tropeco news - fourth edition
DESCRIPTION
Stay up to date with all things sustainable at James Cook University with the TropEco News, published quarterly.TRANSCRIPT
TropEco Your hot spot for a cool campus
NEWS
Green Interns get practical experience at JCU
Tree Mapping
Issue 4 April - June 2012
Issue 4 April - June 2012
Editor: Adam Connell
Sub Editor: Suzy Keys
3. What’s happening?
8. Make Over for Goondaloo Creek
by Adam Connell
Do you have a sustainability related
story or event you want to tell people
about?
Please send it into
with any relevant pictures and we may
put it up on the TropEco Facebook
page or publish it in TropEco News.
http://www.beyondzeroemzissions.org/
events/qlds-path-100-renewable-futureContents
www.facebook.com/tropeco.james
.cook.university
Contribute to TropEco News
Adam Connell
The Bio-Regen food recycling unit at
Uni Halls is now operational and has
been well received by the kitchen staff.
The kitchen has already diverted over
two tonnes of food waste from landfill
which has been converted into a bio-
fertiliser which is great for the garden.
We will be holding an official launch on
Friday 20th April at 10am at Uni Halls
and we invite anyone interested to
come and have a look at the machine.
We have some high profile guests
visiting JCU in April with Matthew
Wright from Beyond Zero Emissions
and 2010 Young Environmentalist of
the Year, presenting a guest lecture at Well it’s been a big start to the year in both the Cairns and Townsville 2012 and there has been lots happen-Campuses on 16th and 18th April ing in the sustainability arena. Thanks respectively. Matthew will be discuss-to all the students who came and said ing Queensland’s path to a 100% hi at the O-Week Market Day at both renewable future, and he is a speaker the Cairns and Townsville Campuses. not to be missed. Over 300 students signed up to the For more details and bookings go to: TropEco mailing list, which shows there
is a lot of interest in what we’re doing.
If you were on the Townsville Campus Our favorite friend of TropEco and the you would have noticed the JCU Green new host of Gardening Australia - Team running trash basketball and
4. Tree Mapping by Adam Connell Costa Georgiadis - will be visiting us on giving away prizes for those that Monday 23rd April for an intimate 6. Students Bike Share managed to recycle correctly. public lecture. More details will be
7. Market Day - O Week in Pics The Green Team is the new student available soon through the TropEco environmental group who will be mailing list and facebook page and running activities and events this year bookings will be limited to 100 people. for students. If you want to get involved
If you’re not already signed up to the 9. MeYou.com.au by Lania Lynch with this group see the advert on the TropEco mailing list or facebook page, back page of the newsletter.
10. ACTing green for LiFE please email: orThe bike share program is up and visit:11. NQ Tropics Celebrate the Sea running at three of the JCU colleges at and ask to be added. Festival by Laura Dunstanthe Townsville campus and feedback It’s the only way to be sure you are from students has been positive. The kept up to date with what’s happening bikes look great and it is great to see around sustainability at JCU.students utilising this free service. Keep
an eye out for the green cruiser bikes
getting around the Townsville Campus. Manager, Environment
Division of Finance and Resource The Ecobus passes are selling like hot Planning, cakes with over 1500 passes already James Cook University,sold in Townsville and 300 in Cairns Angus Smith Drive, Douglas, Qld since O-Week. This is a great result and 4811 shows that students are using the P: +61 7 4781 5060 buses to minimize their environmental Mobile: 0459 097 253footprint and avoid parking issues on E:campus.
Editorial
TropEco2 , James Cook University, Tropical Queensland, Australia
Letter from the Editor
. Photo: Andrey Armyagov
New Online Billboard
http://progress.eventzilla.net
Reinventing Progress
CAFNEC Conference Cairns TropEco Keep Cups & Water Tuesday 17 April, 9am-5pm Bottles for sale at BookshopsThe Hotel Cairns, Cnr Florence &
Abbott St. Tickets $95 or $80 student
(ticket price includes full catering)Check out the new look
TropEco page.
Packages
The program features a selection of
Australia's leading sustainability
leaders including:
ŸAllan Jones MBE,
ŸProfessor Ian Lowe AO, The MeYOU Online Billboard is a new ŸDr Paul Downton student service which was created to ŸProfessor Peter Newmanhelp eliminate paper waste related to
ŸMatthew Wright, Zero Emmissions. use of physical billboards/notice
boards on the university campus. The full program can be viewed
online. For more information about the MeYOU aims to establish a safer, more speakers or to register online go to: efficient, cost-effective system for
students to buy, sell and trade any P: 4032 1746 university related items.E:Ÿ
It is MeYOU’s ambition to replace the Five lucky Sustainability students will traditional billboards to help reduce be guests of CAFNEC to attend the JCUs environmental footprint.conference.
TropEco supports the MeYOU billboard
and encourages all staff and students
to utilise it when buying or selling second hand items. See page 8.
Position yourself as a leader in the area
of sustainability, and take advantage of Stay up to date with everything this opportunity to hear from Australia’s sustainable at JCU, and if you like us. leading sustainability experts about: let the world know.
ŸMaking the most of the carbon
economy
ŸSuccessful emission reduction &
energy efficiency case studies
ŸDesigning and building sustainable,
cities buildings & towns
ŸStrategic thinking & planning for
sustainability leadership
Gold Sponsor: Cairns Regional
Council Silver Sponsors: Regional TropEco Shirts $25.95 Development Australia, James Cook
University and TropEc, Arup and The Bag, Keep Cup and Bottle $19.50Hotel Cairns Bag, Keep Cup, Bottle & Shirt $44.50
TropEco, James Cook University, Tropical Queensland, Australia 3
What’s Happening? Adam Connell
Jute Bags $3.95
Keep Cups $9.95
Water Bottles $6.50
4 James Cook University, Tropical Queensland, Australia TropEco,
Green Intern maps campus trees
TropEco Green Intern - Dilki Wanniarachchi - recently completed an important project mapping the
significant trees on the JCU Townsville Campus, with support from Associate Professor Betsy Jackes.
The Significant Tree Mapping Project will be used as a learning tool for JCU students, as well as a tool for
JCU grounds staff to identify trees to be protected in the future.
The next stage of the project will be to consult with the JCU community for feedback on the trees identified
and ask for any additions to the project through an application form and assessment process.
Interactive maps will then be made public through the JCU website and other tools can then be devel-
oped in consultation with the School of Marine and Tropical Biology to enhance teaching and learning for
JCU students. Photo: Dilki and Professor Professor Betsy Jackes working together at tree mapping.
Tree Mapping
TropEco, James Cook University, Tropical Queensland, Australia 5
How did you find out about the TropEco
Green Interns program?
What work skills did you learn from
undertaking this project?
What was involved in the Significant
Tree Mapping Project?
Has the experience you gained from
this project helped you to find work?
Would you recommend the Green How did this project help toward your Interns program to other students?studies?
Where would you like to see the tree
mapping project go from here?
courses, especially Introduction to GIS environmental impacts and improve
course and Advanced GIS course. sustainable development is to encour-
age close cooperation between policy-
makers, researchers and the university I took note of TropEco posters which
community.were displayed around Environmental
Science. I read a lot of information
Using the tree mapping project we from their web site and it attracted me, I gained valuable skills for my future
could develop sustainable guidelines, especially the Green Interns program. career by working with conservation-
and initiate and promote revegetation ists, botanists and spatial analysts at
programs in relevant areas using the The contact details provided on their JCU. The project was an important
spatial maps of the project. web site led me to meet Adam Connell, opportunity to work in an environment
Revegetation programs in key areas of the Manager of Environment at JCU. that assists and supports professional
the campus would help to re-establish programs in the workplace.
endemic native tree species. This is Adam has a tremendous passion for
especially important in the riparian natural habitats and environments. He I learnt software programs such as Map
areas on campus to improve the water has initiated several projects with the Source, Virtual geographical and
quality and enhance bio=diversity.aim of improving the university’s culture geospatial programs such as Google
and practices. Earth, as well as the latest handheld
From undertaking this project I have GPS units. These skills were useful in
realised that special care has to be It was a valuable opportunity to work the conversion of GPS coordinates of
taken to position trees where they with Adam and to be involved in the significant trees to spatial files using
would have the minimum adverse Significant Tree Mapping Project as my various software programs such as
impact on the infrastructure of the professional placement. AutoCAD and ArcGIS.
campus, underground services or
pavements; thus avoiding removal at a The project was a great opportunity for
later stage. The spatial maps could also me to work with Professor Betsy
be used to assess the cyclone Jackes. She has a vast botanical
resistance of various tree species and knowledge and taught me how to use The aim of the Significant Tree Mapping whether they are appropriately planted.the comprehensive plant identification Project was to identify and protect
systems that are available online. significant trees on the Douglas I would like to see the project provide These systems helped me as an campus and to store the location and relevant botanical information and amateur botanist to identify various tree relevant data of each tree in a GIS interactive spatial maps for academic species around campus.database. I completed the project as and professional staff at JCU and be part of my professional vacation used as a tool by students for teaching placement course, which is designed to and learning. The second phase of this encourage students to gain first hand project will make the spatial maps work experience in a vocation within available on the JCU website.their chosen field. The project gave me a remarkable
opportunity to launch my career with
Ergon Energy as a System Analyst
Tester and a Spatial Analyst. I also had
several interviews with other reputable
I received invaluable guidance and companies around Queensland. My The project consisted of planning, tremendous encouragement from Prof work experience with JCU was looked development and implementation of Betsy Jackes (School of Marine and upon favourably with prospective spatial maps, as well as researching Tropical Biology), Adam Connell employees because of its excellent and storing of information of significant (Environment, Estate Office) and David environmental reputation and trees. These activities met my profes-Roy (Planning and Development, sustainability credentials.sional placement requirements. In Estate Office). The training from my addition, it was a great experience to placement project undoubtedly is a work as a Geographic Information great foundation prior to my work as a System Analyst at JCU.GIS, environmental and conservation
analyst in Queensland, Australia. Email This project helped me by providing I learned that one of the most important to join.practical work experience for my management strategies to reduce
TropEco asked Dilki about her experience as a Green Intern.
6 , James Cook University, Tropical Queensland, Australia TropEco
College residents at George Roberts Hall, Uni Halls and and easy way to get to their lectures, instead of having to
Rotary International have been keen to use the new TropEco find a car park or walk long distances.
Bike Share program, which was rolled out in O-week this
year. “There’s plenty of bike parking near all our lecture theatres
so the bike share program is an ideal way to get around
The attractive green cruiser bikes are provided as a free hassle-free while helping students to keep fit”, Adam said.
service to residents as part of the TropEco program to
encourage students to get around campus on bike rather A bike lock and a helmet are also provided to students so
than drive. they have everything they need to get around campus.
Environment Manager Adam Connell, said he hopes the For more info on the bike share program contact Adam:
service would be used by students in the colleges as a fast [email protected]
Students bike share
Photo: Stephanie Clay, Jessica Taylor, Kiersten Luber from George Roberts
Hall take advantage of the bike share program to get to class.
Students at TownsvilleJCU campus are using bikes to commute around the campus
thanks to the new bike share program. Adam Connell explains how it works.
Cairns
Below: Lania explains the benefits
of joining the Green Team.
Right: Annie Rose, Tasha Sanders
and Sarah Bradsha at the Cairns
campus. Photos: Suzy Keys
In Cairns, Lania Lynch welcomed
the many new Sustainability
students who visited the TropEco
stand and joined up for the
TropEco newsletter and G- Mag.
TropEco, James Cook University, Tropical Queensland, Australia 7
‘O’ Week Market Days
Townsville
Photos: Green Team rep Jayne Chugg
running the trash basketball competi-
tion at the Townsville campus.
Over 300 students signed up to the
TropEco mailing list, on Market Days
during ‘O’ Week at Townsville and
Cairns campuses. Many students were
about to launch into the Sustainability
degree that started this year.
If you were on the Townsville Campus
you would have noticed the JCU Green
Team running trash basketball and
giving away prizes for those that
managed to recycle correctly.
The Green Team is the new student
environmental group which will be
running activities and events this year
for students. If you want to get involved
with this group see the advert on the
back page of the newsletter.
JCU students and staff were amongst the hospital are clogged with exotic
almost 100 participants that took part in weeds and it needs the help of
the Coastal Dry Tropics Landcare volunteers to re-establish the native
(CDTL) native tree planting day on biodiversity in the area.
Saturday 3rd March at the Goondaloo
Creek site downstream of the Discovery CDTL have worked hard to get this site
Drive Bridge. established and will have recently
formed a partnership with TropEco to
Over 700 trees were planted in less rehabilitate sections of Goondaloo
than an hour which left time for Creek and Wadda Mooli Creek on JCU
participants to get involved in the other land in the coming months.
fun activities on the day such as native
wildlife handling and a well deserved For more information on how you can
BBQ. get involved with CDTLI go to
, become friends with
Goondaloo Creek is the most pre- Coastal Dry Tropics Landcare on
served tributary to the Ross River and is Facebook, or contact
a haven for native flora and fauna,
however the downstream reaches near
www.cdtli.org.au
Makeover for Goondaloo Creek TropEco is helping Coastal Dry Tropics Landcare to rehabilitate sections of
Goondaloo Creek and Wadda Mooli Creek on JCU land writes Adam Connell
8 TropEco, James Cook University, Tropical Queensland, Australia
The MeYOU Online Billboard is a new Ryan, the concept of MeYOU is What benefits are there for
student service which was created by timely and a fantastic initiative. What people using MeYOU and do you have
JCU student, Ryan Vasta to help staff prompted you to develop the program a vision of where you see the site
and students reduce paper waste from and have people been using the site? heading?
physical billboards/notice boards
throughout the university campus. : Originally I thought of the : By signing up and using
concept in my first couple weeks at MeYOU’s new online noticeboard, the
It will also establish a safer, more JCU as I began looking for accommo- JCU community can contribute to the
efficient, cost-effective system for dation, textbooks and furniture on the reduction and elimination of paper
students and staff to advertise events, physical notice boards around the waste throughout the campus.
buy, sell and trade any products or campus. It was only then, I realised
services. how much paper actually got wasted JCU is leading the way in creating a
and that most of the ads were either sustainable university and the MeYOU
It is MeYOU’s ambition in the near outdated or sold, I knew there had to project is a reflection of what
future to completely replace the be a more efficient, eco-friendly sustainability is all about.
traditional billboards in an attempt to solution.
help reduce JCU’s carbon footprint on One of the main benefits of the new
the environment. The idea of an online noticeboard website is it’s a more efficient cost-
popped into my head, which I then effective system, that provides students
The MeYOU Online Billboard was thought about for nearly a whole year. and staff with a platform to advertise
developed by 2nd year Townsville events, buy, sell and trade any
Business student Ryan Vasta, who saw I got some great advice from my university products or services. The
a need for more effective communica- university friends and in November 201, best part is that it’s all free!
tion between JCU students and staff, was unveiled as a trial.
which did not rely on paper based By the beginning of next year,
notice-boards. Ryan invested consid- will be expanding to
erable financial and intellectual After its trial, was the rest of the universities within
resources into the project. officially launched at the start of Queensland, our main goal though is to
January 2012. The number of students eventually have the site used through-
In recognition of his innovation, and staff to get on board the project out all the universities around Australia
TropEco has partnered with Ryan to has just been unbelievable; the site has so we help create an eco-friendly
help promote the online billboard and nearly hit 25,000 page views since network within the academic commu-
also awarded Ryan a grant of $1500 January and new members are nity.
towards development costs. continually signing up each week.
TropEco is delighted to partner
TropEco’s Environmental Coordinator, It’s been fantastic to see the system with you, and we look forward to
Lania Lynch caught up with Ryan to being so effective and even greater to hearing more from you as you continue
find out what drove him to develop see the JCU community working to develop the concept, and I hope
MeYOU. together towards a greener future. many more students join
Lania: Lania:
Ryan Ryan
MeYOU.com.au
MeYOU.com.au
MeYOU.com.au
Lania:
www.meYou.com.au
Free advertising onlineJCU business student Ryan Vasta, launched his MeYou Online Billboard
in 2012 to reduce waste. Lania Lynch investigates.
James Cook University, Tropical Queensland, Australia 9 TropEco,
10 TropEco, James Cook University, Tropical Queensland, Australia
The Learning in Future Environments – an institution’s
(LiFE) Index performance management performance can be reviewed by LiFE’s
and improvement system was demon- independent experts and is a public
strated to attendees at the recent demonstration of how serious members – the LiFE Index
Green Universities conference held in are about improving their social takes into account all areas of core
Melbourne. responsibility and sustainable develop-business for educational institutions
ment.through an environmental and social
Feedback from those there was lens. This approach ensures the focus
extremely positive, with the first TAFE – Members is not just on environmental
sign up occurring at the end of the can use the in build document sustainability through operations, but
session. Holmesglen TAFE in Victoria management system to store and on making a holistic change towards
were so impressed with the system, share relevant documentation across sustainability through learning and
they immediately put their hand up to their institution. They can quickly and teaching, research, governance and
be involved, joining Macquarie easily access or update the documents community engagement.
University as first movers. and use the reporting function to
download these documents for - the multi user system
Aside from the conference, over 80 meetings or submissions.enables involvement of colleagues and
individuals from 28 TAFES, universities members of teams from across many
and polytechnics from Australia and institutions. The system can be used to
New Zealand attended face-to-face – the LiFE Index has share documents, information ideas
workshops and online webinars to view been developed to help members to and best practice and communicate
a demonstration of the system. publicly promote their achievements more effectively across departments.
and benchmark their success both
Loads more information and opportuni- nationally and internationally. – the system is
ties to view the benefits of the LiFE designed to help assess where
Index can be found through the members are now and make strategic
website ( ). plans for the future. Multiple layers of
Since this exciting new system was management can be involved and can
officially launched on March 21, Did you know that ACTS membership start from a position that is most
universities and TAFEs are getting on is free for all JCU staff and students? suitable to them.
board. Why not join today and access the
member benefits? – the LiFE
The developers of LiFE asked col-Index features an internal and external
leagues from Australasian institutions Find out the latest in sustainability community forum that allows sharing of
and current United Kingdom users across the Australasian tertiary sector information, best practice, ideas and
what benefits they saw the LiFE Index by subscribing to the bimonthly enACT, experiences with colleagues and team
bringing to them within their institu- ACTivate and member spotlights. Keep members, and other LiFE users.
tions. up to date and ‘like’ ACTS on
Promoting SuccessTheir main reasons for getting
involved include:
Holistic Approach
Managing Documentation
Multi User
National and International
Benchmarking
Strategic Planningwww.thelifeindex.com.au/why-life/
www.thelifeindex.com.au ACTS Membership Free for all JCU
staff and students.
www.acts.asn.au/
Being Part of Community
www.facebook.com/ACTSinc
ACTing green for LiFEThe (Leaning in Future Environments) LiFE Index was given a soft launch at
recent Green Universities Conference in Melbourne for ACTs delegates.
TropEco, James Cook University, Tropical Queensland, Australia 11
On Sunday March 4th, NQ Dry Tropics The event organiser, Laura Dunstan, Eleven environmental groups including
hosted its annual Celebrate the Sea said “the festival is a great way for the JCU’s TropEco program held displays
Festival to celebrate both Clean up Townsville community to actively and activities for the participants.
contribute towards a more sustainable Groups used this opportunity to Australia Day and the beginning of
future”. network with other groups, increase National Seaweek. This free community
people’s awareness of their products event increases community awareness
“Participants are learning from local and to promote their key messages of environmental issues, promotes
community groups, politicians, and campaigns. Eight local businesses appreciation of our natural assets,
scientists and Traditional Owners about also provided support for this event increases volunteerism and encour-
ways to improve the environment for through sponsorships, volunteers and ages sustainable behavioural changes.
future generations.” in kind support.
Celebrate the Sea Festival attracted
Participants learnt more about the The Celebrate the Sea Festival was a over 350 volunteers who removed one
marine environment through fun and great way for community groups to tonne of rubbish from the beach,
engaging activities. During the festival, work together to promote volunteerism contributing to a more sustainable and
15 sea turtles were brought up from the and use our natural resources wisely. debris free future for marine life. Plastic
ocean by Queensland Parks and was the most common form of rubbish
Wildlife Service for tagging and data Participants felt empowered and collected. As plastic pollution kills
collection. Children were also delighted inspired by the presentations by local more than 100,000 marine creatures
to hang out with local environmental scientists and Traditional Owners. each year, the national campaign Clean
mascots, Duey the Dugong, Tiny the up Australia Day gives Australians the
Tern and Reef HQ’S Lucky T Turtle. NQ Dry Tropics is looking forward to chance to lower these alarming
working with everyone again in 2013.numbers within our local waters.
Celebrate the Sea100,000 marine creatures including turtles die each year from
plastic rubbish. Celebrate the Sea collected one tonne in one day.
NQ Dry Tropic’s Community Support Coordinator, Laura Dunstan.
the ‘Student Green Team’
Be part of the positive change happening at JCU
Join
Social meetings every fortnight
Share and discuss ideas
Movie nights every month
Link with other green groups
Get involved with volunteering
Campus clean - up days
Second hand markets days
Meet like-minded people
Contacts to get involved