They're Calling on You
- a Zoos Victoria initiative
Gorillas are on the brink of extinction. They’re calling on YOU to donate your phone today
You can now help save Gorillas in Africa simply by donating your mobile phone! Each time your mobile phone rings, a tiny piece of metallic ore from Africa is making this call possible: coltan. The mining of this commodity within the Congo River Basin is contributing to forest loss and unrest in the region, and is accelerating the loss of mountain gorillas at an alarmingly fast rate.
To find out more about this program (including downloading a postage paid label for your phone!)
click here..
Visit the Ford Discovery Centre
in 2009
A first Hand look
through the eyes of
automotive technology and design
VELS Curriculum from Prep to Year 10 & VCE Business Management Units 3&4
Want to know more...
City of Greater Geelong Waste and Recycling Survey
Keep a look out in your letterbox this month for a household survey about waste and recycling. Alternatively, you can complete the survey online in the Have Your Say section at www.geelongaustralia.com.au
Your responses will help the City to improve their services and make a long term reduction in the amount of waste going to landfill. For all enquiries contact Darby Munro on phone 5272 5272 or email dmunro@geelongcity.vic.gov.au
Junior Landcare Grants Program
Junior Landcare is Landcare Australia's youth program, which aims to get kids actively involved in their environment and enable them to develop sustainable habits from a young age. It is a great, hands-on way to get kids connecting with and learning about nature, as well as encouraging them to get outdoors.
Closing date:
Round 4: Friday, 23rd October
Find out more...
VOX Bandicoot
Vox Bandicoot creates education, training, community development and workplace sustainability behaviour change management programs which aim to foster a culture dedicated to ecological sustainability ... using a judicious mix of arts, science, humour and common sense!
Find out more about Sustainability Live Theatre programs... click here
Find out more about the WoToDo Program 0 Watch One, Try One, Do One! ...
click here
To access the Water week 2009 flyer ... click here
CERESly Sustainable Newsletter
September 2009
Inside this month’s issue read about:
- Eltham North PS and how their students have been strong encouraged not to bring along commercially bottled water,and to instead use water bottles to fill from their AquaBubblers
- a reprint of an interview with the late Teddy Goldsmith from 'The Ecologist'.
- the ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic Mini RoundTable regarding the Transition to the new ResourceSmart 5Star Sustainability Certification. This would be great to go along to if you have received the Transition letter sent by Sustainability Victoria.
- grants closing soon
- CERES Incursions... ideas of our CERES Incursion programs you could book in for Biodiversity month
- CERES workshops
- ... and more
Click here to access the newsletter
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Barwon resourceSmart Schools Network
Launched on August 12th at East Geelong Primary School, the Barwon ResourceSmart Schools Network provides an opportunity for teachers to share ideas, collaborate on projects, learn from each other (and the students!), network with sustainability educators from various organizations and undertake professional development.
The network is facilitated by SouthWest SEN (Sustainability Educators Network).
SEN is a network of educators working in partnership across south western Victoria to offer education for sustainability programs for the whole community.
The new Barwon resourceSmart Schools Network has set up an online networking site and is open to any school in the Barwon region. Anyone interested in joining the network or learning more can email simone.budd@brwmg.vic.gov.au
Read more about the launch...
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting of the Barwon resourceSmart Schools Network will be Thursday 22nd October from 4.15 - 5.30 pm
Location: Rollins Primary School, Batesford Campus (accessed from Geelong Ring Road, Midland Highway / Ballarat Exit)
25 Old Ballarat Rd (Off Pennsylvania Avenue)
Batesford, 3221
Ph. 52761290
Fax. 52761204
Agenda:
- Introduction To Biodiversity Up Close Tool (Jim Mead, Landcare Education Officer)
- Tour Of Rollins PS Batesford Campus
- Network Design Feedback
- Groupsite Usage
To RSVP for this event please go to the Barwon resourceSmart Schools Network on-line groupsite, access the calendar and click on the 22nd October. Scroll down to where you RSVP.
If you have not yet joined the network please contact Simone Budd
email: simone.budd@brwmg.vic.gov.au
BARWON REGIONAL WASTE MANAGMENT GROUP FUNDING
for resourceSmart AuSSI Vic
Waste Module
In 2010, Barwon Regional Waste Management Group is offering to assist two schools in the Barwon Region (Borough of Queenscliffe, City of Greater Geelong, Colac Otway and Surf Coast Shires) to complete the Waste Module of resourceSmart AuSSI Vic for free!
Application close on Friday 30th October. Please note that this funding is to have a facilitator from Barwon Regional Waste Management Group assist your school. It is different to that provided through Sustainability Victoria and CERES.
To find out more about this offer click here.
To download the Expression of Interest form click here.
To download the Memorandum of Understanding click here
Future Shots Competition
- Sustainability Film Challenge for Young Victorians
Create a short film on sustainability in three minutes or less and you could win amazing prizes. Over $8000 in cash and film making prizes are on offer.
Films entered into Future Shots by the 21 September will be placed in the draw to win either a Sony HandyCam or an Ipod Touch
Entries close November 6th. Individuals, teams and schools groups (under 21 and residents of Victoria) are eligible to enter.
For more information click here
2 Sustainability Offers for Schools in the City of Greater Geelong
50% SUBSIDY TO ATTEND THE BARWON WASTE WISE EDUCATION CENTRE AND FREE BUS TRANSPORT
Visit the Barwon Waste Wise Education Centre in Term 4, 2009 and pay only half the program cost (i.e. $3.50 per student plus gst, instead of $7). The City of Greater Geelong will pay the other half and the cost of the bus transport for schools located within the municipality!
To take advantage of this offer please call the Barwon Waste Wise Education Centre on 5277 9656.
To find out more about the Barwon Waste Wise Education Centre go to www.brwmg.vic.gov.au and click on the education centre tab.
FREE SETS (Schools Environmental Tracking System) FOR 12 MONTHS
The City of Greater Geelong will pay both the joining fee and the first 12 months membership for 20 schools within the City of Greater Geelong to access SETS! That is a saving of $250 per school ( $100 joining fee and $150 yearly membership fee). SETS is an online system that allows schools to measure, manage and reduce their environmental impact. Furthermore it allows you to quantify your greenhouse gas emissions and provides data in easy to understand format such as graphs and interesting statistics (e.g. your greenhouse gas emissions are equivalent to that produced by 200 cars a year). Please refer to the attached brochure for further information.
The first 20 schools that meet the criteria, complete the attached table and agree to the following terms (successful schools will be asked to sign a Memorandum of Understanding) will be able to take advantage of this fantastic offer.
Schools must be located within the City of Greater Geelong.
Schools from previously run sustainability programs with current certification, such as Waste Wise Schools and Sustainable Schools Initiative, schools that have received funding to participate in the ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic Schools Program and those already on SETS are ineligible to apply. (please note that schools holding current Waste Wise and Sustainable Schools certification can be assisted by CERES to transfer to ResourceSmart AuSSI Vic Schools Program and may apply to CERES to receive the first year of SETS free)
To take advantage of the City's offer, schools will need to:
- provide information on sustainability initiatives already in place and those planned.
- nominate a coordinator for SETS from your school.
- upload your baseline data to the Carbonetix developed SETS program;
- continue storing data on SETS after this first year in order to help create a secure recording of your ongoing achievements and an ongoing database of the success of Victorian schools (SETS membership $150 per year, subject to change, payable yearly by your school after the first year).
- Provide read only access to your data on SETS to both the City of Greater Geelong and Barwon Regional Waste Management Group
- Complete a short (1 page) end of first year report on using SETS (indicating benefits of using SETS, any financial savings made through reduced resource consumption e.g. reduced electricity bill and learnings gained by using SETS)
To obtain an application please contact Simone Budd, Barwon Regional Waste Management Group (email: simone.budd@brwmg.vic.gov.au,
ph: 5277 9656 or 0428 810 345).
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