Earth Fest brings together the VU community to celebrate our achievements, inspire one another, and engage with issues that matter to us.
Show you care – and help us to build a better future – by sharing your knowledge and taking actions that will have a positive impact on the health of the environment and the planet.
You will learn about the essential elements of sustainability while participating in fun activities. Take part in fun and educational activities while exploring innovative ways to help protect planet and Country.
Festivities across our campuses
Check out the activities below.
When: Tuesday 10 June, 11am – 1pm Where: Level 10
Celebrate Earth Fest!
Enjoy activities including:
Make your own Beeswax food wrap from natural ingredients, as an alternative to plastic wrap
Try out our Recycling Challenge and win a plant from the Iramoo Nursery
Make deca/matka with the VU Indian Club
Come and get active with fun activities from Thrive
The REGEN collective will run:
DIY Rosemary-Infused Oil
DIY Seedling Containers using recyclable materials
DIY Hydroponic Propagation Stand
Succulent Propagation
Worm Farm / Compost Education
Freebies to donate, collect ... and eat:
Donate your old clothes and refurbish your wardrobe with Queer Collective's Clothing Swap
Pick up some free Kotex reusable period undies
Enjoy free plant-based snacks from Give A Fork
When: Wednesday 11 June, 11am – 1pm Where: Building P Courtyard
Celebrate Earth Fest.
Enjoy activities including:
Make your own Beeswax food wrap from natural ingredients, as an alternative to plastic wrap
Try out our Recycling Challenge and win a plant from the Iramoo Nursery
Come and get active with fun activities from Thrive
Make deca/matka with the VU Indian Club
You can also help Iramoo Native Plant Nursery grow wildflowers for habitat restoration works. This mindfulness activity involves pricking out tiny seedlings and potting them up so that they can grow large enough to be planted in the grassland. Helping Hands = Great Grasslands.
The REGEN collective will run:
DIY Rosemary-Infused Oil
DIY Seedling Containers using recyclable materials
DIY Hydroponic Propagation Stand
Succulent Propagation
Worm Farm / Compost Education
Freebies to donate, collect ... and eat:
Donate your old clothes and refurbish your wardrobe with Queer Collective's Clothing Swap
Pick up some free Kotex reusable period undies
Enjoy free plant-based snacks from Give A Fork
Have you ever wanted to discover the birds of Footscray Park? Come along to our guided birdwatch walk with Wouter van Dongen, Senior Lecturer in Environmental Science and learn about the birds that surround us every day! The walk will be at Footscray Park from 12noon to 1pm.
When: Wednesday 11 June, 11am – 1pm Where: Courtyard between Building 4 and 5
Celebrate Earth Fest.
Enjoy activities including:
Make your own Beeswax food wrap from natural ingredients, as an alternative to plastic wrap
Try out our Recycling Challenge and win a plant from the Iramoo Nursery
Come and get active with fun activities from Thrive
Make deca/matka with the VU Indian Club
Come along and help plant out a garden bed of the stunning Basalt Podolepis. This native wildflower has big golden flowers. The seed from this garden will be harvested in Spring and used for habitat restoration work at Iramoo Wildflower Grassland Reserve – Be Part of the Grassland Solution!
The REGEN collective will run:
DIY Rosemary-Infused Oil
DIY Seedling Containers using recyclable materials
Make your own Beeswax food wrap from natural ingredients, as an alternative to plastic wrap
Try out our Recycling Challenge and win a plant from the Iramoo Nursery
Come and get active with fun activities from Thrive
Make deca/matka with the VU Indian Club
The REGEN collective will run:
DIY Rosemary-Infused Oil
DIY Seedling Containers using recyclable materials
DIY Hydroponic Propagation Stand
Succulent Propagation
Worm Farm / Compost Education
Free stuff:
Pick up some free Kotex reusable period undies
Enjoy free plant-based snacks from Give A Fork
When: Wednesday 18 June, 11:30am – 1pm Where: Building 1A near VUHQ
Celebrate Earth Fest.
Enjoy activities including:
Make your own Beeswax food wrap from natural ingredients, as an alternative to plastic wrap
Try out our Recycling Challenge and win a plant from the Iramoo Nursery
Come and get active with fun activities from Thrive
Make deca/matka with the VU Indian Club
The REGEN collective will run:
DIY Rosemary-Infused Oil
DIY Seedling Containers using recyclable materials
DIY Hydroponic Propagation Stand
Succulent Propagation
Worm Farm / Compost Education
Freeb stuff:
Pick up some free Kotex reusable period undies
Enjoy free plant-based snacks from Give A Fork
When: Thursday 19 June, 11:30am – 1pm Where: The River, Building T
Celebrate Earth Fest by enjoying activities including:
Make your own Beeswax food wrap from natural ingredients, as an alternative to plastic wrap
Try out our Recycling Challenge and win a plant from the Iramoo Nursery
Come and get active with fun activities from Thrive
Make deca/matka with the VU Indian Club
The REGEN collective will run:
DIY Rosemary-Infused Oil
DIY Seedling Containers using recyclable materials
DIY Hydroponic Propagation Stand
Succulent Propagation
Worm Farm / Compost Education
Free stuff:
Pick up some free Kotex reusable period undies
Enjoy free plant-based snacks from Give A Fork
Reduce waste & get a discount
BYO your reusable coffee cup and our VU cafes will provide a discount as displayed at point of sale.
Vending Machines – Health Focused Traffic Lights
Our vending machine provider Vendy offers an impressive range of drinks and snacks with an important focus on healthy options.
All drink and snack machines include the Victorian Government’s Healthy Choice Guidelines (HEAS) colour-coded ‘Traffic Light System’:
Best Choice (Green)
Choose Carefully (Amber)
Limit (Red).
Sustainability is an important priority at VU, as emphasised in our strategic commitment to Protecting Country and our Net Zero Plan.
First endorsed in 2021, the Plan has seen us:
reducing our emissions by replacing gas boilers
installing LEDs and solar panels
implementing procurement processes that emphasise sustainability
exploring campus-based initiatives to reduce waste such as BYO Cup, Go Paperless and Green My Plate.
In addition, VU has purchased 100% offset green electricity.
We are making great strides towards achieving net zero by 2025. But there is always more we can do, and it’s all down to our people to effect change.
Our Green Ambassadors Network is pivotal in shaping our approach to sustainability at VU. We are looking for expressions of interest from passionate, proactive individuals to join this dynamic group of students and staff. It’s more than a forum of ideas. It’s about being committed to change and action.
Key responsibilities include:
Championing Victoria University’s Protecting Country strategic driver and the Net Carbon Zero Plan and its initiatives.
Informing, supporting and promoting good practice and active engagement in sustainability amongst staff, students and other stakeholders.
Providing advice to the VU community on sustainability initiatives outlined in the Net Carbon Zero Plan, encouraging their peers to implement sustainability measures.
