Community Climate Action Plan

Switch to a green energy company

• Electricity suppliers vary significantly in their environmental offerings and performance
• The Green Electricity Guide ranks providers according to emissions from their power sources, their investments in and policy positions on renewable energy and fossil fuels and other attributes.

Advocate for bigger change

• Call or meet with your elected state and federal representatives. Together they have the power to influence increases in renewables, improve building standards and provide better public transport

Better together: join a group

• Friends of Groups, community gardens and Transition Town groups across Banyule are always open to new members. Activities include replanting days, repair events and advocacy

Reduce your meat

• Try a month of vegetarianism, or Meat Free Monday with new and delicious recipes to introduce sustainable meat consumption and support green house gas emissions reduction associated with live stock farming and food process operations

Have the conversations

• Conversations amongst your peers are powerful in changing social norms

Be smart with your energy

• Apply for a home energy audit to identify how you can reduce your household energy consumption

Compost your food scraps

• As well as reducing household waste, compost does wonders for your garden

Grow your own food

• Herbs provide an easy entrance into growing your own food and reducing the need to buy herbs often housed in plastic

Money for good

• Your selection of superannuation and mortgage providers is one of the biggest opportunities to support investment of renewable energy – check with your provider to see what they invest in

Move to 100% electric

• Replace ageing and inefficient gas or wood burning appliances with highly efficient electrical ones, including induction cooking
• Consider replacing your gas heating with heat pumps for heating and hot water needs
• Consider replacing petrol fuelled products with battery powered alternatives, at end of life, including mowers and leaf blowers.

School wide energy efficiency

• Track energy usage and use information to build a school wide energy profile
• Conduct an on-site energy audit to identify how energy is used in the school's facilities and what could be improved
• Check for federal and state funding opportunities for the installation of solar panels, and other energy and water conservation measures including solar hot water systems, water tanks, external window shading and energy efficient lighting

Turn out the lights

• Install occupancy sensors that will automatically turn off the lights when no one is in the room
• Replace lighting with LED (light emitting diode) bulbs to reduce energy use around the school
• Allocate a student energy monitor to help make sure lights and computers are turned off in breaks, and before and after class/school

Reputable suppliers

• Consider using the sustainability service panel set up by the Department of Education and Training. Listed companies provide advice on how to improve the sustainability of your school and importantly have already been screened for qualifications, value for money and experience
• Access the panel through the school maintenance system and choose Asset operations/Panel service providers

Lower your transport use

• Work with local government and community leaders to create more pedestrian and bike friendly routes to your school.
• Lead by example and take public transport, carpool, ride or walk to school
• Start a Walk to School campaign with VicHealth to encourage active and low carbon travel

Managing waste

• Appoint a student action waste team to monitor contamination of bins and consumption patterns
• Divert organic food waste into a school wide composting program including food scraps from the canteen and school kitchens
• Have a regular 'Nude food lunch day' for students and staff

Increasing biodiversity and environmental stewardship

• Create and manage worm farms, bee hotels and native nesting boxes to build biodiversity and conservation knowledge from an early age
• Plant a carbon-absorbing forest for shade, lessons and playtime
• Support and raise funds for a wildlife conservation project or organisation
• Have staff join and attend the Teachers Environmental Network meetings, to share environmental education opportunities
• Pursue citizen science projects and share indigenous historical and science knowledge

Advocate for bigger change

• Create a student environment club or green team to assist in planning, implementing and managing sustainability and environmental initiatives
• Apply for our Youth Climate Action Grant to access funding up to $3000 to transform ideas into action

Publicise your results

• Use office communication (email, newsletters and staff meetings) to highlight school ideas, policy updates, and achievements
• Publicise energy, water and waste costs and savings for students and staff to understand the benefits of extra efforts
• Recognise your school environmental achievements via the Resource Smart School Awards

Save money, reduce emissions

• Go for a 100% green power energy supplier or contribute with a green power surcharge with your current supplier to invest in the green power development
• The Green Electricity Guide ranks providers according to emissions from their power sources, their investments in and policy positions on renewable energy and fossil fuels and other attributes

Sustainable packaging and less waste

• Commit to minimal packaging and utilise recyclable material
• Purchase from local supplies to support the local economy and reduce emissions from deliveries
• Food businesses can compost waste by partnering with local community gardens to transfer your food waste into rich soils for your community

Money for good

• Your selection of superannuation and mortgage providers is one of the biggest opportunities to support investment of renewable energy – check with your provider to see what they invest in

Share and learn

• Join industry groups and business associations to share your experience in environmentally friendly business practice and get new ideas to support sustainable business operations
• Participate in Council-initiated energy efficiency upgrade program such as the Greening Macleod LED upgrade project
• Check the Banyule Business website regularly for sustainability seminars and new project information

Better understanding of your business energy needs

• Apply for a small business grant (runs biannually) for a business energy efficiency audit to identify how you can reduce your operational energy consumption
• Apply for the Australian Government Energy Efficient Communities funding to implement appliances upgrades for better businesses energy performance and future proof your business with advanced energy efficient products

Travel green

• Implement bicycle friendly end of trip facilities, such as shower rooms and secure bike-storage to support active travel to work.
• Reserve dedicated parking spots for carpooling
• Negotiate discounted MYKI for staff travel on public transport
• Participate in local purchasing opportunities to reduce product transportation emissions and have more reliable local deliveries

Advocate for bigger change

• Call or meet with your elected state and federal representatives. Together they have the power to influence increases in renewables, improve building standards and provide better public transport
• Conversations amongst your peers are powerful in changing social norms