Earth Hour
The Hobart City Council has supported and particpated in the Earth Hour since 2008.
Earth Hour is an initiative of the World Wildlife Fund. It seeks to deliver a message about the urgent need for action on global warming. It encourages the turning off of lights for 1 hour on the 26 March 2011 between 8:30pm and 9:30pm.
The first Earth Hour was in 2007, in Sydney, where 2.2 million people and 2100 Sydney businesses turned off their lights for one hour. This effort reduced Sydney's energy consumption by 10.2% for one hour, the equivalent effect of taking 48,000 cars off the road for a year.
Since then it has become a global event with hundreds of cities and millions of people around the world participating in the annual event.
More information can be found at:
What's in & What's not
Each year the Council participates in Earth Hour by turning lights off on the following buildings and features:
- The Hobart Aquatic Centre
- Town Hall
- Customer Services Centre
All streetlights remain on as well as park and feature lighting as they are wired into streetlighting systems.
The Council also encourages its commercial tenants, such as Department of Health, Digital Ink and PML to participate in the event.
The Council also encouraged all its employees, regardless of where they live to be part of Earth Hour and turn their lights out for one hour.
What is Climate Change?
Climate change is caused by an increase in the greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere. These gases absorb heat leaving the earth and return some of it, making the earth warmer overall.
Before the industrial revolution, carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere were consistently between 260 and 280 parts per million (ppm). In recent times human activities have increased the concentration to 380 ppm-that's an increase of more than a third.
The main greenhouse gases generated by human activity are carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide.
Research by the world's scientists, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, suggests that:
- On average, the Earth's temperature has already risen by around 0.7°C over the past 100 years, and is projected to increase from 1.0°C - 6.4°C by the end of the 21st century;
- Sea levels are rising as oceans expand and glaciers and ice sheets melt - by 2100 sea levels may rise by 18cm - 59cm;
- Changes in climate patterns mean we will see some weather events and extremes such as heat waves, floods and storms, droughts and bushfires become more frequent, more widespread or more intense.
Australia is very vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, including water supply problems, sea level rises, extreme weather events and a reduction in biodiversity in ecologically-rich sites such as the Great Barrier Reef and the Kakadu wetlands.
Globally, 11 of the last 12 years are the warmest since 1850, and 2005 was Australia's warmest year on record, 1.09°C above the average for the period 1961 to 1990.
Modeling of global warming impact on Tasmania indicates that in the near future that our maritime climate will experience warming at a slower rate. Some of the impacts predicted include:
- Increased winter and early spring rainfall;
- Increased frequency and intensity of storm events;
- Increased frequency and intensity of wildfires;
- Loss of alpine and severe impacts on coastal ecosystems.
What is the Council Doing?
The Council has been committed to action on global warming since 2000. It has reduced its corporate greenhouse gas emissions by 70% and committed to a further reduction of 30% from its remaining emissions by 2020 against 2010 levels.
The Council is continuing to work towards further emission reduction and energy saving. It has an active Energy Management Team that investigates ways of reducing the Council's energy use: electricity, gas and fuel (petrol and diesel) as well as coordinating energy awareness sessions for its employees. Its recent refurbishment of the Town Hall Annexe has reduced its energy use by 60%.
To help householders reduce their energy use and make savings on their power bills the Council has 4 Home Energy Audit Toolkits which can be borrowed free of charge. HEAT lets households understake an energy audit in their own time and space and by undertaking some simple and cost effective actions and behaviour changes they can make savings of up to 25% on their power bills.
The Council also has a number of Energy Efficiency Rebates available which encurage the installation of solar and heat pump hot water systems, ceiling insulation for landlords and energy efficient development. The Solar and Heat Pump Hot Water Rebate has been very popular with over 360 systems approved.
The Council has also completed the 'Hobart Climate Changes Strategies x 5,' a comprehensive review of its Corporate and Community Greenhouse Local Action Plan. A key outcome of HCCS5 has been the establishment of a Regional Climate Change Initiative under the Southern Tasmanian Council's Authority. this has seen the 12 councils of Southern Tasmania come together to work on climate change across tehir communities with a focuis on adaptation and behaviour change.
Tasmania's Electricity & Climate Change
Tasmania's primary source of electricity is from Hydro power which is considered to be greenhouse neutral. However, since Basslink and the impacts of low dam levels due to the drought, Tasmania has been importing electricity from Victoria. Victoria's electricity is sourced from brown coal and has significant greenhouse gas emissions associated with it. As a consequence the greenhouse gas emissions for Tasmania's electricity use have tripled. So reducing our electricity consumption will lower emissions!!
The following show the increase in Tasmania's electricity emissions factor since 2005.
- 2005: 0.04 kgCO2-e/kWh
- 2006: 0.06 kgCO2-e/kWh
- 2007: 0.13 kgCO2-e/kWh
- 2008: 0.23 kgCO2-e/kWh
- 2009: 0.32 kgCO2-e/kWh
What can You Do?
The average Tasmanian home approximately uses 10,000 to 12,000 kWh per annum. Of this:
| Cooking |
4% |
| Lighting |
5-8% |
| Other Appliances |
6%
|
| Refrigeration |
7% |
| Hot Water |
25% |
| Space Heating |
40-50% |
| Standby |
3-10% |
There are lots of things that we can do at home to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. And what's more they also save you money! By borrowing one the Council's Home Energy Audit Toolkits you can learn how your home uses energy and where you can make changes and savings. Or you can start to make savings today by trying some of the following inexpensive and practical hints:
- Change all light bulbs to compact fluorescents - they use 75% less energy;
- Turn off electrical standby appliances and save 10% of your energy use;
- Turn down the thermostat on your hot water heater to 60° C;
- Wash clothes in cold water;
- Change washers on leaking taps;
- Insulate hot water pipes;
- Check and replace, if necessary, seals on fridges and freezers;
- Purchase a multi-function power meter and find out how much energy your appliances actually use;
- Attach door seals to all entry doors.
For further information of energy saving actions check out the following websites:
"Climate change is an issue that is going to affect how we live our lives, do our jobs, what recreational activities we pursue and our local, national and international economies. There is virtually nothing about the way we live now that will not be affected in some way, large or small, by climate change impacts. Every action we take to increase awareness and address this issue is significant and reinforces the urgent need for action, both big and small." Lord Mayor, Alderman Rob Valentine.