It’s hard not to be aware of the impact that humans have on the planet. From rising tides to receding glaciers, being aware of the environment and man’s place within it has never been more important. It’s also never been so popular. International trendsetting metropolis Melbourne, Australia has long been at the forefront of all things cool and cultured. The a city’s ecological efforts are no exception.
For visitors to down under, flights to Melbourne are fast and frequent. While Sydney and the Great Barrier Reef may get the lion’s share of international attention, marvelous Melbourne is transforming the way its citizens impact and contribute to the natural world around them.
Here are some of the city’s most interesting, environmentally conscious endeavors.
Green Renters
This not-for-profit organization aims to provide non-home owning citizens with the appropriate resources to live as sustainably as possible in rented accommodation. They run workshops, host events and have a number of short- and long-term projects on the go which are specifically tailored to similarly eco-minded community members who want to limit their impact even if they can make permanent changes to their rented home.
Organic Food Delivery
Not your average veg box, Melbourne has taken sustainable food sourcing to the next level. There are now a host of competing (and thriving) organic home delivery services located throughout the city offering everything from homegrown fruit and veg to locally harvested honey and all sorts of other household goodies. Market leader CERES (Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies) even goes so far as to source the majority of its produce from their own market gardens right in the city, meaning that even with delivery, these fresh offerings incur some of the fewest food miles possible.
Sustainable Style
Being eco-friendly doesn’t mean that personal style can (or should) devolve into a limited rotation of Birkenstock clogs and tie dyed textiles. Melbourne is known for being hip and stylish as well as eco-friendly which is precisely where sustainable stylist Kim Kneipp has found her niche. Kneipp up-cycles pieces that client already owns to reconstruct wardrobes and home interiors and develop a chic personal style of their own for the client. This limits waste and curbs the client’s impulse to partake in fast-fashion fads, which in turn would have added to already overflowing landfills.
Minding the environment has never been easier (or more fashionable) and Melbourne is the epitome of chic and savvy environmentalism. From locally sourced food to sustainable living consultancies and even eco-chic stylists, the city is a hotbed of environmental consciousness. What was once considered an extremist lifestyle is now becoming the ultimate in trendy living and Melbourne has had a proud and active hand in it.
