A REMINDER ABOUT OUR FUTURE

“At a local level, Geelong businesses are reflecting community values and embracing circular principles to protect our environment.” MY little girl reminded me the other day, “Dad, when balloons fly, seabirds die”.

Amelie is eight years old and, like many kids her age, very well informed and proactive in her approach to protecting the environment. Her environment.

There’s a huge amount of work awaiting her generation, but thankfully work has already started to be done locally to solve waste issues, embrace renewables and change behaviours.

The recent election taught us people want to see change that improves sustainability and protects our natural assets. The great opportunity for Geelong, the Bellarine Peninsula and Surf Coast is to embrace Avalon’s expanding tourism market and showcase our environment in the way it was meant to exist, pristine and splendid. That’s good for business and good for our whole community.

In early May, I attended the Caring for our Bays conference, which showcased the vast amount of work being done by local groups to protect our environment. Special guest Craig Reucassel from The War On Waste gave us some broader insights into what was required to ensure we improve the way we do things. I left feeling buoyed by the real sense of commitment from those who attended.

I caught up later with the Barwon South West Resource and Waste Recovery Group to discuss their involvement in the August Small Business Festival where they are helping hospitality businesses reduce their waste as well as learning about the coming RICE circular economy conference at Deakin Waurn Ponds, to raise awareness and encourage businesses to move towards an economic system that minimises waste and makes better use of resources.

I’ve come to realise there’s projects going on everywhere, great ideas such as: Corio Waste’s free organic waste disposal for restaurants and nurseries to reduce landfill, Future Proofing Geelong’s group of senior partners working towards reducing our carbon footprint and Pony Up, an amazing social enterprise that accepts technological waste and recycles those products for use in third world countries with the proceeds feeding people locally through the second bite program.

At June’s Geelong Business Club meeting we heard from Neville Gall from Vestas, a huge wind turbine company that’s basing itself in Geelong to deliver projects across the state and employing up to 27 people in components manufacture, assembly and service. Clearly renewables are good for business and they’re here to stay.

Equally important, from November, local businesses will not be able to provide plastic bags as part of the Victorian Governments bag ban. Just the second state to implement a full ban on plastic bags to protect our environment.

Businesses are improving their processes and entire industries are adapting to a more sustainable economy.

At a local level, Geelong businesses are reflecting community values and embracing circular principles to protect our environment.

This change is happening and business owners need to fully consider the implications on their operations and better understand how they can turn change into opportunities to grow their strategic advantages.

Well done to everyone supporting positive change and the Chamber will continue to support those businesses innovating to deliver a more sustainable future. Ben Flynn is chief executive of the Geelong Chamber of Commerce. geelongchamber.com.au