St Margaret’s (Hackett) Eco-Page
Carbon Action Project (CAP) At Home
The Carbon Action Project is a joint Holy Cross / St Margaret’s effort to
reduce energy use, and therefore carbon emissions, not only for the activities
and buildings belonging to the Churches, but for the whole of the
church community. To help reduce energy use and save money around
the home, we have produced an information packet entitled CAP
Energy Smart Actions that is now available on the St Margaret’s
website and Facebook page. (A paper copy is available on request.) It
includes a list of tips for saving energy, the link for using the on-line
Australian Greenhouse Calculator (also given below) for those wanting
a closer look at your carbon footprint, and a data sheet to record your
results.
We suggest you start by using the list of tips “Energy Smart Actions” as
a sort of survey: go through and check off what actions you are already
doing. Blanks are provided for you to add actions you are already
doing or have thought of (and don’t forget to ask the kids!!) that aren’t
on the list. Then go back and highlight actions you plan to start doing. If
you want, list one or more of these on the data sheet: this is your
“Carbon Action Plan”.
For those wanting to check the numbers, there are spaces on the data
sheet recording your energy usage before and after you put your plan
into action. Even more detail is available by using the Australian
Greenhouse Calculator (AGC) developed by EPA Victoria to calculate
your carbon footprint (greenhouse emissions) https://
apps.epa.vic.gov.au/AGC/home.html. Emissions are calculated with
each input so you can see how changing your behaviour (driving fewer
km’s, eating less meat) changes your footprint. Once you’ve completed
the calculation (and it may take you a couple goes) record your results
on the data sheet.
If you need advice along the way, contact Barbara at
[email protected] or John at [email protected].
- contributed by Barbara Burns
St Margaret’s News 7 July 2020