Jenny Huynh

Too often, we hear of the devastating effects of climate change in the media, but what measures are being taken to combat this change? The University of Melbourne Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) team are taking the lead with their latest project, Think.Act.Green (T.A.G), to create greater opportunity for a sustainable world.

Led by a team of twelve passionate students, T.A.G has created an environmental awareness program to actively involve today’s youth in the preservation of our planet. With environmental sustainability being an issue of increasing global significance, it is alarming that environmental studies still play a minor role in the current Victorian secondary school curriculum. T.A.G is targeting this gap with an educational outreach program to provide future leaders with the knowledge and exposure to address the need for a sustainable community. Five local schools and three industry partners are on board for the pilot phase, which began in April.

Armed with industry expertise, representatives from Shell, Yarra Valley Water and Origin Energy will address the students on a variety of environmental concerns that affect their local community. These interactive seminars cover the key areas of energy, waste and water reduction, focusing on sustainable practices at an individual level, as well as alluding to the growing importance of environmental sustainability in the corporate sector. This knowledge transfer process between experts and students is pivotal in generating a positive response to the need for sustainable lifestyle at both the individual and community levels.

Does the project end there? Of course not.

In the upcoming months, students will have the opportunity to showcase their knowledge and passion for the environment in an interschool competition run by T.A.G. Endowed with resources and support, student-led teams will create a detailed proposal outlining methods to reduce energy, water and waste at their school, and will co-ordinate an on-campus campaign that promotes environmentally sustainable practices. The team deemed to have created the most viable and creative proposal will be rewarded with a monetary prize, sponsored by Shell, to see it into fruition. T.A.G’s vision is to facilitate lasting change. It is not enough to simply teach students about being more environmentally friendly. It is necessary to involve them in the change process.

T.A.G hopes to expand in the coming years to reach more schools, more students, more communities, and eventually, to create a national scheme to bolster environmental education. The future of our world is in the hands of this generation. By educating future leaders and changing their attitude toward the environment, T.A.G are initiating a positive and sustainable impact.

Change is on its way.