people's food plan community forum

as part of a broad community engagement process, please come and hear about and contribute to the people's food plan, by the people and for the people.

 

the people's food plan is a grassroots vision for the kind of food system we want.

 

A healthy food system is one that:

• feeds all people well
• looks after all food producers
• nurtures the land and water from which food is produced

at the moment, the health of our food system is under threat from environmental, political, social and economic factors. in september and october, the australian food sovereignty alliance is organising ordinary australians to gather together to discuss the values and priorities for the creation of a fair, healthy food system.

we are holding a forum in boonah and we'd love you to join us to share your experiences, thoughts and ideas.

the forum will be held at unit 7 at the outlook, 4001 boonah ipswich road, boonah from 6.30pm, thursday 25 october. light refreshments will be served.

for more information and to register, please email julie or phone 0435 992 798.

the discussion draft is available online for your reference.



rich land wasteland & bimblebox

author sharyn munro is including boonah and beaudesert in her travels talking about her book rich land wasteland. sharyn will talk about her harrowing investigation into how coal is killing australia. 

we'll also be screening bimblebox the documentary which explores the huge Australian coal export industry.

boonah event
where: unit 7, the outlook, 4001 boonah ipswich road, boonah
when:   6.30pm thursday 13 september
entry:   gold coin donation
with:     light refreshments

beaudesert event
where: the centre, brisbane street, beaudesert
when:  6.30pm friday 14 september
entry:  gold coin donation
with:    light refreshments
see www.richlandwasteland.com.au and www.bimblebox.org for more info on the book and documentary.

signed copies of the book, and DVDs will be available for purchase at the events.

please contact julie via email or phone 0435 992 798 with any queries.

enviro arts workshops

here's some great creative workshops for september, october and november.

megan bayliss from the junk wave will be running a bag weaving master class teaching participants how to create handbags woven from plastic food packaging. this workshop will be held on saturday october 27 from 9.30am to 2.30pm.

it's $60 or $50 if you register with a friend. see the junk wave page for more info.

start collecting any plastic food packaging like chip and lolly packets. even if you can't come, we'd love to have your packaging and save it from landfill.

bec andersen will be running a rug making workshop teaching participants to weave rugs from old fabrics and tshirts. this workshop is scheduled for saturday november 24.

the workshop is $80 or $60 with an early bird registration by 30 october.

more info coming soon, or email Julie now with your expression of interest to attend.

in september we'll be at the boonah library running some free fun workshops for kids for the spring school holiday live green program.

krys and melinda belfield's workshop will be decorating CDs to create fridge magnets on tuesday 2 october from 10am - 11am.
sally hart's workshop will be on thursday 27 september from 2pm - 3pm. sally's still working out what she will do, but it will be fun.

see the council website for more information on the full live green library program. register directly with the boonah library on 5463 4289 or via email.

boonah's anti-fracking day of action

It's world anti-fracking day on Saturday July 28 and we’re marking it in Boonah.

As people gather across the world for Anti-Fracking Day, Boonah’s holding an event with live music and lots of information to raise awareness of the impacts of coal and coal seam gas mining, and of course fracking.

Organised by the Boonah Organisation for a Sustainable Shire (BOSS) with subcommittee Keep the Scenic Rim Scenic, secretary Julie Jackson invites members of the community to come along and participate in this peaceful day of action in the Council Forecourt in Boonah’s High Street.

“There’s lots happening in our region and Saturday morning provides a good opportunity to show your support and find out about upcoming events and activities.”

“People can learn about how to get involved in our planned Coal and CSG Free Community Declarations, Linda Weston’s 100km Walk against Coal and Gas and find out more about the potential Croftby open cut coal mine.”

“Live music will feature our talented local musicians performing original enviro pop and folk songs such as Pound of Plastic, The Value of Money, and Clean Air by Eat them Like Apples, and Save our Scenic Rim by Linda Weston and Cameron Mitchell.”

“It’s our way of recognising Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon’s recently launched Artists against Fracking, an initiative of musicians, actors and other celebrities to build awareness of the destructive effects of fracking.”

Coal Seam Gas company Arrow Energy has already used the controversial 'hydraulic fracture' or fracking process near Beaudesert and within 100m of the Logan River – the Beaudesert region’s town water supply and a supply which will soon be linked to the main South East Queensland water grid - so that's the drinking water for Brisbane, the Gold Coast and many built-up areas in between.

Fracking - a process used to help release difficult to extract coal seam gas - is controversial because of the chemicals used in the process, as well as its potential to contaminate underground water supplies. Worldwide, many countries have banned or put on hold the fracking process until it can be shown to be safe.

“Our objectives are the same: let's put the science first and safeguard our precious water supplies.”

sunday's community tree planting

Boonah is celebrating National Tree Day with a community tree planting at the Helen Houghton Reserve on Sunday July 29, starting at 9am.

Arranged by the Boonah Organisation for a Sustainable Shire (BOSS) together with Bob and the Houghton family, BOSS secretary Julie Jackson invites members of the community to participate.

“Everyone’s welcome to get involved and plant a tree. It will be a lovely day to get outside and enjoy the winter sunshine in our environment. We’ll be extending on the plantings which so many people were involved in at last year’s official opening. People are also welcome to donate trees as long as they are native, hardy and frost tolerant.”

“After the work is done, we’ll be providing a delicious morning tea to thank participants and allow them to relax and catch up with friends. The morning tea will be over the road at the Organic Shed which will be open and selling organic produce.”

“We thank the Scenic Rim Regional Council who are providing some of the trees, and would also like to recognize the support of Joe Wild and Greening Australia.”

Last year, BOSS was instrumental in working with Council on behalf of the community to have the site named in Helen’s honour.

 “It’s a fitting tribute to Helen’s commitment to the environment and a way to preserve her memory into the future.”

The official opening was celebrated with a naming ceremony, community planting and morning tea on National Tree Day.

Helen was a staunch environmentalist, keen bushwalker, teacher, active member of many community groups and contributor to many community endeavours. In 2008 Helen was diagnosed with cancer and after a brave struggle, passed away in 2009. 

For many years, Helen was involved with the Duke of Edinburgh Scheme in clearing weeds and planting trees at the site, which is situated just outside Boonah on the southern side of the Dugandan Bridge

Every year BOSS conducts a community planting day with the intention to offset carbon emissions created in other activities during the year. These community planting days are now held annually on National Tree Day.

coal and CSG free communities

boonah's anti-fracking day of action

It's world anti-fracking day on Saturday July 28 and we’re marking it in Boonah.

As people gather across the world for Anti-Fracking Day, Boonah’s holding an event with live music and lots of information to raise awareness of the impacts of coal and coal seam gas mining, and of course fracking.

Organised by the Boonah Organisation for a Sustainable Shire (BOSS) with subcommittee Keep the Scenic Rim Scenic, secretary Julie Jackson invites members of the community to come along and participate in this peaceful day of action in the Council Forecourt in Boonah’s High Street.

“There’s lots happening in our region and Saturday morning provides a good opportunity to show your support and find out about upcoming events and activities.”

“People can learn about how to get involved in our planned Coal and CSG Free Community Declarations, Linda Weston’s 100km Walk against Coal and Gas and find out more about the potential Croftby open cut coal mine.”

“Live music will feature our talented local musicians performing original enviro pop and folk songs such as Pound of Plastic, The Value of Money, and Clean Air by Eat them Like Apples, and Save our Scenic Rim by Linda Weston and Cameron Mitchell.

“It’s our way of recognising Yoko Ono and Sean Lennon’s recently launched Artists against Fracking, an initiative of musicians, actors and other celebrities to build awareness of the destructive effects of fracking.”

Coal Seam Gas company Arrow Energy has already used the controversial 'hydraulic fracture' or fracking process near Beaudesert and within 100m of the Logan River - Beaudesert's town water supply and a supply which will soon be linked to the main South East Queensland water grid - so that's the drinking water for Brisbane, the Gold Coast and many built-up areas in between.

Fracking - a process used to help release difficult to extract coal seam gas - is controversial because of the chemicals used in the process, as well as its potential to contaminate underground water supplies. Worldwide, many countries have banned or put on hold the fracking process until it can be shown to be safe.

“Our objectives are the same: let's put the science first and safeguard our precious water supplies.”