Winners of Inner West Council 2017 Business Environment Awards

Thursday 30 November 2017

The environmental achievements of more than 20 inner west businesses were celebrated at the Inner West Council Business Environment Awards.

The Awards were held Wednesday evening 29 November 2017 at Camperdown Commons, Camperdown.

Inner West Mayor Darcy Byrne said that the sustainability achievements of local businesses are outstanding.

“The Sustainability Leadership winner, Addison Road Community Centre, is diverting 97% of its waste. Its Food Pantry feeds 2,000 hungry families each week while at the same time diverting 48 tonnes of food waste from local businesses,” he said.

Another local businesses, Cornersmith Café and Picklery, has traded a tonne of excess citrus with community members for use in its kitchens this winter. IKEA Tempe recycled 1,000 tonnes of cardboard this year, and Young Henry’s brewery reduces waste and emissions through packaging decisions, preventing the production of nearly 100,000 stubby bottles.

“Plus, each day Young Henrys sends a tonne of spent grain from brewing to feed animals, grow mushrooms, make bread and pickles, and fertilise community gardens,” Mayor Byrne said.

Other winner include Pocket City Farms, which transformed an unused bowling green into a productive urban green space harvesting and using three tonnes of food locally this year, Kindershare, which brought the share economy to inner west families by connecting owners and renters of children’s equipment, and Black Star Pastry, which has invested 100% in green power.

The award winners and finalists are:

Sustainability Leadership - For actions over a range of initiatives and taking a holistic view of sustainability

Winner - Addison Road Community Centre Organisation in Marrickville for strong partnerships that ensure the success of innovative projects like the Food Pantry and Urban Habitat Tree. Taking practical action at a local level, the Centre’s work resonates with the community
Finalists - Pocket City Farms, Egg of the Universe, Village Wholefoods

Sustainable Innovation - For exploring new and creative sustainability solutions

Winner – Pocket City Farms in Camperdown for its trail-blazing and highly visible project to reintroduce city dwellers to a lost part of the landscape. Pocket City Farms pays strong attention to the development of a viable business model and share their knowledge with a wide range of organisations. Their public community food forest, compost bays, greenhouse, rescue chooks, demonstration garden connects people with sustainable food systems
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Finalists - Addison Road Community Centre Organisation, Kindershare

Rethink Waste - For avoiding, reducing, reusing and recycling waste

Winner – Cornersmith in Annandale and Marrickville for applying a sustainable ethos to their business practice and influencing the wider community. Business practices include using discarded milk, leafy greens, whey and pulp in recipes, and trading a tonne of excess citrus with the local community this winter
Finalists - About Life Rozelle, Addison Road Community Centre Organisation, Alfalfa House Community Food Co-op, IKEA Tempe, Kindershare, Village Wholefoods

Community Leadership - For taking leadership on community and social issues

Winner - Reverse Garbage Co-operative in Marrickville for its leading role in community sustainability and collaboration with over 35 groups. Their Sponsorship and Partnership program offered $25,000 worth of practical support to 60 deserving projects. By aiming to connect communities, Reverse Garbage fosters a culture of trust and sharing in the inner west
Finalists - Addison Road Community Centre Organisation, Alfalfa House Community Food Co-op, MAKER, Pocket City Farms, Village Wholefoods, Petersham Bowling Club

Energy Smart - For energy efficiency of gas and electricity and renewable energy

Winner - Young Henrys Brewing Company in Newtown for its excellent community solar project with Pingala which demonstrates a way forward for local ownership of solar generation and being highly committed to reducing energy use, investment in efficient brewing systems and participation in Kegstar minimise transport of kegs.
Finalists - Black Star Pastry Newtown, Marrickville Youth Resource Centre

Beyond our Four Walls - For influencing supply chains for sustainable outcomes

Winner - Young Henry’s Brewing Company for being an influential advocate for sustainable brewing, especially its participation in the innovative Kegstar program to minimise waste, create local economic benefits and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transport. And for active sourcing and investment in sustainable products and services, for example their sale of 17,000 reusable growlers and refills has prevented the production of nearly 100,000 stubby bottles. Every day, one tonne of spent grain from brewing is used to feed animals, make bread, pickles, and grow mushrooms or fertilise gardens instead of being sent to landfill
Finalists - Alfalfa House Community Food Co-op, Bodhi Books and Gifts, Egg of the Universe

For an interview with an award winner, or a print quality image, contact the Communication team.