Business Treading Lightly

WINTER 10

Business Treading Lightly is a $2 million sustainability grant program operating from Wollongong to Bega and in the Wingecarribee Shire. If you want to gain a competitive edge and increase profits, BTL assists its business partners implement smart solutions for sustainable business.

IN THIS ISSUE:

BTL WELCOMES NEW PARTNERS
BTL MOVES TO FEE FOR SERVICE FROM JULY 1
KIAMA COLLEGE GETS A FACELIFT
SPARKIE STARTS NEW BUSINESS AFTER RETRO FIT
SUSTAINABLE GROWTH - BOOK REVIEW
THOUSANDS OF NEW COUNCIL EMPLOYEES AT BEGA
BTL PARTNERS GET THEIR PLAQUES
SILOS WINERY POWERS UP
SUSTAINABLE TOWNS AND BTL
GRANTS AVAILABLE NOW

BTL WELCOMES THESE NEW PARTNERS:

* Easts Narooma Shores Holiday Park * Easts Dolphin Beach Holiday Park * Easts Narooma Village * Easts Batemans Bay Riverside Holiday Park * Caseys Beach Holiday & Lifestyle Village * Batehaven IGA * Malua Bay IGA * Nowra Golf and Recreation Club * Mollymook Beach Waterfront * St George's Basin Country Club * Sussex Inlet RSL * Eaton Gorge Theatre Company * Leisure Coast Packaging Supplies * Warilla Bowls & Recreation Club * Club Windang

BTL congratulates the following partners on their recent awards:

Swan Lake Tourist Village, Ulladulla Headland Tourist Park, Lake Conjola Tourist Park and Currarong Beachside Tourist Park for receiving their Gold Gumnut accreditation. Oak Flats Bowling & Recreation Club, Albion Park RSL Memorial Club and The Links Shell Cove have obtained Bronze Membership in the DECCW Sustainability Advantage Program and are the first to do so in the region.

"EVERYTHING YOUR BUSINESS THROWS AWAY IS SOMETHING YOU'VE PAID FOR - AND YOU HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT CARTED AWAY"

BTL MOVES TO FEE FOR SERVICE FROM JULY 1:

Business Treading Lightly’s NSW Environment Trust Grant funding ends in December 2010, and as part of our strategy to continue servicing this region, BTL needs to move toward a fee for service component.

KIAMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE GETS A FACELIFT:

Kiama Community College is currently putting the finishing touches on the refurbishment of their Kiama & Shoalhaven Campuses.

Made possible by a $1.15 million grant from the Federal Teaching & Learning Capital Fund, Investment In Community Education & Training, the grant stipulated that environmental features be included in the refurbishment.

SPARKIE STARTS NEW BUSINESS AFTER RETRO FIT:

Greg Edwards of Energize cabling has been a traditional electrician for 7 or 8 years. When Energize won a tender to refit BTL partner Mittagong RSL with energy efficient lighting, it sparked a new business venture.

SUSTAINABLE GROWTH - BOOK REVIEW:

At BTL our mission is to help businesses in Illawarra and South coast experience first hand the financial and environmental benefits of being sustainable so we are always trying to find examples of sustainable change that work in the real world. Normally we are forced to turn to overseas examples; however, Australian businesses now have an Australian author, an Australian book, and Australian examples to turn to.

THOUSANDS OF NEW COUNCIL EMPLOYEES AT BEGA:

Bega Valley Shire Council has recently employed thousands of new waste managers at their Zingle Place administration building.

The waste managers live in a small worm farm, which sits on the balcony outside the kitchen.

BTL PARTNERS GET THEIR PLAQUES:

The last couple of months have seen partners in Wollongong, Shoalhaven, Eurobodalla and Bega receive their Recognition and Reward Plaques.

SILOS WINERY POWERS UP:

Silos Estate winery in the Shoalhaven became carbon neutral for its energy needs in 2008, and with the commissioning of a new Solar Array system they are now set to be Energy Self Sufficient.

SUSTAINABLE TOWNS AND BTL:

Sustaining Our Towns (SOT) is a three year project to help reduce the ecological footprints of individuals, homes, businesses and communities in twelve Council areas across South Eastern NSW. The SOT project team have enlisted the help of Business Treading Lightly to support the business arm of their project. BTL and SOT recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding in the presence of the Minister for Small Business Peter Primrose, the Hon Penny Sharpe MLC, and Eurobodalla Mayor Fergus Thomson at the Eurobodalla council chambers in Moruya.

GRANTS AVAILABLE NOW:

These environmental grants for business now have funding rounds open for applications.