Every day we make choices about what we buy, how we move around and what we throw away. Practicing sustainability can take many forms, such as supporting local businesses, using renewable energy, low emission transport, or growing our own food. It is important that our businesses and communities have the necessary information and resources to participate in behaviours, actions and practices that lead to a sustainable lifestyle.

Our Moreton pulse survey identified residents were already taking actions to live more sustainably, such as recycling, reducing energy consumption and re-using waste. This strategy will continue to support communities to make these choices, provide resources and incentives to make sustainable living more accessible to everyone.

The region also has businesses who champion sustainable and circular economy practices, including IKEA , and paddock to plate and low food-mile initiatives such as REKO which link small producers to customers to create sustainable food supply chains. There is an opportunity for the region to establish its sustainability credentials and attract more like-minded companies to create an innovative hub which focuses on positive impact.

It will be important for our residents and businesses to work together with council and key partners to support sustainability initiatives to achieve this outcome, due to the complex issues and expected pace of change. Community education and business development programs undertaken to support the outcomes of the Regional Economic Development Strategy, can work to ensure that residents and businesses fully benefit from opportunities generated from the transition to a low carbon and low waste future. Equally, Council can draw from the best current examples and promote sustainability practices most beneficial to our region.

• Environmental education centres at Burpengary, Caboolture, Griffin and Eaton’s Hill offer school programs, community activities and workshops that focus on the natural environment and sustainable living.
• Waste education programs reached thousands of students in 2020-21.
• Council partnered with Grow it Local to help residents and groups connect with others and share produce, knowledge, seeds, recipes, space, and skills.
• The Sustainable Moreton Bay Business Toolbox showcases our sustainable precincts and links businesses and sustainable start-up enterprises to resources.

• Support our communities to make sustainable lifestyle choices through purchasing decisions, water and energy use, transport mode and travel choices.
• Support businesses to embed sustainability and circular economy principles in their daily activities, systems and processes.
• Our region’s sustainability credentials attract aligned industries and businesses that contribute positively to innovation, entrepreneurship and economic growth.

• Increase access to and awareness of how to implement sustainability practices into daily life for residents and businesses and promote best practice and case study examples.
• Facilitate and support stakeholder partnerships to leverage funding for initiatives that:
  • increase and share knowledge about how to live and work sustainably
  • support incubator, demonstrator or trial projects
  • support innovative approaches and new technology
  • allow catalytic or best practice projects to be undertaken.
• Council’s industry attraction initiatives and purchasing policy encourage sustainable and climate positive businesses and industries that consider the impacts of investment decisions on the environment, their customers and supply chains to make sustainable choices.