Councils have a ready-made grassroots answer to driving sustainability in their communities writes Catherine Borg.

The spirit of people power is not only alive and well but flourishing in neighbourhoods across the country.

At least 200 households, supported by their local council, have substantially cut their waste production, water and energy levels using the Sustainability Streets Approach (SSA).

This grass-roots program, run by the SSA Institute, aims to go beyond basic sustainability to transform community cultures.

“Working together and creating projects locally for a better future, with like-minded friends and neighbours, provides a huge comfort and produces serious eco-results,” says president of the SSA Institute, Frank Fitzgerald-Ryan.

Blacktown City Council in NSW has been involved in this sustainable, community-centred experiment since 2006.

Five ‘streets’ have successfully completed the SSA program, including the Dalray Street group from Lalor Park. MORE>>

Read the full report: Streets ahead in sustainability [PDF]

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