The Future looks Bright Blue

When around 150 students gathered last week from various different high schools, they were there to take on new ideas as a new generation, on how to save the planet, especially our waterways.

Simone Roseler is the brains and founder behind the organisation Ocean Voices, which organised the Bright Blue Future Showcase held at Ballina Coast High School.

“We are passionate about giving young people the opportunity to see more and be more,” she said.

“We embrace education and encourage activism, so young people using their voice to let the world know they are present in the room, which is something that is quite often missing.

“We get excited about celebrating innovative ideas as solutions to some of our most challenging environmental issues and we want to give young people the best opportunities for a healthy and thriving future through showcasing job and education pathways in the blue economy and beyond.”

Partnering with Southern Cross University, a number of experts were eager to share their knowledge, expertise and passion with the next generation at the event.

“It’s all about the mentoring aspect,” said Ms Roseler.

“This is a kind of way of putting mentoring on speed, as these are speed sessions.

“Climate conversations are happening with(in)

10 minutes and allowing a more intimate space to engage.”

Mentors and experts such as Professor Dirk Erler, Head of the Recirculate and Zero Waste programs at Southern Cross University, who was able to share insights on the importances of circular economies in marine environments.

Other topics included how technology can drive sustainability in marine industries, ocean cleanup, careers emerging in marine life, waste management, reducing plastic pollution and so much more.

Sixteen-year-old Monet Shortland has just started Year 12 at Mullumbimby High School and is part of the Ocean Voices Youth Collective.

Through the showcase she is keen to engage her peers on what they can do to save the environment.

“Today is to really just engage people and let them know what’s possible, what kind of jobs are out there that has to do with saving the environment and hopefully spark some ideas what they could do,” said Monet.

“This could turn into a passion project or start up an entrepreneurial business.”

Chloe Jo “CJ” Dodson is a 16-year-old Year 10 student at Ballina Coast High School and is also part of the Ocean Voices Youth Collective.

“We really are passionate about letting everyone get the same information and know what’s actually effecting our environment,” she said.

“Not many kids my age can sit down and listen to an hour-long speech or presentation so what we are doing here is having groups of small interactive sessions for 5-10 minutes.

“It’s a really good way of captivating everyone and being engaged with it.

“Today is a way for getting our peers on the same page.”

Year 12 Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar student, Charlie Lipton is the sustainability prefect at her school and was very keen to come to the showcase.

“I am in charge of our sustainability group because I’ve done a lot of work in the past, like going with the school to the sustainability expo in Sydney,” she said.

“I want to get everyone into sustainability because everyone knows about it but because we’re kids no one really thinks we can do much.

“Obviously we can and we have our own initiatives, but it is baby steps.”

Charlie is keen to start an eco club and get ideas for her school.

“We have our compostable waste and we have all these gardens and put the fertiliser on them and we have animals, such as chickens and bees,” she said.

The Grafton glitterati will don their fnest on Friday night to celebrate the 140th anniversary of one of the city’s major icons.

Grafton’s Christ Church Cathedral turns 140 this year and a gala dinner has been organised to celebrate.

The church community has the added pleasure of welcoming back two recently signifcant fgures, former cathedral deans Dean Peter Catt and Bishop Richard Hurford.

Between them they will have a plentiful supply of anecdotes of their terms as Deans of the

Cathedral.

But they won’t be the only entertainment on the night in the nave of the cathedral.

The Clarence Valley Conservatorium String Quartet will provide the musical entertainment for the evening. And in between sets there will be fund raising games and activities to raise money for the maintenance of the church’s heritage buildings and ministerial activities.

The Dean of Christ Church Cathedral the Very Rev Naomi Cooke said she would like to see as many people as possible there to celebrate the cathedral’s signifcant milestone,

“The 140th Anniversary Gala Dinner is an opportunity for us to commemorate this milestone and celebrate the rich history and bright future of Grafton Cathedral,” she said.

Rev Cooke said the cathedral would be transformed into a beautiful venue for the formal three-course dinner.

The evening would commence with hors d’oeuvres and sparkling wine on the beautiful Cathedral grounds, followed by guests being seated for dinner in the grand setting of the Cathedral nave accompanied by the music of the string quartet.

The church has sought sponsorship of the event in three ways, seeking Tickets can be booked here: https:// events.humanitix.com/ grafton-cathedral-140thanniversary-formaldinner

“We are proud to have reached this milestone, and it would not have been possible without the support of the local community,” Rev Cooke said.