Whittlesea Region Mission Council

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Sustainability Statement  ~ Whittlesea Region Ministry Centre

by Mr. Glenn Davidson

Since the mid 1980’s, there has been a dramatic global increase both in the awareness and knowledge surrounding the impact of human activity on the complex and delicate ecological systems that support human endeavour.

The past 5 years have particularly seen an increased ‘acceptance’ that we need to change our attitude, behaviour and actions, (informed by the United Nations Decade for Education for Sustainable Development, the goals of the Earth Charter and Agenda 21 Principles). Guidelines and ‘tools’ for action have become important elements of local and state government policy. These outcomes have also received strong support by both the community and non government sector.

There have recently been a number of State Government initiatives, including the formation of Sustainability Victoria, that now give Victoria and Victorians a clear directive and informed process to address both the needs of the environment and the wishes of future generations.

“Victorians must make environmental sustainability a fundamental consideration in everything we do if we are to maximise future economic growth, maintain our quality of life and protect our unique environment” (Premier’s Office 2005).

Further to this, there is wide-spread agreement that the ‘trappings of modernity’ are having significant social, health and well-being impacts on both small and large communities across metropolitan and regional Victoria.

“A healthy sustainable community is one that has an explicit (adaptive) approach to the integration of ecological, social, cultural and economic features to meet the needs of the present without compromising the needs of the future. It uses principles of inclusivity, connectivity, equity, security and precaution to make decisions about the use and distribution of resources and services” (Sustainable Communities Network - Inquiry into Sustainable Communities – Parliament of Victoria, June 2005).

These considerations are best reflected in the Victorian State Government’s ‘Our Environment Our Future – Victoria’s Environmental Sustainability Framework’, published April 2005, accessed via  www.dse.vic.gov.au .

“Learning to Live Sustainably (a Victorian Government draft publication) will help to achieve Growing Victoria Together’s vision for a healthy environment, with efficient use of natural resources and an environment that are protected for future generations. It will have flow on benefits for other aspects of the Growing Victoria Together vision including high quality education and training and life-long learning, quality jobs and thriving, innovative industries; building friendly, confident and safe communities and greater public participation” (Premier’s Office 2005, see end of document for more information).

The Victorian Government’s vision of an assured future includes the commitment that “protection of the environment for future generations is built into everything we do” (‘The Way Forward: Environmental Sustainability’, Dept. Education & Training).

To this purpose ~

The Whittlesea Region Ministry Centre would be both a community and an organisation that:

• strives to make minimal impact on the environment;
• incorporates education and knowledge about sustainability into both the development of the centre and its operation; and
• serves as a model of sustainable living for local communities.

The Whittlesea Region Ministry Centre would consider the following environmental principles in undertaking all aspects of the development and operation of the centre and its services, in general by:

• maintaining and restoring natural assets
• using resources more efficiently, and
• reducing everyday environmental impacts;

And specifically by:

• reducing overall consumption of resources
• reducing total energy use (efficiency of demand and supply)
• reducing elements that produce bad air quality
• reducing total waste use (including contributions to landfill)
• reducing total water use and improving storm water quality
• protecting, enhancing, restoring the native biodiversity (flora, fauna and habitat)
• reducing the volume of harmful emissions (e.g. greenhouse gas) released
• improving the efficiency and effectiveness of our transport systems
• improving corporate and community governance processes to support these changes.

The Whittlesea Region Ministry Centre would aim to minimise the ‘Ecological Footprint’ (i) of its capital development, operational and management processes and to use ‘triple bottom line’ outcomes (ii) for the improvement of natural capital to the benefit of all eco and human systems.

In developing the Whittlesea Region Ministry Centre facilities, the Uniting Church would:

• engage an architect who has knowledge of and is sympathetic to Environmentally Sustainable Design (ESD) principles
• adhere to ‘Zero Waste’ outcomes particularly in concern to selection of building contractors and building processes (iii)
• insist on contractors using a ‘waste wise’ approach during construction
• undertake a Sustainability Covenant with the EPA before proceeding with building works (iv)
• orientate all buildings for maximum solar gain purposes
• fully insulate all external surfaces
• use site topography to maximum advantage in natural water flow and gravity fed water systems – e.g. ovals at bottom of site, etc.
• not disturb any natural feature or existing habitat during construction
• not clear remnant bush land on site – apply for Land for Wildlife status where appropriate
• use appropriately sourced building materials (including recycled) and ‘asthma friendly’ finishes
• develop scope for habitat, wildlife corridors and ‘LearnScape’ approaches with emphasis on passive and active areas
• use energy and water efficient fittings, appliances and control systems
• use passive solar systems for the heating of water and air
• use passive cooling systems with building and design elements that support energy efficiency e.g. awnings, double glazing, airflow, airlocks and planting, etc.
• maximize natural lighting to ensure better student learning
• incorporate time switched fittings in corridors and utility rooms
• install multi-switched banks to all rooms running parallel with window array
• install electronic ballast fittings, triphosphorus and compact fluorescent globes in all light fittings (restricted use of down and mood lighting)
• install water tanks for specific uses – gardens, toilets and habitat
• explore options for renewable technology energy e.g. Photo Voltaic cells (PV’s) for micro lighting, wind generation, fuel cell micro systems, etc.
• explore the viability of using small PV’s to move water around site
• investigate the technologies available for the pre-treatment of ‘black’ water to ensure a higher quality effluent entering the sewerage system
• explore the viability of ‘grey’ water systems – especially for the watering of gardens

      around the centre and ministry buildings.

In developing the Centre’s infrastructure, the Uniting Church would:

• reduce and limit private motor vehicle movement on site
• engage bus transport companies that use ethanol or bio diesel to run their fleet, where possible
• use energy efficient appliances including flat screen monitors
• contract photocopier and printer appliances that accommodate reused and recycled

content paper and use duplex operations as default

• use appliances with Power Save features
• establish electronic newsletters, reports and staff communications
• use water efficient/saving appliances
• purchase ‘Green Power’ for electricity use
• create ‘green’ behavior regimes as of the first day of opening.

In developing the Centre’s land, the Uniting Church would:

• develop bio-retention systems for storm water aimed at improving water and habitat health. Storm water would be diverted to bog habitat which in turn would assist in wildlife corridor management
• interconnect elements of the centre with wildlife corridors (possibly a community developed project)
• include areas dedicated to butterfly and bird habitat, indigenous plants and grasses.

In developing a context for stewardship and ‘Ecospirituality’, the Uniting Church would:

• use the scriptures for guidance and inspiration – e.g. Genesis
• establish a context for stewardship of the earth through faith
• reflect on indigenous cultures of the world, in particular the indigenous community of the area, as inspiration and reference for stewardship
• create faith contexts and templates for other schools
• develop a sense of sustainable community using faith as a foundation.

In management, maintenance and consumption of resources, the Uniting Church would:

• develop a ‘green’ purchasing and ‘green’ cleaning policy
• establish a policy which addresses packaging and nutritional issues and engages an ESD product approach e.g. ECOBuy (Municipal Association of Victoria)
• promote the Save Water message and initiative
• develop procedures to ensure storm water quality and river health
• operate technical and behavioral systems at the Centre that encourage a reduction in Greenhouse emissions by
• operating the school at below state average output
• promoting and participating in the Northern Alliance for Greenhouse Action (NAGA) and TravelSmart Initiatives
• supporting and participating in initiatives developed by the Victorian Greenhouse Strategy Unit, DSE and AGO e.g. Cool Communities & Cities for Climate Protection (with Whittlesea City Council)
• encourage staff and others to join Greenfleet
• build ‘capacity in offsets’ and ‘carbon sinks’ through waste management and biodiversity projects

• develop a WasteWise approach to all school solid waste with the view of becoming a      Zero Waste organization
• Use a WaterWise approach to all gardens and grounds
• engage ‘Triple Bottom Line’ reporting
• develop processes in which staff, members and communities can participate in the management of all Centre resources, particularly energy, waste & water.
• conduct regular audits of consumption patterns and resource use
• develop an extensive vegetable garden and community orchard that gives every community member an opportunity to engage in food production
• use sculpture and art as an expression of environmental stewardship throughout he centre including elements that support habitat, e.g. bird baths
• aim to plant 15 trees as an offset for every 2 kilos of greenhouse gas produced in the construction of the Centre (i.e., 17 trees for every car present at the Centre)
• participate fully in the  Whittlesea Council Cities for Climate Change processes (v)
• encourage staff to incorporate ESD principles into daily practice by aligning these with Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s) where appropriate, specifically to:

• Waste Management
• Energy and Air Quality
• Land Management
• Flora and Fauna
• Waterways
• Raising Awareness

Glossary of Terms

(i) Ecological Footprint

A globally accepted standardised scientific measure now used as an integral component in international, national and state environmental reporting, e.g. used frequently in State of the Environment reports, accessible on-line through EPA Victoria.  The basic premise of the ‘footprint’ is that all human and social activity has an impact on ecosystems and the natural world in general. Reducing and minimalising these impacts is essential to the long-term prosperity of all human and ecological systems.

For further information visit www.epa.vic.gov.au or  www.redifingprogess.org

(ii) Triple Bottom Line (TBL)

"At its narrowest, the term triple bottom line is used as a framework for measuring and reporting corporate performance against economic, social and environmental parameters."

"At its broadest, the term is used to capture the whole set of values, issues and processes that companies must address in order to minimise any harm resulting from their activities and to create economic, social and environmental value. This involves being clear about the company’s purpose and taking into consideration the needs of all the company’s stakeholders."

In effect, TBL is a planning and reporting mechanism and decision-making framework used to achieve sustainable development.

Source and for further information visit: http://www.environment.vic.gov.au

(iii) Towards Zero Waste

Victoria, though one of the most successful regions globally at diverting  waste to recycling (over 50%) is also is one of the highest contributors to landfill in the world. Recent initiatives to combat this include tackling the waste practices of the building industry and commercial sectors, especially that of small business. Key aims are to generate less waste, increase the amount of materials being recycled and processed and reduce the amount of damage done to the environment by waste disposal.

Further information: www.ecorecycle.vic.gov.au

(iv) Sustainability Covenant      

“Sustainability covenants are voluntary agreements through which EPA and a company, a group of companies or an industry sector can explore new commercial opportunities by using creative ways of reducing the environmental impact of their products and services”.

“Sustainability covenants engender a holistic approach to the management of our environment that considers the impacts of products and services through their entire life cycle, from production right through to use and disposal. The environmental benefit achieved through sustainability covenants will therefore be far reaching, extending beyond the site of a company's operations. Sustainability covenants enable companies to receive statutory recognition for leadership and commitment shown to the environment through efforts to achieve resource use efficiencies and to reduce the ecological impacts of products and services.” EPA Victoria

For further information visit: www.epa.vic.gov.au/sustainability_covenants/default.asp

(v) Cities for Climate Change

In late 2001, the City of Whittlesea was accepted as a member of the Cities for Climate Protection Program.  Milestone One, was completed in February 2002, and Milestone Two was completed in August, 2002.  Council’s main environmental policy is the Local Conservation Strategy. The Local Conservation Strategy ‘recognizes that local actions have repercussions at all levels, from individual household and neighbourhoods, to national and global communities’.

For further information visit: www.whittlesea.vic.gov.au

‘Learning to Live Sustainably’, Victorian Government

Directions, principles and scope

For effective and efficient education and behaviour change, Victoria’s approach, including the Learning to Live Sustainably Action Program and the programs of all relevant government organisations, will be guided by the following key points. Victoria’s approach to learning-based change for environmental sustainability will:

• be for the whole community – for people from all age groups, cultures and walks of life, in both personal and professional capacities and in all parts of their lives including home, work, formal education and public places;
• embrace all the different ways in which people learn and change - the “formal”, “nonformal” and “informal” processes for learning;
• use an interdisciplinary approach with methods drawn from areas as diverse as psychology, communications, community development, formal education, marketing, community engagement, knowledge management and information technology, extension, organisational management and change management
• build on the substantial work already done in this field, including the consensus on key success factors that has been developed;  be founded on successful existing programs. Continuing development of these programs and cross-program collaboration will be a priority. Gaps, needs and opportunities will be identified and addressed, to achieve greatly increased quality, scale and efficiency of delivery;
• focus on the need for long term, community-wide re-thinking, innovation and improvement that is essential if we are to have sustainable lifestyles and workstyles in the future. This requires not only the development of awareness and knowledge but also attitudes, values, action skills and the engagement and empowerment of individuals and groups on a very large scale;
• be for environmental sustainability in the holistic sense, with an emphasis on bringing much closer together the current range of education and behaviour change initiatives on different issues. It will take into account and link to the social and economic aspects of sustainability;
• promote and tangibly support approaches that simultaneously provide environmental, social and economic benefits. For example, well designed education programs for environmental sustainability can make a substantial contribution to State priority outcomes in schools education, vocational education and training and community development;
• support the principles of respect and recognition for Victoria’s indigenous communities as the original custodians of land and resources with a unique knowledge of and role in sustainable management;
• look for immediate, practicable ways forward while also identifying the pathways and outcomes that are needed in the longer term;
• be based on a strong commitment to best practice and continuous improvement in learning for sustainability, guided by effective research and evaluation. A key input will be consideration of the impact and effectiveness of the range of activities undertaken to date under the umbrella of education and behaviour change for environmental sustainability;
• be based on recognition that maximum effect will come from integrating measures for learning-based change with a comprehensive suite of other behaviour change measures for sustainability (including economic processes and incentives, infrastructure and technology, market development, regulation and enforcement, fundamental policy settings and use of sustainability indicators and feedback mechanisms) approachto learning-based change for environ to Live Sustainably
• recognise that sustainability depends on not only local and state action but national and global action and will aim for Victoria to make a significant contribution to education and behaviour change for sustainability both nationally and internationally. In particular, Victoria will make a leading contribution to the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development 2005 -2014.