Jun 4 2021
This Saturday (June 5) is World Environment Day, and NSW councils are being invited to highlight their environmental achievements with the opening of nominations for the 2021 Local Government NSW (LGNSW) Excellence in the Environment Awards.
LGNSW President Linda Scott said councils played a frontline role in environmental management and protection in their communities.
“Each year NSW councils invest around $1.7 billion in environmental management collectively and these awards recognise and celebrate their achievements,” Cr Scott said.
“They drive those dollars further than any other level of government in providing their communities with a strong, environmentally sustainable future.
“Whether its creating a green, leafy canopy on their main streets, turning waste into a recyclable product, dealing with invasive flora and fauna, reducing their carbon footprint by clever emissions reduction programs or any number of other efforts, councils lead the way and these awards recognise their efforts.
“World Environment Day is the perfect time to launch this year’s LGNSW Excellence in the Environment Awards and celebrate the vast array of environmental and ecological initiatives of our councils.”
LGNSW is offering awards in a range of categories, with an overall Local Sustainability Award valued at $10,000 for continued professional development.
The awards also include the Louise Petchell Memorial Award for Individual Sustainability, which recognises individual achievement by a council officer or elected councillor in contributing to environmental improvement and sustainability.
“NSW councils have a strong environmental record and LGNSW supports their efforts through these highly-respected awards as well as through a range of other initiatives," Cr Scott said.
“For example, we are leading councils’ call for the NSW Government to fund and help deliver a fresh approach to waste and recycling through our Save Our Recycling campaign.
“As part of this campaign we have created a new category in this year’s awards, the Transition to a Circular Economy Award, which recognises innovative council efforts to to improve recovery and re-use of waste resources to support a circular economy.”
To nominate for an Award or for more details on this year’s LGNSW Excellence in the Environment Awards, including case studies of winning projects from previous years, click here.
LGNSW appreciates the continued support from sponsors including: Active Super, Landcom, NSW Department of Planning, Industry and Environment, NSW Department of Primary Industries, Water Directorate, NSW Roadside Environment Committee, SafeWork NSW and WolfPeak.