For those who are avid readers of the Townsville magazine CityLife, this will not be news. For everyone else, the latest (June) edition features a story on MINCA's Anti-Plastic Bag campaign (Bag-Busters) - and one of the drivers behind it, Olivia Illidge.
Olivia explains that in devising the campaign beyond the petitions, she and members of the MINCA sub-committee planned the elements of a campaign used a toolkit from Victoria and also borrowed ideas from the quit smoking campaign "because we thought plastic bag use was an addiction and needed to be treated like one”.

Olivia is quoted as saying: “We will be applying for funding shortly and plan to launch the campaign later in the year. In the meantime, we hope people will reconsider their use of plastic bags and not bring them to Magnetic Island".

To read the full story click here

The open day at Bolger Bay last Sunday (12 June) opened the eyes of those attending to the beauty of the block - for many for the nth time!

Gethin Morgan led a walk and talk, pointing out special features of the MINCA-managed Bolger Bay Conservation Park, what had been done and what was on the (long!) list of things to be done.

The morning ended with a very relaxed picnic, at which any number of environmental issues were informally discussed.

If you didn't make the event, do make sure that you get to the next one - it's a wonderful 'bush morning'.

MINCA's Trash'n'Treasure held last Sunday (World Environment Day) was also an opportunity for the community to demonstrate their support for a price on carbon. Scores of buyers and sellers made a very obvious and green statement by having the word 'YES" painted on some part of their body. 

'Painter' Wendy Tubman said she found willing canvasses everywhere - "I painted heads, brows, arms, backs and chests, with non-toxic Australian-made body paint" she said. "It was a fun and effective way to spread the message that we support polluters being made to pay a price for the damage they are doing to our environment. We are not allowed to leave trash in the bush and are asked to pay (directly or indirectly) to dump our waste at the tip - why should the big 'invisible' polluters be allowed to freely dump their often much more dangerous waste in the environment?"

According to MINCA VP Pen Sheridan, the event "raised approx $450 last Sunday through the sale of books, clothes and other donated gear and the payment of stalls. It wasn't a bad effort considering the event came off the back of another community garage sale a week before and a big sale at All Seasons on the same day!  "The morning was a terrific way of promoting MINCA's activities and profile.

"We had 20+ cards written - supporting a price on carbon - to the minister for Climate Change, Greg Combet. We also had a number of people take membership brochures...hopefully we will get  few new members from this. 

"Thank you to everyone who came down on the day and who donated stuff. Thanks also to the 7 stall holders - I hope you made a mint!"