The Natura Pacific team have had a busy couple of months and have been lucky enough to have been invited to be a part of several events, some local and some further afield. Here is a quick run down of what happened at the 2016 Gold Coast Landcare Forum, the 2016 Banksia Awards Finalists’ Announcement and the 2016 Logan Social Enterprise Expo…
2016 Gold Coast Landcare Forum
Natura Pacific attended the 2016 Gold Coast Landcare Forum run by the Gold Coast Catchment Association on Saturday 8 October at Robina Community Centre. Natura’s Dr Mark Nadir Runkowski and Dr Rochelle Steven delivered a workshop on how community groups and individuals can conceptualise, develop and deliver apps that serve a purpose for conservation and sustainability initiatives.
The talk was attended by over 30 people from many different groups and businesses. Different types of apps, their uses, successes and failures were discussed amongst the group during brain-storming sessions. Ideas were raised about how each of them could use apps to bring an important message to the community and provide a novel and exciting platform in which the public can be encouraged to understand, and be a part of that message. The new GroNATIVE app was used as an example and many people commended Natura’s work in this project, with a number of people volunteering their knowledge and photographs to the cause.
2016 Banksia Awards Finalists’ Announcement
On Wednesday 26 October 2016, Natura Pacific attended the esteemed Banksia Awards Finalists’ Announcement at Mirvac HQ, George Street in central Sydney. Although we didn’t get a place as a finalist in the award’s sustainable small business category we did get chance to meet some remarkable and inspiring business owners from across Australia that are doing great things for our environment and our communities.
From carbon-neutral postal and delivery services to monumental green walls being installed right across our cities, and organic chutney producers to chemical-free cleaning companies, it was proven that Australians are every bit as powerful and capable as our overseas friends in providing grass-roots business solutions to the big sustainability problems that face our world. We hope to work with some of these great minds in the future.
2016 Logan Social Enterprise Expo
The Logan Social Enterprise Expo was a one-stop shop for social businesses and a must-see for anyone in the south-east Queensland area looking at creating a positive different with their business model. Natura Pacific attended the workshop as a stall-holder on Wednesday 4 November at the Logan Entertainment Centre where we were delighted to meet the Minister for Innovation, Science and Digital Economy, Hon. Leeanne Enoch. There were many inspiring presentations by leading socially-conscious businessmen and women from around the region as well.
Mark from Natura Pacific enjoyed many fruitful discussions with local businesses and NGOs including Your Town, Substation33, Logan Youth and Family Service (YFS) and ARMCare who have shown great interest in encouraging their attendees and clients to take part in nature-based learning. This will hopefully allow us to work with more people in the Logan area and kindle enthusiasm for environmental pathways to successful careers for these people.
IMAGE CREDITS:
Dr M.N. Runkowski
pixabay.com
