Greenprint
From Greenlivingpedia, a wiki on green living, building and energy
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Revision as of 06:18, 14 March 2008 (edit) (undo) Peter Campbell (Talk | contribs) (Adjust Govt policy & other options) Next diff → |
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* use electricity for heating purposes | * use electricity for heating purposes | ||
* build a house with bricks on the outside - put them on inside walls with insulated cladding on the outside - this is the best location for thermal mass | * build a house with bricks on the outside - put them on inside walls with insulated cladding on the outside - this is the best location for thermal mass | ||
+ | * put in a swimming pool | ||
==Garden== | ==Garden== | ||
Line 46: | Line 47: | ||
'''Dont:''' | '''Dont:''' | ||
* Grow a lawn that requires watering or regular mowing | * Grow a lawn that requires watering or regular mowing | ||
+ | * Grow plants that require a lot of watering | ||
==Energy policy and government action== | ==Energy policy and government action== | ||
- | * Put a price on carbon. | + | * Put a price on carbon and introduce carbon rationing |
- | * Make '''[[energy efficiency labeling]]''' mandatory for all appliances. | + | * Introduce mandatory'''[[appliance energy efficiency standards]]''' |
* Implement rigorous '''[[building greenhouse rating]]''' and apply them to domestic and business building construction and renovation. | * Implement rigorous '''[[building greenhouse rating]]''' and apply them to domestic and business building construction and renovation. | ||
* Provide more funding for rail transport and public transport rather than building more roads and freeways. | * Provide more funding for rail transport and public transport rather than building more roads and freeways. | ||
* Include measurement of carbon emissions in all major project decision making and planning. | * Include measurement of carbon emissions in all major project decision making and planning. | ||
- | * Transition government car fleets to electric and/or hybrid vehicles. | + | * Transition government car fleets to low emission vehicles such as electric and/or hybrid vehicles. |
+ | * Ban plastic shopping bags (or at least put a tax on them) | ||
==Activism and politics== | ==Activism and politics== |
Revision as of 06:18, 14 March 2008
This is a Greenprint that identifies strategies, actions and approaches for moving us towards a sustainable future.
Contents |
Transport
- Drive a green car
- Catch a train rather then fly
- Build very fast trains to reduce reliance on air travel
- Ride a bicycle
- Use public transport
- Walk
House
- Build using a passive solar design
- Use or retrofit appropriate insulation
- Install double glazing or thermal glass
- Use blinds and/or sails for shading windows from the sun when it is hot
- Draughtproof your doors and windows
- Build using recycled products
- Use forest friendly timber
- Install solar power
- Buy accredited greenpower
- Check carbon emissions of various energy sources to inform decisions about which to use and which to avoid.
- Buy energy efficient appliances
- Buy a green computer
- Buy an energy efficient fridge
- Install a smart power meter
- Use solar hot water
- Capture rainwater in tanks and use it
- Use your greywater
- Use fans for cooling
- Use gas for cooking rather than electricity
- Recycle your waste
Dont:
- use an airconditioner or evaporative cooler
- use electricity for heating purposes
- build a house with bricks on the outside - put them on inside walls with insulated cladding on the outside - this is the best location for thermal mass
- put in a swimming pool
Garden
- Create a low water garden
- Grow a permaculture garden with herbs, vegetables and fruit and nut trees
- Keep chickens
- Put scrap food on a compost heap, in a worm farm or a bokashi bucket
Dont:
- Grow a lawn that requires watering or regular mowing
- Grow plants that require a lot of watering
Energy policy and government action
- Put a price on carbon and introduce carbon rationing
- Introduce mandatoryappliance energy efficiency standards
- Implement rigorous building greenhouse rating and apply them to domestic and business building construction and renovation.
- Provide more funding for rail transport and public transport rather than building more roads and freeways.
- Include measurement of carbon emissions in all major project decision making and planning.
- Transition government car fleets to low emission vehicles such as electric and/or hybrid vehicles.
- Ban plastic shopping bags (or at least put a tax on them)
Activism and politics
- Join a local climate change action group
- Write a letter to local, state and federal parliamentary members to communicate your views on sustainability and tackling climate change and ask them what they are doing about this
- Write a letter to the editor of your local, state and/or national newspapers
- Write your own blog articles to express your thoughts and observations on sustainable living. You also publish the letters you write to politicians and newspapers.
- Vote for candidates in elections who espouse green living and sustainable policies.
Environment
- Plant trees
- Protect all old growth forests and water catchments from logging
Food and diet
- Eat less meat, or even become vegeterian or vegan
- Buy organic food
- Use reusable shopping bags
- Buy locally grown food from shops and farmers markets
Don't:
- Buy or eat GM food
- Buy foods with excessive packaging
- Use plastic shopping bags
Investment and finance
- Put money and superannuation into ethical investments.
Dont:
- Invest in companies engaged in destruction of native forest or uranium mining
Recreation and travel
- Travel green and offset carbon emissions associated with travel.
- Choose green sports and recreation
General
- Make paper telephone directories optional. Provide households that request them with telephone/address book data on CD roms and cheap CD/LCD display units for households that request them. Allow households to opt out from all directory distribution - some may choose to just use the Internet.
See also
External links
- Manningham City Council - GreenPrint. A plan to ensure that the ecological processes on which life depends on are maintained, and the total quality of life we enjoy now and in the future can be enhanced.