Green challenge comes full circle

GEELONG Sustainability has celebrated local leaders in circular living following a two-month campaign promoting the concept to community organisations.

The environmental group’s Circular Living Challenge capped off this month with a celebration at The Potato Shed in Drysdale, which was co-hosted by Bellarine Landcare and included a screening from Regenerating Australia that encouraged people to embrace positive solutions to address climate change locally.

Corangamite federal member Libby Coker and Surf Coast Shire mayor Libby Stapleton were among the audience alongside participating local groups and sustainability advocates.

Leading projects to earn recognition on the night included:

• Farm My School, a regenerative land project between Bellarine Secondary College, Bellarine Community Health and Bellarine Landcare
• The Community Energy Revolving Fund, which provides interest-free loans for local non-profits to install solar infrastructure, and
• Ashby Community Garden Group, for its plan to establish a garden in North Geelong.

Geelong Sustainability’s Circular Living Challenge was an eight-week event starting in April that connected green-focused residents and businesses through a range of surveys, workshops and seminars.

More than 55 local businesses and groups helped deliver the Circular Living Challenge across more than 25 events, which saw 270 participants engage with local sustainability opportunities and learn about sustainable behaviours.