essential news august 2020...essential news august 2020 e&s committee: environment &...
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ESsential News August 2020
E&S Committee:
Co Chairs: Fabienne Nichola RC Camberwell [email protected]
John McCaskill RC Canterbury [email protected]
David Dippie, RC Keilor
Chris Don, RC Chadstone East Malvern
Anne Frueh, RC Balwyn Brenda Innes, RC Camberwell Donna Martin, RC Bacchus Marsh Lesley McCarthy, RC Flemington Kensington
Welcome to this first edition of the District 9800 Environment & Sustainability Newsletter
On June 25, Rotary International President Mark Maloney made this announcement: "The Rotary Foundation Trustees and Rotary International Board of Directors have both unanimously approved adding a new area of focus: supporting the environment".
The District 9800 Environmental Sustainability Committee was formed in 2019 during Past DG Grant Hocking’s year. John McCaskill and Fabienne Nichola were appointed as joint Chairs. Since that time, a strong Committee has been set up with a number of passionate and highly competent members representing a broad cross section of clubs.
The key purpose of the Committee is to develop greater awareness of environmental sustainability solutions to restore the ecosystems and contribute to a healthy environment. The Committee supports clubs to identify new environmental sustainability projects and/or enhance existing ones.
Read more
Co- Chairs, Environmental Sustainability Committee Fabienne Nichola John McCaskill ___________________________________________________________________________
The District 9800 Environmental Sustainability Committee is proud to publish the first edition of our Newsletter. Its purpose is to provide ongoing support to Clubs with current environmental issues, project ideas and additional access to resources. Each month we will focus on an environmental theme or element to provide clubs with a diversity of potential opportunities to pursue. We plan to also showcase prominent environmental Projects in the District. Please submit your club’s project by email to [email protected] The Newsletter will be distributed to all Club Environmental Sustainability Representatives. If you have not already done so, please nominate a Representative and advise their contact details. You can also access the newsletter on the D9800 website: https://rotarydistrict9800.org.au/stories/rotary-environmental-sustainability-committee We are interested in your feedback for improvements and better support clubs’ needs. Write to us at [email protected] Fabienne Nichola Co-Chair
Resources:
esrag.org/sites/default/files/imce/ESRAG-Toolkit-3H.pdf Australian Environmental Events Calendar environment.gov.au/about-us/media-centre/events
Join ESRAG:
https://www.esrag.org/membership-form US$30 per year or US$125 for 5 years. US$15 per year for ages 17-25.
Sustainable living home… sustainability.vic.gov.au/You-and-your-home/Live-sustainably/Top-10-tips-for-living-sustainably 1. Reduce your food waste 2. Use reusable cups such as keep cups 3. Install a water efficient showerhead 4. Turn the thermostat down 5. Say no to straws and plastic bags 6. Switch imported for Australian made 7. Walk, bike and use public transport whenever possible 8. Upgrade your lights 9. Go paper free 10. Recycle and dispose of waste properly
Do you remember Petula Clark? It’s time to Colour Your World. youtube.com/watch?v=k-j5hmlGY80
District Governor Philip Archer has challenged the Environmental Sustainability Committee to come up with a safe activity to engage members while in lock down as the current lock down and on-going pandemic has sabotaged many activities Our response:
Colour Your World (in the current world of shades of grey)
* Members grow plants that encourage insects, butterflies, birds, bees and other pollinators while adding colour to your world. Members choose their seeds they want to plant. * Seeds can be ordered on line (or from your local nursery if ‘click & collect’ facility available). People are encouraged to select seeds/seedlings that promote insects, butterflies, birds, bees and other pollinators; and/or vegetables.
* Grow these plants in the front or back gardens, on balconies, rooftops or pots.
* Engagement will be developed through helping each other with tips, sharing
information, posting their photos or videos online and at Zoom meetings.
* Gardening is well recognised for its positive impact on mental health and general well-being.
Colour your world is a simple idea and a tangible activity. It does not involve leaving your home
and is therefore safe. It is an opportunity to engage members and the message is clear:
Colour Your World so we can Colour our World. Read more
Schools Garden Bee Prize:
Have you heard the Buzzzzzzzzzzz? Rotarians for Bee’s is an ANZPI Program that is doing a great job. ANZPI has Programs that support Rotary Projects. Helping to give children an understanding of how important flora and fauna are, through hands-on activity in School Garden Programs is a great way to learn.
Rotarians for Bees is a partner in the Victorian Schools Garden Program www.vsgp.org.au which helps students to under-stand how important bees are in the plant ecosystem. This year there were 450 entries from 265 schools that applied for the awards and in total 3000 have school gardens. Rotarians for Bees sponsors six $500 prizes that were won by schools in four Districts.
Equipping children with good ES understanding and values is a great investment, with an added bonus of great Rotary Awareness. One of our goals is to partner with organizations with similar goals and to get them to be advocates for Rotary, having another organization promoting Rotary is a great way to improve Rotary Awareness. Check out the winners here:
UN Sustainable Development Goals: un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/
September 2020 will be the 5th anniversary of the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals. The goals were set for achievement by 2030. What is our progress?
Telling our stories: For many years Rotary Clubs have been making a major contribution in this area, some of our projects are World’s Best Practice, but we have not been telling our stories. Many Rotary Projects are multi-faceted, but often we only promote one side of the story. Another challenge is the Rotary structure which tends to limit our ability to promote what we are doing Nationally. One of the main purposes of the Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) is to help Clubs and Districts to tell their stories. In our area Zone 8, the Australian, New Zealand and Pacific Island Chapter (ANZPI) exists to help Rotary Clubs tell their stories and to help them achieve their ES Project goals. We can only promote your stories if we know about them. Environmental Sustainability Committees in each Rotary District will be the promotional driving force and they will encourage people who are passionate about this area join their Committee and ESRAG. Rotary Action Groups allow members to operate on a different level and to work with others who share their passion. They are People of Action who work together and harness all of Rotary’s experience in a particular field and take action at the local and global level. We have many brilliant people within Rotary; if you want to make a contribution in this area and work with some great people, join ESRAG www.esrag.org/ for personal reasons or as your Club representative. Environmental Sustainability is the major area of concern for many people, particularly the younger generation. They are crying out for leadership and looking for help. If we make them aware of what we are doing and give them the opportunity, they will support your projects. We can achieve our goals, by helping other people achieve their goals. The Club message is “Look at the great things Rotary is doing and if you have a passion for this area, contact us and let’s see if we can help you achieve your goals”. Our message to Rotary Clubs is, we are here to help you achieve your Environmental Sustainability goals. David Dippie RC Keilor
Past Rotary International President Ian H. S. Riseley challenged Rotarians to plant 12 million trees during his year of Rotary Making a Difference: one for every Rotarian. The challenge was accepted—in spades! During the year to April 22nd, Earth Day, over 4.7 million trees were planted: shade trees, food trees, timber trees, native habitat trees, bee and insect attracting trees and more.
Quick links: Living Melbourne: our metropolitan urban forest https://resilientmelbourne.com.au/living-melbourne/ Community Gardens: directory.communitygarden.org.au The Nature Conservancy: https://www.natureaustralia.org.au/ The Nursery & Garden Industry Victoria: https://www.ngiv.com.au/NGIV/Default.aspx Creating a Bee-eautiful Garden: https://austraflora.com/2019/10/15/bee-autiful-garden/ Carbon Footprint Calculator: https://www.conservation.org/carbon-footprint-calculator#/ 15 Ideas for Sustainable Living conserve-energy-future.com/15-ideas-for-sustainable-living.php
Why You Should Have an Environmental Sustainability Project
The environment we live in is critical to the health and well-being of all of us. It provides the air that we breathe, the water that we drink and supports the animals and plants we share on this planet. Loss of habitat, endangered species, polluted air, reduced water quality and the effects of droughts and bushfires are evident in today’s world. The environment sustains all life on Earth and Rotary cannot effectively or sustainably serve humanity without also focussing on supporting the well-being of planet Earth. Adding the Environment as a unique Area of Focus will enhance Rotary’s potential to develop, fund and implement projects to sustain the environment which we all live in. Creating a distinct area of focus to support the environment will give Rotary members even more ways to bring about positive change in the world and increase our impact. It will complement the other areas of focus such as peacebuilding and conflict prevention; disease prevention and treatment; water, sanitation and hygiene; maternal and child health; basic education and literacy; and community economic development. Grant applications for E&S projects will be accepted beginning 1 July 2021. As citizens throughout the world rally to protect the environment and preserve the planet and all of its species, Rotary needs to have a focus on the Environment as well as its other six Areas of Focus to remain relevant. By also focussing on the environment this is an opportunity to connect to and embrace a younger membership who are concerned about the environment and help them address significant issues. When the United Nations in September 2015 adopted 17 Sustainable Development Goals, there were six related to the environment: Affordable & Clean Energy; Sustainable Cities & Communities; Responsible Consumption & Production; Climate Action; Life Below the Water; and Life on Land. Rotary is well aligned to participate in a range of activities as solutions to these environmental issues. Environmental Sustainability Rotary Action Group (ESRAG) has been instrumental in raising awareness as well as assisting Rotary clubs in planning, implementing and evaluating service projects, and inspiring action. Joining ESRAG will support their on-going work and provide access to a wide range of environmental projects and related resources.
The District 9800 Environmental Sustainability Committee’s purpose is to assist clubs to initiate or further
develop environmental sustainability project and activities.
What’s already happening in our District: Donations in Kind recycles a huge range of materials including educational and medical equipment, clothing, computers and more which clubs can access for international and local projects. WERN collects and distributes household goods. Rotarians for Bees RC Canterbury https://rotariansforbees.org/ Melbourne City & Gateway Rotaract clubs perform Clean Up the Yarra monthly https://www.mcrc.org.au/events/clean-up-the-yarra/ Recycled Sound RC Toorak http://www.recycledsound.org.au/ Rotary Overseas Recycled Playgrounds rotaryflemington.org.au/sitepage/rotary-overseas-recycled-playgrounds-1 Bread Tags for Wheelchairs Rotary Glen Eira Adopt a River RC Chadstone East Malvern holds regular working bees at Gardiners Creek