Walking, talking, rapping, dancing, bush tucker, smoking ceremonies, the IEU’s Environment Conference, Food: Different by Design, had it all.
Environment Conference
Food: Different by Design
The only IEU conference to survive the ravages of COVID-19 since 2019, the September event focused on sustainable food production techniques; sustainable consumption and how to use every nook and cranny of our towns and cities to grow food.
International Grammar School (IGS) students kicked off the day with a welcome to Country in Wiradjuri language, then Environmental and Cultural Education Leader Clarence Slockee got the room rocking with his environment rap.
Clarence is a passionate about using urban landscapes to grow bush tucker. He took the conference delegates on a tour of bush tucker gardens in South Eveleigh, to show them what can be achieved with a bit of love and care.
The Head of Sustainability at IGS, Carmelo Fedele, said it was important to teach young people about the environment and sustainability, as they are our future.
Carmelo began his journey after attending the IEU’s first Environment Conference in 2017, where Gardening Australia’s Costa Georgiou was the keynote speaker.
He said it would be great if all schools appointed a teacher to a role similar to his own.
Schools Manager Hailey, from Eco-Schools Australia, shared practical tips on how to make school life more sustainable and get parents on board with ideas like no-wrap lunches.
IGS student Harriet told the conference that she had been an environmental activist all her life, and her identity as a queer student was strongly linked to her social justice work and care for the environment.
The Head of Indigenous Education at IGS, Jade Carr, said the school is “a lighthouse school for sustainability education and we aim to be a lighthouse school for Indigenous education”.
The Indigenous concept of “I take from the country and give back to it” is something we could all learn from, she said.
