Community Action Network

Tweed Shire Council is facilitating a Community Action Network to support individuals and community groups in positive steps towards climate action. With a focus on place-based solutions, enabling existing community groups and providing resources and education, Council would like the forums to empower individuals and groups to take action and progress projects.

At each forum, we ask the questions:

  1. What can I do to take action? (What resources, skills, time or passions can I contribute?)
  2. What groups already exist responding to this issue?
  3. What project/s can we progress and what support will make it happen?

Our forum topics are based on the intersection between impact and interest:

  • What topics impact climate change and reduce our emissions?
  • What topics are community members most passionate about?


The Community Action Network followed an in-depth research and engagement project with Griffith University's Climate Action Beacon, Climate Ready Tweed.

This video, produced by Griffith University, is a great summary of the approach we're taking for the Community Action Network.

Tweed Shire Council is facilitating a Community Action Network to support individuals and community groups in positive steps towards climate action. With a focus on place-based solutions, enabling existing community groups and providing resources and education, Council would like the forums to empower individuals and groups to take action and progress projects.

At each forum, we ask the questions:

  1. What can I do to take action? (What resources, skills, time or passions can I contribute?)
  2. What groups already exist responding to this issue?
  3. What project/s can we progress and what support will make it happen?

Our forum topics are based on the intersection between impact and interest:

  • What topics impact climate change and reduce our emissions?
  • What topics are community members most passionate about?


The Community Action Network followed an in-depth research and engagement project with Griffith University's Climate Action Beacon, Climate Ready Tweed.

This video, produced by Griffith University, is a great summary of the approach we're taking for the Community Action Network.

Share your sustainability story

There are so many people in the community already getting it done for sustainability! We want to hear your story about your experiences or projects that you have been involved in. 

Where possible, include:

  1. Who was involved?
  2. What was the purpose?
  3. What did you do?
  4. What was the outcome?
  5. Got any images? Photos tell great stories too. 

Stories will be moderated by the Tweed Shire Council team before being published. You can enable or disable comments on your story.

Thank you for sharing your sustainability story with us and inspiring others. It has been submitted for moderation.  

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  • Danish students from Kingscliff TAFE investigate seaweed as a plastic alternative

    by JaneMoad, about 2 years ago

    Danish technology students visiting a Cultural Study Tour at Kingscliff TAFE last year enjoyed a range of learning programs whilst experiencing Australian culture and lifestyles. This initiative is in collaboration with the Aalborg Technical College in Denmark. In their Technology Unit, the students worked on options to replace single-use petroleum-based soft plastics with seaweed bioplastic.

    The students looked into the use of seaweed in applications such as nutraceuticals and foods, animal feed, bioremediation, aquaculture biofuel and bioplastic.

    Bioplastic in particular has become a priority for many industries as an alternative to petroleum-based plastic.

    Reducing plastic use and plastic pollution is... Continue reading

    Danish technology students visiting a Cultural Study Tour at Kingscliff TAFE last year enjoyed a range of learning programs whilst experiencing Australian culture and lifestyles. This initiative is in collaboration with the Aalborg Technical College in Denmark. In their Technology Unit, the students worked on options to replace single-use petroleum-based soft plastics with seaweed bioplastic.

    The students looked into the use of seaweed in applications such as nutraceuticals and foods, animal feed, bioremediation, aquaculture biofuel and bioplastic.

    Bioplastic in particular has become a priority for many industries as an alternative to petroleum-based plastic.

    Reducing plastic use and plastic pollution is an urgent matter. Plastic makes up approximately 80% of global marine debris, equivalent to around 14 million tonnes of plastic entering oceans every year, posing threats to our marine life through illness, injury and death from plastic ingestion or entanglement (IUCN 2021).

    Seaweed produced in regenerative aquaculture has a range of benefits: its production does not use arable land (land used to grow crops) and there is no need for freshwater, fertiliser, pesticides or herbicides. Seaweed bioplastics are also readily biodegradable and compostable.

    Students examined the potential role for seaweed bioplastics by designing and making a range of products including disposable gloves, plastic film, laminating pouches and a range of food packaging such as food wraps for sushi, sandwiches and sweets.

    One of the groups created their own version of water bubbles, a type of edible capsule made from seaweed
     plastic that contains drinking water. Water bubbles have been used to replace water bottles in events like marathons.

    The TAFE students observed that even though bioplastics can be a better alternative to petroleum-based plastic, further investigation is needed to determine and test bioplastic’s suitability. The students highlighted the need to shift best practice and behaviours towards choices that have the least environmental impact, such as reusable water bottles, cutlery and metal straws.

    The students linked their project with some of the United Nations 2023 Sustainable Development Goals; Climate Action (goal 13), Life below Water (goal 14), and Life on Land (goal 15).

    TAFE teacher Aaron Carle, and course coordinator Isabela Keski-Frantti, passionate ambassadors of marine life and youth education, were delighted to see the students embrace solutions-driven science initiatives.

    Isabella has been a participant in Tweed Shire Council’s Community Action Network and Tweed Sustainability Awards and is passionate and engaged on sustainability issues.

    Isabela said: “Our students have done presentations on a range of seaweed applications, and have made seaweed bioplastic, designed and created an end product to substitute petroleum-based single-use soft plastic items. It's been great!”

    Student E.A was pleased with the learning and said: “I will take my knowledge about the benefits of seaweed with me in other situations surrounding the climate change and the environment generally.”

Page last updated: 25 Jul 2025, 09:27 AM