Ben Cooper and his family have worked hard to make their home in suburban Maiden Gully more environmentally sustainable.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
"We've retro-fitted the house with a solar system and a Tesla battery," he said. "We're not off-grid but using our own battery systems means we don't have to draw on main power.
Mr Cooper, a horticulturalist at PepperGreen Farm in North Bendigo, said his family also has plans to increase their own food production at the property.
"Our aim each day is to have something on the plate that we can say we've grown in the garden," he said.
"We also try not to let any waste leave the farm and instead put all of our green waste in our compost bins and worm farms instead."
Mr Cooper is one of the many people who will be going along to this weekend's Bendigo Sustainable Living Festival.
The annual event brings together community organisations and businesses to participate and showcase the best sustainable living products, programs and services in Central Victoria.
"There's going to be a great variation of people there," Bendigo Sustainability Group president Trevor Smith said.
"There are people who have no idea about sustainability and others who are experts. We encourage people to come along and mingle."
The group expects more than 2000 people to attend the festival, which is in its fourth year.
"We'll definitely be going along," Mr Cooper said. "We're going to try and talk to people about our vision for urban farming and sustainability.
"Even when you live on a small suburban block, you can still do a lot to minimise waste and grow your own food."
Mr Cooper said sustainability was about an "holistic approach" to the environment.
"It's about growing your own food but also supporting the natural diversity of the environment through planting flowers to encourage bees and supporting our native wildlife," he said.
The festival will run on Saturday from 10am - 4pm at the Bendigo Town Hall.
Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.
Tara Cosoleto
Journalist covering courts and general news at the Bendigo Advertiser.
Journalist covering courts and general news at the Bendigo Advertiser.
