Dear Friends and Owners of Unley,

Please find attached Michael’s 2021 Spring “light” Newsletter. Now some breaking news….. 

CLIMATE: It is an extraordinary achievement for our Council to top 341 Councils across Australia in the climate change adaptation assessment report via. https://www.unley.sa.gov.au/files/assets/public/environment-hub/climate-change-adaptation-governance-assessment-report-for-unley-29-06-21.pdf

At our Monday August 23^rd Council meeting, we will be voting on our climate and energy plan. (This can be found in the 2021 spring news links Please email me for the links ) We have a great staff and our Council has over the past 8 years seriously addressed climate matters as the temperature across the globe rises.  Are we wasting your $$ rates?

We could be Carbon Neutral next year by buying Carbon Credits for as little as $36,000 (Overseas tree planting) up to the Gold plated standard of $162,000. (See briefing notes attached) This would be less costly to ratepayers than actually becoming Carbon neutral within Unley. Our Carbon Offset workshop states … “Offsets must be a ‘last resort’”. The greatest CO₂ reduction gift our City of Unley can give our planet is to make our city internally carbon neutral. Our city will be a better place to live, and the example we set can be copied by urban areas across our planet. This will truly lower global CO₂ emissions.

Will Unley cook?

Whilst the climate management plan does not address the loss of tree canopy in Unley, nor our resulting rise in our hot summer temperatures, our tree strategy recognises the problem. Without providing incentives that successfully encourage private owners to retain trees, we will fail. We are planting more trees on council land. We know that Council does not have enough land to succeed. We know that 30% tree canopy lowers the temperature of a stinking hot summer's day by up to 10°C. 32°C is better than 42°C and saves CO₂ from air conditioners at home and in cars, too hot to walk or ride.

In our home garden fruit trees are ripening about 6 weeks earlier than they used to just 10 years ago. The temperatures across Unley are observably increasing. The continued annual loss of trees on private property makes our City hotter in Summer and colder in Winter. The IPPC 6^th report https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/#SPM shows the temperature across Australia has increased by 1.4°C and that rising CO₂ levels contribute to this.

Parkinson research:  The work of Rotary and our Medical researches help us all. Please see the attached to find out more.

Our City Motto is from the 1800s is “Salus Populi supreme est Lex.” “Safety of the people is the supreme law”. As Covid 19 spreads across Australia I hope you keep well and can vaccinate in preparation.

With my best wishes,

Michael 

Mayor Michael Hewitson AM