Kingston Net Zero 2030 - Supporting our community to take climate action

There is little that can be done at the local council level and the council has a poor record (all talk, no real action), when it comes to real environmental issues. The recycling crisis, and glass contamination issue in recycling were never addressed, you are just waiting for the state government to role out the container deposit scheme and separate glass bin standards.
Pedestrian Access:
If you want to reduce car usage, then improve the connections to business, retail, parks, sports, etc. I'm still seeing new developments get approved, that are lacking any decent pedestrian access via footpaths. It doesn't make any sense to continue to allow any developments, that are only realistically accessible via cars.
Require improved pedestrian access (DDA complaint) on any older private shopping strips, shopping centres, and other retail centre by a certain year. There are far too many places, which were only built with car access in mind, with poor pedestrian access, especially if disabled in any way.
Chain of Parks:
Forget the idealistic idea, of one large continuous park area, and concentrate on connections to existing parks instead. We have situations like between Epson Estate, Woods Industrial Estate, and Braeside Park, all within walking distance, but no direct pedestrian access along Governor Road. Hopefully the upcoming upgrade of Governor Road will resolve that issue, but I expect there are similar situations in other areas.
I'm still annoyed the only public transport access to the Woodlands Industrial Estate was blocked off, since no one was paying any attention.
Energy:
Stop using gas for new buildings (i.e. recent life saving club), there is no future for gas due to shortages and pollution issues.
Add solar power to all suitable community buildings (i.e. libraries), which are used during the daytime, to get the most effective use.
Don't offer any subsidies for solar power for homes, this just increases the gap between rich and poor, as less people are paying for the maintenance costs of the electricity grid.
Recycling and Rubbish:
Make the separate glass recycling bin optional, and offer collection points for glass, similar to the current e-waste collection points. Many people wouldn't have enough glass to recycle every few weeks, or have enough room for the extra bins.
Offer separate recycling bins at all sporting grounds, they are a huge source of cans, glass bottles, and plastic bottles. My closest sports ground (Browns Reserve) still lacks any recycling bins at all, but there are recycling bins provided at random places, due to all the extra park benches recently added.
Actually trial a less frequent rubbish collection, with more frequent green and recycling bin collections instead. It shouldn't be that difficult to address the previous issues mentioned in the past, that would prevent this trial been possible.
Trees:
If you really want to improve tree coverage over the long term, then advocate with the state government for moving power underground, and add a developer subsidy for additional funding too. The biggest obstacle to larger tree grow, is the overhead power lines, as trees need to be cut down or dramatically trimmed as they get too close to the power lines. Just compare areas like Aspendale Gardens or Waterways, to older areas with overhead powerlines, the former allows much larger widespread tree growth.

I have little hope we will actually see some real action on these issues though, more likely wasted on the administration side.

I hope with these initiatives the Kingston Council continues to support and keep local manufacturing, particularly those who feed the community and those who are creators of green tech.
Sourcing produce, tech etc locally is an important part of my personal strategy and my work environment. I hope it's your too.

Thanks to Council for this initiative. Climate change is the most complex issue humans have ever had to deal with. It’s important that we tackle it at every level we can - Local, State, national and global. It’s at the local level that we’re most connected with the things we can do in our own community to contribute to a solution. Thanks again

Considering these are two of the goals ....
protecting and expanding our urban forest on private and public land
reducing the impacts of heat in our urban environment.
Thank you Council for trying to stop the staggering overdevelopment plans for Kingswood Golf Course Park and the developer's incessant destruction of trees.

I’m not sure whether the questions people raise here are answered but to partly respond to Margaret’s question about subsidies for transitioning from gas – I suggest you have a look at the Victorian governments site
https://www.solar.vic.gov.au/
We now heat our house with reverse cycle A/C (although the gas log fire still exists its not used). We use an induction cooktop instead of the old gas cooktop. Because we have 3.5kWsolar we generally make a profit on our electricity. Changing the instant gas hot water is not as straight forward but looking at a heat pump. We haven't applied for any subsidies.
I'm surprised there are a few comments here not understanding that the Council has a responsibility to address the climate crisis. The various state governments and lots of companies are addressing the problems - It is good that the Councils are recognising the need. TM

Hi there, this is a great and important initiative! Will there be any financial support to home owners to transition older houses from gas to electric heating/water/cooking? Or to install water tanks?

If council was serious about reduction of carbon emissions, they would make existing transport more efficient as well as new forms of transport.
They can start with removing speed humps that unnecessarily slow traffic and increase carbon emissions.
Maybe look at council employees using bicycles instead of cars for their transport.

They can also ban wood fires and firepits - more carbon emissions.
Council can specify and use more recycled products in new and existing community buildings, parks and baytrail. Recycled seating and table products usually require less maintenance and upkeep than other products, as well as reducing landfill.
All new community buildings should have solar panels as a standard inclusion, not hit and miss - some do and some don't.
If they don't do this they are paying lip service to the climate emergency

This is clearly not a local council responsibility but is pure virtue signalling by councilors who should be concentrating on what local council are intended to do.

Climate emergency is a State and Federation Government issue. Council is wasting far too many ratepayers funds $ on something that can't be achieved alone. 2030, what a load of rubbish. Get real. Council must concentrate on providing services required of them. Roads, Rate and Rubbish. Get back to basics, reduce council rates. Read some old Australian books, take note!! Our country experienced severe droughts, floods, fire and famine for ever in most of them.
We and the environment will adapt.

I'd like Council to adopy battery-free exit sign technology across all its facilities, replacing every failed legacy electric-battery exit sign with new battery-free technology when the sign is replaced. This will save thousands of dollars across Councils assets by converting to more reliable sign technology, generating lower emissions and less eWaste. Within 3-5 years Council's assets will have thousands of less batteries and associated eWaste.

We can't get to Net Zero without considering tobacco and how council can help reduce cigarette smoking and the harmful effects of second-hand smoking.

Relationship explained below by Dr. Bronwyn King:
https://twitter.com/Finance4Change/status/1453737428330504207

15 days and only 4 comments from 160 thousand residents is a pretty clear message what the communty feel about council wasting 3 million dollars on your "climate emergency motion "....this is a classic example of how the people are fed up with how council represent them and waste our money...you need to stop patting one and other on the back and reflect on what you really should be doing to represent the community!

15 days open for comments and only 4 comments from 160 thousand residents is a pretty clear message to council what people think of council committing over 3 million dollars of ratepayers money to your "cimate emergency motion"...just another example of why the community are disillusioned how council represent them and waste our money.

I don’t think four bins will help. People struggle with two.
Plant more trees. I live at Waterways there is plenty of room here for more trees, trees that are native to the area.

Hopefully many people in Kingston will participate, not just those who are already committed to take action.

Great leadership, not easy to achieve this though.