Climate Change

CLARENCE CITY COUNCIL

Climate Change Impacts on Clarence Coastal Areas report

Clarence City Council became the first local government in Tasmania to assess the future impacts of coastal processes on local low lying areas by commissioning the Integrated Assessment (IA) Climate Change Impacts report. The project was funded by the Australian Government, Department of Climate Change and the State Emergency Services and was delivered in partnership with the State Government and SGS consulting. See the report and associated publications for more details.

Climate Change Officer

Clarence City Council has employed a fulltime staff member since 2008 to undertake a range of climate change related duties, including greenhouse gas inventories, energy audits and policy development to help facilitate emission reduction activities in the community and within the Council. To contact the Climate Change Officer call (03)6245 8775 or email at: fpribac@ccc.tas.gov.au

Cities for Climate Protection (CCP program)

Clarence City Council was a participant of the CCP program, alongside 6 other local governments in Tasmania (representing over 60% of the State's population), until the closure of the CCP program in June 2009.

Council had progressed halfway through the nationwide program before its cessation, which included completing greenhouse gas inventories for Council and the community (Milestone 1), setting a Council emission reduction target (Milestone 2) and developing a draft action plan (Milestone 3).

Emission reduction targets & action planning

Clarence City Council has set a Corporate target to reduce operational emissions down to 20% below 2003 levels. Clarence City Council is currently assessing what action on climate change the community would like to see from their local government. Updates on how this is progressing will be available shortly.

Recycling

Clarence City Council has been servicing the recycling needs of the community through kerbside collection for over 20 years. Materials collected in Council's fortnightly collections are recycled through a modern recycling facility.

Monthly greenwaste collections are mulched and reused as high quality soil products. E-waste and white goods are collected and recycled as part of annual hard waste collection services, preventing the release of greenhouse gases (such as hydroflurocarbons from refrigerants) as well as reducing the need to consume new resources.

Recently additional recycling bins in key public places have been implemented to reduce the amount of recyclable material ending up as landfill.

Council has also been part of a partnership between the State Government, the Local Government Association of Tasmania (LGAT), waste strategy authorities and local governments to collect hazardous waste at chemical drop-off sites.

Also see Waste Management.

Transport

Clarence has focused on promoting sustainable forms of transport, including walking, biking and public transport.

In 2009 Clarence City Council sponsored a local community breakfast as part of the national Bike To Work Day event. Riders on the day rode over 400km, preventing at least 100kg or 200 balloons worth of greenhouse gas emissions from being released into the atmosphere.

Also see Cycling and Tracks and Trails.

Water

As part of Council's water conservation programme, a water friendly garden was established at the Rosny Farm. A booklet called Plants for the water friendly garden has also been developed to support the theme of the water friendly garden.

Clarence City Council also organises community groups, schools and work for the dole programs to revegetate public spaces with native plants, minimising the need for water pumping and better utilising water resources.

AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT

Free household Home Sustainability Assessments

The Australian Government created the Green Loans program to reduce household greenhouse gas emissions and improve energy efficiency. A local energy assessor will conduct a free walk through audit of water and energy use in the home (which takes about 1.5hrs) and an audit report is provided 4-6 weeks later by the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. The audit report provides a cost analysis of changes that can be made to your home to reduce emissions and save money. Please note the $10,000 green loans component of the Program has been discontinued. For up to date details on the program please see: http://www.environment.gov.au/greenloans/ or contact a local assessor on 1800 895 076.

Living Greener

The Australian Government has developed an extensive information package on how to reduce your energy, water, waste and transport use please see: http://www.livinggreener.gov.au/ for more details.

Rebate for hot water systems

The Australian Government is offering a rebate of $1,600 to install a solar hot water system or $1,000 to install a heat pump hot water system. This is to help eligible home-owners, landlords or tenants to replace their electric storage hot water systems with solar or heat pump hot water systems.

The Solar Hot Water Rebate will help people save money on their power bills and reduce their household's greenhouse gas emissions. Installing a climate friendly hot water system can save a family up to $700 off their energy bills each year.

For more information see: http://www.environment.gov.au/energyefficiency/solarhotwater/

Water rebates

Rebates of up to $500 are available to households for either the purchase and installation of a new rainwater tank, which is connected for internal reuse of the water for toilet and/or laundry use; or the purchase and installation of a permanent greywater treatment system. For more information please see: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/programs/nrgi/index.html

Surf Life Saving Waterwise Grants

Grants of up to $10,000 are available to surf life saving clubs to install water saving and efficiency devices on club premises.

Activities eligible for funding include installation of new rainwater tanks connected to club premises so that they can be used for toilet flushing and/or laundry use. For more information please see: http://www.environment.gov.au/water/programs/nrgi/index.html

STATE GOVERNMENT

Community Project Grants

Community grants of $3,000 to $30,000 have been made available as part of the ClimateConnect program. For information on Tasmanian climate change programs and latest initiatives please see the State Government's Earn Your Stars website at: http://www.earnyourstars.tas.gov.au/