The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is Working to Help the Environment
The Department has implemented an Environmental Management System (EMS) and has achieved certification to the International Standard for Environmental Management Systems, ISO 14001:2004.
In addition, the Department is contributing to additional environmental initiatives to help the environment:
Café Brindabella Takeaway Cup Levy
When the Department's EMS was implemented in 2004, the in-house Café Brindabella was already an environmentally friendly work unit. However, the Café was concerned at the effect on the environment of disposable takeaway coffee cups. With the Department's support, the Café took practical action to cut waste in a way which generates support for the environment. They switched from polystyrofoam cups to more environmentally friendly cardboard and asked departmental staff to bring their own coffee mugs or pay a 20 cent levy for each disposable cup used. The levy system has been working well, with the full support of departmental staff. Over $60,000 has already been collected and donated to Greening Australia to fund the planting of native trees and shrubs.
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade/Café Brindabella/Greening Australia Tree Planting Partnership
Sunday 4 June 2006, volunteer staff and families from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Café Brindabella again joined Greening Australia and members of the public, this time to celebrate World Environment Day. 2,800 native trees and shrubs were planted.
Sunday 11 September 2005, volunteer staff and their families and friends from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Café Brindabella again joined with Greening Australia: Another 1000 Trees Planted!
Sunday 17 October 2004, volunteer staff from the Department and the Café joined with Greening Australia to plant 1000 native trees and shrubs on Mt Macdonald as part of the ACT bushfire recovery. The trees planted in 2004 are thriving.
Greening Australia Commends DFAT's Treeplanting Efforts