CHCECE025 Embed sustainable practices in service operations Promo.pdf · CHCECE025 Embed...

CHC Community ServicesTraining Package

Participant GuideVersion 1

Training and Education SupportIndustry Skills Unit

Meadowbank

Product Code: 5798

CHCECE025Embed sustainable practices

in service operations

CHCECE025 Embed sustainable practices in service operations

© TAFE NSW (Training & Education Support Industry Skills Unit, Meadowbank) 2014

AcknowledgmentsThe TAFE NSW Training and Education Support Industry Skills Unit, Meadowbank would like to acknowledge the support and assistance of the following people in the production of this learner resource guide:

Writer:Sarah Murray Consultant

Contributor:Lisa Wallmeyer

Reviewer:Catherine Lee Director The Point Pre-school NSW

Project Manager:Gail Horwood A/Education Programs Manager TAFE NSW

Desktop Publishing:Joanna Santos TAFE NSW

EnquiriesEnquiries about this and other publications can be made to: Training and Education Support Industry Skills Unit, Meadowbank Meadowbank TAFE Level 3, Building J, See Street, MEADOWBANK NSW 2114 Tel: 02-9942 3200 Fax: 02-9942 3257

Further acknowledgmentsA considerable amount of the material in this learner resource has been developed from the following TAFE NSW resource: CHCPR515A Develop and implement a program to support sustainable practice - participant guide (2009).

ISBN: 978 1 74236 506 0

© The State of New South Wales, Department of Education and Training, TAFE NSW, Training and Education Support Industry Skills Unit, Meadowbank, 2014.

Copyright of this material is reserved to TAFE NSW Training and Education Support Industry Skills Unit, Meadowbank. Reproduction or transmittal in whole or in part, other than for the purposes of private study or research, and subject to the provisions of the Copyright Act, is prohibited without the written authority of, TAFE NSW. Training and Education Support Industry Skills Unit, Meadowbank



Special Thanks to the following Early Childhood Services for sharing their stories and photos:

• All Stars Early Learning Centre, Botany, NSW

• Bonnyrigg Public School Preschool, Bonnyrigg, NSW

• Brookvale Children’s Centre, Warringah Council, NSW

• Clovelly Child Care Centre, Clovelly, NSW

• Como West Public School, Como West, NSW

• Corrimal Children’s Centre, Illawarra Children’s Services, NSW

• Gumnut Kidz Kindergarten, Camden, NSW

• Gymea Bay Care and Leisure Centre, Gynmea Bay, NSW

• Kenny Street Children’s Centre, Illawarra Children’s Services, NSW

• KU Randwick/Coogee Preschool, Randwick, NSW

• Meadowbank TAFE NSW Playsession, NSW

• Moverley Children’s Centre, Randwick City Council, NSW

• Playsession@ TAFE NSW - New England Institute Armidale Campus, NSW

• The Point Preschool, Oyster Bay, NSW



Table of contentsIntroduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

1. General introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

2. Using this participant guide . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

3. Prior knowledge and experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

4. Unit of competency overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

5. Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Section 1: What is sustainability? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13Aspects of sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Environmental sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Social sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Economic sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

History of sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

The impact of key global issues. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Climate change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Greenhouse effect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Ecological footprint . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Earth resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Chemicals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Biodiversity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Intergenerational equity and equitable sharing of resources. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Equitable sharing of resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Intergenerational equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Section summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Section 2: Potential aspects for change in children’s services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65Sustainable building design and associated structural aspects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Sustainable waste management practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Sustainable water management practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75

Sustainable energy management practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

Safer cleaning practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

Indoor air quality and VOCs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Safer personal care and cosmetic products . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

The natural environment in outdoor spaces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93



Food and produce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107

Biodiversity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112

Section summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Section 3: Nature education: strategies to increase children’s experiences and understanding of animals and the natural environment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

Gardening and biodiversity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122

Frogs and tadpoles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124

Appreciating the texture, tones and shapes of nature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127

Excursions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Wildlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131

Waste . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135

Water. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139

Aboriginal connections . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142

Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

Ethical dilemmas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Use of food for play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157

Water play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158

Budget constraints . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159

Health concerns related to the reuse of some materials . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

Parent/carer expectations may conflict with sustainable practices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162

Section summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163

Section 4: Implementing workplace changes to enhance environmental sustainability . . . . 165Drivers for behavioural change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Change agents and leadership skills . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167

Knowledge and awareness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174

Expressed values and role modelling behaviours . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175

Barriers to behavioural change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 177

Section summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 180

Section 5: Design and implement a program to support sustainability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1811. Preparation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

2. Philosophy and policy review . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194

3. Conduct sustainability audits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 196

4. Develop a sustainability plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198

5. Implement the plan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

6. Evaluate the plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203

Section summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205



Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 207

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 209

Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213

Resource evaluation form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259

© TAFE NSW (TES, Industry Skills Unit Meadowbank) 2014 Page 13 of 262


Section 1: What is sustainability?Educators are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of sustainability in early childhood and school-aged settings. By ensuring these settings follow sustainability policies and practices educators can actively contribute to conserving the Earth’s resources. Of equal importance is the role they can play in developing sustainability knowledge, attitudes and values in the children that attend these settings. In so doing they can ensure a sustainable future for those that follow.

Young children are capable and resourceful and able to make decisions that do impact on their own lives and the lives of others . As educators the messages we give children about sustainability will impact on their well being, their play, their thoughts, their relationships, their ability to connect with nature, their desire to explore, discover and curiosity to learn; their sense of wonder in this amazing planet and all its creatures and people and their ability to care and make decisions that have positive outcomes.

Rachel Carson (1956) believes “if a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder, he needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement and the mystery of the world we live in” .

We can be that one adult .

Catherine Lee, Director The Point Preschool Oyster Bay NSW (2010)

of 262 © TAFE NSW (TES, Industry Skills Unit Meadowbank) 2014


There are a range of available definitions of “sustainability”. Some of these are recorded below.

Sustainability definitions

• “To maintain; to keep alive; to support; to subsist; to nourish” .

Webster Dictionary (1913)

• “Sustainability is defined as meeting the needs of current and future generations through simultaneous environmental, social and economic improvement .”

State Sustainability Strategy (Western Australia)

• “Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

Brundtland Commission of the United Nations (1987)

• “Using, conserving and enhancing the community’s resources so that ecological processes, on which life depends, are maintained, and the total quality of life, now and in the future, can be increased .”

Ecologically Sustainable Development Steering Committee 1992

• “In my view,’ sustainable’ is like pregnant: it’s not possible to be a little bit pregnant, and a society is either sustainable or unsustainable .”

Mr Gordon Hocking

• “Development without destruction”

Maurice Strong, Secretary General of the 1992 Rio Earth Summit



Activity

Choose the definition of sustainability/sustainable development that appeals to you the most or research your own.

In your own words describe what you think this means .

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) highlighted the urgency to act immediately to reduce the impact human consumption and production is having on the environment. In particular the need to reduce greenhouse gas production to address the issue of climate change was identified. In order to equip society with the necessary skills and knowledge required to make effective changes, climate change education needs to be practice-centred and solutions focused. Actions for positive change need to be learning-centred so learners can actively experience how they can be involved in contributing to the solutions required to combat climate change. Teachers need to have a thorough understanding themselves of environmental issues and solutions and ensure that learners are given information about actions they can take within the context of their community. Climate change education should focus on the positive aspects of change, engage learners and provide them with a sense of hope for the future.

UNESCO (2010)

The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014)

In order to drive education towards sustainable development and enhance awareness of environmental sustainability issues, the UN General Assembly in December 2002 proclaimed a UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development for 2005-2014.

UNESCO is the lead facilitator of The United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014) and strives to integrate the principles, values, and practices of sustainable development into all aspects of education and learning, to find solutions to the social, economic, cultural and environmental problems we are faced with today.

To find out more go to http: www.unesco.org/en/esd/



Aspects of sustainability

Three aspects of sustainability have been identified. These are:

• Environmental

• Social

• Economic aspects.

Environmental sustainability

Protecting and conserving biodiversity and ensuring natural resources are utilised efficiently.

Social sustainability

The needs of individuals are identified and their well-being is considered. Issues of social inclusion and eradicating poverty are pursued.

Economic sustainability

Working within the capacity of the natural environment to ensure strong economic growth, stability and competiveness.

“Sustainable living is as much about healthy lifestyle choices, supporting the community you live in and embracing the long term strength of the economy as it is about environmental consciousness .”

Michael Grosvenor (2007)

Activity

Go to the Centre for Environment Education website below and answer the questions to find out your individual positive impact on the three aspects of sustainability: environment, society and economy.

http://www.handsforchange.org/



History of sustainability

Sustainability has a long history. It has been practised since earliest times. It has been and is utilised by both ancient and contemporary cultures. From earliest times mankind was aware of managing the resources available in the environment. Survival depended on this knowledge and understanding. Effective management of the environment was central to the social and economic functioning of the community.

Over time and especially with the coming of the Industrial Revolution from 1750 to 1900, this close affinity and harmony with the natural world was discarded as people moved from a daily engagement with the natural world to the cities where they could access work in an industrial economy. As increases in population developed along with a need to feed large numbers of people living in cities the natural environments of the world have been diminished to make way for large scale developments, mining, food production, energy production through fossil fuels and other uses that compete with the natural environment. Another vigorous period of industrial growth after the Second World War and the explosion of modern industrial agriculture, the “Green Revolution” during the mid twentieth century with its use of herbicides and pesticides placed additional pressures on sustainability and the environment. The challenge ahead lies in finding a sustainable balance between the demands of a growing population increasingly located in large cities, economic considerations and the need to ensure that the natural environment remains healthy and vigorous.

History of the concept of sustainability in modern times

1798 The British scholar and Reverend Thomas Robert Malthus identified concerns regarding population growth in his book : An essay on the principle of population, in Oxford World’s Classics reprint. p61, end of Chapter VII.

1848 John Stuart Mill, a British member of Parliament, in his Book IV, Chapter VI of Principles of Political Economy argued that the logical conclusion of unlimited growth was destruction of the environment and a reduced quality of life.

1895 Eugen Warming a Danish botanist wrote the first textbook on plant ecology.1896 The theory that carbon dioxide emissions from combustion of coal would enhance

Earth’s greenhouse effect and lead to global warming was put forward by a Swedish chemist, Svante Arrhenius.

1924 US physicist Alfred Lotka theorised that based on 1920 coal use atmospheric carbon dioxide would double in 500 years.

1949 G.S. Callendar put forward the concept that the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide was rising and raising global temperature.

1954 George Hutchinson, a US biologist links deforestation with increased atmospheric carbon dioxide.

1957 The Scripps Institute of Oceanography scientists, Revelle and Seuss identify that much atmospheric carbon dioxide is not absorbed by the oceans as previously thought and could lead to the warming of the earth.



1962 Rachel Carson, a marine biologist and nature writer writes her book, Silent Spring. In the book she details the detrimental effects of pesticides on the environment.

1972 Conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm convened by the United Nations was the first major conference on international environment issues.

1973 British economist E.F. Schumacher wrote Small is Beautiful which expressed concerns regarding exploitation of the environment and depletion of finite resources.

1970s and

1980s

Development of renewable energy sources became more prominent. The first large scale solar and wind power plants appeared during the 1980’s.

1980 The World Conservation strategy was published by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

United Nations Environment Program encouraged nations to ‘ improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations’.

1982 The International Union for Conservation of Nature published the World Charter for Nature. This highlighted the degradation of the world’s ecosystems.

1983 World Commission on Environment and Development(WCED) convened by the United Nations found that environmental concerns were a global issue and that nations needed to develop policies for sustainable development.

1985 The United Nations Environment program (UNEP), the World Meteorological Organisation(WMO) and the International Council of Scientific Unions recommends a global treaty to address climate change.

1987 The Bruntland report was commissioned by the WCED. The report identified the need for the world to change attitudes to business and living or face irreversible environmental damage. The report defined sustainable development as:

• ‘development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.’

1988 The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) was established by UNEP and WMO to provide assessments of the scientific and economic basis of climate change.

1990 The Second World Climate Conference reports that if the increase in greenhouse gas concentrations is not limited then there will be considerable consequences on natural and social systems.

1992 The UN Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) was held in Rio de Janeiro. It was the first international conference to address sustainable development. 172 governments participated. Outcomes included:

• Earth Summit Agenda 21, the UN Declaration on Environment and Development which contains 27 principles for environmentally sustainable development and principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests. The Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD) was created to monitor and report on Agenda 21’s implementation over a five year period.

• The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or FCCC) which was signed by 155 countries.



1997 Members of the UNFCC met in Kyoto and adopted the Kyoto Protocol. The Protocol provides 37 industrialised countries with binding targets to reduce their collective Green House Gas (CGG) emissions by 5.2% against the 1990 levels over a five year period from 2008 to 2012.

2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development (WSSD) was held with two major outcomes:

• The Political Declaration which identifies the commitments and direction required for sustainable development on issues such as biodiversity loss, use of toxic chemicals, renewable energy, air pollution.

• The Plan of Implementation to guide governments towards sustainable development.

2006 The Stern Review on the Economics of Climate change was commissioned by United Kingdom Prime Minister Tony Blair to investigate the economic implications of climate change. Findings indicated considerable impact on economies.

2007 The Garnaut Climate Change Review was commissioned to investigate the economic implications of climate change on the Australian economy by the Labour opposition government. Australia ratified the Kyoto Protocol.

2008 The final report of the Garnaut Climate Change Review was presented.2009 The Australian Labour Party’s Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme legislation which

proposed an emissions trading process for greenhouse gases as a solution for lowering greenhouse emissions was defeated in the Senate. The United Nations Climate Change Conference (Copenhagen Summit) was held to develop a framework for climate change mitigation beyond 2012. Parties to the The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol attended. Considerable disagreement occurred with a lack of mutual consensus. The Copenhagen Accord was drafted. It recognised the considerable importance of the challenge of climate change and that actions should be taken to keep any temperature increases to below 2 degrees Centigrade. No binding commitment for reducing carbon dioxide emissions was reached. The Environmental Protection Agency of the United States determined that greenhouse gases ‘endanger public health and welfare’.



Activity

Choose one of these historical events and research it further. Write a short paragraph about it below.



“When they lived in this land before the wit-hu (white man) came, they looked after it. They weren’t the owners of this land, they were the guardians . It was their job to look after the dun-thee (earth) and everything on it. They didn’t take stuff from the dun-thee with greed they just took it with need .”

Jim South (2004)

Activity

Do you think it would be easier to maintain sustainable development in early times or modern times?

Jot down a few reasons for your answer.



Carbon dioxide emissions are the single largest component contributing towards our massive ecological footprint and accounts for about 52%.

Activity

Access the Ecological Footprint Calculator from one of the web sites below. Complete the questions to calculate your personal impact.

• http://www.wwf.org.au/footprint/

• http://www.epa.vic.gov.au/ecologicalfootprint/calculators/default.asp

Earth resourcesEnergy

Energy use is the major cause of climate change in Australia. This is because 90% of the electricity we use is produced by burning polluting coal. This has made Australians the highest per capita greenhouse polluters in the world. To reduce greenhouse pollution we must become more energy efficient and switch from coal to renewable energy technologies like solar and wind.

While most greenhouse gas emissions are produced by industry, the amount and type of energy used by households also has considerable implications for the environment. The average household produces about 14 tonnes of greenhouse gas each year, much of it from energy use.

In 2006-07, household energy consumption made up about 8% of total energy use. Electricity is used by almost every Australian household and accounts for 85% of household greenhouse gas emissions (excluding car use, which is another major contributor, but is not covered in this article). Some electricity for households comes from renewable energy (8%), but most electricity (92%) comes from burning fossil fuels such as coal and gas. While coal and gas are the lowest cost fuel sources for electricity in Australia, they have higher greenhouse gas emissions than renewable sources.

Source: Total Environment centre http://www.tec.org.au/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=8&Itemid=316



“Australia’s energy supply will face many challenges over the next decade . Increasing domestic consumption, the need for investment in new assets and policy measures aimed at reducing greenhouse gases, will all shape the investment in technologies needed to drive the production of renewable energy in the medium to long term.”

Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (2008)

Renewable energy

Renewable energy is sourced from wind, water, sun and biomass products, such as wood. There are two main ways people can use renewable energy in the home and business. The first is by installing small renewable generation units, or, more commonly, using wood or solar hot water. The other way is to choose to use renewable energy as part of their electricity supply, via GreenPower.

What is GreenPower?

GreenPower is an Australian government accreditation program for renewable energy. Renewable energy is generated from sources like mini hydro, wind power and biomass which produce no net greenhouse gas emissions. Your chosen service provider organises this on your behalf. GreenPower does cost a bit more but the few cents extra you pay in addition to your electricity account each day is invested in the renewable energy sector. For more information, go to http://www.greenpower.gov.au/what-is-greenpower.aspx.

“Energy resources are critical for the wellbeing of humankind and to our economies and social improvement . A principal issue around energy today is supplying the tremendous amounts of energy needed by the growing economies of the world, and in an economically and environmentally sustainable way . Many studies indicate that there will likely be a doubling of the world’s energy demand by 2050, perhaps sooner . China alone is on a path to become the world’s largest primary energy user in about five years. India is not far behind and together they make up almost 40% of the globe’s population.”

World Energy (2007)



Activity

Think about three actions that you could take at your workplace to reduce energy consumption.

List them below:

1.

2.

3.



Water

We have already covered the impact that climate change is having on the average amount of rainfall in Australia and higher surface temperatures. If you combine this with the increasing population you can quickly see why we are running out of water. Australia is one of the driest continents on earth and we all must rethink how we can use water more wisely. Many regions throughout Australia have water restrictions put into place and through a series of campaigns many people are now adopting more sustainable water practices.

According to the ABS (Mar 2007) 4602.0 Environmental Issues: People’s Views and Practices, a large proportion of households saved water in their dwellings, the bathroom being the most common room where 66.5% of households reported water saving activities followed by the laundry (63.9%) and the kitchen (49.9%). Only 39.8% reported saving water in the toilet.

Water usage by State

ML 750000

562500

375000

187500

NSW/ACT0

Vic. Qld SA WA Tas. NT

2000-012004-05

Source: ABS, Water Account Australia, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4610.0)



Water usage by type of use

Agriculture

Household

Water supply (a) (b)

Other industries

Manufacturing

Mining

Electricity and gas

Forestry and fishing (c)

0 3000 6000

GL

9000 12000 15000

2000-012004-05

(a) Includes sewerage and drainage services.

(b) Includes water losses.

(c) Includes services to agriculture; hunting and trapping.

Note: Water consumption is equal to the sum of distributed water use from water suppliers plus self-extracted water use and reuse water use less water supplied to others less in-stream use and less distributed water use by the environment.

Source: ABS, Water Account Australia, 2004-05 (cat. no. 4610.0).

The UN Millennium Project Task Force on Water and Sanitation, Final report (2005) states that:

“Four out of every ten people in the world do not have access to even a simple latrine; and nearly two in ten have no source of safe drinking water.”

The equitable access to the earth’s resources of water and its usage is a global issue of concern in regards to sustainability.

Activity

What is one way that you can think of to reduce your water usage at your place of work?



“The human right to water entitles everyone to sufficient, safe, acceptable, physically accessible and affordable water for personal and domestic uses. An adequate amount of safe water is necessary to prevent death from dehydration, reduce the risk of water-related disease and provide for consumption, cooking, personal and domestic hygienic requirements” .

General Comment 15, CESCR (2002)

Food

Everybody is familiar with the saying “You are what you eat”. However do we really know what we are eating? Many of us know the importance of healthy eating and the Australian Dietary guidelines for adults, children and adolescents provides the specific details about what we should be eating and in what quantities. However many are unaware of the other ingredients that may have been added during food production, or their effects on our health. Grosvenor (2007) outlines some of these:

1. Additives (artificial flavours, colours, preservatives).

Many of these are known to cause allergies and reactions, especially in children. Some are also suspected of being carcinogenic.

2. Antibiotics

Many of large scale meat production uses antibiotics and other drugs to increase yields by helping to prevent animals from getting infections and becoming sick and increase their rate of growth. Approximately half of all antibiotics imported in Australia are placed into stock feed.

3. Genetic Engineering

Changing the genetic makeup of a plant or animal by the transference of genes to improve production and resist pests. Is extremely controversial as the long term effects on human health and the environment are largely unknown.

4. Farming methods

There may be a high reliance on and use of pesticides to increase production and reduce damage from pests. Also the way animals are kept, free range or caged – whether or not the animals have been treated humanely.



5. Imported Foods

A large amount of food is imported from interstate or often even half way around the world. This contributes to pollution and energy use as the goods are transported over long distances. Food needs more additives and preservatives to prevent it from going off and increased amounts of packaging for protection during travel. The food you receive is often not as fresh as it could be and reduces demand for locally grown produce.

“It’s easy to forget about the energy, water, chemicals and effort that goes into producing everyday items like chocolate bars, soft drink or a packet of chips. Not to mention the fuel burnt to get the things to you . . .unprocessed foods take much less energy and water to be ready to eat .”

Australian Conservation Foundation (2007)



Organic food

The Australian Organic Food Directory states that there are numerous reasons why we should choose organic. Organic food in Australia is often more expensive than non-organic, but the more you know about the overall benefits of organic food, the more you will realise it is much better value.

1. Organic food tastes better. Organic farming starts with the nourishment of the soil, which leads to the nourishment of the plant and, ultimately, our palate.

2. Organic food production helps protect future generations. The average child receives approximately four times more exposure than an adult, to at least eight widely used cancer-causing pesticides in food. Food choices made in the family and community now, determine our children’s health - not only now but into the future.

3. Organic food has higher levels of nutrients. There is now plentiful research findings that show organic food is far superior in vitamin, mineral and nutrient content. They are especially higher in antioxidants, vitamin C, iron, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus. Organic foods have higher levels (up to six times) of salicylic acid. Salicylic acid is produced naturally in plants as a protective compound against stress and disease. Salicylic acid acts as an anti-inflammatory and helps combat hardening of the arteries.

4. Organic farming methods prevent soil erosion and build healthy soils. Organic farms protect the environment by building soil organic matter and by mimicking natural systems rather than relying on synthetic fertilisers and pesticides.

5. Organic farming helps protect water quality. Pesticides and other chemicals widely used in conventional farming contaminate ground water and rivers and pollute primary sources of drinking water.

6. Organic food is free of artificial additives. Organic food doesn’t contain food additives which can cause health problems such as heart disease, osteoporosis, migraines and hyperactivity. The use of antibiotics, anti-microbials, hormones and other growth promotants are prohibited in organic production. In the case that animals are treated with veterinary drugs or chemicals, they are prohibited from being sold as organic. The use of synthetic chemicals as preservatives, colourings, antioxidants etc are also prohibited in the processing of organic foods.

7. Chemical residues are missing or at very low levels in organically produced food. Many studies show that most conventionally farmed foods have pesticide and other chemical residues. Over 400 chemical pesticides are routinely used in conventional farming and residues are often present in non-organic food.

Continuted



Research has shown that 30 percent of insecticides, 60 percent of herbicides and 90 percent of fungicides are known to cause cancer. These chemicals can also lead to nervous and endocrine problems.

8. Organic food production uses less energy than conventional food production. Modern conventional farming uses more petroleum than any other industry. More energy is now used to produce synthetic fertilisers than to till, cultivate and harvest crops. Organic farming is still based on labour intensive practices such as hand weeding, green manure, and cover crops instead of chemicals.

9. Certified organic means GE/GM free.

10. Organic farming practices maintain or enhance seed, crop and ecological biodiversity. According to a study reported in 2004, by New Scientist, ‘organic farming increases biodiversity at every level of the food chain - all the way from lowly bacteria to mammals’. Organic farming uses traditional seeds, and focuses on a diverse range of plant species - this increases seed and crop biodiversity. Conventional farming relies on monocultures and chemicals to eradicate other plant and insect species - this considerably reduces biodiversity. One of the side-effects of the use of toxic pesticides is the inadvertent killing of non-target animals, plants and insects which not only reduces biodiversity but may also exacerbate pest management problems by promoting pest resistance. There are far reaching effects from conventional farming and the attendant use of toxic chemicals. Polluted soil and waterways affects all life forms in the ecosystem and reduces biodiversity.

11. Support for small farmers. When we purchase organic food we support traditional farming systems. Most organic farms are small, independently owned family farms of less than 50 hectares. Many family farms have been sold-up during the last couple of decades because of economies of scale - they are not profitable under conventional farming systems. Organic farming could be one of the ways family farms can survive.

Source: Organic Food Directory: http://www.organicfooddirectory.com.au/organic-answers/why-choose-organic-food.html

“The most political act we do on a daily basis is to eat, as our actions affect farms, landscapes and food businesses. These choices matter enormously, as different production and transport systems have different effects on the environment.”

Professor Jules Pretty (2005)



Food Waste

OzHarvest is a non-denominational charity that rescues excess food which would otherwise be discarded. This excess food is distributed to charities supporting the vulnerable in Sydney and Canberra .

http://www.ozharvest.org.au/ourimpact.asp?pageID=609

There are millions, if not over a billion people in the world who do not have enough food to eat. Yet stop and think just how much food you throw away each week. There are also massive amounts of food thrown away by supermarkets and other businesses every day. The cost of waste food in Australia is more than 13 times the $386 million that was donated by Australian households to overseas aid agencies in 2003 according to the Australian Conservation Foundation (2007).

The statistic most frequently cited is that of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, which measures ‘under nutrition’. The most recent estimate, released on October 14, 2009 by FAO, says that 1.02 billion people are undernourished, a sizable increase from its 2006 estimate of 854 million people.

Activity

Research your local area to find out if there is a local Farmers’ Market. (If not visit a local fruit shop or supermarket.)

Arrange to visit it and find out:

1. Are there many products locally produced?

2. Are any of the products organically grown?



Waste

Waste Management is becoming one of the key problems of the modern world. It is an international issue that is exacerbated by the sheer volume and complex network of waste produced by households, businesses and industry. The majority of so called solutions of the past were and still are only short term solutions.

Commercial packaging seems to be everywhere in the western world. Our food, drinks, clothing, medicine, furniture, computers, cleaning materials, publications etc all come packaged in some form. One of the main problems with most packaging is that it is designed to transport the product to its final destination without damage to its contents and then be discarded. A lot of packaging cannot be recycled and simply ends up as land fill compounding the problem. There are some products being designed and sold now that break down more easily than the traditional plastic products by the action of microbes (bio-degradation) or light (photo-degradation) into harmless products.

(Wessex Institute of Technology)

“With our growing awareness of the detrimental environmental effects of current waste disposal, there is a significant onus of accountability for effective waste management. Better practice and safer solutions are required. Not only is there a need for more research on current disposal methods such as landfill, incineration, chemical and effluent treatment, but also on recycling, waste minimisation, clean technologies, waste monitoring, public and corporate awareness, and general education.”

Wessex Institute of Technology (2010)



Clean Up Australia Fact Sheet

Polystyrene It’s a global problem – a US case study

Though polystyrene manufacturers claim that their products are “ozone-friendly” or free of CFCs, this is only partially true.

Some polystyrene is now manufactured with HCFC-22, which, though less destructive than its chemical cousins, CFC-11 and CFC-12, is still a greenhouse gas and harmful to the ozone layer. In fact, according to a 1992 study by the Institute for Energy and Environmental Research, HCFCs are three to five times more destructive to the ozone layer than previously believed.

According to the US Foundation for Advancements in Science and Education, styrene, a component of polystyrene, leaches into food from polystyrene foodware.

Styrene has been found in 100 percent of human tissue samples and 100 percent of human nursing milk samples tested. There is evidence that styrene is a carcinogen and neurotoxin and it has also been linked to reproductive problems.

Styrene has also been linked to increased levels of chromosomal damage, abnormal pulmonary function and cancer in workers at polystyrene and styrene plants.

Manufacturing polystyrene is also a major producer of pollution. In 1986, the US EPA ranked the 20 chemicals whose production generated the most hazardous wasted.

Polystyrene was number five.

US polystyrene recycling programs are heavily subsidized by polystyrene manufacturers to improve the environmental image of their products.

Furthermore, polystyrene recycling is not “closed loop” - collected polystyrene cups are not remanufactured into cups, but into other products, such as packing filler and cafeteria trays.

This means that more resources will have to be used, and more pollution created, to produce more polystyrene cups.

A study by the Portland, Oregon, public school system concluded that switching the school system from polystyrene to reusable polycarbonate foodware would, over a five-year period, save 11 billion BTUs of energy.

It would prevent 248,000 pounds of solid waste and 60,000 pounds of airborne emissions.

It would increase water consumption by 10,600,000 gallons and produce 39,500 pounds of waterborne waste.

The amount of water used, equivalent to the domestic consumption of 38 households, could be reduced with water-efficient washing machines.

Vermont developed an analysis of a hypothetical school serving 200 meals a day. The model demonstrated that, adding in all the costs of both options (i.e., buying a dishwasher and reusable plates versus continuously purchasing disposables), purchasing reusable dishes is the least expensive option. (5)

References

1. 50 Things We Can Do To Save the Planet – Barbara Lord

2. www.ecologycentre.org

3. Clean Up Australia Rubbish Report 2003

4. www.verdant.net

5. www.ejnet.org

6. Polystyrene Australia

N.B: References 2, 4 and 6 are all US based websites



“The best way for us to try and alleviate the problem is to stop thinking about our huge mountains of rubbish as a disposable item and start thinking of ways it can be reused .”

Vivian Head

Activity

List two ways that you could reduce the amount of waste you produce at your workplace.

1.

2.

Chemicals

We are now bombarded with a huge range of chemical products to choose from on the supermarket shelves and with advertisements insisting we must use their products to ensure we have a clean and hygienic environment. However the frightening fact is we simply do not know what effect many of these chemicals have on our body, not only short term effects but more worrying seems to be long term exposure. Very little independent research has been carried out on the cocktail of chemicals that are frequently used within our homes and workplaces. One of the major reasons for this is that Australia has no government regulatory body that oversees chemical production or use to ensure consumers are protected from potentially toxic products.

Hazardous chemicals are also a burden on our environment. Carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides that are emitted from cars and other gases from industry pollute the air as do the wide range of chemical sprays that are used every day. After use containers that store these chemicals can end up as landfill and contents leach into the soil and potentially our water system.

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