Help build the Eco Connect directory

Hi there, I'm Matt, a member of the EnviroPunks. A group of 8 City of Port Philip (CoPP) Environmental Leaders that formed in June 2021. We're working together to help get every resident of CoPP engaged in sustainable living and community climate action.

 

EnviroPunks from left: Deborah Punton, Karen Elsbury, Matt Bray, David Fage.

Not pictured: Cristina Gaybor, Jane Campton, Jane Wong, Liam Gook.

 

This is our first project, Eco Connect, a hyperlocal directory of all of the environmental organisations in CoPP to help them grow, recruit and flourish. Once you uncover what is already happening in your community you'll find that climate action truly is at your doorstep.

 

This is a critical decade for the planet so we want to give CoPP residents and visitors every opportunity available to participate.

 

Why Eco Connect?

66 % of volunteers stopped volunteering during the pandemic. This amounts to an estimated loss of 12.2 million hours per week of volunteer work. This decline has had a profound and ongoing impact across the sector.

 

4 out of 5 people volunteer from home or in their local (geographic) community.

 

87.3% of organisations cited word of mouth as the most frequently cited strategy organisations used to recruit volunteers, followed by website/social media at 67.4%

 

A lot of these organisations often don't have the time, energy or knowledge to find the resources they need to recruit, sustain and amplify their work. We want to make that part a little easier with this free to use tool. We're all volunteers and have done a lot of work already but now need to invest in some expert help to ensure Eco Connect website delivers a smooth and rewarding experience.

 

That's were YOU come in

 

We have contracted digital agency Annix to design and build the website and need to raise funds to cover this cost. They have specialised skills relevant for this project and a lovely team helping us out. The CoPP Council generously kicked off the project with a $2,640 grant but we still need another $11,000 to complete stage 1 .

 

Your donations will help build this new community run platform for the planet. Help us create the Eco Connect platform and connect with the CoPP sustainable living and climate action community.

Why just the City of Port Phillip. What about my area?
We have looked at other great initiatives engaging the volunteer community and have found there are challenges when trying to cater for everybody and everywhere. CoPP Eco Connect will be packed with content and opportunities for local residents and organisations and run by local community members that understand the needs of the area. Our vision is to get Eco Connect established and operating successfully before connecting with other councils/communities and help them set up their own community run directories.

 

Who are the EnviroPunks?

Cristina Gaybor - Cristina plans to start a repair/recycle/upcycle CoPP community to keep hard rubbish out of landfill. Less trash, more treasure!

David Fage - Dave loves exploring ways people can become more environmentally engaged at home, even when they are renting. He volunteers his time to find ways to make his apartment block more environmentally efficient and community centric. Home is where Dave's heart is.

Deborah Punton - member of the Port Phillip Eco Centre  and volunteer with many local community groups. Deb has been engaged in community climate action long before it was a thing on Instagram.

Jane Campton - our legal eagle, Jane worked as a barrister and is now looking to get on community boards to grease the wheels of climate action.

Jane Wong - Jane finds gaps in community services and works to fill those gaps. From creating a burnout toolkit to facilitating Covid vaccinations for marginalised communities Jane has too many projects to list.

Karen Elsbury - Kaz runs the Elwood Kitchen Library to curb unnecessary appliance purchases and provide sustainable entertainment kits to reduce waste for party hosts.

Liam Gook - Liam doesn't live in CoPP but is such a nice dude he gets a pass. He runs Wayward Wanderers sustainability tours and works for Oz Harvest. Liam is keen to help other people develop their own projects with what he has learnt over the years.

Matt Bray - Matt runs a purpose driven creative studio supporting a global network of organisations involved in climate action and Creative Director at Comms Declare , an organisation encouraging advertising agencies to Declare for the climate and stop greenwashing for fossil fuel clients.

 

The EnviroPunks respectfully acknowledge the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of this nation, the traditional custodians of Australia. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past and present. We are committed to honouring Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society. The EnviroPunks operate on the land of the Boon Wurrung people of the Kulin nation. Always was, always will be, Aboriginal land.

 

Find out more at http://artdisrupt.com/ecoconnect/