July 2023
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July 2023 Waring season
It's a trap!
What do you find inside a stormwater litter trap? At this Endeavour Hills site, around 400kg of pollutants captured over a month. Including a sad and lonely toy ball lost amongst the plastic, rotten leaves and general grot.
The Dolphin Research Institute’s “I sea I care” ambassadors got to see the benefits of these "gross pollutant traps", which follow the Bunurong/Boonwurrung land watercourses.
Afterwards, the kids tested the water at nearby Frog Hollow for bacteria and nitrates. Then they planted 200 trees, shrubs and herbs to help filter that water and trap debris.
At the other end of the stormwater system, the City of Casey is developing a framework to help protect our coast, Warn Marin-Western Port Bay. Climate change and rising sea levels are the greatest risk factors.
We also urge you to help us crush this year’s Plastic-free July program by preventing pollution at its source. We’re hoping the introduction of the single-use plastics ban has made a noticeable difference. Perhaps the latest War on Waste can tell us.
Scroll down for events, grants, opportunities, plants, recipes, a special plant sale and two new competitions.
Join the Green Living in Casey Facebook group for even more tips, activities and ideas.
WHAT'S ON
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Plants for food, medicine and technology
Zena Cumpston will take us on a journey into the Indigenous plant knowledge she has utilised as inspiration for her artworks in the Bunjil Place Gallery exhibition “ngaratya (together, us group, all in it together)”.
Through her multi-disciplinary storytelling she illuminates the innovation of her people, shining a light on the ways Aboriginal peoples have used plants for nutrition, technologies, and medicines over many thousands of generations.
SUSTAINABILITY + CLIMATE
26 July is World Mangrove Day Let’s celebrate Casey's mangroves and the important role they play as blue carbon. Did you know aquatic plants sequester carbon 40 times faster than land plants? Our mangrove are crucial to fighting climate change. |
Draught proof your home this winter Don’t suffer through this winter feeling cold in your home. SV have some great suggestions for draughtproofing or head to your local hardware store for more ideas. |
It’s vegetable soup season Eating less meat is good for you and good for the planet. Winter is the best time to eat more vegetables to fight off colds and flus, use up leftover vegies and warm you up. Check out these yummy recipes. |
BIODIVERSITY
Community Planting Events and National Tree Day
Sunday 30 July is National Tree Day! We invite you to come along and share in the celebrations and improve our environment. By helping us green up the area with more than 12,000 plants you will be improving habitat for our native fauna.
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Myuna Farm wetlands planting event Saturday 22 July, Myuna Farm, Doveton 9:30 am–12:30 pm |
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Casey National Tree Day event Sunday 30 July, Grasmere Creek, Berwick 10.00 am-1.00 pm |
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If you miss out on National Tree Day, the Friends of Colley Street undertake invaluable weeding, revegetation and wildlife monitoring at the Colley Street Reserve. The group meet on the first Sunday on the month at 9am. Contact Helen for more information at 03 5978 6083 or email helen.beaver05@gmail.com |
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Holiday buzz Wednesday 5 July 2023 11:00 AM-12:30 PM, Lynbrook Community Centre Come and learn all about our important native insect pollinators and how to create your own pollinator-friendly garden at home. Make an insect hotel to take home and put up in your garden. |
Casey Flora and Fauna Spotlight – Blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) This lovely medium to large-sized tree growing to 30 meters is an Acacia or wattle. Covered with small creamy yellow sweet smelling pompom flowers in winter it is a great bird and insect-attracting plant. The timber is strong, making it ideal for tools and woodworking. |
WASTE & CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Hidden costs of rubbish Local primary students, teachers and parents got to learn about litter traps AKA gross pollutant traps during Environment Week. Mandy Robertson and Jacqui Younger from the Dolphin Research Institute had plenty to show their student ambassadors, while Jennifer Marshall, Nino Occhietti and Abbie Lane from Casey spoke to the kids to explain how litter traps work; council waste management; the impact of contamination; and the hidden costs of rubbish. Learn more in the next edition of Green Living Education! |
Choosing to refuse (new containers) During World Environment Week we welcomed Roving Refills Frankston to Bunjil Place. Casey residents and staff refilled 61 existing containers with discounted and eco-friendly home and body products. To learn how else to reduce packaging and save every time you shop, check out this list of Casey-local and Australian online businesses. |
Style and substance Single-use cups are one of the most common sources of waste generated by events - especially at Food and Wine Festivals. Usually visitors would use a disposable cup for each drink tasting or purchase. Instead, at our own Food and Wine Festival the Waste Education team sponsored and distributed reusable cups to ticketed attendees, keeping more than 650 disposable cups from landfill. #Win |
OzHarvest’s FEAST Do you want the next generation to learn about food waste and its environmental impact? OzHarvest's FEAST program is a 10-week program for primary and high schools that also includes lessons on healthy eating and easy classroom cooking, If you'd like to learn more, contact OzHarvest or share this with your schools. Teachers, learn more in the next edition of Green Living Education! |
Evitat Expo Evitat’s First Renovator Expo, held at Cranbourne West Community Hub, was a resounding success. More than 100 locals turned up to discover more about the circular economy. Evitat has also run an online workshop on Energy Efficiency Upgrades and Draught Proofing Webinar, which you can watch here. |
Composting is for Everyone Living & Learning Pakenham has teamed up with Cardinia Shire Council and Swinburne PrimeSCI!, a science-based outreach and education program that goes into schools and delivers workshops on diverting waste from landfills and supporting community resource recovery.
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FOOD AND GARDEN
What to plant now: Perennial favourites
It's the perfect time to plant horseradish roots, rhubarb and asparagus crowns and Jerusalem artichoke tubers. Pretty and productive, once you have sunchokes, you'll never go hungry! Roast them to bring out their nutty, crunchy qualities.
Want to keep planting?
If National Tree Day has inspired you, look no further than the Friends of the Royal Botanic Gardens' Winter plant sale!
Saturday/Sunday 22 and 23 July, 2023
EVENTS: Bulk Buying Basics Thursday 20 July 1.00pm–2.30pm |
EVENT: Zero Waste Kitchen |
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Bonus use-it-up recipe for stale bread - Bagnèt verd Great with one of the vegetable soup recipes above.
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COMPETITIONS
MobileMuster schools' creative competition
Students must create either a drawing, photograph or short film (60 seconds) encouraging your community to recycle their old mobile phones.
This year, MobileMuster is offering its biggest prize yet! There are 2 x $5,000 gift cards to be won, with 6x $1,000 runner-up prizes (Mastercard Gift Cards).
Tree poetry competition
Do you have a favourite tree? Have you ever written it a poem or song? If not, National Tree Day's theme for this year's poetry competition is "Me and my tree".
Its open to all ages. Branch out!
SCHOOLS AND KINDERGARTENS
Are you an educator in Casey? Sign up to our Green Living in Casey Education
e-newsletter. View the previous edition or subscribe now.
The School Resources available on the Casey Council website have been updated to include a Recycling Quiz for classroom activities: Recycling quiz_Cardinia (casey.vic.gov.au) Please feel free to refresh yourself on the resources available under the “Sustainability for Educators” section of the Casey Council website – there are great resources FREE to use for levels Foundation to Grade 6.
GRANTS
Small Environmental Grant Scheme (Wettenhall Environmental Trust) closes 2 July 2023
This grant supports grassroots organisations and individuals, and academics working with on-ground community groups, to conserve local flora and fauna in both rural and urban environments.
Community Tree Grants (Wheen Bee Foundation) closes 31 July 2023
These grants are open to not-for-profits, school groups, landcare groups, community organisations and sustainability groups to support the planting of bee-friendly trees and provide more spaces for bees to forage, live and breed.
Risk and Resilience Grants Program (Emergency Victoria) closes 10 August 2023
This grant is available to volunteer emergency service organisations and incorporated associations with an emergency management purpose, connection or interest to deliver local projects relating to climate change adaption and risk reduction, designing for risk and resilience, or managing local and regional risks and building resilience.
Victorian Circular Economy Recycling Modernisation Fund – Round 4 (Sustainability Victoria) closes 11 August 2023
Businesses, social enterprises and not-for-profit organisations involved in Victoria’s resource recovery sector can apply for targeted projects addressing waste materials and recycling to be co-funded by Sustainability Victoria.
CONTRIBUTIONS
Do you have any environmental news, stories or events to share?
Contact us via email or through the Green Living in Casey Facebook group.
We proudly acknowledge the traditional owners, Casey’s Aboriginal communities and their rich culture and pay respect to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge Aboriginal people as Australia’s first peoples and as the traditional owners and custodians of the land on which we work and live.
