One of the largest electricity consumption sites for Noosa Council has recorded an 80 per cent reduction in power usage over the past 18 months thanks to going solar and other initiatives.

The Noosaville depot on Eumundi Noosa Road accommodates 105 staff members and was targeted for savings as part of its Zero Emissions Strategy adopted in 2016.

Council aims to have its operations at zero net emissions by 2026 with carbon reduction project officer Annie Nolan rating the depot as an ambitious place to start making changes.

"A 50 kilowatt roof top solar system was installed which has had a great impact on overall electricity use,” Ms Nolan said.

Cr Wellington said after hopping off at the Hastings St transit stop, this was the first suite of trials "that will continue to roll out over the next year or so”.

"This is just the beginning of a long-term plan to shift people away and goods away from the traditional means of travelling around the shire,” Cr Wellington said.

"It's our aim not to make it easier for cars, but rather to make it easier for essential deliveries to occur and easier for people to move around.”

The mayor said the Go Noosa trial aims to "create a more care-free, fun, alternative travelling experience for everyone, that's residents as well as visitors.”

"The tuk-tuk is ubiquitous throughout Asia and is currently noisy and polluting. This group of innovators clearly understand the need to reduce global transport emissions.”

Cr Wilkie said since November 24 "this inspiring team has travelled some 1900km from Melbourne” with "what must have been a very brisk detour up Mt Kosciuszko”.

He said this would show Noosa and others the way to a cleaner, smarter and more sustainable future "and we applaud you for that” and "your sense of adventure”.

Ms Bolton said the team's quest was exciting with its tangible efforts to bring this technology to the world.

A QUIET revolution is unfolding in Cooran thanks to the efforts of a few dynamic Noosa locals. 

Spending an hour or two on a Saturday morning learning how to unlock the secrets of electricity bills (and inspecting a home for more clues on household energy usage), is probably not your ideal weekend activity. 

But this hardy group of locals begs to differ.

Following on from their Declaration of Cooran as a Coal and Gas Free Community on August 11 this year, members of the Cooran Earth Rights (CER) group have been meeting with volunteers from Zero Emissions Noosa (ZEN) to take back the power, one household at a time. 

Cr Griffin and Cr Melrose were up for the fight with developer TM Burke and helped organise a huge public protest, which saw thousands of locals and other Noosa lovers bused in to line the David Low Way to protest.

The aim was to stop wall-to-wall development, and it worked thanks to the "High Noon and the High Dune'' rallying call coined by Ms Griffin.

"That's the name I dreamed up for it, High Noon for the High Dune - I'm not great at that stuff, but that one I liked,'' she said.

"That was one of the really great partnerships between the council and the community and (town) planner Raul Weychardt.

Noosa businesses could help create 800 skilled jobs in the next eight years and save $3.4 million if they were to join the solar push by Zero Emissions Noosa.

That is the upside of ZEN's "historic” report, Achieving 100% Renewable Electricity in Noosa, produced by Dr Rob Passey of ITP Renewables, funded by the Noosa Biosphere Reserve Foundation.

Foundation chair Dick Barnes said "this is just the start of a very big idea and NBRF would welcome being further involved in the next stages,” he said.

ZEN president Vivien Griffin said this report was a "historic milestone in our collective journey to zero emissions”.

Activist Vivien Griffin, who is currently president of the Sunshine Coast Environment Council and a leading light of Zero Emissions Noosa, first formed a formidable alliance with fellow councillor Heather Melrose on Noosa Council back in the 1990s.

Under the leadership of Mayor Noel Playford, it was a crucial time for Noosa in setting its planning course that would buck the open-ended building development embraced by every other southeast Queensland council.

"That was my apprenticeship, I couldn't have had better mentors,” Ms Griffin said.

The line in the sand for Noosa Council, which would eventually send the development lobby into a lather with its "population cap” planning tactic, was the refusal of the Marcus Beach high dune development.

HERE is a chance to hitch a free ride into Noosa's sustainable transport future with Zero Emissions Noosa

ZEN's Vivien Griffin said will be offering monthly two-hour guided group rides on electric bikes to help ride home the message of the environmental and health benefits of electric bike these two-wheeled wonders.

"Our first ride will be around Tewantin on Saturday, September 8 from 8-10am, starting from Sid Wilson Park, Moorindil Street, near the ferry,” Ms Griffin said.

"We will travel on off-road cycle paths or quiet back roads out to Noosa Banks, and discover the beauty of Cooroibah Creek, returning for a friendly morning tea at the end.

One Noosa researcher about to help launch a locally ground-breaking trial on the benefits of electric pedal power, once regarded the ebikes as a bit of a joke.

But now Dr Carina Anderson, of CQUniversity School of Nursing, who is about to steer a three-month trial is one of the battery-charged converted road users.

"I'm just really keen to see less people using their cars so we have less emissions,” Dr Anderson said.

"Thirty per cent of emissions come from transport, so if we can get some of the cars off the road it's good for everyone and it's good for the infrastructure, because you have less wear and tear on the road.”

She cycles and charges along on electric no-pedal power.

When your business's power bills amount to $4000 a month, it's time to take action.

And that's exactly what Richie's Bakery at Tewantin did.

Bakery operator Catherine Wray said "the time had come” to find a solution, and now there are 56 solar panels on the roof of the bakery building, pumping natural power straight from the sun into the business.

"We use a lot of power with the ovens,” Ms Wray said.

"Our power bills cost $4000 a month.

"This should cut that in half.”

Coooran has once again stood up to be counted as it fights to exclude mining from its rural environs with the community on Saturday coming together to declare "hands off” our patch of paradise.

The Cooran Earth Rights movement was delighted by the turn out to the Declaration Day at Straker Park as locals celebrated becoming the first Noosa Shire postcode to proclaim it wants to be coal mine and gas field free.

Watching on was Noosa MP Sandy Bolton and Noosa Deputy Mayor Frank Wilkie.

Ms Bolton said the declaration was "an incredible effort from the community, working together with a united and powerful voice”.

Cooran is looking to celebrate this Saturday as it publicly declares itself off limits to coal and gas extraction.

The Declaration Day Picnic, hosted by Cooran Earth Rights, is to acknowledge the 98 per cent local rejection of any and all sort of fossil fuel resource exploration or mining. 

From 10am-2pm in Straker Park, Cooran locals will be joined by Noosa MP Sandy Bolton and members of the Noosa Council who have formally voted to declare the township and surrounds a coal and gas field free area. 

Deputy Mayor Frank Wilkie and Noosa Shire councillors will attend the celebration, which includes a community picnic, live music, a symbolic ceremony, dancing, sharing and the formal declaration. A Cooran Earth Rights spokesman said the group stood united with 440-plus communities Australia-wide who are making a stand against "industries that pollute our water and land”.

Noosa Council today joined more than 30 councils across Australia in a new initiative to slash emissions and tackle worsening climate change.

The Climate Council’s Cities Power Partnership (CPP) aims to transform Australia’s energy future. 

It offers Australian councils actionable, realistic, and effective methods to encourage clean energy technology, energy efficiency, sustainable transport and other climate solutions at a local level.

Speaking from the CPP’s Canberra launch Mayor Tony Wellington said it was "an absolute no-brainer for Noosa Council to jump on board".

Bike On's Justin Wyatt was on hand to last of the free cycling workshops funded through Noosa Council's support of Zero Emissions Noosa, to impart basic cycle maintenance skills to those keen to saddle up. In all 30 participants last Saturday learned how change flat tyres, adjust gears and brakes during the hands-on workshop held at Girraween Sports Complex.

Justin said Noosa had terrific bike shops able to assist with any tricky mechanical issues and offer a practical advice about purchasing a new bike. Bike On recommends Venture Cycles where Jez and the team do a terrific job of taking care of their customers at Noosaville. The three workshops have achieved their goal in encouraging new cyclists who may be lacking in confidence to ride their bikes more frequently.