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What is Government doing to be more sustainable?

As well as improving the sustainability of Victoria as a whole, the State Government is working to reduce its own impact on the environment.

Here’s how:

• As an initiative of the framework all Government Departments and agencies will include the directions of the framework all their business and operational planning including their environmental management systems from July 2006
• Setting the target of doubling the proportion of Green Power (eg. solar, wind) that the Government uses to 10% by 2006
• Aiming to cut the Government’s total energy consumption by 15% by 2006
• Aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with Government vehicle usage by 10% by 2005-06
• Establishing a Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability
• Introducing a green purchasing policy for all Government Departments (eg. buying recycled paper, energy efficient appliances, more fuel efficient cars)
• Requiring all Government Departments to develop Environmental Management Systems aimed at reducing consumption of office paper and water, and production of waste – and to report on their performance annually
• Planting 250,000 native trees by 2005 to offset greenhouse gas emissions from the State Government’s fleet of 8,000 vehicles

DSE Environmental Office Based Policy

The Department of Sustainability and Environment is committed to a future in which all Victorians are living sustainably within their natural and built environments.

The Department will focus on sustainability as a key driver in its own activities. We are committed to improving the environmental performance of our office-based activities, and to be leaders in best practice environmental management of these. This forms a key component of our commitment to demonstrate good environmental practice in our own operations.

To do this we will establish appropriate procedures and practices to minimise the consumption of energy, water, paper and other material inputs, and minimise the generation of waste, associated with our office-based activities. These will include:

reducing the energy, water and paper intensity of our office-based operations purchasing Green Power reducing the amount of waste we produce, and maximising the amount reused and recycled separating our office wastes into reusable, recyclable, compost and true waste components reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with our passenger vehicle fleet ensuring that all new capital works programs incorporate comprehensive environmental sustainability principles making environmentally-sound purchasing decisions for capital items and consumables adopting a pollution prevention approach to our activities adopting an environmental management system based on ISO 14001 communicating our environmental performance through regular reporting striving for continual improvement in our environmental performance recognising that all DSE staff have a responsibility to assist the Department to meet these commitments, empowering staff to minimise our environmental impacts through generating staff awareness, and encouraging participation and feedback. DSE will comply with all relevant Government environmental management policy, practices, regulations and legislation. See the 2006-07 DSE Annual Report for further information

Eco Office Challenge

DSE uses the Eco Office Challenge, a shared service with the Department of Primary Industries, to inspire staff to continually improve performance in cutting energy, water and paper use, and reducing waste going to landfill. A group of about 100 staff, called 'Eco Office Champions', help develop, implement and refine a range of initiatives aimed at changing staff behaviour. Each month, the champions focus on a new topic to promote to staff, encouraging changes in behaviour to limit environmental impacts.