1 week Ago By Tom Walker
Students across the Blue Mountains have united to stand up for the environment, and their first big step was meeting with the state's environment minister to make their voices heard. or signup to continue reading On September 18, the newly formed Environment Delegation visited NSW Parliament in Sydney to present their most pressing concerns to Minister for the Environment, Penny Sharpe. The students presented three key proposals, the first being a 10 per cent levy on plastics made or imported into NSW to incentivise eco-friendly alternatives.
The second proposal was an enforced consideration in commercial developments, requiring developers to first consider existing or previously cleared land before building. The third proposal was better funding and integration of cultural burning into hazard reduction burns, both for removing invasive forest species and helping reproduction for native species. Among the group was Year 11 Korowal School student Dylan McCarthy, who said the day was a great opportunity to open a dialogue between youths and decision makers.
"It was a good meeting. [The Minister] was really receptive and engaged as well, she paid attention and took notes," he said. Dylan already has experience pursuing environmental justice, as he launched a petition in 2023 targeting issues around climate change.
The group will now be looking ahead to future projects and ways to advocate for the environment. Lower Mountains Correspondent Lower Mountains Correspondent Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data.
Read our . Advertisement.
