11/03/2005 - Environmental
champions should step forward and receive
the recognition they deserve through the annual
Banksia Environmental Awards, Australian Minister
for the Environment and Heritage, Senator
Ian Campbell said today.
"The Australian Government recognises
the importance of rewarding those amongst
us who are leading the way in environmental
protection and education and is proud to be
a partner of the Banksia Environmental Foundation
awards programme by sponsoring the prestigious
Prime Minister's Environmentalist of the Year
Award,” Senator Campbell said.
2005 marks the beginning of the United Nations
General Assembly and UNESCO ‘Education for
Sustainable Development Decade', and appropriately
the theme for the 2005 Banksia Awards is environmental
education.
"Education is fundamental in the search
for solutions to any problem. Environmental
education doesn't begin and end with formal
schooling but it also encompasses raising
awareness, changing perspectives and acquiring
new skills and values so that we can change
our behaviour in support of a sustainable
environment,” Senator Campbell said.
The Prime Minister's Award is open to any
Australian individual, organisation or group
that has:
made a sustained contribution to the environment;
influenced understanding or appreciation of
the environment in Australia or overseas;
and/or;
provided leadership or inspiration in environmental
management or protection
The Prime Minister's Award was first presented
in 2001 and in 2004 was won by founder and
Director of the Green Building Council of
Australia (GBCA), Mr Che Wall. Mr Wall played
a key role in the development of the Council's
Green Star environmental rating system, which
provides practical rating tools for buildings.
"It's vital that we recognize those
leaders amongst us whose concrete actions
are making a difference to the environmental
health of this great country, so I encourage
individuals, organisations and groups involved
in the pursuit of environmental excellence
to nominate for this prestigious Award,” Senator
Campbell said.
