Sustainable Living

Living For Our Future Program

Residents are invited to the next round of Living for our Future workshops, which will be held from September to December. 
These free interactive workshops provide practical eco tips that are simple, efficient and don’t cost the earth. Learn how to ‘think green’ when it comes to house cleaning, saving water and reducing domestic energy bills. Participants will also receive free product samples and enjoy delicious organic refreshments at every workshop.

The workshop topics are:

• Water in the home and garden
• Energy in the home
• Green cleaning and healthy homes

Council also hosts a new series of Green Seminars that are ideal for people who are thinking of taking the next step toward sustainable living. The seminars provide more specific, technical and individually-tailored information on a range of topics such as installing solar power in the home.

These one-off seminars will feature a range of expert presenters, and attendees will be able to obtain independent advice from service providers in the accompanying trade show display.

The seminar topics are:

• Green homes and renovations
• Solar solutions for the home
• Green vehicles and sustainable transport

The program is run by Council, in partnership with the National Centre for Sustainability at Swinburne University.

It is also sponsored by Sustainability Victoria, VISY and Melbourne Water.

You can either register to attend as an individual, or you can submit an expression of interest for your community group/ school parents' associations to host the program at their venue. 

Each workshop will have a maximum of 40 participants, each who are encouraged to attend one of each of the four different workshops. 

Early registration is encouraged to ensure you receive a place. More workshops may be scheduled if there is sufficient interest.

Please call our Environmental Planning team on 9278 4347 or livingforfuture@boroondara.vic.gov.au if you have any enquiries on the Living for our Future program.

Living For Our Future Expression of Interest Form
To register your interest in attending the workshops please complete the following form.

Living For Our Future Workshop and Seminar Expression of Interest Form - Individual Registration
To register your interest in attending the workshops or seminars please complete the following form.

Water in the home and garden workshop notes
Download a copy of the notes distributed in the Living For Our Future workshops on Water in the home and garden.

Energy in the home workshop notes
Download a copy of the notes distributed in the Living For Our Future workshops on Energy in the home.

Waste workshop notes
Download a copy of the notes on Waste distributed in the Living For Our Future workshops on Waste and sustainable consumption.

Sustainable consumption workshop notes
Download a copy of the notes on Sustainable Consumption distributed in the Living For Our Future workshops on Waste and sustainable consumption.

Sustainable Transport

Cycling in Boroondara
Read all about how to cycle sustainably in Boroondara

Sustainability on Display

There are a number of examples of residential and commercial green buildings in Melbourne. Many of these can be visited by the public.

Location details and website links are listed below.

60L Building

An example of a premier green commercial building in Australia, unique in its approach to energy and water consumption and the use of recycled and re-used materials during construction.

WHERE: 60 Lygon St, Carlton

WHEN: Public tours upon arrangement

WEBSITE: see link below

Origin Energy Eco-House

This house shows examples of alterations that can be made to improve the environmental sustainability of an existing home.

It has working examples of a:

• Grid interactive PV power system
• Passive solar extension and additions
• Displays of insulation
• Energy efficient appliances
• Low embodied energy construction
• Natural floor coverings and finishes
• Urban rainwater harvesting
• Greywater system
• Solar hotwater & hydronic heating system
• Permaculture garden with low water tolerant plants

WHERE: 8 Lee Street Brunswick East, Melbourne
Melways map reference 30 B7

WEBSITE: see link below

The Port Phillip EcoCentre - Ecohouse Project

The Ecohouse is designed to be a model sustainable site, focusing on water, energy and waste management, building and garden design.

The Ecohouse:

• Promotes sound living practices
• Supplies its own energy and is energy efficient
• Incorporates non-toxic, recycled and local materials
• Collects its own water and transforms its waste water into a resource

WHERE: The EcoCentre is located in the St Kilda Botanical Gardens. Cnr Herbert and Blessington Streets, St Kilda, Victoria. Melways map reference 58 B11

WEBSITE: see link below

Buildsmart - Sustainable Building Education Centre

The BuildSmart Show House demonstrates that a comfortable living environment that complements the Australian contemporary lifestyle can be achieved at an affordable price using sustainable materials and design.

WEBSITE: see link below

60L building
Information on this commercial green building located on 60 Lygon St, Carlton

BuildSmart Sustainable Show House Website
This page provides information about the BuildSmart Sustainable Show House.

Origin Energy Eco-House
The Origin Energy Eco-House is an example of what improvements can be made through retrofitting to improve the environmental sustainability of an existing home.

Sustainable House Day
Find out when you can next visit a sustainable house on display as part of Sustainable House Day.

Sustainable Schools

Information and resources for schools on environmental issues, including the Waterwatch program.

Sustainable Schools Website
The Gould League offers the Sustainable Schools program to schools throughout Victoria.

Waterwatch
Interested in knowing more about the health of your local waterway? Why not get involved in Waterwatch - a community based, water quality monitoring programme.

Useful Links

Below are a list of website links where you can find additional information on sustainable living.

It's a Living Thing
Sustainable living tips and resources provided by the NSW Environment Trust.

Save Water Website
Water saver tips, tricks and case studies for domestic, commercial and agricultural use.

The Municipal Association of Victoria

Fact Sheets

Download fact sheets on Boroondara's natural environment and becoming more environmentally sustainable at home.

Water in the home and garden
Find out what decisions you can make in the home and garden to reduce your demand on Melbourne's water supply.

Energy in the home
Discover how to reduce your greenhouse emissions by reducing your energy use in the home.

Waste in and around the home
Find out how you make smarter decisions about what is a resource and what is waste.

Sustainable consumption
Read about how your consumption choices are affecting the environment and make informed choices about the way you consume.

Healthy homes
Find out how to manage a healthy environment in the home and achieve greater wellbeing and a healthier community.

Transport
Learn about how your travel choices impact the environment and how you can make decisions on the way you travel that will be more environmentally sustainable.

Foxes
Foxes prey on small mammals and other animals, and are an elusive and adaptive species that can survive in dry conditions.

Platypus
Find out what to do if you encounter one of the world's most unusual animals, the platypus.

Possums
For many people in Boroondara, sharing the garden and roof of their house with possums is commonplace.

Snakes
Find out how to deal with snakes around the home.

Swooping Birds
Find out why native birds swoop and how to avoid swooping.