Less Screentime, More Greentime for World Environment Week!

28 May, 2014Posted in: Community, Environment, Events
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Moss Vale Community Garden

With World Environment Day just around the corner, Wingecarribee Shire Council is encouraging everyone – including the kids – to turn off their TVs, computers, and other electronic gadgets, and to go out and experience all the fantastic things our natural world has to offer.

World Environment Day is a UN-recognised event held on June 5 each year around the world and this year Council has decided to promote the concept of Less Screentime, More Greentime with a week-long schedule of events.

On Sunday, 1 June, Southern Highlands Orienteers will be encouraging locals of all ages to join them in an Introduction to Orienteering event to be held from 11am in the beautiful bushland around Lake Alexandra in Mittagong. For more information please contact John Russell on 0414 782 433 or visit www.southernhighlands.nsw.orienteering.asn.au

Also on Sunday, 1 June, local sustainability gurus Judith and Paul Collins from Earthkeepers will be hosting a workshop at The Keep, 61 Balmoral Park Road, Buxton, a self-sufficient edible landscape set in tranquil bushland. The workshop costs $25 and will provide participants with the opportunity to see and learn how to create a more sustainable lifestyle. For more information please call 4681 9623 or visit www.earthkeepers.com.au.

On Tuesday, 3 June, the Empire Cinema in Bowral will play host to a free screening of the full-length feature documentary Project Wild Thing. The screening will start at 6.45pm and will be followed by a discussion analyzing some of the issues presented in the film. Tickets are free and can be picked up in person at the cinema.

From Wednesday, 4 June the Art+Environment project will be on exhibition at the Robertson Community Technology Centre (CTC). Guided by local ceramic artist Celeste Coucke, budding botanical artists from year four at Robertson Public School have carefully observed and drawn some of the unique flora and fauna of Robertson. Art+Environment is open to the public Wednesday to Saturday 10am – 4pm. The Robertson CTC is located at 58-60 Hoddle Street, Robertson.

Thursday June 5 is World Environment Day, and to celebrate, Moss Vale Public School will be officially opening their new Bush Tucker Garden. The garden will be opened by Wingecarribee Shire Council Mayor Juliet Arkwright along with other invited guests.

To further celebrate on Thursday June 5, Judith and Paul Collins of Earthkeepers will again be opening up their property from 10am until 1pm, this time for an Open Day where people can take a look at a whole range of fantastic sustainability ideas. The Keep is located at 61 Balmoral Park Road, Buxton. Entry is $7 per person, with children free. For more details call 4681 9623 or visit www.earthkeepers.com.au. 

And if that isn’t enough, Thursday 5 June will also see the opening of the ‘Less Screentime, More Greentime’ Photography Exhibition at the Old Bowral Town Hall, run by the Southern Highlands Photographic Society. The opening will take place at 5pm and will include the presentation to prizewinners in the photography competition. The exhibition will run from Friday through to Sunday 10am-3pm, with free entry.

On Friday, 6 June, Moss Vale Community Garden will be welcoming children into their vegie patch, getting them excited about soil, compost, worms, and all the other things kids love about being in the backyard!  The garden is located on Railway Street in Moss Vale alongside the tennis courts and children are being welcomed from 12 noon. For more information visit www.mossvalecommunitygarden.org.au.

Also on Friday, 6 June, Climate Action Now Wingecarribee (CANWin) will be hosting a talk by Dr Andrew Glikson, a leading Earth and paleoclimate scientist at the Australian National University, and advisor to the Climate Institute where he is reviewing the effects of climate on human evolution. The talk starts at 7.00pm at the Council Theatrette, Donkin Avenue, Moss Vale. Entry is by a gold coin donation. For more information visit www.CANWin.org.au.

On Saturday, 7 June, the beautiful Bundanoon Community Garden will be welcoming everyone along to an Open Day. Enjoy a stroll through this wonderful edible garden, on the way stopping to chat with the friendly team about composting, propagation and planting. Bundanoon Community Garden is located in the Quest for Life Centre, Ellsmore Road, Bundanoon and will be opening from 10am to 12 noon. Entry is free. For more information visit www.bundanooncommunitygarden.org.au

Wrapping up the week on Sunday, 8 June, there are two fabulous activities to choose from.

The first is a Family Farm Tour with Foodpath.  Starting at 10.30am on Sunday, 8 June, children will learn about the animals, feed the alpacas, collect the eggs, cuddle the guinea pigs and more! Cost is $30 adults, $15 children (3 – 12 years). For more information contact Jill Dyson on 0419 617 021 or visit www.foodpath.com.au.

And finally, on Sunday, 8 June, children aged 10 to 15 years are being invited to join the passionate team from BirdLife Southern Highlands as they learn how to spot a wide array of local birdlife at Cecil Hoskins Nature Reserve – one of the most wonderful wetlands in the Southern Highlands. This is a free activity, meeting 2pm in the car park. Please contact blsh@hotmail.com if attending.

 

Extra Resources

For high resolution images of last year’s World Environment Day celebrations please click here.

 

Further Media Contacts:

Carol Vandenbergh, Acting Principal, Moss Vale Public School 4868 1866

Jill Cockram, Moss Vale Community Garden, 0414 545 735

Jill Dyson, FoodPath, 0419 617 021

Sandra Menteith, Bundanoon Community Garden, 4883 7687

Judith Collins, Earthkeepers 4681 9623

Richard Rufus, Empire Cinema, Bowral 4861 4676

Ian Fegent, Southern Highlands Photographic Society 4872 1731

Celeste Couke, Artist – Art+Environment 48680761