Saturday, May 23, 2009

Sustainable Streets Initiative

By now, everybody should know the game of "monopoly". A game where players try to collect as much realestate as possible, build homes and hopefully a hotel. It's a game that both adults and children alike enjoy.

The Sustainable Streets Initiative is about taking this concept, and modifying it to suit the sustainbility cause. It's a grass roots movement amongst neighbours whereby, residents in a street "collect" sustainable items such as rainwater tanks, solar PV panels, and other sustainable features. These items would attract points, and once enough points are collected, would allow streets to be awarded special "sustainability street" signs by the council. (No doubt this will increase land values on the street.)

The goal is not about keeping up with the Jones' as such, although that would be a great outcome for the environment, rather it's hoped that this would encourage neighbours to talk to each other and see what part each can do. We've seen great initiatives in the past whereby residents have grouped together to increase their purchasing parity when buying PV panels. Let's hope more of these outcomes come about because of this.

Local councils, it's time to create the rules and get people on board!

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