2021

August 14-21^st National Science Week

It’s National Science Week! The school theme for National Science Week 2021 will be Food: Different by Design. It will honour the United Nations International Year of Fruits and Vegetables and the International Year of Creative Economy for Sustainable Development.

Food: Different by Design will cover a broad range of areas in food production and sustainable agriculture, enabling students to explore topics such as biosecurity, food technology and laboratory-developed foods. Scientific development will be at the core to the theme, with other hands-on projects for students to explore. The themes explored are in line with Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), Goal 8 (decent Work and Economic Growth), Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and Goal 15 (Life on Land).

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about National Science Week, including ideas for school events and activities to celebrate Science Week - https://www.scienceweek.net.au/

July 29^th – International Tiger Day -The goal of the day is to promote a global system for protecting the natural habitats of tigers and raise public awareness and support for tiger conservation issues. Tigers are in grave danger of becoming extinct in the wild due to habitat loss, ‘conflict’ with humans and climate change reducing the area where they reside. We look to Sustainable Development Goals 13 (Climate Action) and 15 (Life on Land) to reduce our impact on our environment and encourage action to conserve this beautiful animal.

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about International Tiger Day - https://www.wwf.org.uk/get-involved/schools/calendar/international-tiger-day

August 16-22 August – Keep Australia Beautiful Week

We really are the lucky country! Keep Australia Beautiful Week is held in late August each year to raise awareness about the simple things that we can all do in our daily lives to reduce our impact on the environment and encourage action. Check out Sustainable Development Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), Goal 14 (Life Below Water) and Goal 15 (Life on Land) for information related to the global targets set by the UN to improve health, environment, peace and prosperity as we head into the future.

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about Keep Australia Beautiful Week - https://kab.org.au/keep-australia-beautiful-week/

August 19^th – International Orangutan Day

International Orangutan Day raises awareness that these ‘people of the forest’ require protection before they disappear forever. Between 1990 and 2015, 150 million hectares of their tropical forest has been lost of which an estimated 5% is directly due to oil palm expansion. WWF, the World Wildlife Fund, supports sustainable palm oil where palm oil is grown on land that has already been cleared, halting deforestation. You can download phone apps that scan product barcodes to see if they contain non-sustainable palm oil.

Links for more information about International Orangutan Day - http://www.worldorangutanevents.org/international-orangutan-day.php

https://redapes.org/august-19th-is-international-orangutan-day/#:~:text=In%20order%20to%20show%20our,amazing%20species%20in%20the%20wild

July 4^th  to July 11^th – NAIDOC Week

Happy NAIDOC Week everyone! 

The NAIDOC 2021 theme – Heal Country! – calls for all of us to continue to seek greater protections for our lands, our waters, our sacred sites and our cultural heritage from exploitation, desecration, and destruction. The themes of NAIDOC Week cross into the targets of Sustainable Development Goals 10 (Reduced Inequalities), 14 Life Below Water and 15 (Life on Land).

Are you interested in learning more about teaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals in your primary classroom via Professional Learning opportunities? Email the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to learn more about PL days available in term 3 and 4 – riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about NAIDOC Week: https://www.naidoc.org.au/

July 29^th – International Tiger Day -The goal of the day is to promote a global system for protecting the natural habitats of tigers and raise public awareness and support for tiger conservation issues. Tigers are in grave danger of becoming extinct in the wild due to habitat loss, ‘conflict’ with humans and climate change reducing the area where they reside. We look to Sustainable Development Goals 13 (Climate Action) and 15 (Life on Land) to reduce our impact on our environment and encourage action to conserve this beautiful animal.

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about International Tiger Day - https://www.wwf.org.uk/get-involved/schools/calendar/international-tiger-day

July 12^th – Malala Day – On the 12^th July 2013 on Malala Yousafzai’s 16^th birthday, she bravely spoke at the UN to tell her story of being shot in the head by Taliban gunmen after advocating for the rights of girls to receive an education in her homeland of Pakistan. The UN dubbed the event ‘Malala Day’.

To achieve gender equity and empower women and girls is the main target of Sustainable Development Goal 4 ‘Quality Education’ and Goal 5, ‘Gender Equality’.

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about Malala Yousafzai - https://malala.org/malalas-story   

26th July National Schools Tree Day...

30^th National Tree Day - National Tree Day is a call to action for all Australians to put their hands in the earth and give back to their community. Each year, about 300,000 people volunteer their time to engage in environmental activities that educate individuals about the world around them. It's a day to venture outdoors and get to know your community, and most importantly, to have fun! Don’t forget to check out the PlanetArk National Tree Day website for classroom resources that are readily downloadable for teachers.

For more information about National Tree Day - https://treeday.planetark.org/

5^th – World Environment Day – We’re so happy it is World Environment Day tomorrow! The theme for World Environment Day this year is ‘Ecosystem Restoration’.

It is celebrated on June 5^th each year to raise awareness of the environment and specific environmental issues and promote the following UN Sustainable Development Goals – Goal 6 ‘Clean Water and Sanitation’, Goal 12 ‘Responsible Consumption and Production’, Goal 13 ‘Climate Action’, Goal 14 ‘Life Below Water’ and Goal 15 ‘Life on Land’.

Are you interested in learning more about teaching the UN Sustainable Development Goals in your primary classroom via Professional Learning opportunities? Email the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to learn more about PL days available in term 3 and 4 – riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about World Environment Day  -

https://www.un.org/en/observances/environment-day

https://www.worldenvironmentday.global/

17^th – World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought

Did you know that 99% of the calories every human being needs for a healthy life still come from the land? Land degradation, climate change and biodiversity loss are intimately connected, and are increasingly affecting human well-being. Tackling these issues together is key to achieving many of the Sustainable Development Goals, including Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), Goal 3 (good Health and Wellbeing), Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), Goal 13 (Climate Action) and Goal 15 (Life on Land).

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought- https://www.unccd.int/actions/17-june-desertification-and-drought-day

8^th – World Oceans Day – The 2021 theme for World Oceans Day is ‘2021: Life and Livelihoods’. A healthy ocean is a critical part of the solution to the climate crisis. By protecting the world’s oceans, we can protect our planet’s life support systems – specifically the interconnected issues of ocean, climate, and biodiversity.  World Oceans Day aligns with Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action) and Goal 14 (Life Below Water). Not to mention, the ocean is key to our economy with an estimated 40 million people being employed by ocean-based industries by 2030 (Sustainable Development Goal 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth).

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

 Link for more information about World Oceans Day: https://worldoceanday.org/take-action/conservation-action-focus/

20^th – World Refugee Day –World Refugee Day is commemorated over this weekend and  honours the strength and courage of refugees and encourages public awareness and support of the people who have left everything to escape war, persecution, terror or natural disaster. The Day offers a chance to raise awareness of the plight of refugees around the world and of the efforts to protect their human rights, aligning to targets within Sustainable Development Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions).

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about World Refugee Day: https://www.unhcr.org/en-au/world-refugee-day.html

15^th  - Global Wind Day – This is a day for discovering wind energy, its power and the possibilities it holds to reshape our energy systems, decarbonise our economies and boost jobs and growth. The focus for sustainability crosses multiple Sustainable Development Goals including Goal 7 (Affordable Clean Energy), Goal 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure) and Goal 13 (Climate Action).

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about Global Wind Day  https://globalwindday.org/  

17^th -21^st National Volunteers Week – Today is National Volunteers Week! Volunteering is important as it offers essential help to worthwhile causes, people in need, and the wider community. The theme for 2021 is ‘Recognise. Reconnect. Reimagine’, which acknowledges that it is time to Recognise, celebrate and thank volunteers for the vital role they play, Reconnect – to what is important by giving time to help others, our local community or a cause we value and Reimagine – how we better support volunteers and the organisations they help so that they can continue to do work they do.

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about National Volunteers Week - https://www.volunteeringaustralia.org/#/

27^th May – 3^rd June National Reconciliation Week – Reconciliation is a journey for all Australians – as individuals, families, communities, organisations and importantly as a nation. At the heart of this journey are relationships between the broader Australian community and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The theme for 2021 is ‘More than a Word. Reconciliation Takes Action’.

This is in line with Sustainable Development Goal 10, Reduced Inequalities.

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about National Reconciliation Week - https://www.reconciliation.org.au/national-reconciliation-week/

20^th – World Bee Day – Happy World Bee Day! Globally there are more honey bees than other types of bee and pollinating insects, so it is the world's most important pollinator of food crops. It is estimated that one third of the food that we consume each day relies on pollination mainly by bees, and for this reason, links to the Sustainable  Development Goal 15 (Life on Land).

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about World Bee Day– www.worldbeeday.org.au

26^th – National Sorry Day - Observed annually on 26 May, National Sorry Day remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, which we now know as ‘The Stolen Generations’. This is in line with UN Sustainable  Goal 10 ‘Reduced Inequalities’.

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about National Sorry Day - https://www.reconciliation.org.au/national-sorry-day-an-important-part-of-healing/

7^th – World Health Day - Ranging from mental health to insurance and everything in between, this day sets the tone for what’s to come in the world stage. 

This World Health Day, we’re calling for action to eliminate health inequities, as part of a year-long global campaign to bring people together to build a fairer, healthier world. The campaign highlights WHO’s constitutional principle that “the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.”

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about World Health Day  - https://www.who.int/westernpacific/news/events/world-health-day

22^nd – Earth Day – Earth Day is an annual event celebrated around the world on April 22 to demonstrate support for environmental protection. First celebrated in 1970, it now includes events coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network in more than 193 countries. The theme of the 2021 Earth Day is ‘Restore our Earth’. This is in line with Sustainable Development Goals 6, (Clean Water and Sanitation), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), 13 (Climate Action), 14 (Life Below Water) and 15 (Life on Land).

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about Earth Day - https://www.earthday.org/

3^rd – World Wildlife Day – Today marks the day of signature of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) in 1973 – It celebrates and raises awareness of the world’s wild animals and plants. This year’s theme for Wild Wildlife Day is ‘Forests and Livelihood: Sustaining People and Planet’, as a way to highlight the central role of forests, forest species and ecosystems services in sustaining the livelihoods of hundreds of millions of people globally, and particularly of Indigenous and local communities with historic ties to forested and forest-adjacent areas.

This year’s theme is in line with the Sustainable Development Goals 1 (No Poverty), 2 (Zero Hunger), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and 15, (Life on Land).

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about World Wildlife Day - https://www.un.org/en/observances/world-wildlife-day 

15-21 March Harmony Week

Celebrate our cultural diversity by living the Harmony Week message everyone belongs in your workplace, community, school, sporting group, local councils and state governments. The 2021 theme for Harmony Week is in line with the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 10 – ‘Reduced Inequalities’.

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about Harmony Week - https://www.harmony.gov.au/

5^th – Schools Clean Up Australia Day – Clean Up Australia Day is always the first Sunday in March, so in 2021, the official Clean Up Australia Day will be the 7^th March. The Schools official Clean Up Day is on today! It's a great way to teach kids about caring for our environment and how they can make a difference. This is in line with the Sustainable Development Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and also Goal 14 (life Below Water) and 15 (Life on Land).

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about Schools Clean Up Day - https://www.cleanup.org.au/

22^nd – World Water Day - World Water Day is an annual UN observance day that highlights the importance of freshwater. The day is used to advocate for the sustainable management of freshwater resources. The themes of this day focus on water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), which is in line with the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing), and Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). The 2021 theme is #Water2Me

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about World Water Day - https://www.unwater.org/world-water-day-2021-digital-campaign-water2me/

8^th – International Women’s Day – Happy International Women’s Day! Today there is more acceptance than ever before that women bring different experiences, perspectives and skills to the table, and make irreplaceable contributions to decisions, policies and laws that work better for all. UN Women announces the theme for International Women’s Day, 8 March 2021 (IWD 2021) as, “Women in leadership: Achieving an equal future in a COVID-19 world,” which is in line with the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 5 (Gender Equality).

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about International Women’s Day - https://www.unwomen.org/en/news/stories/2020/11/announcer-international-womens-day-2021

27^th – Earth Hour – Don’t forget to switch off your lights tomorrow night for Earth Hour! (8:30PM) You’ll be joining millions of Australians taking part in the largest global environmental movement. Earth Hour is an initiative to encourage individuals, businesses and governments around the world to take accountability for their ecological footprint and engage in dialogue and resource exchange that provides real solutions to our environmental challenges. This is in line with UN Sustainable Development Goals 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) and 13 (Climate Action).

Are you interested in Teacher Professional Learning opportunities related to the teaching sustainability themes in your primary classroom? Contact the Riverina Environmental Education Centre to find out more. riverina-e.school@det.nsw.edu.au

Link for more information about Earth Hour  - https://www.earthhour.org.au/