Ecological Justice Hub

Jesuit Social Services’ Ecological Justice Hub is a permaculture garden dedicated to both social and environmental justice.

The Hub uses ecological action to address disadvantage through education and training, demonstration projects, and community engagement.

How does the Hub help?

Part of Jesuit Social Services’ commitment to ecological justice, the Hub is working to restore our relationship with nature and each other.

We promote and teach ecological justice through community-based energy, permaculture, waste conversion, composting, ecological house design, recycling and seasonal planting with food harvesting and cooking — always ensuring that justice and equity are central to our work. We also work collaboratively with other organisations within the City of Moreland to build a local network that rebalances injustices through practical social and ecological practices.

What does the Hub do?

The Hub helps build knowledge and skills through practical ‘hands on’ projects, to strengthen environmental protection and what this means in practice in our homes and in communities, including:

• Just Compost – turning local Brunswick and commercial waste resources into garden compost and soil conditioner.
• Just Hammertime – hands-on courses using recycled materials, in carpentry and construction for women and LGBITQ+ people.
• Just Habitat – manufacturing and designing small eco-friendly homes while creating employment and skill development opportunities.
• Just Energy – solar power and biogas systems for redistribution to people on low incomes.
• Just Nourishment – a Tuesday volunteer program that builds permaculture gardens and distributes healthy meals using zero-waste cooking.
• Just Mushrooms – workshops to demonstrate the techniques of growing mushrooms and using mycelium culture to restore depleted soils.
• Just Good Waste – developing systems of plastics recycling, appliance repairs and re-use and water harvesting.
• Just Honey – promoting local bee keeping, plant pollination, wax-making and honey production.

We have successfully tested a model of community advocacy, education and training, jobs pathways, and green living demonstration projects through:

• Developing a range of education and skill training programs, including permaculture and the Hammertime program for women looking to develop carpentry skills and enter into a trades career
• Staging several Ecological Justice Symposiums, which bring together organisations and stakeholders from across community, government, energy and education sectors to share ideas and the potential for collaborative action and partnerships, both in policy and practice
• The Our Waste series of discussion events, which challenge us to rethink our relationship with the things we buy and discard, the things we need and want, and the power of convenience
• Building ecological awareness and understanding for individuals, community, government and businesses through advocacy and community education
• Providing skills, training and employment support into green economy jobs for people experiencing barriers to employment
• Creating ‘green living’ demonstration projects which support recycling, horticulture, zero carbon power, energy efficiency, waste reuse, ecological construction methods, climate change reduction and environmental recovery.

The Hub is presently the site of a 5000 litre biogas reactor, testing the feasibility of sourcing green waste feedstock from multi-apartment dwellings nearby and generating energy for cooking or electric power to be returned to the dwellings.

We provide food relief through our farm gate and grocery pack outreach. Each Tuesday, our volunteers work alongside our participants to prepare the garden for fruit and vegetable production. Three days a week, we deliver fresh seasonal produce in food boxes to the Brunswick Uniting Church Olive Way Kitchen, which feeds people who are hungry and experiencing homelessness. We are always seeking new volunteers to assist us in this important work.

Where is the Hub located?

The Ecological Justice Hub is located in 4-6 Michael St, Brunswick VIC 3056.

Find out more about the Hub

To find out more about the Ecological Justice Hub and upcoming events, contact us via email at ecojusticehub@jss.org.au or contact us via Instagram @ecojusticehubmelbourne.