Jeannie wins environment award

Umina resident Ms Jeannie Lawson has been awarded the Pride of Australia Environment Medal for the time and effort she has put into projects aimed at protecting the marine environment.

Ms Lawson was nominated by a friend who had witnessed the effort she put into her environmental projects which involved 30 to 70 hours of volunteer work each week.

"I tried to discourage her from putting in the form, but she did it anyway," Ms Lawson said.

"I know that I do put in a lot of time and energy to the things that I am passionate about, such as the marine environment," she said.

Ms Lawson was informed that she had been nominated when she was contacted by a Sydney newspaper, but was not told she had won the prize until she was on stage with the other two finalists.

"It really was quite a shock when they read my name out as the winner," Ms Lawson said.

Ms Lawson said she had mixed feelings about winning.

She said many people had contacted her to congratulate her and tell her she deserved to win, but she does not think she has done anything special.

"I am sure there are lots of others out there putting in just as much time to the community in various ways," Ms Lawson said.

"I think it is important for each of us to make a difference in our community in whatever way you can - the ocean and its life are my chosen projects."

Ms Lawson said she hoped winning the award would give her cause more credibility and that her group Ocean and Coastal Care Initiatives would benefit from it.

According to Ms Lawson, more attention needs to be given to the issues and conservation of the marine environment, from both the community and decision makers.

She said that part of what drove her to do volunteer work was other people realising there was a problem but not being willing to do anything about it.

"My pet hate is when I hear someone say 'Someone should do something about that'," Ms Lawson said.

Her advice was: "Get out there and make the change that is needed to make things better.

"Stop relying on 'someone else'," she said.

Email, 2 Sep 2011 Jeannie Lawson, Umina Beach