As individuals growing up in Australia on what are the traditional lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung Peoples, Yorta Yorta Peoples, Turrbal Peoples and Yuggera Peoples, where the hole in the ozone layer was, and continues to be a living and impacting reality, Project Auske Director’s Bridget and Joseph have across the past four decades tried to live by the principles of REDUCE. REUSE. RECYCLE. This mantra forms the central pillars of Project Auske’s Environmental Responsibility Strategy / Rider.

Project Auske respectfully recognises that there is much to learn from the ancient knowledge of first nations peoples, and will continually seek to grow in this knowledge to inform actions.

Project Auske recognises that this Strategy / Rider will evolve with increased learning, and experience, and adapt to urgencies in the world in the future. Project Auske is guided by its values of Belief, Inquiry, Resourcefulness and Care (https://www.projectauske.com/vision-mission-values). We are all working towards better ways, and will continually support ourselves and others to show up, learn and grow.

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Key ideas, processes and actions that add to the three pillars of REDUCE. REUSE. RECYCLE 

Reduce

• Tell governments and companies of the standards we want by our consumer choices and voicing concerns.

• Turn down single use items and items made from unsustainable materials.

• Minimise consumption from the outset.

Remember

• Actively carrying reusable items e.g. water bottles, cutlery, coffee cup, cloth shopping bag.

Respect

• This is an underlying principle that motivates actions - respect for self, humans, more-than-humans, the planet, the past, and the future. 

• Anti-harassment and anti-oppression in the workplace, whether in person or virtual, in writing or verbal. A commitment that all partners shall be cared for and treated with respect and safer spaces enforced. Zero percent policy of tolerating abusive or disparaging, sexual or psychological, verbal or physical assaults, or isolation. 

• Nondiscrimination for every aspect of engagement. A power analysis guides our exchanges towards treating all with integrity.

• Intercultural awareness takes time and as such we do not rush into collaborations until trust has been developed and reciprocity is built into each partnership.

• This aligns with Project Auske’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Policy.

Regrow. Restore. Regenerate

• Taking actions that contribute to healing the destruction that has occurred.

• Actively plan for time to contribute to reforestation and replenishment of our natural resources.

Rethink

• Reinvent how things are used.

• Understand the recycling practices and schemes where we are so we can actively take part.

• Scope, calculate and compare options e.g. travel.

Repair

• Think first ‘how can I fix this’.

• Donate usable items.

Remake

• Upcycle.

• Purchase items made from recycled materials.

Redefine

• Adapt aesthetics, design elements, and program structures to retain eco-responsive priorities and engagement that centers belonging.

As a part of these pillars, Project Auske will work towards a circular economy. Melbourne University define this as:

“The circular economy is an economic model where we use products for as long as possible and then recover and regenerate materials at the end of their life.

In a traditional linear economy, products are made, used and then disposed, ending up in landfill or the natural environment. As the earth’s resources are shrinking, and our population growing, we recognise the global need to reduce our rates of consumption…”

https://sustainablecampus.unimelb.edu.au/reduce-reuse-recycle

Environmental responsibility comes into all aspects of Project Auske’s work. The below includes current practices and practices that are implemented in various working contexts.

• Design choices (materials, sourcing).

• Project management (how to reduce and offset impact as well as offer solutions to partner venues in projects’ technical riders, ie. water dispensers instead of single-use water bottles).

• Productions and touring (reduce footprint during research & development, and creation of new work, along with tour planning by choosing sustainable options, ie. hotels with kitchens to avoid take out waste, etc.).

• Digital archives and online distribution (ie. store files on external hard drives to avoid dependency on the cloud, etc.).

• Working with environmental guidelines within Project Auske’s communication strategy. that includes environmental guidelines.

• Promoting environmentally responsible travel to audiences and participants, by providing information on how to get to us. Include this in all marketing and information assets.

• Choosing sustainable and renewable electricity and gas providers when in control of this.