GReen INnovation Competition
We want your best everyday environmental ideas and suggestions for a greener and more sustainable future for the City of Randwick.
Perhaps you have an idea that helps save water or energy or reduces waste. Perhaps you're already taking your own steps to reduce the use of your car, re-use plastic bags or reduce the amount of packaging material you take home in your shopping. It doesn't matter whether your idea is for the home, your school or workplace, we'd love to hear from you.
Every quarter all the suggestions will be reviewed by a team of sustainability experts. All winners and highly commended award winners will receive a special prize and their idea may become a reality!
Deadlines for entries are:
- autumn: 31 May
- winter: 31 August
- spring: 30 November
- summer: 28 February
The categories for the Best GRIN:
- residents
- businesses
- schools
- council staff members
Don't hold back and don't forget there are prizes throughout the year. Download a Best GRIN Nomination Form (pdf 53 Kb) or pick up a copy from your local library branch or the Customer Administration Centre.
Council will publicise the best ideas received and may be able to implement some of the local ideas or pass your ideas on to other Government departments or organisations.
All ideas and suggestions to the best GRIN promotion are submitted in the spirit of improving or protecting the local environment in the City of Randwick. It is not intended that Council is able or responsible for the implementation of every idea but will endeavour to promote the best suggestions received.
Best GRIN winners are recognised at presentation ceremonies through out the year:
The most recent Best GRIN winners were recognised at a presentation ceremony with Mayor John Procopiadis in September 2010.
Autumn 2010, local resident, Eric Bae for encouraging recycling through a community website, FREALLY. By giving away your unwanted items for free, you are able to freely be given items you need in return. The idea relates to the themes 'conserving resources' and 'community education'.
Winter 2010, Randwick Staff member, Stephen Fay with the suggestions of providing e-waste facility and compact fluorescent globes deposit at Perry Street recycling centre; providing recycling information and mulch. This relates to the theme 'conserving resources' and community education'.
Adrian McKeown, Planning Officer, with the suggestion to create a bike maintenance locker on the ground level of Council's administration building. The theme for Adrian's suggestion is 'tackling greenhouse'.
Michelle Kline, Events and Marketing Supervisor, with the idea of an annual volunteering day where staff has the opportunity of working with a 'green organisation' or bush care group during the year.
Randwick staff members, Oscar Guillen and Nick Rennenberg, for the suggestion for the option to receive payslips via email. This idea relates to the theme 'conserving resources'.
Silvana Ferraris, Randwick staff member, with the suggestion of worm farms at Council where food waste is recycled and used for compost. This theme relates to 'conserving resources' and 'tackling greenhouse'.
Winter 2010 Highly Commended
Youth Library Officer, Samantha Sheppeard-Boros and Environmental Health Officer, Oscar Guillen, for suggesting more sustainable purchasing of fair trade certified products and looking into a 'food miles' program in and across Council. This suggestion relates to our 'conserving resources' and 'tackling greenhouse' themes.
Shant Neshanian, Randwick staff member, for his idea of engaging primary and secondary students in 'painting' Council's green waste trucks, displaying and promoting recycling in the community. Shant's suggestion relates to 'community education'.
Randwick staff members, Lorraine Simpson, Philip North and Gordon Groves, with the suggestions of supporting a greener car fleet. The three suggestions are; providing arrangements that encourage the leasing of more fuel efficient vehicles, including gas conversion and sustainable transport incentives for staff to relieve parking around Council. This suggestion relates to 'tackling greenhouse'.
Summer 2009, Highly Commended Coogee resident, Georgia Deakin, for her idea of promoting composting for apartments by having a depository for compost for those flats that don't have green space. This idea is linked with the theme of 'conserving resources and tackling greenhouse'.
Summer 2009, Randwick Council staff member, Helen Morrison, for the idea of 'Garden Connect': a mentoring program connecting seniors, who have vast experience with growing vegetables in Randwick's sandy soils, with new starters. The program captures valuable knowledge and gives seniors value in the community. This idea relates to the themes of 'community education' and 'protecting biodiversity'.
Previous winning ideas include...
Autumn 2009, Cengiz Imdat from Golden Pide 2; and Claremont College Randwick,
Local business owner, Cengiz Imdat suggested the Council using its trucks and other vehicles to promote sustainability campaigns and efforts. Mr Imdat's suggestion relates to 'community education'.
Claremont College, suggested a coastal education centre in Randwick for school excursions, community education and seminars and workshops, relating to coastal protection and community education.
Randwick Mayor, Cr Bruce Notley Smith with the Best GRIN winners from
Spring/ Summer 2008 and Autumn 2009.
Summer 2008, University of New South Wales, postdoctoral student, Dr Merel Dalebout for suggesting new traffic measures for the Belmore Road precinct to encourage a more friendly pedestrian and cyclist precinct. Dr Dalebout's idea helps to tackle greenhouse gas emissions.
Spring 2008, Randwick Council staff member, Helen Morrison, for the idea of providing general purpose battery recycling drop off boxes for local residents and Council staff. This idea is linked with Randwick Council's environmental theme of 'conserving resources and protecting the environment'.
Summer 2008, Highly Commended:
Local student, Liam Slabber for suggesting 'Coral Reef Day', where students learn about protecting coral and rocky reefs and give a gold coin donation to help save our reefs. Liam's idea links with Randwick Council's environmental theme of 'conserving resources and protecting biodiversity'.
Student planner, Daniel East, for his idea of greening Council's Administration building potentially with a roof-top garden or similar to help combat the heat island effect as well as investigating installation of solar and wind power on the roof top. This idea is linked with Council's environmental theme of 'tackling greenhouse and protecting biodiversity'.
Randwick Mayor, Cr Bruce Notley Smith with the Best GRIN winners from Autumn and Winter 2008.
Winter 2008, Andrew Chan and Corrina Grace
Local resident Andrew Chan suggested providing Council rates and bills on line to save resources and to enable submission of the Best GRIN nomination forms on line online and Clovelly resident, Corrina Grace, suggested Council form partnerships with third parties to facilitate the purchase of solar energy for householders.
Autumn 2008, Daniella and Sue Susic, John and Machelle Boothroyd
Local resident Daniella Susic and Council staff member Sue Susic suggested, the 'How LOW Can You Go?' project that stimulates thinking about waste and helps us consider how much and what goes into our general waste bins.
By using the 'Waste-O-Meter' to measure rubbish, householders can reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by considering reducing, recycling and composting.
Randwick residents, John and Machelle Boothroyd, suggested modifying corporate and strata scheme by-laws to improve environmental outcomes.
Winter 2008 highly commended:
Randwick City staff member Paul Vassarotti suggested using PVC piping to transfer collected rainwater from one side of the Council Administrative Centre building to the other, to enable 'guilt free' car fleet washing.
Local resident Ann Bosco suggested promoting environmentally friendly businesses, public enterprises, hospitals and schools throughout the Randwick City through an environmental logo.
Coogee resident, Eva Grant suggested circulating, as way of reminder, energy saving information to large public facilities and institutions to encourage energy saving.
Antony Brooke-Wood, resident of Matraville, suggested of an 'opt-in' model for delivery of White/ Yellow pages and other directories.
Andrew Chan ( also Winner, Winter 2008)- for suggestion of 'opt-out' model for delivery of White/ Yellow pages and other directories.
University of New South Wales, postdoctoral student, Dr Merel Dalebout suggested regular curb side e-waste (electronic waste) collection by Council.
Best GRIN 2007
Tracey Richardson, Randwick Council staff member, wrote a short animation script about the effects of discarded cigarette butts on our local marine life. 'The film reveals what happens when Wayne, a bronzed sun bather with a six pack and a pack of cigarettes, hides his butts in the sand around him at a beach. Little does Wayne know, that in a matter of days, Nature will get her own back and teach him a lesson about littering he won't forget in a hurry.'
Coogee resident, Andrew Walsh, suggested establishing an Emissions Trading Scheme between local Councils. This idea became a reality in March 2007 when 24 Councils from across NSW met in Randwick at the first workshop to establish the foundations of the Scheme. Operating on a trial basis, participating Councils will be set an agreed emissions reduction target, with the ability to trade emissions to reach that target. This scheme is being trialled in 2008 with 12 participating Councils across NSW.
Julia Elphinstone, of South Coogee, for her winning household energy saving tip of lowering the thermostat setting on hot water and heating systems. "Not only does it save me money on my energy bill, it lowers greenhouse gas emissions and can also help prevent my kids from scalding themselves," said Julia.
Council staff member Zaman Shamsuz won the staff category for his "switch off" energy saving campaign, based on the fact that a computer monitor left in standby mode overnight can cost up to $50 a year in extra electricity.
Both these Best GRIN winning ideas have been included in Randwick's Home Energy Makeover Campaign.
Silke Pamson for her winning idea of providing local residents with 'NO Junk Mail' letterbox stickers, which are now available to residents for free at Council's Administration Centre, 30 Frances Street, Randwick.
Fiona Lugg, highly commended for innovative ideas on reducing and reusing packaging together with her green cleaning techniques.
Randwick TAFE, Class MM3, collective winners for their creative approach using multimedia education to help Primary School kids conserve water and energy and reduce littering.
Essence Café was a winner with its discount offer on takeaway coffee if you bring your own mug.
Council staff suggestions included providing swap and go reusable bags available to lunchtime shoppers, enhanced recycling facilities in Council's kitchens, educational Bushcare activities, and a bicycle pool for short journeys.