Monash Rural Health teams drive green impact in the workplace and community
Three Monash Rural Health teams have been recognised for participating in the Monash Green Impact program in 2023, creating more environmentally and socially sustainable campuses.
Green Impact is a positive staff and student engagement program recognised by the United Nations and developed by Students Organising for Sustainability (UK). Green Impact has been run at Monash University since 2018 and is a continually improving, evolving, collaborative and meaningful program that is a key part of helping the University achieve its sustainability goals.
Teams from Monash Rural Health have previously participated in the program, but this was the first year that three teams achieved gold level or above for their efforts. Monash Rural Health Clayton received gold level, and Monash Rural Health Warragul & South Gippsland and Bendigo both gained a platinum level within the program.
Activities ranged from introducing sustainability practices into the workplace - such as making the switch to carbon-neutral paper, fair trade coffee and green cleaning products, to improving health and wellbeing of staff and students through participating in events like RUOK Day and NAIDOC Week and local community programs, such as the Platy Project and Gardens for Wildlife.
A few of the highlights from Monash Rural Health teams included:
- Planting 50 native trees, shrubs and grasses on site in honour of National Tree Day in Warragul. These will help improve local biodiversity - providing a future habitat for insects and wildlife.
- Hosting Australia’s Biggest Morning Tea in Bendigo, where staff and students all contributed a plate representing their family or culture, and raised over $300 for the Cancer Council.
- Establishing a student-run vegetable garden at Lister House in Bendigo, enabling students on placement to grow and cook their own produce.
- Setting up local collection points for recycling mobile phones, glasses and pens in Clayton, reducing landfill and contributing to sustainability programs.
- Installing Terracycle soft plastic waste boxes at all Monash Rural Health sites.
Georgea Lehmann, Rural Nursing and Allied Health Administrator, who was part of the Bendigo team, said participating in the program not only had a positive impact around the office but also helped strengthen relationships between staff members across offices.
“Having our small team in Bendigo work together with the Head of School team, created great relationships that aren’t necessarily to do with our daily work, helping us learn and implement actions to help make an impact on our community and environment.”
For Mark Woodfield, Operations and Planning Manager, the opportunity to make a sustainable difference at work and home, was a highly rewarding one.
“Participating in the Green Impact program helped increase my awareness of a range of sustainability practices. I’m proud that so many Monash Rural Health staff members can help drive sustainable change and contribute positively to our rural communities.”
