Brett Robb and Leonie Shanahan. Image Frank Wilkie.

Brett Robb, from Roundabout Coffee and Fuel at Noosaville has a vision. One where the local community works together to reduce their greenhouse impacts by helping to educate scores of local school children in growing healthy, sustainable food.

He has that typical, friendly and enthusiastic spark in his eyes, often found in those with great ideas. The coffee machine gurgles as it makes the next brew. The smell is just too tempting.

“What I want to do is change community expectations. Imagine if one small local business could find a way to fund the education of over 700 local school children on how to live sustainably,” he says, as he watches the coffee drip into the cup.

“What could we achieve if we all co-operate and combine our efforts?”

This is not the usual conversation you get from your local service-station operator. The price of fuel or the world’s most talked about topic, weather, usually dominates the discussion as you pay for a product that is quickly becoming something of a luxury. It’s Brett’s background as a former waste and recycling manger for Noosa Shire that provides a clue.

“It became clear to me, during my role as waste and recycling manager, that our current practices of carrying out our daily lives are not sustainable. I became aware that our current way of living is robbing future generations of the quality of life they deserve,”  he says, as he hands me the coffee.

The father of four understands that many people are similarly concerned for the future. As transport is one of the major contributors to climate change and is already becoming threatened by peak oil, Brett realised that most people cannot afford the more environmentally-friendly hybrid cars, but they still want to do something to reduce their impacts. Trained as a diesel fitter, Brett says, “I’m used to building things to fix problems. You learn to become more innovative.” The sign out the front shows just how innovative his business is.

A large display board shows how much money was donated to the local Edible Gardens project last month. Six hundred and twenty-two dollars was raised through a carbon-offset scheme which uses 2 cents per litre of fuel sold. In what would have to be one of the most transparent service stations around, the sign displays the cost of fuel to the business, the carbon offset of 2 cents and how that offset is used.

“Two cents, he says, almost offsets the carbon, at the point of sale”. But it’s not only greenhouse conscious motorists who are benefiting.

Edible School Gardens co-ordinator and local permaculturalist Leonie Shanahan, understands the importance of Brett’s idea.

“Without Brett, the permaculture garden program would not be happening,” said Ms Shanahan. But like many good ideas the Fuel for Schools program needs more help from local businesses.

“At the moment, the children are very aware of the waste produced at school and therefore we are looking for donations of compost bins that we can use for our food scraps. Not just for Tewantin school, but other schools and community gardens as well. There are many schools that are keen to be part of the permaculture gardens program,” she said.

I place the now empty coffee cup back on the counter. As I prepare to leave I wanted to ask one final question about the type of feedback Brett has received from his customers. Before I can ask, a young woman, in her thirties, pays for her fuel and comments how great Brett’s initiative is. It’s her first time here to fill up the fuel tank. “I’ll be back,” she says with a smile.

It appears that his idea is not only helping local children understand a healthier way of living, but he is tapping into the local community spirit and in doing so, he is set to have a growing base of customers. Perhaps it’s time for other businesses to join in.

Leonie says: “Besides lots of fun, exercise & fresh air, the students learn the life skill of growing their own organic food and experience many new fresh nutritious foods. It’s very rewarding to see the benefits they get from their garden.”

St Thomas More School: Sunshine Beach Year 5

Question: What do you like about your school permaculture garden?

Jacinta Ainsworth

“We don’t use any chemicals on the food. We learn to co-operate with each other especially when there are tomatoes to pick, which are my favourite.”

Hannah Wilkinson

“We learn how to grow plants and look after them. I started my own vegie garden at home.”

Kristen O’Donnell

“We get together and have fun. I like to eat the food we grow, especially the shallots.”

Noosaville State School Yr 6

Question : Why should schools have permaculture gardens?

Jaimee Gilbertson

“We don’t use any chemicals on our garden so the food we grow is a lot healthier. We get to experience lots of new food.”

Tianie Foster

“We have lots of native animals at our school and our garden won’t harm any of them because it’s eco-friendly. A permaculture garden saves money as we can pick it straight from the garden when the chefs come to cook with us. It’s a good experience.”

Siena Catholic College

Tell us about the garden you are working in at school.

Stella Curtis

“It’s a permaculture no dig garden. This means when we built the garden we didn’t dig the ground but put layers of straw, dirt, papers and compost to build up the garden.”

Sally Skelton

“Our garden is pretty and has lots of food. We watch the plants grow really big and then we get to eat them.”

Palmwoods State School
Question : Why do you love your school permaculture garden?
Mitch Smith

“We are helping the environment by composting and growing healthy food. We also grow food for the tuckshop.”

Soul Cormick

“I like to see all the different insects that visit our garden that help our plants grow. I enjoy using the special hook and pole to get the passionfruits off the tennis court fence.”

Jessica Lowes

“We pick lots of lettuces, silverbeet and herbs for the tuckshop. It’s good our tuckshop has lots of fresh food.”

Obesity is now more widespread than hunger and popular soft drinks now rate as the number one items in our shopping trolleys.

In permaculture we say, “find solutions, not problems”. The media and the government often talk about obesity and its associated problems, but talk on its own isn’t going to fix the issue.

Our solution was to bring the answer to the children and let them experience growing their own organic food. Let them see the whole cycle of seed, fruit, compost, worm castings and food-taste sensations. We wanted to let them explore natural flavours of freshly picked food.

Palmwoods State School was the first permaculture edible school gardens I set up from scratch with the students.  Funding was hard to come by so Clare Cox (School Community Enhancement Officer) combed the local community for donations. Fortunately, the local community saw the benefit in such a project.

In the meantime, the Year 6 students were busy learning about permaculture and design.

August 2004 came around and I was nervous we wouldn’t have enough helpers on the day; how wrong I was. Eighty-five people, including members of Permaculture Noosa, parents, grandparents, teachers and lots of kids turned out for our own garden blitz’ driven by the kids, for the kids.

Palmwoods Permaculture Patch was completed by nightfall. From there we have planted, composted, established worm farms and fed the chooks with the tuckshop scraps. We now grow most of our own mulch, use a banana pit (compost hole) which last time we emptied it, had 20 wheelbarrows of beautiful soil for our garden.

A few times each year we harvest lunch from our gardens. Salads are also shared with the tuckshop and sold to the local organic restaurant Sisters Cafe.

We are constantly hearing about the problems of children’s health and not the solutions. I have a solution for you – Permaculture Edible Gardens for all schools.

Currently I am working at four other schools and have another six keen to join. All this with very limited funds. With the proper funding let us turn the problems into solutions and place our children and the planet, on the healthy pathway.