Rebel Lyons, student, Chancellor State College. Photographer: Darren Trebilco

One young lady determined to stand up to climate change is Rebel Lyons (pictured). Rebel is already planning her wholehearted participation in the Sunshine Coast World Environment Day Festival at the University of the Sunshine Coast on Sunday June 28, 2009.

Between the Festival hours of 9am and 4pm, Rebel will perform two environmentally related songs on the main stage, represent Chancellor State College as an environmental ambassador, and help to coordinate a recycle fashion parade with other schools.

This pays testimony to the UN theme of ‘Your Planet Needs You, Unite to Combat Climate Change’. There is in fact a wide-ranging schools program being prepared now for the big day along with inclusion of educational components in the Transition Town display.

Proudly presented by the four way partnering of The Sunshine Coast Environment Council, the Sunshine Coast Regional Council, SEQ Catchments, and the University of the Sunshine Coast, and the support of media partners the Sunshine Coast Daily and 91.9 Sea FM this will be the 29th Festival year with support from plans already underway for the 30th anniversary celebrations in 2010.

Collaboration with schools like Rebel’s and the greater education and environment sectors, sponsors and corporate organisations, marks the festival as a pivotal regional event synonymous with environmental awareness, participation and motivation. It is a showcase opportunity for the general public and cross-section of the community to experience, learn and understand the local, regional and global imperatives facing us today and into the future.

Key elements of the World Environment Day Festival include a high calibre speakers’ program, workshops, interactive displays and stalls. These aspects are complemented by cultural, Indigenous, youth and the schools programs.

The Green Biz Expo will showcase how sustainability can be achieved in our daily home and business lives, while local musicians of global repute will entertain from the main stage.

A gourmet local produce section will allow the most environmentally-conscious gastronome to enjoy a guilt-free day. This year it is hoped that health and well-being areas as well as short film will be added to the program.

Stand up to Climate change with Rebel and be inspired by her story as follows:

Rebel’s Story

“I am a secondary campus environment portfolio member, following on from previous years’ work where students and community members established a school permaculture garden. In year 8, I wrote the school’s environment charter because I was interested in raising environmental awareness amongst students.

It was really just about suggesting small things they could do to help change the world, like recycling mobile phones with Planet Ark, recycling books through a book exchange, planting trees etc.

In year 6 I was the environment officer for my class. We used to pick up rubbish and attend meetings to discuss the school environment. We also attempted a vegetable garden.

Students at our school, Chancellor State College, need to realize that if they don’t pick up after themselves, kangaroos and wildlife that enter school grounds after hours could choke to death on our rubbish. This would obviously be an extremely
painful way to die, and it would be a great shame to inflict that on any animal because of our thoughtless actions. We have to be especially responsible because our school is so close to a national park.

I am absolutely elated to be involved in World Environment Day. I think that messages are sometimes best conveyed through songs and there are heaps of great songs with environmental messages. Midnight Oil, Joni Mitchell and songs from the 60s and 70s are some of the best. As my contribution to WED, I would like to sing some of these songs to help spread the message.

I feel that I contribute to our environment by being a strict vegetarian. I am a vegetarian for ethical reasons, but I’m happy that my way of eating cuts down on Greenhouse gases and contributes to making the world a more equal place.

On Harmony Day at my school in year 8, I sang ‘Man in the Mirror’ by Michael Jackson. This is one of my favourite songs and really sends the message that everyone has to start with themselves; to quote Mahatma Gandhi, “Be the change you want to see in the world”.

I know I could be doing a lot more than I am, because I still eat some packaged food and don’t always turn off the lights, but at least I’m conscientiously trying to save the environment from the impact of humanity.”  Rebel Lyons.

Obesity is now more widespread than hunger and popular soft drinks now rate as the number one items in our shopping trolleys.

In permaculture we say, “find solutions, not problems”. The media and the government often talk about obesity and its associated problems, but talk on its own isn’t going to fix the issue.

Our solution was to bring the answer to the children and let them experience growing their own organic food. Let them see the whole cycle of seed, fruit, compost, worm castings and food-taste sensations. We wanted to let them explore natural flavours of freshly picked food.

Palmwoods State School was the first permaculture edible school gardens I set up from scratch with the students.  Funding was hard to come by so Clare Cox (School Community Enhancement Officer) combed the local community for donations. Fortunately, the local community saw the benefit in such a project.

In the meantime, the Year 6 students were busy learning about permaculture and design.

August 2004 came around and I was nervous we wouldn’t have enough helpers on the day; how wrong I was. Eighty-five people, including members of Permaculture Noosa, parents, grandparents, teachers and lots of kids turned out for our own garden blitz’ driven by the kids, for the kids.

Palmwoods Permaculture Patch was completed by nightfall. From there we have planted, composted, established worm farms and fed the chooks with the tuckshop scraps. We now grow most of our own mulch, use a banana pit (compost hole) which last time we emptied it, had 20 wheelbarrows of beautiful soil for our garden.

A few times each year we harvest lunch from our gardens. Salads are also shared with the tuckshop and sold to the local organic restaurant Sisters Cafe.

We are constantly hearing about the problems of children’s health and not the solutions. I have a solution for you – Permaculture Edible Gardens for all schools.

Currently I am working at four other schools and have another six keen to join. All this with very limited funds. With the proper funding let us turn the problems into solutions and place our children and the planet, on the healthy pathway.