Earth Hour!
Tips to reduce your footprint
Your environmental footprint is an indication of the demand you are placing on the planet’s living resources.
A footprint is made up of many things including the food you eat, where you live, how you get around and what you buy. Working out your approximate footprint means asking questions like:
- Is your home energy efficient?
- Are you driving a Hummer or riding a bike?
- Do you reduce, reuse and recycle?
Earth Hour is the perfect time to learn what your footprint is and to make one resolution this year to reduce it. Big or small, all these changes will help make a difference.
To find out what your footprint is, go to our footprint calculator.
Tips to reduce your footprint
Energy
- Invest in power-boards with “off” switches, so you can turn off standby power at night – by turning appliances like TVs off at the wall, it doesn’t waste energy and carbon.
- Get insulation installed – it will cut heating and cooling needs and bring bills down, and there’s a government rebate!
- When you switch to digital TV, choose a set with the Energy Star logo – Energy Star has the lowest standby rating and good overall efficiency.
- Install energy efficient lights - they run on a fraction of the energy and will last a lot longer.
- Seal all those gaps and cracks in the house - this will save on the heating in Winter.
- Keep the thermostat between 25 and 27 degrees - you don't need to overheat or overcool your home.
During Earth Hour 2010, why not make a resolution to do one of these things!
Water
- Get the dripping taps fixed – this will save water and also energy if it’s the hot tap.
- Try a meat-free day once a week – producing beef uses large amount of water.
- Get that rainwater tank and check out the rebate options – it will provide a personal water supply and help conserve this precious resource.
- Get as dual-flush toilet installed – it will save water and cut costs.
During Earth Hour 2010, why not make a resolution to do one of these things!
Waste
- Ditch the take away coffee cup and get a re-usable one – this will reduce landfill.
- Only buy recycled toilet paper – it’s got a lot better since the early days, and it means less forest destruction for a clean bum!
- Make sure I recycle my electronic gadgets – old mobiles, iPods, TVs. Computers and radios contain lots of material that can be recycled such gold, copper and coltan. None of this needs to end up as landfill.
- Get a couple of chooks! Chickens eat food scraps and turn it into fertiliser, and they produce free eggs.
- If you're renovating check out what recycled products are available – this will reduce pressure on the world’s forests which help to stabilise our climate.
- Start a worm farm - the worms will reduce the organic waste going to lanfill and it's something the kids can enjoy.
During Earth Hour 2010, why not make a resolution to do one of these things!
Transport
- Double the efficiency of your car by putting another person in it! – this is an easy way to reduce your mobility footprint.
- Make a committment to walk, ride or take public transport to work regularly – it will save money, and help you stay fit.
- Cut out one flight this year – air travel contributes a lot of greenhouse gases. Choosing to holiday closer to home, or avoiding business travel with teleconferencing, can make a really big difference.
During Earth Hour 2010, why not make a resolution to do one of these things!
