{"id":334799,"date":"2023-07-21T19:30:24","date_gmt":"2023-07-21T09:30:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=334799"},"modified":"2023-07-24T20:22:03","modified_gmt":"2023-07-24T10:22:03","slug":"acting-locally-to-make-a-change","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2023\/07\/21\/acting-locally-to-make-a-change\/","title":{"rendered":"Acting Locally To Make A Change"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Members of the Sustainable Future Network with their guest speakers on Sunday … guests included members of the South Burnett Rail Trail Users Association and the Society for Growing Australian Plants<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

July 21, 2023<\/strong><\/p>\n

A group of South Burnett residents have taken the maxim “think globally, act locally” to heart, forming a loose association hoping to create lasting change in the local region.<\/p>\n

Co-ordinator and founding member Suzanne Mungall told southburnett.com.au<\/strong> the idea for the South Burnett Sustainable Future Network first came about in December 2021 but the group really became active last year.<\/p>\n

In the early days the group – which has a core of eight members plus visitors from time to time – identified some topics that they wished to concentrate on: reducing plastic pollution, increasing biodiversity and raising awareness about climate change.<\/p>\n

Suzanne said these were “generalised goals” which prompted ideas for action, including hosting talks in local libraries on topics ranging from the Aussie Bird Count to climate change.<\/p>\n

They also hosted a screening of the short film, “Regenerating Australia<\/a><\/strong>“, which Suzanne said “very much aligned” with the group’s principles.<\/p>\n

“We went away to think about it, and consider how would we like to regenerate the South Burnett,” she said.<\/p>\n

In May and June this year, the group hosted three workshops to consider this in more depth.<\/p>\n

“We framed it like a newspaper. What would a newspaper in 2030 say about the South Burnett? For example, ‘the most sustainable region in the country’.”<\/p>\n

Suzanne said the discussions kept on returning to three recurrent themes: mental health, reduction in plastic and a net-zero economy.<\/p>\n

They then decided to hold working groups on these three topics.<\/p>\n

The first – touching on mental health, nature and the environment – was held in the Kingaroy Town Hall Reception Room last Sunday afternoon.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Guest speakers, including from the South Burnett Rail Trail Users Association and the local branch of the Society for Growing Australian Plants, were invited to talk about their activities.<\/p>\n

“We discussed building communities through mental health using nature,” Suzanne said.<\/p>\n

The concept of “nature dosing” – a broad ideal which can range from having a pot plant in your bedroom to spending 30 days in the bush – was also discussed.<\/p>\n

“From that workshop we identified what is already happening in this space, and gaps in local knowledge,” Suzanne said.<\/p>\n

“Everyone set their own ‘mini-goals’ or ‘homework’.<\/p>\n

“For example, someone will contact playgroups and ask if they would like to host a playgroup at the Carroll Nature Reserve in Kingaroy.<\/p>\n

“We will report back on our ‘homework’ at the next meeting.”<\/p>\n

Suzanne emphasised the group was not aligned to any political association.<\/strong><\/p>\n

“We are just residents getting involved in our community,” she said.<\/p>\n

“What we are trying to do is talk about how these issues are everyone’s issues.<\/p>\n

“What has been nice and surprising is how many people have the same opinion, eg. reducing plastic pollution.<\/p>\n

“So how do we work together to get what we all want?”<\/p>\n