ECO-CONSCIOUS Bendigonians have just three more weeks to nominate individuals, businesses and community organisations for the city’s 2016 sustainability awards.
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Bendigo Sustainability Group president Chris Weir said applications for the awards, which close on Friday, had already turned up some hidden but impressive achievements.
“What's fascinating is, we feel like we've got our finger on the pulse, but I get surprised when I open the applications and think 'I didn't know about that one’,” Mr Weir said.
He said the awards were important to Bendigo because the nominees acted as examples of how other people can make their lifestyle more sustainable.
Environmentally-friendly living did not require people to make big changes in their daily lives, Mr Weir said.
“And some solutions are very easy and very inexpensive,” he said.
“It can be a simple little project in the backyard, or on your verge.
“You don't have to be thinking, 'Gee, how do I convert my whole house?'”
The sustainability group will hand out an award in each of the following six categories:
- Business and innovation (small)
- Business and innovation (large)
- Home and garden
- Community
- Early childhood/primary education
- Secondary/tertiary education
“What we're trying to do with the different categories is show it can be done in the schoolyard or in business,” he said.
“We’re keen to give some visibility to quiet achievers.”
He said negative attitudes towards sustainable living were declining as the community experienced more and more extreme weather.
But despite Bendigo’s good progress, Mr Weir still thought of reducing carbon emissions as the biggest environmental challenge facing Australians today.
“We're going to be getting a lot of hotter days, more extreme weather impact. Its important people start thinking how they can adapt,” he said.
The environmental leader told the Bendigo Advertiser that the local council and state government were both making good progress when it came to sustainability.
While he said the jury was still out on the Turnbull government’s environmental policy, Mr Weir expected the Prime Minister to adopt some progressive approaches closer to election time.
He cited Mr Turnbull’s interest in innovation as evidence of his desire for change.
Anyone wanting to make a nomination should go to the Bendigo Sustainability Group’s website, www.bsg.org.au.
Applications close on February 26 at 5pm.
