Draft Runsheet for the day:
11:00 Welcome to Country
11:15 Queensland Conservation Council - Toby Hutcheon
11:30 Unite for a Healthy Climate - Jack Thompson
11:35 Walk Against Warming 2010
(draft route is King George Square, Adelaide St, Edward St, Mary St, George St, Adelaide St, King George Square)
12:30 Ian Lowe - President ACF
13:00 Speaker TBC
13:30 Music: Bunna Lawrie ( Coloured Stone )
14:30 Music: The Medics
15:30 End
Bicycle Queensland's Survey on cycling in Queensland
Bicycle Queensland undertook a survey of their member in November 2009 and I am keen to distribute the findings.
2169 members and friends responded so these results are a valid snapshoot of cyclists and their issues.
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one third were female
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most had two or more bikes in working order
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most prefered to cycle on off road paths, shared paths or desingated on-road paths
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few liked cycling on road
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most cycled at least weekly
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a third thought that government and councils's cycling facilities were good to excellent; another 44% reported facilities to be fair with 20% reporting them as fair
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people cycled for 1) improving and maintaining fitness, 2) fun and enjoyment, 3) relaxation/stress reduction, 4) building physical activity into a busy life, 5) to get outside into fresh air
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concerns about cycling in traffic and agression from motorists were the top two barriers to cycling.
This study gives a clear message to Brisbane City Council to do better.
Climate Change and Energy
If we want our children and grandchildren to inherit a healthy, green and sustainable city, we can't close our eyes and ignore the challenges on our doorstep.
Climate change will have a big impact on Brisbane residents in years to come, with the CSIRO predicting our average temperatures in a few decades will resemble those of Rockhampton, with more extreme weather events likely, and a range of other impacts of global warming on our lifestyle and environment.
Council is responsible for planning and development in Brisbane, so we really need to understand what changes will happen, and what this means for our city.
My colleague Councillor Hinchliffe and I persuaded Council to establish a Climate Change and Energy taskforce to investigate these issues, as well as the challenges posed by increasing energy consumption, rising oil prices, and peak oil.
Professor Ian Lowe chaired the taskforce, and worked with Mr Scott Losee, Jim McKnoulty, and Dr John McEvoy to review Council's existing policies and focus on how we can combat climate change and oil price increases, and address the impacts they will have on our city, our communities, and our environment.
We asked them to take submissions from the public, and prepare an Action Plan with practical, targetted steps that Council and residents can take.
The Action Plan has been debated by Council - and as a result a Plan for Action for Brisbane City Council has been endorsed.
In the meantime, I encourage you to see Al Gore's movie 'An Inconvenient Truth,' or get involved with a local environment group campaigning on this issue.
Australia has one of the biggest energy footprints in the developed world - it's important that we make people aware of their impacts on the environment, and work together to tread lighter on the earth.
Link to 'An Inconvenient Truth'