Spring 2016

Inside This Issue... Costa and the Sustainability Awards return to Darebin • Sustainability Awards 2016 • Grow you own! - what to plant in resident, John Nicholau. John was spring nominated not just because he is a champion home food grower, • Darebin’s Backyard Harvest but because of the great work Festival he does in sharing his gardening • All Nations Kitchen Garden turns know-how and produce through two his community connections at • A new Community Garden for the Greek Federation, and as a East Preston pioneer of the Darebin Backyard Harvest Festival. • Community Leaders in Sustainability course The 2014 House and Garden • Reground turns coffee waste into category winner, Northcote garden food Do you know someone who resident Meg Montague, said she has done great work for the • Solar Bulk Buy program was honoured to win the award, environment and the community, and excited to meet so many other • Council’s Greenhouse Gas and deserves some recognition? committed community members Emissions reduced It could be you! Why not nominate and hear about their projects at the • Maximising the financial return of them, or yourself, for the 2016 Awards Night. your solar PV system Darebin and Banyule Sustainability Awards. • Ride 2 Work Day “There’s a strong sense that we are all working towards the same • Spring bike workshops The and Banyule thing, but everyone’s ideas and • Darebin and Vichealth Walk to Sustainability Awards will approaches are quite unique. School in 2016 recognise and celebrate the It is a very inspiring night,” Ms environmental and sustainable • Compost lasagna Montague said. living achievements of residents, • Save buckets of water! community groups, schools The Awards will be hosted by • You can recycle it and businesses within the Gardening ’s Costa • Detox your home Cities of Darebin and Banyule. Georgiadis and held on Thursday There are many projects, 24 November at Preston City Hall. • Saving the Merri grasslands events and activities which • St Raphael’s school sustainability bring people together and form The 2016 categories are Local program part of the transformation to a Hero, House and Garden, • Eating out can be such a waste! more sustainable society. The Community Organisation, Local Sustainability Awards is a way of • Upcoming events Business, Education, and acknowledging and appreciating Community Environment Project. some of the people involved and letting them know how important Nominations close at 5pm on they are in our communities. Monday 10th October. Download a nomination form at www. The Awards were last held in sustainablecommunities.vic.gov.au 2014, when the Local Hero or call 8470 8405. category was won by Reservoir Grow your own food SUSTAINABLE FOOD & GARDENING - what to plant in Darebin Backyard Harvest Festival 19 – 27 November spring Vegetables and herbs grown The ever popular Darebin Backyard also hold workshops on a wide range at home are often more Harvest Festival is back for a fifth of topics such as keeping chooks, nutritious and fresh, and so amazing year, celebrating local water harvesting, grafting fruit trees, better for your health. It is food gardens and the sharing of setting up an aquaponics system and also better for the environment home food growing traditions across keeping quails. We are welcoming if you grow your own as this generations and cultures. Delivered some new gardeners to the festival reduces chemical use in soils, in partnership by Darebin City Council this year, including neighbours living food miles and packaging. and Darebin Ethnic Communities around the corner from each other Here is a list of vegetables Council (DECC), the festival is taking who share gardening skills and and herbs which you can plant place on weekends and weekday knowledge to create a wonderful in your veggie garden during evenings from 19 – 27 November, sense of community revolving around the winter months. to help inspire people to create their growing and eating home grown own food garden this spring. Our food. The detailed program and * Basil talented home gardeners will not bookings will be available from mid * Beans (bush and climbing) only generously donate their time to October at www.darebin.vic.gov.au/ * Capsicum open their garden for tours, but will backyardharvest * Celery * Corn * Cucumber * Eggplant * Fennel * Rockmelon * Tomato * Zucchini

For a copy of our vegetable and herb growing guide - Sow What When - visit www.darebin.vic.gov.au/ en/Darebin-Living/Caring- for-the-environment/ The All Nations Kitchen Garden Turns Two! Established in 2014, the All Nations Kitchen Garden is an urban food demonstration site located in All Nations Park, Separation Street, Northcote (behind Northcote Plaza and opposite Santa Maria College). A passionate and dedicated group of local residents have been caring for the multilayered garden of fruit trees, medicinal plants and herbs. They recently celebrated the garden’s second anniversary, engaging Fruit Squad volunteers to hold a fruit tree pruning workshop. A keen group of about 12 local residents were shown how to deal with gall wasp and borer, and prune to maximise tree health and fruit yield. Participants were rewarded for their efforts with a beautiful chocolate mud birthday cake. To get involved with the All Nations Kitchen Garden, drop by the site on the first Sunday of the month when the group hold their regular working bees, or contact Lee Tozzi on [email protected] or 8470 8392

Page 2 A New Community Garden for East Preston Darebin Council has joined with the Pavilion School in Sylvester Grove, Reground helps Preston to create a new shared public space for the community to enjoy, grow cafés turn coffee food and connect with their neighbours. waste into garden Located on the Pavilion School grounds at the corner of Dean and Gray food! New environmental start- Streets, the garden is in the final stages of construction. With a border of fruit up Reground collects trees, 15 raised wicking beds for vegetables and herbs, storage container and coffee grounds from shelter, seating, composting bays and a children’s sand pit, the garden has cafes and restaurants in been designed as a welcoming space to meet with friends and neighbours. Darebin at a competitive A group of local residents has formed to take care of the garden which rate and delivers them free they have named ‘Sylvester Hive’ (‘Sylvester’ is derived from the Latin for to community and home ‘woodland’ and ‘Hive’ denotes a place where people meet and connect). gardens. There are over The group meet regularly to discuss and agree on how the garden is to be 380 cafés and restaurants managed, used, planted and harvested, and are looking forward to making the in Darebin, which generate most of this fantastic community asset. Among the first orders of business is to an estimated 19,000 kg of purchase plants for the first Spring planting which will take place on Sunday 11 coffee ground waste per September from 12 noon. All welcome (bring a plate for a potluck lunch). year. Founder Ninna Larsen is passionate about putting If you are interested in being involved with the garden, please contact Hendrik this great organic resource Falk at [email protected] [email protected] or 0420 353 572 to good use. It is a source of nitrogen, great for growing vegetables and mushrooms, and brilliant in compost and worm farms. Reground provides advice to users on getting the most out of their coffee grounds and supports community gardens to become a coffee ground distribution and education centre for local gardeners. She finds customers as close to businesses as possible helping build a sense of community connection around this great SUSTAINABLE HOMES & COMMUNITIES environmental initiative. Darebin residents and Community Leaders in Sustainability – applications businesses can contact open now Reground at ninna@ Darebin City Council is offering a WHAT’S IN IT FOR ME? reground.com.au to organise free environmental training course in • Free training a collection service or free late 2016 for people who have ideas delivery. • Increased knowledge and skills in for environmental projects in their running projects and environmental It is great to see Reground community. sustainability adding to the growing The course runs from October to • Expanded knowledge and networks awareness and options for December 2016 and aims to support in your community repurposing organic waste community members to take the lead like coffee grounds. You can on creating environmental change. • New friends who care about also pick up your free coffee community and environment There will be 8 workshops on grounds from Tasties Café, topics like project management, • A lot of fun 356 High Street Preston leadership, grant writing, marketing To apply and more information (Phone 9470 2260) and and communication, effective group visit www.sustainablecommunities. The Kiln Café, 85C Clyde work as well a range of aspects of vic.gov.au, email info@ Street Thornbury (Phone environmental sustainability. The sustainablecommunities.vic.gov.au or 0403 089 408), as part of course also includes two field trips to call 8470 8405. the ‘Café to Garden’ coffee local places of national environmental Applications close Monday 12th grounds giveaway which has significance, and participants will be September, 2016. been taking place over the supported to lead or take part in an last 9 months. Call to check environmental project. first then bring your own container and let staff know before helping yourself.

Page 3 Last chance to take ENERGY AND CLIMATE advantage of the Darebin Solar Bulk Down Down, Council’s Greenhouse Emissions are Down! Buy 2015-16 has seen the most 52% reduction in emissions from Our Solar Bulk Buy program significant reduction in greenhouse streetlights. 4% of building emissions offers homeowners and gas emissions achieved in Council’s were avoided through the installation businesses in Darebin the operations, in the history of of 220kWs of solar PV installed on opportunity to purchase Council’s energy efficiency program. Council buildings. Please note that a good quality solar panel Greenhouse emissions were 17% small amount of data was estimated systems, from a trusted less than 2014-15 and 26% less where billing data has not yet been supplier, at a great price. than 2006-07 when Council’s energy received. efficiency program commenced. The Now is a great time to take Please note that a small amount of significant achievement was largely advantage of Council’s data has been estimated where billing due to the energy efficient streetlight capacity to buy solar in bulk. information has not yet been received. By purchasing through this program which has achieved a program, you can access a 5% discount on the usual price of solar panels from our appointed supplier, Solargain. Solar systems are available in a range of sizes from 1.5kW to 10kW and can provide significant electricity cost savings. You could save $335 to $2,250 per year depending on the system size and your energy use. All systems come with a 10 year warranty. Prices vary depending on how many storeys your house is and your roof type. See the full Maximising the financial return from your solar PV price list on our website. Offer open until 30 Some solar feed-in tariffs (FiTs) are heating. changing, but it’s not all doom and September so contact us 2. Get the best electricity deal now so you don’t miss out. gloom for solar PV systems receiving lower rates for exported solar Some retailers are improving their Register your interest for a electricity. offers for solar energy exported to no-obligation quote at www. the grid, so shop around. Visit https:// What’s changing with your feed-in darebin.vic.gov.au/solar or compare.switchon.vic.gov.au to tariff? phone 8470 8583. compare all retail rates available to Homes receiving the Transitional you. (25c/kWh) & Standard (‘one-for-one’ 3. Consider more solar or a battery rate) FiTs will be transferred onto the Current FiT of 5c/kWh on 1 January As the price of solar and battery 2017. Premium FiTs (60c/kWh) will storage drops, consider installing a remain until 2024. battery or west facing solar. Tips to manage your electricity For more information visit Solar consumption for a Current Feed-in Citizens and a detailed report visit Tariff solar home www.solarcitizens.org.au/life_after_fits 1. Use more of your solar electricity Consuming instead of exporting solar electricity increases its value. You avoid paying more for electricity than you get paid if it is exported. Use your appliances more during the day including dishwashers, washing machines, vacuums and water

Page 4 SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT Step out with Darebin and Ride2Work Day 2016 – get you workplace on board! VicHealth Walk to School 2016 National Ride to Work Day on can use to promote your event. Darebin is proud to be Wednesday 12 October is the perfect If you’re interested in holding a part of VicHealth’s Walk to opportunity to give riding to work a Ride2Work Day breakfast – or School program for the third go. Or if you already ride – encourage would just like to know more please year running. In October, a workmate to get pedalling! visit www.darebin.vic.gov.au/ we’ll be out there supporting Council is keen to support workplaces ride2workday or call 8470 8683. local primary schools to in Darebin to run their own Ride to start term four on the right Work Day breakfasts. Sign up your foot, encouraging families to workplace by Friday 23 September to choose active travel options receive: for their daily school journey. • A fruit box – so you can offer a A walk, scoot or ride to and healthy breakfast to staff that ride. from school is a great way • Giveaway prizes –including bike for children to get some of lights, bells and more to giveaway the 60 minutes of physical • Bike parking prize draw – one lucky activity they need daily for workplace wins new bike parking for healthy development. The staff! benefits don’t end there. Walking your children to • Bike info pack – includes maps and school is time to spend riding materials. together, talk about things, • Help with planning and promotion – observe the world around includes posters and templates you you, clear your mind, get Skill up with our Spring Bike Workshops some fresh air and set up for the day ahead. Not to Darebin Council is offering an Courses are run in small groups and mention reducing traffic, exciting range of bike workshops for cost just $15 or $10 concession. pollution and avoiding people that live, work or study in our For more information about each parking problems… city. course and to book please visit www. Last year Darebin provided darebin.vic.gov.au/cycling or call Whether you’re new to riding or 11 local primary schools 8470 8683 fairly experienced, we’ve got a with a healthy breakfast or comprehensive range of courses For more info see www.darebin.vic. morning tea to celebrate to assist you with every aspect of gov.au/cycling children’s efforts over the riding: month. This year we’d like to hear from schools about Back on the Bike Sept 25 or Oct 27 how we can assist them to Urban Cycling Confidence: Sept 18 get involved. Our school or Nov 5 communities are wonderfully diverse and what would suit Basic Bike Maintenance: Oct 8, Oct one school may not suit 15 or Nov 15 another. So please contact Women on Wheels: Oct 9 us to let us know how we can support you. Schools can register online at www.walktoschool.vic.gov. au to participate. If your child’s primary school is not participating, children can still be registered individually. There are prizes to be won, and VicHealth runs competitions each week in October. For more information go to the VicHealth Walk to School website or email us at [email protected]. gov.au

Page 5 Compost lasagna RECYCLING, WASTE & WATER Just like a lasagne, when it Save Buckets of Water! comes to composting, it’s When it comes to saving water and for more than 24 hours in case it all about layers. One of the reducing your water bills around contains any germs. the home, a humble old bucket can easiest ways to create good And when you’re not using your be one of your most useful tools. A compost is to treat it like you’re bucket to collect water inside, try bucket is by far the cheapest and making a lasagne and layer leaving it on a path outside where it simplest grey water system around! different materials on top of will collect rain water! each other to get the right Place a bucket in the shower to balance of nitrogen rich and collect the “warm up” water or even carbon rich materials. leave it at your feet to collect the run off. Scoop out bath water or rinse Nitrogen rich material is fruit and vegetables in a bucket when generally GREEN – we’re you’re cooking. The water you collect talking, vegie scraps, grass can be emptied straight onto your clippings, weeds, garden garden or lawn – it’s also great for clippings, wilted flowers. washing your car or windows. You Carbon rich material is can even use a bucket of water to generally BROWN – things like flush your toilet! Pour it straight into bark, twigs, dry leaves, torn up the bowl or use it to refill the cistern cardboard or paper. after flushing. For every green layer you add, You can almost always use a bucket try to top it with a brown one. of water where you would otherwise These layers, with the help of use a hose. Just make sure that you some oxygen and water, will don’t store recycled water in bucket break down into rich compost mulch for your garden. You Can Recycle It If you have a compost caddy or In Darebin, we can recycle a HUGE our recycling bins is plastic bags. bucket with a lid that you can range of items! National Recycling They can be recycled at many put food scraps in, you can start Week is coming up from 7-13th supermarkets so we encourage you the layering process in your November so we want to help you to check if your local supermarket kitchen. Try lining your caddy get ready by brushing up on your has a plastic bag recycling bin. or bucket with used cardboard recycling knowledge. Let’s make We can take hard plastics but not packaging, used paper towels sure we’re catching everything that soft ones – the difference comes or old newspaper. Then simply can be recycled in your yellow-lidded down to whether you can scrunch pile the food scraps on top. The recycling bins. something up in your hand. If you cardboard/paper lining helps to Yes you can recycle all the traditional can scrunch it, we don’t want it! keep the caddy or bucket clean, items, like glass bottles, aluminium Please put it in your general waste so when you empty it into your cans, food tins, paper and cardboard bin. compost bin you shouldn’t have – but it doesn’t stop there. We For more information about National to rinse it out. can take so many other items for Recycling Week, visit www. recycling, some of them you might You may not be able to eat planetark.org/campaigns/nrw.cfm be surprised at – like aerosol cans, it, but your compost lasagne metal pots and pans (even if they can really boost those onions, have plastic handles), empty paint pumpkins, zucchinis and tins (lids off), coffee cups (including eggplants you grow – to help the plastic lid), roll-on deodorant you make a real, delicious bottles, CD & DVD cases, plastic home-grown lasagne! toys (no batteries), aluminium foil For more information go to (rolled into a ball), empty medicine www.cleanup.org.au/au/ bottles and glossy magazines. One thing we still can’t accept in Detox Your Home Wondering what to do with that can Centre on Kurnai Avenue, Reservoir, of oven cleaner with the broken on Saturday 10 December. nozzle, that nail polish that’s gone all To attend the drop off day, you gluey, or what’s left of the rat poison will need to register in advance by that did its job? Detox Your Home is visiting www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/ a safe way to recycle your unwanted detoxyourhome household chemicals for FREE. This And for a full list of accepted items year’s Detox Your Home drop off day visit www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/ for Darebin residents will take place services-and-advice/households/ at the Darebin Resource Recovery Page 6 BIODIVERSITY Local musicians and community band together to save OTHER NEWS Merri grasslands There is a living natural history wildflower populations connecting Sustainability at St museum just north of ’s existing patches so the head Raphael’s Primary coolest music venues. This natural banging bee easily get from plant to School museum is ’s precious plant. If the Blue Banded Bee can Students at St Raphael’s endangered grasslands, home to an continue to rock out, the valuable Primary School in West amazing head-banging insect called diversity of the grasslands will be Preston have embraced the Blue Banded Bee. The Friends saved. sustainability and healthy of Merri Creek launched a Pozible Pozible campaign rewards include eating through their campaign in early August to protect limited tickets to the Blue Banded ‘Seed to Plate’ initiatives. these grasslands and the Blue Bee Band matinee gig featuring The students and Banded Bee. Courtney Barnett, , school community have Local musician Jen Cloher has Fraser A. Gorman, The Orbweavers wholeheartedly committed assembled a supergroup aka ‘The and Steph Hughes at the Northcote to their sustainability Blue Banded Bee Band’ including Social Club on Saturday December programs with students Courtney Barnett, Fraser A. Gorman, 3 2016. There will also be rewards given the opportunity to grow The Orbweavers and Steph Hughes by local contemporary artists, crops from seeds and then to perform a special one off show to campaign t-shirts and even your follow the plant’s journey give the campaign a boost and help own wildflower patch planted along to their plates. Students are the grasslands continue to flourish. the Merri. To donate to the Blue encouraged to plant, care and Banded Bee Pozible campaign visit harvest the produce which The Blue Banded Bee ‘buzz www.pozible.com/project/the-rockin- is grown on school grounds. pollinates’ by banging its head in bee or www.mcmc.org.au With the latest installation of a flowers at a staggering 350 times new kitchen for sustainability per second. Buzz pollination is lessons, the school has been critical for the long-term survival of able to reap the benefits of many wildflowers in the grasslands. students being in the gardens. The Blue Banded Bee can only The school recently began travel short distances and struggles running weekly soup days to take pollen between distant where students take produce wildflower patches growing within from the garden and create Melbourne’s northern suburbs. a variety of soups to be sold The funds raised by the Pozible to students as lunch. Money campaign will be used by the raised from these initiatives Friends of Merri Creek to increase is being put back into the schools garden programs. GREEN BUSINESS One of their teacher aides, Miss Mary, an avid green Eating out can be such a waste! thumb, has been the driving Australian foodservice businesses The Watch my Waste research team force behind the sustainability such as restaurants and cafes want to know what your experience programs, recently compiling produce over 250,000 tonnes of food with food and food waste was when a ‘St.Raphael’s cookbook’ waste every year that ends up in you last ate out. Anyone who has with recipes students had landfill. This generates approximately eaten out, grabbed takeaway or created using produce from 400,000 tonnes of greenhouse been served a meal by any food the garden. gases (CO2 equivalents) a year. business in the last week is eligible RMIT University’s nation-wide Watch to do this 10 minute survey: www. My Waste food waste research watchmywaste.com.au/whats-on- shows that Australian businesses your-plate, helping uncover the secret are throwing away over 120 grams life of food waste. Let restaurants, of food for every person they serve cafes and other food businesses – that’s equivalent to a whole large know what you want, while at muffin or half a steak per person the same time contributing to the thrown in the bin. reduction of food waste.

Page 7 Events are usually FREE unless noted otherwise SEPTEMBER 2016 Thursday 6 October, Waterwatch Volunteer Monitor Training, 10am-3:30pm, 1st Reservoir Scout Group Sunday 18 September, 16 October and 20 November, Hall. Edwardes Lake Park, Leamington Street, Reservoir. Darebin Creek Sweepers: September Clean Up, 10:30 Healthly Waterways Waterwatch Melbourne is a river health a.m. Join us in our monthly clean up along Darebin Creek. education and monitoring program which aims to increase Bags, tongs, gloves provided - just bring closed shoes community understanding, participation and ownership and long pants. Location TBA via our Facebook group: of local river health issues. Waterwatch conducts free www.facebook.com/groups/196916094042042/ or email training sessions for community members to learn water [email protected] No RSVP required. quality monitoring techniques. Equipment, training manuals and technical support are provided. Bookings essential. Sunday 18 September, Friends of Merri Creek Bird Bookings: 9380 8199 / 0413 080 385 or email juliacirillo@ Survey 3 for 2016, 8.45-10.30am, covers 6 sites along the mcmc.org.au Merri, many in or near Darebin. See the Friends of Merri Creek website for details www.friendsofmerricreek.org.au Sunday 16 October, Weeding at Strettle Wetland with Friends of Merri Creek, 10am-12.30 pm. Friends of Merri Friday 23 September, Merri Stationeers Planting and Creek site near Strettle Wetland Thornbury, Melway 30 Maintenance Day, Meet outside the Rifle Club Platform 1 B3. Help look after the site managed by the Friends with Merri Train Station, Northcote, 10am – 12pm, We will be the support of the Darebin Bush Crew. Light refreshments planting, weeding and pruning both sides of the station. afterwards. For more information, phone Suzi 0403 595 Bring gloves and tools. Refreshments will be provided 466. No RSVP needed.

Sunday 25 September, Napier Waller Reserve planting Saturday, 22 October, Preston Garden Club Annual at Darebin Creek, 10am to 12pm, Plant out the Napier Spring Garden Show, 2.00pm - 5pm. Exhibits of flowers, Waller Reserve with help from Darebin Creek Management roses, plants, hanging baskets, vegetables, cooking, floral Committee. Meet at the new bridge at Sparks Reserve, art. All these exhibits are from home gardens. Trading Table near corner of Heidelberg Rd and The Boulevard, Ivanhoe. & Devonshire Teas $4. Enquiries: Bill Saunders 9478 0269 Melways 31 D10. Please wear long pants and sturdy shoes. Gloves and other equipment supplied. Tea and Sunday October 23, East Reservoir Community Food nibbles will be available at the end. For further details www. Sharing Festival, TW Andrews Park Strathmerton Street, friendsofdarebincreek.org.au East Reservoir, 1 – 4pm. Free event. The Community Food Sharing Festival is about celebrating and sharing Sunday 25 September, Ride the Banyule Boundary our food and garden skills to make food fair in East – guided bike ride along the Darebin Creek, 10am- Reservoir. Please bring your own home grown extra food 12pm (9.30am registration). Darebin Creek Management and seedlings to share. Find out about home food growing Committee staff will guide this ride, starting at the Darebin and cooking on a budget and connect with people who Parklands and riding along the Darebin Creek as far as La have been working to make healthy, cheap food available Trobe wetlands. This guided bike ride will stop at various for themselves and their neighbours. Activities include locations to look at the restoration of the Darebin Creek and cooking demonstrations, composting and gardening the threats to its improvement. The ride is approximately workshops, information about many local services including 15km return. Bring your own bike, helmet, snack and water. food assistance services. Contact Sara Kitchener for more Meet at Darebin Parklands Environment Centre, end of information 8470 8567 Separation Street, Alphington (Melway 31 C9). Bookings essential. Email [email protected] NOVEMBER 2016

OCTOBER 2016 Sunday 20 November, Friends of Merri Creek Bird Survey 4 for 2016, 8.45-10.30am, 7 sites along the Merri Saturday 1 October, Natural Building Design many in or near Darebin. See the Friends of Merri Creek introduction workshop, 9am-5pm, $100 conc, $130 full, website for details www.friendsofmerricreek.org.au Ceres Environment Park, East Brunswick. You will learn from experienced local natural building and permaculture Thursday 24 November, Cities of Darebin and Banyule design professionals how to create and realise your ultimate Sustainability Awards, 6.15-8.45pm, The City of Darebin home. Through a series of interactive sessions learn and Banyule Sustainability Awards will recognise and about the origins and basics of a range of natural building celebrate the environmental and sustainable living styles and how to integrate permaculture gardens and achievements of residents, community groups, schools systems into your home project. Aimed at beginners with no and businesses within the Cities of Darebin and Banyule. experience, this workshop will give you the skills, confidence Nominations close Monday 10th October. Nominations and and creative outlet to realise your natural building dream. bookings via www.sustainablecommunities.vic.gov.au Bookings essential and spaces are limited. Bookings www. trybooking/MNRY Saturday 19 November 19th - Sunday 27 November, Darebin Backyard Harvest Festival, various events. For information and to book visit www.darebin.vic.gov.au/

Page 8 backyardharvest

Save on energy costs inverter and installation. SOLAR BULK Solar panels not only reduce Costs vary depending on how many BUY your emissions but also storeys your house is, and the type provide significant electricity and shape of your roof. See our cost savings. You could website for the 2016 price list. Offer save $335 to $2,250 a year open until September 2016. We are offering depending on the system size homeowners and and your energy use. How to sign up

businesses the opportunity to purchase quality solar Register your interest for a no- panels at a great price. Darebin Solar Bulk Buy obligation quote and find out Program exactly how much you could save by switching to solar. If you've been thinking about getting solar panels on your For more information, or to register roof, now is the time to act. your interest, visit By taking part in our Solar Bulk Buy Program, you can darebin.vic.gov.au/solar purchase a good quality discounted solar system from a trusted supplier. Our supplier for the 2016 Solar Bulk Buy Program is Solargain.

What's on offer Contact

Solar systems are available in 274 Gower Street, Preston a range of sizes from 1.5kW to PO Box 91, Preston, Vic 3072 10kW. All systems come with T 8470 8888 F 8470 8877 a 10 year warranty on panels, E [email protected] darebin.vic.gov.au

Page 9 Applications open now

Community Leaders in Sustainability

Do you live, work or study in Darebin? Would you like to help drive change for the environment? This free course may be for you. You’ll meet like-minded people who care about the environment; receive training in project management, leadership, grant writing, comms & media, and group work; visit local heritage places of national significance and run or take part in an environmental project. Applications close Monday 12 Sept, 2016. Visit www.sustainablecommunities.vic.gov.au or call 8470 8405 to find out more.

Sustainable Homes and Communities is jointly funded by the Cities of Darebin and Banyule.

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