PBC Sustainability Activities 2006-Present

 

The PBC is a community club and we see ourselves as part of the local community and the broader global community. As part of that community we believe it is our responsibility to try and reduce our impact on the environment.

 

Since 2006, we have undertaken a range of initiatives to help reduce waste and water usage, increase energy efficiency and reduce our carbon footprint. You can find out more about what we’ve done below.

 

In October 2014 the club installed 21 solar panels, a 5.25kWh system and hopes to install more solar panels during 2016.  A long term goal is to be 100% solar.

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May 2019   Started trialling trialling green bin liners made with corn.  Provided by Australian company.

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Energy

 

July 2007    
Removed all poker machines and achieved around 3% energy saving.

 

Jan 2008      
An energy auditor advised PBC to upgrade refrigeration and air conditioning systems to save energy.

 

Sept 2008    
Received Energy Grant $23,450 (excl. GST) from NSW Dept of Environment, Climate Change & Water (DECCW).

 

April 2009     
Installed ceiling insulation and 20 halogen dimmer lights over dining area with 30% energy saving.  (DECCW Energy Grant).

 

May 2009     
Installed window awnings and 20 Save-It-Easy fluoro plugs with 35% energy saving.  (DECCW Energy Grant).

 

June 2009    
Installed new rubber seals on cool room doors to improve energy efficiency.   (Part of energy grant.).

 

June 2010    
Installed 15 dimmable lights with 30% energy saving in hanging baskets over dance floor. (Part of energy grant).

 

June 2010    
Upgraded refrigeration by installing a new Maneurop variable speed driven condensing unit with huge energy savings.   (DECCW Energy Grant).     

 

Dec. 2010      
PBC records almost 25% less energy consumption.

 

March 2011          
Installed six wall fans to avoid using inefficient air conditioning system in summer.

 

August 2011          
Removed inefficient air conditioning unit from PBC roof. 

 

Sept. 2011          
Removed 2 deep fryers from kitchen and installed pizza  machine resulting in energy savings. 

 

May 2012    
Removed electric hot water system (250 litre) & installed  a continuous gas hot water system.  Huge energy saving.  (NSW Community Building Partnership grant)

 

Nov. 2012    
Installed LED fairy lights to reduce energy consumption. 

 

Feb. 2013    
Energy Assessor completed an Energy Action Plan.  (Govt Energy Efficiency for Small Business 
Program) 

 

March 2013    
Installed a new ice making machine and removed an old chest freezer that used over 900kWh per year. (NSW Govt Energy Efficiency for Small Business Program)

 

March 2013    
Replaced old seals on bar fridge display and replaced one door.  (NSW Govt Energy Efficiency for Small Bus. Prog.)

 

March 2013    
Replaced upright freezer with a new star-rated freezer using about 70% less energy.  (Community raffle money.)

 

March 2013    
It is estimated the refrigeration work above will save the club $1,710pa and greatly reduce carbon emissions.

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December 2013        

Installed a new and more energy efficient air conditioning unit.

 

February 2014        

Installed LED lights around the music band area.

 

October 2014        

Installed 21 solar panels. 5.25kWh system.  Cost $8,668. Connected to grid on 17.10.14.

 

November 2015       

Switched to Momentum Energy for 100% renewal energy.

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July 2017 

Installed 12 solar panels on western roof.  3.48kWh system.  (NSW Community Building Partnership grant $16,089.)

 

July-Aug 2017 

Total upgrade of Bistro kitchen. Installed LED lights and efficient under bench refrigeration. New sinks.

 

Jan 2019            

Installed 14 Solar Bollards on club’s pathways and driveway entrance to provide lighting at night.  (Stronger Communities Grant of $14,284)

 

Nov 2018  

Inner West Council offered PBC a free Sustainable Business Consultation with 100% Renewables.

 

June 2019 

100% Renewables recommended PBC upgrade all linear fluorescent and remaining halogen lights to LED technology giving a 60% saving.  Work completed in June 2019.

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Water

 

May 2007     
Received a Community Water Grant $42,870 (excl. GST) from Federal Government.

 

July 2007    
Connected three water tanks to toilets (9,500 litres). (Community Water Grant)

 

Aug 2007      
Installed three tanks on lower green (13,000 litres). (Community Water Grant)

 

Sept 2007    
Installed waterless urinal.  (Community Water Grant)

 

Dec 2007    
Installed irrigation system on top green to save water. (Community Water Grant)

 

Dec2007       
Installed Sammic water-efficient glass dishwashing machine under bar to save water. 

 

June 2008    
Installed dual flush toilet downstairs and upgraded all bathroom and exterior taps. (Community Water Grant)

 

Aug 2008      
Stopped selling bottled water and provided jugs of water and glasses at bar.

 

Dec 2008      
PBC records 227,000 litres less water used during 2008.

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Mid 2018           

Installed timed watering system in vegetable garden to go on very early in the morning to water vegies.

 

Recycling & Waste Reduction

 

Nov. 2006    
Commenced recycling paper and cardboard, bottles, plastics, cans and cartons with Visy.

 

Dec 2006      
Commenced recycling wine corks to Marrickville Council.

 

Mar 2007    
Commenced recycling cooking oil with Sydney Recycling Services.

 

May 2007    
Commenced recycling printer cartridges to Officeworks.

 

June 2007    
Installed a Grease Trap to collect grease/oil from Bistro.

 

May 2008    
Installed roller towel service in bathrooms to stop paper hand towels going to landfill.

 

Oct 2008    
Participated in Marrickville Council E-waste Recycle Weekend.  Recycled TV, 2 computers, modem & keyboard.

 

Nov 2010      
Commenced recycling 20 litre empty cooking oil cans with Oil Right.

 

Nov 2010      

Stopped buying vegetables in polystyrene boxes.

 

Mar 2011         
Commenced Aerobin Composting Trial with Marrickville Council for 6 months to reduce kitchen vegetable scraps going to landfill.

 

May 2011           
Commenced recycling scrap metal and gave old aluminium irrigation pipes to a scrap metal service.

 

July 2011      
Commenced recycling office batteries to Marrickville Council.

 

Sept. 2011      

Diverted 541kg of vegetable scraps into compost bins during first 9 months of Composting Trial.

 

Sept. 2011      
Changed club menu from steak & chips,etc to pizza, pasta & salad resulting in huge reduction in food waste, 50% less clearing of grease trap and no cooking oil or empty 20 litre cooking oil containers to recycle.

 

Nov. 2011       

Installed post-mix dispenser at bar resulting in about 50% less soft drink containers and 50% less cardboard entering PBC recycling stream.

 

Nov. 2014      

Commenced buying long paper straws to recycle in club’s compost or organic bins.

 

Jan. 2015         

Commenced recycling grass clippings & organic matter with Organic Recycling Group.

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June 2017 

Started getting a bag of waste coffee from a local cafe about every 6 weeks  to use in compost bins.  In early 2018 started using waste coffee for soil preparation in vegie boxes. 

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In June 2019 started using compostable green bin liners to collect coffee.

 

May 2018  

Stopped selling Fruit Juice Poppers with the small plastic straw.  Now buy about 8 x 2 litre fruit juice weekly from supermarket.  Bar staff pour fruit juice into a glass & sell for $2.  The large empty juice containers are recycled.

 

Feb 2019            

Bistro started buying brown recyclable tissue napkins along with a self-serving box that ensures only one tissue per person is used.

                  

March 2019  

Bistro phased out selling small hard plastic tubs of ice cream.  Now sell ice cream and ice blocks on sticks.

 

March 2019  

Started phasing out selling single-use small packets of salted peanuts and started selling salted pretzels from Village Wholesale.  Buy in bulk and store in large glass containers.  Bar staff scoop out pretzels into the re-usable wooden bowls. 

 

May 2019   Started trialling trialling green bin liners made with corn.  Provided by Australian company.  

 

Educational Activities

 

July 2007    
Installed Environmental Notice Board as part of  educational activities for Community Water Grant.

 

Aug 2008      
Workshop & Handout ‘Low Cost Enviro Tips’ conducted by Watershed and Marrickville Council.  Part of educational activities for Community Water Grant.

 

Mar 2010    
Signed up with Testing Certification Australia for webgraph reports to monitor club’s electricity usage. (Part of educational activities for DECCW grant)

 

Aug 2010    
Case Study outlining work completed during 2008-2010.  (Part of educational activities for DECCW grant)

 

Nov 2010      
PBC hosted participants from Marrickville Council’s target sustainability@marrickville program.  PBC President gave a talk and tour of club showing recent energy-saving installations that were completed under the DECCW energy grant.           

 

August 2011    
Participated in the ‘Say Yes to a Price on Carbon Pollution’ campaign and placed posters and brochures around club.         

 

October 2012    
Provided venue and participated in a NSW Love Food Hate. Waste educational workshop attended by professional waste and sustainable educators.   

 

Feb. 2013    
PBC Bistro gave a talk at a Love Food Hate Waste Partner. Forum about achieving 80% less food waste. 

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Nov. 2014       

PBC held its inaugural EcoFest, including Marrickville Coucnil workshops and a stall with local solar community group.

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Oct. 2018  

Celebrated World Animal Day at PBC.  Rescue dog groups, Vets, Inner West Council Companion Animal Officers, bee hive workshop and bee hive installed.  Cake stall with donations from community. 

 

March 2019  

Commenced community Games Night.

 

March 2019  

Candidates Forum for March 2019 State Election.   (Estimate about 70 people.)

 

May 2019  

Candidates Forum for May 2019 Federal Election.   (Estimate about 110 people.)              

 

26 June 2019     

Inner West Council organised a Go Solar Day workshop at the PBC in partnership with the Green Living Centre and advised residents how to go solar.  The workshop was fully-booked and was a successful night.

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Collaborations

 

Mar 2007    
PBC and Easy Being Green worked together to remove120 incandescent globes in club and surrounding houses and installed 120 energy-saving lights.  

 

July 2007      
PBC joined Marrickville Council’s target sustainability@ marrickville program for local business and community organizations to reduce water, energy and waste.  See Marrickville Council website for Petersham 
Bowling Club Case Study:    www.marrickville.nsw.gov.au

 

Sept. 2011    
PBC Bistro joined the NSW government  ‘Love Food Hate  Waste’ program and in May 2012 became a partner.

 

July 2011    
Signed Ethical Paper Pledge with Wilderness Society of Australia refusing to buy Reflex copy paper because it is sourced from Victorian native forests.

 

July 2014           

Marrickville Council offered PBC three garden verges on footpath in front of the club.  Council created the three garden beds and provided 50 native plants.  Council gardeners helped volunteers with the planting and the verges are now managed by PBC members.

 

July 2015

PBC had its inaugural ‘Sculpture by the PBC’ in collaboration with Reverse Garbage.

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General

July 2011      
Stopped purchasing Reflex copy paper as it is sourced from Victorian native forests.

 

Aug 2011    
Participated in the ‘Say Yes to a Price on Carbon Pollution’ campaign and placed posters and brochures around club.

 

Aug 2011        
Purchased Paper-Go-Round pens which use recycled paper for the holders. 

 

Feb 2013     
Planted lime trees for the bar using our own organic compost. 

 

July 2013     
Planted 6 hop rhizomes to grow hops of an organic upcoming beer, we also used our own compost from our compost bins run on bistro vegetable scraps.