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Integrated Sustainability Services

APRIL–MAY 2009

RECENT EVENTS

Putting TBL to work

Everyday, ISS helps councils convert Triple Bottom Line (TBL) theory into tangible action. At this year’s ICLEI Oceania planning and review day the TBL approach was incorporated into the social staff activity, ensuring some of ICLEI Oceania’s goals and values were turned into tangible outcomes.

Various options were put forward for the social staff activity, including a changing the dream session, which helps participants ‘discover new opportunities to make a real difference in accelerating the emergence of an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, and socially just human presence on this planet’.

Other ideas included a working tour of CERES (the environmental education and research park in Brunswick, Victoria) and bicycle repair workshops. The activity finally settled on was a community planting afternoon in one of Melbourne’s inner-suburbs on land next to a public housing block.

ICLEI Oceania staff worked with Cultivating Community, a not-for-profit organisation that promotes and supports a number of the community garden projects in Melbourne.

: The garden before ICLEI Oceania staff got to work

: The garden after a few hours' work

This social staff activity was chosen above all others for its TBL aspects, which included:

a definite social aspect, as the activity provided ICLEI Oceania staff with the opportunity to assist a community-based organisation to grow plants to benefit those living in the public housing blocks
an economic aspect that benefited the community because the vegetables that were grown would be swapped in the local farmers market for produce not grown in the area.
an environmental aspect that included eradicating weeds in the area and producing food locally to minimise food miles.

Overall, the activity proved to be a success. ICLEI Oceania staff not only had the opportunity to work side-by-side with staff from different units but also contribute to their community with a very tangible, ‘hands on’ project.

Cultivating Community is responsible for the management of approximately 20 other community gardens on public housing estates across Melbourne. The gardens function around principles and practises of environmentally sustainable horticulture and waste management. For more information please visit the Cultivating Community website.

CONTACT ISS

If you have any questions or comments please email Integrated Sustainability Services or call Ph: +61 (0)3 9639 8688.

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