Eric Bollen

When you find the rare ones willing to initiate change, one must support them

What was the most valuable thing you got out of CSL?

I got the skills and confidence to kick start Green Schools Australia

Why are you passionate about sustainability? What was the moment or event that made you decide to become a 'change maker' in your field?

I've always been a Greenie - lover of the Earth and being outside, but my interest in actually doing something with and for this love was really ignited by the birth of my two children and my concerns for the sort of world they are going to inherit.

How did CSL play a role in directing your current path or project?

I already had the project in mind, but CSL connected me with three other intelligent, capable, committed people of integrity who helped kick start the enormous project of founding a school in the Northern Rivers. They gave me support and confidence and RELP provided some of the hard skills involved in bringing people along.

Why is leadership for sustainability is important?

Most people are content to just float along. When you find the rare ones willing to initiate change, one must support them.

What do you plan to do next on your sustainability journey?

The road to building Australia's first Green School is long, steep and rocky. I am doing what I used to do when I climbed mountains. Head down, one step at a time, stop along the way and enjoy the view, keep my eye on the summit.