Wollondilly Shire Council

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• Buy renewable electricity

  Every time you use electricity in your home greenhouse gases are belched out on your behalf. So buy the clean stuff!
  
  By purchasing 100 per cent Federal Government accredited GreenPower renewable electricity you are instantly switching your electricity dollar from a traditional coal-burning power plant to one of a combination of renewable sources of electricity generation (e.g. wind, hydro, biomass and solar) and stopping approximately 10 tonnes of CO2 / year (for an average home) from being rel…

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• Cultivate energy saving habits

  Energy saving habits are easy to learn. By changing your daily habits, you can save resources and money and reduce your contribution to global warming.
  
  The cost of energy is rising and the threats posed by climate change are increasing. However, with just a bit of effort, the average household can reduce its energy use by about one-third – and save money on energy bills at the same time. The energy efficiency of the latest technology is improving and using common sense, we can significantly red…

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• Cultivate water saving habits

  Water saving habits are those easy-to-learn daily behaviours that can save us thousands of litres (and dollars) during the course of our lives.
  
  Thousands of litres of pure fresh water are wasted every day by bad habits we have all developed. While the water we use at home may seem trivial (only 7 per cent of all water used in Australia) its conservation is a step toward increasing our knowledge and respect for this precious, life-giving resource - a resource all the living systems around us als…

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• DIY environmental checklist

  Time to grab the clipboard and run the environmental ruler over your home. Identify the low hanging fruit and big bang actions that will quickly and easily reduce your homes impact on the environment.
  
  The journey to reduce your home's energy and water use is one of many small steps. Tips and actions from changing leaking taps to installing ceiling insulation can be easily done by anyone. More sophisticated actions like installing solar hot water will require a tradesperson. However, the ke…

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• Embrace energy efficiency

  Energy conservation can save resources and money through the adoption of efficient technology and behaviours.
  
  The cost of energy is rising and the effect of pollution is increasing. With just a bit of effort we can cut our household energy use by more than a quarter and rapidly repay this investment within a year or two with the savings on our energy bill. The energy efficiency of the technology available to us is improving and when combined with our common sense, can create large reductions in…

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• Generate your own electricity

  Energy conservation can save resources and money through the adoption of efficient technology and behaviours.
  
  The cost of energy is rising and the effect of pollution is increasing. With just a bit of effort we can cut our household energy use by more than a quarter and rapidly repay this investment within a year or two with the savings on our energy bill. The energy efficiency of the technology available to us is improving and when combined with our common sense, can create large reductions in…

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• Harvest and use your rainwater

  Install a rainwater tank to collect and store rain hitting your roof and use it to water your garden, wash your clothes or fill your toilet.
  
  By capturing and using the rain that falls on our houses - water that currently flows into the stormwater drain - we are taking another step in increasing our water efficiency and conserving this precious resource. Have a plumber redirect your down pipes into a tank for storage and install pumps and pipes to service some of your household water needs. By t…

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• Install efficient appliances and fixtures

  When investing in large household appliances and fixtures, use the government's Energy and Water Ratings (stars) to guide you to the most efficient products to save money.
  
  The cost of energy and water is rising and the effect is increasing. Large household appliances (including fridges, clothes dryers and dishwashing machines) and toilets, taps and showers consume the bulk of our household energy and water.
  
  The Federal Government's Water Rating site notes that replacing a single-flus…

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• Install solar hot water

   Sunlight converts cold water into hot water. No gases are emitted and no one gets hurt. Life is rarely this simple!
  
  The cost of energy is rising and the effect of pollution increasing. Water heating accounts for approximately 30 per cent of an average household's total greenhouse gas emissions and about the same proportion of total household energy use. Visit Climate Change for more information.
  
  Solar hot water systems are highly efficient in their use of solar energy (sunlight) to heat…

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• Insulate, shade and weather proof your house

  Insulating, shading and weatherproofing your house can save you up to 45 per cent on your current energy bills while increasing the comfort and value of your home.
  
  Minimising the need to heat and cool your home from the extremes of our summer and winter weather will also reduce your household's contribution to global warming.
  
  Strategically placed trees that provide shade to your house in summer will cut electricity use, saving you hundreds of dollars over the life of your home. Similarly,…

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• Make your renovations green

  Renovations are the ideal opportunity to make your house more efficient and sustainable. Try these tips and feel good about your home.
  
  From the design through to the construction of your renovation, opportunities exist to lighten your environmental footprint. These changes can range from short-term aspects (e.g. safely managing and recycling building waste) to long-term improvements in the energy efficiency of your home.
  
  If you're renovating, explore good design: it can save energy, water…

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• Reduce your stormwater pollution

  By managing your domestic stormwater, you can reduce polluting the waterways we love to swim in, fish and simply enjoy.
  
  The catchment area of our local rivers and waterways includes our houses, gardens, driveways and lawns. The stormwater system uses the gutters, drains, pipes and rivers to quickly remove water from residential and business areas so as to avoid flooding and the resultant damage this incurs.
  
  When the stormwater system is in use (i.e. during a storm), any litter, debris and othe…

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• Reuse your greywater

  Reusing greywater to water lawns and gardens could save up to 50,000 litres of drinking water per home each year.
  
  Greywater is recycled water from domestic use in the home. It includes water from baths, showers, hand basins and washing machines and can be used on the garden or treated and reused in your washing machine, toilet or garden. Greywater from the kitchen (including dishwashers) should not be used because the concentration of food wastes and soil organisms do not readily break down che…

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• Use water efficiently

  Water conservation on the driest continent on the planet is essential, logical and too long in coming. There are lots of easy things we can all do!
  
  Fresh water is embedded in most of the things we consume, from the meat we eat (41,500 litres to produce a kilo of meat) to the aluminium we carry our drinks in (20 litres for a single can). While the water we use in the home may seem trivial (only 7 per cent of all water used in Australia), its conservation is a step toward increasing our knowledge…

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• Food and Drink

  The food and drink we consume influences how it is produced and to a certain degree it's quality.
  If eating healthy local produce is important, then how can we as consumers, encourage more sustainable production, manufacturing and distribution?
  
  Food and Drink Actions 
  
  Eat organic food
  Too many pesticides, herbicides and fungicides
  in your food? Try eating organic.
  
  Eat less meat
  Replace at least one meat meal per week with a vegetarian option. Land used for beans and vegetables produces…

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