Integrating sustainable economic,
environmental and social solutions
About Us
Sustainable Solutions is an independent consultancy experienced at providing economically, environmentally and socially sustainable solutions for Australian and international projects.
Led by Dr Geraldine McGuire, an experienced project manager and scientist, Sustainable Solutions integrates the client’s needs with scientific, consultation and management expertise to direct projects towards the optimum outcomes for the client, local community and the environment.
Sustainable Solutions' clients include the private sector, government and non-government agencies. Our specialist expertise is particularly suited to managing projects in developing communities within tropical environments.
What's New at Sustainable Solutions...
Reduce your carbon footprint
The Tablelands Low Carbon Diet Challenge implemented by Sustainable Solutions has finished but Tablelanders’ commitment to being energy efficient and reducing our carbon footprint continues.
Participants in the Tablelands LCD challenge took measures to reduce their 
annual carbon footprints by a total of 297,604 kg. It should be pointed out that while participants carefully reviewed their household energy consumption and took measures such as reducing shower times, replacing incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent light bulbs and turning lights off when not in use, the vast majority of the carbon reduction was due to the thousands of trees that some of the participants have planted (which are absorbing an average of 11kg/year until the tress reach maturity after 30-50 years). Participants also pledged to reduce a further 22,095 kg by June 2011 through a combination of buying more energy-efficient appliances, designing and moving into energy efficient houses, installing renewable energy systems and planting more trees.
Among the families and businesses which signed up for the Challenge, it was great to see the Malanda TRC Office and Workshop leading the way for the Tablelands Regional Council by reducing their annual carbon emissions by 2534kg and saving a few hundred dollars each year in reduced electricity charges.
The final activity for the Tablelands Low Carbon Diet Challenge was to team up with SPAR Malanda for their “Buy Local” campaign. This is one way in which Tablelanders can really contribute to reducing carbon emissions from transport costs, with the added benefits of supporting local businesses and getting good quality, fresh products. Look out for the “Buy Local” labels on the shelves at SPAR.
For anyone who missed out, all the information you need to reduce your carbon footprint can be found at www.climatesmart.qld.gov.au.
It was a pleasure working on the Tablelands Low Carbon Diet Challenge because everyone was so supportive. Well done to all the participants and a big thank you to everyone else who provided such great support to the Tablelands Low Carbon Diet Challenge.
The Women’s Sustainability Network is an informal networking evening which gives women the opportunity to find out about some of the initiatives being undertaken by local people and organisations to enhance the sustainability of the North Queensland region.
This group will hold three gatherings in 2010.
- April, Thursday 29th , 6.30 pm, Butchers Creek Community Hall Speaker -Dr Suzanne Jenkins - Northern Program Manager, Australian Conservation Foundation
Topic - Conservation and communities
To achieve conservation goals the local community’s needs and perspectives must always be considered; this has a huge range of challenges. Sue has worked in a wide variety of roles both nationally and internationally and will share her experiences in different communities including Kiribati, Thailand, the Kimberley and the Tablelands.
Topic - Women in Government – A Perspective
Despite the gains women have made into high level management roles, women are still significantly under-represented at all senior levels of Government. As the first elected female Mayor to the Cairns City Council, Val will be able to share some valuable insights into the challenges and rewards of being a woman in this competitive field. Come along and be inspired by the journey of this widely travelled and energetic woman and find out her perspective on pursuing a
sustainable future for the region through her role in Council.
- October, Thursday 28th, 6.30 pm, Peeramon Hotel Dining Room Speaker - Victoria Gordon – Scientist, co-founder and Managing Director of Ecobiotic
Topic - Science, economics, and conservation
Broadly speaking, the battle between conservation of natural
resources and the economic gains of depleting them is most
often won by the latter. Ecobiotic specialises in the discovery and development of new pharmaceuticals from the tropical rainforests of far north Queensland. The company’s product discovery successes
are demonstrating the intrinsic value of these rainforests and are
thus a strong argument for conservation of tropical rainforests both locally and worldwide. Victoria will share with us some of her exciting moments as a scientist and business entrepreneur, explain how her work fits into the larger picture as a sustainable enterprise.
For more information on the 2010 programme please contact us at Sustainable Solutions.
In March 2010 Dr Geraldine McGuire was announced as a finalist in the Rural Industries Research and Development Co-operation’s Rural Women’s Award. This award recognises innovative rural women and their commitment to their communities and the sustainable 
development of their industry. Geraldine, along with two other native fruit growers, established a company called Rainforest Bounty in 2009 which makes high-quality condiments and conserves from Davidson Plum, lemon aspen and lilly-pilly species which they market locally and nationally. As part of the company’s long term goal, Geraldine would like to participate in a study tour of value-adding food businesses that have included indigenous partnerships or a tourism component in their business models. She would like to facilitate research with local Aboriginal groups to determine community willingness and capacity for involvement in native rainforest fruit business. Although Geraldine did not win the $10 000 bursary award to assist in her goals for the company, her position as a finalist recognises her innovation in developing a product and market for Australian native produce and working towards sustainable outcomes.
For more information on Rainforest Bounty please visit the website www.rainforestbounty.com.au
In 2009, Sustainable Solutions received a grant from the Australian Government under the Caring for our Country initiative, to work with the Mbarbaram community to produce a Strategic plan for looking after Mbarbaram Country in the Watsonville area. Planning 
consultant Lyle Johnson was engaged to develop the plan and over a few months of visits to country and meetings with the Traditional Owners, they developed a plan with the dual purpose of educating the wider Mbarbaram community about plans for managing Country; and informing government and other stakeholders about Mbarbaram aspirations and plans for engaging stakeholders to achieve the actions outlined in the Plan.
The Plan covers specific land management issues, particularly with regards to looking after the Walsh River; and outlines some exciting initiatives for economic development opportunities which could provide a stable economic base as well as enhancing cultural understanding for the younger generation of Mbarbaram people and the wider community.
In July, Sustainable Solutions, on behalf of the Women’s Sustainability Network, applied for and received funding from the Australian Federal Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry under its Australia’s Farming Future program to run a Resilient Women Workshop. The workshop ran over two days in August and was attended by 25 women.
The first day began with a welcome to country by Ngadjon elder Aunty Yvonne who spoke of her people’s connection to the beautiful and unique Mt Quincan area where the workshops were held. The key speakers for the morning were Penny Scott, Lyn O’Connor and Denise Bond, setting the context with current information on some of the environmental, business and government challenges facing rural women today. Geraldine McGuire then presented sessions on community dynamics, profiling and engagement including hands-on exercises, allowing the women to practise some of the techniques explained.
On day two we looked at what makes a resilient women and how 
these women can strengthen our communities. Geraldine discussed the characteristics of a resilient community and the ways in which women can actively engage with their community to help build resilience. Council planner Sarah Rizvi gave an excellent presentation on the complex web of processes which contribute to the Tablelands Regional Council’s policies and planning schemes. In the afternoon participants used strategic techniques to prioritise issues of relevance to our region and developed action plans for effectively addressing these issues.
The feedback from the two days showed that participants found the workshop to be informative, interesting and effective, with many of the women planning to use their new skills to pursue the issues they felt strongly about. Everyone spoke highly of the venue; Mt Quincan Crater Retreat Gazebo, which afforded spectacular Tablelands views and the excellent hospitality of owners Barbara and Kerry Kehoe.
| A resilient woman is one who takes intentional action to enhance her personal and her community’s capacity to respond to and influence the course of social and economic change…..resilience is a quality that can be developed and strengthened over time.
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Geraldine McGuire and Atherton Nye have been involved in delivering training courses in Conservation and Land Management (CALM) during 2009 upon the request of the Australian Agricultural College 
Corporation. The courses involved working with students undertaking Certificate 2, Certificate 3 and Diploma level studies. One of the subjects involved a project in the Western Bartle Frere and Topaz area. Students were assisted to collect natural and cultural resource information; and to develop a resource management plan. During this project the students climbed Mt Bartle Frere, the highest mountain in Queensland and interviewed traditional owners, local landholders and the historical society. Details of the course content can be found on www.aacc.edu.au
For further information on customised training courses contact Dr Geraldine McGuire on gmm@sustainablesolutionsglobal.com
Some proponents may wonder about the value of minimising and managing biodiversity impacts at a project site, when offering employment or alleviating poverty seem to be higher priorities. However biodiversity can be valued for many reasons such as cultural, spiritual, aesthetic, recreational and scientific. In some communities the harvesting of non-timber forest products and bush meats is still critical for survival. At other locations, certain species are
totemic and closely woven into traditions and ceremonies. Before the impacts on biodiversity can be determined, surveys of the flora and fauna of the area need to be undertaken with appropriately experienced specialists and community representatives. The survey design will depend on how extensively the area has been surveyed previously, the accessibility of the site and the types of rare and/or threatened species that may be present. If significant numbers of individuals or types of species will be lost as a result of the development, off-set programs may be required to compensate for the losses. There are multiple mechanisms for establishing off-set programs, depending on the project location, local laws and community expectations. Information on these topics can be found in the Biodiversity Management Leading Practice Booklet www.ret.gov.au or in the International Council of Mining and Minerals Good Practice Guidance for Mining and Biodiversity www.icmm.com.
| The term Boidiversity encompasses all life on earth - plants, animals, fungi and microrganisms - as well as the variety of genetic material they contain and the diversity of ecological systems in which they occur. |
For further information on designing biodiversity surveys and establishing off-set mechanisms contact Dr Geraldine McGuire on gmm@sustainabesolutionsglobal.com
In October 2008 Sustainable Solutions participated in a four day
Trade Mission to New Caledonia organised by Austrade and the Australia Pacific Islands Business Council (www.apibc.org.au). The Queensland Government is currently engaged in the promotion of the State as a centre of Tropical Expertise. The Q-Tropics Strategy can be found at - www.industry.qld.gov.au/dsdweb/v4/apps/web/content.cfm?id=10691
New Caledonia is a unique group of islands – despite its small overall size (18, 575 km2) it has nearly a quarter of the world’s known reserves of nickel, and the nickel-rich soil and its comparative isolation from other land masses have contributed to the development of an extremely rich biodiversity, including at least 3000 endemic plant species.
After a long history of Melanesian occupation, New Caledonia was colonised by the French in the 1850’s and remains a French Territory to this day. T
he current population is approximately half and half Melanesian and French origin with smaller communities of Polynesian, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese origin.
At two hours flight from Brisbane, New Caledonia is ideally positioned to benefit from Queensland experience in managing tropical environment and livelihoods. During the Trade Mission, Sustainable Solutions met with a wide cross-section of people from the government, industry and community. The economy is heavily reliant on the nickel mining industry and the future of New Caledonia depends on their ability to manage mining so that there can be sustainable benefits for the economy, the community and the environment.
To enhance the sustainability of the Atherton Tablelands region, Sustainable Solutions provides an informal ‘women’s sustainability network’ evening four times a year. At each meeting a key speaker is invited to share their experiences and knowledge in their field of expertise, leading to discussion, networking opportunities and initiatives within the group.
Penny Scott, a consultant to Terrain Natural Resource Management, gave a lively talk to the March meeting participants, about the journey that led to her interest in Climate Change. She went on to discuss local and regional proposals and strategies designed to address climate change issues.
Donna Rowlands from ‘Temple Earth Salon’ led the next meeting in June, sharing her personal experiences with harmful chemicals and the subsequent research which led to a change in lifestyle and her decision to use (and promote) only toxin free products in her business. In September, Kylie Freebody, a Botanist and Revegetation expert, talked about her many years experience in natural resource management. She gave an interesting account of the history of the local region, her experiences with local governments and the sustainable development opportunities currently available.
These well attended meetings show that there are a lot of women on the Tablelands motivated to learn and network about sustainability. Throughout history women have interacted at a grassroots level to facilitate change in issues they feel are important and to share knowledge that has had a positive impact in their lives. The ‘Women’s Sustainability Network’ gives Tableland women an opportunity to enjoy a social evening and exchange information on how they can improve their environment.
If you are in the local area and interested in joining in our next meeting, please contact Sustainable Solutions for details
Planning for the sustainable closure of a project from the very beginning is now the expected standard in the mining industry. This can be a challenging experience at sites with difficult technical issues such as geotechnical instability and acid rock drainage. These difficulties are further enhanced at operations located in remote areas surrounded by developing communities which have become dependent on the mine income. Geraldine McGuire had to take all these issues into consideration while leading the Mine Closure Steering Committee, established to agree the closure options for Kelian Equatorial Mining (KEM) gold mine in Indonesia. This knowledge was then incorporated into a project undertaken in 2006 for International Council of Mining 
and Metals (ICMM) industry survey of mine closure planning and practice. This ICMM project was undertaken by Sustainable Solutions in cooperation with Dr Catherine Macdonald of Social Sustainability Services. The culmination of this work is the recently released ICMM guide - Planning for Integrated Mine Closure Toolkit. Designed to provide essential tools to support multinational companies and medium/small sized enterprises it can be obtained by visiting www.icmm.com/mineclosure
For further information on planning and developing options for mine closure, contact Geraldine McGuire on gmm@sustainablesolutionsglobal.com
The ability to effectively engage and consult with communities to understand and respond to their concerns about a project is critical to the long term success of an operation. Often termed the “social licence to operate” this reflects the tolerance of the local population to the impacts (positive and negative) experienced from the project. In many developed countries the negative impacts relate to noise and air pollution or loss of visual amenity associated with the operational activities. However in some developing countries the land and water 
resources required for the project are directly linked to the sustainable livelihoods of the adjacent communities. These situations are often coupled with an inability of the population to participate in the employment opportunities of the project due to poor health and/or inadequate educational achievements. In such circumstances, creative livelihood programs and business development initiatives may be required to overcome the loss of resources that will be taken by the project. It is usually wise to work with local government and experienced non-government agencies to ensure the sustainability of these ventures beyond the life of the mine. Furthermore, unless there is wide support and acceptance by communities many “good ideas” are doomed to failure. Using a range of techniques broadly termed participatory planning, communities can be actively engaged to develop and prioritise programs. Information on these topics can be found in the Community Engagement and Development Leading Practice Booklet www.ret.gov.au or in the International Council of Mining and Minerals Community Development Toolkit www.icmm.com.
For further information on community engagement and participatory planning techniques contact Dr Geraldine McGuire on gmm@sustainabesolutionsglobal.com.
