World Environment Day (WED) is the United Nations’ principal vehicle for encouraging worldwide awareness and action for the environment.
ANSTO is a centre of research excellence in the southern hemisphere for understanding how environmental systems function and interact, and the impact that humans are having on the environment.
Environmental researchers at ANSTO share some thoughts on what World Environment Day means to them.
Environmental researchers at ANSTO share some thoughts on what World Environment Day means to them.
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Eliza Wells, Graduate, Institute for Environmental Research
“World Environment Day provides a chance to raise awareness about the impacts that humans have had and are having on a range of environments around the world, and what sort of legacy we are creating for generations to come. It is about encouraging all of us: individuals, communities, states and countries to identify and acknowledge what we are doing to our local environments, take action to reduce our detrimental habits, and help not only to preserve, but improve the environment around us that we so often take for granted.”
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Michael Corry, Nuclear Graduate, Environmental Monitoring and Reporting Program
“World Environment Day is a chance to reflect and respect. As human beings we are bestowed the ultimate privilege of having the ability to understand the intricate workings of nature. Not only can we marvel at its beauty but we have the intellect to break it down into its simplest forms. World Environment Day is chance for everyone to reflect on their role in this wonderful environment and to respect that it is time to make a change.”
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Dr Armand Atanacio Research Scientist, Institute for Environmental Research
“World Environment Day is a way of building awareness on the impact we have on our shared environment, planet earth. For me personally, I think it will be a great opportunity to talk to my three-year-old daughter about the environment by doing a fun activity like planting some vegetable and herb seeds in our garden. She will have to take responsibility to care for and watch them grow over the weeks that follow.”
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Brett Rowling, Analytical Experimental Officer, Institute for Environmental Research
“Environment Day is a time to contemplate both the natural and man-made environments; a time to reflect on what changes we are making and to consider where we are going and if we like that. IER has the techniques and expertise to find scientific solutions to key global problems and we need to take this knowledge and use it to develop solutions, which mimic the natural environment’s own engineering. In this context, the Indigenous phrase: ‘Maniau oo millyan goori’ means ‘still taking care of country’ and is worth keeping in mind.”
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