| Scenic Rim Climate Smart Business Cluster (2010-2011) |
| Saturday, 07 August 2010 17:31 |
|
Between July 2010 and March 2011, the Ethos Foundation facilitated the Scenic Rim’s first ClimateSmart Business Cluster with the help of a Queensland Government grant from the Department of Environment and Resource Management.
With a focus on tracking and reducing food miles by using more local, regional and even homegrown food, 16 accommodation businesses worked with Ethos to reduce their carbon footprints and support the regional food economy.
The Scenic Rim ClimateSmart Business Cluster was formed as a result of the Biggest CARBONLOSER Challenge tourism industry program, hosted by industry association Scenic Rim Escapes and facilitated by Ethos early in 2010. Many of those participating businesses expressed a high interest in local food and began to focus on increasing their use of local food and shortening their food supply chains.
Ethos worked in partnership with Scenic Rim Escapes and Scenic Rim Regional Council to coordinate the ClimateSmart Business Cluster. The program continues the great sustainability work small to medium enterprises in the Scenic Rim have been undertaking since early 2008. Many of the cluster members participated in the Ethos Foundation’s Building Sustainable Small Business program in 2008-09 and in the Biggest CARBONLOSER Challenge in early 2010. View Dr Sally's MacKinnon's presentation at the QWEST Forum on 14 September here. This presentation made available by QWESTNet.
How it worked… Each member measured their existing food miles based on their business priorities (eg) seasonal menu development, one key meal, key ingredients, whole pantry etc. Each member undertook extensive research about where their food was coming from, how far it travelled, and how it was packaged and produced. They also measured CO2-e emissions based on food miles (by Oct 2010) 
|