CERES — A Centre for Education & Research in Environmental Strategies

We have travelled to Brunswick Victoria, to visit CERES — Centre for Education and Research in Environmental Strategies. As explained on their website, CERES is a place for community-based learning and action to create environmentally beneficial, socially just, economically satisfying, culturally enriching and spiritually nurturing ways of living together. It is a 4.5 hectare site and a collaboration between the local council who owned the land, and a community group looking to run environmental education programs, showcase urban agriculture projects, demonstrate green technology and have a space to set up a number of social enterprises including a market, grocery, café, community kitchen, organic online supermarket and a permaculture and bushfood nursery.

It is a great demonstration project and a wonderful place where people with shared interests in sustainability can come together to explore ideas and build awareness about current environmental issues through education, training, employment and discussion. The organic market aims to avoid plastic by encouraging you to bring along your own refillable containers or to use one of the recycled containers they provide. From chocolates to muesli and body lotions to laundry detergent, just about everything sold at the market can be bought in bulk, without all the unnecessary packaging found in supermarkets. Demonstrations such as the water wheel educate children on renewable energy. The organic gardens are thriving and the place is alive with the sounds of birds and bees, all drawn to the gardens because of the biodiversity of the site.

Sustainable food choices are important considerations in what is offered at the café. They have formed partnerships with farmers and producers to support a localised food system that gives back to the people directly involved in food production.

One of the more innovative social enterprises is a concept called Tamil Feasts, an experience where you can celebrate the food and culture of Tamil men seeking asylum in Australia. These cooks share their heritage and their love for spicy food while enabling Australians to show their support for refugees in a foreign land, looking for a safe place to start a new life.

We love the layout of this demonstration project and the interactive displays that provide education for both kids and adults. It is a great use of a space that had been vacant for a long time and has grown to employ a number of people in the community while providing a valuable space for people to learn and share the values of living socially, environmentally and economically sustainable lives.

First published by www.polisplan.com.au 22 September 2016