VIDEO: Jon Dee presenting 'Unleashing the power of trees for healthier communities'

On October 25 this year, the Environment Institute and Green Adelaide had the pleasure of hosting Mr Jon Dee for a public lecture on ‘Unleashing the power of trees for healthier communities’, another instalment in our Hope and Wonder Series.

Jon, who is the co-founder of National Tree Day and One Tree Per Child, explained that our cities and towns must dramatically increase their tree cover and protect existing trees and habitat. He took us on a journey through his successful tree initiatives that have planted tens of millions of trees, and along the way created safer and healthier communities. And then we learnt how you can join the push to create greener communities that improve health and wellbeing for humans and wildlife alike.

The presentation was followed by a Q&A session facilitated by the Environment Institute's Professor Andrew Lowe; and included Jon Dee; Professor Veronica Soebarto, Research Theme Leader - Sustainable Urban and Regional Landscapes at the Environment Institute; and Dr Sheryn Pitman, Project Lead, National Park City, Green Adelaide.

Left to right: Veronica Soebarto, Jon Dee, Andrew Lowe and Sheryn Pitman.

Below are the links mentioned throughout the presentation where you can obtain further information on what Jon has built, what Adelaide and South Australia is doing to become more climate resilient, and what you can do to help:

• Trees for Life: https://treesforlife.org.au/


• One Tree Per Child: https://www.onetreeperchild.com/


• Adelaide Urban Greening strategy: https://www.greenadelaide.sa.gov.au/projects/adelaide-greening-strategy


• Green Adelaide website: https://www.greenadelaide.sa.gov.au/


• Adelaide National Park City website: https://www.adelaidenationalparkcity.org/


• Greater Adelaide Regional Landscape Plan: https://cdn.environment.sa.gov.au/greenadelaide/images/GA-Regional-Landscape-Plan_approved.pdf


• Environment Institute, University of Adelaide: https://www.adelaide.edu.au/environment/


• Environment Institute Urban and Regional Landscapes theme: https://www.adelaide.edu.au/environment/research/urban-and-regional-landscapes


• Trees for Good: https://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/environment/2022/09/14/trees-for-good-project-budding-scientists-barking-up-the-right-tree/


• Landcare Australia: https://landcareaustralia.org.au/


• Treenet: www.treenet.org


• The Forktree Project: www.theforktreeproject.com

In case you missed it, a recording of the entire event is available on our You Tube page.

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaE8wY9fPB8&t=196s[/embed]

About Jon Dee:

Every time an Australian switches on a light, washes their clothes, takes a shower or goes shopping, Jon Dee has reduced the environmental impact of their life.

Jon initiated the ‘Ban The Bulb’ campaign that led to Australia phasing out incandescent globes - a move that’s saved Australians billions of dollars in energy bills. He organised the phasing out of phosphates in laundry detergents and initiated the campaign that led to the phaseout of plastic microbeads in personal care products.

In 2002, Jon launched the first national Australian campaign to ban plastic checkout bags. He co-organised Australia’s first plastic bag ban in Coles Bay Tasmania and helped to roll out the plastic bag ban in South Australia.

Jon’s business sustainability guidebooks have shifted 140,000 copies in Australia. He also co-founded the Planet Ark and DoSomething charities and together with Olivia Newton-John, Jon co-founded National Tree Day and One Tree Per Child. As the initiator of RE100 in Australia, Jon signed up many major companies to commit to go 100% renewable with their electricity use.

As a broadcaster, Jon wrote, produced and presented 115 episodes of Smart Money - a live TV program where he showed companies how sustainability improves the bottom line. Jon is the current Chair of the Forest Stewardship Council ANZ - the leading forest certification scheme in Australia and New Zealand.