A terrific community atmosphere prevailed at the Hub Plot in Castlemaine last Friday as local business owners and residents came together to celebrate the successful completion of the second round of the MASH community solar bulk-buy.
Eleven businesses from the Castlemaine area donated a total of $1,800 in gift vouchers to support the uptake of solar through MASH round 2.
Sixty lucky MASH2 customers were the recipients, with around 15 turning up on Friday to be part of the ‘thank you’ to MASH2 Local Business Partners.
Unequivocal support for solar
Business owners were unequivocal about their support for solar as a way of helping create a more sustainable, resilient future.
Edna Reinhardt, Principal at Over the Moon Studios and Yoga Education Resources, summed it up in these words,
We see a strong connection between working with young people, hope and supporting a sustainable future. That’s why we are delighted to be one of the Local Business Partners for MASH2 and support this positive, local community initiative.
Local economy benefits
The benefits of MASH to the local economy were also seen as important by many, including Stephen Cross of Castlemaine Central Wine Store, who said,
The benefits for the individuals and families who participated in MASH2 include not only a financial saving over the longer term, but also the deep satisfaction of doing their bit for the betterment of our environment, and the local economy by creating jobs for the installers.
Switching from dirty power to sun power
Cutting CO2 emissions is the ultimate aim of the MASH program, said Jo Kaptein, Project Officer at the Hub Foundation. Thanks to the 473 MASH households, a whopping 2,600 tonnes of emissions are being cut annually, equal to 525 cars off the road.
Jeff Halacas of Castlemaine Fresh echoed that sentiment,
Castlemaine Fresh is proud to be supporting an initiative that is helping local residents make the change from dirty power to sun power.
Jason Mills, Managing Director of Tonks Brothers agreed,
MASH is promoting a greener and cleaner future which is something that we all hope for. That’s why Tonks Brothers is proud to be a supporter.
Businesses getting on with solar
The great news is that some of these businesses are getting on with installing solar themselves, including the Theatre Royal.
The Theatre Royal is a huge space with extensive north facing roof and with really big power bills,” says Maggie Fooke, Proprietor of the Theatre Royal in Castlemaine. The solution? Solar panels, of course. The figures look good. We are saving up, as we need lots.
Thanks to all
The Hub Foundation, the not-for-profit organiser of MASH, would like to thank the businesses who provided gift vouchers, as a Local Business Partner of MASH2: The Bike Vault, Castlemaine Central Wine Store, Castlemaine Fitness Centre, Castlemaine Fresh, Green Goes the Grocer, Over the Moon and Yoga Education Resources, RIKE-DESIGN, Tread, Theatre Royal and Tonks Brothers. In addition, Stonemans BookRoom provided nine gift vouchers and made a generous contribution towards their cost, as did MASH2 solar supplier and installer, SunEdison.
MASH3, the third round of the MASH community solar bulk-buy, will launch in July in Mount Alexander Shire, Macedon Ranges and the City of Greater Bendigo. For more information, sign up for the MASH3 launch email.
