Dear Subscriber,
May has been an exciting month for the Grow Me The Money team. Since launching the new campaign across the state we’ve had almost 100 businesses sign up for the program and join the Bronze Club. To acknowledge and celebrate these businesses who have taken the first steps towards improving their environmental performance we’ll be hosting the first Bronze Club Luncheon on the 8th of June 2007.
We also launched the success stories from the Goulburn Valley Pilot in Shepparton along with Minister for Energy and Resources and Minister for Victorian Communities, the Honorable Peter Batchelor. See the article below and Goulburn Valley page of the website for more information.
Grow Me The Money is now also starting to receive international recognition for its methodology and early success. VECCI has been announced as a finalist in the World Chambers Congress Competition for Grow Me The Money, its partnership program with EPA Victoria, which assists small to medium businesses.
Organised by the World Chambers Federation (WCF), the World Chambers Congress is held every two years and has established an enviable reputation as the place where chamber and business leaders get to know international peers and share experience and best practice on grassroots issues that have a direct impact on the chamber of commerce community.
As part of the congress the WCF recognises innovative projects being undertaken by chambers from all over the world in the service of their members. Grow Me The Money has been short-listed in the category of: Best Unconventional Project for SMEs representing projects that are inspirational, innovative and serve the SME member community and the local economy.
The congress will be held from the 4-6 July in Istanbul, Turkey. Chamber delegates from at least 100 countries are expected to attend.
This recognition highlights the importance of environmental sustainability issues in international commerce and shows how VECCI’s commitment to sustainable development of SMEs has been some of the most innovative in the world.
Expect to hear more from me about the congress and the competition in the July edition of the newsletter.
Kate Nicolazzo
Program Director
Grow Me The Money
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EVENTS:
Reminder!
‘You can’t manage what you can’t measure’
Grow Me The Money will be holding an information session on the 8th of June that takes a in-depth look at the Grow Me The Money tools and includes expert discussion and product display on resource measurement and efficiency tools by industry professionals. It will be held at the VECCI offices, 486 Albert St from 11:30am -12:30pm.
If you are interested in attending please RSVP now to Ph: 8662 5480 or Email: events@growmethemoney.com.au as spots are limited.
This event will be followed by an exclusive Bronze Club luncheon for participants with Grow Me The Money. Visit www.growmethemoney.com.au to register your business as a participant today. |
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Tourism and Hospitality
VTIC FORUM: Green With Tourism Envy – Tourism's adaptability to climate change.
The Victoria Tourism Industry Council (VTIC), in association with Tourism Victoria and Federation Square, invite you to participate in the Victorian Industry Forum for 2007 on Wednesday 6 June 4.00pm to 6.30pm at BMW Edge at Federation Square.
Topics Include:
- How important is capturing the business of carbon-conscious customers?
- Will tourism businesses be able to reduce their environmental impact while increasing profits?
- This tourism forum will focus on Victoria's tourism industry adaptation to climate change, including practical solutions for all tourism-based organisations. |
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Goulburn Valley businesses acknowledged for their efforts at Shepparton event
On Thursday May 17, Minister Peter Batchelor presented 12 businesses from the Goulburn Valley with their Grow Me The Money Silver Club packs. The 12 businesses are among the first in Victoria to earn Silver Club status for their efforts in assessing their energy and water consumption, waste produced, and developing an action plan based on their findings.
By participating in the pilot, businesses were able to take advantage of free access to environmental consultants. The consultants greatly assisted businesses in providing direction and expert knowledge since the pilot first began in February this year. |
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Access to consultants is now available to all businesses state-wide that have earned 5000 points in the Grow Me The Money program.
As the pilot phase closes and the work in the Goulburn Valley is shifting up a gear to support more businesses getting on board, VECCI Chief Executive Officer Neil Coulson highlighted the strength of regional areas in addressing significant social and community issues at the event. The importance of good relationships between business, government and the community to address the big issues facing us now and in the future cannot be denied. Something regional areas know all too well. |
Minister Batchelor and Mayor Jenny Houghton with participating businesses from the Goulburn Valley
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Community Water Grants Round 3 Now Open
Practical solutions to the water management issues facing community groups, schools, local governments and indigenous communities around Australia are now available through the latest round of the Australian Government’s Community Water Grants.
The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources, Malcolm Turnbull and the Minister for Fisheries and Conservation, Senator Eric Abetz, have launched the third round of the community component of the $2 billion Australian Government Water Fund: the $200 million Community Water Grants programme. The Community Water Grants programme is crucial to the efficient management of water in Australia as it not only assists local groups to save water, but helps them promote wise water use and community engagement and awareness about water saving and efficiency, water reuse and recycling, and water health. In the first two grant rounds communities around Australia have saved over 27,000 mega litres of water. This is about the amount of water 100,000 average households would use in one year. |
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The Ministers encouraged all Australians to apply for a grant and join with the Australian Government to protect water quality and the nation’s water supplies. Application forms and guidelines are available from www.australia.gov.au/community
watergrants or by phoning 1800 780 730. Online registrations close on the 22 of June 2007. Applications close on 4 July 2007.
Business Sustainability Grants from DIIRD
Thinking of investing in new infrastructure or equipment?
The Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development’s (DIIRD) “Enhancing Sustainability in New Investment” program encourages businesses in Victoria to adopt technologies and processes that deliver enhanced sustainability outcomes.
Grants of up to $100,000 (50% of total project cost) will be directed towards investment projects in Victoria that involve processes and technologies that would deliver water, waste or greenhouse/energy efficiency outcomes beyond those required by the EPA. A limited number of grants are available so apply now.
For more information contact:
Wayne O’Brien
Business Sustainability Officer
DIIRD
Ph: 9651 8199 |
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National Packaging Covenant Grants
The National Packaging Covenant has announced funding of $1.1 million under its Round 1 2007 program to the following projects:
Hospitality Resource Recovery Project (Packaging Stewardship Forum of AFGC / VIC EPA)
This project aims to recover between 1,500 and 2,300 tonnes of glass from the hotel/hospitality sector in Melbourne. The project involves two month rolling trials of bottle crushing systems, together with an education program at identified hotel/hospitality venues over an 18 month period. |
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Glass recovery infrastructure to develop alternate product for end markets (Visy Recycling / VIC EPA)
This project aims to recover 70,000 tonnes per annum of waste glass fines in Victoria. The project involves a market analysis to ensure the availability of end markets for the product, followed by the establishment of a processing plant. |
For More Information:
Ph : (03) 9861 2322
Fax : (03) 9861 2330
Email : npc@packagingcovenant.org.au
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