Farmers and Greens have lined up against the State Government to fight new rules that will allow free camping on rivers that run through farmland. Greens Deputy Leader Ellen Sandell joined farmers on the steps of Parliament in a recent rally against the changes. Ms Sandell said there were few issues where environmentalist and farmers could agree, “but this was one of them”. “The Government’s decision to open these areas, particularly for camping, is ill-conceived right from t

“We are a danger to ourselves and the rest of life,” musician Shane Howard told the Inquiry into Ecosystems Decline in Victoria on Thursday. Mr Howard, treasurer for the Belfast Coastal Reserve Action Group and former Goanna band front man, said better legislation, communication, education and funding was needed to stop the destruction of the environment. “We have created a Star Wars civilisation, with Stone Age emotions, medieval institutions, and god-like technology,” Mr

Didn’t hear anything about big government spends on the environment? The Standard team has got you covered with Part 3 of our Federal Budget coverage. Reporter: Angus Delaney Camera: Aditi Kutty and Jill Sioson Graphics: Lachie Pham and Emily Li Editor: Emily Li Producer: Aditi Kutty

Senior staff from the Royal Botanic Gardens today called on the state government to engage and encourage Victorians to care more about their ecosystems. They asked for the Victorian Government to invest in campaigns to modify the behaviour of Victorians, at a public hearing for the government’s inquiry into ecosystems decline. Professor David Cantrill, chief botanist and director of science at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, said the Victorian government should conside

In the dying days of March for the past 15 years, people of all countries, races and beliefs have joined together to symbolically turn off their lights showing support for stronger action on climate change. However, in recent years Earth Hour seems to have faded from our minds in Australia. A survey by The Standard revealed most respondents had either last taken part in Earth Hour several years ago or had never taken part. About 85 per cent said they had seen no advertising

“The society, economy and jobs that we know will all cease to exist.” MRA Consulting Group managing director Mike Ritchie offered this dire warning about what life on earth will be like if we don’t start living more sustainably. “Australia will not be in a good place,” he said. “We register for 1.3 per cent of global emissions.” Part of living sustainably is making sure waste is dealt with properly. Poor waste management has plagued Australia in recent years since China st

It was “the most hotly contested resource project in the history of the state”. Santos’ Narrabri Gas Project proposal recorded more than 23,000 submissions, 98 per cent of which objected, according to Bruce Robertson, Energy Finance Analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis (IEEFA). The project was formally approved by the Independent Planning Commission a few weeks ago. It became another piece in the Morrison Government’s plans to pivot from coal

Most Victorians have lived their entire lives filling their yellow and red bins to the brim each week to have it picked up by the garbage collector – out of sight, out of mind. But what if we actually thought about the waste we create … and what if we didn’t create any waste at all? Some Victorians have already stopped putting their bins out – they call themselves “zero-wasters” and they’re doing it for the planet, the community and their own wellbeing. “I feel it’s respectfu