A resource for teaching and learning about consuming planet earth

BCONTINUED
SECTION B
Buy ‘green’, save money
1. Reduce can mean looking at options such as borrowing, renting, bartering or buying second
hand as well as making choices more carefully so that you have less rubbish to get rid of
eg. avoiding goods with excessive packaging.
2. Reuse means to use a product more than once, rather than throwing it away after just one use
eg. re-using glass jars.
3. Recycle means to take a waste item back to a manufacturing process so that it can be remade
into either the same product or something different eg. plastic waste being made into park
benches and fleecy clothing.
Recycling in Victoria
Each year household recycling in Victoria saves:
– 8 960 mega litres of water – the consumption of 3 370 000 people for one week
– 309 964 tonnes of greenhouse gasses – equivalent to taking 51 661 cars off the road
for a year (source: www.sustainability.vic.gov.au).
A cost/benefit analysis on kerbside recycling in 2001 for the National Packaging Covenant
Council estimated the costs of Australian local government kerbside recycling (collections,
sorting and delivery). For metropolitan areas these ranged from 70cents - $1.15 per household
per week, with higher costs in country areas. The report found there was a net environmental
benefit of $424 million after allowing for all the costs involved.
Energy rating labels
Most of our consumer decisions involve some sort of cost/benefit analysis.
Many environmental costs are not presently included in the final market price of goods and
services so it can be hard for consumers to make informed decisions. However, the introduction
of energy rating labels in recent years has given consumers much more information and a greater
understanding of the environment costs involved when purchasing home appliances.
Well-informed ‘green’ consumers understand that saving energy is good for the planet as well
as their wallet!
– Using energy efficiently is the best way to reduce energy bills and environmental impacts.
Electrical appliances account for about 25 percent of household energy use.
– It is important to buy the right size: a large model will use more energy. The energy label
will provide information on the number of kWh used per year.
– Appliances should not be used unnecessarily, for example, putting small loads in the
dishwasher, washing machine and dryer.
– Maintaining appliances according to the manufacturer’s instructions means they will last
longer – saving money and resources.
– Stand-by energy is drawn when some electrical equipment is not actually being used, such
as when the television is turned off with the remote control, but not the switch on the set
or at the wall. Stand-by energy can account for around 12 percent of energy costs in a home.
– Some solutions cost little or nothing at all eg. deciding to reduce shower time in the morning.
Consumers can often choose the wrong option, both for their wallet and the environment,
because they have not had all the information they needed before making a purchase. The
average annual energy bill for an Australian household is around $1 300 a year and it is possible
to make substantial savings with some research.
consumer affairs victoria
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Need consumer help? 1300 55 81 81 www.consumer.vic.gov.au