Carbon Footprints for Beginners: II
May 17th 2007 04:07
Reducing your Carbon Footprint 102
Again apologies if I state the obvious or if I am preaching to the converted………….
So we got as far as saying we need to start by being aware of our Emissions and reduce them to reduce our Carbon footprint. To be really serious about the whole thing we are supposed to have an Emissions Audit then work out a plan. My logic and let me know if you agree is that every little bit should help so we could start with the little things and work our way up……
Some of the best ways to reduce emissions at home are
1) use more energy efficient light globes
2) Replace old electrical with new enviro friendly models
3) Install Solar Power panels
4) Turn off lights in rooms when we don’t need them, turn off unused appliances
5) Making sure our homes are heat efficient to reduce heating/cooling needs
6) Change our Electricity consumption to Green Power wherever possible.
7) Driving a car using Hybrid Technology such as the Toyota Prius
As you can see some of these things are expensive and the rest just require a liitle thought. Today we will start with a light bulb…What can changing a little light bulb do ?
The average Australian house uses 9 tonnes of energy p/a which equates to four tones of coal being burnt.
Every light bulb you change over according to Origin Energy results in a Carbon Credit of half a tonne for the life of the globe. These globes can be a little on the exy side but there are people who will come to your house and change them for free if you sign over your Carbon credit to them. (Carbon Credits on the Secondary market are worth anywhere between $11 - $45) depending on who buys them. So you can see these guys are making a healthy profit out of it. It is up to all of us individually if we object to this or not, as long as the end game is that the Credit is retired then it is all good, which is where the cynic in me comes out……they could tell you they are retiring it and keep it in circulation hence have you really helped? Two good web sites to learn about this are Neco and Origin Energy
Anyhow enough for today, more tomorrow.
Again apologies if I state the obvious or if I am preaching to the converted………….
So we got as far as saying we need to start by being aware of our Emissions and reduce them to reduce our Carbon footprint. To be really serious about the whole thing we are supposed to have an Emissions Audit then work out a plan. My logic and let me know if you agree is that every little bit should help so we could start with the little things and work our way up……
Some of the best ways to reduce emissions at home are
1) use more energy efficient light globes
3) Install Solar Power panels
4) Turn off lights in rooms when we don’t need them, turn off unused appliances
5) Making sure our homes are heat efficient to reduce heating/cooling needs
6) Change our Electricity consumption to Green Power wherever possible.
7) Driving a car using Hybrid Technology such as the Toyota Prius
As you can see some of these things are expensive and the rest just require a liitle thought. Today we will start with a light bulb…What can changing a little light bulb do ?
The average Australian house uses 9 tonnes of energy p/a which equates to four tones of coal being burnt.
Every light bulb you change over according to Origin Energy results in a Carbon Credit of half a tonne for the life of the globe. These globes can be a little on the exy side but there are people who will come to your house and change them for free if you sign over your Carbon credit to them. (Carbon Credits on the Secondary market are worth anywhere between $11 - $45) depending on who buys them. So you can see these guys are making a healthy profit out of it. It is up to all of us individually if we object to this or not, as long as the end game is that the Credit is retired then it is all good, which is where the cynic in me comes out……they could tell you they are retiring it and keep it in circulation hence have you really helped? Two good web sites to learn about this are Neco and Origin Energy
Anyhow enough for today, more tomorrow.
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Comment by Jonathon
Anthroblogogy
don't the more energy efficient light bulbs last for longer? so if you are saving energy (half a tonne) but it burns for longer, are you really saving energy at all?
Comment by Carbon8or
Climate Red
randomthoughts
Phil's Wellness Tips
Comment by Lilla
From The Home Front
Enviro Warrior
Dream Herald
Esoteric Bookshop
I'm afraid your argument doesn't add up, whereas changing 8 lightbulbs to energy efficient ones in my home, has added up to a $50 saving on my quartely bill.
That's $50 in my pocket and about 4.5 tonnes less carbon in the atmosphere.
If the cynic in you cannot see the value in that, well... my children's children have had it, haven't they?
Lilla ...
Comment by Carbon8or
Climate Red
randomthoughts
Phil's Wellness Tips