Novocastrians worried about climate change?

[Acacia]

Hi,
Im just putting up a link to take a pledge regarding the new coal loader that has been approved in Newcastle. Newy is already the worlds largest coal exporter and the new coal loader will make way for new coal mines in the Hunter valley and obviously have a devistating effect on the climate. Please please take the pledge...
http://www.loader.take-action.org.au

Thanks, Ange

[Gumby]

Hey Ange. I only just seen this thread. I am more than happy to pledge

[Shanaynay]

Hey you girls are going to put DH out of a job

Kidding
Well not kidding, you actually will
But I'm all for cutting down the mining....... I hate the fact he works in the mines, it makes me feel so much more responsible for the state of the earth
I'd rather him not work at all than work there.

[Acacia]

The main mission is to cap the coal mines as they are, so no jobs lost. Its a common misconseption that jobs will fall....as the rate of exporting has increased out of Newcastle, employment in coal related jobs has declined at the same rate...its pretty scary...and there is the just transition into renewables and increasing employment in that sector.

I know quite a few coal miners who are fighting the expansion of the coal industry because they know first hand how bad it is. There are a few guys fighting the Anvil Hill mine near Denman that are from local mines. Its pretty cool.

[charlen49]

so heres a question? i wondering what sort of power u have in ur homes?Do u use woodfires to cook and candle power to see? i would be interested to know if anyone lives like this?? especially innewy??

[Shanaynay]

Charlen - green energy

[Acacia]

Luckily there are good alternatives so we dont have to go back to the stone ages.....as
phineas said green power is readily avaliable. One of the biggest problems is consumption. being more responsible with our power usage can make a big difference.

There is only 35 years left of coal in NSW and we are planning to double our exports! We have barely enough water for domestic use, yet more coal mines are opening and using massive quantities of water.

Wind power on its own has the capability to supply NSW with all its base load power needs. We need to move away from dirty coal for the sake of the planet and our childrens future.

[vespertine]

I'm from the Hunter too Acacia, and feel the impact of coal mining, and the controversy surrounding it, in our community. I am gravely concerned about the ABUSE of fossil fuels that's happening in our country (and world wide).... first of all, we are exporting well beyond our means, and also I don't think we are doing enough to encourage energy efficient living and alternative energy. Solar and wind power are both viable options we should all be exploring further. We simply can not justify the amount of coal we are mining and consuming, and the effect this is having on climate/our environment and our water supply is very real. I totally agree, Acacia on all your have mentioned regarding cutting our energy use at home. We all need to be more responsible. Ways we can do this, especially over Winter are:

(first I'll list some parenting stuff, to save energy and water!)
*Breastfeed! No heating water for formula required... very eco-friendly
* When washing cloth naps, use cold water.
*Rather than use the drier, line dry where possible (the sun is also a great natural stain remover- bonus!)
* Get your kids to share baths or showers, rather than have them individually
*If you use cloth mama pads, wash them in the shower with you
*Wash your nappy buckets out in the old bath water

Ok now for all other stuff!


• shorter showers (saves heating water)
• fix leaky hot water taps asap
• Use the plug in basins - don't leave hot water taps running
• Try not to use small amounts of hot water frequently - not only do you heat the water you use but also the water left in the pipe
• Turn the hot water system off when you go on extended holiday
• When purchasing a new system choose the most energy efficient model for your needs and consider a solar hot water system - rebates are now available for those.
• Open blinds and curtains during the day to let the free heat of the sun in
• Close curtains and blinds at night to keep the heat in - curtains with fitted pelmets are the most effective for this purpose
• Block off unused open fireplaces to prevent heat escaping
• Install draught excluders on doors and windows and seal all gaps to the outside
• Grow deciduous trees or vines on a pergola on the north side of your home to let the heat of the sun filter through windows
• Use ceiling fans to circulate warm air - reversible ceiling fans are best, as they can circulate warm air without passing a breeze over your skin
• Heat only the rooms you are using by closing doors to unheated areas*
• Turn off heating appliances overnight or when you are out
• Consider timers for portable electric heaters so you can program the heater to come on shortly before you wake up, rather than running the heater all night
• Use electric blankets in preference to room heaters in bedrooms and switch off after getting into bed
• When purchasing a new heating system choose the most energy efficient model.
• Locate fridges and freezers away from the sun or heat producing appliances, such as cookers and dishwashers
• Check the fridge seal regularly to make sure it's tight - place a piece of paper between the seal, if it doesn't move easily it's a good seal
• Keep the fridge door shut as much as possible
• Thaw frozen food in the fridge - by making your fridge cooler it won't have to work so hard
• Defrost freezers regularly following the manufacturers instructions
• Turn the fridge off when you go on extended holiday and try to keep the door open to keep the fridge fresh
• If you have more than one fridge, switch the additional one off when not needed
• When purchasing a new refrigerator or freezer look for the energy rating label - the more stars the more energy efficient.
• Use small appliances where possible - use the microwave over a conventional oven, the toaster over the grill etc.
• Put fitted lids on pots as much as possible
• Match the size of pots to the size of the element or flame area
• Boil only the amount of water you need
• Use steamers and pot dividers to cook all your vegetables at once
• Let frozen foods thaw before cooking
• Avoid opening the oven door unnecessarily when cooking
• Check the seal on the oven door - make sure its clean and in good condition
• Cook outside on the BBQ on hot days to avoid heating the house.
Turn lights off when not needed
• Use fluorescent lighting in rooms where light is required for long periods
• Use task lighting over areas where work is carried out and incorporate dimmer switches where you may not always require strong lighting
• Use incandescent globes in areas of your home where light is used for short periods of time, such as walk-in cupboards and toilets
• Make the best use of direct daylight
• Keep lights and fittings clean
• Avoid using multiple globe fittings
• Place switches at exits of rooms to encourage people to turn off lights and use two way switches where possible
• Avoid having several lights activated by one switch - use separate switches for each light
• Paint rooms light colours. Dark wall, ceiling and curtain colours absorb light, increasing the amount of lighting needed
• Use motion detectors or timers for outdoor security lighting.
• Use cold water in your washing machine as much as possible
• Wash a full load rather than several smaller loads
• Separate heavily soiled clothes from lightly soiled ones
• Adjust the cycle to match the load and use energy saving or economy cycles where possible
• When purchasing a new washing machine look for the energy rating label - the more stars the more energy efficient.
• Use a clothes line or rack instead of a dryer as much as possible. The sun's energy is free!
* Remember dishwashers use more energy AND water than hand washing
*Use plugs as much as possible rather than just letting water run.

[Gumby]

Wow that was a super post full of heaps of ideas
Charlen, hopefully by cutting down of the bad stuff, they will introduce more good stuff
Does that make sence. I am not big on words or politics of it all....lol

[charlen49]

Charlen - green energy

so u dont use electricity?
gee and i'm stuffed since i havent been able to breast feed since birth....sorry screaming baby for warm milk overrides my need to conserve energy!!!!!!!!
I think most people do a lot of the above even without thinking about it.......but im sorry.......im sorry i dont want nnucular energy in my backyard and ive been to a wind farm......they are huge ugly eyesaws destroying the beauty of the environment and the noise is horrible....and u actually need hundreds to produce very little energy....so far they are not very efficient ( and thats coming from dp who works in the energy industry......his comment when i asked why dont we have wind farms here whist visiting one)