Top 10 ways to take action

Whether you live in a house or an apartment, there are lots of ways you can help play your part in creating a sustainable future.
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The climate emergency that we face requires us all to reassess how we are living and drastically reduce our impact on the environment. Here are the top ten tips to get you started on living more sustainably.

1. Install solar with the 'Solar Savers program'

City of Port Phillip has joined the Solar Savers program to give you access to quality solar systems, batteries, heat pump hot water systems and split systems, at competitive prices. Solar Savers is a local government program that makes it easier for you to start to reduce your energy bills by installing solar panels, batteries, hot water systems and split systems for heating and cooling. The program is available to home owners, renters, businesses and landlords. 

The Solar Savers program supports you through the whole process by connecting you to accredited installers, offering competitive deals and helping you apply for the rebates, discounts and interest-free loans available. The program offers you the peace of mind that comes with knowing your installers have been independently evaluated on their safety, product quality and value for money. 

Join the thousands of residents and businesses across Melbourne who have used the Solar Savers program and register your interest. 

A Heritage Overlay does not prevent you from installing rooftop solar panels. If your panels will not be seen from the street, then you can go ahead. A planning permit is required if the panels will be visible from the street.  However, Council will waive the permit fees and will process the application through the VicSmart service which minimises administration.

Discuss your proposed installation with Council’s Planning Department on 03 9209 6424 or email planhelp@portphillip.vic.gov.au. Check whether your property is affected by a Heritage Overlay. 

2. Reduce electricity

The first step is understanding your current usage by looking at your bills more closely and see where you can reduce. There are also smart phone apps available that can connect to your meter box and help you understand which items in your home are using the most energy. Often the things that use lots of power in a home include the clothes dryer, oven and heating and cooling. Here are some other ideas to consider:

3. Reduce gas

Gas is also a polluting fossil fuel and produces harmful toxins that are bad for our health. In fact, a child living with gas cooking in the home faces a comparable risk of asthma to a child living with household cigarette smoke! You can read more about the harmful effects of gas in this Climate Council report. We encourage householders and businesses to go 100% electric and seal any gaps around your windows and doors with draught proofing to reduce heated or cool air being lost. 

3. Renting - 'solar for apartments'

Join the thousands of apartment residents who are going solar and slashing their power bills by up to $500 a year, by installing solar panels on your apartment rooftop. Through the Victorian Government's 'Solar for Apartments' program, funding of up to $2,800 per apartment is available for eligible owners corporations to install solar PV. Read more about Solar for Apartments program.

If you own your apartment and want to install solar, or reduce the energy use in common areas, navigating your Owners Corporation and legalities can often be challenging and confusing. We’ve worked with a lawyer to put together a toolkit which will guide you through the process of getting your Owners Corporation's approval step by step. It also includes templates for you to use. Take a look at the guide and toolkit.

4. Reduce water use

Reviewing your appliances in terms of water efficiency is a great first step.  Here are some simple actions you can take to use water more efficiently:

  • Pay attention to your water bill to help you identify peaks in water use that could be the result of a fault or leak
  • Use the half flush toilet button when you can. This will save around three litres every flush
  • Reduce tap and shower flow rates. If your taps or showers have a higher flow than required, investigate more water efficient fittings, for example four star Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) rated shower heads and tapware
  • Install a rainwater tank. There is the option to have your tank plumbed in and used for toilet flushing and watering your garden

5. Reduce waste 

By shopping carefully, you can dramatically reduce the amount of packaging, materials and resources that will be wasted. Put simply, if you don’t need it, don’t buy it. Everything you buy needs land, water and energy to be made and transported to you. The best way to reduce waste is to avoid buying new things, buy second hand, reuse items and recycle. Why not set yourself a goal and challenge yourself, check out 'buy nothing new month' for some ideas. 

If you do have to buy something or make an investment, consider things like divestment (superannuation, insurance, and banking) and purchasing ethically made and locally produced goods and services. Here are a few ideas and resources to get you started:

6. Use sustainable transport

Walking, riding your bike, using car share, escooters and taking public transport are all great ways to reduce your impact and emissions.  Find transport options and maps.

7. Increase biodiversity in your garden

Like our climate, the natural world of living things is also in crisis. We need to protect the remaining wild places that do exist and expand our natural spaces and the life within them. Locally, we have significant opportunities to connect with nature and work with others to restore habitat in our bay, our streets, our yards and our parks and reserves. Check out how to increase biodiversity in your garden including an indigenous plants booklet.

8. Renovate sustainably

The building, construction and trade professions are heavy on consumption and the use of new materials. It is entirely possible to upgrade your home with secondhand materials, but it takes a lot more effort as the industry is not geared in this way. 

Contact us if you’d like to have a chat about how you might do your renovation or new build in a more sustainable way or visit Sustainability Victoria's Guide to building or renovating for energy efficiency. Melbourne Water also have a detailed flood resilience guide for Retrofitting your Home.

9. Adapt to changing weather

Get ready for extreme weather such as flood, storms and heat waves. Read our guide on preparing for storms, flooding and heatwaves.

  • Check if you are in a flood zone 
  • Check with your insurer to see what you are covered for
  • If you are over 55 consider joining our Linking Neighbours program for support

Grow some food, join a community garden, eat less resource-intensive foods such as red meat and visit your local bulk buy stores and farmers’ markets.

"The production of meat and dairy products requires extremely large amounts of land, land which is often cleared through the destruction of existing forests and ecosystems. Deforestation creates greenhouse gas emissions, which, combined with the amount of greenhouse gas emissions ruminant animals create, means that meat and dairy are a key contributor to our environmental footprint." - City of Port Phillip Eco Footprint Report.

 

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