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== Water consumption in Australia == | == Water consumption in Australia == | ||
Melburnians' daily average water consumption average in 2007 was '''277 litres per person''', down from 303 litres per person in 2006. This reveals a massive change in habits from the 1990s, when the average for personal use was 422 litres a day. | * Melburnians' daily average water consumption average in 2007 was '''277 litres per person''', down from 303 litres per person in 2006. This reveals a massive change in habits from the 1990s, when the average for personal use was 422 litres a day. | ||
* However, while the figure of 277 litres per day is celebrated by the Victorian State Government, it is still almost double the amount being used by residents of Brisbane and south-east Queensland, who have been limited to '''140 litres per person a day''' since May 2007. | |||
Source: [http://www.theage.com.au/news/climate-watch/holding-hails-statewide-water-savings/2008/01/07/1199554571400.html The Age] | |||
== Carbon emission offsets == | |||
* By the end of 2007, over half a million Australians have purchased carbon credits to help neutralise their greenhouse gas emissions. | |||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
* [http://www21.sbs.com.au/ecohousechallenge/?pid=factoids Ecohouse challenge] "factoids" on saving energy | * [http://www21.sbs.com.au/ecohousechallenge/?pid=factoids Ecohouse challenge] "factoids" on saving energy |
Revision as of 11:16, 8 January 2008
Interesting facts on green topics.
Extinctions
From Optus & Australian Wildlife Conservancy
- Australia has one of the worst rates of animal extinction in the world
- In 2007. more than 1500 kinds of animals and plants are close to dissappearing forever
Where are we at in 2007?
From The New Inventors, Episode 35 - 02/10/2007 Download
- In the past 20 years Australian homes have increased in size by 40%, while our families are getting smaller.
- Australians spend 90% of their time inside.
- 20 years ago there was no Internet. Today if MySpace was a country it would be the 11th largest in the world.
- Every year 125 million computers are thrown out across the world, most of these go to landfill.
- 10 years ago, half the people in the world had never made a phone call. Today, half the people in the world own a mobile phone.
- Demand for rooftop solar panels is increasing by 16% per year in Australia and by 40% globally.
- 0.25 hectares of land is required to feed each person. By 2025 there will be less than one third of that area each.
- The world's population is 6.5 billion, and is increasing by 77 million people per year.
Car fuel consumption standards
- Japanese cars are required by law to get more than 45 miles per gallon whereas for cars in the U.S. the standard is under 25 mpg.
- Australian cars have a voluntary target set in 2003 of 6.8L/100km for petrol passenger cars by 2010. This represents an 18% improvement in the fuel efficiency of new vehicles between 2002 and 2010.
Cycling saves carbon emissions
A cyclist who commutes 18km each way every day on a relatively flat commute will save each year:
- 2.6 tonnes C02 and $7000 compared to a large car like a Land cruiser
- 0.9 tonnes C02 and $3000 compared to small car like a Corolla
Trains are the best form of urban transport
Rail passenger transport has the lowest carbon emissions - full trains are clearly much more energy efficient than cars. Relative to a trip in a car, carbon emissions are:
- Train trips - one eighth (8 times better)
- Light rail - one quarter (4 times better)
- Buses - one half (2 times better)
Australian households create 9 tonnes of CO2 per year from electricity usage
- The average Australian home uses about 20kW/h of electricity per day, which translates to about 9 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions per year.
- A solar efficient house with a solar array can greatly reduce or eliminate these emissions. More information.
- The British Government estimates eight percent of all domestic electricity is consumed by devices in standby The Energy Challenge (PDF)
Rail vs road - some points to consider
- A modern small automobile with two passengers generates almost 25 times the air pollution, per passenger mile, as a four car commuter train at 35% capacity.
- Two sets of commuter rail tracks will handle the passenger traffic of at least six lanes of highway.
- A new light-rail line costs about a third of a new highway or loop road, and recent developments in track-laying technology can shave 60% to 70% off that cost.
- Trains are faster, quieter, and smoother than buses. In addition, they avoid traffic jams and most accident scenes.
- Modern commuter and light-rail trains are built to run forward or backward, eliminating the need for huge turnaround loops.
- Rail deaths and injuries are much lower compared to those in automobiles.
- Rail cars and locomotives last much longer than cars and trucks (in some cases up to 100 years) with appropriate maintenance.
- Railroad tracks are cheaper and easier to maintain than roads and highways.
- There is no rubber tire disposal problem with trains (a much bigger issue than many people realize).
Source: 13 Reasons We Need Passenger Rail, Rails - New Mexico's Passenger Rail Action Group
Melbourne house price rises
- The median house price in Melbourne soared 13.1% ($50,000) to $431,000 in 2006.
- This is the largest dollar increase over a twelve month period.
- $50,000 would pay for a solar panel system that would supply more than the average house electricity usage.
Source: Median house price soars in Melbourne, Sydney Morning Herald
Water consumption in Australia
- Melburnians' daily average water consumption average in 2007 was 277 litres per person, down from 303 litres per person in 2006. This reveals a massive change in habits from the 1990s, when the average for personal use was 422 litres a day.
- However, while the figure of 277 litres per day is celebrated by the Victorian State Government, it is still almost double the amount being used by residents of Brisbane and south-east Queensland, who have been limited to 140 litres per person a day since May 2007.
Source: The Age
Carbon emission offsets
- By the end of 2007, over half a million Australians have purchased carbon credits to help neutralise their greenhouse gas emissions.
External links
- Ecohouse challenge "factoids" on saving energy