11 February 2018
Sustainable Living Festival - Big Weekend 2018
We were excited to attend the Sustainable Living Festival’s ‘Big Weekend’ that was held for 3 days on the banks of Birrarung Marr in Melbourne. The National Sustainable Living Festival aims to accelerate the uptake of sustainable living and seeks solutions to global warming that will return the planet to a safe climate as fast as humanly possible. The Festival raises awareness and provides tools for change by showcasing leading solutions to the ecological and social challenges we face. You can find out more about it here: http://slf.org.au/
There were lots of amazing exhibitors, food vendors, interactive activities and presentations where you can find out more info about a variety of sustainability topics.
Some of our highlights from the festival were:
Rolla Bottle
Launched with the mission to help rid the world of single-use plastic bottles (yes!), these bottles roll up so you can carry a big bottle and tuck it away in your bag or clip it to your belt loop without the hassle. We love their ethos and can’t wait to see their business grow.
https://www.rollabottle.com.au/Rolla Bottle
Sustainable Living Experience
We found out some info about ethical investing and the different choices for super funds that make an effort to invest in renewables instead of fossil fuels. We also got to spin a wheel and get some delicious free chocolate. Win.
Suitcase Rummage
This mini-scaled market supports entry-level entrepreneurs and producers of locally made, recycled and upcycled products from a suitcase. We maaaaay have left with a beautiful find or two. (We did.)
Lohdi Garden and Woking Amazing
The food was amazing, and it was hard to pick what to eat out of all the tasty looking options. After some hard decision making, we opted for the nachos and peking duck pancakes from Woking Amazing and the butter chicken from Lodhi Garden. All vegan and all delicious! Our bellies were satisfied, and we wished we could have handled eating more. Next time.
EcoLiv Sustainable Buildings
Each of their buildings are designed to achieve a 7 star energy rating and try to work with the climate no matter where you are, not against it. They have a number of different design options and their construction methods focus on using plantation timber sourced from Gippsland’s renewable plantations.
Wash Against Waste
All plates and cutlery at the food vendors was reusable and gathered and distributed by staff at the WAW stall. Baskets were supplied to put your dishes in and there were a number of people regularly collecting them and clearing tables. We love this initiative at slf.
Already looking forward to next year!
Catherine Gibb
A Melbourne based artist who we have followed for a while now on Instagram (see @catherinegibbcreations for some stunning pics). Catherine creates artworks and illustrations using a variety of mixed media with a focus on using organic and natural derived pigments and works on recycled paper. We have our eye on Catherine and hope to work with her on a bettercup project soon!
