
Circular Economy Villages
10/16/20 • 50 min
In this episode I speak with skilled planners and strategic engineers, Nilmini De Silva and Steven Liaros, who have more than 25 years local government and consulting experience. They share their vision of pioneering "Circular Economy Villages" (CEVs) in Australia . A CEV lowers living costs, covering the basic needs of residents, including water, food, energy and shelter. CEVs also integrate sustainable and innovative ideas and infrastructure, reinventing how 'residents and entrepreneurs' live and work together.
The couple have spent the past few years travelling Australia in their motor home and connecting with communities and councils to get important feedback that will inform their vision of sustainable, affordable and connected living.
In this interview they share:
- what their research findings on CEVs are, including anecdotal and academic research from Steven's PHD
- which local councils support the idea and are interested in developing it further e.g. Bellingen Council
- what the master plan of a CEV could look and how it might work
- how CEVs save on commute time
- what shared community amenities will be available, such as electric vehicles, entertainment rooms, pool, gyms etc
- how shared spaces like community gardens and meeting places create connection and enhance mental health
- what E changers are
- how CEVs offer nomads a home and a place in a community for as long as they want.
For more information about CEVs and Nilmini and Steven's vision, visit the links below.
Want to learn more click on the following links:
Link to Fifth Estate Article: Circular economy village Life: Pipedream or solution to all our woes
Social Media & Websites:
FB Page: Circular Economy Villages
Publication on Medium: Ecoliving Journeys
Steven’s PhD: Circular Economy Villages: Local Nodes in a Globally Networked City
In this episode I speak with skilled planners and strategic engineers, Nilmini De Silva and Steven Liaros, who have more than 25 years local government and consulting experience. They share their vision of pioneering "Circular Economy Villages" (CEVs) in Australia . A CEV lowers living costs, covering the basic needs of residents, including water, food, energy and shelter. CEVs also integrate sustainable and innovative ideas and infrastructure, reinventing how 'residents and entrepreneurs' live and work together.
The couple have spent the past few years travelling Australia in their motor home and connecting with communities and councils to get important feedback that will inform their vision of sustainable, affordable and connected living.
In this interview they share:
- what their research findings on CEVs are, including anecdotal and academic research from Steven's PHD
- which local councils support the idea and are interested in developing it further e.g. Bellingen Council
- what the master plan of a CEV could look and how it might work
- how CEVs save on commute time
- what shared community amenities will be available, such as electric vehicles, entertainment rooms, pool, gyms etc
- how shared spaces like community gardens and meeting places create connection and enhance mental health
- what E changers are
- how CEVs offer nomads a home and a place in a community for as long as they want.
For more information about CEVs and Nilmini and Steven's vision, visit the links below.
Want to learn more click on the following links:
Link to Fifth Estate Article: Circular economy village Life: Pipedream or solution to all our woes
Social Media & Websites:
FB Page: Circular Economy Villages
Publication on Medium: Ecoliving Journeys
Steven’s PhD: Circular Economy Villages: Local Nodes in a Globally Networked City
Previous Episode

A Heartfelt Vision for Wellness Sanctuaries
Vision for Wellness Sanctuaries
In this interview Sebastian Hilbert shares his story of moving to Australia from a small rural town in East Germany, with a population of 200 people.
He discusses how he and his partner, Theresa Armytage, created Wellnesspreneur after realising there was a gap in the market in how effectively wellness businesses were creating and using their online presence. Seven years on, Sebastian and his partner have become leading authorities on wellness business growth training.
When the world took a collective breath during the Covid-19 lockdown, Sebastian started to question whether he was following his true passion. He spent a few days alone in nature feeling into what he'd love to create if there were no limits and Wellness Sanctuaries was what emerged.
Still in early development, Sebastian shares his dream of creating Wellness Sanctuaries around the world that integrate farming, community, sustainable building and off-grid living. He is working with Gymea Eco Retreat to create a model for a space that provides more than a temporary escape. Sebastian is determined to create an experience that is truly transformative for the individual and their community.
Sebastian shares about the following in the interview:
- how he discovered his passion for wellness and how it has developed over the years
- his tips in helping health professionals to engage with their customers and grow their businesses
- how his moments of crisis and change have been the biggest catalysts for positive growth and transformation
- his vision for Wellness Sanctuaries and the importance of collaboration.
Bio:
Sebastian is the Co-Founder of Wellnesspreneur, speaker and author of ‘Wellness Influence'
After finishing with honours and as dux of one of the most prestigious hotel schools worldwide, Sebastian learned from alternative and holistic health professionals that ‘the big three’ diseases: diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer, which had such a profound effect on his friends and family, can , in many cases, be prevented.
This inspired Sebastian to micro-niche and co-found ‘Wellnesspreneur’ with the vision to move the world to ‘Sustainable Wellness’, helping health and wellness professionals to triple their revenue in 6 to 12 months.
After a 7-year entrepreneurial journey, Sebastian wants to build a more conscious, harmonious and abundant world, by building foundations and the capacity to grow for businesses in wellness, health and sustainability.
Links:
Sebastians Book: https://www.wellnesspreneur.com.au/book (You find the video there too)
Next Episode

It takes a town with Carmen Stewart
It Takes a Town — with Carmen Stewart
It Takes a Town (ITAT) started in 2017 in the 2484 postcode area, which includes Murwillumbah, Northern New South Wales and surrounding villages. It operates under the premise that we all — residents, services, clubs, churches, businesses, schools and government—have a role to play in creating change. With 1 in 3 children below the poverty line in 2484, children and families have become ITAT's primary focus. ITAT focuses on nurturing the qualities of collaboration, generosity and responsiveness, with the understanding that if we get the culture of community ‘right’ and provide support for the seeding of new collaborations and initiatives then it will benefit of children, families and individuals.
In this episode we ask Carmen how the project is progressing how the community is engaging with it.
In this interview we discuss how:
- natural disasters, like the 2017 floods, impact local communities and help build resilience
- to tap into the generosity of a community willing to help those in need
- ITAT attracted funding to support the movement
- ITAT's managed to respond more quickly to people in need during the floods than larger organisations subject to bureaucracy
- the community gathered together to determine how they could be more self sufficient.
Bio of Carmen Stewart
Carmen has a Masters in Applied Science (Social Ecology) and a background in government, education, community and not-for-profit sectors. For the past 17 years she has worked as a consultant, specialising in community engagement, project design and management, the facilitation of workshops and strategic planning.
Carmen’s key role at present is the design and activation of ‘It Takes a Town’. This is a collective impact project focused on the 2484 postcode area. It aims to grow a culture of trust, generosity and responsiveness, in order to create opportunities and environments for children to thrive.
Prior to this she designed and managed the award winning Making Places project, an initiative to imagine safer, healthier and more sustainable futures in communities across SEQ and Melbourne.
Carmen has worked extensively as a consultant with organisations in the Northern Rivers, including Social Futures, The Family Centre, Momentum Collective, Tweed Ballina Byron Community Transport, the NNSW Local Health District and the (former) Tweed Valley Women’s Service. She has also worked for multiple government agencies including the Tweed Shire Council, Logan City Council, City of Gold Coast and the Queensland State Government.
Carmen is a highly skilled and engaging facilitator. She is passionate about inspiring and activating change to create futures we would all love to live in. Right now she is particularly interested in how we can collaborate post COVID-19 to NOT return to business as usual.
You can find out more about Carmen’s present work at www.thrive2484.com
Connect with It Takes a Town
Beaming Green - Circular Economy Villages
Transcript
Hello, my name is Jeremy Melder, and on the presenter from beaming green. Before we start, I would like to acknowledge that this podcast is being held on the traditional lands of the bundjalung people and paying our respects to elders both past present 10 emerging. The beaming green podcast is a weekly pod, which will help you to take out some of the stress and confusion about how to live your life more sustainably. And we do this by introduc
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