GHG Reductions Lists

Hi Emily,

I am compiling a list of GHG reductions tips lists eg. "The top ten things you can do to reduce your Greenhouse Gas Emissions." I want to compare the lists with the view of possibly creating a master list. I think the master list will be useful to educators not meant for the public as it might be overwhelming. If any one knows of any good lists please forward me the links. I don't know of such, and priorities will depend on circumstances, but I can construct one: ================================================================ 1) Don't drive; if you must travel, car-pool, bike or use public transport 2) Don't fly 3) Buy local food products as your first priority; grow your own if you can 4) Don't garbage anything that can be re-used in any form by any group 5) Re-use bags of all types until done for; eschew unnecessary wrappings 6) Put on an extra layer (e.g. sweater, socks) before turning up the heating 7) Don't print a document unless you need to keep it in that form 8) Use outdoors for drying laundry whenever possible 9) Only use lights when you actually need to illuminate a space 10) ASSESS WHAT YOU'VE GOT, AND ONLY PURCHASE MORE IF IT IS REALLY NECESSARY. And: (11) Advertise the steps you take in order to set trends and persuade others to follow. Blazon the Three R's from your rooftop, but remember that REDUCE is the most important. ================================================================ Obviously it is tailored to, and coloured by, my own experiences and practices. But it may be a useful start!

Cheers,
Elizabeth Griffin
(Victoria, BC, Canada)

I like WWF Canada's ghg challenge website: http://thegoodlife.wwf.ca. I would also be interested in other replies, so please post to the listserv. I find it is easy to find energy savings from actions we take, but it is more difficult to find ghg savings from actions we take. I know ghg savings can be variable depending on many factors but if you have any links to share, that would be great!

Aynsley Toews, BSc., BEd.

Education Program Coordinator,
Air Quality & Climate Change
Alberta Environment,
Environmental Stewardship Division
Main Floor, Oxbridge Place
9820 - 106 Street Edmonton,
Alberta T5K 2J6
P (780) 644-8342
F (780) 422-4086
E [email protected]
W www.environment.gov.ab.ca

Check out http://www.sustainability.govt.nz/

Guy Dauncey, http://www.earthfuture.com/, has a top ten list http://www.earthfuture.com/WIP/climateenergy/tensteps/default.asp and he wrote a book call Stormy Weather: 101 Solutions to Global Climate Change that is an excellent resource. Preview here: http://books.google.ca/books?id=AXwL1VvXDxEC&pg=PA192&lpg=PA192&dq=guy+daunc ey+ghg+reduction+list&source=web&ots=0W6cQpwyQe&sig=yKMuUNYbR0FhXPGNm5vP533l KtI&hl=en#PPA22,M1

Brett Korteling

Lanarc Consultants Ltd.
320 - 256 Wallace Street
Nanaimo, BC V9R 5B3
phone 250.754.5651
toll free 888.754.5651
fax 250.754.1990 

Hi Emily

Funnily enough I have just complied a list for my program here in Perth that I am about to do some 'probability of action' and 'barriers analysis' on. The list is:

GROUP 1

Turn off all my appliances at the wall when I'm not using them
Use a warmer blanket while sleeping rather than warming my whole room/house..
Close off areas of my house that don't need heating or cooling.
Walk or use a bike for 1 or more local short trips per week instead of my car.
Get an energy audit done on my house.
Replace 10 of my most used light bulbs with compact fluorescents
Set up a worm farm or composter for all food scraps
Replace my old (10 years or more) fridge with a 4-5 Energy Star Fridge.
Insulate my hot water pipes coming out of my water heater.
Install a solar hot water heater.
Take part in this 3 month climate change initiative (like 'Earth Hour') by organising a dinner/bbq party for friends,family or neighbours to talk about how to do their bit to prevent climate change.

GROUP 2

Use my washing machine or dishwasher only when they are full
Reduce my showering time (hot water use) to 4 minutes
Transfer one or more energy saving actions from my home to my workplace.
Turn off my extra fridge until I need it.
Make sure that at least 1/3 of my fruit and vegetables are grown here in WA..
Install a water efficient shower head if I have a storage hot water system (save hot water).
Install or top-up insulation in ceilings and externally shade any exposed western or eastern windows.
Install a swimming pool blanket to reduce filter run time.
Upgrade my car to one size down. (see www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au)
Avoid halogen downlights or replace with compact fluorescents or lower wattage globes.
Spread the word to friends and family about this climate change initiative.

GROUP 3

Wash my clothes in cold water
Dry all my clothes on a clothesline rather than an electric dryer.
Replace one of my car trips per week with public transport .
Eat one less serve of meat per week
Offset some of my non green energy use with Carbon Offsets (such as tree planting).
Turn down my hot water heater setting to 50-60C
Tune up my car, keep my tires inflated to correct pressure & drive smoothly..
Installing a roof ventilator to help remove hot air from my roof cavity
Install ceiling fans to reduce use of or need for air conditioning
Reduce my lawn area and plant with waterwise garden.
Request my workplace to start an effort to reduce energy use.

GROUP 4

Switch my household power supply to 'GreenPower' (100% Renewable).
Turn lights off when I'm not in the room, and use natural light where possible.
Set my Air Conditioning thermostat to 18-20C in winter and 26C in summer and use clothing to help regulate my comfort.
Avoid one domestic or international air flight this year.
Buy 2 organically produced food items per week.
Install 1kW of solar electricity panels on my roof.
Reduce air conditioning use and install evaporative air conditioning instead of split refrigerative system to my house.
Seal around my external doors and windows with weather sealing strips.
Install timers on my appliances to turn them off when not in use.
Spread the word to friends and family about this climate change initiative.

It was compiled from a wide range of sources and altered for our use on pledge type cards. Of these we intend to choose about 15 actions 5 Bronze, 5 Silver and 5 Gold depending on difficulty/barriers/cost etc for our first year of the program.

Hope that help
Kind Regards
Julian Ilich

The Montreal Gazette printed an article on the launch of a campaign by Equiterre, to enlist 100,000 Montrealers in this year's Defi Climat public awareness campaign. The campaign asks people to commit to changing some daily habits. There is a list on the Defit climat website with the CO2 savings beside each habit. However it is only in French. http://www.deficlimat.qc.ca/deficlimat/index.php?page=lesgestes The Montreal Gazette translated the list in their article. See their website. http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=9afa8e42-56e1-4c83-b9b5-2366faf25baa

Cheers,
Kate Coulter

Councillor/conseillire District 4
Beaconsfield, Qc
514-825-4501
www.beaconsfield.ca

Hi Emily,

In case you haven't seen these ones yet: http://www.sierraclub.bc.ca/quick-links/publications/10-things-march-28.pdf http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/What_You_Can_Do/?source=WhatYouCanDo Also, Guy Dauncey's book, _Stormy Weather, 101 Solutions to Global Climate Change_ has lists for: Individuals; Citizen Organizations; Cities, Towns and Countries; Businesses and Orgs; Energy Companies; Auto Companies; States and Provinces; National Gov't; Developing Nations; and the Global Community. Cheers, Gagan -- Gagan Leekha Project Coordinator Multicultural Environmental Education Program "In the end we only protect what we love, we only love what we understand, and we only understand what we have been taught."

- Baba Dioum

Victoria Immigrant and Refugee Center Society
3rd Floor, 535 Yates Street,
Victoria BC, V8W 2Z6
Phone: (250)-361-9433 ext. 217
Fax: (250)-361-1914
Web: www.vircs.bc.ca