Environment Conference 2012: Repower "Coming Clean"

August 30th 9am- 3pm

This year is the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All and hence, our theme is all about Repowering! REPOWER is about taking power away from the traditional players such as politicians and big corporations and showing that the community is a powerful mechanism for change. In a practical sense, we are also acknowledging the fact that we must repower our nation, move away from high polluting fossil fuel energy sources and embrace renewables. Our engaging presenters will explore these issues in fun and interactive workshops.

We at MGC believe that Renewable power is the future and we are putting our money where our mouths are by literally powering the school with human power since 2011. Delegates will be invited to climb aboard or pedal generators to contribute their own renewable energy to the grid whilst at the conference.

While we are repowering the electricity grid, we are empowering Victoria’s youth!

Guests will be presenting from the Wurundjeri Council, Beyond Zero Emissions, Greening Australia, Future Spark, Australian Conservation Foundation, CERES and the Australian Youth Climate Coalition. This event is open to any high school students who have a strong enthusiasm for the environment.

Environment Conference 2011

Roots, Shoots n Action!

It started with a personal welcome from Dr Jane Goodall (via video recording) and ended with an inspiring panel discussion featuring top Victorian environmentalists and Melbourne MP Adam Bandt. The 9^th annual MGC Student environment conference was a highlight in a very busy year for the environment team at MGC.

Melissa Arsov and Amy Toomey open the conference

Over 10 schools from across Melbourne came to MGC to participate in the day. One of the main highlights was the student presentations on topics such as bush tucker plants, biodiversity, ‘runaway climate change’, the MGC Murnong Project and of course, our newly installed renewable pedal generators.

Guest speakers from Parks Victoria, the Australian Youth Climate Coalition, Pacific Hydro, Greening Australia, the Melbourne Museum Biodiveristy educators, Kids Teaching Kids, City West water and the Jane Goodall institute and the Victorian Association for Environmental Education complimented the presentations made by students and ensured a wide breadth of environmental issues were tackled. This set up a great afternoon expert panel discussion, which centred on the question of “whose responsibility is environmental action anyway?”Our panellists, anchored by federal minister for Melbourne Adam Bandt discussed the importance of individual environmental action and debated the complex issue of pricing carbon dioxide pollution.

Just prior to the final session, Mayor Alison Clarke and MP Adam Bandt officially launched our pedal generators by cutting a ribbon of recycled toilet paper, symbolising one of the many important environmental shifts that MGC has made to now use only recycled paper products in our toilets.

Over 180 conference delegates were fed locally sourced, vegetarian lunch and morning tea, which was coordinated by the environment team students, parent helper Fiona Armstrong and Ms Samone Hosking. The huge conference was able to operate while an otherwise normal MGC school day took place, so a massive thank you to all staff and students who were able to work around this event. There are too many people to thank for the smooth running of the event, buts special mention must go to the wonderful student environment captains, Mel Arsov, Mim Di Napoli, Ruby Willis and Sunny Young Smith. And finally, without the generous support of Australia Post and Kids Teaching Kids and Toscanos Fruit shop at Victoria Gardens, the day would not have been so successful.

www.mgc.vic.edu.au/environmentconference

Conference theme

The Conference theme is “Grass, Roots & Action”, It celebrates the fact that we have joined the Jane Goodall Institute ‘Roots & Shoots’ community and also promotes a significant grass roots biodiversity project we are involved in, re-establishing the once wide-spread Murnong, or Yam Daisy. Our students will be holding workshops on the Murnong project and we hope to be able to excite our delegates with some bush tucker from our developing garden! The theme also encompasses community activism in environmental issues and the impact that individuals may have on a grass roots level.

If you have any further questions or requirements, please do not hesitate to contact us either by email ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) or phone on 9428 8955. We will endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible with the information you require.