AT HOME

Many of our personal greenhouse gas emissions come from what we do at home - through our use of hot water, electronics, heaters and air conditioners and lights. Other things are also very important, such as what we buy, how we manage our waste and how we build our houses. Best of all, most of the things we can do to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions also save money!

• Think about what you buy.

  • Try not to buy too many things that you don’t need - nearly everything we buy generates greenhouse gas emissions when it’s made, when it’s transported and when it’s thrown away.
  • If you’re buying an appliance that uses electricity or fuel think about how much it will use over the next 5 or 10 years – buying an efficient item now will reduce greenhouse gases and save you money in the long run.
  • There are a lot of greenhouse gases generated in agriculture and this means the foods we eat are precious. Try not to waste food. Heat up your leftovers or throw them on the compost so they can go back into your garden later.
  • Use your power as a consumer. Some companies have made commitments to reducing their emissions or becoming carbon-neutral. Supporting those companies by buying their products rewards them for doing the right thing and encourages other businesses to do the same.

• Reduce your waste.

  • The things we throw out emit greenhouse gases as they break down so the less we waste the more emissions we can save.
  • Reduce the amount of disposable things you use -
    • When you go to the corner cafe, take your own mug instead of buying a coffee in a cardboard takeaway cup (if you take a big mug you may even get more coffee for the same price!).
    • Try to use cloth napkins and table cloths instead of paper ones – you can wash cloth ones and reuse them.
    • Take your own reusable bag to the shops instead of getting plastic bags – you also probably don’t need a plastic bag to carry one purchase to the car.
    • Take your own containers to shops that sell products, like rice and nuts, in bulk.
    • Buy things that are wrapped in as little packaging as possible.
    • Magazines and newspapers use a lot of paper and inks – you may be able to read them online, otherwise throw them in the recycling bin
    • Where you can’t avoid waste, recycle or reuse anything you can. In some cases you may even be able to return your packaging – some dairy and wine companies now have products whose glass bottles can be returned to them for reuse (and in some cases you may even get some money back for doing so!).

• Be green in your yard.

• • Plant a tree. It’s an easy way reduce carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. By the same token, removing trees from your backyard will create greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Plant drought-tolerant native trees. They not only store carbon, they also add to our biodiversity, and provide homes or food for native animals and birds.
  • Start composting. Green waste, which includes garden waste such as lawn clippings and food waste such as tea leaves and vegetable matter, creates greenhouse gases as it breaks down in landfill. Composting reduces the emissions associated with green waste – and the resulting compost provides a natural fertiliser for your garden.
  • Build a vegie patch. Growing your own food helps kids learn, saves you money, and reduces greenhouse gases. It also gives you great satisfaction when you pull out the carrots.

• Build a smart house.

• • If you are building or renovating a house there are lots of things you can do to make your new or improved home more climate friendly.
  • Install insulation - it’s a great way to reduce heating costs and the emissions associated with them. Good heavy curtains are a relatively cheap way to improve the insulation in your house.
  • ‘Passive’ heating and cooling design also helps reduce reliance on electricity to heat or cool your house – this includes clever positioning of windows and design of your foundations.
  • Use recycled building materials. They’re often cheaper, and you can reduce waste and have fun finding them.
  • Use energy efficient fittings and electrical appliances – they will end up saving you money in the long run.

ON THE ROAD

Transportation makes up a large portion of our personal greenhouse gas emissions. Making small changes to how we get around will make a big difference to our contribution to climate change.

• Buy smart. Fuel efficient cars produce less greenhouse gas emissions. They also cost a lot less to run – the higher fuel prices are the more of a difference a fuel efficient car will make to household costs. When you are in the market for a car, pay attention to vehicles’ environmental performance and fuel efficiency ratings. A number of websites can help you compare cars.
  • The Green Vehicle Guide rates most car models sold in Australia since 2004 - www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au
  • If you are considering an older car, the Australian Government Fuel Consumption Guide Website covers vehicles sold between 1986 and 2003 - www.environment.gov.au/settlements/transport/fuelguide
  • It’s worth thinking about how much money and emissions a more fuel efficient car will save you over the next five years.
• There are lots of easy things you can do to save fuel:
  • Keep your car well-tuned. The better maintained a car is the more fuel efficient it will be.
  • Pump up your tyres. Under-inflated tyres will reduce your fuel efficiency by up to 3 per cent. Pumping up also gives you greater wear on your tyres.
  • Drive smart. Go easy on the brakes and accelerator. Reducing your speed will also improve your fuel efficiency.
  • Clean out the car. Removing weight from your car can also improve its fuel efficiency. Removing a roof rack you’re not using can cut fuel consumption by up to 5 percent.
  • Plan your trips in the car. Stop in at the shop on the way home from work rather than take a separate trip, so you save fuel and time.
• There are other ways to get around so you don’t need your car.
  • Jump on a bus. Public transport helps reduce emissions and eases congestion on the road. And you won’t need to pay for parking.
  • Take a walk. If it’s a nice day walk to the shops. It’s good for you, gives you time to think and creates absolutely zero carbon emissions.
  • Ride your bike. You can get fit and show others that you are well and truly earning your stars.

AT SCHOOL

• Be energy smart at school. Turn off all the lights when you don’t need them. Switch off computers and other electrical equipment at the wall.
• Cut back on paper. It’s easy if you try. Wasting paper creates greenhouse gas emissions in landfill so use scrap paper or read online.
• Think before you print. If you need to print go double-sided, use recycled paper or scrap paper.
• Use notebooks made from recycled paper.
• Recycle your lunch box. Lots of things in your lunch box can be recycled when you’re finished with them – juice boxes, glass bottles and cardboard. Ask your teachers what you can and can’t recycle if you’re not sure.
• Learn about climate change and what causes it – this is an important problem that we will all need to help find solutions for well into the future.