Cultivating a grass roots approach to climate change
CSIRO is seeking volunteers from the Newcastle community to be group convenors and work with a number of small community based networks to discuss energy resources and climate change.
By using community members as leaders in the project, CSIRO hopes to learn about the opinions, behaviours and challenges people face when trying to implement changes to their carbon footprint and energy consumption around the house, workplace and community.
At each stage of the process Energymark groups are supplied with balanced information about energy and climate change, discussion topics, and various activities that provide an opportunity to evaluate current behaviours and develop actions to improve energy use.
CSIRO’s Energy Transformed Flagship has teamed up with Newcastle City Council’s ClimateCam Team to help introduce the new initiative.
Newcastle Lord Mayor, Cr John Tate says Energymark provides Newcastle City Council and CSIRO with a great opportunity to work collaboratively. “We are excited by the opportunity to be national leaders in this challenge,” he says.
Director of the CSIRO Energy Transformed National Research Flagship, Dr John Wright, says education and awareness are vital first steps for the long-term adoption of sustainable energy practices.
“Climate change and the importance of sustainable energy generation are concepts that are now very much a part of public dialogue,” he says.
By building on that knowledge base in the local community the Energymark project will play an important role in working towards environmental sustainability from the grass roots level.
“Newcastle is the headquarters for the Energy Transformed Flagship so I’m very pleased the Energymark research will take place here. The project will provide our residents with the opportunity to take a leadership role in promoting discussion and awareness around energy and climate change.”
To register expressions of interest in being a group convenor or being involved in Energymark interested persons should either: contact Anne-Maree Dowd 07 3327 4468; Anne-Maree.Dowd@csiro.au or go online to register at: http://www.csiro.au/science/EnergymarkTrial.html
CSIRO initiated the National Research Flagships to provide science-based solutions in response to Australia’s major research challenges and opportunities. The nine Flagships form multidisciplinary teams with industry and the research community to deliver impact and benefits for Australia.
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Fast facts
- The launch of a new CSIRO Energy Transformed Flagship initiative called Energymark will provide Newcastle residents with an opportunity to lead the nation in ways to inform and change people’s behaviour regarding climate change
- CSIRO is seeking volunteers from the Newcastle community to be group convenors and work with a number of small community based networks to discuss energy resources and climate change
- By using community members as leaders in the project, CSIRO hopes to learn about the opinions, behaviours and challenges people face when trying to implement changes to their carbon footprint and energy consumption around the house, workplace and community