Term 2 Newsletter - 2020

There have been a number of online resources released to help with the changed learning conditions. Below are links to some great sustainability resources, lesson ideas and pages with helpful videos and tips produced by local education for sustainability providers. 

Check out the links below, many are suitable for big and little kids:

• CERES Sustainability at Home Series
• Learning@Home with Cool Australia
• Zoos Victoria Education Online
• Yarra Ranges Council Family Activities
• Platypus Education Group
• Kids in Nature Network
• Environmental Education for Kids!
• Healthy Rivers Healthy Bay
• Leap Into Nature
• Prime Sci
• Nurture in Nature
• Nature Play Every Day
• Melbourne Water | Drip Trip
• Citizen Science | QuestaGame

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Wild by Nature Short Film Festival celebrates everything we love about Victoria’s incredible natural environment, from your local park or creek, to your favourite wild place.

The film submission deadline has been extended to Sunday 13th September. It is open to all ages and entrants must be living in Victoria.  The screening date for finalists has been postponed to Saturday 7th November, with prizes awarded to the winners in each age division.

More information, including film festival themes and age divisions, is available at wildbynaturefilms.org and you can sign up to receive updates here. Wild by Nature is presented by Remember The Wild and Living Links, and is supported by the Port Phillip and Westernport Catchment Management Authority and the Victorian Government. 

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The Back to Earth Initiative shows how your household green waste is put to good use, creating compost to help farms, gardens and community green spaces bloom.

Making sure everyone uses their green waste bins correctly to produce great compost is just one of the ways we are working with the community. The Back to Earth Initiative is giving schools, early learning centres and community groups the chance to win a $5000 grand prize to bring your gardening or green space project to life.

To allow kindergartens, schools and community groups to focus on other priorities we are postponing the Back to Earth Initiative Victorian Garden Competition.

A number of nominations were already entered from kindergartens, schools and community groups. These nominations will remain valid when the competition is reopened. If you haven't yet nominated, hold onto your idea and stay tuned for an update later in the year. For more information go to the Back to Earth website. 

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Finalists representing more than 30 Victorian schools have been shortlisted in the 2020 ResourceSmart Schools Awards. Winners will be announced in an awards ceremony on World Environment Day, 5 June 2020.

The awards, which are open to all Victorian schools, celebrate and recognise the efforts of students, teachers and parents who are inspiring sustainability action in their communities and reducing their environmental impact.

The following are the finalists from the EASL region:

• Eastwood Primary School and Deaf Facility - ResourceSmart School of the Year
• Whitefriars Catholic College - Campus Infrastructure and Operations School of the Year
• Meg Moore, Eastwood Primary School and Deaf Facility - Teacher of the Year (Primary)
• Jacqui Godfrey, Ringwood Secondary School - Teacher of the Year (Secondary)
• Ringwood Secondary College - Student Action Team of the Year (Secondary)

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Whitehorse Council have organised a screening of the film 2040 to coincide with World Environment Day, Friday June 5th. To join the event, register HERE. 

A range of free educational resources are available to explore the movie with your kids at www.coolaustralia.org. When you register you will be provided with a link to provide free online access from 9am on June 5 to 9am on June 8.

Award-winning director Damon Gameau embarks on a journey to explore what the future could look like by the year 2040 if we simply embraced the best solutions already available to us to improve our planet and shifted them rapidly into the mainstream. This innovative feature length documentary creates a compelling and exciting vision of the future, and promises to inspire Australians of all ages.

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Learn about the importance of nature play on child brain development, and feel empowered to introduce nature play-based, brain enhancing activities with your child both during COVID-19 restrictions and in the local area or playgroup settings once restrictions are lifted. This interactive webinar is designed for parents of preschool aged children.

Saturday 30 May 2020, 9.30 am to 11 am. Registrations essential

Guest Speakers:

• Ian Hunter – as a brain injury therapist for 45 years, Ian understands better than most the amazing potential within the human brain and how best to encourage its development. He will provide a fascinating insight into how the brain works and important role parents play in facilitating the neurological development of their young children.
• Sharron Hunter - Port Phillip EcoCentre educator, will provide an overview of nature play/bush playgroup activities parents may do with their children. These activities are varied and may include, sensory garden storytelling, minibeast safari, exploring the indigenous forest in the Botanical gardens or mindfulness with nature art.

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How to Save Energy (and Money) While Safe at Home

Come along to this webinar to learn easy ways to save energy while keeping you and your family connected, comfortable, and entertained. Find more information on the Knox website by clicking the link here. 

This free online information session is brought to you by Knox City Council and the Australian Energy Foundation.Following the webinar, attendees will be given the opportunity to book a 20-minute phone consultation with an Energy Adviser from the Australian Energy Foundation.

Wednesday 27 May 2020, 12:30-1:30pm. Bookings are essential.  Register HERE.

Supporting Teen Students with Sensory Strategies to Relieve Anxiety

Join this free webinar to learn strategies and methods to help support your young person. Targeted to parents of 10-18 year olds Charlinda Parsons, Occupational Therapist, will offer ways to explore practical sensory strategies to support your teen as they learn from home. More information available here. 

Wednesday 27 May 2020, 7:00 - 8.30pm. Bookings are essential. Register HERE.

Get Creative with Food and Reduce your Waste

Come along and join Kirsty Bishop-Fox from Sustainable Pathways to get creative with food, reduce your waste and make the most of the food you already have in your pantry and fridge. 

Whether you are overstocked with food right now, or if you've run you cupboard bare trying to avoid the supermarkets, with some know-how and a little planning there are simple ways you can manage your kitchen, make the most of food scraps and leftovers to turn them into meals or more. Find more information on the Knox website. 

Tuesday 23 June 2020, 11:30am -12:30pm. Bookings are essential. Register HERE.

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Helping teachers manage their wellbeing in the Coronavirus era.

This seminar is targeted towards anyone, in particular teachers, who are feeling anxious during the pandemic. It will provide you with the skills, knowledge and strategies to manage your own wellbeing during this challenging time.

This is a 45 minute webinar with 15 minutes for questions. 

Tuesday 26 May 2020, 7:00 - 8:00pm. Register HERE.

Smarter living - starting some good: lessons from our 'hood

'War on Waste’s' Jo Taranto and Corina Seeto are suburban waste warriors. 

As self-confessed jugglers of life with kids and work, they have also learnt the do's and don'ts of starting a social movement in their own backyards. 

Join the founders of Good For the Hood, for a light-hearted look at how to break up with plastic and be a good citizen, while keeping your sanity and still making it to school pick up.
Wednesday 17 June 2020, 7:00 - 9:00pm. Register HERE.

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Worm farming and Bokashi at home online workshop

Join us for a free worm farming and bokashi at home workshop. Once you register, you will be provided with a link to join the workshop. You can then join in and learn from the comfort of your home.

Thursday 4 June 2020, 7:00 - 8:00pm. Register HERE.

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Sustainability in Play Parents Forum

Join Council’s Playgroup facilitator, Natasha Hund, for tips and tricks about guiding environmentally friendly developmental play at home for your pre-schoolers. We will look at play, our play materials, and the relationship they have with our environment. Examples of the many things we can do to be sustainable when we play in our homes, yards and local parks. This zoom session has limited numbers so register early.
Thursday 4 June 2020,  7:00 - 8:00pm. Register HERE.

Sustainable Living in Whitehorse – 2020 Program

This year we have moved online to help you find out how to make simple changes to how you live so that you can have a positive impact on your lifestyle, community and environment. You can hear from some of Australia’s sustainability experts, challenge your thinking and be inspired to take action to live more sustainably.
At 9am each Monday in June, we will upload a new session on the Whitehorse City Council YouTube channel and you will have a week to view it. To see the full program details, visit the Sustainability Living Week website HERE. 

• June 1^st Decluttering Marie Kondo Style: Watch the intro video HERE. 

• June 8^th Discarding Mindfully: Watch the intro video HERE. 

• June 15^th Bee hotels

• June 22^nd Beeswax Wraps

• June 29^th - Recycled sock monkeys

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Gardens for Harvest

Sign up to the Gardens for Harvest program today to receive your free 64-page veggie growing guide! The Gardens for Harvest program is a free community education program, run by Knox and Yarra Ranges councils, to help residents grow more of their own fresh and healthy food. People who register to join the program receive the growing guide and regular updates including tips of what to do in the veggie garden through the year, invitations to community workshops where you can learn new gardening skills, and information on local events and activities. To join Gardens for Harvest, go to www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/gardensforharvest

National Reconciliation Week Event

Our Country, Our Future – Igniting a Shared Responsibility

Join us for the live-streamed event Our Country, Our Future – Igniting a Shared Responsibility to celebrate National Reconciliation Week 2020. This is an opportunity to reflect upon our shared culture and pave a road toward reconciliation.

From your own home you can tune in to watch keynote speakers including Stan Grant and Uncle Jack Charles who will be exploring the concept of a shared culture and a shared responsibility for all Australians. Engage with thought-provoking ideas and celebrate Aboriginal culture with a welcome to country, smoking ceremony, cultural dance and music performance.

Wednesday 27 May 2020, 10:00 am. Register HERE.

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For the full month by month list of sustainability linked days please look at the Calendar of Environmental Events, available through the Department of Environment and Energy. These can be great to link to topics happening over the year.

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