THE Clean Energy for Eternity group has organised a forum entitled “Community energy - Tomorrow's solutions” at Moruya High School on Wednesday, February 22 at 5.30pm.
Among those speaking will be 2011 Young Environmentalist of the Year Lindsay Soutar, who is the national co-ordinator of the 100% Renewables Campaign.
Ms Soutar will also be addressing the Narooma High School assembly at 9am on the same day.
Eurobodalla Shire councillor Chris Kowal will be the MC for the Moruya event that will also be attended by Clean Energy for Eternity president Matthew Nott, Sustaining Our Towns project manager Tracey Rich, Federal Member for Eden-Monaro Dr Mike Kelly and Bishop George Browning, Ret.
Lindsay Soutar, a geography tutor in the University of Sydney School of Geosciences, former Australian Mekong Resource Centre staff member, and previous Geography Honours student, was last year named the 2011 Environment Minister's Young Environmentalist of the Year Award.
Run by the Banksia Environmental Foundation, the award is regarded as the most prestigious environmental award for young people aged between 18 and 30 years of age in Australia and recognises an outstanding environmental achievement at a national or international level.
Ms Soutar won the award for establishing a national campaign starting in early 2010 on renewable energy - 100% Renewable.
Throughout 2010 and 2011 the campaign worked with local community groups across Australia to build a groundswell of public support for a renewable energy future.
She organised a national network of regional and local organisers, a mentoring program, workshop series and a range of public engagement activities including surveying, doorknocking, local media and politician engagement.
100% Renewable has built new leadership and worked with local community groups to shift elected members of parliament behind the vision of a 100 per cent renewable energy future.
Through Lindsay's passion, persistence and commitment to empowering others, the campaign has grown from strength to strength, making a substantial contribution to the energy debate and influencing national decisions on renewable energy policy.
Professor Philip Hirsch, a human geographer in the School of Geosciences and Director of the Australian Mekong Resource Centre, was Lindsay's Honours supervisor in 2004 and then manager when she worked for three years with the Australian Mekong Resource Centre.
"This is a marvellous and well-deserved award for Lindsay. She is a passionate campaigner and strategic organiser able to communicate with people at all levels," said Professor Hirsch.
"Lindsay combines attention to detail with enormous energy and ability to keep sight of the big picture. She uses all of these skills in her 100% Renewable campaign.
"She worked with us as an Australian Youth Ambassador for Development, based at Khon Kaen University and Chiang Mai University in Thailand as part of our Mekong Learning Initiative project. She helped us organise conferences and on documentation for the Mekong Learning Initiative. Lindsay has also been a highly effective tutor on various courses in the School of Geosciences," said Professor Hirsch.
"Renewable energy is one of Australia's most pressing issues. 100% Renewable takes a radical but realistic stance, based on the premise that it will take mobilisation of our own citizens in order for Australia to play a good citizen role on the international stage in pursuit of global clean energy futures," explained Professor Hirsch.
Read more about the Environment Minister's Young Environmentalist of the Year Award at: http://banksiafdn.com/the-awards/ 42/65.html#winner
Email a friend