Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) is encouraging organisations, businesses, community groups, governments and individuals who are protecting our precious environment to enter the 2019 Premier's Sustainability Awards and spotlight their success.
EPA sponsors the Environmental Protection award that demonstrates leadership and excellence in proactively preventing harm to Victoria's environment and its people, from pollution or waste.
EPA Chief Executive Officer, Dr Cathy Wilkinson, said the category was one of eleven in this year's Premier's Sustainability Awards, all of which recognise and celebrate Victorians who help, in a myriad of ways, to build a sustainable future.
"The Victorian community's record on caring for their environment is there for all to see, so we're very proud that the Environmental Protection category will help us profile and promote those Victorians who have taken a lead with some creative and clever thinking," she said.
Eligible entries in the category should demonstrate initiatives that prevent harm through:
- Specially developed technology and/or equipment
- Changes in practices and processes
- Education programs, resources or activities that have informed the community and/or businesses and helped people be active participants in protecting their environments.
Winner of the 2018 Environmental Protection category was Zoos Victoria and Phillip Island Nature Parks for their campaign, 'When Balloons Fly', which encourages people to replace balloons at outdoor events with bubbles, reducing plastic pollution and saving marine life.
The 2019 Victorian Premier's Sustainability Awards have been refreshed to celebrate a broader range of sustainability endeavour. A new category, Environmental Volunteering, has been added, to specifically recognise the outstanding contribution of volunteers all over the state.
Entries for the Premier's Sustainability Awards close at 5pm on Thursday 13 June. Finalists will be announced in late August/early September and winners announced at the gala Awards event in October.
