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The HTAV is committed to minimising its environmental footprint. The Association actively supports the sustainability strategy of the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development and the environmental aims of the Strategic Partnerships Program. The Executive, Board and Staff of the HTAV each have a role to play in making the Association as green as possible.

To this end, the HTAV has committed itself to ongoing environmental efforts, and every year selects a number of achievable actions to improve its practice.

2013 actions

The HTAV will improve its environmental practice in the following ways this year:

1. Donate $200 to the Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies (CERES)
2. Commence the phase-out of faxing and complete the phase-out of paper handouts
3. Use an environmentally-friendly photocopier-printer
4. Reduce print materials in membership packs
5. Request that Council provided bike-parking facilities outside the HTAV office.

Ongoing commitments

The HTAV Executive endeavours to:

• Take environmental concerns into account when planning new programs and initiatives
• Review the Association’s environmental impact from time to time
• Model good practice through own travel, recycling, power usage
• Allow for modest increases in expenditure on sustainable products/practices.

Board members endeavour to:

• Promote sustainable practices in own schools/workplaces
• Model good practice through own travel, recycling, power usage.

Staff members endeavour to:

Reduce power:

• Minimal use of lights and air conditioner
• Turn off computer and monitor when not in use
• Use a green-power provider.

Use paper sparingly:

• Reuse and recycle paper
• Print double-sided where possible
• Minimise faxing, printing and photocopying.

Save water:

• Minimal use of dishwasher
• Reuse water in sink.

Buy green products:

• Buy biodegradable cleaning products
• Use recycled paper where possible
• Get refills instead of new containers
• Reuse plastic bags.

Reduce car travel:

• Car-pool where possible
• Use public transport where possible.

HTAV departments endeavour to:

Run sustainable events:

• Encourage online registrations
• Select venues that are near public transport
• On conference flyers, list public transport routes, advocate car-pooling and note any green approaches to be used at event
• Model good practice through own travel to venues
• Reuse name-tags and wallets where possible
• Encourage presenters to minimise photocopying
• Make conference handouts available online.

Produce sustainable publications:

• Avoid unnecessary printing
• Publish journal, bulletin and some publications electronically
• Use paper certified by Forest Stewardship Council where possible
• Reuse and recycle packing materials for books.

Provide green membership services:

• Encourage online membership applications
• Use up old membership materials (pens, pads, wallets, Agora, Bulletin)
• Use biodegradable membership cards and packs where possible
• Contact members electronically where possible.

Promote environmental education:

• Publicise HTAV environment policy
• Promote environmental grants/programs to schools
• Encourage students to travel by public transport to Student Lectures.

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Find out how to enter the World Environment Day Awards here.