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Climate change is the worldwide gradual temperature increase due to change in the earth’s atmosphere. Recent scientific evidence has shown that humans have contributed to climate change by pumping greenhouse gases into the air with coal electric plants, petrol-guzzling cars, and inefficient energy consumption. Climate change is one of the major challenges facing humanity in the 21st Century. Visit the following links for further information:-
Australian Greenhouse Office
Climate Change in Australia
Producing Green Buildings to save our environment
Carbon Tax
The Australian Government has announced that from July 2012 a price of $23 per tonne will be placed on 4 gases that are known greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and perfluorocarbon. This tax will apply to Australia's 500 largest polluters.
To ensure that the impact on consumers including households and small and medium businesses is minimised, the Government will be using a portion of the funds to compensate people or provide transitionary assistance. Other funds will go towards assisting trade exposed industries and investing in renewable energy and other clean technology.
To find out how the Carbon Tax will cut emissions, how you will be impacted and what assistance may be available for you or your business, visit the Clean Energy Future website.
Council’s Carbon Footprint
During 2010 the Bathurst Orange Dubbo (BOD) Alliance commissioned Hyder Consulting to produce a Greenhouse Gas Inventory Report for the three Councils. This report includes all Council emissions from electricity, gas, fuel and waste at the Waste Management Centre.
The report estimates total scope 1 and 2 greenhouse gas emissions directly associated with activities of Bathurst Regional Council, Orange and Dubbo City Councils in the 2009/10 financial year. Emissions were estimated following the approaches and methodologies set out under the Australian Government’s National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Scheme.
The project was funded as part of a $2 million dollar Urban Sustainability grant received by the BOD Alliance from the NSW Environmental Trust. A copy of the report is available to download below:
Bathurst, Orange and Dubbo Councils Greenhouse Gas Final Report .
Energy Efficiency
With energy efficiency high on average households list of priorities, it is important to know how much energy you are actually consuming in the day to day running of your household.
You can access an efficiency calculator to work out your households usage by clicking here.
If you are looking at ideas for how you can reduce your carbon or energy footprint, visit the Sustainable Products and Services guide on Council's website.
That's a Good Idea!
Project funded by NSW Environmental Trust aimed at reducing the ecological footprint of Councils in the Central West. As a part of this project a series of fact sheets known as the "Weather Report" as being produced on a quality basis. These aim to explain climate change in simple terms. All newsletters are available to download below.
Weather Report - August 2008
Weather Report - January 2008
Weather Report - December 2008
Weather Report - February 2009
Weather Report - May 2009
Weather Report - September 2009
Weather Report - November 2009
Weather Report - February 2010
Weather Report - May 2010
Weather Report - November 2010
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