sustainability street institute - evaluations & results

			Sustainability Street Institute Inc. 228 Kerr Street Fitzroy VIC 3065
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evaluations & results

Evaluation Summary of Sustainability Street Approach
Since inception in 2002, there has been a great deal of evaluation and survey work done on the Approach.

City of Wollongong and Resource NSW
Ruffey Lake, City of Manningham. VIC
Sustainability Street Western Metro Melbourne Project, VIC
Monash University Household Greenhouse Study
Integral Energy Study, Penrith NSW by NECO

However, and most importantly is that the behavior change is subsequent to a "transformative" rather than transmissive education experience. That is, participants "learn how to learn" about living more and more sustainably. The SSA brings about a values reevaluation among participants at the deepest personal level involving identity, belonging and relationships to family, friends and precious new neighbours - who've actually lived down the road for years.

“This is particularly significant given that research indicates that education passed on by friends, family and workmates, termed ‘community based social marketing is more likely to be adopted than information passed on by organizations that a person had no direct connection to” as this is so called by Resource NSW as The Multiplier Effect.
(For details of community based social marketing refer to info at www.cbsm.com)

Here is a table… for a reference of the de facto

Community	Water Reduction	Waste Reduction	Energy Reduction	Gas Reduction
Wollongong	26%	35%	18%
Manningham	13.5%	33%	13%	10%
West Melbourne	26%	33%	13%

And maybe … a rethink towards our sustainable lives in the neighbourhood at this era

The creation of the Sustainability Street concept has made it possible to extend the boundaries of what one household can do and we believe that as a community a great deal can be achieved.” ------ Margaret, East Keilor
“Sustainability Street will help us to get to a stage where we are comfortable saying hello to our neighbours and even strangers in our street. This is surely the definition of a strong community.”------Hon John Thwaites, Depute Primer of Victoria
“Sustainability Street makes it much easier to put in the extra effort and thought that a life based on sustainable issues needs”------Donne, North Melbourne Suitability Street
“It takes me 40 mins to walk to the corner store now, so many hellos!”-----Jason Cox, Sustainability Street Moreland.

Evaluation Studies Underway
Victoria University and University of New South Wales---Dr Colin Hocking and Dr Phillip Murphy has been engaged to do a detailed evaluation of the sustainable living and community strengthening outcomes, which will be produced from a regional Sustainability Street implementation involving five councils in Melbourne’ s North and eight councils in NSW. This 3 years project and associated evaluation has been founded by the Department of Victorian Communities commencing in 2006.

Villawood Seasons Project---Victoria University has also received funding from Sustainability Victoria and Villawood Properties to evaluate Sustainability Street’s first ever implementation in a brand new green development estate commencing in 2006.

St Lukes Anglicare Research---St Lukes Anglicare Research Department has also received funding from Sustainability Victoria to evaluate the community sustainability outcomes which will be a derivative from the new Sustainability Street Program due to be implemented in the regional satellite city of Bendigo in 2006.

Vox Bandicoot’s Integrated Evaluation Tactics

Bill data analysis---All Sustainability Street participants are asked to fill out a consent form to allow their household’s energy and water data history to be accessed from their energy retailers and water authorities. This provides a firm base of data on household energy and water consumption over time.
Fun with the Heater, Bin and Taps & The Low Waste Limbo.
Mulch-Grow-Harvest-Sow (MGHS)---This SSA Mulch (learning), Grow (doing), Harvest (celebrating), Sow (teaching others) process ensures that the community participants, together with their Mentor, are actively engaged in program evaluation.
Mentor Harvest and Sow Diary---Sustainability Street Mentors ask for individual and group insights as contributors to the Sustainability Street Harvest and Sow Diary at each community.
See the comprehensive evaluation data.

The Sustainability St project has been building better relationships with each other and building a much better relationship with the natural world are the greatest challenges of human history - Sustainability Street ... a new reason to be neighbours.

Some media coverage:
Vic Health
Sunday Age
Sydney Morning Herald
Life Magazine
Green Magazine

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