Recycling things that you use is an important action you can take to live more sustainably and reduce pollution. However, it is not always easy to find out how and where you can recycle some items. Don’t dump it, recycle it! The following products are often taken by local Council kerbside collections . Check with your… Continue reading Recycling
Category: Greenprint
Carbon offsets
Carbon offsets or carbon credits are mechanisms by which greenhouse gas emissions by individuals and/or companies, or even countries, can be “offset” against activities that reduce emissions. Carbon offsets are measured in metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent (CO2e) and may represent six primary categories of greenhouse gases. One carbon offset represents the reduction of one metric ton of… Continue reading Carbon offsets
Solar power
Solar power is produced from the sun with zero carbon emissions. Let’s face it, the sun has been producing energy for billions of years. Here is some history of its use by humanity. Solar Energy and Power Solar energy is the light and heat from the Sun that has been harnessed by humans since ancient times… Continue reading Solar power
Food miles
Food miles is a term which refers to the distance food is transported from the time of its production until it reaches the consumer. It is one dimension used in assessing the environmental impact of food. The concept of food miles originated in 1990 in the United Kingdom. It was conceived by Andrea Paxton, who wrote… Continue reading Food miles
Biofuels
Biofuels are derived from biological sources such as plants and algae. With dwindling fossil fuel supplies, many types of biofuels such as ethanol and vegetable oils are now being used for transport, industrial and domestic purposes. “Good biofuels” are produced from waste organic matter that is not produced from environmentally destructive activities. For example, using crop waste… Continue reading Biofuels
Nuclear power
The Susquehanna Steam Electric Station, a boiling water reactor. The nuclear reactors are located inside the rectangular containment buildings towards the front of the cooling towers. The towers in the background vent water vapor. Nuclear power is regarded by some as a solution for addressing climate change. Proponents claim that it is a “clean” source of… Continue reading Nuclear power
Greenprint
This is a Greenprint that identifies strategies, actions and approaches for moving towards a sustainable future. NOTE: Links on this page are being updated. Transport Housing and buildings Dont: Garden Dont: Government action The following actions are the province of governments. If yours is dragging the chain, let you local, state and national political representatives… Continue reading Greenprint
Congestion tax
A congestion tax is levied on vehicles in urban areas where high vehicle usage is judged to be causing excessive pollution and traffic congestion. Congestion charges have been in place in a number of other major cities notably including London, Berlin, and Singapore. New York City investigated a similar plan but didn’t have the courage to legislate.… Continue reading Congestion tax
Climate change
Climate change is now acknowledged by science as a serious issue resulting from increases in the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. In order to avoid dangerous climate change and protect our quality of life, the world’s scientific community advises we cannot let temperatures increase by 2 degrees or more by the end of this century. The [effects of… Continue reading Climate change
Smart power meter
Smart power meters can greatly assist households and business to monitor and reduce their use of power by providing price and consumption information. In early 2008 in Australia, the Victorian goverment has ruled that new meter boxes are to communicate with in-house display units to show householders in real time how much electricity they are using… Continue reading Smart power meter