Council introduces Chip the worm, a business environmental initiative at the PGA.

Wednesday 25 November 2009   Council introduces Chip the worm, a business environmental initiative at the PGA.

Sunshine Coast Council with PGA corporate sponsor partners today introduced ‘Chip’ the worm who represents a joint initiative that invites all patrons of the PGA golf championship at the Hyatt Regency Coolum to recycle their entry tickets.

Sunshine Coast Council Investment and Marketing Manager Alex Lever-Shaw said the idea came from PGA corporate sponsor partners wanting to explore and introduce ways of doing business whilst also caring about the environment within their corporation’s operations.

“This joint initiative is but a small example of how something as simple as re-cycling the PGA tickets, by collecting and feeding them to the re-cycling worms resident at the Hyatt Regency Coolum, can help our environment while making good business sense”, Mr Lever-Shaw said.

Economic development and entrepreneurship portfolio chair Councillor Lew Brennan said that Chip the worm, demonstrates how our corporate partnerships with multi national companies are prepared to take the Sunshine Coast vision nationally and internationally.

“This is an example of corporate Australia recognising that the Sunshine Coast is committed towards a sustainable future,” Councillor Brennan said.

“And that message has resonance with many in the corporate sector who also hold strong values in doing business in a more sustainable manner,” he said.  

Environment Portfolio chair Councillor Keryn Jones said ‘Chip’ the worm is a great initiative for the environment as it recycles some anticipated 50 thousand plus tickets from PGA patrons.

“This is just another way this region demonstrates it’s on its way to become Australia’s most sustainable region – vibrant, green, diverse,” Councillor Jones said.

“I also thank all the PGA corporate sponsor partners in supporting us in this initiative,” she said.  

Hyatt Regency Coolum general manager Maurice Holland said that on behalf of the businesses represented in this imitative, we support council in its vision to become Australia's most sustainable region.

“As corporate partners of council, both through the PGA and outside this particular relationship, we look forward to leveraging off each other's key strengths in doing business and continuing our efforts individually and jointly to all become greener,” Mr Holland said.


Key recycling / Green initiatives – PGA corporate sponsors

Coca-Cola Amatil
1.“Light weighting” PET bottles – on-going initiative to use less and less plastic in the production of plastic bottles
2. Bottled water packaging is 100% recyclable
3. New Bin Recycling program – bins in Westfield Shopping Centres nationwide

Lend Lease
1. The Coolum Community Native Nursery
2. Vegetation regeneration across parts of Hyatt Regency Coolum and the Hyatt Coolum Residential Development
3. Water Cycle Management
4. Urban sensitive storm water design across the Hyatt Coolum Residential Development

Hyatt Regency Coolum
1. Worm Farm recycling. ‘Chip’ the worm is just one of the new type of guests who took up permanent residency earlier in this year at the Hyatt Regency Coolum as part of its recycling plan. From a family of 50,000 plus worms, he and his friends save the resort more than $50,000 annually on fertilisers, waste removal costs as well as doing much good for the environment.

Emirates
1. Emirates have one of the newest fleet of airplanes in the world, in an attempt to use less fuel and therefore lower emissions.

Volkswagen
1. New 7 Speed DSG & TSI engines – lower fuel consumptions & lower emissions
2. New Common Rail TDI Diesel engine – lower fuel consumption & lower emissions
3. VW cars and trucks are now transported to Australia in the world’s largest and most environmentally friendly car and truck carrying ship the M/V Aniara. The M/V Aniara is a state of the art vessel, utilizing world class environmental design elements.
4. Carbon Management Strategy developed by Volkswagen Australia to identify and handle its carbon emissions.

Liberty Insurance
1. Employees are encouraged to use recycling bins at their desk for all paper products
2. Reduced the number of items/marketing material being printed and have replaced this with delivery by memory sticks
3. Working towards soft copy policy issuance (in process of finalising discussions with brokers)
4. All lights and computers must be shut down in the office at the end of each day
5. Meeting room lights switched off when not in use

Network Ten
1. Network Ten's environmental strategy, Making Your Mark, is now in its second year. Recognising the complexity and breadth of the task we set ourselves in April 2008, we have established a national committee to lead our environmental sustainability efforts.
2. With around 56 per cent of the Network's carbon emissions stemming from electricity used in our buildings, we have begun implementing a series of efficiency strategies designed to lower our energy consumption and reduce our exposure to increasing energy prices. 
3. In our Sydney studios, we conducted an extensive energy audit, developed a long term energy efficiency action plan and installed a "smart" energy metering system throughout the building.
4. As well as minimising our electricity consumption, major priorities for the year have been waste reduction and improved recycling.
5. We've successfully cut waste across the network by a further 25 per cent, reducing the total amount of waste sent to landfill from 691 tonnes per year in 2006/07 to just 310 tonnes per year over the past 18 months. This year, our recycling efforts have been substantially enhanced by two employee-led initiatives: a national e-waste amnesty and a managed phase out of polystyrene cups in staff kitchens. These initiatives saved around 1.5 tonnes of e-waste and will save the purchase of more than 80,000 disposable cups each year.
6. As a national free-to-air broadcaster, Network Ten recognises that it has an enormous opportunity to help others to make environmentally sustainable choices. This year, we have continued to highlight sustainability issues through environmentally themed programming and community service announcements.

PGA Aus
1. 2008 PGA Championship Australia – first carbon neutral golf championship
2. 2009 PGA Championship Australia will be a carbon neutral golf championship
3. PGA Aus. Headquarters is situated on a facility supported entirely by recycled water.
4. The PGA is committed to continuing the process of introducing standards of recycling, minimising carbon emissions and doing all it can to be an environmentally friendly business.
5. PGA is using its best endeavours to encourage golf clubs and golf facilities around Australia to pursue sustainable methods of operations.