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Australia Day Environment Award judging criteria

All nominations submitted by the closing date will be judged by a panel comprising Councillors and the Manager, Environmental Sustainability and Transport. 

If further information is required for judging purposes, a panel representative may contact, visit and/or take additional photos via arrangement. 

Categories for both individual and organisation sward

Selection categories: 

  • Maintaining and restoring the City of Bayside’s natural assets
  • Using natural resources wisely
  • Reducing our everyday impacts
  • Responding to climate change
  • Living more sustainably in the home

Individual judging criteria

  • Making/have made an outstanding, positive difference to the natural environment and community of Bayside.
  • Protecting and/or enhancing Bayside’s waterways, coastal surroundings, open space, native vegetation and wildlife preservation.
  • Highlighting water efficiency features and practices, resulting in a significant reduction in potable water use.
  • Demonstrating sustainable garden design with the utilisation of indigenous, local or exotic plants and/or food production; e.g. vegetable and herb garden, fruit trees and/or chicken pen.
  • Demonstrating and/or encouraging others to purchase environmentally friendly products; e.g. recycled content packaging, Fair Trade products, organic produce and materials.
  • Using sustainable gardening techniques; e.g. composting, worm farming, crop-rotation, seed saving, organic weed control.
  • Increasing waste diversion and improving waste minimisation practices.
  • Encouraging sustainable practices to be implemented at home.
  • Taking measures to reduce demand for resources and avoid the creation of waste; e.g. by reusing and recycling materials and products.
  • Significantly reducing energy use and/or working towards carbon neutrality.
  • Demonstrating and/or encouraging the use of sustainable transport including walking.
  • Adapting home/business/lifestyle for the long term impacts of climate change such as water shortages, food scarcity and increased average temperatures.
  • Helping others to adapt to the long term impacts of climate change; e.g. getting to know your neighbours, especially the vulnerable, to ensure that they are informed and considered during and after an extreme weather event.
  • Sharing information and resources to encourage others to take environmental actions, building community around an initiative that promotes environmental sustainability (e.g. community garden).

Organisation judging criteria

  • Demonstrating leadership in the promotion, education and/or information sharing about community and environmental issues.
  • Enhancing Bayside’s built/natural environment, community spirit, culture and heritage, health and/or well-being to achieve environmentally sustainable outcomes.
  • Implementing an initiative that highlights the protection and/or enhancement of Bayside’s waterways, coastal surroundings, open space, native vegetation and wildlife preservation.
  • Highlighting water efficiency features and practices, which have resulted in a significant reduction in potable water use.
  • Demonstrating and/or encouraging others to purchase environmentally friendly products, developing products with lower environmental impact; e.g. recycled content packaging, Fair Trade products, organic produce and materials.
  • Reducing demand for resources and avoiding the creation of waste; e.g. by reusing and recycling materials and products.
  • Significantly reducing the organisations environmental footprint.
  • Demonstrating a whole-of-organisation commitment and participation in sustainable practices and education; e.g. waste diversion and minimisation.
  • Reducing the organisation’s everyday impacts through partnerships with other community groups and/or organisations.
  • Significantly reducing energy use and/or working towards carbon neutrality.
  • Demonstrating and/or encouraging the use of sustainable transport including walking.
  • Helping others to adapt their homes/business/lifestyles for the long term impacts of climate change; e.g. water shortages, food scarcity and increased average temperatures.
  • Reaching out to the community, particularly to the vulnerable, ensuring they are informed and considered during and after an extreme weather event.
  • Participating in ResourceSmart Schools or other sustainability programs.
  • Incorporating sustainability into everyday operations of the school, business or organisation.
  • Educating and inspiring the community, including celebrating successes.
  • Sharing information and resources to encourage others to take environmental actions.
  • Demonstrating leadership in environmental and/or sustainability issues.