World Environment Day

Dear Eco-Warrior Bloggers,

Tomorrow (5^th June 2012) is the United Nations World Environment Day!  The theme this year is the Green Economy, Does it include you?

In case you are wondering about what exactly is a 'green economy', the official definition is one that results in 'improved human well-being and social equity, while significantly reducing environmental risks and ecological scarcities.’  A green economy is about sustainable economic growth.

You may be wondering, how can I celebrate this day in my own personal way?  The World Environment Day makes us reflect on our own contribution towards sustainable economic growth.  In its very theme title, the World Environment Day invites us to consider our own involvement towards ensuring a Green Economy.

As well as recognising the great work already being done by leaders in this field, let's hope tomorrow sparks further commitment and enthusiasm towards ensuring a Green Economy around the world.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) website has loads of ideas how individually and collectively we can make a difference this week.  Potentially you may be inspired to take even a small step to raising awareness about World Environment Day, for example by posting a link on social media  like facebook.

You can find out about World Environment Day here: http://www.unep.org/wed/

Sustainability in Schools - Resource AuSSI Vic Program

Dear Eco Warrior Bloggers,

What better way to engage the next generation in working towards sustainability and a greener future, than to start in schools!  Banksia Gardens has been running a 'Sustainable Schools' program, otherwise known as the Resource Smart AuSSI Vic Program.  I recently met with two of the program's educators to find out more.

The ResourceSmart AuSSI program is about helping schools, both primary and secondary, become environmentally friendly.  The Program is managed by the Victorian Government through Sustainability Victoria.  It involves a holistic approach and focuses on various modules:

• Core Module (Information Gathering and Planning)
• Energy
• Water 
• Biodiversity
• Waste

There is a 5 Star Sustainability Certification system that participating schools can attain through completing the modules.  The Program was initiated by Ceres, the Community Environment Park, around 10 years ago.   It has since been implemented around Melbourne and last year expanded to include schools in the Hume City Council.  Details of the ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic (Sustainable Schools) Program can be found:

http://www.ceres.org.au/sustainableschools

The Banksia Gardens team includes both staff and volunteers.  The educators are currently working on different stages of the program with four different schools.  To begin with, each school must complete the 'core' module.  This is an important process that provides schools with the foundation to review their policies and practices, and then engage in strategic planning.  

The educators are finding the success of the program depends on the cooperation of the whole school, including the involvement of students and teachers.  It has been rewarding to have had a positive response from students and teachers so far, and the Banksia Gardens team are looking forward to building on this and advancing the Sustainable Schools Program.

It’s a great thing to witness the dedication of staff, volunteers and students towards promoting environmental sustainability in such a practical and measurable way.  In the future we hope to keep you updated on the program. 

Update & Environmentality Radio Show 98.9 North West FM

Dear Eco Warriors bloggers,

It has been some time since the Eco Warriors blog has been active, but that is about to change!  We will soon be looking at what has been happening with the Banksia Eco Warriors Project, speaking to staff and following up on the programs of Banksia Gardens Community Centre.

We will also be looking at interesting and pertinent updates on the environment, climate change and sustainability.  Readers, if you have a special topic you would like explored be sure to contact us.

In the meantime, I would like to remind readers of the fantastic radio show Environmentality, featured every Wednesday at 12-1pm on 98.9 North West FM.   The Environmentality team have grown to comprise four co-presenters, each week discussing sustainability and interviewing environmental movers and shakers.

Environmentality also has an active blogspot, with a summary and podcasts of each week's show:
http://www.environmentality989.blogspot.com.au/

Stay tuned for some exciting blogging!

Bicycle maintenance workshops

Dear Eco Warriors bloggers,

It's been a while since our last post but hopefully you all have been following our Environmentality blog, which in general is updated weekly.

But while Environmentality is a very important part of the Banksia Eco Warriors Program, it is not the only thing that keeps us busy.

For the last 6 weeks or so, in partnership with the Northern Transport Links Project led by Link Community Transport, we have been hosting fortnightly Bicycle Maintenance Workshops to support local residents who want to learn how to maintain a bicycle. The workshops have been held every second Saturday at Banksia Gardens and this Saturday (17th July) we have the last one coming up.


The workshops have been a great success with an average of 10 people turning up to the different sessions that have covered topics such as "Wheels and Tyres", "Brakes" or "Safety and Equipment".

It is important to mention that this would not have been possible without the help from Alex, co-owner of The Bike Shed in Craigieburn. Alex volunteered his time to facilitate the sessions.

Apart from being a valuable initiative in itself, it looks like this initiative will lead to an ongoing bicycle repair & recycle program, but we will keep you posted.

See you soon!

Environmentality on 98.9 North West FM

Dear Eco Warriors bloggers,

On the 23rd of March 2010 we started our radio program called Environmentality. The show airs on a fantastic local radio station and we are putting it together with the help of a small (but growing) group of volunteers. We are lucky to have the assistance of our big sister CERES (must be a sister since she was a goddess right?) in the recruitment of these volunteers, who need to be quite talented.

You can follow the progress of the radio show on its stand alone blog, http://www.environmentality989.blogspot.com .

And remember, make your mentality... Environmentality!

See you soon!

Worcester Polytechnic Institute Students working on Edu-Eco Link

Dear Eco Warriors bloggers,

For the last weeks or even months our blog has been dominated by the community garden, so in the next day or so I am planning to share a couple of stories related to some other programs.



The four people you see above are Jim, Ashley, Trevor and Liz. They are American students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI), one of the oldest engineering faculties in the USA. WPI was kind enough to send them to Banksia Gardens Community Centre as part of the University's innovative Global Perspective Program.


From January to March, they worked at Banksia Gardens Community Centre helping us to develop our Edu-Eco Link Program, an environmental education program for schools in the Hume area. Prior to their arrival, they spent two months doing background research and preparing a preliminary report.



The contribution the students made to the Edu-Eco Link program was phenomenal and involved extensive consultation with young people and educators, careful research and consideration of the program principles and design of the sessions included in it. In addition to this, they truly became part of the team during their time here and they provided enormous help with several programs and activities (see pictures). As a result of all this, we are now starting some conversations with different organisations to see how this program can actually become a reality.

So a big thank you to Ashley, Elizabeth, Jim and Trevor!!

End of summer

Dear Eco Warriors bloggers,

For the last three months we have been busy watering, harvesting and eating the fantastic vegetables from our garden, including silver beat, lettuce, tomatoes, spring onions, parsnip, basil, cauliflower, cabbage, chili, zucchini, squash, etc.

It is now time to start planting some winter produce, and I thought it was time to share a couple of stories and pictures with you.

One very positive one is that due to the success of the garden, we decided to install 4 more garden beds to be used by a Young Women's Group who are based at Roxburgh Park.

Since we were very happy with the garden beds we installed in the first place, we contacted the same company, Kiwi Collars, to order some more. A few emails down the track they let us know that they were impressed by the use we had made of their product, and they decided to "sponsor" our garden by heavily discounting the new garden beds we ordered.

Here is a picture of our dedicated and lovely volunteers Heidi and Kylie, with some produce that was harvested today.