As you are all probably aware, the meeting in March was a movie afternoon. Due to the length of the first movie, we only had time for one, but what an epic it turned out to be. It was a movie about the history of alcohol as a fuel. Based on the American experience, it traced the initial home brewers and how the new Oil companies paid the Prohibitionists over one million dollars to encourage them to have alcohol outlawed, not just for drinking, but also for fuel. It was 2 ½ hours long, but very very informative. We didn’t actually get out of ENVIROMART to around 5:30. Thanks once more to Di and Alan for their hospitality. With the success of that event, we may have more (just a little shorter next time).
It was unfortunate, but the Green Loan brochures won’t be in circulation until June. Apparently there is some political reason. This punched a hole in our release at the Cairns Home Show, but Emma Thirkell , who had been good enough to lend us space at her stall, offered to let me set up a small ATA stand at the last minute.

As it was very late there was no time to call for extra volunteers so the stall was staffed by Daryl Douglass, ‘ Ris Douglass and Emma Thirkell and helping out was her brother Andrew who set up a couple of computers to hook up to the internet. The weekend was very successful, and we sold over $140-00 worth of booklets and Back issues. The Housing Industries Authority (HIA) got in on the act too, with Peter Collins of the HIA giving several lectures throughout the Show on Sustainable Building Techniques and gave the ATA a couple of mentions. I still came away with sore feet and no voice, but we all had a great time. Emma’s side of the stall launched two new websites, sponsored by Beachcomber Building Solutions. They are unique as they are specifically designed for far north Queensland and offer stacks of information on local Green building products and suppliers and an EBay style site for building materials, both new and second hand (oops, I mean Recycled). So, check out www.greenbuild.com.au and www.nqbuild.com.au .
For all the new people that I have just found out about, welcome aboard. We hope to see you at our get togethers that happen on the third Saturday of each month between 2:00 and 4:00pm (with afternoon tea provided afterwards). When not on a field trip, we normally meet at the ENVIROMART Shop on the corner of Scott St. and Aumuller St. on the Southern side of the Cairns CBD

Our next meeting will be a field trip to check out AQUAPONICS. This will be held at Ian Franzman’s place at No. 5 Wiseman’s Rd. Edmonton starting at 2:00pm on Saturday the 18th April. Ian has a presentation and a working unit for us to look at.

See you all there
DARYL

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