Over 500 Year 5 and 6 students from 14 schools across the region participated in environmental education workshops and activities held by 18 presenters from local businesses and organisations.

They could also add to a pledge board for their commitments to Go Make A Difference.

Green Day coordinator, Vivien Howard, said the key take-home messages were around the themes of biodiversity, energy, waste and water.

“The kids could pledge would they would do for the environment and there were a number of workshops that had messages, such as ‘I can GoMAD by reducing my energy consumption’, and ‘improving the quality of water that goes down the drain’,” she said.

“We had activities on; wind energy, protecting local habitats by protecting hollows; eating locally and growing your own food as a way of reducing energy consumption comparing distances.”

Keynote speaker this year was Ruben Meerman - a.k.a the Surfing Scientist - who is a popular science communicator, educator and television regular.

In addition to demonstrations on lasers and liquid nitrogen, he also incorporated an environmental message and suggested a number of ways the students can ‘GoMAD’.

“His presentation on plastics and wildlife eating them really resonated with the kids as well,” Vivien said.

The event continued its partnership with Sculptures in the Garden with the building of two life size horse sculptures out of sticks.

These will then become part of the central sculptural display over the SIG weekend before being sold with the proceeds going to the Eurunderee School.

Green Day is run with assistance from Mid-Western Regional Council, Central Tablelands Local Land Services, Red Hill Environmental Education Centre and Niche Environment and Heritage.