Posts tagged ‘waste’
Synthetic Turf and the Tragedy of the Commons in Moreland
Climate Action Moreland has done a literature review to highlight the general environmental, social and health issues with synthetic turf, and specific issues around a proposal to convert unfenced grass sporting fields at Hosken Reserve in Coburg North to a fenced synthetic soccer pitch. This is the text of our submission to the Moreland Council engagement consultants employed for public consultation to inform the Hosken Reserve Refresh project for Moreland Council.
We have also reported on our blog separately on synthetic turf carbon footprint and total life cycle greenhouse gas emissions, and on the impact synthetic turf will likely have on the urban heat island effect on local residents.
Conversion of natural grass to Synthetic turf at Hosken Reserve should be considered as a catalyst issue for opposing increasing synthetic turf generally in our municipality. We are also very concerned with increasing State Government funding of school oval conversions increasing heat stress risk for children and heating the local microclimate affecting both children and local residents, against expert advice. (See Madden, et al, 2018 (Cool Schools), Pfautsch et al, Sept 2020 (School Microclimates))
We acknowledge the work done by local Merlynston residents on this issue to Help Keep Hosken a place for Community in defence of their grassed open space which they have been quite willing to share the use of with Sporting Clubs as Commons space.
(more…)Moving towards zero waste in Moreland by 2030
Time to reduce our waste and the embedded emissions in waste to landfill. Moreland Council has already set a target of zero waste to landfill by 2030. Now we need to make this happen.
Everyone has heard about China refusing to take recycling with high levels of contaminants. We have also had huge stockpiles of recycling materials at Coolaroo in Hume Municipality which has resulted in a number of fires, with heavy smoke blowing over Moreland, residential evacuations, and contamination of Merlynston Creek waterway.
Each year the cost to Moreland ratepayers of the collection and landfilling of general waste from households amounts to over $6 million.
We need to get much better at recycling and reducing consumption with waste packaging and becoming more a circular economy.
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Hydrogen fuelled zero emissions garbage trucks for Moreland
Moreland Council has invested in changing it’s fleet of diesel garbage trucks to zero emissions, which will reduce heavy vehicle fleet carbon emissions, pollution, noise, and reduce fuel costs in the long term.
The plan is to use electric heavy vehicle garbage trucks powered by a hydrogen fuel cell. The hydrogen will be generated by solar PV at the Hadfield depot, and by wind power purchased through the electricity grid, hence the hydrogen fuel cells will be renewables powered.
Moreland Council have entered into partnership with hydrogen technology company H2U and vehicle manufacturer CNH Industrial to deliver the pilot project. This pilot project is one of the first in the world using hydrogen fuel cells in a heavy vehicle fleet.
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