Sustainability Street

Our ‘Sustainability Street’ program will pick up momentum this year as it extends from focusing on residents within a street to an entire suburb. Council facilitates the process and provides some financial support, resources and helps to build a community connection which is vital to achieve the goals which the community will set. The program aims to save residents money on their power and water bills, provides guidance on growing their own chemical free vegies, advice on how to reduce household waste and works at creating a safer community for families in which to live.

The launch of the Sustainable Suburb program will be held at Mt St Thomas Public School on Saturday (19 May) from 11am – 4pm. All interested Mt St Thomas residents are urged to attend.

Want to bring Sustainability Street to your suburb, Mt St Thomas?

• enhance the beauty of your street;
• save $$ MONEY $$ on your power and water bills;
• grow your own chemical free vegies;
• learn how easy it is to reduce your waste;
• create a safer community for your family to live in;
• give your local environment a big boost;
• make new friends and have heaps of fun in the process!

Sustainability Street - a program recreating community and restoring the environment in your own suburb

What’s it all about?

• Open to all residents in Mt St Thomas;
• This project has something for everyone. It’s about stronger community links and experiences. It’s about assisting a group of local residents to work together to create the most sustainable local environment and community that they can;
• The project works on a number of different levels – from training sessions to help you save money and resources at home, to encouraging a ‘village’ approach towards teamwork and living more sustainably;
• It builds upon the desire to live in harmony with our environment and helps empower everyone involved to improve their quality of life whilst caring for the environment;
• The focus is enjoyment, learning and work - in that order! Food and drink is provided at sessions and some financial support is available to help groups achieve the community goals that they have set.positive attitudes and community culture are developed through education and action planning;
• It’s about helping communities realise their vision by providing support, resources and building community connections;
• Sustainability Street in your suburb is facilitated by Wollongong City Council and supported by a range of community and government agencies;
• There have been 8 Sustainability Street groups in past programs - all of these communities have revolutionised the way they live and are transforming their local environment;
• Share expertise and resources in your local area. You will be amazed at the depth of knowledge and range of skills in your own neighbourhood!
• Link into the resources that your Council can provide and receive advice on regulations and guidelines.

The experience involves four steps over six months:

1. Mulch: Learning new skills about sustainability and developing community networks
2. Sow: Planning for the “Big Picture” – creating a vision and setting timeliness and priorities.
3. Grow: Implementation or “doing” – putting the plan into action with heaps of fun and activity thrown in
4. Harvest: Reaping the rewards of the program and encouraging others to get involved and activate similar projects in their streets!