Clean Beaches - Connecting Our Coast Environmental Awards
Motivating, advocating, supporting and celebrating for a greener, sustainable NSW
Clean Beaches – Connecting Our Coast is a new revitalised Award program that has evolved from the previous Clean Beach Challenge, last held in 2009.
The Clean Beaches program encourages diverse groups and individuals within a coastal community to form a Clean Beaches Committee and work together to identify and manage sustainability and beautification projects relevant to their beach. The program empowers coastal communities to actively work for a cleaner, more sustainable environment through the sharing of knowledge, experience and resources.
Keep Australia Beautiful NSW conducted workshops throughout the State's coastal communities to assist and support established Clean Beaches Committees.
To find out if a Committee has been established in your community or to learn more about forming one, contact Clean Beaches program manager Chris Bell, 9633 3380 or email
cleanbeaches@kabnsw.org.au
The new format results from feedback from previous participants that believe a more collaborative community approach is necessary, enabling communities to:
- Participate in a structured program that encourages participants to identify local issues.
- Drive their own unique projects.
- Build community cohesion with individuals, schools, businesses, community groups and councils who all share the same vision of caring about the coast.
The refurbished Clean Beaches - Connecting Our Coast awards program will continue to recognise outstanding environmental initiatives that aim to raise the public awareness on a range of environmental issues affecting coastal NSW.
2011 Key Program Dates
- Submissions Close September 19
- Assessing Week October 3 – 7
- Regional Presentations November 3 – 13
- State Awards Presentation December 1
How to enter Clean Beaches 2011
Entrants can choose from the following award categories and can enter into more than one award category:
- Office of Environment & Heritage Overall Cleanest Beach award
- Litter & Waste Management award
- The Friendly beach award
- Environmental protection award
- Sydney Water conservation award
- Community partnership & Action award
- Young Legends award
Award categories provide scope to recognise long-term commitments to the coastal environment and community. They profile local participation, commitment and integration rather than short-term outcomes.
Who can enter Clean Beaches
Everyone can enter – and it’s FREE!
The Clean Beaches program is open to any individual, community or group who enjoys and values the beauty of our precious NSW coastline and is involved in the guardianship of our world-renowned beaches.
The awards cater for everyone and participants include individuals, community groups, surf Life saving clubs, dune care groups, coast care groups, beach care groups, tidy towns committees, local councils, business and industry, schools.
How to enter Clean Beaches
Simply follow these steps:
-
-
Complete the form for the chosen award(s). This submission will form the basis of your entry.
-
Check that you have identified on the submission form the award categories that you are entering. Ensure you address the specific criteria for each award you have entered.
-
Forward your submissions electronically by email or send a CD to our address by September 19.
-
Ensure that you will have a responsible and knowledgeable representative(s) to meet and guide the Assessor during assessing week. This is a critical stage of the Clean Beaches program process.
What will help my submission stand out?
- Do not include excessive written information on your projects. Using a dot point format may help in this regard.
- Please remember to provide a summary under the appropriate section. This summary will be used in the awards presentation and may be used in media releases should you be successful.
- Supporting material can be provided as attachments. Keep this brief, relevant and expendable as materials will not be returned. Supporting documents can include:
- Before and after photos
- Limited media coverage and printed materials
- Other award recognition
- Limited letters of support/endorsement
- Save a copy of your submission as information and photographs provided will not be returned.
- Visit our website for useful tips and detailed information about all of the Keep Australia Beautiful NSW programs.
Clean Beach Challenge Regions
The NSW coast is divided into 9 geographic regions for the Awards - Northern Rivers, North Coast, Mid North Coast, lower North Coast, Hunter, Central Coast, Sydney, Illawarra and South coast.
The Clean Beaches Awards Program is conducted at three levels:
- Regional Awards in each of the 9 regions, with Overall and Category winners proceeding to the State competition.
- State Awards of Overall Clean Beach and Categories.
- The State Overall winner will then compete against other State winners in the 2011 National Clean Beaches.
Certificates are awarded at Regional Presentations. Plaques for winners, as well as certificates for highly commended recipients are awarded at the State Presentation.
Each entry will be assessed by a Clean Beaches Assessor, who will visit the beach during assessing week. It is strongly recommended that a submission be forwarded to assist the assessor with appropriate background information to support your entry. The project must also align with award criteria and Keep Australia Beautiful NSW program objectives.
Workshops
Programs Manager Chris Bell recently returned from his regional trips along the NSW coastline where he visited participating beaches and talked to locals about their preparations for the program. He encouraged regional communities to form Clean Beaches Committees and work together to identify and manage projects relevant to their beach.
Clean Beaches is proudly sponsored by