The Sustainable Living Festival, Australia’s biggest sustainability event, rolls into Victoria again on the 11th of February. Packed with sustainability action – from global green leaders to vegan bodybuilders, great debates to speed dates, organic philosophy to organic feasting – there’s something for everyone with an interest in the future of our planet.
This year’s festival theme is Australia – the Lucky Country. With our golden soil and wealth for toil, and our land abounding in nature’s gifts, Australians have every reason to feel lucky, right? As one of the sunniest places on earth, we are uniquely placed to harness our abundance of solar and wind energy better than any other country on the planet. We have a golden opportunity to use the sun’s power and nature’s wind to secure the Australian way of life well into the future.
To bring this message home and to tell us how it can be done, the festival’s keynote speaker for 2012 is Hans-Josef Fell, a man many call the father of renewable energy worldwide. Fell is the architect of Germany’s impressive renewable energy policy and is responsible for delivering Germany’s 2020 renewable energy targets 10 years ahead of schedule. His work has been adopted by over 70 countries and triggered major investments in solar power around the globe.
The Festival’s flagship Big Weekend at Melbourne’s Federation Square (17th–19th February) will be a swag full of fun. Events include:
- The Climate Quiz hosted by Adam Hills – Find out the eco-impact of knocking back a tinny
- Dirty Girl Kitchen – Green granny gurus teach you a thing or two about food
- Speed Date a Sustainable Designer – 10 minutes with a green architect or designer
- Vegan Bodybuilding – Pecs, packs and prowess from the world’s best anti-beef beefcakes
- Off-the-Grid-Gig – A pedal and solar-powered party featuring musical luminaries like Lisa Mitchell
- Pants for Poverty – Go for the Guinness World Record in a giant pair of fair-trade pants
There’s also the Big Weekend’s ever-popular Green Market, where over 100 exhibitors showcase sustainable solutions from transport to garden gear to homewares. Get tips and tricks from Australia’s leading producers and suppliers, win giveaways and receive hefty discounts.
Across the state, the two-week EcoCity and State of Sustainability programs offer dozens of inspiring events, such as the Transition Film Festival and a surprise free music performance by an acclaimed international artist.
For further information, visit the Sustainable Living Foundation website or download a copy of the festival program.
