An organic waste-based packaging start-up and a regional volunteer group have won top honours at the 2022 Premier’s Sustainability Awards event at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre last night.
Lily D’Ambrosio, Victorian Minister for the Environment and Climate Action, announced the winners at the awards, now in their 20th year.
“The Premier’s Sustainability Awards recognise Victoria’s leaders in our transition to towards net zero emissions, reducing waste and building climate-resilient communities across Victoria,” she said.
Two overall winners received Premier’s Recognition awards, while a Community Champion, and an Industry Leader award was announced for each of six categories: circular economy innovation, future energy, health and fair society, sustainable places and destinations, thriving environment, and waste and litter reduction.
Fungi Solutions won the Premier’s Recognition Award for its innovative process for transforming organic waste into sustainable, compostable packaging. The Thornbury start-up also took out the Community Champion award in the circular economy innovation category.
Euroa Arboretum received the Premier’s Regional Recognition Award for its long-term efforts to restore native grasslands, educate the community about sustainability and the value of the native environment. The team also won the Community Champion award in the thriving environment category.
Other recognised projects included a community resale shed working to create a circular economy in a beachside holiday spot, and a community group that converted an abandoned quarry into an amphitheatre for community events.
The awards were delivered by Sustainability Victoria, in collaboration with the Banksia Foundation and Keep Australia Beautiful Victoria.
All winners will now be up for the National Banksia Foundation Awards, and the Community Leader winners for the Keep Australia Beautiful national awards program.
For more on the finalists and winners, visit: www.sustainability.vic.gov.au
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