Sustainability Victoria has named its environmental heroes for 2021 at the Premier’s Sustainability Awards on 23 November.
The awards are designed to recognise Victorian groups who are leading the way on SV’s mission statement to transition Victoria a to a circular, climate resilient economy.
The awards are given across six tops and are divided into Community Champion and Industry leader categories.
The winners for 2021 are:
Clean, affordable and secure energy
Community Champion: Black Stump Technologies
Black Stump Technologies provide complete solutions for a large scale clean energy.
Industry Leader: Allume Energy
Allume created the SolShare, the world’s only hardware for connecting multiple apartments to a single rooftop solar system.
Finalists: BOOMPower; Latrobe City Council; Sunpower Renewables
Climate action
Community Champion: Brentwood Secondary College
In 2020, Brentwood Secondary Collage launched their Towards Zero Bremissions to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions from 540 tonnes to zero.
Industry Leader: The Cape
The Cape transformed a degraded farmland into a regenerative, healthy and sustainable community for residents, flora and fauna.
Finalists: Austeng; Friends of the Earth Melbourne’s Act on Climate collective; Heytesbury District Landcare Network; Ironbark Sustainability and Beyond Zero Emissions
Healthy environment
Community Champion: First Friends of Dandenong Creek
First Friends of Dandenong Creek’s short film The Eels of Dandenong Creek sought to create awareness around how pollution of the Dandenong Creek damaged the short-finned eel population.
Industry Leader: The Nature Conservancy Australia
The Bringing Back Victoria’s Lost Oyster Reefs project was designed to improve one of Victoria’s most prized assets – Port Phillip Bay.
Finalists: Blue Carbon Lab – Deakin University; CDC Victoria; Macedon Ranges Shire Council; St Monica’s College, Epping
Social and economic justice
Community Champion: Yarra Valley ECOSS
Yarra Valley ECOSS is creating a vibrant community hub that demonstrates sustainable living.
Industry Leader: Melbourne Water, Aqua Metro Services and Wara Paring Civil Construction
Wara Paring Indigenous Civil Construction Project exists to co-create a 100 per cent Indigenous-owned civil construction business, with the capacity to deliver services to the water sector.
Finalists: Albury Wodonga Multicultural Community Events; Anika Legal; Jesuit Social Services Ecological Justice Hub; RMIT University and Language Loop
Sustainable places
Community Champion: Yarra Valley ECOSS
Project: Yarra Valley ECOSS
Yarra Valley ECOSS are creating a vibrant community hub that demonstrates sustainable living.
Industry Leader: Cardinia Shire Council
Cardinia Shire Council turned 48 hectares of former farmland at the Deep Creek Reserve, into a community park.
Finalists: ONE20 Group Architects; Our Future Cities; Rail Projects Victoria; The Cape
Waste reduction and the circular economy
Community Champion: Jo Algie of Ambulance Victoria
Ambulance Victoria advanced life support paramedic and team manager Jo Algie developed a program to donate, recycle or rehome surplus uniforms and equipment.
Industry Leader: OzHarvest
OzHarvest is a not-for-profit organisation, rescuing surplus food that would otherwise go to waste.
Finalists: Australian Ecosystems; HoMie; Mount Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board; Wild Adventures Melbourne
Premier’s Recognition Award
Winner: The Nature Conservancy Australia
The Bringing Back Victoria’s Lost Oyster Reefs project was designed to improve one of Victoria’s most prized assets – Port Phillip Bay.
Premier’s Regional Recognition Award
Winner: Macedon Ranges Shire Council
The council’s Healthy Landscapes for Healthy Livestock project was initiated in response to poor land management outcomes across the Macedon Ranges.