Our Environment Services include:

Green Streets Program

Village Well was involved in the initial establishment and subsequent delivery of Green Streets programs between 2003- 2005. Green Streets is a comprehensive Mainstreet Sustainability Program that works with local Council, businesses and key stakeholders to engage traders in environmental education in the areas of energy, water, waste and chemicals, community development and small business economic development. Essentially it is a holistic Place Making program with a large focus on environmental sustainability.

Great Streets integrates both individual business sustainability and a vibrant, self-reliant local community. Beginning with individual business sustainability including energy and water efficiency, chemical-free cleaning, comprehensive recycling, biodegradable packaging and green-office programs, the sustainable communities of the future will be champions of local self-reliance. This includes strong relationships between small business, local Council, community members and groups to form an interconnecting network that can support regional self-reliance.

What are some of the key features of Great Streets and local economic community hubs?

• A vibrant and comprehensive mix of small businesses including retail and service provision that are unique, and provide for the needs of the local community
• Good urban planning and design that incorporates sustainable building practices and passive solar design principles, and provides places for people to gather, rest and engage in daily activities
• Nature in the form of street tree plantings, planter boxes, parks and unusual and indigenous landscaping
• Public recycling facilities
• Appropriate car access, bike and pedestrian space
• Increased, appropriate public transport services
• Design for all, including the elderly, vulnerable and young
• The expression of unique local culture through food, nationality, music, produce and wares
• Beauty, artwork in the streets, colour, form and texture
• Celebration of indigenous culture, story and landscape
• Partnerships with local and regional producers of food and cottage industry products, and marketing that supports ‘buy local’
• Sustainable individual businesses and wider frameworks that support precinct sustainability such as recycling and composting services, water collection and re-use, electricity from renewable sources (Green Power), partnerships with local community groups and organisations
• Local employment opportunities
• Community banks or local credit unions that support the economic base of the local community

For more information on the complete Green Streets program, please view our full Green Streets Program Reports:

• Green Streets Rose Street Program
  

• Smith Street Final Report

Facilitation, Training and Workshops

Village Well runs inspiring workshops within, and for, communities including sustainable future visioning, and work with different sectors of the community to embed sustainable practices. This series of talks and workshops share simple tools and easy actions that can help you reduce your business footprint and save money on your running costs. We also go beyond individual business sustainability, to see how businesses, local government and community groups can work together to create sustainable precincts.

From Green Streets to Great Streets Workshops

1. Healthy Businesses (2.5hours)
Healthy business = healthy communities. There is an art to building great businesses that reflect their unique communities. This inspiration workshop will help traders capture their vision and determine achievable actions for realisation.

2. Visual Merchandising (2 hours)
This presentation gives an overview of best practice visual merchandising for a range of businesses and gives useful tips and examples to make immediate positive changes.

3. Greening your Business (2 hours)
This practical workshop will give simple ways to reduce your business’ impact on the environment and save you money.

4. Authentic Customer Service (1 hour)
Great service comes from the heart. What makes a great service culture? Create a roadmap to service success. Specific skill sets and processes that create an authentic service culture will be provided. This is a dynamic, fun, jammed packed workshop of practical inspiration.

5. Global And Local Trends (2 hours)
An inspiring, fun journey into the latest global and local trends changing the world. From the latest fashion, retail, green business, design and service trends from around the world you can use practically and implement.

6. Green Streets - Creating Sustainable Business Precincts (2 hours)
From your individual business to the wider community, how do we catalyse sustainable Mainstreets and business precincts? This workshop looks at the role businesses have in creating sustainable villages, from collaborative recycling initiatives,

Green power & plastic bag-free townships to neighbourhoods that support public transport use and foster important links with local community groups. We look at who is involved from your Chamber of Commerce to local Government, what the barriers are to achieving collaboration, and how to effectively move beyond this.
NB The series can be booked as a whole or in part.

Environmental Impact Reduction Recommendations

From air-conditioning free shopping centres such as Melbourne Central to composting systems that link business green waste with community gardens, Village Well provides creative and practical ways that businesses can incorporate sustainable innovations.