Welcome to Symmetry Sustainable Business

Dear subscriber,

Sustainability means making the future a priority in today's decision making.

The Symmetry Sustainable Business Newsletter is a quarterly publication that keeps Symmetry Subscribers up to date with the latest Symmetry news and Sustainability tips and information. If you have any information that you feel is of interest to Sustainable business please email us at: symmetrynews@makeitinmacarthur.com.au

Cr Anoulack Chanthivong, MACROC President

Cr Anoulack Chanthivong

Symmetry is going from strength to strength with 61 businesses achieving Bronze accreditation since the roll out of the Project in February 2008. I was particularly pleased to join in the celebration with 18 local business owners who graduated with Symmetry Bronze on the night of 13 May 2009. I would like to congratulate them on this wonderful achievement in making their businesses more environmentally friendly.

I am confident that Symmetry accredited businesses will over time outperform their competitors by the strength of their triple bottom line credentials. Hence Symmetry is not only 'smart business', but it is also the 'right thing to do'.

I am proud to announce that MACROC and the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) have agreed to collaborate on sustainability projects in the Macarthur Region. Both the organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, which was followed by the launch on 28 April 2009 of a suite of energy efficiency programs for businesses.

I am looking forward to working with DECC and our local businesses to enhance Macarthur's local small business reputation at the forefront of carbon reduction and energy efficient business practices.

I encourage businesses, including those who have embraced Symmetry, to take advantage of these programs details of which are given below.

Bronze Graduation No 4

Eighteen more businesses graduated with a Bronze Award at a ceremony held at the Macarthur Centre for Sustainable Living. Cr Anoulack Chanthivong, MACROC President, presented the certificates. Of those graduating 11 businesses were from Camden and 6 from Campbelltown and 1 from Liverpool.

18 small businesses graduating with Symmetry Bronze on 13 May at Macarthur Centre for Sustainable Living (MCSL)

Pictures (Courtesy of Jeffery Hinks Photography) of the graduation can be seen here on the makeitinmacarthur.com.au website

How Symmetry helps my business

Paul and Sue-Lei Mingay celebrated their Bronze accreditation with the other participants at the graduation evening on 13 May. They are successful young entrepreneurs who run the 51 room 3-star Narellan Motor Inn in Camden, employing six fulltime staff and two part timers.

Paul and Sue Lei's business takes pride in 'providing country hospitality in the heart of Macarthur' and they explained their motivations for joining Symmetry as follows:

"We intend to make substantial cost savings improve our ecological footprint and increase marketability of our business by participating in Symmetry. Implementing sustainable business practices now will go a long way to positioning my business well in the future."

Symmetry comes to Liverpool

Business in the Liverpool area can now join the Symmetry program. A Symmetry Bronze workshop will be held on Monday 15th June. If you would like to help your business and the environment, and promote a positive image to the market, call Symmetry Mentor Bill Parker 0418 234 655 or Skype: bec.bill

Symmetry accredited businesses

Two noteworthy findings from the analysis of 61 businesses that have graduated so far are:

• Property and Business Services sector is the most prominent accounting for 45% of the graduates
• The great majority of businesses were small with slightly over 70% employing less than 5 Full time Equivalent workers

To find out more please view the Symmetry Progress Report

Energy Efficiency Program Launched

At the MACROC CEO Breakfast Forum held in Camden on 28 Aril 2009 Andrew Lloyd from the NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change (DECC) in collaboration with MACROC launched a suite of energy efficiency programs designed to lower carbon pollution and save money for businesses. Businesses participating in Symmetry can take advantage of this program as can any other business in NSW

Andrew Lloyd DECC Projects Officer speaking at the Camden launch.

More details on Energy Efficiency Programs

Waste Not - Tips from the Symmetry Mentor

Bill Parker, Symmetry Mentor, reflects on the load of rubbish in the bin and suggests ways in which business can manage it better, providing positive outcomes for the environment and savings for businesses.

More details on why "A Green Workplace is very Smart Business"

How much we waste?

Total waste generated in Australia (including waste diverted from landfill) increased by around 28 per cent (from 32 to 41 million tonnes) from 2002–03 to 2006–07. However, resource recovery from waste increased 10-fold over the period from 1996–97.

These findings were among a host of issues and data identified in the consultation document entitled A national Waste Policy: Managing Waste to 2020 issued by the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. The consultation period closed on 13 May 2009.

The Consultation Paper can be viewed at http://www.environment.gov.au/wastepolicy/index.html

Sustainability Initiatives in 2009-10 Federal Budget

The 2009-10 Federal Budget contained a number of initiatives relating to the environment, the costs of which is estimated at $7 billion over five years. The highlights are:

• $1.5 billion in the Solar Flagships Program which will set a target to create an additional 1000 megawatts of solar power generation capacity in Australia
• $2.4 billion towards the Carbon Capture and Storage Flagships Program, including $425 million in existing funding.
• $2.75 billion, including an additional $300.0 million in this budget, to the Climate Change Action Fund under the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme to better inform and position businesses, industries and community organisations for the impacts of a low carbon economy.

Find out more on 2009 Budget Sustainability Measures

Senate Committee on Emissions Trading

The Senate Committee has finished its enquiry on the emissions trading scheme. The majority report of the inquiry into the draft legislation for Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) calls on the Federal Government to support low-pollution industries, which have the potential to create green jobs.

The Senate Committee Report can be viewed at: http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/economics_ctte/cprs_09/index.htm

CPRS finetuned and delayed

The Rudd Labour Government has further finetuned its emissions trading scheme. The Government announced it would delay the implementation of the CPRS by a year to start on 1 July 2011. It also increased the number of free permits to heavy polluters, pledged a fixed low carbon price of $10 a tonne for the first year, and increased from 15 to 25 % the maximum by which the green house gas could be cut by 2020.

An international conference to be held in Copenhagen in December 2009 will decide the cuts in greenhouse gas pollution that countries are required to make by 2012 when the existing phase of the Kyoto protocol will expire.

These changes will be incorporated in the legislation that is expected to be considered by the Australian Parliament in June this year.

Did you know?

• 38% of the world's grain is fed to farmed animals
• It takes 10kg of feed to produce 1kg beef
• It takes 1 –2 kg of feed to produce 1kg chicken
• It takes 18,000 litres of water to produce 1kg beef
• It takes 3,500 – 4,400 litres of water to produce 1kg chicken
• Most food is grown with the aid of fossil fuels (nitrogen fertilisers)
• 1kg chicken: 1-2 kilos of feed 3500-4000 litres of water

Source: Todae

Attention:

This newsletter is purely for information. MACROC takes no responsibility and provides no guarantees, warranties or representations, implied or otherwise, for the content and accuracy of the newsletter, featured products and links.