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Greater Dandenong Council has released a series of energy and water savings tips that will also save residents money.
Mayor Angela Long said a “few simple changes” to achieve a more sustainable summer.
“This time of year is about celebration, but with that comes financial pressures and an enormous amount of waste, so it’s important to look at ways to make a difference,” Cr Long said.
The tips include:
• Watering the garden before 7am or after 7pm when it tends to be the cooler parts of the day. This ensures you get the most out of your water, with less evaporation off the garden.
• Use shades and curtains on hot days to save money and stay cool on hot days. Up to 30 per cent of unwanted heat comes from windows. Covering them can lower the room temperature and save up to 7 per cent on electricity.
• Use re-usable straws and wrap gifts in cloth or tea towels. Australians use about 10 million single-use straws a day and more than 150,000 kilometres of Christmas wrapping paper.
• Don’t throw away food by making sure there’s room in the fridge and freezer to store leftovers. They can form delicious ingredients for a new meal. On average, each Victorian household throws out $2136 of food a year – about $42 a week.
• Use your bins correctly. More information can be found at greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au/waste
The council declared a climate and ecological emergency in January 2020, committing to emergency action on climate change.
Details: www.greaterdandenong.vic.gov.au/climate-change-emergency-strategy
