seasons greetings

 Seasons greetings from the Boonah Organisation for a Sustainable Shire. 

We wish you all the best for the festive season, and hope that you also consider that our planet needs our Christmas wishes too.

The season can be challenging, with Christmas feasting and gift giving. 

Most of us won’t be feeding fifty people, so think about how much food is really required, reduce your food waste and get creative with your leftovers.

It's the thought that counts with giving, and the personal touch makes any gift more meaningful and memorable. With a little planning, you can give more without taking from the planet and spending less.

Consider your presence instead of presents or experiences instead of things.

Think of gifts that are meaningful, useful and fun, and in the process, try to shop locally and support local individuals and small business. Remember, when you spend $100 at a local business, on average 58% more of your money stays in your community compared to spending that $100 at a multinational store.

Perhaps a voucher for a massage or dinner, creative workshops or yoga classes, maybe some good quality tools, a vegie garden, fruit trees, or build that chook pen. 

Local wines, artwork, or natural cosmetics, or support a charity where you can find everything from T shirts to tea on the online shops of Amnesty International, Oxfam, Greenpeace, or the Wilderness Society. 

For the kids, a trip to Wet and Wild; a voucher from dad to read bedtime stories or play in the sand pit; a quality head torch; vouchers to the movies; good quality children’s construction kits or art materials like paints paper and clay or playdough. What about helping them to repair and repaint the old bicycle instead of buying another one. Spend time with them. Do some special cooking together. 

There are so many options which are kinder to our Earth. 

Enjoy your time with family and friends.







Please save the date for our 2018 Boonah World Environment Day Festival – Saturday 21 July. It will again be jam-packed with awesome artisan stalls, the best wholesome food, free creative workshops, native wildlife, live entertainment and loads of displays, demonstrations and information to support a sustainable lifestyle.







Keep up to date with us via our Facebook page at

AGM

our AGM is scheduled for sunday 29 october, to be held in the activities building in the boonah primary school.

if you are interested in nominating for a committee position, please complete the  nomination form which can be downloaded from here, and return via email to the secretary by wednesday 25 october. nominations must be from current financial members.

everyone is welcome. 

please arrive at 2.30 for a 3.00 start where we'll hear from our subcommittees and conduct the election for executive positions.

please bring a plate to share and let us know by email if you are coming. tea and coffee provided.



 

 

 

community clothes swap

Coming up next on our calendar is our celebration for National Recycling Week with our annual Community Clothes Swap at the Cultural Centre on Saturday 4 November between 9am and 1pm.

Held simultaneously with the Cultural Foundation's Bookfest, another great recycling event, the Clothes Swap includes women’s, men’s and children’s clothing, shoes and accessories. 

If you bring along some clothes, shoes or accessories to participate, then it's free to swap, or otherwise, only a gold coin donation to buy. There's no limits - bring along some stuff, and you're free to take away what you desire.

Upcycled bags will be available to purchase, and there'll be displays and demonstrations of some great upcycled textile ideas. 


Clothes Swaps promote the perks of reuse and recycling and are great for the environment, but they’re also a fun and interactive way to refresh your wardrobes and cleanse your collections for free, making it a budget-friendly alternative to buying new.

Swapping just one suitcase (20kg) of clothes saves enough energy to run a TV non-stop for 1.7 years.

We invite people to participate and bring along a few items to swap, or just come and talk to us and learn more about the broader theme of minimising waste.

As well as the focus on clothes, it's a great opportunity to bring along things which BOSS collects for recycling initiatives, which include

• mobile phones and accessories for the mobile muster
• corks and household batteries for recycling
• old plastic store cards to be upcycled into guitar picks
• bras and swimmers for project uplift
• household batteries
• fabric for bags and other crafts, including tablecloths, tshirts, curtains and sheets.

We’ll also have information there on recent innovations in recycling, including toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes, and other cleaning and beauty product packaging, soft plastics and ewaste, plus info on the upcoming single use plastic bag ban and the container deposit scheme.

check out our facebook event here

what a great day we had

Boonah’s annual World Environment Day Festival was again a marvellous success, and perhaps best summed up by a Boonah local who said “World Environment Day Festival at the Outlook in Boonah - open for all and everyone, young or old, to celebrate, and what a great day it was. 

Just when you think it can't get any better or more creative it does, so keep shining bright and digging for new ideas. 

If you've never been, make sure you get there next year because it's your loss, So many creative beings from our local community or afar with ideas you may have never dreamed of doing to help save our beautiful planet.”

Thanks Chris - awesome feedback :)


From the fabulous impromptu tribal dancing with the drumming circle, the brilliant enviro poetry, great entertainment, awesome displays, demonstrations and artisan stalls, fabulous wholesome food, the terrific support to Stop Adani, to the Vomitor in action, the connection made with our indigenous people and lively participation in the creative workshops, the whole day was truly tremendous and organisers are very happy with the result.

Visitors came from all over South East Queensland and beyond, and left with high praise for what they experienced, and their new knowledge to make a difference in their every day actions.

We thank everyone who were involved, including all our supporters, participants, visitors, and especially our volunteers who contributed so much to the success of the day.


We'd love you to complete our online survey to hear your feedback and ideas for the future.


 

so, what can you expect to see and do ?

Celebrating all things for a sustainable lifestyle, Boonah's World Environment Day Festival is jam-packed with innovative artisan stalls, informative displays and demonstrations; native wildlife and free creative workshops; loads of quality food and local organic produce, plants, a huge multi prize raffle, live entertainment and practical and fun vintage and upcycled wares. 

This is a plastic bag free event, so please BYO bags or purchase one of the many available there.

All 'disposable' crockery and cutlery used is 100% compostable, made from cornstarch, sugarcane bagasse and bamboo. Look for the organics bins for these and any food waste.

Entry is via a gold coin donation.

 

So, what can you do on the day ? 

 

• Experience a moving traditional acknowledgement ceremony.
• Choose from the wonderland of original designs created by eco-artists from materials normally destined for landfill - combining recycling and imagination to create practical and beautiful bespoke homewares and artwork, jewellery, bags and clothing.
• See guitars created from hubcaps and petrol tanks, bunting made from grain bags and baling twine, mail boxes and garden ornaments from old gas bottles and garden tools, and loads more.
• Buy from a range of environmentally friendly stalls stocking reusable products like shopping and produce bags, water bottles and keep cups.
• Get a discount on your coffee when you use your keep cup.
• View the Guarding the Galilee documentary.
• Get your portrait drawn
• Check out the Batmobile with Bat Rescue and Conservation QLD
• Learn how to make natural skincare and cleaning products.
• Interact with the Australian Bush Buddies native wildlife.
• Watch Gypsy Caravan tribal dancers.
• Hear a bush poet.
• Watch recycled artwork being created from old shovels, cross beams and ceramic insulators.
• Have a go with the junk orchestra.
• See plastic waste weaving.
• Tie dye a tshirt.
• Join the African drumming circle.
• See the thousand flower community made Flowers of the Fassifern tree jumper.
• Choose a spoon ring, and watch it being made.
• Watch spinners and weavers.
• Learn about the Days for Girls project.
• Learn from the Scenic Rim Wildlife group
• Watch the famous Vomitor in action - it's the pinnacle of upcycled art.
• Contribute to the nature based community poem.
• Learn about composting, worm farming, wicking beds, aquaponics and permaculture.
• See a koala up close.
• Learn about native and introduced fish from the Fresh Water Fishing and Stocking Association
• Hang out in the tepee
• Buy some plants and some alpaca poo for your garden.
• Get lucky in the multi prize raffle.
• Relax in the community cafe with delicious food while listening to local original musicians.
• Stock up on fresh local produce.
• See lots of alternatives to plastic - it can be done.

 

You can see the list of fabulous prizes in the multi draw raffle here, and full details of the festival program here.

 

festival program

Main Stage
  9.45     Traditional Acknowledgment Ceremony with Douglas James
10.00     Official Opening with Dr June Perkins
10.30     Fassifern Gymnastics Club Acro Display
11.00     Kylie and Kym
11.45     Fleur Wade
12.15     Ian Gasking Bush Poet
12.45     Raffle Draw One
  1.00     Rob and Jo
  1.45     Raffle Draw Two
  2.00     African Drumming with Elliot Orr from Talkin' the Drum
  2.30     Gypsy Caravan Tribal Tigers
  3.00     African Drumming with Elliot Orr from Talkin' the Drum


Workshops
Junk Orchestra       10.30 - 12.00    
Native Wildlife        11.00 - 12.00
Magic Tie Dye          12.00 -  2.00     
African Drumming     2.00 - 2.30  and 3.00 - 3.30
Community Poetry    9.00 - 3.00


Documentary Screening
Guarding the Galilee     11.30, 12.30 and 1.30     IT Room


Demonstrations
Live Art Treasure from Trash
Spinning and Weaving
Natural Cleaning and Skincare Products
Spoon Ring Making
Plastic Waste Weaving



You can see the list of prizes in the multi draw raffle here, and details here of what to expect to see and do on the day.

world environment day festival multi prize raffle

 

with sincere thanks to our marvellous festival supporters, here is the list of the wonderful prizes in this year's multi prize raffle to be drawn at the event.

with over $1,500 in prize value, tickets are $2 or three for $5


Mt Barney Lodge Homestead Haven Midweek Stay

Terina Smith Sculpture (hand made on the day)

  Fassifern Gymnastics Club Term Pass

  Maynard’s Store $100 Gift Voucher for Bamboo Products

Gleneden Family Farm Working Bullock Team Family Pass

  Jim Ryan’s Unique Recycled Mail Box 

Colchameleon Designs Plasma Cut Shovel

One Hour Massage from Marina's Massage

BOSS Local Produce Hamper
 
Bunjurgen Estate Vineyard Gift Pack  

Tie Dye Magic Handmade Fair Trade Felted Bag

Scenic Rim Lavender Gift Pack

 Stuart Olver ‘The Scenic Rim’ Book

Lorenzo Noosa Artisan’s Whale Tail Bangle

 Cambodia Bags Upcycled Bag
  

 The Shed Gift Basket

Knitting Nannas against Gas Upcycled Feedbag Nanna Bag

Ferrol Critter Creation
 

Pinkle and Co Prize
 

Bee J Natural Beeswax Products Gift Pack

Our Goat Soap Gift Basket

Magic Fish Dreaming Book and Bag

Janine Gibson Upcycled Original Tea Bag Art

 

Scenic Rim Soul Food Lunch Pack

Far Outdoors LUCI Solar Light

          Scenic Rim eXpresso Giftpack

 The Clean Living Clinic DIY Chemical Free Deodorant Kit

 

Scenic Rim Aqua Fitness Centre Entry Passes

David Bland Picture Framing $50 Gift Voucher

      David Bland Clock Repairs $50 Gift Voucher 

Scenic Rim Wildlife Australian Wildlife booklet

 BOSS Calico Bag

Fresh Water Fishing and Stocking Association of QLD Fishing Lures

Anna's Mobile Coffee 2 x Extra Large Hot or Cold Drinks

5 x doTERRA Wild Orange Essential Oils
(to be drawn separately throughout the day)

 

 

you can read about all the fun things to see and do here,  and full details of the festival program here.

world environment day festival participants

celebrating all things sustainable, this year's festival will again showcase fabulous free creative workshops, informative displays and demonstrations, innovative artisan stalls, and great food and local live entertainment.

this is a plastic bag free event.



you can also head over to facebook to keep up with what's happening at the event.

here's what we know so far about the day:

free creative workshops
junk orchestra
African drumming with Elliot Orr talkin' the drum
native wildlife with the Australian bush buddies
tie dye magic
community poetry with june perkins

Film Screening
guarding the galilee 11.30, 12.30 and 1.30


displays and demonstrations
Colchameleon design
Terina Smith Recycling Artist
Days for Girls
the clean living clinic
ready steady thermixing
spinning and weaving
plastic waste weaving

food stalls
pots of produce
scenic rim soulfood
scenic rim eXpresso
cuppalicious coffee
anna's mobile coffee
BOSS cake stall
BOSS slow food stall

artisan stalls
Cambodia recycled bags
scenic rim lavender
the shed 
kooroomba gully
Lorenzo spoon artisan
ferrol critter creations
empress tea
JASZ flowers
jim's unique letterboxes
eagle originals
pinkle and co
stuart olver's "the scenic rim"
doTERRA

eco stalls
far outdoors
tanks-a-lot-mate
the clean living clinic
ready steady thermixing
scenic rim trail
scenic rim regional council
magic fish dreaming


produce stalls
pamela's kitchen
greenlee farm
BOSS plant stall
gleneden family farm

community groups
Boonah scout group with their tepee
knitting nanna's against gas
keep the scenic rim scenic mini galilee basin
bat conservation and rescue QLD
Ipswich koala protection society
scenic rim wildlife

main stage entertainment
douglas james aboriginal culture traditional acknowledgment
fassifern gymnastics club acrobatic performance
kylie castle and kym carson
fleur wade
rob and jo
drumming with Elliot Orr talkin' the drum
Gypsy Caravan Tribal Tigers Dance

our community tree jumper project

we're making a tree jumper and everyone is welcome to participate.

our creative subcommittee, the Thursday night creatives, together with lots of helpers are currently making hundreds of flowers crafted from tshirts

making the flowers is a simple process, and just involves a gathering thread, and a few extra stitches to form the rose. no great sewing ability is required.

we aim to have all the flowers made by May when we’ll start sewing them onto fabric in readiness to make it into the tree jumper.

everyone is welcome to join the Thursday Night Creative Group to learn the process.

there's sessions at the Boonah Library on Tuesday March 21 between 10am and 12 noon, and new ones scheduled for April 18, and May 2 and 16, as well as at The Shed on Snunday April 16. We’ll have kits of tshirt pieces, needle and thread ready to go.

the project needs many adult sized tshirts and we’d be most grateful for any donations.

the community tree jumper will adorn a tree or two at this year’s World Environment Day Festival scheduled for July 15, before going to the Jumpers and Jazz Festival. 

if you'd like to get involved by making flowers or donating tshirts, just send us an email or phone Janine on 0458 108 100 or Julie on 0435 992 798.

The Thursday Night Creative group has been meeting since before June 2016, sewing bunting, screen printing tshirts and painting signs for last year’s World Environment Day Festival which was sadly cancelled due to the forecast horrendous weather.

The group meets at the pavilion in the Boonah Showgrounds at the bottom of Oliver Street every Thursday evening between 6pm and 8pm.

check out the recycling register

our online recycling register has been updated with loads of new opportunities to recycle weird and wonderful things that would normally go to landfill.

check it out online, and remember if you do know of any new initiatives that belong on the register, we would love to hear from you.