We spoke to Alex Greenwich a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly, representing the seat of Sydney to find out how we can contribute to sustainability in Sydney.
An advocate for creating a more liveable, sustainable and progressive Sydney Alex Greenwich asserts “the City of Sydney, Woollahra council and Waverly Council have really good initiatives and ways in which people can in their own local neighbourhood really work towards environmental sustainability.”
1. Donate food waste to food scrap bins.
Greenwich thinks people should know about the City of Sydney’s food scrap bins. An initiative which prevents food scraps from going into land fill.
“Instead the waste is used to create energy which is used to power homes around NSW. This is an initiative that anyone in the city of Sydney can participate in and is a really great example of a way you can contribute.”
Greenpeace has reported 5,500 metric tonnes of face masks were produced within three months of the COVID-19 pandemic with the BBC noting that millions, of single-use masks are being dumped outdoors.
2. Reduce your use of plastics
Greenwich advocates that being aware of your consumption and reducing your use of plastic can and will make a difference. “Rather than using disposable facemasks make sure that your using reusable ones and cleaning them appropriately.”
3. Push The Paris Agreement.
Greenwich highlights the importance of reaching out to federal MP’s to get on board with legislating the Paris climate targets of net zero emissions by 2050. In this way “Australia will be doing the same things as so many of our counterparts across the world.”
Chairing a committee on Environment and Planning Greenwich has worked well in that capacity with the government towards seeing NSW to shift from a dependency on coal to greater investment in renewables.
4. Buy Local
“Being aware of where your food and clothing is coming from” and supporting local industries means there has been less travel time and less emissions when it comes to transporting consumer goods.
5. Buy Organic
Greenwich sites that environmental change starts with people and behaviours. “Behavioural change is so important to sustainability. Reducing your use of plastics and making sure that you are purchasing ethically, organically and sustainably by buying sustainable products.”
Try visiting your local organic farmers market to keep it local and support Aussie farmers.
Greenwich thinks we are in a good place when it comes to the future of sustainability in Sydney. “Obviously, there are some things that we really have to watch carefully and that is; encroachment or reduction of our national parks, that is making sure that we are properly protecting our koala population, that is also making sure that when tollways or other major developments are put in place that they are not taking away open green space and we need to look for more opportunities to create more open green space.”
“I think that as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic people have really appreciated their city and their state and they are really keen to protect it so I am hopeful for the future.”
Get on board with Alex Greenwich and thousands of other Sydney siders who and contribute to sustainability today in these five simple but impactful ways.
