MAYORAL MATTERS | Council is doing more than just going with the flow

Last Thursday we had the launch of Think Orange, a cooperative effort by Blayney, Cabonne and Orange councils looking at promotion on businesses to attract them to our region.

There is a website, and some great video of our beautiful part of Australia, and a number of short videos on businesses that are doing really well with a country location.

Personally I believe this will be better than the Evocities deal we were in and a great adjunct to Orange 360 that concentrates on events to attract visitors to our region.

I thought I might mention in this column many of the initiatives and projects that Orange Council has undertaken (or is in the process of doing so) in the area of sustainability, which we all agree must consider economic, reality, cultural and environmental issues - the triple bottom line

There are often comments made highlighting what we aren't doing in the sustainability area, and make a statement on things like climate emergency, but I will list some of the ways your council is working towards Orange's sustainable growth.

Water: we have raised the dam wall and we have commissioned bores, which we don't need to use yet.

Pipelines: we are linking various water sources in the region. These include the Macquarie pipeline and pipelines at various stages to Blayney, Carcoar, Lake Rowlands and towns and villages across Orange, Blayney and Cabonne Council areas.

We have had national and international recognition for our stormwater harvesting for potable water and we have the lowest per-person use of portable water in Australia, all of this has us sitting reasonably in this devastating drought. We have 12 to 18 months worth of water available, without rain of any description.

Wetlands are constructed on the western side of Orange down Ploughmans Creek.

Tree planting and green space: Orange has more green space per 1000 people than most cities and towns, including Canberra. We continue to develop parks and waterways and we had one of the first Urban Landcare groups, Blackmans Swamp, commence in 1992. Then we had Dario and we now have ECCO. We built the ELF - Environmental Learning Facility - at the showground.

Alternate Energy: solar audits, solar panelling at the works depot, swimming pool, the new southern lights project with LED lighting and smart poles. An electric charging station for electric vechiles and council has an electric car.

Waste Management: we are one of the first councils in the region to undertake recycling and now the lead with Netwaste as well, a cooperative of 16 councils with the composting and recycling hub out near Molong.

Council started the Sustainable Living Expo some 10 years ago.

Council initiated the Central West Water and Salinity Alliance, which has councils out as far as Nyngan working cooperatively on projects towards sustainable councils, environments and communities.

Therefore Orange is involved in many spheres and processes that are decreasing our environmental footprint and striving towards environmental sustainability in water, energy, waste, biodiversity and education.

But we are always cognisant of the triple bottom line - that includes people have to be able to earn a living, be able to live comfortably, raise their families and not feel that they are being bullied by others who have other beliefs.