Climate change action - We can do something
In Tasmania, every time we switch on an electrical appliance we are now responsible for CO2 emissions, which contribute to climate change.
We can all take action both individually and collectively to help reduce our carbon footprint - the amount of carbon dioxide we emit in our daily lives.
One of the best ways to approach this is to assess where we're using most of our energy and then to adopt an energy reduction action plan.
For individuals, a useful tool to help with this energy assessment or audit is the 'Do It Yourself Home Energy Guide' published by Sustainable Living Tasmania, which can be bought for $5.50 or downloaded .
It guides householders through a process to thoroughly check their home energy use and helps them with an action planning template to decide on priority changes that need to be made. To help individuals to make household energy saving changes over the longer term, the Up2me Environment Challenge gives three levels of challenges. If you'd like to challenge yourself click here and see what you can do.
Throughout Australia, Anglican dioceses are beginning to implement energy efficiency projects as a way to reduce their collective carbon footprint. One of the most broad-ranging programs is within the ACT, where the aim is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 400 tonnes a year by addressing lighting and heating inefficiencies within all diocesan facilities.
One way Tasmanian parishes could work collectively to help to reduce their carbon footprint is to assess and address the external lighting needs of their churches.
In the greater Hobart area for instance, the parishes could work together to reduce their lighting needs. If collectively they reduced the number, the hours of use and the wattage of the floodlights and other external lights used for their churches, they could save over 200 kilowatt hours of electricity each night.
This would add up to more than 73,000 kilowatt hours of electricity and approximately 70 tonnes of greenhouse gas saved per year.
Other simple ways parishes can save energy are:
- Switching off computers, particularly screens, when not in use
- Replacing all incandescent lights with compact fluorescent lamps
- Turning down thermostats on hot water heaters and space heaters
- Ensuring work spaces are well-insulated and draught-proofed.
From Helen Pryor, Project Officer, Sustainable Living Tasmania. More information on the website .