Runcorn State School's tuckshop has been stocked with more
environmentally friendly food products after year 7 student
Nicholas Buddle discovered noodles on sale contained palm oil from
farms which replace habitat of the threatened orangutan.
Climate Change and Sustainability Minister Kate Jones presented
Nicholas with the top award at the inaugural Green Lane Diary
Environmental Hero Awards, held at the Queensland Museum.
"Nicholas has shown real leadership and helped his whole school
community to become more sustainable," Ms Jones said.
"After learning about the plight of orangutans, and the effect of
the palm oil industry on this fragile species, he set out to make a
difference and take environmentally unsustainable products off the
shelves.
"Thanks to Nicholas, all foods now sold at the tuckshop are
sustainable or of fair trade value."
Ms Jones said the Green Lane Diary awards, coordinated by Green
Cross Australia, had inspired more than 14,000 students from over
200 schools across Queensland to take action on a range of
environmental issues.
"The aim of these awards was to empower young people to respond to
environmental change," she said.
"Today's awards ceremony has demonstrated how young people across
the state can make a big difference.
"We want to encourage the youth of today, as the leaders of
tomorrow, to help raise awareness of these issues and suggest ways
we could do things better.
"Today's youth are the environmental stewards of the future, so
it's vital that we listen to, and support them in their efforts to
protect our environment.
"That's what these awards are all about, and it's great to see the
results are making a difference."