Media Release
4 June 2008
The City of Melbourne works towards becoming more sustainable
Tomorrow is United Nations World Environment Day, and the City of Melbourne is marking the day for
environmental awareness by reminding residents and businesses within the municipality how they can
improve and continue to implement sustainability initiatives that balance a healthy environment with
economic prosperity and social equity.
Acting Lord Mayor Gary Singer said the City of Melbourne’s sustainability program aimed to improve the
municipality’s environmental performance through reducing water and energy consumption, minimising
greenhouse gas emissions and improving water quality and waste management practises.
“The municipality now has a residential population of more than 75,000 people. The City of Melbourne has
developed programs and initiatives to help residents and businesses reduce their impact on the environment.
Whether you own your own home, share a flat or live in a high rise apartment, there’s plenty you can do to
make a difference,” the Acting Lord Mayor said.
Improving the environmental performance of buildings is a key challenge facing the municipality. Residential
and commercial properties account for 64 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions from the municipality (Zero
Net Emissions by 2020 strategy). Council’s multi award winning, 6 Green Star Council House 2 (CH2)
building is an example of cutting-edge sustainable design and has inspired a number of commercial
developers to follow suit.
New buildings however account for only a tiny fraction of building stock across the municipality. In order to
make real progress, the performance of existing buildings must be improved. Council is working with the
Clinton Climate Initiative and other groups to explore retrofitting the remainder of its buildings.
Councillor Fraser Brindley, Chair of the Environment Committee, said the City of Melbourne was a global
leader in the sustainable development and design of its buildings and parks.
“Like the rest of the world, Melbourne faces difficult decisions if it is to overcome the huge challenge of
becoming truly sustainable. Council is making the first steps towards this goal with a suite of policy initiatives
in 2008/09. These include the innovative new water policy City as a Catchment, and the update of Zero Net
Emissions by 2020, which positions the municipality to make the very substantial and necessary cuts in its
greenhouse gas emissions,” Cr Brindley said.
The City of Melbourne is today supporting the expansion of its Savings in the City program into regional
Victoria. Geelong Otway Tourism is launching their initiative ‘Green Step – a pathway to sustainability’ to
invite accommodation operators in the region to reduce their energy, waste and water consumption. For
more information on Savings in the City program go to:
For more information on the City of Melbourne environmental sustainability initiatives please go to:
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For further media information please contact:
Emma Smith, Media Adviser, City of Melbourne
Paul Williams, Lord Mayor’s Media Adviser
Ph: (03) 9658 9740 / 0400 525 914
Ph: (03) 9658 9484 / 0411 235 434
Email: emmsmi@melbourne.vic.gov.au
Email: pauwil@melbourne.vic.gov.au
City of Melbourne environment facts
Did you know...
the City of Melbourne was the first Council in Victoria to introduce garbage collection trucks
powered by environmentally friendly compressed natural gas? We estimate that the trucks
have saved up to 15 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions over the past year.
a new deregulated electricity supply arrangement for the city's public lighting is saving 6104
tonnes of greenhouse gas a year? It is also cutting Council's energy bill for public lighting
by over $150 000.
Council buys 10 per cent of the electricity used in our major buildings as green power from
the Codrington wind farm in Western Victoria? This reduces the amount of power we need
to buy from coal-fired power stations and supports a new industry in rural Victoria.
about 75 per cent of all trips in urban areas are made by car? An average vehicle uses
1920 litres of fuel a year and emits 4.33 tonnes of carbon dioxide. If you drive to work you
not only contribute to pollutants you are likely to breathe in 4.5 times more pollutants than
catching a train.
each year, up to three billion pieces of litter (about 2000 to 3000 tonnes) are washed into
Melbourne's waterways through stormwater drains? This equals about one item of litter per
person per day. Most of the litter comes from suburban streets and is generated by
pedestrians and motorists.
to protect our waterways from litter, Council has installed three litter traps in drains under
Thierry Street near the Queen Victoria Market, under Lygon Street near Trades Hall and
underneath the bus station at Spencer Street Station. We are also working with Melbourne
Water and surrounding councils to clean up the Moonee Ponds Creek.
many interesting facts about Melbourne's environmental performance can be found in
free publication produced by the City of Melbourne and the Australian Institute of Urban
Studies.
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NEWS 
