In an era where words like sustainability, climate change and greenhouse gases are commonplace, where is a good place to start living 'greener'? What does it mean to be 'green'?
This term usually refers to something that is likely to be:
- natural
- biodegradable
- renewable
- reusable
- locally produced
- water or energy efficient
What can I do about sustainability
“Be the change you wish to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi
The global sustainability situation seems overwhelming, but the best place to start is with your own actions. It may seem like a small contribution, but every journey begins with a single step. Here are some ideas:
- make it a habit - it takes about three weeks for you to break or create a habit, so start consciously thinking about opportunities to be ‘green’
- value the environment - a sustainable community has to work with the environment, not against it
- reduce, reuse, recycle - start practising these three principles, and begin to break the ‘throw away and replace’ mentality
- four key areas to limit - we can start limiting our environmental impacts by cutting down on our:
Think globally and act locally to raise awareness for sustainability in our community.
Where can I get further information
For a really extensive list of green resources, please visit the Australian EcoDirectory website
For details of Council's Energy Savings Action Plan, contact Council's Environmental Planner on (02) 6767 5507. General information on Energy Savings Action Plans is available in the Guidelines for Energy Savings Action Plans document on the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water website.
Water saving tips and ideas can be found on our Water Conservation and Sustainability pages.
Recycling tips and ideas can be found on our Recycling pages.