FACT SHEET Sustainable living display Working for our future – today

This fact sheet provides you and your family with useful information about how to take steps towards making a sustainable future.

Defined by our spectacular beaches, Say no to plastic bags hinterland ranges, forests and In 2006 Australians used 6 billion plastic bags – of those waterways, the Gold Coast is an 3.9 billion were the supermarket variety that take up to 100 years to decompose in a landfill. outstanding city which celebrates nature Why say no? and connects distinct communities ■■ Plastic bags are made from oil, a non-renewable resource with the common goal of sustainability, that the world relies on for many functions. ■■ 20,700 tonnes of plastic bags become waste in Australian choice and well being for all. landfills every year. ■■ Less than 3% of plastic bags are reused per year. ■■ How big is your carbon footprint? Plastic bags clog drains and cause flooding, kill our animals and carry pests and diseases. Your carbon footprint measures the greenhouse gas ■■ All major cities will reach present landfill capacity by the emissions an individual releases during the year. Your choices end of 2010. can influence your contribution to climate change and environmental sustainability. Did you know? Ways to reduce your carbon footprint 8.7 plastic bags contain enough embodied ■■ Be energy efficient – for $50 the Queensland Government energy to drive a car 1 km ClimateSmart Home Service will visit your home to show you how. www.climatesmarthome.com ■■ Leave your fossil fuel reliant car at home by carpooling, What a waste cycling, walking or using public transport. Gold Coast residents bury more than 1,500 Olympic sized ■■ Grow an edible garden at home to decrease your swimming pools full of waste every year. This has to go consumption of packaged and processed food, which somewhere. It leaches contaminants into our environment minimises the food miles and cool store requirements of and contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions. your food supply. Or join a community gardening group. ■■ Go native by planting local natives in your garden for What can you do to help? maximum carbon offset and biodiversity. ■■ Refuse all packaging when shopping. ■■ Reduce the amount of waste by: Did you know? – minimising your purchases – shopping locally and using green bags You can calculate your – refilling containers or buying refillable products carbon footprint by visiting www.wwf.org.au/footprint/calculator FACT SHEET www.yourhome.gov.au Printed onenvironmentally friendlypaper A wellinsulatedhome Insulate yourhomeforclimatecontrol Your homeshould ventilation are importantfeatures foranyhome. Exposure totheelements, lighting, climatecontrol and comfortable living Orientate yourhomeforhealthy Work withtheland Use watersensitiveurbandesign ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Did you know? ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ helps tomaintainahealthybuilding keeps intheheatduringwinter keeps outtheheatduringsummer drying and solar energy options ensure access in some areas to year round sun for clothes limit shadowingfrom adjacentbuildingsortrees prevent over-heating minimise westfacingglassandhaveadjustableshadingto north facingareas, balconies andoutdoorspace have livingspaceswithgoodaccesstowintersune.g. cooling breezes exclude summersunandcreate maximumexposure to Minimise earthworksanddisturbancetotheland. and infiltrationbasins. Limit stormwaterrun-off using naturaldrainagepathways native vegetationasabuffer. Care forournaturalwaterways andprotect thembyusing Design andbuildwithminimaleffect ontheenvironment. Recycle athome,workandawayfrom home. – – – Reuse potentialwasteby: reduces energyconsumption ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ 30,000 litres ofwater. Each tonneofpaperorcardboard recycled saves energy torunatelevisionfor3hours. Just onerecycled aluminiumcansaveenough energy topoweralightbulbfor30hours. Recycling justoneplasticbottlesavesenough to powerawashingmachinefor10minutes. Recycling justoneglassbottlesavesenoughenergy Sustainable Living Display seedling pots using foodpackagingforstorage,artsandcraftsor composting garden andfoodwaste selling ordonatingunwanteditems Did you know? Be energywise by reducing yourelectricityuse. will increase electricity costs by as much as 40%. Save money It ispredicted thatemissionstradingandinfrastructure costs for theenvironment Save electricity–goodforyouand ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Did you know? ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ www.cleanenergy.qld.gov.au/renewable_energy.cfm and renewable energy www.cleanenergy.qld.gov.au/solar_bonus_scheme.cfm Convert tosolarhotwater heating andcooling. Design and insulate buildings to maximise natural lighting, Keep airconditionersat24°C. Avoid leavinglightsonorappliancesstand-bypower. Use energyefficientlighting. ■ ■ ■ some great tips. Thefollowingareinternet. twowebsitesthatprovide There isplentyofenergysaving informationonthe ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ influenced bycavityandframewidth. Wall insulationcanberetrofitted but results are 25% lossofheat. Insulating wallsandfloorswillprevent afurther winter heatlossby25–35%. A wellinsulatedceilingandroof spacewillreduce Ways+Home www.energy.com.au/energy/ea.nsf/Content/ electricity andgas Ways tosaveshowsyousmarterwaysuse low_carbon_diet www.climatesmart.qld.gov.au/get_involved/ lifestyle changes footprint injust30daysbymakingsomeeasy The lowcarbondietwillhelpyougreen yourcarbon

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