Environmental issues

Water

Living waters - living communities

effective stormwater education case studies

Grant number: 3014
Grant funding: $150,000
Local government area/s: Warringah Council
Location/s: Warringah Council local government area
Project partners: Warringah Council and Oz GREEN

image: Drain is just for rain logo

 

rainwater tanks help save water

 

Most environmental education programs look at one specific issue, such as waste or water. While the emphasis in this program was on stormwater quality, it also looked at ways in which people could lessen their impact on the environment in their homes and workplaces, and adopt more ecologically sustainable ways of living.

The program sought to strengthen the local community and bring people together to work on common environmental goals.

Objectives

The program's objectives were to:

  1. raise awareness among residents of how they contributed to stormwater pollution and the need to prevent pollution at source in Warringah
  2. develop a community environmental education program that increased environmental action, catalysed participation in building an ecologically sustainable community and used participatory methods such as household environmental action planning
  3. challenge residents, and support them in changing behaviours that had a negative impact on stormwater quality and quantity, by implementing household environmental action plans to recognise where change needed to happen, resulting in monetary and natural resource savings
  4. improve relationships between local government and local communities, strengthen community links and help to build a sense of community among program participants.

Description

This program involved a partnership between state and local government, a non-government organisation (Oz GREEN) and the local community. People came together in teams to work on common environmental goals.

The goals included:

  • changing gardening and waste disposal practices
  • recycling at home or in the workplace
  • reducing stormwater runoff by installing a rainwater tank
  • using natural cleaning agents
  • changing heating and hot water practices in the home
  • using bikes and buses to get to work.

Methodology and tools

This program employed participatory learning and action methodologies. Individuals were challenged to change their behaviours and practices to reduce their environmental impact, and were supported in this by others in their eco team.

At a preliminary eco team workshop, local residents volunteered to become eco team leaders. These people attended a full day intensive workshop with additional follow up meetings. The training covered facilitation skills, communication, environmental topics and the eight-module living waters Living Communities Program. Eco team leaders then recruited an eco team from their local community, such as a church group, street, workplace, sporting club, school or block of units.

The eco team met regularly to work through the living waters Living Communities Program. They discussed environmental issues, set eco goals, swapped information and shared sustainability success stories. The program concluded with a celebration of the individual, team and program achievements held in the council chambers where participants spoke of their experiences and received certificates acknowledging their participation.

To maintain the project, the following were developed or organised:

  • public information meetings
  • eco team leader training workshops
  • presentation folders and information
  • eco team leader and participant folders
  • a 32-page booklet: Living waters - living communities, a sustainable living program: the first of its kind in Sydney
  • an ethical investments seminar
  • neighbourhood street meetings
  • a living waters - Living Communities website
  • liaison with supportive organisations
  • visits to established alternative and sustainable living sites
  • media and publicity materials and appearances.

residents' information sessionProject outcomes

Each team had individual outcomes. The list below includes outcomes from the whole program and some of the individual team outcomes:

  • 40 local residents attended eco team workshops and received stormwater pollution and sustainable living information
  • 24 residents became eco team leaders involved in stormwater pollution prevention and sustainable living initiatives
  • 21 eco teams involving over 100 participants worked together on the sustainable living program, the result being positive stormwater quality impacts
  • Community and community–council relationships were strengthened
  • Eco teams participated in the New Scientist Seminar (Science Week).