Two Victorian education projects advocating for sustainability among school students have been announced as finalists in the Thriving Environment category of the 2023 Premier’s Sustainability Awards.
Now celebrating its 21st year, Victoria's most distinguished annual sustainability awards program recognizes businesses, local governments, and communities at the forefront of sustainability, applauding their remarkable achievements.
The Premier’s Sustainability Awards boasts six categories, which correlate with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. These categories represent the blueprint for establishing a brighter and more sustainable future for everyone. Notably, there are two winners selected for each category. The Community Champion Award extols the efforts of individuals, smaller organizations, and local governments, while the Industry Leader Award distinguishes medium to large organizations that are forging a sustainable path.
Port Phillip EcoCentre’s School Sustainability Festival is among the Community Champion finalists for the Thriving Environment category. As Victoria's most enduring school sustainability festival, it offers local schools the chance to highlight and enhance their environmental milestones. It also fosters a stage for students to voice their concerns and assume leadership roles.
Central to this yearly festivity are student-conducted workshops that focus on fostering wholesome environmental practices and enriching knowledge about the rejuvenation, safeguarding, and conservation of Melbourne's indigenous ecosystems.
Schools involved in the festival receive assistance to kickstart fresh sustainability ventures. These include crafting nest boxes for species on the brink of extinction, establishing native bee sanctuaries, planting murrnong daisies, launching a school nature ambassador program, and initiating e-waste and upcycling operations. The 2022 festival saw its largest turnout since its inception in 2019, boasting participation from 250 students across 17 schools.
The Earthwatch Institute stands as another finalist, shortlisted as an Industry Leader in the Thriving Environment category for its Kids Teaching Kids Distinctive Areas and Landscapes (DAL) program. With funding from the Victorian State Government DAL Capital Grants Program, Kids Teaching Kids partnered with over 50 local environmental entities to endow more than 90 schools with immersive teaching experiences. This effort bolstered community comprehension of various DAL policy realms, including Aboriginal cultural heritage, environment and biodiversity, landscapes, environmental threats and resilience, water quality, tourism, and natural resources.
This initiative engaged 1,121 students and educators across multiple regions, culminating in environmental behavior modifications and the commencement of sustainability projects. These projects play a vital role in the preservation of ecologically and culturally vital spaces within each region. Students engaged in hands-on, outdoor learning experiences, and they networked at regional conferences where they led environmental teaching sessions and participated in citizen science, endorsing 129 environmental projects throughout regional Victoria.
Matt Genever, Interim CEO of Sustainability Victoria, expressed his admiration for these endeavors, stating, “These organizations are at the vanguard of sustainability, enlightening children about the significance of their surrounding environment.”
The panel judging the Premier’s Sustainability Awards comprised a diverse group of independent environmental specialists, chosen for their extensive knowledge in sustainability and industry.
The award winners will be revealed during a ceremony in Melbourne on Thursday, 23 November.
This article originally appeared as a media release from Sustainability Victoria.