Sustainability Archives - Australian Environmental Education

March 22, 2024March 22, 2024

Hosting a Sustainable Party

I moved up to the Central Coast from Sydney a few months ago and we had our housewarming party last weekend. I’ve been writing about sustainable parties and wanted to reduce plastic waste at this event too and keep to a budget.

Party graphic on how to reduce plastic waste. — Credit: Queensland Environment

There were a few challenges that I will share with you.

Buying bulk food to reduce packaging wasn’t as easy as I hoped. The local wholesale butcher was great for sausages but I had to buy smaller packs of chicken skewers each in a plastic container. I ended up making additional chicken skewers to reduce waste.
Separate bins for food waste. I wasn’t able to separate as much waste into the recycling bin. Next time I will have signs explaining to people to scape their plates first, with a bin for food waste and the recycling bin next to it.

Successes

Help from friends, we borrowed fabric bunting that helped decorate the backyard. It looked great and can be used over and over. I had some paper bunting left over from my daughters birthday party, it looked great, but didn’t hold up in the rain. Easy to recycle, but fabric bunting is the way to go if you have someone that can sew.
The party was outside so we used lights to help decorate the space, they look great and we now use them all the time.
We made Return and Earn signs and everyone was great putting cans and bottles in the right bins. People were also good at sorting out the larger bottle into the recycling bin too.
It is so much easier to find good quality non plastic disposable plates and cutlery. I had extra large bowls and serving tray too. I used the foil BBQ trays to prepare salads and other food.
With more help from friends, lots of people brought in homemade desserts.

How to Host a Sustainable Party

I will continue advocating for sustainable parties and each time I put one on it will get easier. My biggest takeaway is ask friends and family for help, borrow items to reduce costs, let people bring food – sustainability is a community effort. Remember start small, you need to balance your budget and time to reduce your waste.

September 1, 2023September 4, 2023

Celebrating Biodiversity Month

September is Biodiversity Month, a time to celebrate our natural wonders and diverse ecosystems. Biodiversity Month offers us the perfect opportunity to pause and appreciate the beauty, complexity, and importance of biodiversity. Biodiversity Month also encourages us to reflect on our relationship with the natural world and take action to protect it.

Biodiversity is the variety of life on Earth and is typically a measure of variation at the genetic, species, and ecosystem level.

Genetic diversity

Genetic diversity is the variety of genes within a species. Each species is made up of individuals that have their own particular genetic composition. This means a species may have different populations, each having different genetic compositions. To conserve genetic diversity, different populations of a species must be conserved.

Species diversity

Species diversity is the variety of species within a habitat or a region. Some habitats, such as rainforests and coral reefs, have many species. Others, such as salt flats or a polluted stream, have fewer. In Australia, more than 80% of plant and animal species are endemic, which means that they only occur naturally in Australia.

Ecosystem diversity

Ecosystem diversity is the variety of ecosystems in a given place. An ecosystem is a community of organisms and their physical environment interacting together. An ecosystem can cover a large area, such as a whole forest, or a small area, such as a pond.

Find out more

Biodiversity Month serves as a reminder of the extraordinary diversity of life on our planet and the importance of preserving it. Biodiversity is not just a concern for scientists and conservationists; it’s a global responsibility that each of us can contribute to in our own way. Whether through education, advocacy, or personal lifestyle choices, we can all play a role in safeguarding the web of life that sustains us. So, this September, let’s celebrate and protect the incredible biodiversity that enriches our world.

March 1, 2023May 8, 2023

SeaWeek 2023

SeaWeek is Australia’s major national public awareness campaign to focus community awareness and appreciation of the sea. This week-long event is held every year in March and provides a great opportunity to learn about marine environment. So, take a dive under the water this SeaWeek and explore our amazing marine environments with me.

It was great to be able to spend time diving over the last few week exploring the marine environment around Sydney.

Explore the amazing diversity of Marine Life. Take a journey beneath the waves to explore this wonderful world. Learn about some of these incredible animals, their adaptions and habitats with the resources below.

Where the river meets the sea title slide

Follow the journey of water down the river through the catchment to the sea. Water is essential for all forms of life and the small amount of available freshwater create competing pressures for our water resources.

September 7, 2022September 7, 2022

Threatened Species Day 2022

Threatened Species Day is recognised across the Australia on 7 September every year to raise awareness of plants and animals at risk of extinction. Threatened Species Day acknowledges the death of the last remaining Thylacine, Tasmanian tiger at Hobart Zoo in 1936. It is a day to reflect on what you can do to make a difference, the future is in your hands.

Australia is home to more than 500,000 animal and plant species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. Over the last 240 years, more than 100 animal and plant species have become extinct. 1,800 animals and plants are at risk of extinction and many are iconic Australian species including east coast koalas and the greater glider.

Threatened Species Day is a time to focus on or native plants, animals, and ecosystems and look at how we can protect them into the future. Encouraging wildlife into your backyard by creating a sanctuary for native animals is a great way to start.

Start protecting wildlife in your own backyard

Click on the buttons to find out more

Include native plants in your backyard

Create habitats in your backyard

Have water available for wildlife in summer

Record animal sightings

Report injured animals

The What’s in your Backyard series of videos on YouTube can help you connect with your local environment. Remember just to look and listen to the world around you and you will be surprised about that you might find!

What’s in your Backyard videos

May 14, 2022May 16, 2022

Only One Earth

World Environment Day is celebrated every 5th of June and this years theme is “Only One Earth” with the focus on “Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature”.

“Living Sustainably in Harmony with Nature” has also been a key focus of mine since starting Australian Environmental Education. I believe you can make a difference today with every choice you make.

There are many ways that you can help to conserve Australia’s environment and be more sustainable. Think about the choices you make every day; how do you get to school, what do you put in the bin, how long was your shower today, did you remember the reusable bag for the shopping?

Find out more

Free Education resources

Help restore your local ecosystem this World Environment day with these great activities. Creating a Wildlife Habitat is a 5 part program that can help you plan and plant a wildlife habitat at your school, home or local area.

Backyard with folowers and sustainability features

Focus on Frogs

In urban areas, human development has reduced the natural habitat available to frogs. The Focus on Frogs workshop provides information and skills that will enable you to discover what frogs live in your backyard or local area.

Minibeasts in your Garden

Minibeasts in your Garden explores the diverse world of minibeasts. Discover why minibeasts are important and learn how find them in your garden or local park. The program will help you to identify common groups of backyard minibeasts and provides information and skills to conduct your own minibeasts investigation.

Noises in the Night

You don’t see many of the animals that live in your local area because they are nocturnal. Often it is the Noises in the Night that give us a clue to the nocturnal species that are living in our local area.

January 1, 2021February 2, 2021

The year that was: 2020

I don’t think 2020 turned out the way anyone expected. In the first 2 months of the year Sydney experienced bushfires, droughts, heatwaves and then record rains and floods. Just when we thought the worst of 2020 was behind us, COVID-19 changed our lives for ever.

2020 was going to be My year of Sustainability and I was able to achieve some of my sustainability goals, however many were put on hold. During 2021 I will be able finish the journey I started.

Planting natives and building a frog pond

In 2020 my focus had to change and I began creating more education resources and activities and delivering online education programs. I created over 50 resources pages and activities focusing on earth and environmental science over the last 12 months.

Education resources

Activities

I have also been writing resources for the Junior Landcare Learning Centre. You can find the following resources on their website. Create a Wildlife Habitat with this series of 5 resources including: Research, Vision, Design, Planting and Monitoring.

Other activities I have written for the Junior Landcare Learning Centre explore the importance of water with Every Drop Counts. This activity also looks at water usage and water saving ideas. Investigate the journey of water through the environment, from the mountains to the sea, with the Exploring the Story of Water program designed for younger kids.

I have a series on catchments and water and a series on a beach survey and clean up for high school students coming out soon, so keep an eye out on the Landcare Learning Centre in 2021. I was also excited to be able to contribute to this year’s Coastcare Week campaign and wrote a following booklet on Marine Litter.

Like many other people in the education community I had to pivot to online delivery in 2020. I have been working with Virtual Excursions Australia for many years and was able to transition my programs for online audiences. I delivered programs for schools and individuals reaching thousands of students from across the world.

Another focus has been photographing some of the amazing wildlife I’ve come across during the year. Below is a selection of image taken at Sydney Zoo, central west NSW, central coast and my backyard. You can check out some of my favourite Macro images too.