behaviour affected?
3. The Australian home: a sacred site for tax policy?
4. The slippery slope of the war on terror

090928 - The Equity Edition
1. Does the Rudd Government deserve a tick for its stimulus package?
2. Could you live on $228 a week? How Australia compares with the rest of the world
3. What about when businesses go belly-up? Guaranteeing workers’ entitlements
4. Fat cat payouts

Between the Lines 090921
Between the Lines 090928

How bizarre! Could hook-worm infections guard against the rising tide of asthma and dust-mite allergies? See: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8268584.stm

[Thanks to John H for the link.]

Two coloured fleeces for sale - $12 each - one silver grey and one black - shorn last Saturday and completely free of grass seeds or burrs and  very good quality - suitable for spinning  or felting or whatever.

To inspect or for all enquiries, ring Cam or Anne W  - 8557 6281 or 0431 922 072

The latest issue of the journal “Small Talk” from the Adelaide and Mount Lofty Natural Resources Management Board is ATTACHED. While primarily directed at farmers and rural land managers, it contains a lot of useful information on environmental matters in our region.

[Thanks to Jane O’Connell for sending it on. Jane also has the paper version.]
Small Talk_Spring_09

Thanks to Jane O’C, our super Secretary, the draft Minutes of the Community AGM held on Sunday 13 September have been completed and are now posted on the website:

a) On the Minutes page of the “Members Only” Section at:
http://www.aaev.net/page146/minutes/index.html [First item]

and b) Under “By-Laws etc” in the public section, as required by law, at:
http://www.aaev.net/about/by-laws_etc/index.html [Third item]

Just a reminder about the call for folks interested in learning about beekeeping:

Bees are vital to our food production here in the Village and yet we hardly give them a thought. Ever pondered life without bees? Ever wanted to know more about this amazing creature?

Chris Worsman is hoping to hear from you to set up an interest group. Don’t forget to let her know if you would like to be included - or even just kept in the loop.

Chris W - Phone 0414 900 399 - 15 Kennedia Walk (Lot 134)

How much of the food you buy each week ends up in the rubbish bin? According to Tristram Stuart, the author of a soon-to-be-released book on food waste, Australians throw out about $8billion worth of edible food, or 13 percent of what we buy - and Americans are even more wasteful. What a scandalous waste! Read more at:
http://opaleye.blogspot.com/2009/09/waste-not-want-not.html

Here’s an interesting article (ATTACHED) from the latest (Sept/Oct 09) issue of “EcoGeneration” - www.ecogeneration.com.au - outlining how the huge masses of peach stones from the Goulburn valley canning industry are now to be directed into a biomass energy generation system. Thanks to Sue E who sent in the article with a comment about collecting our stone-fruit stones to add to mallee coppicing as a future local bioenergy source.
Peach power

A reminder to owners of vacant lots:

We have just passed the cut-off date for the second slash of the season (14 September) so, if you have not yet made arrangements to slash your lot, please do so now as the NEC slashing program is getting under way.

The Works Team will proceed on the basis of instructions received for the previous slash at the end of July. If you want to change your instructions, please notify the Team as soon as possible.

A copy of the original Block Slashing notice is ATTACHED for reference.

Queries and bookings for slashing or use of equipment to Cam Waters on 0431 922 072 or home: 8557 6281

Cam W - for NEC
090713 BLOCKSLASH

Thanks to John T and John H for gathering up and cashing in our accumulated drink bottles, cans and some scrap metal. Their efforts have added $86 to the Village Savings Fund, which now stands at $2,111.

There have been a number of confirmed and suspected cases of whooping cough (Pertussis) in the Village.  This is a very contagious and unpleasant disease (as those who have had it will tell you!).  The Chinese call it the 100 day cough for good reason. About 1 in 200 babies who get whooping cough before they are 6 months old will die from the infection.

Appropriate diagnosis and treatment with the correct antibiotic will limit the time a person is infectious to about 5 days, otherwise it is 3 weeks. Vaccination for whooping cough is not life long and adults should consider vaccination – both to protect themselves and the more vulnerable in our community.

Vaccination is available at GP Plus, Aldinga Beach, on Thursday 9.30am - 11.30am. For adults, it costs $32 per person, and the clinic requests you call ahead to let them know you are coming in.

For information about whooping cough, see:
http://www.cyh.sa.gov.au/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=114&np=303&id=1851#5

[Thanks to Jane O’Connell for the alert.]

Hello all, We’re pleased to let you all know that our beautiful new website website: http://www.friendsofportwillunga.com is now live. Friends of Port Willunga Committee

Thanks to Brad Nott for sending in the ATTACHED press release about new research from the French Agency for Food Safety (AFSSA) showing that organic foods are more nutritious than their conventional counterparts. The debate rumbles on but it seems there is increasing evidence in favour of organics!
Organics more nutritious

Below FYI is a quick summary of the outcomes of Sunday’s AGM. Please note that these are not official Minutes, which are still to come, and any errors at this stage are entirely mine.

Elizabeth H.

1. The Community AGM, held at the Bowling Club on Sunday 13 September, achieved a quorum and the meeting proceeded as planned.

2. The Draft Minutes of the 2008 AGM were confirmed

3. Richard Clampett, as Presiding Officer, gave a brief report, concentrating on acknowledgements to the 2008-09 Officers and Coordinators.

4. Special Projects were presented for voting on the forms provided

5. Treasurer's Report and Budget:
5.1 The Annual Accounts for 2008-09 were accepted.
5.2 The Base Budget for 2009-10 was presented

6. Budget 2009-10:
6.1 The proposed Base Budget for 2009-10 was accepted
6.2 The motion to set levies at the same level in dollar terms as last year was lost. An alternative motion to allow levies to rise by 5% (approximating the CPI rise) was carried.
6.3 All special projects were provisionally approved, based on the number of strike-outs being less than 37 (i.e., being less than 25% of all eligible voters). Project priority rankings are still being tallied from strike-outs plus specific rankings indicated on the voting papers. MC is delegated to apply these rankings to give the go-ahead to specific projects, acknowledging there will be only modest project funding this year.
6.4 The motion authorising MC to manage and reallocate funds between budget line items as necessary during the year was carried.

7. General Community Resolutions:
7.1 The motion seeking approval for a wood-fired stove in the house to be built on Lot 83 was lost.
7.2 The motion clarifying the terms by which WWTP volunteers are compensated was carried.
7.3 - 7.7 These motions were withdrawn in view of the outcome of voting for 7.2.
7.8 The Community House Design Brief as presented was accepted as version 1 of the Official Design Brief.
7.9 The motion to change the by-laws to allow the use of PVC-U in dwellings was lost.
7.10 The motion to change the by-laws to increase the level of compulsory water storage by lot owners was withdrawn for re-presentation at the next General Meeting. The wording of the resolution will be changed to ensure it is not retrospectively applicable to existing dwellings.
7.11 The motion to change the by-laws to prohibit wood-fired heating and cooking systems was carried.
7.12 The motion to change the by-laws to prohibit external aerials for the purposes of receiving or distributing services that could be provided by the Community communications infrastructure was carried.
7.13 The motion to establish a Works Maintenance Group was carried.
7.14 The motion seeking endorsement of two principles to inform a design brief for an Environmental Education Centre on the Farm was split to allow voting on each principle separately. Both were carried.

Election of Office Bearers for 2009-10:
Presiding Officer - Bradley Nott
Secretary - Jane O'Connell
Treasurer - Rick Davies
Deputy Presiding Officer - Under consideration by Ray Mines pending the outcome of the Governance Special Project proposal
Building Development Coordinator - Adrian Oakey and Michael Vawser jointly
Natural Environment Coordinator - Jill Wilson
Community Development Coordinator - Jacqui Good assisted by Gillian Clampett
Communications Coordinator - Elizabeth Heij
Works Maintenance Coordinator - Andy Coe
Arts and Cultural Coordinator - Kat Worth and Sue Gebhardt jointly
Farm Coordinator - Bradley Nott and Cam Waters
Governance Coordinator - Under consideration by Ray Mines pending the outcome of the Governance Special Project proposal
Heart of the Village Coordinator - Kevin Chan (Kevin will concentrate on progressing the Community Centre, and a project champion will be needed to progress work on existing buildings in Market Street.)

Hi everyone,

I need newspaper for use as an innovative building render on our new Village home.

If you can donate your old newspapers, please put them into the 44-gallon drum provided at the front of Lot 99 at the end of Clematis Walk (9 Clematis Walk).

Thanks - Danny Filmer - Ph: 0407 971 290

Hi All
 
If you are not already subscribed, you might be interested in the current version of the Zero Waste SA newsletter Rewords - it's available online at:
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs069/1102051918980/archive/1102658296765.html
 
You can also read previous issues at: http://zerowaste.sa.gov.au/About.mvc/Rewords
 
If you'd like to be sent regular updates from Zero Waste SA, you might like to subscribe to Rewords at: http://zerowaste.sa.gov.au/About.mvc/Rewords
 
Cheers - Sharon Ede, Project Officer, Zero Waste SA 

Broadband promised to unite the world with super-fast data delivery - but in South Africa it seems the web is still no faster than a humble pigeon. Read more at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/8248056.stm

[Thanks to John H for the link.]

Questions from the village regarding the wetland proposal to be presented at the AGM have been presented to Consultant Barrie Ormsby for comment.

EVAPORATION CONCERN
A study done on evaporation involving Hindmarsh Island, where conditions are windy ,cool and vegetation sparse verses Loxton with a hot dry climate. Conclusion to this study revealed the cooler, windy site had greater evaporation than than the hotter site.

Barrie indicated wind was probably the village’s main source of moisture loss.

Solutions: Reduction in pond surface area and shelter the water with wind breaks and aquatic plantings. The cooling effect of tall trees would be beneficial.

GROUND WATER
Village soil profile consists of shallow red brown loam over limestone and judging by the pits dug out for in-ground water tanks, a clay layer at about 2m down. It is in the clay layer that the ground water is stored and at that depth large trees benefit.

By reducing the size of the ponds a greater seepage occurs as well as producing surface water for biodiversity and the wetland design is a self flushing system with the overflow dispersing through the landscape via the swale drainage both moisturizing and nourishing the surrounding land.

DAMS VERSES WETLAND
Dams (Reference, Peter Andrews, Back from the Brink, Chapter 25): Shallow dams are an inefficient way to store water and "conventional dams fail badly in terms of water quality". Dam water is designed to be collected in a large bowl thereby becoming static and produces a " fertility sink", with increased nutrients, oxygen is removed from the water causing a dead zone( Andrew Thomas Onkaparinga wetland supervisor). This phenomenon causes die back, restricts biodiversity and algae infestation a possible outcome. With the wetland system, water is flushed across the landscape in imitation of ancient natural water courses, taking moisture and nutrients over a large area and forming a living ecosystem.

The Project aim is for an attractive landscape, better habitat by increasing biodiversity, both terrestrial and aquatic.

Maria B - Ph: 8556 6340

For those interested in keeping up with the renewable energy scene, Michael V has sent in the ATTACHED update of the Renewable Energy Target (RET) regulations in light of new legislation passed recently.
RET Regulations Update

ATTACHED is an article to get us thinking about the role of our Village ponds. It features an innovative (but not necessarily aesthetic) solution to water evaporating from ponds - something to think about if we are serious about retaining some water in the ponds for use over summer!

Are our ponds storm-water holding vessels? or is their purpose to slow down water flow in order to retain local soil moisture for longer periods? (and if so, is a 'pond' the way to go, considering that evaporation via wind and sun is significant and ways to slow down evaporation can be ugly)....I'm sure there must be a permaculture solution ....

Tricia O’D.
Reducing evaporation

Hi everyone,

The results of the recent Community House survey have now been processed into a first-version Design Brief to take us forward in the planning process after the AGM.

It is posted in the Members section of the Community Website under “GM Information” at:
http://www.aaev.net/page146/gm_materials/index.html (last item on list; 2.5 MB)
or directly at:
http://www.aaev.net/page146/gm_materials/files/Community_House_Brief_1.pdf

The appendices are available upon request (but most are already on the website).

And apologies for the lateness of this item in relation to the AGM. The survey results have only just been processed.

Kevin C - for the Community House Design Team

We now have our very own web resource of Aldinga native plants. It includes a photographic gallery of species for quick recognition, and an “e-book” of species notes and photographs.

The gallery at:
http://www.aaev.net/management/nec/native_plants/local_flora/index.html
presents photographs as an initial aid to recognising species. Each small photograph is labelled with the botanical name and, if you hover the cursor over it, the common name as well. In addition, if you click on the picture, a larger image is presented.

In the text at the top of the gallery page is a link to the e-book file “Indigenous Plants at AAEV”, which is posted on the NEC Documents page at:
http://www.aaev.net/management/nec/nec_documents/index.html
In the e-book, pages of information on species are hyperlinked to the species names in an index table to make reference quick and easy.

All of the plants are from our Vegetation Guidelines for common land areas and the e-book particularly is intended to make it easier for people to know what our local plants look like; what uses they may have for people, birds and animals; and where you can buy them.  The information is not expert knowledge but is very specific to my experience of growing these plants on the Village site along with information that I have gleaned from growers.  This knowledge will of course grow for all of us over time, as will our plants.  Most of the photos are taken in the Village to demonstrate what is doing well here and there are also some tips about their care.
 
While we are at the end of the planting season, it has been such a great winter that there is still time to plant - remembering though that you will need to water and care for your plants over summer.  NEC invites you to inspect your mound, consider which plants you might like to buy from the list on the web, and then:

• Send a list to Jenni McGlennon by email before September 30
• Purchase up to 10 plants from one of the growers listed in the directory  - they will be $1.50 - $2.50 if they are tubestock size
• If you would like reimbursement, leave the receipt on Jenni & Wayne’s front porch, 3 Olearia Walk in the plastic container.

Remember that if you want to plant out an area of common land that is not currently planted then you will need to fill out a Common Land Application Form.  The above offer is for areas that have already been planted but have gaps, which is mostly mounded areas.

This is possibly the first winter since the Village landscaping began where we have had moisture down into the subsoil, so lets celebrate it! 

Enquiries to Jenni McGlennon - 8556 5227 or email

UnitCare Services, our Body Corporate Managers, are moving to new premises this Friday 4 September.

New Business Address: 52 Fullarton Road, Norwood
New Mailing Address: PO Box 4040, Norwood South, SA 5067
New Phone: 8333 5200
Web: www.unitcare.com.au

There has never been a more important time to save energy. Not only is it becoming more vital with every passing year to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions, but the rising price of energy is adding to the pain of households already hit by the Global Financial Crisis.

The new, just launched, CSIRO Energy Saving Handbook shows us exactly what we can all do as individuals to cut our energy use without cutting back on our lifestyles. It is possible to be eco-friendly, save money and be just as comfortable!

For more details and ordering information see:
http://www.panmacmillan.com.au/display_title.asp?ISBN=9781405039611&Author=Wright,%20Osman%20and%20Ashworth