Workshop Outcomes

The following is a list of useful and interesting suggestions made by participants at climate change forums I have run over the past two years.

I am grateful for the inventiveness and patience of workshop participants. I have always learned something by being part of these workshops.

If you think we have missed something, please send us an email and we'll add it in.

The workshops are usually divided into what you can do:

• at home,

• at work,

• in the community,

• nationally.

AT HOME

Fixtures:

Ceiling fans
Weather-stripping
Meters/timers
Low pressure shower
No dishwasher/dryer
No air-conditioning
Double glazing

Building/Architectural Design:

Solar hot water
Insulation
Draft excluders
Ventilation
Garden design - no lawn, veggie patch
No pool
No leaf blowers
Grow lawn on roof for insulation
Solar passive design and retrofit
Skylights for natural lighting and vents

Lifestyle Habits:

Choose green power
Turn off lights and appliances when not in use, not standby
No leaf blowers
Recycling - compost, refuse/reduce/re-use/recycle
Live simply - live/work locally
Walk/ride a bike
Use less/more efficient electrical appliances
Grow food
Change type of light bulbs
Use local services more
Grow fuel crops
Bulk buy groceries to reduce shopping trips and packaging
Reduce consumption
Increase self-sufficiency
Reduce water use
Cold water washing
No plastic bags at home or shopping

Education/Discovery:

Educate others by talking to neighbours/friends/children
Do an energy audit
Access energy efficiency guides form local councils

AT WORK

Building Design/Fixtures:

Furniture - natural products
Ceiling/exhaust fans
Use sensor lights
Construct with windows
Ambient temperature closer to external climate
Set up workspace with solar and passive solar
Elect green energy sources

Travel:

Car pooling
Ride or walk to work
Use public transport (to work and between workplaces)
Cheaper bike lockers
Employer sponsored public transport

Recycling:

Recycling in the workplace (refuse/reduce/re-use/recycle)
Use more scrap cycle
Recycle equipment
Eradicate plastic and polystyrene cups
Move away from paper and electronic mediums
Worm farms and composting

Employee Actions:

Turn off lights
Turn off a/c
Working from home
Reduce water use

Employer Actions:

Encourage laptop use instead of PCs
Encourage employee ownership
Conduct an energy audit
Expel gases from car-park
Provide crèches at work places

COMMUNITY

Transport/Travel:

Communal cars/car pooling
Light rail
Parking meters
Bicycle racks
Solar powered trams and buses
Bike lanes/bike buses
Lessen consumption/travel
Retain and expand rail
Congestion charge
Community buses

Public Action:

Education (campaigns)/encourage community groups
Community living (change culture) - co-ops, eco villages
Community gardens - in city and regional
Refusal of excess packaging
Group housing
Green expo/Community Education Days/Open days at Green houses

Services/Facilities:

Public waste systems review
Recycling systems
Community owned energy provision, de-corporatise
Mandatory passive solar design
Increase pedestrian malls
Lower levels of public lighting
Subsidies on solar panels/alternative energy sources
Energy efficient schools
Solar street lighting/traffic lights
Retrofit community facilities

NATIONALLY

Incentives:

Meet price elasticity groups (compensate low income groups)
Reward community leadership in developing renewables
Remove subsidies for non-renewables
Subsidise solar energy on a domestic level
Tax incentives for public transport
Public transport vouchers
Free public transport
Provide a better return for energy sold back to the grid
Disincentives for waste
Tax incentives for the agricultural industry for organic or bio-dynamic farmers

Actions:

Vote 1 The Greens
Establish sustainable population limit
Carbon into soil
Organic growing
Improved public transport (particularly in rural areas)
Increase budget/lobby to redirect funding to R&D alternatives
Remove obstacles for renewables e.g. wind turbines

Government ownership of energy infrastructure

End coal dependence
Energy usage info for all products
New building regulations
Green investment bank
Strict corporate reporting

Education/Research:

Encourage energy saving in motels - guest info, eco friendly rooms
Examine institutional/social/individual resistance to change
Promote renewable energy
Ad busters
Encourage use of alternative fuel sources e.g. ethanol
Education
how do we disseminate greenhouse info/science/solutions
How do we counter misinformation

Can you think of anything we have missed? If so contact us.