NAGA/DVC Project in Year 2007

In Partnership with the Northern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (NAGA) and the Department of Victorian Communities (DVC), we have had the privilege of “mentoring” 16 new Sustainability Street Villages into being across the northwest of Melbourne.

Some events and activities in 2007:

Sumner Estate Sustainability Street Festival, 21st of October.

Sustainability Street Mentor workshop (graduation) - on Saturday, 20th of October, Batman Park Hall, Northcote (Melway Ref Map 30 D7, Opposite House #71, Arthurton Road, Northcote. ).

Train the Mentor Course Session 1, Saturday September 8th ,9.45am – 3.30pm, Batman Park Hall, Northcote.

Darebin Hub Meeting was on Thursday 16th August. Graduation and Seed funding was on the Agenda.

Darebin Sustainability Street Hub Graduation Rooftop Room Northcote Town Hall, High St, Northcote. Thursday 16th August 7.00 pm – 9.00 pm.

Parkville Meeting will be 7:30pm – 9:00pm, Tuesday, 31st, July, 2007 at Walmsley House. Theme will be compiling a list of the Hardiest plants in Parkville to publish so people can plan more environmentally sound gardens.

Carlton Meeting will be 7:00pm – 9:00pm, Thursday, 26th, July, 2007 at Carlton Primary School. The theme is Green Advocacy.

Darebin Hub Meeting right after Al Gore Slide Show was at 7:00pm – 9:00pm, Monday, 18th, June at Northcote Town Hall, High St, Northcote. It’s all about Solar.

Parkville Meeting was at 7:30pm – 9:30pm, Tuesday, 26th, June, 2007 at Walmsley House. Current Projects and their delivery will be the main issue.

16/08/2007  Darebin Hub Graduation

Sometimes we get so caught up in the small picture that we don’t take time to look at the bigger picture . Part of the Sustainability Street Graduation Ceremony was a reflection on what Sustainability Street has become in peoples lives, local areas and on a broader scale. The outcomes were amazing.

Let the quotes speak for the whole.

“I used to know 40% of the street, now I know 90%.” “We never knew these people before Sustainability Street, now we leave our keys with them when we go away.” “I can’t go outside and weed the lawn anymore. I spend all my time talking”“Now I go down the street to buy milk and spend most of my time chatting” “We had a Christmas party and almost the whole street turned up.” “Even though they never came to the meetings, just the talk in the street influenced their behaviour.” “We haven’t really got a project up and running but everyone’s individual actions are being influenced by the principles of Sustainability Street.” “Somehow the conversation always ends up on Sustainability and what we can do to help.” “People from streets away want to come and join our Sustainability Street.”

There were many stories of community interaction which didn’t exist prior to Sustainability Street. The social spin-offs and small environmental wins were eye opening. The most common theme of all the stories was a stronger well connected community with a focus on the environment and a desire to make things happen. Way to Sow.
We would like to thank Councillor Mendo Kundevski for his participation as the Vice Chancellor of the Sustainability Street Communiversity and his ongoing support throughout the program.

31/07/2007 Planting the Seeds

The initial focus of the meeting was the plants that have thrived in Parkville. People bought along their  thriving plants to be identified and catalogued and possibly “weeded” out, so they can be used in a publication the group are planning to put out. The idea is to help local residents to plant gardens that have a greater chance to survive as well as using less water and featuring local plants by having a brochure available with a list of Parkville’s Survivors in it.

It was then on to some preparation for the planned Showerhead exchange on September 30th to coincide with the Royal Park Planting Day. 

The final discussion was about how the group had come together to learn and get to know each other, had made some changes in the own lives, were now in the planning stage, and ready to start a few projects which will influence the local community. Mulch, Grow, Harvest, Sow at it’s best. 

26/07/2007
The Politics of the Environment

Sustainability Street Carlton presented the latest in their series of environmental  workshops on Thursday. The Focus of this Workshop was Environmental Advocacy. The workshop was delivered by Louise Morris from Environment Victoria.

Louise covered a range of topics including how to advocate environmental concerns to politicians and organisations while maintaining an environmental stance rather than adopting a political stance. 

One of the great tools Louise demonstrated for doing this was
 http://www.thebigswitch.org.au a website which allows people to source information which is relevant to them and their local area, as well as providing the ability to lobby and engage politicians without becoming party political.

Many thanks to Louise and all the other Sustainability Street presenters who have given so freely of their time to help educate others.

06/07/2007
Welcome to the Neighbourhood

Sustainability Street Epping formed around a Community Garden in the grounds of Peter Lalor Secondary College.  Thanks to a wonderful partnership between Whittlesea Council, Peter Lalor Secondary College, Whittlesea Community Connections, the Burundi Community and all the partners involved in the NAGA Sustainability Street Project.

The community will now come together on a regular basis to tend the Garden, share their knowledge, learn about the three areas of daily focus “Waste, Water and Energy” and how they can take simple actions to reduce their impact on the planet. The Garden will also function as a social hub where work and community are equally important.

One of the principals of Sustainability Street is reconnection with nature. Most members of this community came from farming backgrounds and have been a long time without that connection to the land. They are now able to reconnect to the land through farming it – again -  together in Epping.

This community and this garden are both in their early stages, any helpyou can give to them will be much appreciated.