RESET: A free festival for greener living

With spring now upon us, Federation Square is hosting a festival all about sustainability, creativity and environmental care as audiences are invited to take a breath and RESET.

From September 1 to October 6 RESET returns to Federation Square, taking advantage of the changing weather to host a month-long program of interactive events, workshops, art installations and immersive experiences.

Both educational and engaging, the program includes everything from muddy play and eco-discos to talks, clean-ups, outdoor cinema, textile mending and seed propagation.

The festival is sponsored by BUPA and its chief sustainability and corporate affairs officer Roger Sharp highlighted the important educational aspect of RESET.

“Bupa is proud to partner with Fed Square on sustainability-focused programs which highlight the essential connection between the health of people and the health of our planet, while reinforcing that everyone has a part to play,” Mr Sharp said.

Opening the festival is Nocturnal Worlds, a sound installation produced by Audiocraft in collaboration with the Australian museum. Fed Square atrium will be transformed into an immersive sonic environment, ringing through with the haunting sounds of Australia’s elusive nocturnal creatures.

Other highlights include the return of a favourite Fed Square event the Zero Waste Festival presented by Zero Waste Victoria. From repair cafés and clothes swaps to craft workshops, panel talks, a pop-up recycling centre and sustainable food trucks, the festival brings together leading voices and everyday heroes in waste reduction to share practical solutions and spark collective action.

Practising what they preach, all stalls in this festival will operate under a Create No Waste policy, and the festival will be powered by a closed-loop system thanks to Green My Plate.

For those who are looking to lend a hand when it comes to sustainability, RESET is running two community days of action and connection. First, World Clean Up Day offers the perfect opportunity to tidy up some of the city’s waterways before celebrating with tea, coffee and a sausage sizzle.

World River Day is another day connecting community with the environment, with visitors welcomed with a stirring performance from Climate Choir and Djirri Djirri, the Wurundjeri women’s dance group before the afternoon settles into a pattern of storytelling, music and conversation.

Speaking about the festival, Melbourne Arts Precinct Corporation director and CEO Katrina Sedgwick said, “Spring is the perfect time to take a breath, rethink and discover sustainable techniques to reduce waste, connect with nature and embrace greener living – all through RESET’s fun, family-friendly events, workshops, films and talks.”

“Get your hands dirty, be present and empower the next generation to care for our planet,” she added.

With many more events and workshops included as part of the festival, visitors can be expected to be both entertained and educated, with RESET hoping to help people live lightly on this planet.