Acf Green Homens W

The GreenHome Guide
NEW SOUTH WALES EDITION

WATER
ENVIRO PLUMBERS
www.enviroplumber.com.au
Phone: 02 8789 7000
GREEN PLUMBERS
www.greenplumbers.com.au
Toll Free:1800 133 871
NATURE CONSERVATION COUNCIL
Coastal and Urban Sustainability
www.nccnsw.org.au
SAVE WATER AUSTRALIA
www.savewater.com.au
SYDNEY WATER
www.sydneywater.com.au
Phone:13 20 92
URBAN WATER
www.urbanwater.info
WATER FOR LIFE
www.waterforlife.nsw.gov.au
WASTE
NSW DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION
www.environment.nsw.gov.au
Phone: 02 8837 6000
Environment Line: 131 555
PLANET ARK
www.recyclingnearyou.com.au
Phone: 1300 733 712
REVERSE GARBAGE NSW
www.reversegarbage.org.au
8/142 Addison Road, Marrickville, NSW
Phone: 02 9569 3132
THE BOWER REUSE AND REPAIR CENTRE CO-OPERATIVE LTD
www.bower.org.au
Building 34,142 Addison Road, Marrickville
Phone: 02 9568 6280
ENERGY
DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, UTILITIES AND SUSTAINABILITY
www.deus.nsw.gov.au
ENERGY SMART
www.energysmart.com.au/les/
Phone: 1300 138 638
GREEN ELECTRICITY WATCH
www.greenelectrictywatch.org.au
GREEN POWER
www.greenpower.gov.au
Phone: 02 9281 7777
NABERS Home energy and water rating tool
www.nabers.com.au
YOUR HOME TECHNICAL MANUAL
www.greenhouse.gov.au/yourhome/technical/index.htm
FOOD
AUSTRALIAN CITY FARMS AND COMMUNITY GARDENS NETWORK
www.communitygarden.org.au
AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY FOODS
www.communityfoods.org.au
THE ORGANICS DIRECTORY
www.theorganicsdirectory.com.au
GARDENS
AUSTRALIAN BOTANIC GARDENS
www.anbg.gov.au/gnp/index.html
GREEN HARVEST ORGANIC GARDENING SUPPLIES
www.greenharvest.com.au
Phone: 1800 68 10 14
SYDNEY ROYAL BOTANIC GARDENS
www.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/information_about_plants/
gardening_info
TRANSPORT
BICYCLE NSW
www.bicyclensw.org.au
Phone: 02 9218-5400
GO GET CAR SHARING
www.goget.com.au/
Phone: 02 9571 7700
PUBLIC TRANSPORT INFO
www.131500.com.au
Phone: 131500
TRAVELSMART
www.travelsmart.gov.au/government/#nsw
GREEN CLEANING
TOTAL ENVIRONMENT CENTRE SAFER SOLUTIONS
www.tec.org.au/dev/safersolutions/
Phone: 02 9261 3437
GREEN SHOPPING
AUSTRALIAN CONSUMERS ASSOCIATION
CHOICE
www.choice.com.au
Phone 1800 069 552
GREEN PAGES AUSTRALIA
List of green businesses, organisations and products
www.greenpagesaustralia.com.au
GREEN FINANCE
CORPORATE RESPONSIBILITY INDEX
www.corporate-responsibility.com.au
ETHICAL INVESTMENT ASSOCIATION AUSTRALASIA
www.eia.org.au
Phone (02) 8224 0314
ETHICAL INVESTOR
www.ethicalinvestor.com.au
UNITED NATIONS PRINCIPLES FOR RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT
www.unpri.org/principles/
STAND UP FOR
THE ENVIRONMENT
CONSUMER AFFAIRS NSW
www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au
ENVIRONMENT DEFENDERS OFFICE, NSW
edonsw@edo.org.au
Phone: (02) 9262 6989
GreenHome
contacts
AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION Toll Free: 1800 332 510 | www.acfonline.org.au | greenhome@acfonline.org.au
ACFs GreenHome www.acfonline.org.au/greenhome
1
Introduction
I The Australian Conservation Foundations GreenHome
Section One
I Water Saving Page 5
Section Two
I Energy Saving Page 13
Section Three
I Waste Avoidance, Recycling and Compost Page 21
Section Four
I Food Page 29
Section Five
I Gardening Page 35
Section Six
I Transport and Healthy Lifestyles Page 41
Section Seven
I Green Cleaning Page 49
Section Ei
g
ht
I Green Shopping Page 55
Section Nine
I Green Finance Page 61
Section Ten
I Standing up for the Environment Page 67
Contents
reenHome guide
Australian Conservation Foundation www.acfonline.org.au
2
T
he Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) is committed to inspiring
people to achieve a healthy environment for all Australians. For over
40 years we have been a strong voice for the environment, promoting
solutions through research, consultation, education and partnerships. We
work with the community, business and government to protect, restore and
sustain our environment.
ACF is Australias leading national not-for-prot environment organisation
and is largely funded by individual membership and donations. Since
1966, we have focussed on the most important and urgent environmental
problems, seeking change with lasting political, economic and social
support. ACF has played a key role in increasing protection for some of
Australias most outstanding natural assets including the Franklin River,
Kakadu, the Daintree Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef.
Support for ACFs conservation work will help ensure that future
generations enjoy clean air and water, sustainable cities, healthy rivers and
forests, unspoiled oceans, vibrant Indigenous cultures and protection for
our unique places, animals and plants.
T
he Australian Conservation Foundations GreenHome is
a program working with the community to nd individual
and collective solutions to environment issues. From practical
tips on saving energy and reducing waste, to calculating
your environment footprint and choosing actions that make
a difference, GreenHome makes it easier to enjoy a healthier
environment and save money at the same time.
GreenHome involves a series of community workshops, DIY
renovator expos and events focusing on what people can
do in their own lives to help the environment. This includes
environmental actions at home and in our lifestyles, looking at
how our homes and communities t into the bigger picture and
what the solutions are at a local, state and national level.
The ACF GreenHome program regularly runs workshops
throughout NSW for both the general public and for workplaces.
Please contact us to see if were in your local area. ACF would
like to acknowledge the support of the NSW government to the
GreenHome program through its Environmental Trust and Water
for Life Education Program. We would also like to thank our local
project partners for supporting this program and providing many
free environmental products for our participants.
To discover how to reduce your impact on the environment
at home and in your lifestyle, Australian Conservation
Foundations GreenHome is your one-stop-shop. Visit the
online Challenge, swap useful tips, calculate your ecological
footprint using ACFs eco-calculator, receive quarterly
newsletters and keep up to date with sustainable living by
visiting www.acfonline.org.au/greenhome.
3
A better world?
WHATS WRONG WITH THE ONE WEVE GOT?
Australias natural environment is unique. As Aussies, we are fortunate to live in such a beautiful and
diverse environment, and many aspects of it are in good condition by international standards. Its not just
about national parks and beautiful places we visit on holidays or the weekend either. Four out of every ve
Australians live within 50 kilometres of the coast, so we know rst-hand the importance of having healthy
waterways.
Without a healthy environment to provide us with clean air, water and food, our lives would be very
different and those of our children and grandchildren. But how many of us make the link between the
things we value and the choices we make on a daily basis? Do we relate the importance of healthy rivers
to our decision to take another plastic bag at the shops?
Maintaining a healthy, diverse natural environment is valuable in itself but it is also essential to human
wellbeing. Our natural life supports are under severe pressure or actively running out as we increasingly
live in an era known as ecological overshoot. It has been calculated that if everyone lived as Australians
do, we would need at least four more Earths to sustain our current standard of living. Indeed Australia has
the sixth largest ecological footprint in the world.
Never before has our planet had to sustain as large a population, nor one that consumes as much
as we do. We are bracing ourselves for rapid change and face environmental, economic and social
challenges unless we act now. Climate change, the effects of which we are already witnessing, requires
the industrialised world to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 60-90% to have any hope of averting its
worst effects.
WHY SHOULD I TAKE ACTION?
Everyone can do their bit to reduce their individual impact. GreenHome is about showing people how
they can help the environment, by making simple changes to the way they live. Through this guide we
hope that you will identify some ways to green your home and lifestyle. By attending an ACF GreenHome
workshop series or event you will also meet other members of your local community who are doing similar
things. By swapping stories and ideas, you can take the GreenHome message beyond your front door.
Well help you identify the simple things that you can do:
I Save energy and fuel to help reduce air pollution and climate change.
I Save water to help protect our fragile waterways.
I Cut down on waste to help us stop lling our land with rubbish tips.
I Shop wisely to reduce toxic chemicals in our homes and environment.
I Create native gardens to increase local biodiversity and save water.
I Create veggie gardens to grow your own healthy food.
I Make your money work for you with sustainable investment.
I Community actions you can take to advocate for a more sustainable world.
GreenHome will help you take whichever steps are right for you, as we all take action for a better world.
GreenHome
action for a better world
4
MELBOURNE [HEAD OFFICE]
Floor 1, 60 Leicester St, Carlton, Vic 3053
Phone: (03) 9345 1111
Fax: (03) 9345 1166
SYDNEY
Suite 504, 32 York St, Sydney, NSW 2000
Phone: (02) 8270 9900
Fax: (02) 8270 9988
CANBERRA
PO Box 2699, Canberra City, ACT 2601
Phone: (02) 6247 2472
Fax: (02) 6247 5779
ADELAIDE
120 Wakeeld St, Adelaide, SA 5000
Phone: (08) 8232 2566
Fax: (08) 8232 2490
CAIRNS
Suite 1, Level 1, 96-98 Lake Street, Cairns, Qld. 4870
Phone: (07) 4031 5760
Fax: (07) 4031 3610
BRISBANE
Contact 1800 223 669
THE AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION WEBSITE:
www.acfonline.org.au
OUR PARTNERS IN THIS INITIATIVE ARE:
DISCLAIMER
While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and
completeness, no responsibility is taken, nor guarantee
given, by the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF)
with respect to errors or omissions in the material contained
in this guide. Furthermore, ACF does not accept any
responsibility or liability in respect of your use of any
information, or advice given, in this guide.
For feedback, please email greenhome@acfonline.org.au.
COPYRIGHT
Reproduction in whole or in part may only occur with the
written permission of the publisher.
January 2007
Design, illustrations and layout by Lisa Rushbrook, Mediation Communications, Phone: (03) 9602 2992, www.mediacomms.com.au.
THIS GREENHOME GUIDE IS PRINTED ON 100% RECYCLED PAPER
PUBLISHED BY: THE AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION
Second edition
5
SO WHY ARE WE RUNNING
OUT OF WATER?
The water catchments around Sydney supply over 4 million
people 60% of households in New South Wales including
Sydney, Illawarra and the Blue Mountains. The largest of a
system of 21 dams is Warragamba completed in 1960, and
raised in 1989 fed by the Warragamba, Upper Nepean,
Woronora and Shoalhaven Rivers. The dam holds four times
the volume of Sydney Harbour. The total catchment area of
the system covers 16,000 square kilometres, stretching west
to Lithgow and south almost to Canberra. Sydneys growing
thirst has an enormous ecological footprint!
Sydneys population is increasing and drought has curbed our
river ows by January 2007 the water level in the dam system
dropped below 35% of capacity, the lowest level in history. The
situation on the fast-growing Central Coast is more severe, with
dam storage down to 13.5% by January 2007. With population
pressure and most of the state drought-declared, coast and
inland town water supplies face similar shortages.
HOUSEHOLD WATER USE IN
NEW SOUTH WALES
Across the state of NSW, agriculture takes 65% of water
consumption. Household water use is the next largest
category, at 11%. However, in cities like Sydney the story is
different: households (houses, townhouses and apartments)
use 70% of Sydneys metered water supply, and 50% of water
supplied in Newcastle and the Hunter valley.
NSW as a whole has reduced household water consumption
by about 13% over the last ve years. In Sydney, 700,000 more
people used less water overall than a decade ago. In 2001-02
the average Sydney household used 687 litres of water each
day. In 2004-05, it was down to 578 litres still enough to ll
four bathtubs or 205 thousand litres of water in a year. That
adds up to 528 billion litres of water for Sydney last year (2005-
06) almost enough to ll Sydney Harbour! The bucket to the
right shows you where that water is used in the average home.
WHAT IS MORE EFFICIENT: A
DRYING CATCHMENT IN WHICH
SMALL RAINFALLS SOAK INTO THE
SOIL, OR AN IMPERVIOUS ROOF
WHERE EVEN A FEW MILLIMETRES
RESULTS IN A SATISFYING RISE ...
IN THE RAINWATER TANK?
Saving water starts with you
GreenHome...
saving water
Peter Coombes, Associate Professor of Integrated
Water Cycle Management, University of Newcastle in
The Australian 24 January 2007
THE AVERAGE
NSW HOME
USES 211,000
LITRES OF
WATER A YEAR.
Toilet 14%
Washing machine 17%
Shower 25%
Outdoors 27%
Taps & Dishwasher 17%
WHY SHOULD WE SAVE WATER?
We should be proud of our water saving so far, but population is
increasing and climate change is reducing our supply, so we need to
do more. Sydney will be home to a million more people by 2025.
Should we build another dam? We already have 11 major dams
serving Sydney, but we are draining them too fast, and reducing
natural ows in our rivers: scientists believe the Hawkesbury-Nepean
needs another 100 billion litres of ow per year to return to health.
A new multi-billion dollar dam would have to be built many kilometres
south on the Shoalhaven (inundating farmland and requiring massive
pumping) or north on the Colo (the last remaining major natural
river in the region in a beautiful national park). Fortunately, the NSW
Government has rejected these unacceptable schemes.
Desalination is another solution, but at a high cost. While climate
change is reducing the rainfall over our dam catchments, power-
hungry desalination will add to the greenhouse effect. The full size
500 million litre-per-day plant would take all the GreenPower currently
produced in NSW to run, leaving everyone else to burn coal. And
while rainwater is cheap, desalination will raise the price of water for
everyone. Desalination may be a last resort, but it is best avoided.
Ever wondered where the water goes after it leaves your home?
Last year Sydney sent 430 billion litres of water down the drain and
into the ocean as wastewater. This water could be recycled and used
again, a process more efcient than desalination. At the same time,
coastal rain brings a ood of rainwater and stormwater, waiting for us
to install the tanks and pipes to use it.
The best solution is to use less water in the rst place, collect more
rainwater and stormwater to use, and recycle the water that is used.
This can be done in homes and workplaces around NSW, as well
as through large-scale rainwater, stormwater and recycling initiatives
supported by all levels of government. We can all be part of the solution
by using less water and using water wisely. Read on to see how ACFs
GreenHome can help you become water smart.
6
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Shower old style head 25 per min
Long (7 minutes) 175
Short (4 minutes) 100
Shower AAA head 7 per min
Long (7 minutes) 49
Short (4 minutes) 28
Take Action: Change shower head
Take Action: Take shorter showers
Toilet
Full ush 11
Dual ush - Full ush 6
Dual ush - Half ush 3
Take Action: Change ush volume
Take Action: Always choose half ush
Hand basin & Kitchen
Washing hands 9
Brushing teeth with tap running 15
Washing dishes 18
Dishwasher 15
Washing vegetables 10 per min
Take Action: Install tap aerator Cut use in half
Take Action: Cup for brushing teeth > 1
Clothes washing
Full load with top loading machine 120
Full load with front loading machine 50
Take Action: Change to front loader
Take Action: Only wash with a full load
Outside
Washing car with hose 17 per min
Watering garden with sprinkler 17 per min
Take Action: Wash car with bucket
Take Action: Wash car less often
Take Action: Mulch garden Cut watering
by 70%
TOTAL:
GreenHome Household Water Saving Log
This log will help you track your water savings. Heres an example to get you started:
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Clothes washing
Full load with top loading machine 120 3 360
Full load with front loading machine 50 2 100
Action: Change to front loader 260
Action: Only wash with a full load
7
1. Mulch your garden and save kilo-litres!
A
quarter of our household water is used
outdoors on the garden, some gardens
use much more. By spreading mulch (leaves,
grass clippings, shredded garden waste, even
newspaper) over your soil, you can reduce the
amount of water wasted through evaporation
by around 70%.
Mulch protects your watered garden from evaporation by
holding water in the soil. Mulching is great for lots of reasons:
you will weed your garden less, add nutrients to the soil
AND save water. Make mulch from leaves, grass clippings,
newspapers, bark, wood, straw or just about any other
organic matter. You can also buy mulch from most nurseries
and garden suppliers. Just spread it over all exposed soil
and around your plants.
Your plants dont need drinking quality water like you do,
so reuse water from the laundry and the bathroom. A bucket
in the shower and a hose from the washing machine is a
good start, or your plumber can install a simple greywater
diverter, or a more sophisticated treatment system. For
more information on greywater reuse see the next section
(see page 10)
GREENHOME FACT:
You will also reduce the amount of water lost
through evaporation if you water early in the
morning or in the evening.
2. Dont be a drip!
A
dripping tap can waste over 20,000 litres
of water a year and usually means that
a washer needs replacing. This is simple
to x all you need is a tap spanner and a
replacement washer. Just remember to turn
the water off at the mains rst.
A leaky toilet that is constantly hissing can waste up to
100,000 litres a year. To check if a toilet has a slow leak,
place some drops of food dye in the cistern. If colour
appears in the bowl after 15 minutes without ushing
you have a leak.
Fixing a leaking toilet can be a bit tricky, so contact a
licensed plumber if youre not condent. If you want to give
it a go yourself, take the parts that need replacing to your
local hardware store or plumbing retail outlet and ask for
assistance. Remember to repeat the food colouring test to
make sure you have xed the leak.
GREENHOME FACT:
You can save up to 100,000 litres of water
and $125 on your water bill by xing a badly
leaking toilet.
GreenHomes
top five water-saving tips
8
4. Short, efficient showers
M
ake sure you have water-efcient
showerheads: for as little as $20, you
can save as much as $100 on your water bill.
Efcient shower heads (three-stars or better)
use only 7-9 litres per minute while traditional
showerheads use 20-30 litres!
While youre at it, make sure your taps have aerators tted.
Washing your hands or rinsing veggies uses up to 20 litres a
time, tap aerators will cut this to 10 litres or less. You can buy
tap ow control aerators from hardware and plumbing shops.
They simply screw on, cost as little as $5 and cut your tap
ow in half by mixing in air to maintain pressure.
By installing water efcient shower heads and tap aerators
you will not only save water you will also save money on your
energy bill by using less hot water.
Remember you can still use a lot of water standing under an
efcient showerhead for 30 minutes! You can save so much
water by limiting your shower time: try a four-minute shower.
SAVE BUCKETLOADS OF WATER!
GREENHOME FACT:
If you live in Sydney, Illawarra or Blue
Mountains, Sydney Water is offering a DIY kit
or plumbers visit to install a new water-efcient
showerhead, tap aerators and x minor leaks
for only $22: www.sydneywater.com.au/
SavingWater/Waterx/
3. Install dual-flush toilets and look for the stars
W
ater-efcient appliances make a real
difference. If you dont have a dual-ush
toilet, now is a good time to get one.
A half ush uses 3 litres, full ush just 4.5 in the latest water-
efcient models, much less than an old standard cistern
which uses 11 litres. Remember, unless your toilet is plumbed
into your rainwater tank or greywater system, this is treated
drinking water from our dams being ushed down your toilet.
Choose a dual ush toilet with at least a four-star water
efciency rating.
When you buy a washing machine or dishwasher, check the
water efciency star rating the more stars, the more water
efcient. An old washing machine uses two or three times
the water and wastes 50-100 litres every wash! Rebates
are available for new machines 4-stars or better, see www.
sydneywater.com.au/SavingWater/WashingMachineRebate.
If youre stuck with a single ush toilet, you can still save
water. Place two 2-litre plastic bottles lled with water in the
cistern to displace water and reduce the ush to 7 litres, or
install a ush regulator that stops ushing when you do.
GreenHomes
GREENHOME FACT:
A single-ush toilet uses 11 litres per ush
or 40-60,000 litres per year in the average
(2-3 person) household. Replace this with an
efcient 3/4.5 litre dual-ush and save 28,000-
42,000 litres per year or $35-$53 from your
water bill.
9
5. Dont waste the rain!
W
hile our dams arent catching the rain
theres no reason why your home cant:
the single biggest water saver you can buy is a
rainwater tank. Your roof is more efcient than
a dry dam catchment, and will collect water
from the smallest rain shower.
A tank for the garden will help keep things green when water
restrictions stop you using mains water, but much more water
can be saved by connecting the tank to the toilet, laundry
and hot water systems, or the whole house.
Once you have xed those leaks and replaced older inefcient
appliances, you are ready to take the next step: your house
can be part of our water supply system! If you connect your
rainwater tank to indoor plumbing, you can harvest more
water in a smaller tank. These days, tanks come in all shapes
and sizes, tting along walls or under oors if space is tight.
Prices start around $700 and rebates can cut the cost of
saving water in half. For more information on rainwater tanks
see page 11.
Green Plumbers or Enviro Plumbers can help you install the
best system for your needs: www.greenplumbers.com.au
or www.enviroplumber.com.au.
DID YOU KNOW?
Sydney, Illawarra and the Blue mountains are now on Level 3 mandatory water
restrictions:
The ve Stage 3 Water Restrictions are:
I Hand-held hosing of lawns and gardens and drip irrigation is now allowed only on
Wednesdays and Sundays before 10 am and after 4 pm
I No other watering systems or sprinklers are to be used at any time
I A permit from Sydney Water is required to ll new or renovated pools bigger than
10,000 litres
I No hosing of hard surfaces including vehicles at any time
I No hoses or taps to be left running unattended, except when lling pools or containers
I Fire hoses must only be used for re ghting purposes not for cleaning
This information is correct at time of printing: January 2007.
Check www.sydneywater.com.au for current water restriction status.
GreenHomes
GREENHOME FACT:
A rainwater tank of 1000-7000 litres works well
for Sydney. With a 5000 litre tank you can save
an average of 71,000 litres of water every year
in western Sydney. On the coast where rainfall
is higher, you can save 100,000 litres a year
or more.
10
LOOK FOR THE STARS
Water efcient products will help you save money as well
as Australias most precious natural resource. A new Water
Efciency Labelling and Standards (WELS) Scheme has been
introduced to help you identify new water efcient products.
You will see stickers on water using products such as taps,
washing machines, dishwashers, toilets, and ow controllers
which show you how water efcient this product is. Like the
Energy Rating labels, the more stars the more water efcient
the product.
Different products attract different ratings, for example
the most efcient showerheads on the market have been
awarded 3 stars, while the most efcient washing machines
and taps have 5 or 6 stars. Look for the most stars when
purchasing new products. For more information, and to
compare products, visit www.waterrating.gov.au
GreenHomes
greywater reuse
W
idespread capture and reuse of greywater
can save billions of litres of water,
easing the strain on our water supplies and
avoiding the need for new dams on already
stressed rivers or energy-thirsty desalination
plants. Greywater is water from your washing
machine, laundry tub, shower, hand basin and
bath, but does not include waste water from
your kitchen, toilet or bidet. (Wastewater from
the toilet is called blackwater and must be
connected to a sewer or treatment system).
Greywater systems need to be well set up and
maintained to protect the environment and
your health.
GREYWATER ON THE GARDEN
The easiest way to start reusing greywater is to put a bucket
under the shower, carry buckets from the bath, or run a hose
from your washing machine. If greywater is used immediately,
it does not need to be treated. Be careful, some laundry
detergents are high in sodium (salt) that can be bad for the
garden. And dont use untreated greywater directly on fruit
and vegetables you will eat raw, like lettuce or carrots.
Beyond this, there are simple diverters designed to make using
greywater on your garden easier. Costs range from $60-$200.
They must be installed by a plumber but you dont need a
permit to use a diversion-only system in sewered areas in NSW.
GREYWATER IN THE HOME
You can reuse greywater for ushing toilets in your home as
well. Simple diversion/storage systems collect shower and bath
water and hold it for 24 hours before discharging to the sewer. A
small pump provides pressure to the toilet cistern. These start at
around $900.
More sophisticated systems lter, treat and store greywater for a
constant supply and are more fully integrated into your plumbing
and can be connected to supply your washing machine as
well. (The most sophisticated systems can provide water quality
suitable for other uses, but this is still a developing market).
These systems cost $5000 and up.
These system types are certied by NSW Health and installations
require local council approval.
Reduce, reuse, recycle greywater!
11
GreenHomes
rainwater tanks
A
growing population and changing rainfall
patterns are bringing back an Australian
icon the rainwater tank. Climate change
appears to be shifting rain away from our major
dam catchments, towards the coastal fringe
where the most houses are. As the populations
of our cities continues to grow, our dams are
running dry. Your roof is more efcient than a
dry dam catchment, and will collect water from
the smallest rain shower. A city of rainwater
tanks can save billions of litres of water,
effectively creating a virtual dam.
WATER FOR YOUR GARDEN
The easiest way to use rainwater is on the garden, which
accounts for 25-50% of water use in the average home. If
you have a large garden that needs watering, you can make
big water savings. Using rainwater in the garden requires only
a relatively simple system and even a small tank can make a
contribution this is good for topping up swimming pools and
washing cars as well. Remember that larger tanks are best
for outdoor use you wont be watering the garden when it
rains and youll need storage capacity to carry you through
dry periods. A 5000-litre tank is good; if you have a large roof
10,000 litres is better.
USING RAINWATER IN YOUR HOME
Using rainwater indoors provides better overall water savings
because the capacity of the water tanks can be used much
more efciently. You are harvesting water by keeping the tank
as empty as possible, ready for the next rain, not keeping the
tank full like in the old days. Plumbing can be connected to
the toilet and laundry, hot water systems, or the whole house.
Mains water is used to top up the tanks when they are low
automatically via a oat valve or switch. A small pump
provides pressure when using rainwater. Factors to consider
when installing your rainwater tank are:
I Roof size: a large tank (over 5000 litres) may be wasted
on smaller roofs (less than 100m
2
) but larger roofs (200m
2
)
can collect more water.
I Household size: more people in the house empties the
tank faster, so you can collect more rain and save more
water over the course of the year.
I Access: how easy is it to connect to your indoor plumbing?
I Space: room in the backyard, along a wall, under the
oor, in-slab or in-ground? Tanks come in many materials
in all shapes and sizes.
I Rebates: in NSW, 7000 litre tanks connected to the toilet
or laundry attract the maximum rebate.
A household installation of a 5000 litre tank and a pump can
be done for $2000, including installation, but plumbing costs
will vary. In NSW, you can install a system, receive a rebate
and recoup the remainder from reduced bills after a few years.
First ush diverters, leaf and insect screening are
recommended. For these and other design aspects your
installer can refer to Water Sensitive Urban Design Practice
Notes 4 Rainwater Tanks from www.wsud.org.au and
Rainwater Tank Design and Installation Handbook HB
230-2006 from Standards Australia www.standards.com.au.
For detailed health information see the enHealth publication
Guidance on Use of Rainwater Tanks available at
enhealth.nphp.gov.au/council/pubs/pdf/rainwater_tanks.pdf
South Australians are leading Australia with 48% of
households using rainwater tanks. A reputable supplier
can help design the best system for your needs and
GreenPlumbers or Enviro Plumbers can assist with installation.
A rainwater tank of 1000-7000 litres works well for Sydney.
With a 5000 litre tank you can save an average of 71,000 litres
of water every year in western Sydney. On the coast where
rainfall is higher, you can save 100,000 litres a year or more.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
Water is a necessity, so governments keep the price low. This
makes water saving less attractive, so the NSW Government
subsidises rainwater tanks by offering rebates:
I In NSW rebates of up to $800 are available for rainwater
tanks (the rebate can be deducted from your water bill).
More information: www.sydneywater.com.au/SavingWater/
RainwaterTanks
I A 5000 litre tank on an average home in Western Sydney
will save 71,000 litres each year or $90 from your water
bill, more on the coast where rainfall is higher. As the price
of water rises, youll save more.
I You can keep your garden healthy during drought, even if
there are water restrictions.
I Rainwater tanks reduce the load on stormwater systems
by providing on-site detention, reducing roof runoff
and protecting creeks and rivers. If you are building or
renovating, this can save you money on detention systems
check your local Council regulations.
I Widespread use of rainwater defers the need for a new
dam or an energy-hungry desalination plant, protecting
our rivers, preventing greenhouse pollution and saving
government funds for other things we need.
Your home can be part of the solution, not just part of the
problem. The combination of water efciency, rainwater
tanks and recycling is the basis of a truly sustainable city.
Install your personal dam!
12
GreenHomes
note page
13
WHAT CAN WE DO?
To reduce greenhouse pollution we must switch
from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources like
solar and wind. We also need to waste less energy
and use it more wisely. Most homes could be just
as comfortable while using about half the amount of
energy saving money and the environment!
GreenHome shows you how to do your bit: there
are heaps of easy ways to save loads of electricity
around your home and by switching to accredited
GreenPower, you can be certain the energy you do
use is greenhouse-friendly.
Saving energy starts at your front door
GreenHome...
saving energy
5%
- Lighting
9
%
- R
e
frig
e
ra
tio
n
5
%
- W
a
ste
s
1
5
%
- E
le
c
tro
n
ic
a
p
p
lia
n
c
e
s
1
1
%
- H
e
a
tin
g
a
n
d
c
o
o
lin
g
3
4
%
-
T
ra
v
e
l
1
6
%
-
W
a
te
r h
e
a
tin
g
2%
- C
lothes w
ashing,
D
rying & D
ishw
ashing 3%
- C
ooking
IT MAKES SENSE TO SAVE
ENERGY
Whether it is electricity, gas or petrol, energy costs both you and
the earth and its easy to use less. In this section well focus on
saving energy at home in the form of electricity and gas. But its
important to remember that energy is needed for everything we
use and do: transport needs fuel and all products require energy
to be produced. As a consumer, its worth thinking about the
electricity and gas you use at home, how you travel, and the
hidden or embodied energy in all the products you buy. There
are many ways we can reduce our greenhouse gases and climate
change footprint.
BUT WHATS THIS ABOUT
A GREENHOUSE?
The Earth is wrapped in a delicately balanced blanket of
gases. Like a greenhouse in a garden, this insulating layer
traps heat from the sun and sustains life.
Human activities, particularly the generation of energy from
fossil fuels, are adding signicant amounts of greenhouse
pollution to the atmosphere. This pollution stays in the
atmosphere for many decades.
Greenhouse pollution is making the Earths blanket
unnaturally thick, which heats up the planet, otherwise known
as global warming. This heat trap is also causing many
unusual and dangerous changes to our climate and weather
systems, best described as climate change.
The largest source of gas emissions is electricity generated
by burning coal, which emits carbon dioxide. From sweltering
heat to rising seas, the effects of climate change have already
begun to make dramatic changes. Higher temperatures
threaten the earth with dangerous consequences drought,
disease, oods, loss of biodiversity and ecosystems.
ACF has more information on climate change at
www.acfonline.org.au/climate.
GREENHOUSE EMISSIONS
FROM HOUSES
This house graphic (left) shows the breakdown of how household
activities produce greenhouse gases in Australia. This includes
transport to and from the home which is the largest contributor
of greenhouse gas emissions. See section six of this GreenHome
Guide for more detail on Transport.
HOUSEHOLD GREENHOUSE
GAS EMISSIONS IN AUSTRALIA:
(Source: Department of the Environment and Heritages Australian
GreenHouse Ofce (2006), Global Warming Cool It: A Home Guide
to reducing energy costs and greenhouse gases, Department of the
Environment and Heritages Australian GreenHouse Ofce, Canberra)
14
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15
H
ave a look at how much energy some of
your appliances use in the home. Its a
great way of working out how you can reduce
greenhouse emissions and save money on
your energy bill. Its also worth understanding,
particularly if you are thinking of purchasing
new appliances for your home such as energy-
guzzling plasma TVs.
To work out where you can save energy, check out the
wattage on your appliances to get a clearer picture of what
draws a lot of power. Some appliances have the wattage
printed on the appliance or noted on the packaging, but
others are harder to locate. You may have to call the
manufacturer to nd out the wattage for some appliances
such as old fridges, washing machines or dryers. Look for a
gure followed by W, watts or kW (kilowatts) - this tells you
the maximum amount of electricity the appliance consumes.
Electricity consumption on your bill is measured in kilowatt
hours. So 1 kWh means that you use 1 kilowatt (equivalent to
1000 watts) of electricity during one hour.
For instance, a 1200 watt vacuum cleaner would use
1.2 kilowatts of electricity every hour it is in use.
Now estimate the hourly running costs of your appliances
using the formula in the box on the right. Use your
appliances less and consider switching to more energy
efcient appliances.
Switching to energy efcient lights is an easy way to save
energy in your home but imagine the big savings if you use
your air conditioner and heater less!
GreenHomes
energy-saving
Home energy saving audit
HOW MUCH IS ELECTRICITY
COSTING YOU?
To work out how much your appliances and
electrical equipment is costing you, you can
perform the following calculation:
Enter No. of Watts/1000 x 12 cents (average peak
electricity tariff rate) = hourly running cost (in cents).
Examples:
100 watt light globe:
100 watts/1000 x 12 = 1.20 cents per hour
15 watt energy efcient light globe:
106 cm Plasma TV:
100 cm LCD TV:
68 cm Conventional TV:
NABERS (the National Australian Built Environment
Rating System) is a new rating system for existing
buildings. With NABERS HOME you can:
I Find how energy & water efcient your home is compared to others.
I Explore simple ways to reduce your energy and water bills and protect the
environment.
The Energy Explorer is available now, the Water Explorer is coming soon
www.nabers.com.au/home.aspx
16
1. Switch to GreenPower
G
reenPower is a national accreditation program
for the renewable energy products offered by
electricity suppliers.
Almost all electricity companies offer the choice of GreenPower
for more information see the end of this section (page 18).
When you purchase GreenPower, your energy supplier buys
electricity from renewable sources such as wind and solar, avoiding
the burning of coal and directly reducing Australias greenhouse
pollution. There is no change in the way electricity comes to your
house and no supply disruption.
Switching to GreenPower is the best way to cut your greenhouse
emissions in the home. 100% accredited GreenPower adds up to $5
extra a week on the average household bill, however this small extra
cost can be minimised by following our other tips and becoming
more energy efcient.
Ask your energy retailer about the GreenPower products they offer
- or shop around for another energy retailer. Make sure that the
GreenPower you choose is Government-accredited (bears the
GreenPower logo). This indicates that your dollar will drive the creation
of new, renewable energy, beyond that which already exists. You can
choose the percentage of GreenPower you want we recommend
100% GreenPower or the highest percentage you can afford.
Visit GreenPower for more details: www.greenpower.gov.au.
It can be hard to understand which green electricity products have
the best environmental credentials. Environment groups, including
the Australian Conservation Foundation, have carried out an
independent survey which ranks different products.
Visit www.greenelectricitywatch.org.au for more information.
GREENHOME FACT:
GreenPower is not only good for the
environment, it helps support Australias
edgling renewable energy industry.
As a result of the growing demand for
GreenPower, over 265 new approved
renewable energy projects have been
installed in Australia since 1997.
2. Get out of hot water
H
eating water uses a lot of energy.
Electric hot water systems are still the
most common in Australian homes, and an
average system produces up to 4 tonnes of
greenhouse gases per year and accounts for
nearly half of the electric bill thats lots of
room for improvement!
Turn it down: most hot water systems come with a thermostat
and you can get an electrician or plumber to vary the set
temperature. By reducing the water temperature by as little as
5
o
C, you can reduce energy consumption by between 3% and
5%. (Note that its recommended you dont set the thermostat
lower than 60
o
C). Switch the water heater off if you are going
away for more than a few days.
Use a cold wash: Cut your bill by using only the cold cycle in
your clothes washing machine. Using a warm setting will save 2
kilograms of greenhouse gas per wash while a cold wash will save
4 kilograms (compared to a hot wash).
Shorter showers, insulating hot water pipes and xing dripping
hot taps are also great ways to save energy and water.
GREENHOME FACT:
A gas boosted solar hot water system is
the most greenhouse-friendly way to heat
your hot water.
G
R
E
E
N

P
O
W
E
R
GreenHomes
top five energy-saving tips
17
GreenHomes
3. Heating and cooling efficiently
O
ne simple thing to remember - dont
over-cool or over-heat your home. A
difference of just one degree can reduce
energy consumption and greenhouse
pollution by up to 10%. Make sure the
thermostat is tted to an internal wall, and
set the temperature as low (for heating) or
high (for cooling) as you can.
With whatever heating or cooling system you have, only
heat or cool the rooms you are using, and dont leave your
system running when youve left the house. Also, dress for
the weather - dont turn the heater on if youre wearing shorts
and a t-shirt!
Try to heat/cool your home rather than the great outdoors!
Glass conducts a lot of energy so dress your windows by
shading them with external vines or pergolas, especially
on north and west facing windows. Add external eaves or
internal pelmets to windows and keep windows closed if
you are using an air conditioner. Also seal up drafts, close
curtains and add insulation which will further reduce your
energy usage.
Instead of relying on energy-guzzling air conditioners, when it
is cooler outside than in, turn on celing fans and utilise natural
ventilation by opening up windows at night.
GREENHOME FACT:
Turning down the thermostat in summer
and up in winter can reduce heating and
cooling costs by 10%.
4. Make your fridge more efficient
T
he fridge uses a lot of energy and the
older your fridge is, the higher the
probability that it will be a big polluter.
But you dont need a new, efcient fridge to cut your
emissions. There are lots of adjustments you can make -
youll save up to half a tonne of greenhouse gases if you
follow these simple steps:
If you have a second fridge that is mostly empty, turn it off
when not in use (leave the door slightly open).
Fresh food compartments should be set at around 4
o
C to
5
o
C and freezers should optimally be set between -15
o
C
and -18
o
C.
Never put hot food into the fridge let it cool down rst.
Try to open the door as little as possible .
Keep fridges and freezers in a cool, well ventilated spot
(away from the oven and the sun) and you can save up to
100kg of greenhouse gases per year.
Ensure the coils are clean and well ventilated - that will save
you another 150 kg per year.
Fix the door and seals so that they close properly - thats
another 50 kg a year you will save.
GREENHOME FACT:
The energy star rating system can help
you make a greenhouse-friendly choice
for new appliances. See page 19 for
more details.
18
5. If it blinks at you, switch it off!
S
tandby power is the electricity
consumed by an appliance when its
not being used. Around 10% of Australian
household electricity use goes directly on
standby power, so we are literally throwing
away 10% of our electricity.
When you turn appliances off with the remote or even using
the On/Off switch, rather than at the wall, the appliance will
go to standby power.
In most households TVs, videos and DVD players, computers
and stereos are on standby more than 80% of the time. Often
the standby power serves no real function or operates at
excessive levels for the background task being performed
(such as running a clock).
So when youve nished watching TV, listening to a CD or
using your computer for the day switch the unit off completely
at the wall is best. Youll save around 115 kg of greenhouse
gas each year by doing this, and much more if you switch
off (at the wall) all appliances on standby. An easy way to do
this is to use power boards with individual switches for each
appliance. Often when something is on standby, there is a
small light that glows or blinks at you. If you see this and the
appliance should be off, switch it off at the wall or plug.
DID YOU KNOW?
GreenHomes
GREENHOME FACT:
Appliances on standby use on average
750 kWh per household each year. On
average this costs $100 in NSW. You can
measure the amount of standby used in
your home by turning everything off (the
way it is normally turned off) and then
reading the meter.
You can get money back for taking major energy saving actions
Solar power rebates
The Federal Government offers rebates of up to $4000 for households who use solar power to generate electricity
(photovoltaic panels). Rebates are available for households, schools and community organisations. Application forms
are available from the NSW Department of Energy Utilities and Sustainability, call 1300 138 122 or visit: www.deus.nsw.
gov.au/Energy/Renewable%20Energy/Solar%20Power/Solar%20Power%20Rebates.asp
Solar hot water and heat pump rebates
There are no rebate schemes for solar hot water systems from the NSW government but you can get some money
back from the Federal government by selling Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) if you are:
I Replacing any hot water system including gas and electric with an eligible solar or heat pump system,
I Replacing an old solar hot water system or heat pump water heater, or
I Installing a new solar hot water system or heat pump system in a new or existing home.
The number of RECs will depend on the size and efciency of the system you install but could be worth anything from
$500 to $1000. Solar hot water suppliers are often able to buy the RECs from you and should be able to provide further
information about this. Also see the Ofce of the Renewable Energy Regulator for details of how the scheme works:
www.orer.gov.au/swh/index.html
19
GreenHome
energy smart choices
LOOK FOR THE STARS
Energy smart appliances will save you money and reduce your greenhouse
emissions. For most new appliances (fridges, washing machines, air
conditioners etc) there is an energy rating system. Stickers on the products
show a star energy rating. The more stars, the more efcient the product.
See www.energyrating.gov.au for more details.
You can also check out the Energy Allstars website for details of the most
energy efcient household and ofce appliances:
www.energyallstars.gov.au.
NSW GreenPower Options
Almost all energy retailers in NSW offer accredited
GreenPower products, which include energy from solar,
wind, biomass and low impact hydro. Check out
www.greenpower.gov.au for a list of energy retailers
who offer GreenPower.
WHAT IS SOLAR ENERGY?
Solar energy is Australias largest energy resource: the
average amount of solar energy that falls on Australia is about
15,000 times the nations energy use. Photovoltaic cells,
known as PV or solar cells, convert the energy from sunlight
into electricity which can be made available through the grid.
WHAT IS WIND ENERGY?
Wind energy is converted to electricity by turbines large
fan-like structures with three blades. The turbines need to be
in places with strong, steady wind to ensure regular energy
production.
WHAT IS BIOMASS?
Biomass is the term used to describe the generation of
energy from organically based sources. Types of GreenPower
biomass generation currently being used include landll
gas, sewage gas and bagasse. There are strict policies on
the type of biomass energy that can be used within the
GreenPower program.
WHAT TYPES OF HYDRO POWER ARE INCLUDED
WITHIN GREEN POWER?
Hydro electric generators that are approved for use within
GreenPower are those that have minimal impact on the
surrounding environment. Examples include installing a
generator in a fast owing stream or tting an existing dam or
weir with a power generator. New dams or river diversions do
not qualify and the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric scheme
is not approved for use within the GreenPower program.
WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY EXTRA FOR GREEN POWER?
You can choose what proportion of electricity comes from
GreenPower if you choose to source 100% of your power from
renewable sources, it will cost an additional amount of between
$2-5 extra a week.
The total cost of GreenPower goes directly towards setting up new
wind, solar, hydro or biomass generation (depending on the product
you choose). Choose carefully as there are some electricity products
which claim to be renewable energy but are not accredited and do not
help towards reducing Australias greenhouse pollution. Discover which
products make the most difference at www.greenelectricitywatch.org.au.
CARBON NEUTRALITY
If you have already reduced your energy usage and switched to
GreenPower for your electricity, carbon offsetting is another step
you can take to reduce your eco-footprint.
Carbon offsetting is a way for individuals and businesses to compensate
for their own emissions by investing in emission reductions elsewhere.
You can offset your entire personal footprint or choose to offset specic
activities such as airline ights and car travel. Even international events
like the 2006 FIFA World Cup were committed to being carbon neutral.
Like green electricity, some products are greener than others. Look
for carbon offsetting products that:
1. Source their offsets from new, renewable energy or energy
efciency projects. These are the most credible sources.
2. Have an independent authority verify the emissions reductions
to ensure they are credible and permanent.
Many offset products plant trees to remove C0
2
from the atmosphere.
This method runs the risk that C0
2
is released back into the
atmosphere in the event of re, disease or logging. The Australian
Conservation Foundation suggests you only buy these offsets if you
cannot buy offsets from renewable energy or energy efciency.
This area is evolving rapidly, so check www.acfonline.org.au/climate
for our latest advice and a listing of offset products.
20
A safe, clean energy future for Australia
GreenHomes
safe, clean energy
DONT REPLACE ONE
PROBLEM WITH ANOTHER:
In Australia, we must make big decisions
concerning our future energy needs.
Electricity made from burning coal is
accelerating dangerous climate change.
We need to change the way we generate
power to reduce greenhouse pollution.
Now is the time to embrace a clean energy
strategy but instead of pouring resources
into renewable energy the Federal
Government plans to build up to 25 nuclear
power plants around Australia by 2050.
Nuclear power is a dirty, high-cost and high-risk energy
option which raises more serious questions than it answers:
Would nuclear signicantly reduce greenhouse gas
emissions? Doubling the number of nuclear reactors
globally will only reduce total greenhouse gas
emissions by 5%. Nuclear power also uses much
more water than other power plants Australia is
the driest continent on Earth and it doesnt make
nancial or environmental sense to adopt nuclear
power here when there are faster, cheaper, cleaner
solutions available specic to this continent (such as
geothermal and solar).
How will we store the waste? Every nuclear reactor
creates highly dangerous and long lasting radioactive
waste, and after its short use-by date has expired
must be expensively decommissioned. In the fty
years of its existence the international nuclear industry
has found no country ready to build a disposal facility
for high-level waste. Already, in Australia, trying to
manage waste from uranium mining is a serious
environmental problem.
Is it cost-effective? The global nuclear industry is
supported by massive public subsidies. The Australian
Government has admitted that large hand-outs would
be needed to cover the cost of nuclear reactors here
(A$2.59billion apiece), and that doesnt include safety,
security and managing nuclear waste for 30,000
years. If the same support was given to renewables
like geothermal, a longterm sustainable solution
could be found instead of wasting trillions of
dollars on nuclear, which can only ever be a
short-term stopgap solution. Rather like Cane
Toads nuclear may become a plague we bequeath
to future generations that solves little.
What about nuclear weapons? More nuclear reactors
means more ssile materials in circulation and more
chances of nuclear weapons proliferation. International
safeguards are globally under-resourced and frequently
fail to work.
The good news is that there are cheaper, cleaner and
faster ways to reduce greenhouse emissions free of the
problems associated with nuclear power. If we use our
existing energy supply more efciently, we can do much
more with what we currently have. Australia is also lucky
to have a wide range of renewable energy options
including wind, water, solar and geo-thermal. These
renewable power sources already provide more power
around the world than nuclear reactors (which account
for 18% falling to 10% within 10 years). We can choose
to develop new power sources and jobs with renewable
energy, and if we do Australias future will be as a world
leader in renewable energy and not as a world loser in
nuclear power.
To nd out more about smart solutions to climate
change visit Australia should say no to nuclear
power, visit www.acfonline.org.au/climatechange
or www.acfonline.org.au/nuclear.
21
WHATS THE PROBLEM WITH
WASTE?
On average, an Australian household produces around
1.14 tonnes of waste per year and that doesnt include
industrial, building and commercial waste produced outside
the home. About 70% of this waste ends up in landll thats
more than 800kg of waste sent to the tip from each household.
But theres a solution - we can all do our bit to cut down
on waste
WHAT CAN I DO?
The grapic shows the estimated breakdown of the landll
rubbish bin from an average Australian household. By taking
a few simple actions and shopping carefully you could cut
this waste by up to 70%.
As you can see, some recyclable paper and containers
still end up in landll so its important to nd out what is
recyclable and carefully separate it them out.
On average about one third of municipal waste is recycled
and this is increasing all the time. For example, in NSW there
are strong cardboard and paper recycling markets so that
now 51% of cardboard gets collected and recycled. You can
support these industries by buying recycled products and by
putting recycleable material in the recycling.
Garden waste is another component that should not go to
landll - put it on your garden as mulch or utilise the council
green waste collection.
Litter is another problem that we can all do something about.
By not using plastic bags and excessive packaging, and by
disposing of cigarette butts, dog poo and other common litter
items carefully we can reduce the risk of litter ending up in
our parks, rivers and beaches.
Reducing Waste starts at your front door
O
rganic food waste 29%
Recyclable paper 12.1%
Recyclable Containers
14.9
%
general waste 15%
Non recyclables
p
redominantly garden waste
2
9
%
Other organic waste
GreenHome...
reducing waste
WHAT RUBBISH
DO WE
THROW OUT?
RUBBISH THROWN OUT IN
NSW HOUSEHOLDS:
(Source: Resource NSW (2002), The Domestic Waste Stream
in New South Wales - Generation Rates, Proles and Trends)
22
Action
Benet to the
Environment
Tick if you already
do this
Tick once you
make this change
Compost/worm farm your
food scraps
Reduces your waste
to landll by up to 29%
- thats 331kg of waste
saved per year
Be a best practice recycler
recycle all paper and
recyclable containers
Reduces your waste
to landll by up to 27%
saved per year
Reuse garden waste
as mulch or send it to
the council green waste
collection
Reduce your waste by
up to 29%
saved per year
Avoid packaging when
shopping
Reduce used packaging
going into landll or your
recycling bins - thats up to
170kg per year
Take your own reusable
bag to the supermarket,
take-away shop or grocers
Prevent 360 plastic bags per
year going to landll or litter
Use a No Junk Mail sticker
Discourage junk - mailers
and save 1000 pieces of mail
per year from waste stream
Take old household goods
(clothes, toys, books etc)
to a second-hand or
reuse shop
Prevent around 100 kg of
waste going to landll
each year
How to
reduce waste at home:
23
1. Composting and Worm Farming
O
n average 60% of rubbish sent
to landll is food and garden waste.
If this was all composted or put in a worm farm, there would
be massive reductions in landll and greenhouse emissions.
Food and garden waste in landll produces methane gas.
Methane is a 23 times more potent greenhouse gas than
carbon dioxide. Sending green waste to landll is also a
waste of good nutrients that could go on the garden or
potplants to help them grow.
The easiest way to deal with food waste is to set up a worm
farm or a compost heap at your home. And you dont need
a big garden to do this - apartment dwellers can set up small
worm farms on a balcony or a communal compost heap on
the ground.
Most food scraps (but not meat or dairy) and garden waste
can be composted. You can add small amounts of paper,
straw and other organic matter. Larger amounts of garden
waste can be mulched, either at home or by the council
- most councils offer a garden waste collection which
is composted and sold commercially.
GREENHOME FACT:
For every tonne of food or garden waste
you stop from going to landll, you save
nearly a third of a tonne of greenhouse
gas emissions.
2. Buy reusable not disposable
T
he best solution to waste is to avoid it
in the rst place:
Try to only buy products that are reusable or come in
reusable packaging - and actually reuse them.
Only purchase products that you need, and avoid items
that are excessively packaged.
If you cant reuse them, try to buy products that are
recyclable and/or come in recyclable packaging.
Avoid altogether items that are designed to be used once
only, such as foam, paper or plastic cups, plastic bags,
plastic cutlery and plates etc.
Take your own bags when shopping instead of accepting
plastic (not just to the supermarket take-aways and
convenience shops as well!).
Take your own cup when buying a coffee or drink.
Take your own containers to the deli, butcher, take away or
fruit shop.
Buy in bulk when you can take your own containers and
bags to bulk suppliers
GreenHomes
top five waste-saving tips
COMPOSTING CAN CUT YOUR WASTE BY 60%
TRY TO AVOID WASTE IN THE FIRST PLACE
GREENHOME FACT:
The amount of petroleum used to make a
plastic bag would drive a car up to 11km.
Australians use 3.92 billion plastic bags
each year.
24
4. Ask yourself... do you really need it?
I
f yes, is there an environmentally-friendly
alternative, can you buy it second-hand,
or from somewhere that supports and
encourages recycling? Maybe you could
borrow it from a friend sharing resources
is a great way to cut down on unnecessary
waste.
Shopping at places such as second-hand or op-shops, or
your local tip/reuse shop youre almost guaranteed to nd a
bargain. This is a great way for us to recycle our household
items as a community and by giving them a second life were
reducing our impact on the environment.
While its not possible to buy second hand food, you can still
exercise environmental purchasing practices. Only buy food
that you know you will eat, avoid food that is excessively
packaged, take your own bag to the shops and reuse your
own containers.
3. Be a best practice recycler
I
ts easy to be a best practice recycler
nd out what your council will recycle
and make sure you put all of these items
in your recycling bin. Most councils will
recycle the following items:
Plastics 1, 2, 3 (and often 4, 5, 6 and 7)
Glass bottles and jars
Steel cans, aluminium and aerosol cans
Milk, juice and cream cartons
Magazines, newspapers, letters, envelopes
and scrap paper
Cardboard boxes (no waxed boxes)
Plus, when you go shopping only buy packaging which is
recyclable.
Cars, household chemicals, motor oil, car batteries, mobile
phones, printer cartridges, plastic bags, old clothes and
appliances can all be recycled too but dont put them in your
council bin. See the end of this section for where you can
drop them off and be a best practice recycler (page 26).
T
I
M
E
S
GreenHomes
GREENHOME FACT:
Every tonne of paper recycled saves
almost 13 trees, 2.5 barrels of oil, 4100
kWh of electricity, 4 cubic metres of landll
and 31,780 litres of water.
DO I REALLY
NEED IT?
25
ACF GreenHomes
imple guide to recycling
5. Go for No Junk Mail
B
y simply putting a No Junk Mail
sticker on your letterbox youll reduce
the amount of paper that goes to waste
each year.
If everyone on your street does this, the amount of paper
consumed and wasted each year will be drastically reduced
(perhaps a little covert operation down the street late at night
is in order!).
Australians receive on average 7 billion unaddressed yers,
leaets and catalogues in their letterboxes every year. If your
household said no to junk mail that could avoid almost 1000
pieces of unwanted junk each year!
N
O

J
U
N
K

M
A
I
L
GreenHomes
Material What products? Is it recyclable?
Code 1 PET soft-drink, juice bottles YES
Code 2- HDPE
Shampoo bottles, milk, cream and juice
bottles
YES
Code 3 - UPVC or PPVC
(polyvinyl chloride)
cordial bottles, juice bottles and detergent YES
Code 4 LDPE ice-cream container lids
YES in some areas
(check with your council)
Code 5 - PP
(polypropylene)
ice cream containers and lunchboxes
YES in some areas
Code 6 - PS (polystyrene) yoghurt containers or meat trays
YES in some areas
Code 7 other acrylic and nylon
YES in some areas
Paper and Cardboard
Newspaper, ofce paper, envelopes, letters,
magazines, boxes (no waxed boxes)
YES
Cartons
(Liquid Paperboard)
Milk, cream and juice cartons YES
Aluminium, steel cans
and aerosol cans
Soft drink cans, tin cans and aerosol sprays
(no foil)
YES
Glass
Bottles, jars (no broken glass, lightglobes or
panes of glass)
YES
1
PETE
2
HDPE
3
v
4
|DPE
5
PP
6
PS
7
OTHER
You can stop addressed junk mail by using the Direct
Marketing Associations Do Not Contact Service.
Register at www.adma.com.au
26
End of life Product How to Recycle it
Mobile Phones
Take them to any major mobile phone retailer (Telstra, Optus, Vodafone, Virgin etc).
Clean up Australia also collects and recycles mobile phones call (02) 9552 6177 or visit
www.cleanup.com.au to have a postage paid satchel mailed to you.
Or visit www.mobilemuster.com and enter your postcode to nd your nearest
mobile phone recycler.
Printer cartridges
Take them to participating Australia Post, Ofceworks, Harvey Norman, Dick Smith
or Tandy stores and look for their Cartridges 4 Planet Ark bins.
Computers and
printers
There are a number of companies and charities which resell or recycle computers
- here are a few places you can try:
Technical Aid to the disabled: Phone (02) 9808 2012 or www.technicalaid.org.au
Wesley United Employment: Phone (02) 9572 3200 or computers@wesleymission.org.au
WorkVentures Ltd: Phone (02) 9282 6995
Dell Computers: Phone 1800 465 890 or recycling_dell_au@dell.com
Computer Information Agency: Phone 0409 010 950 director@ciaops.com
Salvation Army: Phone 13 16 40 or minchinbury@aue.salvationarmy.org
Or you can deal directly with e-waste recycling companies such as:
Sims E-Recycling: Phone (02) 9820 8500
MRI (Aust) Pty Ltd: Phone 1300 85 85 50 or mri_syd@mri.com.au
Plastic supermarket
bags
Recycling bins are found in most major supermarkets (Safeway, Coles etc)
(no thick plastic bags).
Corks
Girl Guides National Cork Recycling Program a range of businesses collect corks
on behalf of the Girl Guides including The Body Shop stores. Phone (02) 9698 3322.
www.guidesaus.org.au
Household Chemicals
(paints, solvents,
pesticides, pool
chemicals, gas bottles,
engine oil etc)
Household chemicals drop-off centres are located around Sydney call DECs CleanOut
Infoline on 1300 787 870 or www.environment.nsw.gov.au for locations.
Cars and Car parts
A number of car parts dealers will recycle used cars and parts ask your local panel beater
or car parts dealer.
See the Auto Parts Recyclers Association of Australia (APRAA) for dealers around the
country who have APRAA accreditation. www.apraa.com
Motor Oil
Visit www.oilrecycling.gov.au/directory.html to nd out where you can take your old
motor oil for recycling.
GreenHomes
other recycling
27
Unwanted Products How to re-use them
Clothes
Swapstyle - www.swapstyle.com - The worlds biggest fashion swap party.
Swapping clothes that are unwanted yet still in good condition has taken off as a trend
with people holding local clothes-swap parties across the country. Swapstyle provides
an online market you can visit to donate clothes, shoes and accessories, and to nd
great items that others have donated. Swapstyle is global but once you create an
account, you can select items from people who live near you to reduce the travel miles
(and therefore greenhouse gas emissions) your new item will involve.
Miscellaneous
Freecycle www.freecycle.org - Its like free e-bay!
Freecycle is an online forum you can use to donate your unwanted belongings and
nd a whole range of items which others who live near you have donated. The Sydney
Freecycle group alone has more than 12,000 members, and there are groups across
the country. Visit the website to nd your local Freecycle group and join up.
End of life Product How to Recycle it
Car batteries Take them to any car battery retailer or mechanic for recycling.
Furniture, Appliances,
Household Goods
Take them to charity shops such as the Salvation Army or St Vincent de Paul, or to
second-hand clothes, books or music shops.
For an extensive list of organisations which will take your donations, or your
unwanted items, see OurCommunity.com.aus Giving Centre. Youll nd out where
you can give your bikes, computers, blankets, clothing and more:
www.ourcommunity.com.au/giving.
Some e-Waste recyclers will take household appliances, for example SIMS E-Recycling
(TVs, some electrical goods) and MRI Australia Pty Ltd (TVs, stereos, MP3 players)
see their contact details above, under Computers.
Recycling Databases
Planet Arks Recycling Near You database, for contact details of nation-wide recyclers of
the above materials: www.recyclingnearyou.com.au (search by postcode, local council
or suburb).
Check the Green Pages directories online www.greenpagesaustralia.com.au
or order your copies of the Lifestyle and Business directories. Phone: (03) 9349 5666.
Both directories have lots of info about recycling services.
GreenHomes
other recycling
28
GreenHomes
note page
29
28% - Cereal and cereal products
24% - Milk and milk products 23% - Vegetables and legumes
13% - Meat, poultry and game
12% - Fruit
The most political act we do
on a daily basis is to eat, as our
actions affect farms, landscapes
and food businesses. These
choices matter enormously, as
different production and transport
systems have different effects on
the environment.
(Professor Jules Pretty, March 2005)
Smart food and You
GreenHome...
food
The graphic above shows the breakdown
of an average Australian diet.
We like a lot of meat and dairy on our
plates but these are the most resource
intensive foods.
HOW CAN WHAT
I EAT MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
The choices we make about what we eat each day can
really have some major environmental consequences.
Its easy to forget about the energy, water, chemicals
and effort that goes into producing everyday items like
chocolate bars, soft drink or a packet of chips. Not to
mention the fuel burnt to get the things to you. Simple,
unprocessed foods take much less energy and water
to be ready to eat.
Australian Bureau of Statistics (1995) 4802.0 - National
Nutrition Survey: Selected Highlights, Australia, 1995
30
Action Benet to the Environment
Tick if you
already
do this
Tick once
you
make this
change
Reduce meat consumption by one meal
a week (assume 150g serve)
Reduces water use by up to 10 000 litres
per year and cut greenhouse pollution by up
to 300kg per year *.
Reduce dairy consumption by 4 serves
per week (A serve equals one cup of
milk or equivalent quantity of cheese,
yoghurt, etc.)
Reduces water use by 26 000 litres per year
and cut greenhouse pollution by up to 500
kg per year *.
Only buy what you will eat avoid food
wastage
Reduces your food waste going to landll.
Avoiding food wastage will reduce wasted
packaging, wasted food miles (and therefore
greenhouse gases), and wasted agricultural
resources (such as soil, water, fertiliser and
labour).
Choose fresh, simple food over rened
or processed
Saves energy and resources from rening
and processing.
Choose locally grown fruit and
vegetables rather than imported ones
Reduces greenhouse pollution from
transport.
Buy fresh food only when it is in season
Avoids greenhouse pollution from transport
and production (eg: heated greenhouses).
Grow some of your own organic food
Avoids chemicals and pesticides going into
the environment.
Buy fresh or dry food that is
unpackaged
Reduces used packaging going in your landll
or recycling bins by up to 170kg per year.
* Water and greenhouse pollution gures from Dr Manfred Lenzen at the University of Sydney. Visit: www.isa.org.usyd.edu.au.
Fish Species Marketed as Better options
Blue Warehou
Black trevally, Snotty trevally, Tasmanian
trevally
Australian Salmon - native species
Blue Swimmer crab (blue manta crab)
Bream
Calamari, Cuttlesh, Octopus, Squid
Flathead
King George Whiting (Black whiting,
South Australian whiting, spotted whiting)
Leatherjacket (ocean jacket, buttersh)
Mullet (blue-tail, yellow-eye)
Mulloway (jewsh) -wildcaught
Trevally - tropical species only
Western Rock Lobster - Marine
Stewardship Council certied only
Whiting
Yellow-tail Kingsh - wildcaught
Abalone
Blue Mussel - green mussels are imported
from NZ
Craysh - aquaculture only
Oysters - (avoid Pacic oysters these
are introduced and have become a pest)
Broadbill Swordsh Swordsh
Commercial Scallop Tasmanian scallop
Eastern Gemsh Hake, King couta
Orange roughy Deep sea perch
Oreo Deep sea dory
Redsh Nannygai, Red snapper
Sharks and Rays Flake
Southern bluen tuna Tuna
Atlantic Salmon - Seacage
aquaculture
Tasmanian salmon
Silver trevally Sand trevally, White trevally
Barramundi - Seacage
aquaculture
Mulloway - Seacage
aquaculture
Jewsh
Ocean Trout - Seacage
aquaculture
Snapper (Pink) - Seacage
aquaculture
Yellow-tail Kingsh -
Seacage aquaculture
This information is based on species status, shing method used, species management and research, species biology and life history.
Source: Australian Marine Conservation Society
GreenHomes Smart Food Guide
Think before you buy fish - At a glance
Say NO to the following sh species: Choose these instead:
31
1. Reduce animal products
D
ont worry! Were not asking you to
give up your favourite foods. Meat
and dairy can be a part of a healthy,
sustainable diet, but just dont over-do it.
Even by rich country standards, Aussies eat a lot of meat -
around 110 kilograms per person each year! University of Sydney
researchers have found that to produce a single 150g serve of
meat can take over 200 litres of water - mainly in growing animal
feed and washing abattoirs. The same steak creates 5 kilograms
of greenhouse pollution, including emissions from haulage,
storage and packaging. You can reduce environmental pressures
by choosing pasture or grass-fed beef instead of grain-fed.
When shopping for seafood make sure that youre not
unwittingly putting more pressure on already unsustainable
sheries. Its also best to avoid sh grown in sh farms
(aquaculture) as these often require more caught sh (from the
wild) to feed the sh than are actually produced at the farm. This
is especially so for carnivorous sh (such as prawns, salmon,
snapper, barramundi and tuna) which can take between 1kg
and 12kg of sh meal to produce 1 kg of aquaculture sh.
For good advice on which sh or shellsh is a better choice,
order a copy of Australias Sustainable Seafood guide from The
Australian Marine Conservation Society. The Guide is available
from www.marineconservation.org.au or freecall 1800 066 299.
GREENHOME FACT:
If you reduce your dairy intake by just 2
cups of milk (or equivalent) per week, you
will save 13,000 litres of water and 250kg
of greenhouse pollution in a year.
2. Choose unprocessed or unrefined food
A
ll food carries some embodied energy
and water.
That means the amount of energy and water that goes into
producing them. The more processed or rened a product is,
the more embodied energy it contains.
Some smart lower energy choices include:
Fresh fruit and vegetables rather than dried or canned.
Dried beans that you soak and cook yourself rather than
canned (tip: you can store cooked beans in the freezer so
theyre on hand when you need them).
Unbleached ours rather than bleached.
Only buy things that you know you will use!
Some common foods with high embodied energy:
Potato chips or any snackfood with aluminium-lined
packaging.
Freeze-dried instant coffee.
Any over-packaged foods such as individually wrapped
lollies or biscuits.
GreenHomes
top five food tips
The embodied energy of
products is rarely factored
into their selling price
Try one serve less per week
32
4. Choose organic where possible
O
rganic farming uses no synthetic
pesticides or fertilisers and focuses on
the health of the soil. Organic food is also
free of genetically modied organisms and
organic farmers treat animals with respect.
Farming organically can use less fossil fuels and puts less strain
on our climate. Where possible, buy Certied Australian Organic
always check the label! Buying organic can be a little more
expensive, but if you only buy what you need, you can keep the
overall price of the family shopping bill low. The more people
buy organic the more this will ultimately drive the prices down.
You can grow your own organic food in your garden at home
too. See the next section for our how-to guide (page 35).
GREENHOME FACT:
Even in a small suburban backyard you
can have a rich and productive food
garden. You can also grow lots of food
in polystyrene boxes on your balcony
or patio.
3. Eat what you buy, dont waste it!
I
n 2004, Australians threw away a total
of $5.3 billion of food. This shocking
statistic includes:
$2.9 billion of fresh food
$630 million of uneaten take-away food
$876 million in leftovers
$596 million of unnished drinks and
$241 million of frozen food.
These gures come from Wasteful Consumption in Australia
a report published by The Australia Institute in 2005.
Throwing food away costs more than just the money you
paid for it, youre also wasting all the water, energy and other
resources that went in to producing the food in the rst place.
Think about what you need and use whats in the fridge,
freezer or pantry before you eat out or get take away.
GreenHomes
top five food tips
GREENHOME FACT:
The cost of wasted food in Australia is
more than 13 times the $386 million that
was donated by Australian households to
overseas aid agencies in 2003.
33
5. Bring the paddock closer to your plate
. . , .
Sometimes its hard to work out what the best environmental choice is. Shoppers may wonder: Is
it better to buy a local orange from a Farmers Market that might have been grown using synthetic
chemicals and excessive water? Or is it better to buy an organic orange that has been transported from
interstate or overseas using more fuel to get it here?
The answer is not simple but keep these principles in mind when shopping for food:
Support organic or chemical-free growers where possible
Choose food that is in season
Choose food grown as close to you as possible
GreenHomes
top five food tips
L
ocally produced food is the best choice
for the environment.
Australian food has travelled a shorter distance and buying
Australian supports our farmers and growers.
Great ways you can support local produce are:
Check for the words Product of Australia on the label
of any packaged or tinned food.
Only eat what is in season, this will save you money too.
Shop at Farmers Markets such as these:
Camden Farmers Market, Lower John St, Camden,
2nd & 4th Saturday of the month, 7am-12noon.
Fox Farmers Market, Fox Studios, Centennial Park,
every Wednesday & Saturday, 10am-3.30pm.
Good Living Growers Market, Pyrmont Foreshore, 1st
Saturday of the month, 7am-11am.
Hawkesbury Harvest Farmers & Gourmet Food
Market, Castle Hill Showground, 2nd Saturday of the
month, 8am-1pm.
Northside Produce Market, Cnr of Miller & McLaren
Street, North Sydney 3rd Saturday of the month, 8am-
12noon
Warwick Farm Trackside Market, Warwick Farm
Racecourse, Governor Macquarie Drive, Warwick
Farm, Every Saturday, 8am noon
For more farmers markets see
www.farmersmarkets.org.au/nder/nsw.jsp
GREENHOME FACT:
According to a 2005 British study, if all
food was consumed within 20km of where
it was produced, costs associated with
congestion and transport would be cut
by 90%.
The Shoppers
dilemma
There are also lots of great organic markets in Sydney.
Currently there are markets at Kings Cross, Marrickville,
Frenchs Forest, St Ives, Hornsby, Leichhardt, Chatswood
and Bondi Junction. For a listing of days and times these
markets are open and any new markets visit:
www.organicfoodmarkets.com.au/ofm.html
34
More Health Organics
Ph: (02) 9764 2805
email: organics@morehealth.com.au
Organic Food Express
Ph: (02) 9764 4332
www.organicfoodexpress.com.au
email: sales@organicfoodexpress.com.au
Eves Garden
Ph : 1300 558 312
www.evesgarden.com.au/to_shopping.html
email: eve@evesgarden.com.au
Lettuce Deliver Organics
Ph: (02) 9763 7337
www.lettucedeliver.com.au
email: sales@lettucedeliver.com.au
The Organic Grocer
Ph: 1300 881 161
www.theorganicgrocer.com.au
email: info@theorganicgrocer.com.au
Allen & Combe
Ph: (02) 8212 4532
www.allen-combe.com.au
email: organics@allen-combe.com.au
The Organic Food & Produce Co
Ph: (02) 99679967
www.organicfood.com.au
email: info@organicfood.com.au
To nd an organic grocery store or home delivery service near you,
check the following directories:
Green Pages Australia
(under Food and Beverage):
Organic Choice:
www.organicchoice.com.au
Several Sydney companies will deliver fresh organic food to your door.
Some examples are:
ORGANIC FOOD IN SYDNEY
GreenHomes
note page
To nd out more about sustainable food contact the Sydney Food
Fairness Alliance - a group promoting local, healthy food.
www.sydneyfoodfairness.org.au
Be a green thumb in more ways than one
GreenHome...
gardening
ISNT MY GARDEN
ALREADY GREEN?
Australians are passionate gardeners and there is no reason
why we cant continue to enjoy our gardens without taxing
our natural resources too much.
We need to make sure that our gardens are beautiful,
productive and efcient. This means creating a garden that is
well-suited to Australias natural cycles. Something as simple
as the way we water our gardens can have a dramatic impact
upon the health of our rivers and our broader environment.
By taking a few simple steps to save water in our gardens
Australians can take the pressure off our local rivers.
Combine that with keeping our gardens chemical free and
were really going to make a difference. We can also grow
more Australian plants to provide habitat for native animals.
Maintaining our gardens
under water restrictions is a
challenge but not impossible.
This section shows you how
to be a smart gardener by
using less water, becoming
organic and attracting NSWs
wildlife into your backyard by
planting indigenous plants.
KEEP AN EYE ON THE SEASONS:
Planting and buying seasonal food is better for the
environment because we are working with our natural
systems.
IN PLANT
THESE SEEDS
BUY THIS
Spring Tomatoes,
zucchini
Plums, nectarines
Summer Broccoli, pumpkin Cherries, peaches
Autumn Rhubarb, broad
beans
Apples,
strawberries
All year Lettuce, carrots,
beetroot
Citrus (except in
autumn)
See www.organicdownunder.com.au for more detailed
information.
35
36
2. Plant Australian natives
A
ustralian gardens can play a key role in
creating homes for native birds
and insects.
The more local plant species that we nd in a garden the
better the natural balance between ora and fauna, and the
greater the biodiversity of our environment. With more and
more bushland being cleared to make way for houses, roads
and shopping centres, a pocket of Australian plants in your
backyard could provide a much-needed home for native
wildlife.
Select plants that suit the soil and garden conditions.
Local indigenous plants have evolved to handle local
conditions. Many other Australian native plants have
evolved to cope with very little water.
Incorporating native plants into the garden will provide
habitat and food for birds and insects, which in turn can
aid in pest control and pollination.
Include some Australian bushfoods in your garden and
spice up your home cooking. Once youve tasted lemon
myrtle in your favourite dish you wont go back! Ask at
your local nursery for suggestions.
GREENHOME FACT:
Replacing exotic plants with indigenous
ones will attract birds and many
indigenous plants need less water too.
1. Be a water-wise gardener
I
f you are starting a new garden or
looking to revamp your existing one think
carefully about the layout and how you can
minimise your gardens water needs.
The average Australian garden hose delivers 1,000 litres of
water an hour. There are many ways to reduce the amount of
water owing out of our hoses while still maintaining a healthy
and vibrant garden.
Keep an eye on daily weather forecasts and check soil so
you only water plants when they really need it.
Water in the morning or evening to reduce the amount of
water lost to evaporation.
Use efcient watering devices like trigger nozzles and
irrigation timers tted with a rain switch that turn off
automatic sprinklers when it starts raining.
Use a pool cover and reduce the amount of water a
backyard pool loses to evaporation by up to 30,000 litres
a year.
Install a rainwater tank and use rainwater on your garden.
Use water storing crystals when you are planting.
GreenHomes
top five gardening tips
GREENHOME FACT:
Mulch on your garden can reduce garden
water use by up to 70%.
37
3. Plant less lawn, more plants
D
id you know that lawns use the most
water in the garden? They can drink up
to 90% of all garden water depending on
the plants you choose.
If an area is not used frequently why not create garden
beds or mulch areas instead of lawn.
Replace lawn areas with native grasses, native drought-tolerant
ground cover shrubs, pebbles or other permeable material.
If you cant resist having some lawn, then choose slow
growing, water efcient lawn varieties that are best suited
to your soil. They have deep roots for drought tolerance
and dont need as much mowing as other varieties.
Try not to cut your lawn too short. Mow lawns to 4-5
cm high to shade grass roots and soil and minimise
evaporation. You can reduce water loss even further by
saving your lawn clippings to use as mulch on your lawn or
garden. Theyre also great to add to your compost bin.
Water less frequently but more deeply. Let the water get
down to about 15 cm - this will encourage deep root
growth and drought tolerance in your plants.
Water your lawns with tank rainwater or grey water from
your washing machine or shower.
GREENHOME FACT:
Special mulching mowers cut up the grass
clippings as you mow. This ne mulch is
left on the grass and will act as a natural
fertiliser as the cut grass breaks down.
4. Fertilise your garden the non-toxic way
C
hemical fertilisers may produce a
quick x to a gardening problem but
are likely to have adverse environmental
impacts over time.
Some of the negative impacts of chemical additives include
the destruction of worms, deterioration of soil quality, and
the alteration of vitamin and protein content in vegetables.
Natural methods are far safer. Try some of the following
methods to improve the health of your soil and control pests:
Feed the soil as much as possible with organic matter
instead of fertilisers. Manure, compost and other organic
material are great alternatives.
Worms make your soil more productive. Worms live on
the organic matter in your garden; they process it for you
by eating it and then providing worm casting to nourish
the soil. At the same time they aerate and break up the
soil as they tunnel around looking for food.
Create wetlands. Installing a pond in your garden will
attract native frogs, birds and other wildlife. These will eat
insect pests and reduce the need to use pesticides. Small
sh or tadpoles in the pond will eat any mosquito larvae.
GreenHomes
Your garden is not the only place you can
cut down on chemical use.
See Section 7: Green Cleaning
for information about creating
a non-toxic home (page 49).
38
DID YOU KNOW?
Community Gardens are wonderful places to grow your own food and make new
friends. Some of the great things about community gardening are:
5. Use safe ways to avoid pests
B
ugs are part of the garden but some
might eat your crops or make plants sick.
Synthetic pesticides contain all kinds of toxic ingredients so try
some of these safe ways to keep pests to a minimum.
Plant many different species near each other.
Remove diseased parts of plants, bag small parts and put
in rubbish bin. For larger pieces, seek professional advice.
Plant strong smelling herbs, marigolds or pyrethrum
(Tanacetum cineraiifolium) around the garden.
Pick off (and squish) pests when you spot them.
Attract predators by including a pond with tadpoles or small
sh to eat larvae, providing rocks for lizards to shelter under
or planting natives to attract birds.
Make your own natural sprays from garlic, onion, tomato
leaves or pyrethrum owers (spray recipe on page 39).
GreenHomes
You can nd more natural spray recipes at:
www.annettemcfarlane.com/Doityourself.htm
www.organicdownunder.com/Friendly%20Sprays.htm
You and your family have access to fresh,
nutritious food.
Because it involves physical activity,
community gardening also promotes physical
tness and health.
Community gardens are often used for
community education such as waste minimisation
and the recycling of wastes through composting
and mulching.
Community gardens regreen vacant lots, public
open space and other areas, making them a
useful tool for urban improvement.
The diversity of plant types found in community
gardens provides habitat for urban wildlife,
increasing their value for improving the natural
environment.
You will learn new things from other keen
gardeners.
You can meet other people who live in your area.
Visit the national community garden network website:
www.communitygarden.org.au or call your local
council to nd where your nearest community
garden is.
Get involved in community gardening!
39
GreenHomes
step-by-step guide
Starting an organic garden.
G
rowing your own organic food is great for the environment you avoid the synthetic
fertilisers and pesticides that are so common in conventional gardens. Gardening is good
fun and fresh organic food is great for you and your family.
Choose a spot that gets at least six hours of sunlight all year round. If you have a lawn, select
an area 1x2 m to start off your vegetable production. If space is limited, you can grow many
food plants in pots and polystyrene boxes on your balcony or patio.
MAKING THE GARDEN
The easiest way to transform a patch of lawn into a food
production zone is with a no-dig garden. You can put a
no-dig garden on top of just about any surface, simply
make sure it is reasonably level before you start.
1. Edges. Build a low border to give the garden support.
You can use old logs, bricks or whatever you can get
your hands on. (Avoid treated pine)
2. Newspaper. Cover the whole area in soaking wet
newspaper. It should be 6mm deep and overlapping.
Only use plain newspaper - avoid glossy liftouts
or magazines.
3. Layers. You will need a bale of lucerne hay and a bale
of straw for a 1x2m garden bed. The straw and
lucerne both need to be wet, you can do this using a
wheelbarrow full of water.
Cover the entire area with no gaps. The rst layer on
top of the newspaper is lucerne, then keep layering:
lucerne hay
2cm of organic fertilizer such as chook manure
Straw
2cm organic fertilizer again
10cm compost
straw or lucerne
4. Water. Water the entire area really well and rest for
a week or so.
5. Plants. Now youre ready to plant! You need to put
seedlings (not seeds) in to this garden. Buy seedlings
ready to go or raise seeds in a tray and transplant
them when they are big enough. Make holes in the
garden to put your seedlings in, add a handful of soil
and plant seedlings deep into it. Plant seedlings deep
into the soil so that roots develop along the stem,
making the plant stronger. Remember to transplant
seedlings in the late afternoon so they dont have the
full heat of the sun to deal with. You may like to shade
them for a day or two after transplanting under an
empty pot or a leafy twig.
6. Mulch. Once you have your seedlings in, mulch all
around with straw, grass clippings or mulched green
waste. This keeps weeds down and reduces the
need to water.
WHAT TO GROW
Its great to mix your garden up rather than plant rows of the same thing.
Grow plants close together and choose plants that compliment each
other. Easy and delicious vegetables include tomatoes (plant in Spring),
lettuce (plant all year round) and zucchini (plant in Spring). There are
many great resources to help you with planning your garden. Check out:
www.organicdownunder.com
Backyard Self-sufciency by Jackie French
Lawns into Lunch by Jill Finnane
www.oraforfauna.com
DEALING WITH PESTS
In your organic garden, attracting benecial insects into your garden is
the most effective way to help keep pests at bay. Herbs that are allowed
to ower, such as dill or parsley, planted amongst the vegies will help
attract some of these benecial insects. If you need to spray to get rid
of a particular nasty, there are many natural sprays that work well.
Try this natural spray recipe to get rid of leaf-eating insect pests: 4 hot
chillies, 4 large onions, 2 bulbs of garlic & 2 litres of water. Combine
ingredients and cover with soapy water. Leave for 24 hours. Add water
and spray. It is best to spray in the evening as sunlight reduces the
potency of many natural sprays. Store in a sealed container in a dark
place for up to two weeks.
It is always wise to check the effect on the plants of any homemade
spray by spraying a small patch and waiting 24 hours. If the leaves show
damaged brown patches then try adding more water. Avoid spraying at
all when summer temperatures are very high (over 35 degrees) as this will
always cause leaf burn.
You can also buy natural, non-toxic sprays from many gardening shops.
Visit: www.greenharvest.com.au/pestcontrol/how_to_design_pests_out_
garden.html
SUPPLIERS
You can mail order organically-produced, hardy seed varieties from
several Australian companies including:
Eden Seeds:
Phone: (07) 5533 1107 www.edenseeds.com.au
Green Harvest: Green Harvest also sells a range of natural pest
control products.
Phone: 1800 681 014 www.greenharvest.com.au
Green Patch Seeds:
Phone: (02) 6551 4240 www.greenpatchseeds.com.au
Seed Savers: Look up your nearest local group to exchange seeds
and access a more extensive variety of seeds.
Phone: (02) 6685 6624 www.seedsavers.net
40
GreenHomes
note page
41
THE REAL COST OF PRIVATE
TRANSPORT
When you factor together the price of petrol, car insurance
and maintenance, parking permits and (quite possibly)
speeding tickets, the costs of owning a car adds up. And the
bigger your car, the bigger the strain on your hip pocket. Not
to mention the strain on the environment.
Cars and other road transport are major contributors to
greenhouse pollution. Cars, trucks, vans, motor bikes and
buses contributed 12% of Australias total greenhouse gas
emissions in 2004, and a large chunk of this was from cars.
And these numbers keep growing: emissions from passenger
cars in Australia grew by 18% between 1990 and 2004.
As well as greenhouse pollution, vehicle exhaust causes air
pollution including smog (from volatile organic compounds)
and particulate matter. This can have serious health and
wellbeing effects in urban areas. Young people, the elderly
and people with respiratory problems in particular are
affected. In fact, air pollution kills about 1,400 people in NSW
every year which is more than the number killed in trafc
accidents (508 people in NSW 2005).
Both cars and freight on our roads are increasing. More and
more space is being taken up to support all the extra trafc
and its leading to trafc congestion and increasing loss of
open and natural spaces. For example, in Sydney, around
40% of urban land is taken up by roads, driveways, and car
parks. In some suburbs its up to 70%!
With average use, an
Australian family car
travels 15,000km a
year, generating about
5 tonnes of greenhouse
pollution and costing its
owners $13,350.
Active Transport starts at your front door
GreenHome...
transport
GREENHOME FACT:
The amount of fuel consumed by cars
varies considerably, with some models
being much more efcient than others.
A difference in fuel consumption of one
litre per 100 km will cost, or save, you
almost $200 a year (assuming you travel
15,000 km per year and petrol is priced
$1.30 a litre).
SO WHAT CAN I DO?
Active Transport is the alternative to driving a private car
everywhere. Its about walking and cycling that can be
done alone or combined with catching public transport.
Half an hour a day of brisk walking or cycling is a great
way to get a healthy dose of exercise and help to prevent
cardiovascular disease, reduce risk of obesity, adult-onset
diabetes and osteoporosis, as well as helping keep you
psychologically healthy.
42
Use this log to record your journeys for a week, decide what you can change to make
your daily travel greener and record your progress.
W
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GreenHomes
travel log
43
1. Out of the car and on yer bike!
O
K, so this was always going to be an
obvious action, but deservedly so,
when you consider that if every passenger
vehicle owner in NSW reduced their travel
by as little as one kilometre a day, 345,000
tonnes of greenhouse gases would be
saved each year.
Cycling is pollution free transport and you might be surprised
at how quick and easy it is to bike around. For trips of under
5km its usually quicker to ride than to drive, and if youre
travelling into the city in peak hour even a 15km ride will be
quicker than a car trip. And that doesnt include the time
saved, because you dont need to go to the gym. Cycling
is free, lots of fun and parking right in front of your destination
is a breeze. Next time youre about to jump in the car to travel
to the corner shop think about the real impact youre having
on the earth and your wallet and consider going for a stroll
or riding your bike.
GREENHOME FACT:
Cycling just 10 km each way to work once
a week, instead of driving, saves about
$926 in transport costs and 304 kilograms
of greenhouse pollution each year.
2. Take the train, get on the bus
I
f you cant walk or ride to your
destination, public transport is the next
best way to cut your transport greenhouse
pollution.
Most areas of Sydney (though not all!) are well serviced with
trains and buses call 131 500 or check out the fantastic
website: www.131500.info to see which services will meet
your needs.
If giving up the car altogether isnt an option, try to reduce
the numbers of trips you make. Travelling by a different mode
of transport one day a week will make a big difference. Plan
ahead so that short trips can be avoided and set yourself
distance targets (for example: 5 km) under which you will
not drive.
GREENHOME FACT:
With every litre of petrol you save,
greenhouse pollution is reduced by
2.5 kilograms.
GreenHomes
top five transport tips
44
4. Avoid air travel
L
ike cars, aeroplanes are major
contributors to the greenhouse effect,
and are one of the fastest growing sources
of greenhouse pollution.
In particular, they emit high levels of carbon dioxide
(CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx) and water vapour. NOx
emissions from aircraft are responsible for ozone depletion
in the stratosphere and also contribute to smog build-up in
our cities.
So where possible, you should rethink your air travel needs
and discover the secrets of your own state. But if you have
to take that ight, try to offset your emissions (see page 19
for more information).
GREENHOME FACT:
Avoiding one Sydney to Melbourne return
ight saves 450kg of CO
2
. Thats about
10 times more greenhouse emissions than
a bus.
3. Car Pool with friends and colleagues
C
arpooling is a fantastic option when public
transport or cycling dont t your needs. Carpooling
gives you a chance to get to know your colleagues, friends
and neighbours better, and it reduces the number of cars
on the road (and hence improves air quality and reduces
greenhouse emissions). It also means you get to share the
load of driving improving your quality of life too!
Check out an online carpool coordination network at
www.sydneycarpool.com
S
hare a car: Much of the environmental impact of
cars comes from the manufacturing and maintenance
side of things, so its a good idea to try and avoid buying
one in the rst place. Explore the idea of sharing a car with
a relative, partner or friend, or join a car-sharing program.
GoGet is a Sydney based car share program,
see www.goget.com.au for more information.
GreenHomes
GREENHOME FACT:
The NRMA estimates that the weekly
operating costs of a car range from $113
for a light class car to $376 for a 4WD
(that includes purchase, operating,
nancing and depreciation costs). Think
how much you would save by sharing a car.
45
5. Drive Efficiently
DID YOU KNOW?
GreenHomes
T
here are times when driving is the
only available choice but you can still
minimise your impact by choosing the
smallest, most efcient car that meets
your needs.
When you absolutely have to drive, make a conscious
effort to be an efcient driver and keep your car in excellent
working order. By simply adjusting some of your travelling
methods you can improve the fuel efciency of your car and
reduce its emissions:
By avoiding stop and start trafc and driving smoothly
you can save up to 30% of greenhouse pollution.
Keeping the engine of your car tuned will reduce its
environmental impact.
You can save up to 100 kg of greenhouse pollution each
year by ensuring your tyres are kept at the maximum
recommended pressure.
Reducing the amount of unnecessary weight in the car
will improve its fuel efciency.
Use the air-conditioner sparingly but when youre driving
over 80 km per hour it is more efcient to have the air
conditioner on than a window open.
GREENHOME FACT:
Switching the engine off rather than
letting it idle (for anything longer than
10 seconds) saves more fuel than is
used when you restart.
The NRMA has undertaken a detailed
study of the true costs of operating private
vehicles incorporating depreciation, rego,
insurance, maintenance and interest as
well as fuel.
The results for several vehicles in each
category are available at:
www.mynrma.com.au
www.racv.com.au
You can also calculate your cars yearly
greenhouse emissions at:
www.greenhouse.gov.au/fuelguide/environment.html or
www.epa.vic.gov.au/Air/CarEcometer/
If you are buying a new car, check out its
greenhouse rating and fuel consumption at:
www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au
In summary the ndings are as follows:
Vehicle type
Average Cost
(/km)
Average Cost
($/week)
Light 46 $133
Small 57 $164
Medium 74 $213
Large 89 $257
LPG 74 $213
Hybrid 63 $182
People mover 92 $265
Compact 4WD 74 $213
Medium 4WD 96 $277
Large 4WD $1 $288
Based on 15,000 km a year average by NRMA (NSW))
46
Walking school bus
Some Great
active transport options
10,000 Steps
Bicycle Users Groups
T
his is a great way to reduce the many short car trips ferrying children around schools
each day.
A walking school bus is a group of primary school children who walk to and from school along a safe and enjoyable set
route, accompanied by a minimum of two parent driver/supervisors per bus. One parent drives at the front of the bus, the
other parent at the rear. Additional parents may be needed depending on the local requirements. The walking bus picks up
passengers along the way at designated bus stops.
Many school communities have started their own walking bus programs, which support increasing needs to change our
travel choices. Each child who is part of a walking school bus is potentially one less vehicle on the road. This eases trafc
congestion, increases safety and reduces pollution. If you think a Walking School Bus might be right for your school, check out
the How to set up a Walking School Bus website: www.travelsmart.gov.au/schools/schools2.html#how
1
0,000 Steps is an exciting initiative that started in Queensland in 2001. The idea of
the program is to encourage people to take at least 10,000 steps per day to improve
their health. The project has successfully motivated local communities, workplaces and
individuals to increase their physical activity levels across the country.
Walking at least 10,000 steps per day is not only good for your health but also a great way to incorporate active transport into
your life. You may like to encourage your workplace to become a registered provider. You and your workmates can join the
10,000 Steps Challenge or you may prefer to keep your own log and aim to increase your daily activity. To participate you just
need a pedometer and a logbook. The 10,000 Steps website has loads of helpful tips and downloadable record sheets to get
you on your way: www.10000steps.org.au
B
icycle Users Group (BUG) members are ordinary people, at all levels of tness,
who meet locally to ride a variety of bicycles for transport, recreation, exercise and
fun. BUGs also promote the safe use of bicycles, road safety and education and often
advocate better outcomes for cyclists in their local area.
Bicycle User Groups are afliated to Bicycle NSW, which has over 10,000 members across NSW. Most BUGs run regular social
rides where new members can meet fellow cyclists, exercise safely and have fun at the same time. BUGs often work with
councils by making written submissions to implement bicycle plans and improve bicycling facilities in the local area. Members
raise problems and concerns about bicycling with the relevant authorities, meet regularly and share experiences and information
about bicycling.
To get in touch with your nearest Bicycle Users Group visit the Bicycle NSW web site www.bicyclensw.org.au or call them
on 02 9218-5400
47
GreenHomes
note page
48
GreenHomes
profile: Amelia Hodge
Simple things make a difference
A
participant of the Australian
Conservation Foundations
GreenHome workshop, Amelia Hodge
believes the simple changes can make
a big difference.
20 year old Amelia from Castle Hill in west Sydney started
greening her home by installing a water efcient
showerhead and energy efcient light globes, as well as
buying organic food.
Amelia (far right) is saving 110,000 litres of water a year,
14 tonnes of greenhouse pollution a year and reducing her
landll garbage by 120 litres a week.
In the summer months, she has decided to use her car less
by riding a bike to the shops. I dont use cleaning products
that contain chemicals anymore - now I prefer to use all
natural ingredients like bicarb soda she says.
Amelia was also a contestant for the Miss Earth Australia
2006, a pageant for environmentally conscious women.
Since being involved in GreenHome, Amelia has set up her
own worm farm on the balcony of her apartment and taught
her ungreen boyfriend to switch electrical appliances off
when not in use.
49
GREENHOME FACT:
The average Australian spends over
90% of their time indoors.
Australia still allows the use of
numerous pesticides that have
been banned in the US and Europe,
such as Chlorpyrifos, atrazine, and
copper-chrome arsenate
(CCA) timber.
International studies have identied
over 300 different man-made
chemicals within human blood, fatty
tissue and breast milk, to which our
grandparents were never exposed.
Creating a healthier home
GreenHome...
cleaning
THE CHEMICAL COCKTAIL
IN THE CUPBOARD
Our homes are places we like to keep clean and healthy for
our families. However some of the chemicals used can be
damaging to our health, the air, soil and waterways.
The hundreds of chemicals in our home come from:
Cleaning
Renovating
Pest control
Food and drinks
Makeup and personal care products
Environmental pollutants emitted by carpets, air
fresheners, paints, toys, car upholstery and other plastic
and vinyl surfaces we are exposed to daily.
Increasingly, illnesses such as asthma, allergies and
headaches are being linked to chemicals in the home.
CHEMICALS TO LOOK OUT FOR
Some chemicals accumulate in our bodies and can remain
there for many years. Some examples include mercury,
Aldrin/Dieldin (organochloride pesticides that are still used for
termite treatments in Australia), Diuran and furan (by-products
from the creation of PVC) and HCB (a by-product of chemical
manufacturing processes).
There is also a class of chemicals that can cause potential
harm to the reproductive systems of humans and wildlife.
These are endocrine or hormone disruptors and include
those used in plastics, glues, inks, vinyl oor tiles and
anti-bacterial sprays.
IS YOUR FAMILY AT RISK?
Some members of the community have a higher susceptibility
to chemical exposure. Babies and children in particular
are at greater risk of exposure to chemicals as they eat
(proportionally to their body weight) more food, drink more
water and breathe more air than adults. In addition they
have greater hand to mouth contact with surfaces and their
bodies may not be capable of detoxifying chemicals as well
as adults. Other people who may be more susceptible to
chemical exposure include asthmatics, people with chemical
sensitivities and allergies and children with hyperactivity.
DETOX YOUR HOME
By cleaning your home without harsh chemicals,
avoiding household insect sprays, pesticides and
choosing eco-products for renovating, you will avoid
exposure to many toxic substances. Youll also save a
lot of money and reduce waste by not buying so many
expensive cleaning and household products.
50
GreenHomes
alternatives to chemicals
Use this chart to nd out what chemicals in the home you can replace with
non-toxic alternatives.
For this
product:
Try this:
Cleaning
Floor cleaner
4 litres warm water with 1/4 cup vinegar
for wood; warm water with drop of mild
enviro-safe washing liquid for other
oors.
Spray surface
cleaner
Add 10 drops of lavender oil to plain
soap or lemon juice diluted in water in a
spray bottle.
Abrasive surface
cleaner
Bicarb soda on a damp cloth. Add a
sprinkle of salt if a very abrasive mixture
is required
Window Cleaner
Window cleaning cloth or scrunched up
newspaper; vinegar and water.
Furniture polish
Part lemon juice & 2 parts olive oil or
beeswax.
Carpet cleaner
For deodorising: bicarb soda (sprinkle
on stains, then vacuum).
For cleaning: hire a steam cleaner.
Dish cleaner
(in the sink)
Pure soap in water; vinegar to rinse.
Dishwasher
powder
Bicarb soda and white vinegar in the
rinse section.
Oven cleaner
Place water in a roasting tray and
set oven on medium. Dont let water
completely dry up and use a scraper
and scourer for ddly bits.
Toilet cleaner
Warm soapy water (one small drop of
mild enviro-safe washing liquid in water)
or bicarb soda, washing soda granules
and couple drops of eucalyptus, tea
tree, lemongrass or pine oil.
Tile cleaner (mould)
1 cup of borax (only if stubborn), 1/2
cup of bicarb,1/4 cup wash soda
granules and 5 drops of Eucalyptus oil.
Toilet bowl
Clean toilet regularly with scrubbing
brush and use eco-friendly air
fresheners.
Clothes Washing
Washing powder/
liquid
1 cup soap akes, 1.5 cups washing
soda and 1 cup bicarb soda.*
Bleach
Lemon juice in water. Borax in the
wash.
Stain remover
Spray with vinegar and pre soak in
washing soda or borax and water.
Nappy treatment
Soak in white vinegar & water. Wash in
soap and dry in sun.
Shoe polish Beeswax.
Clothes dyes
Plant based inks, natural, undyed
fabrics.
For this
product:
Try this:
Odours
Air freshener spray
Essential oils** mixed with water or
alcohol in spray bottle.
Air freshener bulb Lavender sachet; pot pourri.
Toiletries
Shampoo/
Conditioner
Natural shampoo/conditioner with
essential oils.
Soap Natural vegetable soaps.
Perfume Essential oils* (diluted in water).
Toothpaste
Natural-based toothpaste. Bicarb and
peppermint.
Moisturiser Pure vegetable oil with essential oil*.
Face Cleanser
Plain, fresh yoghurt or 1 level tsp
organic oats in 50 mls water. Leave to
soak and use milk from oats and oats
as a gentle exfoliator.
Deodorant Aluminium free, non-aerosol or Crystal.
Pesticides
Ant, cockroach
powder
Honey/jam mixed with Borax (NB
poisonous).
Eucalyptus oil deters ants and
cockroaches.
Mosquito coil Citronella candles.
Personal insect
repellent
Citronella, lavender oil.
Garden
Insect spray &
Weed spray
Pyrethrum, neem or rotenone but
beware these may harm non-target
insects.
Snail bait
Sprinkle sawdust, shell grit, coffee
grounds or sand around plants.
Aphid spray
Garlic spray, worm juice, also
encourage lady birds they eat 100
150 aphids per day.
Renovating and Maintenance
Plants
Use indoor plants as air puriers,
a great way to help alleviate the air
pollution caused by renovating.
Paints
Plant based, low and non-VOC paints
and varnishes.
Finishes Natural oils, and waxes.
Building materials
Use natural materials such as plantation
or recycled wood, stone, clay, steel,
brick, glass.
Carpet Curtains
and fabrics,
Furniture
Natural furnishings like untreated
cotton, linen, canvas, hemp, wool, silk,
rayon, feathers, down, latex rubber,
lino-leum, wood, bamboo.
Childrens Toys Wooden toys, non-PVC toys.
Always test a small amount rst.
Although borax is a natural occuring mineral salt, it is poisonous when
swallowed. Keep out of childrens reach and do not use on silk, woollen
or delicate fabrics.
Eucalyptus oil used in small quantities is safe and is a great degreaser, but
be careful not to be heavy handed as it can be poisonous in large amounts.
Some oils cannot be used around pets.
*These are high in salt and are not recommended for greywater reuse.
Use environmentally friendly liquid detergents for greywater reuse. Visit:
www.lanfaxlabs.com.au to nd out which ones have low sodium and low
phosphorus content.
** Some essential oils such as vanilla, cedarwood, frankincense,
peppermint and lemongrass should not be used when pregnant.
51
1. Clean your home the green way
M
ost cleaning products you nd in
the supermarket and hardware
store are extra-strength cleaners which
can contain harmful solvents, acids and
corrosive chemicals which can harm the
environment and the health of you and
your children. They also create packaging
waste and cost you a lot of money.
The best green cleaning approach is to try warm water and
a textured or microbre cloth rst. This will work for most
cleaning situations. If you need something more than water
and elbow grease, try the remedies in the table on page
50. Grease build-up is particularly tricky - you might need
to try bi-carb soda mixed with castille soap. Stains are the
other challenge where you might need more than water - try
glycerine on organic stains and dab it off with warm water.
Its also important to regularly maintain and clean our homes
so harsh chemicals are not needed.
2. Prevent pests
O
ne of the easiest ways to avoid pests
in the home and reduce dust mites is
to keep your house clean! (see above).
However, there will always be insects that we want to
remove from our kitchen, bedrooms or outdoor area. Here
are some solutions to scare off the bugs, but not your family
and friends. All the items listed here are available from
supermarkets, unless noted otherwise.
Before using sprays and baits work out where the pests are
coming from and see if you can stop them from getting in.
Always wipe down food preparation surfaces after use.
Grow herbs around windows or in pots in the house as
insects go by smell.
To deter moths and silversh use lavender oil or cloves.
For silversh sprinkle borax inside a piece of pipe 6 7
inches long: silversh run through and the borax gets on
their feet and kills them.
To deter ants or cockroaches mix borax with honey or jam
and leave it on the ant or cockroach trail. Borax is poisonous
so put it out of the way (eg. under the fridge). You can buy
borax from most pharmacies/supermarkets. Orange oil also
deters ants and bay leaves deters cockroaches.
Mice are repelled by peppermint oil. Block holes up where
they may be getting in and grow lots of mint.
Possums are repelled by cayenne pepper.
A good personal mosquito repellent is lavender oil.
To repel mosquitos in a room, burn citronella candles.
Swat ies and other insects rather than spraying.
GreenHomes
top 5 non-toxic tips
GREENHOME FACT:
By ventilating the rooms of your house
you can reduce your exposure to indoor
air pollution from household chemicals
and furnishings.
PREVENT PESTS WITHOUT USING
HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS.
Most insect sprays work on the nervous
system of the insect we can accumulate
these in our own bodies through droplets
in the air.
52
4. Buy organic or remove residues
P
esticide and herbicide residues are
present on the majority of the fruit and
vegetables we eat, so wash or peel before
you eat.
The government has set limits of each individual pesticide
and herbicide on our food, however they do not account
or measure the potential impact of them combined on our
bodies. The best way to avoid this risk is to buy organic or
wash and peel your fruit and vegetables before eating them.
Organic foods, drinks, and health and beauty products are
those that use no articial fertilisers, pesticides or herbicides
and no genetically-modied species in them.
The big benet of buying organic is that you wont be
taking in the chemicals from pesticides and fertilisers nor
the hormones or antibiotics used for conventional animal
products. See sections 4 and 5 for more details about
organic food and gardening
Biodynamic produce is another similar healthier option.
Biodynamic farming also avoids the use of water-soluble
fertilisers and chemicals its also great for the environment
as its primary aim is to redeem dead soils and make farms
viable without the use of chemicals.
GREENHOME FACT:
Most of the chemical residues found in
conventional fruit and vegetables are in
the peel or skin. Strawberries and lettuce
have the highest level of pesticide residue.
3. Natural Beauty and Safe Toiletries
M
ost toiletries contain an array of
synthetic chemical additives that can
cause allergies and may cause long-term
health impacts.
Such products tend to be applied daily to the skin and for
long periods of time, during which you could be absorbing up
to 60% of these substances through your skin.
To reduce the danger of absorbing such chemicals, and to
reduce these chemicals going into the environment, try to
avoid synthetic fragrances and articial colours.
Look for natural beauty products that contain plant-based
ingredients and better still organic ingredients - and are
fragranced with essential oils. There are many brands around
which use plant-based ingredients (but check the labels or
ask the company!). If you can avoid using a product in the
rst place, this is always the best solution you may nd your
skin prefers it too.
GreenHomes
GREENHOME FACT:
Over a year a woman may absorb up to
2kg of chemicals from the toiletries and
cosmetics she uses.
53
5. Non-toxic decorating and renovating
GreenHomes
DISPOSING OF CHEMICALS
PLEASE STORE AND TRANSPORT YOUR CHEMICALS
CAREFULLY
NEVER MIX CHEMICALS as this may produce
dangerous reactions. Try to keep all chemicals in their
original containers.
Ensure containers are clearly labelled and well sealed.
If you do not know what is in the container, label it
UNKNOWN CHEMICAL.
Liquid can leak during transport. Wrap containers holding
liquids securely in newspaper and place them into sturdy
plastic bags, then pack in plastic buckets or trays.
Keep household chemicals away from passengers, e.g.
in the boot.
In metropolitan and rural areas there are a number of
hazardous waste collection days. To locate your local
collection, phone the Household Clean Out Info hotline
on 131 555 or visit www.environment.nsw.gov.au

GREENHOME FACT:
Many manufacturers now produce a
range of low VOC paints - ask your local
hardware staff for more information.
Many home furnishings, nishes, paints, glues, and even
dry-cleaned or new clothing contain chemicals that become
airborne at room temperature. These chemicals, called
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) include formaldehyde
and benzene which can contribute to an unhealthy indoor
environment. Tips on how you can reduce or eliminate your
risk of exposure:
PVC is one material to avoid it can emit VOCs for years.
Lead is another highly toxic chemical that may be present
within your home. The main sources of lead are paint,
lead pipes, household dust and soil. Visit The Lead
Advisory Group at www.lead.org.au.
Avoid the use of Copper Chrome Arsenate (CCA) treated
pine and particleboard in all situations.
Choose natural furnishings such as untreated cotton,
linen, canvas or untreated wood.
Build and renovate using natural materials such as
recycled wood, stone, clay, or glass.
Finish surfaces with natural oils, waxes and plant based
paints and varnishes.
In some situations you may nd that you have leftover paints, pesticides, varnishes, batteries, pool chemicals
and harsh cleaning products. Under NO circumstances should you throw these in the normal bin, down the drain
or into your garden.
More information:
Info on chemicals in the home, ofce, in food and other
products can be found at the Total Environment Centres
web site: www.tec.org.au/dev/safersolutions/
or www.safersolutions.org.au
Childrens Health Environmental Coalition also has an
excellent website that provides practical advice on creating
a healthy home www.checnet.org/ehouse
Greenpeaces chemical home has tested a number of
common products and ranked them for their use of
hazardous chemicals www.greenpeace.org.uk
Teresa Rutherford, expert on living with less chemicals:
composthappens@ozemail.com.au
Useful books:
A-Z of Chemicals in the Home, Total Environment Centre,
Choice Books, 2003, www.choice.com.au
The Green Cleaner, Barbara Lord, Crown Content, 1999.
Pure Living, Sally Bevan, BBC Books, 2004.
The Chemical Maze, Bill Statham, www.possibility.com.au
How to Grow Fresh Air: 50 House Plants that Purify Your
Home or Ofce, Dr B C Wolverton, Penguin Books , 1997
54
GreenHomes
note page
55
T
H
E

G
R
E
E
N

S
H
O
P
P
IN
G

L
IS
T
:
Buy products m
ade from
recycled
m
aterials (paper, plastic, m
etal).
Buy second hand every second hand
bike, table, or vase that you buy m
eans
that another new one doesnt have to
be m
ade.
Borrow som
ething from
a friend rather
than buy it, you will have saved another
lawnm
ower, car or power drill from
being
produced.
Look for goods that will last good quality
clothing, furniture or appliances that are
m
ore durable and can be repaired are
m
uch better for the environm
ent.
BUY BUY BUY
Every week we make hundreds of
purchasing decisions buying food,
toiletries, clothes, appliances, toys,
magazines, CDs and books. All of
these purchases have some impact
on the environment because it takes
energy, water and materials/waste to
create and supply all products.
Shopping with the environment in mind
GreenHome...
shopping
Clothing - 14%
Personal Care products 1%
Furniture and Appliances 2%
Other goods 6%
Other services 10%
Transport 6%
Meat and Animal products 34%
Non-meat Foods (vegetable products) 8%
Services (restaurants & Accommodation) 8%
Housing construction and Operation 11%
This represents the land area required to produce the goods
and services we buy and consume. The biggest impacts
come from the food, especially animal products, that we
buy each week. (Note: land area is just one way of showing
our impacts and may underestimate other issues such as
greenhouse gas emissions).
ENVIRONMENTAL FOOTPRINT
OF THE AVERAGE AUSTRALIAN
HOUSEHOLD
GREENHOME FACT:
In 2004 each Australian household wasted
an average of $1,226 on items they
purchased but didnt use. We can all think
of that unused bread maker, the clothes
we never wear or the food we have thrown
out. We can avoid this waste if we stop
before we shop and ask ourselves what
we really need - or dont need - to buy.
56
C
lothing has a large eco-footprint
mainly because of the environmental
impact of cotton and wool (although
synthetic bres do have some impact).
The best way to reduce the environmental impact of the
clothes you buy is to only purchase good quality items
that you know will last a long time. And while good quality
sometimes costs more, think of the savings to the planet
and to you in the long term.
Huge amounts of water, energy and chemicals go
into making every product we buy. By buying
fewer items, and ones that last a long time,
were doing the environment a favour.
The amount of water used in
the production and transport
of clothes bought by an average
Australian household each year is
150,000 litres. Buying second hand
clothes or repairing old clothes could
save much of this water.
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2. Buy clothes (and everything) to last
GREENHOME FACT:
Every new t-shirt requires about
1.5 kilograms of chemicals
(pesticides and fertilisers)
to produce.
1. Do I really need it? Can I cut down?
T
he more you consume, the more
impact you are having on the
environment.
Sure, some things you buy will have less impact and there are
some goods we just cant do without. But there are things we
can all change. Here are some tips to guide you:
Make a list when you go shopping and stick to it
- dont be talked into things you dont need by the
advertising or product placement.
Spending on services rather than physical products
will generally have a lower environmental impact, for
example buy someone a massage voucher, rather than
a foot massage machine, for a gift.
Put your money into something that benets the
environment, such as plants or nature projects,
environmental charities or other environmental projects.
Think back over the past year are there any goods that you
bought that youve not used? Most of us can think of some
clothes, an appliance or perhaps old vegies in the fridge that
were wasted.
GreenHomes
top five tips for shoppers
GREENHOME FACT:
Research by The Australia Institute found
that in 2004 Australian households wasted
a total of $10.5 billion worth of food and
goods that were never or barely used.
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3. Buy Australian and local
W
hen you purchase things that are
produced in Australia, rather than
overseas, not only are you supporting
Australian industries and jobs, but also
youre reducing the air pollution and
greenhouse gas emissions caused by
transport.
By choosing locally-made products less fuel will be used
to transport the product from the factory to the shop. So
look for products that state Product of Australia not just
Australian Made on them or ask the shopkeeper where it
comes from.
The other advantage of buying a local product is that often
there is more information available about the environmental
standards of the company who made it or if youre
concerned its probably easier to get in touch with a local
company and ask them: Where does your chemical waste
from making this product go? or Did you use recycled paper
to make this product?
4. Can I borrow your...?
J
ust like cars, much of the environmental
impact of appliances comes from
manufacturing and maintenance. So if you
can borrow or rent something rather than
buying it, leap at the chance.
Many appliances and goods can be leased or rented and
returned when youre nished with them. This is perfect for
those items that you use infrequently such as lawnmowers,
power tools, cleaning equipment and camping gear. If you are
dead set on buying something, before you go out and spend
a small fortune, ask your friends and family if they would be
interested in sharing it (and chipping in). That way you can all
share the benets (and also share the cost of upkeep).
You dont need a new tool
for a one-off job!
GREENHOME FACT:
Share a car with a friend or family member
instead of having two cars and youll save
around 83,000 litres of water and avoid 8
tonnes of greenhouse pollution that goes
into producing a mid-size car.
Fk000T 0F A8TkALIA
GreenHomes
GREENHOME FACT:
In the UK, the ingredients of an average
BLT - bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwich
- have travelled over 49,000 kilometres.
58
Some NSW or national businesses that specialise in environmentally
friendly, and non-toxic products and furnishings for the home include:
See page 59 for more environmentally friendly products and services
Give away or pick up free household goods!
The Sydney Freecycle Networks are open to all who want to recycle that special something rather than throw it away. Whether
its a chair, a fax machine, piano or an old door, feel free to offer it. You can also nd something for yourself. Everything offered
must be free. Check out www.freecycle.org to nd your nearest freecycle network in NSW.
5. Buy recycled and recyclable
E
ver wondered where all your kerbside
recycling ends up? It gets turned into
a huge array of recycled paper, plastic,
steel and aluminum products. And we can
support these industries by buying their
recycled products.
These days you can buy almost anything in a recycled format
- ofce paper, toilet paper and paper towels, chairs, computers,
tables, clothes, bags and wallets to name a few.
Try to buy recycled-content products. But also look for
products and packaging that you know can be recycled
and make sure you recycle them!
Buying second-hand goods is an even better sort of recycling. Next
time you plan to shop, think about whether you can get it second
hand. Look on the internet (E-Bay or Trading Post), try second-hand
shops or garage sales, or bulletin boards. Its usually cheaper too.
When youve nished with something, dont throw it out, recycle
it! Donate your clothes to charity (or if theyre totally worn out,
use them as rags, or donate them to patchwork groups). This
way the cycle continues.
GreenHomes
GREENHOME FACT:
Each year, for every person in Australia
180 tonnes of solid materials are
used in total industrial and household
consumption. This includes materials
from mining, forestry, agriculture, and
manufacturing (including whats exported).
Allergy Free
Large range of low allergen products
Shop 1008, Level 1 Westeld Bondi Junction
Ph: 1300 66 22 50
www.allergyfree.com.au
Biome
Eco-friendly lifestyle, non-toxic home products, natural skin
care, organic bed linen, green gifts
1300 301 767
Online store: www.biome.com.au
Online directories of environmentally friendly products and services:
Green Pages Australia
Your Home: Design for Lifestyle and the Future
The Australian Greenhouse Ofces online guide to
sustainable home design, technical manual and consumer
guide. Contains lists of organisations who can help you
make your home more environmentally friendly:
www.greenhouse.gov.au/yourhome
BUY PRODUCTS THAT ARE RECYCLED OR REUSED AND REDUCE SOLID WASTE SIGNIFICANTLY.
59
GreenHomes
note page
More NSW or national businesses that specialise in environmentally
friendly, and non-toxic products and furnishings for the home include:
Cruelty-Free Shopping
For a list of products which are not tested on animals or
avoid animal ingredients, check out the Choose Cruelty Free
Preferred Products List:
www.choosecrueltyfree.org.au/list.html
Ecological homes
Retrot and home products; solar hot water
Ofce and Showroom: 230 Enmore Rd, Enmore
Ph: 1300 73 07 07
www.ecologicalhomes.com.au
EcoShop and the Natural Paint Place
Home retrot environmental and non-toxic products;
online shop
583a King Street, Newtown
Ph: 9519 0433
www.ecoshop.com.au
Eco at Home
Safe cleaning products, low chemical paints and oils,
natural personal care products
507 Willoughby Road, Willoughby
Ph: 9958 0412
www.ecoathome.com.au
Give Organic
Certied organic and fair trade gift hampers
Online shop
www.giveorganic.com.au
0416 363 124
Macro Wholefoods
Organic supermarket and caf
Bondi Junction 31-37 Oxford Street Bondi Junction,
Phone: 02 9389 7611
Concord 43 Majors Bay Road Concord
Crows Nest 13-19 Willoughby Road Crows Nest, Phone:
02 9004 1240
Hornsby Shop 2009 (Level 2, Westeld Hornsby, Pacic
Hwy, Hornsby, Phone: 02 8401 7111
www.macrowholefoods.com.au
Neco
Eco-hardware store; green cleaning, home assessments,
carbon neutrality, green gifts
Ph: 1300 88 26 40
www.neco.com.au
Todae
Non toxic and healthy products; online shop
83 Glebe Point Road Glebe
Ph:1300 138 483
www.todae.com.au
60
Eco-labels can help you make environmentally-friendly purchasing decisions. These are logos
on a product that show the product is certied by a recognised accreditation system which
has set the standard of what is or is not environmentally-friendly. Examples are organic food,
fair trade coffee and energy ratings of appliances. Here are the most common eco-labels you
will nd in Australia.
Label What it means
Products carrying the Fairtrade Certication Label are those that have been produced and sold
ensuring that the third world producers, workers and communities, normally disadvantaged
through current international trade rules, get a fair return for their products and labour. The
Label is most commonly found on commodity products, such as coffee and tea. An increasing
number of cafes, retail outlets and supermarkets are selling Fairtrade products in Australia. See
www.fta.org.au to nd where you can buy Fairtrade in your community.
Organic labelled products refer to any fruit or vegetables, crops, plants or meat products
that are raised on a farm certied as organic that is, they use no articial fertilisers,
pesticides or herbicides and no genetically-modied species.
www.australianorganic.com.au.
As with the label above, they use no articial substances in farming. They also state that
humane care of animals, active soil care, pollution reduction, erosion control, shelter belts,
efcient water usage and proper food handling are all part of the ethos of the organic
producer.
Run by the National Association for Sustainable Agriculture Australia
www.nasaa.com.au.
Water Efciency Labelling and Standards (WELS) Scheme helps you identify water efcient
products. The more stars, the more water efcient the product. Different products attract
different ratings, for example, the most efcient showerheads on the market have been
awarded three stars, while the most efcient washing machines and taps have ve or six stars.
For more information and to compare products visit www.waterrating.gov.au.
For most new appliances (fridges, washing machines, air conditioners etc) there is an
energy rating system. Stickers on the products show a star energy rating. The more stars,
the more efcient the product. Remember the stars only compare similar appliances so you
also need to look at the number, thats how much energy the product will use over a year.
Visit: www.energyrating.gov.au for more details.
ENERGY STAR is an international standard for energy efcient ofce equipment including
computers, printers and photocopiers, and home electronics such as TVs, audio products
and DVD players. Labelled products reduce the amount of energy consumed by either
automatically switching to a sleep mode when not in use and/or reducing the amount
power used when in standby mode.
(Be aware - this often needs to be activated when you buy the new equipment).
www.energystar.gov.au.
A national ecolabelling scheme has been developed for a range of consumer, building
and industrial products. There are different standards for each product category which
are based on the full environmental impacts of a product from cradle to grave. For a list of
certied products see and more sustainable living information visit:
www.goodenvironmentalchoice.org.au.
GREEN GLOBE 21 is the global Benchmarking, Certication and improvement system for
sustainable Travel & Tourism. Tourism businesses with this label are required to consider
the environmental impact of their business in the areas of energy, water, waste, biodiversity
and noise and work to improve it. www.greenglobe21.com.
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) is a global system for recognising wood from responsibly
managed forests, and is supported by major environment groups. Look for the FSC
trademark on products and invoices to be sure you are buying from a certied source.
GreenHomes
what label is that?
61
Superannuation is not immune
to the effects of climate change,
in fact super and climate change
are inextricably connected. Both
require action now to ensure
quality of life in the future.
(VicSuper Sustainability Report 2006)
Green finance - not costing the earth
GreenHomes
green finance
Disclaimer: The following information concerns
the environmental dimensions of investment
and other nancial choices. It is not a substitute
for professional nancial advice. Individuals
should consult a qualied nancial adviser to
consider their options in light of their particular
circumstances. Make sure your adviser knows you
care about the environment and want to invest
responsibly!
WHAT DO MY FINANCES HAVE TO
DO WITH THE ENVIRONMENT?
Green nance is about investing responsibly, taking social,
environmental and governance issues into consideration. It
is about supporting your super fund or changing your share
portfolio to invest in companies involved in environmentally
responsible activities like renewable energy and recycling. If
your superannuation fund, share portfolio or bank is investing
your money in businesses that dont pay much attention to
the environment, then you may unintentionally be supporting
damaging activities.
If you are like most Australians, your superannuation
savings are one your most important nancial assets. Your
superannuation fund invests these savings on your behalf in
stocks, bonds and property, so it is worth nding out whether
your superannuation fund is investing responsibly. Asking
if they are signed up to the United Nations Principles of
Responsible Investment is a great start.
DOES INVESTING RESPONSIBLY
MEAN IM GOING TO EARN
LOWER RETURNS?
Many studies show that the more responsible companies
tend to perform better over the long term. A company
that is reducing its environmental impacts and developing
sustainable business strategies tends to be better prepared
to take advantage of new business opportunities, better able
to attract skilled and motivated staff, and less exposed to
environmental risks and price changes.
As a result, many responsible investment funds have
achieved very competitive nancial returns. The average
responsible investment fund has consistently outperformed
the S&P/ASX100 Index.
[Source: Ethical Investor magazine, from data provided by
Standard & Poors, available online at www.eia.org.au/les/
LBVCAA67MQ/Copy_of_Ethical_Fund_Performance_to_30_
September_2005.xls]
0 3 6 9 12 15
S&P/ASX300
Accumulation Index
Average retail
mainstream fund
Average wholesale
mainstream fund
Average Responsible
Investment Fund
11.46
10.13
11.51
14.59
RESPONSIBLE INVESTMENT
OUTPERFORMS:
Annual returns of Australian funds
(% p.a. over ve years to 30/09/2005, net of fees)
62
GreenHomes
top five green finance tips
DID YOU KNOW?
Every investment fund in Australia is legally required to state whether they consider the
environment in making investment decisions, and if so, how those issues are addressed.
This information is located in the Product Disclosure Statement (PDS) for each fund.
These are often available online, or you can request a hard copy from your fund.
1. Switch your super
S
witch to an ethical investment fund, or
ethical option within your existing fund.
Ethical investment funds use nancial
capital to promote positive environmental
and social outcomes, and to avoid
unethical activities.
Here are some of the ways that funds do this:
They screen out environmentally damaging investments
like uranium mining and old-growth forestry, while
targeting investment to more sustainable companies.
They select only the top sustainability performers in each
industry sector.
They encourage companies to improve their
environmental performance.
Each ethical fund has its own notion of what is ethical or
responsible, so it is important to nd a fund that meets your
nancial goals without compromising your ethical standards.
The Ethical Investment Association has a list of ethical funds
and their investment criteria, available at www.eia.org.au.
You might not even have to switch funds to invest ethically.
Many superannuation funds have an ethical option, but
unless you specically direct your savings into those options,
they will instead ow into a default fund that is not invested
responsibly. Call your fund to nd out what ethical options
they offer and while youre at it, ask them what they are
doing to protect the environment.
GREENHOME FACT:
Australian companies with high
environmental and social responsibility
scores outperform those with lower scores
by an average of 3-5% per annum over the
long term.
63
GreenHomes
3. Make your loan a green one
I
f youre thinking about moving,
renovating, or renancing your home,
consider a green home loan.
Some lenders are starting to build positive environmental
incentives such as interest rate discounts, or rebates on
sustainable home improvements and efcient appliances
into their home loan products. These incentives can save
you thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the loan.
A green vehicle loan allows you to offset the greenhouse
gas emissions from your vehicle, and may even give you
an interest rate discount for driving a more efcient car.
GREENHOME FACT:
A green mortgage could save you $20,000
in interest payments (based on a reduction
from 8.5% to 8.0% in interest rates over
the lifetime of a 25-year, $200,000 home
loan).
2. Write a letter to your super fund
E
ven outside of dedicated ethical
investment funds, mainstream funds
are becoming interested in environmental
and social issues as well.
In 2006, the United Nations released an important
international agreement, the Principles for Responsible
Investment. These Principles, which have been endorsed by
many of the worlds largest investors, commit signatories to
incorporating social, environmental and governance issues in
their investment decision-making.
So far, 15 Australian superannuation funds and fund
managers have signed up. If your superannuation fund
has endorsed the principles, it is a good sign that theyre
starting to think seriously about the environment. If your fund
hasnt signed up yet, they might need a gentle nudge from
members like you. Try writing a short letter to your fund,
asking them to endorse the UN Principles for Responsible
Investment. You might be surprised at how inuential a few
letters from concerned fund members can be.
GREENHOME FACT:
108 investors and fund managers
worldwide responsible for over $6 trillion
in assets have endorsed the UN Principles
for Responsible Investment.
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GreenHomes
5. Switch banks
B
anks can differ widely in how they
approach environmental issues.
Some banks are reducing their direct
environmental impacts, improving their
lending criteria to include environmental
concerns and contributing to the debate
on issues such as climate change.
One way to nd out what your bank is doing is to review its
annual sustainability report, which some institutions issue to
communicate their approach to sustainability issues.
Consider a community banking institution such as a credit
union or building society. Credit unions operate for the
benet of their members, not shareholders. Many of these
institutions have dramatically improved the range of services
they offer in recent years, and you can be more condent that
your money will be invested locally.
GREENHOME FACT:
In 2006, when major investors publicly
asked nancial institutions for information
about their climate change policies and
performance, 21 Australian nancial
institutions responded, but 13 refused to
answer the questions or did not respond
at all.
4. Talk to your financial advisor
M
any people trust a nancial adviser
to help them make the right choices
nancially. Make sure your advisor knows
that you value the environment and dont
wish to invest in environmentally damaging
activities. Ask them about responsible
investment options.
If you are looking for a nancial adviser who can assist you
with responsible investing, check out the online register of
advisers who are specically interested in ethical investment
at www.eia.org.au.
GREENHOME FACT:
52% of the Australian general public
say that commitment to environmentally
responsible practices is very important
to them in deciding whether to invest in
a company but only 21% of analysts,
advisers and brokers agree.
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GreenHomes
green finance
Your guide to information about green finance
Ethical/responsible
investment and
superannuation
Ethical Investment Association www.eia.org.au
Wide range of resources about ethical investing, including lists of ethical investment funds and
nancial advisers specialising in ethical investment
Ethical Investor www.ethicalinvestor.com.au
Monthly periodical that includes performance details and holdings for all Australian ethical funds.
Product Disclosure Statements (PDS)
Every fund is required to have information about whether they take the environment into account in
investment decisions. Check the website of the fund for the PDS, or request a hard copy from the
fund directly.
Sustaintech www.sustaintech.com.au
Matches green businesses with ethical investors.
UN Principles for Responsible Investment www.unpri.org
Includes a list of all signatories to the UN Principles.
Environmental policies
and practices of nancial
institutions, and green
nance generally
Banktrack www.banktrack.org
Independent international watchdog of environmental and human rights issues in banking.
Carbon Disclosure Project www.cdproject.net
Investor initiative to collect information about major companys climate change policies and
performance.
Equator Principles www.equator-principles.com
Set of standards for major project nance transactions. Westpac and ANZ Bank are the only
Australian signatories.
False Prots: How Australias nance sector undervalues the environment and what we can
do about it www.acfonline.org.au/uploads/res_false_prots.pdf
Australian Conservation Foundation 2006 study on green nance in Australia.
Investor Group on Climate Change Australia / New Zealand www.igcc.org.au
Group of 16 Australian investors engaged on climate change issues. Includes the Australian / New
Zealand local implementation of the Carbon Disclosure Project.
United Nations Environment Program Finance Initiative www.unep.org
Global initiative to promote responsible nancial sector initiatives.
Environmental ratings
and indices for Australian
companies
Corporate Monitor (ratings published regularly in Ethical Investor magazine)
www.ethicalinvestor.com.au
Corporate Responsibility Index www.corporate-responsibility.com.au
Reputex www.reputex.com.au
Sustainable Asset Management www.aussi.net.au
Green home loans Bendigo Bank www.bendigobank.com.au
Maleny Credit Union www.malenycu.com.au
Mecu www.mecu.com.au
Westpac Bank www.westpac.com.au
Green renovation and
personal loan products
Bendigo Bank (green personal loans) www.bendigobank.com.au
Maleny Credit Union (Dam Buster loan, for nance of rainwater tank purchases)
www.malenycu.com.au
Mecu (ecosaver and goGreen renovation and personal loan products) www.mecu.com.au
Green vehicle loans Mecu (goGreen car loan) www.mecu.com.au
Savings & Loans Credit Union (Breathe Easy car loan) www.savingsloans.com.au
Green deposit products Bendigo Bank (Bendigo Oxfam Australia Cash Management Account) www.bendigobank.com.au
Westpac Bank (Westpac Landcare term deposit) www.westpac.com.au
Community banking Abacus peak industry body for credit unions and mutual building societies www.abacus.org.au
Bendigo Community Banks www.bendigobank.com.au/public/community_bank/index.asp
66
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note page
67
IT WOULD BE MUCH EASIER TO IGNORE THESE DIFFICULT
ISSUES, TO ENJOY OUR MATERIAL COMFORTS AND OUR
WONDERFUL LIFESTYLE BUT A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE IS
CLEARLY A BETTER FUTURE. WORKING FOR IT IS OUR
MORAL DUTY TO THE COUNTLESS MILLIONS OF OTHER
SPECIES THAT WE SHARE THIS PLANET WITH, AND THE
FUTURE GENERATIONS FOR WHOM WE HOLD IT IN TRUST.
Professor Ian Lowe, President of the Australian Conservation Foundation, 2006
Stand up for the Environment
GreenHome...
stand up for the environment
BEING AN
ENVIRONMENT CHAMPION
If you are concerned that there is more to be done to
protect the environment beyond making individual changes
in your lifestyle, then youre probably ready to become an
environment champion.
The environment has traditionally struggled to be high on
the public policy and political agenda because it does not
have a voice. Unlike industry, local residents and farmers for
example, the environment cannot speak up in Parliament or the
media. It is up to us to be informed and promote solutions to
environmental challenges on behalf of our planet.
CAN WE AFFORD
NOT TO TAKE ACTION?
Today we are often governed by the economic bottom line,
which is very short-term thinking. The Australian Bureau
of Statistics has reported that since 1990, all of the usual
economic indicators show positive trends, but almost all the
environmental indicators are declining. To put it in economic
terms, it is as if we have an ecological credit card that we are
borrowing against, and operating at a heavy decit for which
our children will pay a big price.
Being an environment champion is to advocate that the
environment should be as important as economic, social
and cultural considerations. At the end of the day, there is no
economy if we have a dead planet. More importantly, strong
action now will be much better for the economy than inaction
now, and alleviate the need for drastic measures to be taken in
the future.
You can be a compelling advocate for the environment
in many spheres of your life: as a parent, at work, in your
local community and when you vote. All you need are a
few strategies, skills and condence to communicate your
message, and you will add your voice to others with a
passion for protecting our environment.
A COLLECTIVE MOVEMENT
It is no longer only a radical few that see the need for
environmental action. Today we take many things for granted
but this only came into being because people movements
made new ideas acceptable in the face of major opposition.
We can draw a lot of inspiration from past community
action like those who deposed slavery two hundred years
ago against the advice of economists; the suffragettes
who demanded the vote for women a hundred years
ago; achievements just forty years ago when Indigenous
Australians won the referendum to be included as Australian
citizens; and more recently, the end of Apartheid in South
Africa. Each of these changes happened because determined
people worked for a better world.
DEMOCRACY WORKS
IF WE PARTICIPATE
In Australia we are proud of our democratic traditions. We
have the freedom to express our opinions, to vote and to
hold robust debates. Yet we need to ensure that people in
power are accountable and aware of our concerns.
By actively engaging with the media, politicians, business
leaders and our local communities, we achieve better
outcomes. Sometimes we have to stand up for what we
believe in or risk it disappearing.
Australia has a long tradition of working collectively to protect
important areas like the Franklin River in Tasmania, the Great
Barrier Reef, Antarctica and Kakadu National Park, as well
as supporting the international Montreal Protocol to reduce
the harmful UV impact of the ozone hole. Todays generation
is faced with important challenges like climate change and
maintaining jobs without sacricing the environment. While
we can not always match the resources of those in power, if
there is a critical mass working together, we can move from
despair to action.
68
P
E
T
I
T
I
O
N
1. Influence decision makers
P
arliamentarians are obliged to
respond to public enquiries. Who to
contact depends on whether the matter
concerns Federal, State/Territory or Local
Government responsibilities or laws. Refer
to the end of this chapter to nd your local
representatives.
A signed, handwritten or typed letter is an easy
and effective means of communicating with your
elected politicians. It is much more effective than an
email, photocopied form letter or a postcard campaign.
Politicians are more likely to take action if you are in
their electorate, so make sure you include your name
and address. Be brief, reect why you are personally
interested in the issue and commence with a clear
statement of purpose, eg: I am writing to ask you to
support/oppose ....
Organise a face to face meeting with your
representative. This is the most effective way to raise
your issue. Come well prepared, and have a one page
summary of your concerns. Most importantly, clearly
communicate what resolution you are seeking.
Ask your representative to take concrete action.
These demands could be policy demands, asking for
a debate in Parliament, asking them to speak to their
party leader/party room about the issues or to cross the
oor and vote against a Bill even if their party supports
it. Always ask for the politician to give you a follow up
response to the issue you are raising.
Write a petition. Download the Environment Defenders
Ofce Petition kit to ensure your petition is legally accepted:
www.edo.org.au/edonsw/site/factsh/fs07_1.php.
GreenHomes
top five environmental action tips
GREENHOME FACT:
When gauging the mood of the electorate on
an issue, a parliamentarian will consider that
one phone call represents roughly ve votes,
one letter represents ten votes and a face
to face meeting represents 20 votes or the
membership of the organisation you represent.
GREENHOME TOP TIP:
Thanks are as important as criticism. So dont
forget to contact your political representatives
and congratulate them when they support an
initiative that you think is benecial. This way
they can also represent the number of people
who are behind them when they are debating
with people opposing environmental progress.
The seven generation rule is used within many indigenous cultures for making a major
decision. The rst thing considered is the lessons of the past seven generations and
then thinking ahead on the impact of a decision for seven future generations. This is
much smarter, longer term thinking than the annual nancial year or three year election
cycle, which we base many of our major decisions on, and which commonly only
promote temporary, band-aid solutions.
DO YOU KNOW THE SEVEN GENERATION RULE?
69
2. Find your voice in the media
B
y bringing your opinion to the attention
of the media, you can raise awareness
of an issue among readers or listeners who
would not otherwise know about it. Even
if your letter goes unpublished, it could be
instrumental in drawing the media outlets
attention to an issue.
Keep letters short (most papers have a limit of 200 words)
and include your name, address and phone number.
Local radio is another important avenue for reecting
community concerns. Go one step further and approach
your local independent radio station about hosting your own
program!
Electronic media provides a highly effective way to reach
a large audience. Subscribe to list-servs or start your own
on-line blog discussion about environmental issues and
solutions.
3. Join an environment group
E
nvironment groups play an important
role in defending the environment.
They monitor what decisions are being made and lobby for
changes to laws and policies which affect our environment.
Generally environment organisations are non-government
organisations (NGOs), allowing them a bi-partisan voice and
the opportunity to encourage courageous change. They also
conduct important research to identify practical solutions
and policies, addressing issues that may today seem
insurmountable.
Environment groups are only as strong as their membership.
You can add your voice by joining an environment group
such as the Australian Conservation Foundation (see the
membership application on the back of this guide), and:
Inuence what issues they address by attending their
Annual General Meeting.
Volunteer your time and skills - youd be amazed at
the variety of jobs that need to be done in environment
organisations!
Keep informed through their communications such
as newsletters, e-bulletins, journals and on-line media
releases.
Donate nancially to assist with their vital work or leave a
bequest in your will.
GREENHOME FACT:
In 2001, there were 608,900 members of
conservation or environment groups in
Australia, according to ABS statistics.
GreenHomes
GREENHOME FACT:
Politicians or their staff generally monitor
the letters pages of newspapers as well as
talk-back radio. They will take one letter as
representing the views of many people in
their electorate.
J
O
I
N
70
GreenHomes
4. Organise a community event
T
he unit of survival in the future is
going to be community. To become
sustainable, the community is going to
have to be very tight and involve people
working together. Dr David Suzuki,
Canadian Environmentalist, 2006
Community events are a great way to meet new people and
show your support for a common cause.
By joining with our local community and friends we can share
our knowledge and motivate each other to take actions for
a better world. Often we learn best from our peers and can
take the lead in our community:
Organise a lm night and discussion on a topical
issue. Check out www.100hearts.com for some great
environmentally friendly titles.
Hold a public forum and invite, for example, your
local parliamentarian, someone from an environment
organisation and an academic or journalist to cover a
topic of interest to your community. Contact your Local
Council for assistance with a venue and publicity.
Fundraise for something you believe in. Green Canary
makes it easy to hold environmental fundraisers: www.
greencanary.com.
Hold a dinner party for family and friends and create an
inspiring menu using organic products sourced within
100 kilometres from your house. Use this opportunity to
explain about food miles and why you prefer to shop for
organic produce.
Organise a local festival with a message or a media
stunt. This is a great way to bring people together to
prole an issue and have fun too!
Invite your neighbours in for an open day to showcase
all the environmental measures you have made in your
house or apartment and let them know how easy it is to
be green.
Take responsibility for a local natural waterway
or bush reserve by having clean up days, planting
indigenous plants and clearing weeds.
There are hundreds of ways to get active with your
community. If you have been involved in an inspiring or
innovative event, email GreenHome and we could post it on
our website. Include pictures where you can.
NB: Contact your local council to nd out if you need any
permits to hold your event and look at the NSW ofce of
Liquor, Gaming and Racing website to apply for liquor
licences or to register as a community fundraising group:
www.olgr.nsw.gov.au.
People value the environment as
part of their lives. 92% say it is
important or very important. The
environment ranks third after
family and friends.
Who Cares about the Environment in 2006? A
survey of NSW peoples environmental knowledge,
attitudes and behaviours, DEC November 2006.
Reproduced with kind permission of the Department
of Environment and Conservation NSW.
0 20 40 60 80 100
Family
Friends
Environment
Leisure time
Service to others
Work
Religion
Politics
Percentage of respondents
Very Important
92
67
53
47
44
42
24
16
71
5. Vote with your wallet
S
hopping is politics. You vote every
time you spend money.
Bono, U2 frontman and campaigner
Try to consume less, and consume more wisely. At rst
glance, voting with your wallet may seem a contradiction
when we consider the negative environmental impact caused
by our consumerist lifestyles (see Green Shopping Section).
While its important and rewarding to shop with a conscience,
it is often difcult to do so with moral purity. A survey of 15, 500
consumers in 17 countries (including Australia) revealed that
more than a third were actively boycotting at least one brand.
Ethical consumerism, applying the principles of GreenHome,
is a form of action that we can take each day to indicate to
producers, manufacturers and retail outlets that we want
rigorous environmental standards for all products.
Ultimately we want to choose products that reduce waste and
greenhouse gas emissions, conserve water and restore our
natural ecological assets to good health. But it is not always
easy to identify which products are environmentally sound, so
a bit of detective work and lateral thinking may be needed.
Buy Nothing Day: Sometimes our most ethical shopping
choice will be to buy nothing. Try doing this once a month
and see what you can go without. Organise a bigger
action on the International Buy Nothing Day in November
visit www.buynothingday.co.uk for creative ideas.
Ask the store manager to stock organic, environmentally
accredited and fair trade produce, and to stop stocking
environmentally damaging products, such as
energy-wasting incandescent light globes.
Avoid the Green Wash: Green wash happens when
a company claims their products or practices are
environmentally friendly when they are not. Be wary
of vague labels such as: Enviromentally safe, Earth
friendly, Ozone friendly, Recyclable. Inform Consumer
Affairs if you believe a product has misleading labelling or
environmental claims: www.fairtrading.nsw.gov.au.
Support consumer campaigns like the Fair Trade
movement which puts pressure on governments to
regulate for fair international trade.
Remember you are a citizen and not just a consumer.
Challenge the dominant culture where things are held in
more esteem than achievements, friends and community
participation.
GreenHomes
GREENHOME FACT:
In Australia, two companies - Safeway
and Coles - sell a third of all food.
Imagine what difference it would make
if you lobbied your local store to supply
accredited organic and fair trade products.
Prices would drop, it would become more
viable for producers and much better for
the environment.
GOOD QUESTIONS
TO ASK WHEN
YOURE SHOPPING:
Do I really need it?
What pollution or other environmental
harm was caused by producing it?
How far has it been transported?
How much packaging does it have?
How much energy does it use?
It is recyclable and/or biodegradable?
Were animals harmed in the production?
Whats the wider behaviour of the
company? Where are the pro ts going?
72
GreenHomes
Who to contact
Government representatives
FEDERAL REPRESENTATIVES
Member of House of Representatives:
To nd the name of your electorate, enter your postcode
on the Australian Electoral Commissions nd page:
www.aec.gov.au/esearch/main.htm.
Then nd the listed Member for your electorate on the
Federal Parliament site with a link to their contact details:
www.aph.gov.au/house/members/mi-elctr.asp.
Senators, Ministers and Shadow Ministers:
To nd the names of Senators who represent your State/
Territory, or different Ministers or Shadow Ministers
responsibilities, visit the Federal Parliament website: www.
aph.gov.au/whoswho/index.htm.
Find other members of Parliament who have an interest in
the matter. Members of a relevant Parliamentary Committee
for both the Senate and House of Representative can be
found at: www.aph.gov.au/committee/index.htm.
http://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/prod/parlment/members.
nsf/v3listcurrentlamembers?open&vwCurr=CurrLAByElectorate
To nd your Local Council representatives go to
www.dlg.nsw.gov.au/dlg/dlghome/dlg_InformationIndex.
asp?areaindex=DOWNLOADS&index=200
www.lgsa.org.au/www/html/134-council-websites.
asp?intSiteID=1
If you are not sure if your concern relates to Federal, State/
Territory or Local laws, contact the Environment Defenders
Ofce on (02) 9262 6989 or email: edonsw@edo.org.au.
Tips for writing a letter can be found via Electronic Frontiers
Australia: www.efa.org.au/Campaigns/lobby.html#tipsletter
INFORMATION ON
CONSUMING ETHICALLY
Ethical consumer: Calculates companies ethical scores
out of 20 across a broad range of ethical categories.
www.ethiscore.org
Ethical Consumer Research Association:
Indexes and rates the record of over 50,000 companies.
www.corporatecritic.org
Corporate Watch:
Proles large companies and industry sectors.
www.corpwatch.org
Ethical Consumer magazine
www.ethicalconsumer.org
NEWSPAPERS
The Australian: letters@theaustralian.com.au
The Sydney Morning Herald: letters@smh.com.au
The Sunday Telegraph: letters@sundaytelegraph.com.au
The Australian Financial Review: letters@afr.com.au
RADIO
702 ABC Sydney: GPO Box 9994, Sydney NSW 2001
Talkback Line: 1300 222 702
SMS: 19 922 702 (cost of a local call)
Fax: (02) 8333 1203
Email: 702@your.abc.net.au
www.abc.net.au/sydney
ABC Radio National: GPO Box 9994, in your capital city
Talkback line: (02) 8333 2821
Fax: (02) 8333 1366
Email Radio National from this webpage:
www.abc.net.au/rn/contact.htm.
2GB (873 AM) Sydney:
Talkback line (02) 8570 0344
2UE (954 AM) Sydney:
Talkback line (02) 13 13 32
Triple J ABC Radio: GPO Box 9994 in your capital city
Talkback line: 1300 055 536
SMS: 19 757 555
Australian environmental list serv: Green-leap:
www.green-innovations.asn.au/greenleap.htm.
Media
73
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note page
74
GreenHomes
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Australian Marine Conservation Society (2006), Australias
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Australian Nutrition Foundation (2005), What exactly are
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Hamilton, C., Denniss, R., Baker, D., (2005), Wasteful
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FOOD
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WASTE
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Issues and Trends, 2006, Available from: www.abs.gov.au/
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Environment Protection and Heritage Council (EPHC)
(2005), Nolan ITU Interim Report of Plastic Retail Carry Bag
Use - 2002-2004 Consumption, available from: www.ephc.
gov.au/ephc/plastic_bags.html[accessed January 2007]
ENERGY
Department of the Environment and Heritages Australian
GreenHouse Ofce (2006), Global Warming Cool It: A
Home Guide to reducing energy costs and greenhouse
gases, Department of the Environment and Heritages
Australian GreenHouse Ofce, Canberra
Energy Australia (2006), Residential Customer
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Reardon, C., McGee, C., Shackel, S. & Waters, S., (2005),
Your Home Technical Manual 3rd Edition, Australian
GreenHouse Ofce, Canberra
Wilkenfeld, G, Associates & Energy Strategies (2002)
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Australian Greenhouse Ofce, Canberra
NSW Department of Environment and Conservation (2002),
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76
GREEN CLEANING
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GREEN SHOPPING
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Climate friendly (2007), Air travel calculator:
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RACV (2007), Car operating costs, Available from: www.
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Esther Deans, Esther Deans Gardening Book: Growing
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French, J, (1993), Organic Control of household pests 2nd
Edition, Aird Book, Melbourne
GARDENS
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J
O
I
N
STAND UP FOR
THE ENVIRONMENT
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Investment, Available at: www.unpri.org/principles/
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78
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note page
79
YES! I WANT TO SUPPORT THE
AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION
FOUNDATIONS EFFORTS TO
PROTECT OUR ENVIRONMENT
AND WAY OF LIFE.
The Australian Conservation Foundation has been inspiring Australians to achieve a healthy
environment for more than 40 years. Today, with the support of thousands of concerned
Australians like you, we are the leading voice for action against climate change in Australia,
and are effecting change across all levels of government, community and business.
Some of our current priorities include:
I Working with the corporate sector to promote the compelling business case for early
action against climate change.
I Working with farmers and regional communities to help them better understand and
combat the devastating effects of less rainfall.
I Encouraging businesses, governments and consumers to support clean,
renewable energy
I Committing governments to a reduction in greenhouse pollution of 60-90% by 2050.
I Keeping Australia nuclear-free.
This important work can only be undertaken with support from concerned people like you.
Thats why your nancial support is so critical at this time, in addition to the personal actions
you take through GreenHome.
The best way to support is to become an ACF EarthVoice, by donating as little as $10 per
month. This will help give ACF the nancial strength and political clout to continue leading the
ght against climate change in Australia.
PLEASE CALL US ON 1800 223 669 or
MAIL BACK THE FORM ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS PAGE.
80
I will become an ACF EarthVoice by making a regular
monthly donation of:
$20 $35
$50 $___ my choice (min.$10)
Your donation will be deducted on the 10th of each month
(or closest working day) and can be cancelled any time.
My preferred payment method is:
Credit card (my credit card details are below); or
Direct debit from my bank account
(please send me a direct debit authority)
Credit Card details:
Amex Diners Mastercard Visa
Expires ___ /___
Cardholders Name: ___________________________________
Signature: ___________________________________________
Your EarthVoice gift includes $2.50/month for
ACF membership. Membership entitles you to four issues
annually of Habitat magazine. The rest of your gift is a
fully tax deductible donation.
One more thing you can do to help
stop dangerous climate change!
Mr/Mrs/Ms/Dr:______________________________________________________________
Address:________________________________________State:_______Postcode:______
Tel: (work)____________________________(home) _______________________________
Mobile: ______________________________Email: ________________________________
First Name Family Name
T
he Australian Conservation Foundation is at the forefront of efforts to change the way our society and
governments are responding to the threat of climate change. To continue this work, we rely on the
collective support of individual Australians like you, who provide over 90% of our income and 100% of the
political clout we need to make things happen.
You can support our vital work by becoming an ACF EarthVoice, with a monthly donation of $10 or more.
Just call us on 1800 ACF NOW or return the coupon below today. Together, our voices are stronger and
together, we can achieve a better future for all Australians.
Yes! I want to support ACFs efforts to stop dangerous climate change.
Here is my one-off donation or membership fee to support
ACFs work. (Membership includes four issues annually of
Habitat magazine and is not tax-deductible.)
Amount
Household member ($65/annum)
Second householders name: _________________
(Up to two members can be registered per household.)
Concessional member ($39/annum)
Earthkids ($16.50/annum)
Earthkids name: ___________________________
(boy/girl) Date of birth ___ / ___ / ______
My tax-deductible donation
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If the answer is yes to both questions you
need to experience a presentation from
one of the people personally trained by Al
Gore in Australia.
The Climate Project Australia, in partnership
with the Australian Conservation Foundation,
will educate your community about the
science, impacts and solutions to dangerous
climate change.
To request a presentation and for more
information visit:
DO YOU WANT TO HELP STOP DANGEROUS CLIMATE CHANGE?
HAVE YOU SEEN OR HEARD ABOUT FORMER US VICE-PRESIDENT
AL GORES MOVIE AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH?
www.acfonline.org.au/climateproject
Our environment, your call
This GreenHome Guide is printed
with soya-based inks on
100% recycled paper
GREENHOME SHOWS YOU HOW TO ENJOY A HEALTHIER
ENVIRONMENT THAT DOESNT COST THE EARTH.
Do you dream of a home that creates minimal greenhouse pollution? Would you
like a garden that uses water wisely? Reducing your impact on the environment at
home and in your lifestyle has never been easier with the Australian Conservation
Foundations GreenHome Guide.
Inside, youll find a range of practical tips for saving water and energy, reducing waste,
sustainable gardens and food, green transport, finance, shopping and cleaning.
The GreenHome Guide shows how simple actions make a real difference to the health
of our planet and communities, while creating more comfortable homes and saving
money on our bills.
GreenHome is the Australian Conservation Foundations
sustainable living program, helping Australians reduce
their environmental footprint through workshops, events
and the GreenHome website.
To measure your eco-footprint and join the GreenHome
Challenge, visit www.acfonline.org.au/greenhome.
Proceeds from the sale of this guide help support the
work of the Australian Conservation Foundation.

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