Environmental Efforts

Today most of us take for granted the convenience of putting out receptacles for trash, recyclable materials and organic matter and having them collected and responsibly dealt with - Out of sight out of mind. Before 2006 however for these locations there was only a single local municipal waste service available which collected one larger bin for all things discarded as household and small business "waste" all mixed together. Facilities for sorted items were available but the uptake wasn't exactly high. Then smaller "red lid" bins were rolled out.  Confronted with a true waste bin that was half the size generators of waste had to reconsider its management. Recipients of the new red lid bins noted that they were instructed not to dispose of organics in them. Residents were expected to manage their own "green waste" production in a responsible manner for over a decade until the, by then, Snowy Valleys Council introduced FOGO into the waste network.  In 20...

  Photos: Manning the BBQ - The small amount of waste collected around the Council building was encouraging as ideally there wouldn't be a need for days dedicated to cleaning up litter.    

A major component of the 2012/13 works to the Riverina Highlands Building was the design and implementation of a ground sourced heat exchange system networked throughout the building.  The existing 'water cooling tower' solution to the buildings climate control was showing its age requiring regular maintenance to keep operational (depending on whom you asked) as well has having significant energy demands to keep its power on The removal of this system completely also had the benefit of no longer posing a public health risk that required to be controlled (microbial control - i.e. Legionnaires disease. This eliminated the need for anti-microbial chemicals , their handling and storage. This system was complimented by the sites solar system and office behaviors including that the climate mostly requires to be controlled during the day when the sun is out and the panels are producing electricity.     Photos: Sample sites were designated and subjected to environmental analysis ...

A project investigating urban salinity in the region reinforced the importance of native vegetation in maintaining the quality standards and health of our aquifer systems. A resultant management plan incorporated the planting of native species in the region and promotion of the same from property owners and managers. 1,000's of native trees and plants were given away to local residents as well as planted at strategic locations in the Shire.   Photo: Tumut Shire Council Urban Salinity Management Plan                                                            Photo: Pioneer Park Tree Plantation Site - Signage                              Photos: Former Tumut (Boonderoo Road) Landfill Site Tree Plantings and Signage Photo:...

Also following the success for the Riverina Highlands Building Solar upgrade works the Tumut Library was upgraded to be fitted with 15kW...the adjacent Home & Community Care Centre (old chambers) installed 20kW and the Neighbourhood Centre 3kW Tumut Library Before + After (15kW) - Rooftop potential realized.

The 2012/13 installation of a 30kW solar array atop the Riverina Highlands building became a standard for all other developments to work from - Its economic returns were demonstrable and represented integrated infrastructure expected of modern day property.  As such in 2015 the then Tumut Shire Council called for expressions of interest, and subsequent installation of 105kW of combined solar capacity distributed between Sewerage Treatment plants in Adelong, Batlow, Brungle , Talbingo and Tumut.     Photo: Expression of Interest advert                       Photo: Brungle Photo: Talbingo  Photo: Tumut 50kW

  Photo: Jarrah Oval Solar - 2012 (vandalism was reported + removed)                   Photo: Solar demonstration at Sustainable Living Expo attended by hundreds     Photo: Tumut Museum Solar Installation     Photo: Batlow Museum Solar Installation Photo: Riverina Highlands Building Solar Installation (30kW - 2013)   Photo: Tumut Resource Recovery Center Solar Installation 10kW  

      Photo: Storage room of collected plastic bags - Recycled at Wagga Recycling Facility   2004/5 - REROC Waste Forum, Disposable Plastic Bags Exchanged for Reusable