A really energy conscious clowncil?
Published 10 months, 2 weeks ago in Where I Live.The following letter appeared in the Glen Eira Leader on the 13th November, 2007 following the kingdom of Glen Eira’s refusal to join with numerous other councils in the Climate Protection program:
”Weeks after Glen Eira Council rejected a proposal to join the Cities for Climate Protection program, residents remain in the dark as to the reasoning behind the decision. What will be the cost to residents for the council developing its own environment action plan compared with that of joining CCCP? What level of public participation will there be to develop such a plan?
Given that we will not be able to get local government grants for local councils to respond to climate change, how much money will residents have to find to fund it? What makes Glen Eira think it can develop an environment plan that is more effective than the CCP program, when 216 councils Australia-wide have joined it?
A strategic approach is required to develop any sort of environmental plan. Whatever the council comnes up with, it better be outstanding. In the meantime, answers to some basic questions would be appreciated.”
(Colin Smith & Paul Caine, Glen Eira Environment Group)
It now appears that this clowncil’s response to the environmental challenge is simply to ‘cut carbon’ emissions via its ‘partnership’ with Less Energy. The issue is also one of timing. Is it mere coincidence that having rejected joining with the majority of other councils Glen Eira suddenly becomes part of a light bulb exchange? According to one light bulb installer who works for Living Green and not Glen Eira, this council stalled for months, and the the only reason ir finally decided to put its logo on something like the free installation of energy saving lightbulbs, was that it feared that Kingston council would beat it to the punch, thus preventing the wonderful slogan (boast) that Glen Eira is the first council in the state to offer this.
More importantly, if light bulbs are Glen Eira’s only solution and contribution to solving environmental problems, then God help us!True to form however, the questions raised by the GE Environmental Group, remain unanswered, whilst GE Clowncil rides on the publicity coat-tails of Living Green With Less, in simply allowing them to use clowncil’s logo.
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I must say I’m always impressed by this council’s publicity machine - the way they make things sound as if everything is their initiative, or involves heaps of money coming out of their own(ie. our) pockets! The lightbulbs is only one example. Another is when ‘vouchers’ and ‘gift packages’ were provided to all new dog owners who decided to register their muts. The point was that this had nothing to do with council, but was funded, devised, and coordinated by the State Government. But geez, why not dress up the publicity to make it sound as if YOU (GLEN EIRA) are the one doing the work and paying the bills!!! In other words, how about some real honesty and forget the spin doctoring???