Sustainable house tour in O’Connor. Photo: Jessica Miller, SEE-Change Canberra
SEE-Change Inc (Society, Environment and Economy) is an Australian Capital Territory (ACT) not-for-profit organisation supporting local community groups to create a more sustainable Canberra. Each SEE-Change activity aims to inspire, inform and support the community to take actions to reduce their ecological footprint, improve the resilience of the ACT’s ecosystems and improve the wellbeing of all Canberrans now and into the future.
The SEE-Change Inc office is located in Downer, and the elected committee and office staff provide support and coordination functions for local groups. Currently, SEE-Change groups of volunteers meet in Belconnen, Inner North, Inner South, Woden and Gungahlin. Each group is different, with members undertaking activities of interest and importance to their local areas.
SEE-Change Inc and member groups are involved in many different activities, including solar panel and electric bike bulk buys, a bike trailer hire service, film nights, seminars, talks, progressive dinners, community festivals, kitchen table conversation events and house blitz – draught-proofing events.
Volunteers making curtains at a SEE-Change workshop. Photo: SEE-Change Canberra
One of the main projects is the Canberra Curtain Retrofit Project, which uses a community-based delivery model to improve the energy performance and living conditions of vulnerable people’s houses. The project brings people together in sewing workshops, and increases home energy efficiency using available materials and volunteer support.
The SEE-Change program of monthly Sustainable House Tours is designed to inform and inspire renovators, home owners and renters by showing them everyday homes built and created around the idea of reducing their ecological footprint. On these tours, visitors can tap into local knowledge to learn how to successfully integrate renewable energy, recycling, food growing and other sustainable practices into their own home and lifestyle.
SEE-Change will soon launch a Transition Streets Canberra Project to encourage and support neighbours to connect, share ideas and enthuse one another to become more energy and water efficient.
SEE-Change is supported by the ACT Government Environment and Planning Directorate. Additional support for specific projects is provided by a number of other organisations.
Source: Jodie Pipkorn, Executive Officer of SEE-Change Inc