Don’t Bag the Environment – 2019 Wrap Up

Another year has come and gone for our Paddy Pallin Don’t Bag the Environment program! Our team and customers have come together to say “NO” to a shopping bag in support of our 2019 partner, the Invasive Species Council (ISC). 

When a customer declines to take a shopping bag, Paddy Pallin will donate 20c on their behalf to our nominated Conservation Foundation. In a 12 month period, our stores raised an impressive $12,679.45! To put that into perspective, that is a staggering 63,397 shopping bags that our customers declined to take from our stores. Although Paddy Pallin supports the environment by supplying sustainable, recyclable paper bags, we always encourage our shoppers to say “NO” to a shopping bag.

The native endangered Mountain Pygmy-Possum
Credit: ISC

We launched our partnership with ISC in September 2018 by supporting ‘Protect Australia’, a campaign to highlight the damaging effects of Invasive Species to native plants and wildlife in Australia and ‘Reclaim Kosci’ which was created when the NSW Government announced the Wild Horse Heritage Act in 2018.

In May this year, 3 of our team members visited the Campaign Managers of Reclaim Kosci in the Snowy Mountains National Park to learn more about the threats that the Wild Horses pose on our Alpine environments. After getting more insight into the magnitude of this issue, all staff members came home with a heightened urgency to support our native plants and wildlife given what they had learnt.

Protect Australia- Invasive Species Council

Emma J., Paddy Pallin’s Community Outreach manager has recently caught up with Alison from Reclaim Kosci for an update. Here’s what Alison had to say: 

“The Reclaim Kosci campaign has always been largely community driven campaign. Much of the campaign relies on volunteers that have been hosting letter writing morning teas, attending documentary screenings, giving talks at local clubs and hosting petition signing tables around the state.

The campaign has engaged NSW and interstate politicians to visit the park for themselves and see the widespread impacts on our fragile ecosystems. These field trips have been educational, often with scientists and ex-park managers volunteering their time to attend. The program has had a positive response, with many politicians speaking out against the decision to heritage protect horses within Kosciuszko National Park.

A petition with over 12,000 signatures calling for a repeal of this legislation was introduced into NSW Parliament during an Aboriginal smoking ceremony and debated in NSW Parliament. The viewing gallery completely packed out during the debate with petition supporters travelling from throughout NSW to attend the day, which also included a protest and forum on the issue. The debate was fiery, with speakers from all sides of parliament voicing their stance on the issue. Whilst the NSW Government voted NOT to take note of the petition, since our debate day action looks to finally be happening with the horse issue in Kosciuszko National Park.

Feral Horses in Snowy Mountains National Park.  Credit: Reclaim Kosci

After over 2 years with no horse control methods in the park, the NSW Government have announced the trapping and rehoming program will finally recommence in a camping area within the park. This is a great step forward, but with numbers estimated at 6,000 way back in 2014, this will not make a dent in the current overpopulation of horses.

Representatives for the Kosciuszko National Park Wild Horse Community Advisory Panel  and the Wild Horse Scientific Advisory Panel were announced last week. Whilst it was disappointing to see the Community advisory panel was made up predominantly of people with horse interests (no bushwalkers, skiers or environmental interests), we are hoping the scientific committee will have some weight on this committee and ensure that these horses are managed in a way that will significantly reduce impacts in a humane way.

NSW Labor has introduced a bill to repeal the Kosciuszko Wild Horse Heritage Act, which is being supported by The Greens and the Shooters, Fishers and Farmers Party. We are eagerly awaiting the debate surrounding the repeal of the legislation in parliament.” – Alison S. from Reclaim Kosci 

Paddy Pallin has had a long history of supporting a variety of environmental campaigns ranging from helping to save the Franklin River, protecting the Orange – Bellied Parrot and most recently, closing our stores for the Global Climate Strike.

Paddy Pallin have a history of protecting Native Wildlife like this Spotted-Tail Quoll. Credit: Paddy Pallin Foundation

Environmental conservation is in the heart of Paddy Pallin and we will continue to stand up for what we stand for through our Don’t Bag the Environment initiative.

Stay tuned to learn more about our newest Environmental Partner!

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