| Welcome | Issue 2: December 2008 | |||
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Welcome to the Business Treading Lightly summer newsletter. BTL assists its business partners to implement sustainable business practices that not only save them money, but also benefit the environment. Our overall objective is to promote behaviour change in order to secure a sustainable future for our partners in the NSW Illawarra and
In this issue....From the Program Manager
I am the newest addition to the BTL team – leaving the Department of Environment, Water Heritage and the Arts in Canberra in order to take up this opportunity as Program Manager of BTL. I’m very familiar with the Illawarra and South Coast: like a typical Canberran, I’ve spent most of my summers here, as well as having extended family in Kiama. It’s been an amazing first 4 weeks in the job, and I’ve been struck by two immediate realisations: firstly, that BTL is the right initiative at the right time. Every day the BTL team is engaging with managers and staff in businesses who have a great deal of energy, vision and enthusiasm for making their business more sustainable. Secondly, the BTL team is highly skilled and motivated. With six sustainability officers servicing the Illawarra, Southern Highlands and South Coast, BTL partners have a great resource at their disposal. Best wishes for a happy and safe Christmas from the BTL team. And, depending on what business you’re in, best wishes for a restful and quiet, or busy and lucrative holiday season. Simon Wallace-Pannell Phase two launchThe launch of the second phase of the BTL project was held on October 30 at the Silos Estate near Berry. The morning was well attended by local businesses. “This level of interest clearly demonstrates a high degree of professionalism amongst the local business community," said Marianne Jones, BTL Sustainability Officer for the Shoalhaven area. "These businesses are clever and competitive and I am looking forward to working with them.” Guest speaker for the launch was Brett Gibson, Secretary Manager of the Port Kembla Golf Club. Brett spoke passionately about how sustainability initiatives have enabled the club to significantly reduce their water usage and save thousands of dollars in the process. Brett described how the biggest change experienced while participating in Sustainability Advantage was a change in outlook. “It is not just about changing light globes and fixing leaks. When it becomes second nature to look at sustainability issues, then your business experiences real savings that will continue to be identified well into the future.” The Silos Estate is a new partner in the BTL program. Owner/operators Rajarshi and Sophie Ray have undertaken countless environmental and sustainability initiatives on their property. This includes being the first business in the Shoalhaven to commit to Earth Hour and allowing their grapes to be watered only by Mother Nature. The Silos even offer guests the option of carbon offsetting their holiday or function.
“With the money generated by carbon off-setting, we purchase long living tree species native to the area and plant them on the property,” explained Rajarshi. “ We even have guests who come back to inspect the progress of the trees.” With so many sustainability initiatives, it may appear that there is little more that Silos could do but Rajarshi said, “BTL represents an opportunity that will give Silos a competitive edge and demonstrate to international markets that we are dedicated to producing a world class wine in a sustainable manner.” Welcome to RavensthorpeWe are pleased to announce that Ravensthorpe Restaurant & Guesthousehas committed to partner with BTL in the Shellharbour City area. Owners Jim and Deborah McCallum have already achieved efficiencies and cost savings through initiatives to reduce water and energy consumption as well as the volume of waste going to landfill. Yet Jim and Deborah acknowledge that sustainability is a journey of continual improvement. To this end, Ravensthorpe have joined the BTL Program, recognising the benefit of external input and support. Playing host to numerous weddings, the McCallums have also expressed an interest in exploring the opportunity to influence the sustainability of local suppliers such as florists and hairdressers, as well as accommodation venues that receive flow-on business. The BTL Program will address this outcome via the Supply Chain Management and External Stakeholder Engagement Modules. Furthermore, local Sustainability Officer Levi Gibson will assist Ravensthorpe to communicate its commitment to sustainability to the wider community, and ensure the business is accommodating and taking advantage of a growing community expectation. 
Ravensthorpe Guesthouse
How many General Managers does it take to change 1100 light bulbs? Mittagong RSL General Manager Craig Madsen is about to find out. The Mittagong RSL is the first Wingecarribee hospitality business to sign up to BTL. Katrina Skellern, BTL Sustainability Officer for the Wingecarribee and Wollongong will be working with Mittagong RSL to help them address compliance issues, reduce risk and gain a competitive marketing edge. One suggestion to reduce Mittagong RSL's $24,000 a month power bill is to replace the 1100 halogen lights with compact fluorescent down lights. This would use significantly less energy, save money and reduce the clubs carbon emissions. As well as cutting lighting costs, the compact fluorescent down lights would generate less heat than halogens, putting less strain on the clubs air conditioning. Craig said Mittagong RSL’s board had been discussing ways to make the club more environmentally sustainable. “A problem in the past has been the cost of making sustainable changes, but there have been great advances which mean it is now financially viable to be environmentally friendly”, he said. “Our electricity bill just keeps going up. We need to take control and put initiatives in place so we can stop it rising.” 
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The hospitality phase of BTL kicked off in the Eurobodalla Shire in October. A number of Eurobodalla clubs demonstrated their commitment to sustainability and have since signed on as BTL partners. BTL's local representative in Eurobodalla, Mark Shorter said: “It’s great to see businesses embrace these opportunities and show an interest in making a real difference. I look forward to working with local business to help them become more sustainable and reduce some of their running costs in the process.” The clubs in the Eurobodalla region who have joined BTL as program partners are:
Three of the clubs recently completed the Sustainability Management Diagnostic and are ready to proceed with the next step. It became clear during the diagnostic process that there has already been a lot of good work done. Mark Bellette, CEO of Tomakin Sports and Social Club said, “We are always looking for ways of saving energy. My staff are very aware of switching off lights and appliances that are not in use.”
Tomakin Sports & Social Club L to R. Richard Birdsey (DECC), Kath Charlwood, Joel Carthew (Greenkeeper), Mark Bellette (CEO), Robyn Smith (Office Manager), & Grant Dempster (Bar Manager)
Business Treading Lightly partners have been utilising tools from the DECC Sustainability Advantage program. This program provides businesses with a Management Diagnostic to identify and prioritise actions to minimise risk and create opportunities. The Sustainability Advantage program then provides the opportunity for businesses to take part in various ‘modules’ of training:
Module Highlight: Resource Efficiency Companies that reduce waste and use less material, energy and water will improve their bottom line……. Many of our Phase one program partners from the Aged Care sector are now moving into the Resource Efficiency module of the Sustainability Advantage program. This module assists companies to identify and act on ideas that will use fewer resources and reduce the volume and toxicity of waste. The module generates momentum for sustainability within an organisation because it drives tangible benefits from better operational processes. The Resource Efficiency module assists businesses to:
The Resource Efficiency module is a combination of facilitated workshops to kick-start the effort and ongoing support to put ideas into action. After preliminary meetings to exchange information, a brainstorming session will start to identify what savings or opportunities may be available. Efficiency teams are then put in place to pursue the most promising opportunities. Continual review ensures that new projects can be added through the life of the program. The BTL team is looking forward to supporting our program partners as they take the step into this module…and will keep our new partners posted of our learnings Bega Valley clubs show their sustainability There’s no doubt that clubs in the Bega Valley Shire understand the benefits of operating sustainably. As major employers and providers of many sporting facilities, they already contribute substantially to the social and economic health of the region. At present four clubs in the Shire have become partners in the BTL program: Local Sustainability Officer Vickie Williamson will form a ‘cluster’ of these and other clubs who are interested in the program. “The benefit of a cluster is that partners are able to share their successes and challenges with each other. It’s hard to put a value on this experience because it’s local, up to date and relevant to the club industry,” said Vickie.
The first club in the Bega Valley Shire to become a BTL partner was Merimbula-Imlay Bowling Club. CEO Damien Foley said, “We’ve been looking at a number of initiatives to improve our efficiencies, especially in energy and water use. Being part of BTL will help us to consolidate these efforts in a more strategic approach towards sustainability”. We welcome feedback
If you have any comments or questions about this newsletter or the BTL program please email info@btl.net.au or phone
Banksia Village
Business Treading Lightly is funded by the NSW Environmental Trust and works with NSW Department of Environment and Climate Change through their Sustainability Advantage Program. |
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Welcome to the second issue of the BTL Newsletter.
