Issue 12 SJC News 2020

Term 3 - UPCOMING EVENTS

17-23 August - Keep Australia Beautiful Week

September - National Biodiversity month

7 September - National Threatened Species Day

7-14 September - National Organic Week

22 September - World Car-Free Day

ADVOCACY AND CLIMATE ACTION

As online learning has become ubiquitous with the 2020 learning experience, there has been an emerging transition toward advocating for Climate Action online, commencing with the Student Strike for Climate on 15 May. More recently, selected student leaders participated in an ERA for Change conference on advocacy and the resounding feedback was their desire to advocate for Climate Change and Indigenous perspectives. Following this experience, student Leader Lachlan Kelly was nominated as our National Edmund Rice Australia student representative and together with fellow leaders; William Baum, Patrick Day, Patrick Fitzgerald and Thomas Romanuik, they are spearheading a new digital campaign "28 days for Climate #Speak Up". Commencing with water, each week will transition to a different environmental theme, including energy, waste and emissions.

Although the total water volume on Earth is approximately 1.3 billion km3, it is alarming that only 2.5% of this is drinkable and only 0.5% of this portion is accessible, as the rest is either contained in icecaps/glaciers or soil.

As Australia is the driest, inhabited continent, we rely heavily on our reservoirs, reticulated water and rainwater tanks, groundwater supply, recycled and desalinated water to access high quality water that we are accustomed.

In alignment with the "28 days for Climate # Speak Up" campaign, many simple steps can be undertaken at home, to help conserve the use of our precious water commodity.

Tips for saving water:

-Shorten showers by 5 minutes (showers may use 100L every 5 minutes - which may add to 58,400 L per year - This is equivalent to 29,000 x 1.25 L bottles of water)

-Shave separately from shower time

-Turn the tap off whilst brushing your teeth

-Water a plant at the end of the day with water remaining in your water bottle

KEEP AUSTRALIA BEAUTIFUL WEEK

In keeping with the National Keep Australia Beautiful this week and with current COVID restrictions in place, it provides us with an opportune time to tend to the "one day" tasks, such as cleaning out the shed, spare room or storage space at home. Many "preloved" items including white goods and E-waste (anything with an electrical cord) may be recycled free of charge at the Resource Recovery Centres. For more information regarding specific items and quantities, visit the links below:

City of Greater Geelong Recycling Guide:

https://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/recycling/guide/default.aspx

To book a hard Waste collection through the City of Greater Geelong:

https://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/hardwaste/task/item/8d685f3095202db.aspx

Geelong Resource Recovery Centre:

https://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/recycling/centre/article/item/8cb8188ceff1506.aspx

Drysdale Resource Recovery Centre:

https://www.geelongaustralia.com.au/recycling/centre/article/item/8cb81bfe83a5e6e.aspx