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environment [n.]
1. the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates. 2. [the environment] the natural world, especially
as affected by human activity.
- DERIVATIVES environmental, adjective; environmentally, adverb.
The environment covers natural and man-made surroundings everywhere on our planet. It includes areas such as environmental planning, government action, personal actions, recycling, the use of pesticides and developing an understanding of the environment and how we can protect it, especially with children.
Related topics such as Climate Change and other natural phenomena can be accessed via the Science Introduction page.
This page provides information about government bodies and organisations in Australia, National Parks, CSIRO, world environmental groups, research and reports, environmental news and pesticide information.
The Second Page provides information about children and the environment, recycling, graphics, population and other general information.
Each of these pages can also be reached using the numbered boxes above.
For ways to reduce your ecological footprint, find advice, calculators and other information on the Living Green - Reducing My Footprint page.
The News and Newspapers pages may provide breaking news and events in this area.
Organisations & Groups
Australian
Commonwealth, State, Territory, Local Government
- ANEDO
Australian Network of Environmental Defenders Offices Inc. ‘Dedicated to protecting the environment in the public interest. Legal representation and advice, an active role in environmental law reform and policy formulation, offer a significant education program’. Links to all state & territory offices, significant information. - Atlas of Coastal Australia
Information on water quality, fish, other areas. This is the NSW Node. There are nodes for each state accessible here, though the Federal link does not appear to work. - Australian Customs Service
Check Travellers for information on what you can bring back safely. Full of valuable information. - Australian Greenhouse Office
- Environment Australia
Greenhouse Issues, National Pollutant Inventory, National Heritage Trust, Programs and Funding, Antarctica, Biodiversity, Coasts and Oceans, Publications, more. - Environment Australia Image Database
‘Developed to provide access to our photographic collection. The database contains images Environment Australia owns that are copyright cleared and Free of charge for use by the media, students, industry organisations’. - Environment Programs and Services
Commonwealth Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage & The Arts. - Information for Action
‘Explains environmental issues, offers solutions, includes a lobbying service, educational resources, contact detail database, quiz, articles, maps, health information [poisons], news, more. - Land & Water Australia
Policies, research [including an archive covering the last ten years], media information, educational information, natural resource management, the latest news, affiliated program websites, discussion forum, apply for funding. - Living Sustainably
Government information. Sections on living and working sustainably and on environmental quality. - National Tidal Centre
‘Specialises in sea level monitoring and analysis for the purpose of deriving trends in absolute sea level and producing national tide predictions, tide streams, related information’. Now part of the Bureau of Meteorology. - The National Dryland Salinity Program
‘Australia’s lead research and development organisation investigating dryland salinity causes, impacts, management options for more than a decade. Select your area of interest from three NDSP synthesised research themes’. Wealth of information.
Highly Recommended !
State & Territory
- BASIX
‘The Building Sustainability Index, ensures homes are designed to use less potable water and be responsible for fewer greenhouse gas emissions by setting energy and water reduction targets for house and units’. New South Wales government site. Tutorial, resources, training courses, more. - CANRI
Natural resources information covering land, water, flora and fauna, waste disposal, more. New South Wales Government. - Department of Natural Resources [Victoria]
Natural resources and the environment throughout Victoria. - Environment & Climate Change
Incorporates all aspects linked to the environment in New South Wales including littering, pesticides, waste, etc.. - Queensland
Dual site covering environment and environmental protection and an entry point for the National Parks of Queensland. - Water Pollution & Treatment
New South Wales. Site that concentrates on the management of water pollution resulting from a wide range of causes.
Local Government
- Environment-Friendly Sydney
- Melbourne Water Education
While based in Melbourne and refers to their system, the basics are applicable in all water provision systems. Sections for Primary, Secondary students, Tertiary/Training level. - Mosman Municipal Council
Environment & CEC. An example of how a council can look after its environment and what it does in relation to areas of environmental control. - Water Efficiency
Sydney Water. To help understand the need, and how, to conserve water to ensure future supplies.
CSIRO
CSIRO sites specifically related to the environment.
- Atmospheric Research
Provides extensive information on atmospheric research including explanations of El Niño, Greenhouse Effect, Ozone Depletion, Air Pollution to name a few. Good, clear information. The site also includes Marine Research. - CSIRO - Resource Futures
A report which looks at the options of several population figures for Australia by the year 2050. Takes into account the overall impact on aspects of social and environmental impact. - CSIRO Land and Water - Image Gallery
‘Created to raise awareness of land and water issues in Australia. The gallery is being expanded continually’.
A brilliant collection.
National Parks
State, Territory, Commonwealth.
- Australian Capital Territory
- New South Wales
- Northern Territory
- Parks & Reserves, Federal
The Australian Government manages Commonwealth parks and reserves including areas located on external island territories and within Australian waters beyond the State limit of three nautical miles. - Queensland
- South Australia
- Tasmania
- Victoria
- Western Australia
World Environmental Groups & Organisations
Australian
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Australian Conservation Foundation
‘Natural heritage protection, water resource management, global warming, endangered species, uranium mining, sustainable cities, more’. - Earthwatch Australia
‘Promotes sustainable conservation of our natural resources and cultural heritage’. Expeditions, fellowships, grants available, news. - Friends of the Earth Australia
Information on groups, publications, current issues, media releases, campaigns. - Greenpeace Australia [Pacific]
Consumer updates, how to be green at home, more. - World Wildlife Fund [Australia]
Devising ways of saving endangered species and animals around the world.
International
- David Suzuki Foundation
News, links, a column by David Suzuki. - Earth Action
‘Building a global action alert network which can mobilise people simultaneously around the planet to speak out for a better world’. Provides information, how it can be done. - Earthwatch International
‘Promotes sustainable conservation of our natural resources and cultural heritage’. Expeditions, fellowships, grants available, news. - Environmental Defense Fund
Finding the Ways That Work. ‘Dedicated to protecting the environmental rights of all people, including future generations. Among these are clean air, clean water, healthy food flourishing ecosystems’. - Planet Ark
Tree planting and a variety of recycling are just the tip of the iceberg at this site. - Rocky Mountain Institute
‘Fosters the efficient and restorative use of natural, human and other capital to make the world more secure, just, prosperous, life sustaining’. Environment in its widest sense. - The EnviroLink Network
‘Providing access to thousands of online environmental resources since 1991’. Resources listed under topics. News headlines. - World Environmental Organisations
Find the information you want at this site. - World Wildlife Fund
The link for the world body.
Pesticides
Pesticides
We are more aware of pesticides, how they are used, side effects they may have, available alternatives. The following may be useful when seeking information about pesticides and their use.
Australian Sites
- Environment NSW - Pesticides
Pesticides and other chemicals. - Essentials -
Working with Pesticides
Western Australian Department of Consumer and Employment Protection. - Integrated Pest Management - Key Text
Article about pests and the Ord River cotton farming. Links to other areas. - Pesticide Use in Australia
PDF report on the use of pesticides. More technical. -
Using
Pesticides Safely
Western Australia. ‘Guidelines for the safe use of pesticides in non-agricultural workplaces’.
Other Sites
- Chemicals & Human Health
Access databases from Household Chemicals, Exposure & Safety to Chemical Databases. - ExToxNet Global Search
Pesticide Information Profiles, fact sheets, FAQs, toxicology information, issues, more. - Organofluorine and Fluorine Pesticides
From the worldwide anti-fluoride group. A wealth of information. - Pesticide Fact Sheets
PDF format. - Pesticides, A Citizen’s Guide
Canadian booklet. Covering what is involved with Pesticides, including self-protection. - Pest Management and Identification
University of California. Covers pest management guidelines [also in PDF format]. - PestWeb
Information. Check the Education/Reference section. - Remember the Injured - Pesticide Poisoning
One woman’s site which records instances of pesticide poisoning. - Tox Town
‘Interactive guide to commonly encountered toxic substances, your health, and the environment’. - US EPA Pesticides and Food
Essential information on areas from organic foods to aspects of pesticide use. PDF version available. Other links.
News, Reports, Studies
Special Reports and Studies
Some government based, others from private sources.
- Blueprint for a Living Continent
Document from the Wentworth Group of scientists that looks at the difficulties faced by the Australian Environment and offering possible solutions to these. - Climate Change
UN. Information, reports, documents, studies, kits more, all based on scientific data. One of the included documents is directly below. - Climate Change 2001 : The Scientific Basis
Information either online or in PDF format [16 parts]. - Kyoto Protocol
Information about the Kyoto Protocol climate change treaty. The protocol from the UN. - State of the Environment : Australia
‘National SoE Reports provide information about environmental and heritage conditions, trends and pressures for the Australian continent, surrounding seas and Australia’s external territories. Based on data and information gathered and interpreted against environmental indicators. For convenience environmental indicators have been grouped into environmental themes. Most States and Territories of Australia also produce SoE reports’. - SERIS
State of the Environment Reporting Information System. ‘An inventory of national state of the environment reports [European]. Links to the reports and to the main organisation involved in the report’. Up to 37 listed for each country included.
Environmental News Sources
-
BBC News - Science & Environment
MNews and links to other topics in these areas. -
E-The Environmental Magazine
‘Current Issue; Inside E; Daily News; EarthTalk; Blogs; Hot Topics; Resources’. - Environmental News Network
Up-to-date environmental news, chat possibilities, audio and video information, more, to make people more aware of environmental actions and effects. - Grist
All the news about events in the environmental area - good and bad. Information about the environmental movement. - National Tree Day
When it is, what is happening, how you can be involved. -
People & Planet
‘peopleandplanet.net provides a global review and internet gateway into the issues of population, poverty, health, consumption and the environment’. Lastest news, specific topics, commentary, gallery, more.