Participants were briefed with a summary of the first forum in which the threats and impacts of climate change and peak oil were discussed, and the community’s strengths and opportunities assessed. The group then developed an impressive list of ideas and strategies to put the Bellingen business community at the forefront of this response.

This was following by information from Sue Lennox of OzGreen on the global effects of climate change and the urgency needed to respond to this challenge. Images of the break up of polar ice caps gave a sobering sense of the scale of the problem.

Jen St Clair spoke on the Bellingen Shire Transition Towns Initiative and associatedprojects including the Food Futures Alliance, Seed Savers Network, and their swap market which has now morphed into a ‘Free Market’. The group is working to build a groundswell of grassroots support as its visioning process leads to new projects towards the end of the year.

Jan also reported the evolution of ‘slow talk’, a recognition of the need to talk ideas through and reflect on varying perspectives. Four business operators then gave an overview of their approaches to sustainable business practice.

Kevin Doye from Kombu Wholefoods explained an ongoing process of improving sustainable practices from the first easy step of switching to 100% green power to theirsupport for the local food network.

Alice Fisher spoke from the perspective of a home-based business on the challenges of tracing sustainability through supply lines, as well as addressing the importance ofsupport for local producers.

Brian Sherratt of LilyPily Countryhouse spoke on building sustainability into a new business and promoting this difference to appeal to the market, “It’s really fairly easy and it makes good commercial sense.”

Manager of Bellorana, Sarah Churchyard spoke of their new ozone laundry facilities with cleaner air and less drying time, a change in mindset with staff & residents turning off lights and sharing energy saving ideas, and a request currently before their board for Energy Audits on all 25 facilities in NSW.

Forum participants then grouped to discuss what changes they would like to be reporting if back in the room after five years of positive action to improve practices in the Shire.

Ideas ranged from strong local food production and public planting of fruit trees to large scale energy production and transport networks.

Below is a creative representation of many of these ideas from the perspective of a visiting journalists. It demonstrates bold and ambitious changes through a very well connected and coordinated community.

Bellingen Sustainable Business Alliance (Bellingen Chamber of Commerce, OzGreen,

Bellingen Shire Council and Waterfall Way Centre) would like to thank all participants

and looks forward to further development of ideas discussed through future events.

Forum Visioning Responses

Group 1:

• Business community reallyworking together while promoting each other so that everybody prospers and their footprint is reduced – a change in attitude.
• Local business voucher book
• Education centre for people outside area based on our example of local food production
• Clear idea of what local is –
• whole of Bellingen Shire
• Large green corridors for animals
• and plants in place throughout
• Shire from mountains to the sea
• Sustainable fuels run the Shire
• Bicycle racks and hire
• Tracks for mountain bikes as a
• tourist attraction in a sustainable way – good for environment
• Council Pedestrian and Mobility Plan (incl. Cycling) really implemented – infrastructure really in place based on current plan eg. Tracks need to be lined up
• Lots of bicycles (electric) available
• No dilution any longer of different groups and organisations but one alliance of businesses working together

Group 2:

• Skills Register
• Chemical free cleaning
• Energy efficient power tools
• Local employment and manufacture
• Regional connection
• Farming practices, local produce
• Value adding locally
• Incorporate Dorrigo and use their knowledge
• Local electricity grid
• New composting practices
• Changing the farmers’ mindset
• Lead by example
• Free box for unwanted goods
• Work together and link coast to tablelands
• Provide link and keep everyone informed
• Council set emissions target
• Do not talk alarmist – be smarter about how we use what we have
• Organic farming and form cooperative
• Reducing power
• Community based farming
• Overcome isolation – between three towns
• Share ideas & work it into an economic plan
• Brand Bellingen as a Green Sustainable Community Help with marketing Bellingen Made
• Not alarmist but understand the urgency of the Climate Change situation
• Tourism is a vital plank of economic prosperity
• Ensure that current resources are used as well as possible
• Vision is Bellingen operating on our own power grid

Group 3:

• Local jobs for kids
• Meaningful green jobs
• Local food in abundance
• Food tree ‘capital’
• Honouring elders
• Different kind of profit recognised in business
• Investing ‘profit’ into future

Group 4:

• Places to gather and share skills – ‘craft central’ or ‘men’s shed’ – mentoring
• Collective bulk purchasing of power saving devices, eg. Fluoro starters, solar panels, etc
• Bellingen power collective – generating power or bulk purchasing
• Local food production collective – community gardens
• Clean, light industrial area for food processing, storage
• Drinkable river and waterways (symbol of good wellbeing)
• All sewerage collected and converted for reuse (Ganges example – stock feed, energy, clean water)
• Local superannuation – keep local in fund for green jobs
• Local structure to empower individuals to take action eg. Bulk buy, local super
• Assess power leakages eg. Night use of footy oval
• More advanced carpooling – local support for online system (esp. Coffs, airport) – sms, web, noticeboard
• Mental shift to control of travel, meet challenge of freedom
• Innovation between car & bicycle, lighter transport options
• Buses – govt. link between school bus contracts and public transport i.e. force school bus contractors to run public bus service also
• Smaller (electric) buses to enable above – Coffs –Urunga – Bellingen – Dorrigo route serving visitors
• Commuter train Nambucca – Coffs Glenreagh

Other:

Physical 3D or computer 3D model of Bellingen 2020 as above – project with Bell.  High School

All generations have role to play, particularly older generations in positions of authority and influence –must take responsibility.