Local environmental champions recognised at 2017 Community Environment Awards

Last night Environment Victoria recognised the achievements of nine remarkable community groups and individuals from around the state for their outstanding contribution to our environment.

The 2017 Community Environment Recognition Award recipients are all leaders in their communities. They have led innovative and persistent grassroots campaigns to protect nature, tackle global warming and stand up for the places they love, often with very limited resources.

Those recognised were:

Tuesday Browell and Peta Thornton for showing exceptional leadership in standing up for our rivers and helping others to stand with them in support of a fully realised Murray-Darling Basin Plan to restore our largest river system to health.

Darebin Climate Action Now for their feisty campaign that lead Darebin City Council to pass a motion to unanimously recognise  the climate emergency and enact a climate emergency plan – the first of its kind at local government level.

Friends of Merri on Parade for their decades of tireless work to bring back the bush and wildlife along the stretch of the Merri Creek abutting The Parade, Northcote.

Sustainable Living Festival for nineteen years of bringing the vital message of sustainability to the forefront of our nation’s consciousness, as Australia’s flagship sustainability event.

A New Power for elevating a positive vision of a sustainable and thriving future for the Latrobe Valley and ensuring the voices of young people are heard in community-led efforts to achieve a Just Transition.

Friends of Watery Gully for their dedication in restoring native plants and the wildlife that follows to areas of public land around Wattle Glen and Melbourne’s North-East.

Two people were awarded Lifetime Achievement Awards for their extraordinary contribution:

Jill Redwood for decades of persistence and success in protecting the forests and wildlife of East Gippsland, multiple gutsy and effective legal actions, and refusal to be deterred by those who aimed to intimidate or silence her.

Alan Pears for a lifetime of advocacy for energy efficiency. He designed the minimum energy performance standards for appliances program that has saved more emissions than any other Australian climate change program and has been adopted by many governments around the world.

Environment Victoria CEO Mark Wakeham said:

“These environmental champions are inspiring examples of community groups and individuals all over Victoria working tirelessly to protect nature and stop global warming.

“Strong community voices have been fundamental to every major environmental outcome ever achieved in Victoria.

“Speaking up for our environment can be a challenging and relentless task, so it’s a pleasure to be able to recognise the amazing work of these groups and individuals.

“Environment Victoria thanks them, and the many other local groups and individuals across the state for the hard work they do in providing a voice for nature.”