(AU) Climate Change Inaction Spurs Berowra Residents To Take Some Action Themselves With Local Ideas

ABC Radio - Amanda Hoh

Kate Friend installed solar panels last year and hopes other Berowra residents will follow her lead. (ABC Sydney: Amanda Hoh)

Key points The Berowra Climate Change Action Group was established after the 2019/2020 bushfires Founder Kate Friend hopes to introduce a solar hub to reduce the suburb's carbon footprint The local council is looking to set up similar infrastructure in other local villages

In late 2019 when Australia's first "mega-blaze" tore through Gospers Mountain in northern Sydney, all Kate Friend felt was hopelessness.

If the fire had managed to cross the valley into the bushland shire at Berowra Heights it would have been at her doorstep.

Smoke wafted over her home for weeks, the sky was tinged orange for days, and Ms Friend's husband was on standby with the Rural Fire Service.

But rather than cower from the experience it sparked Ms Friend, a scientist who works as a business development consultant, to make a change.

"I was really frustrated about the lack of [government] action and the hopelessness that we all felt [during the bushfires]," she said.

"The problem of climate change is so huge that it's almost unattainable.

"However, I do think there are steps we can do as a community and as individuals that can make an impact and a change."

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With the drive to make that impact "from home", Ms Friend launched the Berowra Climate Change Action Group.

The first meeting at the local pub last year saw 30 residents show up to lend their support.

The pandemic stalled any further activities for the group, however Ms Friend relaunched it last week with the backing of Hornsby Shire councillor Nathan Tilbury and NSW Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean who attended the meeting.

There are now at least 60 local residents that have signed up to the group.

Kate and her family have lived in Berowra for about eight years. (ABC Sydney: Amanda Hoh)

"The community has my back," Ms Friend said.

"I'm surprised there are more people interested in actual action on climate change.

"Like me, they are all frustrated, wondering what we can do, so they are all on-board with being a part of the change that's happening."

What do they hope to achieve?

Ms Friend is focused on setting up a solar hub for the suburb.

That would involve putting solar panels on council owned buildings, schools, sporting precincts, churches, and residential houses, and harvesting excess electricity to feed into the grid and back into the suburb.

She also wants incentives to encourage residents to install a water tank in their home and believes this could be established within three months.

The Berowra Climate Change Action Group has council backing to establish local sustainability projects. (ABC Sydney: Amanda Hoh)

Both ideas are backed by Hornsby Shire Council.

"It is on the agenda already and we know at council that if we have the community behind us it gives us a lot better chance at being successful," Cr Tilbury said.

"I believe state and federal [governments] have grants for that sort of thing.

"We have a couple of isolated communities like Brooklyn and Cowan who are also looking to do something similar."

Is there a precedent?

 Berowra is not the first suburb to take the battle against climate change into their own hands.

The NSW town of Tyalgum has been working for the past few years to take themselves off the grid entirely.

Since the devastating bushfires in 2019 and 2020, electricity companies have trialled standalone solar systems in rural and regional towns.

NSW Energy and Environment Minister Matt Kean was a guest speaker at the launch of the group. (ABC Sydney: Amanda Hoh)

Mr Kean said everyone had a role to play — from government down to grassroots community action groups.

"It starts with government, it starts with government leadership putting strong policy settings in place, and that's what I've done in NSW," he said.

"Working with people who care about their community, people who care about the planet, is exactly how we're going to solve this problem."

While setting up the infrastructure for a solar hub in Berowra could still be some time away, Ms Friend is determined to see it through.

"In terms of a timeline it might take us a while, but I have no doubt we can achieve this," she said.

Links

• (AU) Denmark Is The Small WA Town That's Proven You Can Dream Big When It Comes To Renewable Energy
• (AU) Local Community Needs Must Not Be Overlooked As We Adapt To Climate Change
• (AU) The Case For Sustainable Communities: Three Big Ideas To Future-Proof Australia
• NSW Liberal Minister lashes PM's 'ridiculous' emissions stance
• Across Australia, a quiet revolution is happening to our electricity networks — and it's all about off the grid
• Australia's largest ever bushfire, like you've never seen it before
• Small Australian town aims to become its own power station