Appendix 3: Ecologically sustainable development and environmental performance
This section reports on the department’s ecologically sustainable development and environmental performance during 2006-07 in accordance with section 516A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The department is committed to minimising the environmental impacts of its operations and providing an environmentally sound workplace that conforms to Commonwealth occupational health and safety requirements. The department has implemented an Environmental Management System (EMS) to achieve this in areas such as:
- energy consumption
- office consumables
- waste to landfill
- transportation.
The department has made progress in 2006-07 with a review of the Environmental Management System towards achieving compliance with the new Australian New Zealand Standard ISO 14001. This standard assists organisations to achieve effective environmental management and increase environmental and financial gains.
Environmental initiatives undertaken by the department during 2006-07 included:
- environmental awareness promotion in the state and territory offices
- managing and promoting a Business Clean Up Day in National Office
- subscribing the entire departmental LeasePlan Fleet to Greenfleet’s Vehicle Emissions Offset Programme – Greenfleet will plant native trees for every vehicle subscribed to this programme to absorb the greenhouse gases that an average vehicle produces in one year
- encouraging all departmental vehicle users to use ethanol e10/petrol blended fuel where possible
- continuing to expand the department’s use of the new style waste recycling bins across National Office sites, used in conjunction with revised signage that assist staff in recycling waste to result in a reduction of waste going to landfill
- joining the whole-of-government electricity contract for the ACT which is managed by the Department of Defence (under this contract the government pays less for energy and it involves 10 per cent Green Energy)
- including Green Lease Schedule (GLS) in negotiations for all new office building leases greater than 2000m² and with a lease term over two years.
To support the implementation of environmental initiatives the department has a staff volunteer network known as Envirowatch that receives senior management support. This network of environmental ‘champions’ continues to promote environmental awareness among staff.