Excellence in the Environment Awards 2012
Yesterday, was the annual Excellence in the Environment Awards, and the third annual award presented for Individual Excellence in Sustainability - which is dedicated to Louise after she died in 2009. Both M & J were there as well, as guests of the NSW LGSA.
The morning had con-current sessions of presentations on all things environmental, water, waste, energy, procurement even biodiversity! There is a lot of great work going on in Sustainability at a Local Government level, we should all be encouraged by what our LGA is doing. A full list of the categories can be found HERE, whilst the winners are HERE.
When it came time for the actual presentation of the awards, and I sat on the panel for the Individual category, the was many dignatries, The Minister for the Environment, (and acting Minister for Local Government), The Hon. Robyn Parker, President of the Local Government Association of NSW Cr Keith Rhoades AFSM & the Vice President Shires Association Cr Maria Woods (plus all of the sponsors as well). Both M&J, as was I, was humbeled to hear the Minister, and both the President of the Local Government and the Vice President of the Shires Associations, speak so warmly and fondly of Louise, and the work she had done in the field of Sustainability. Work, that is still being looked upon as groundbreaking, still today.
The winner, a passionate young man from Byron, was also asked to give an acceptance speech, and whilst he thanked all of the people he works with, both within Council but more so the community of Byron Bay, he went on to acknowledge Louise's parents, and myself, and with his brief research into the work Louise had accomplished, he has taken some new initivies onboard to adapt to Byron.
After the Awards were done and dusted, we were then welcomed to have lunch (which was a great offering of foods), before heading out for the afternoon.
By this stage, it was late, I was tired, and I was drained, but as a mate of mine was leaving for work in Saudia Arabia, I wanted to get out to the airport to see his plane off. I had only just made it with around 20 minutes or so to spare!
Hoo roo for now...
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