Making Sustainability Second Nature – Are You In?

By Nicola Saltman on April 26, 2016 in News

Nicola Saltman

Do you ever pinch yourself that you can call this awesome place home? Whether you’re on your daily run at the beach, talking with a mate along the coastal walk or grabbing your morning fix at the local café, it’s hard not to be grateful for what’s on our doorstep.

We have amazing beaches, walkways and parklands. We breathe clean, fresh air. We surf, swim and play in clear waters. We enjoy world-class facilities, a great lifestyle, a close-knit local community and a range of healthy transport options.

As remarkable as our home is, it needs our help to continue to thrive. We can do this by keeping our oceans clean, looking after our wildlife, reducing emissions and cutting down our waste.

We must work together to make sustainability more than just an occasional concern. Protecting our place needs to be a normal part of the way we live and do business. Just like a daily cold-pressed juice or morning surf, sustainability needs to become second nature.

In the ‘old’ days, though not so long ago, no one recycled anything, but today it’s second nature to separate your normal garbage from your recyclable items. What if we could all make it a habit to turn off lights, save water, reuse where possible, design eco-smart homes, plant native trees and compost our food scraps? After all, every action counts, no matter how small or bold.

Locals like seven-year-old Jai Porter from Bondi Public School are doing this already. Jai is opting to walk to school instead being driven in the car. The Richardson family from Rose Bay make a habit of packing rubbish-free lunches, and using reusable drink bottles. Jeff Bennett, co-owner of Three Blue Ducks in Bronte, is making sustainability second nature by serving up the best locally grown produce to his customers. Peter Cochrane from Bronte is recycling and growing backyard veggie gardens. He is also a regular bus commuter.

Imagine if 10,000 people all did one action to reduce emissions, cut down on waste, or save water! We’d definitely be kicking goals to keep this place beautiful.

You too can take positive action to care for this place we love by pledging to make sustainability second nature at Waverley Council’s ‘I’m in’ Pledge Day at Bondi Beach promenade (north of the skate park) on Saturday, April 2. You can also add come colour to the mega-mindfulness mural and grab some great giveaways while you’re there.

If you can’t make it, you can always visit www.secondnature.org.au to make your pledge today, and you can share your pledge and a ‘Second Nature selfie’ on your social media networks to inspire others to sign up and join in the good fight.

Once you’re signed up you’ll have access to a number of handy sustainability resources as well as some great programs to get involved in. Council will keep you posted on events and informed about the progress towards meeting environmental targets. Ultimately you’ll be part of an amazing community making sustainability second nature.

To find out more about Waverley Council’s environmental sustainability goals and how the council is addressing water, waste, climate, biodiversity and transport issues, visit www.waverley.nsw.gov.au/secondnature.