How to Make our Households and Businesses Carbon Neutral
Bill Castleden, Chairman of DEA, lists some simple measures that we should all adopt in order to make a personal, family and business contribution to reducing greenhouse emissions.
We intend to remind you of these measures for if you as committed DEA members cannot be persuaded of their importance, humanity does indeed have a clouded future!. We need to hear your views and experience on this issue.
David Shearman
By Bill Castleden.
1. Reduce Household and Business Greenhouse Emissions.
Contact your supplier and change your home and business accounts to 100% “Natural Power” or whatever your supplier is offering in the way of green energy. DO THIS TODAY, OR TOMORROW AT THE LATEST. When you have done this your electricity will come from renewable energy and your household and business electricity consumption will be carbon emission-free.This will cost the average household $ 3.00 to $ 6.00 per week extra.
Save this extra expenditure, and further reduce your carbon emissions by doing the following (most simple first):
Switch off all appliances on ‘standby’ at the power socket whenever possible and certainly every night before going to bed. (Saves the average household about $100 and 750kg of greenhouse gas emissions per year).
Install long-life light bulbs as standard ones pack up (Each fluorescent bulb saves $ 45 over its lifetime).
Recycle everything you can. (Saves about 1000kg of emissions per year)
Use less hot water; fit water-saving shower heads, use cold or warm water only for washing machines. (Likely to save about $100 per year and 750kg of emissions)
Use air-conditioning and heating more sparingly and judiciously; alter thermostats. Likely to save about $300 and 1500 kg of greenhouse gases in Perth
Plant deciduous trees on North-facing aspect of the house and business. (Every tree will save about 1000kg of emissions over its life and provide shade in summer and will allow access of light in winter)
Always buy energy-efficient (and water-efficient) appliances, even if they cost slightly more at the time of purchase.
Install a solar hot water system; there is a $500 rebate in WA and financial incentives in most states and it will reduce water heating costs (approximately one fifth of the cost of electric storage water heaters)
Better-insulate your house and business.
Retrofit your house and business premises to become passive-solar; include photovoltaic panels and grey-water systems.
2. Reduce Transport Emissions.
The ABS Household Expenditure Survey calculates each household spends about $139 per week on transport. Transport is responsible for about 34% of every individual’s greenhouse emissions. Every litre of fuel saved reduces running costs by about $1.00 and saves 2.8kg of greenhouse emissions.
Walk or cycle.
Where possible use public transport.
Think about each trip in the car. Is it really necessary just now?
Can I combine several things into one journey?
Can I car share for this trip or for any others I plan to make?
Can I do away with a car? How many cars does this household/business really need? The RAC (WA) calculates that it costs an average of $ 5000 a year to run a car when all costs including finance and depreciation are taken into account)
3. Think if it is possible to fly less frequently.
4. Off-set the carbon emissions we cannot avoid.
The choice of offset needs careful consideration. There are plenty of scams about where the promoter profits and very little carbon gets saved. If supporting a tree-planting scheme, the trees need to remain alive and growing for about 100 years. Tree-farming for woodchips returns the carbon to the atmosphere in about 9 years. www.carbonneutral.org.au is worth looking at.
MANY OF THE ABOVE ARE SIMPLE, COMMON-SENSE MATTERS, EASILY-ACHIEVED IF WE WANT.
IF WE ARE BOUND BY A PARTICULAR EMOTIONAL AND/OR POLITICAL IDEOLOGY THE FOLLOWING RECOMMENDATIONS MAY BE MUCH MORE DIFFICULT TO CONTEMPLATE. THEY ARE NONETHELESS VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE INDIVIDUALS ARE ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF SOCIETY’S CARBON EMISSIONS. GOVERNMENTS AND BUSINESSES HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBLITY FOR THEIR EMISSIONS TOO.
ONLY WHEN WE HAVE TAKEN THE TROUBLE TO EDUCATE OURSELVES WILL WE BECOME FULLY- AWARE THAT ADDRESSING CLIMATE CHANGE HAS TO SUPERCEDE PARTY-POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS.
5. Take time to educate ourselves.
Sign on to www.planetark.org.au or another free daily environmental news feed.
Sign on to www.realclimate.org
Read “Heat” by George Monbiot available from www.amazon.com .This UK journalist discusses how it is possible for the UK to reduce its greenhouse emissions by 90% by 2030 without upsetting the economy. Most of his recommendations are appropriate for Australia too.
6. Become Socially active and further educate ourselves.
Join and then support two or more environmental organizations like the Conservation Council of your State, Australian Conservation Council, The Wilderness Society, Greenpeace, etc etc. Donations are tax-deductible. Their publications are informative.
7. Become politically active.
Contact and write to politicians of all political spectra about your climate change concerns. Without serious government involvement and global participation our efforts will be in vain.
Think about joining Amnesty International, Oxfam and/or other non-political organizations concerned about fairness and justice.
Look at www.getup.org.au
8. Know you can make a difference.