Environmental initiatives at the National Museum of Australia

The promotion of ecologically sustainable development is woven through the content of the Museum's exhibitions, as well as programs designed for students, and programs for the public.

• Old New Land gallery emphasises the interrelationship between humans and the environment, particularly in 'Australians Living Inland', which explores the relationship of three communities (Kalgoorlie, Wagga Wagga and Alice Springs) to their environment and water sustainability.
• Pass the Salt, a website feature on salinity in the Wagga Wagga region of New South Wales.
• The National Museum of Australia is redeveloping two of its permanent galleries. Australian Journeys will open late this year in the space previously occupied by the Horizons gallery. Creating a Country is scheduled to open at the end of 2009 in the area currently occupied by the Nation gallery. Both new galleries include some objects and stories that demonstrate environmentally friendly ways of living.

The Museum contributes both funding and expertise to the protection and improvement of the Canberra environment via partnerships with:

• The Australian National University
• Australian National Botanic Gardens
• CSIRO Black Mountain
• Environment ACT
• Lower Sullivans Creek Catchment Group
• National Capital Authority

One example of these partnerships in action is the Museum's contribution to a nationally significant survey project that aims to develop a biodiversity management plan for the Lower Sullivans Creek Catchment area at the Australian National University campus in Canberra.

The Museum also supports greenMuseum, a group of concerned staff who meet regularly to discuss environmental issues, and to foster change both within the workplace and at home. Members of greenMuseum represent a large cross section of staff who support the Museum in taking better care of the earth and were formally recognised by the Museum's Executive in June 2007. The main aim of greenMuseum is to encourage awareness and support of sustainability issues. Some achievements to date include:

• organising regular Ride to Work days including participation in the National Ride to Work Day.
• providing tips via the Museum's intranet on ways to reduce work and home environmental footprints.
• setting up a car pooling roster.
• collecting ideas from staff on ways to make the workplace more sustainable and acting upon these wherever possible.

The Museum is committed to conserving natural resources and minimising its impact on the environment. It undertakes a range of environmentally conscious initiatives.

> View the Museum's Environmental Management Policy (PDF 74kb)

Energy consumption
The Museum tracks the energy usage of the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system at the Acton site and this data is used to enable the Museum to improve its energy management strategies. Some initiatives already happening at the Museum include:

• The Museum purchases 10 per cent of its electricity from renewable energy sources.
• A review is underway of chiller operations to ensure they match building load and demand.
• There is an ongoing program to change lighting in the exhibition and administration areas, by replacing 50 watt dichroic lighting with 35 watt lighting that provides a broader light output at a reduced lux level. Lighting products are continually reviewed to seek more efficient alternatives.
• Photoelectric cells were installed on all external lights to reduce their use.

Recycling
The Museum recycles paper, cardboard, toner cartridges and glass/plastic bottles in the administration areas. Recycling bins are provided in all public and staff areas.

Water use
The Museum is currently investigating the use of waterless and hybrid urinals. Watering has been reduced in all outdoor areas.

Carbon offset
The Museum is a member of Greenfleet, a not-for-profit organisation that plants trees in nearby forests to offset carbon emissions from our vehicle fleet.

Cleaning chemicals
All cleaning chemicals used by the Museum's cleaning contractors meet the specifications set out in AS/ANZ ISO 14001:1996 'Environmental Management Systems - Specification with guidance for use' and AS/ANZ ISO 14004:1996 'Environmental Management Systems - General guidelines of principles, systems, and supporting techniques'.

Ongoing review
A mechanism to monitor and review performance is an integral part of this system. A review of the targets and objectives is carried out annually to ensure that the Environmental Management System remains relevant to Museum operations and continues to meet changing government requirements.

On Saturday 29 March 2008 a global warming initiative - Earth Hour - took place in Australia and around the world. All households, communities and businesses were invited to participate.

On that date, from 8 to 9pm, major cities around the world turned off their lights for one hour. The aim of the initiative was to raise awareness of climate change and show that it is possible to take global action on global warming.

The Museum participated in Earth Hour and turned off all non-essential lights, computers, appliances and other electrical equipment.

Axis restaurant, in the Museum's Acton building also participated in Earth Hour by using candlelight between 8 and 9pm and creating an environmentally sustainable menu for the evening.