An innovative community partnership between The City of Port Phillip and Albert Park Kindergarten has led to Council receiving the Climate Council's Cities Power Partnerships Community Engagement Achievement Award for The Butterfly Effect.
The Cities Power Partnership Awards recognise the work of 'climate heroes' in local governments across the country who are transforming Australia's energy landscape.
Awards celebrate outstanding work in the fields of:
- renewable energy
- energy efficiency
- sustainable transport
- community engagement
- project funding.
Individual climate champions are also awarded.
Council first became involved with Albert Park Kindergarten in 2013, through its Seedlings Program. The program supports early childhood education care services to include sustainability education in their curriculum, and to reduce their energy use, water use and waste generation.
With the seed firmly planted, Council officers and Albert Park Kindergarten formed a productive partnership, continuing to work on implementing further sustainability initiatives and reducing their emissions, successfully becoming Australia's first certified carbon-neutral early childhood service.
Over the six years Council has supported Albert Park Kindergarten, they have reduced their gas consumption to zero, cut electricity consumption by 59 per cent, water by 71 per cent and waste by over 50 per cent.
Mayor Dick Gross said the award was a fantastic recognition of the partnership between Council and the kindergarten.
"Council is proud to receive the Community Engagement Achievement award from the Climate Council. Albert Park Kindergarten believed they were the little butterfly that could flutter its wings and change the world, and their achievements show that anything is possible when Council and community work together," Cr Gross said.
Children from Albert Park Kindergarten reading meters to track usage.
