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Resources for OE SubscribersEnvironment Friendly ActionThere is so much information on the web about environment-friendly actions that can be applied in a New Zealand context. With a bit of Googling will find all you can read and more on each topic. I’ve done some Googling myself to bring you some links to get you started. How do we conserve energy?Through the website Sustainability.govt.nz you can learn how to reduce your impact on the environment and save money. The website provides lots of info on saving electricity in your home, reducing your water usage, recycling, rubbish disposal and more.http://www.sustainability.govt.nz Another website where you can learn about sustainable living, news, events and information is at www.ecobob.co.nz How do we reduce oil/gas carbon emissions?In addition to metrics like ecological footprint, each of us (and each of the products and services we use and consume every day) has a carbon footprint; it's a way to measure the relative impact of our actions -- as individuals, as businesses, communities and countries, as we eat, work, travel, play, etc. -- in terms of the contribution made to global climate change. Measured in carbon emissions (usually in pounds, tons or kilograms), it's become an increasingly useful and popular tool to help contextualize global warming in our daily routines and lives.What is a carbon footprint?A carbon footprint is the total amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases emitted over the full life cycle of a product or service, and everything has one, from the computer you used to find this article to the next meal you eat (and the one after that, and after that, and so on...) to the shoe that will leave a physical footprint on the ground the next time you walk outside.Find out more here: www.treehugger.com/files/2008/02/carbon-footprint-green-basics.php "Celsias" is another website all about doing practical things to combat climate change. The website has lots of Action plans you can commit to, and you can connect with some interesting people. http://www.celsias.com What are Alternative energy sources?Solar power, wind power and micro-hydro are all effective, renewable energy sources that may cost a bit to install but will pay off in the long term and be kinder to the environment. If you are building from new, then consider implementing the simple but profound systems of passive solar design.Wind power Individual householders can use wind power in ‘stand alone’ systems, saving you money, reducing your dependence on power suppliers, and helping the environment. One of the most expensive aspects of wind-power is the need to store electricity from the time it is generated (when the wind is blowing) until the time it is used. This involves buying expensive batteries that require continual maintenance. There are hopes that the Government will introduce buy-back systems that link individual homeowner’s wind systems to the national grid, so that you can sell electricity back to the generation companies and buy it back when you need it. This would be a big step in encouraging people to invest in small-scale wind-generation systems. Micro-hydro Micro-hydro powers individual houses or small groups of houses with access to a suitable stream. Micro-hydro has the advantage of continuous operation, which means you spend less on batteries. The water is piped from a stream and run through a small in-line generator before being returned downstream to its source. It is clean, not too expensive and non-invasive. Be sure to check that the source is sustainable year-round. Solar panels Solar panels (also known as photovoltaic systems) make use of the sun’s energy. Fitting solar panels to your home can reduce the cost of your power bills and lessen your greenhouse gases emissions. They convert the sun’s rays into electrical current, but like wind generators, they require a battery storage medium for when the sun is not shining. They are often used in combination with other alternative energy sources (wind, hydro etc.) In this form they are called hybrid systems. Passive Solar Space Heating An energy audit of most houses will show that the bulk of energy use revolves around water-heating and space heating. The intermittent use of appliances consumes considerable energy, but in the winter months, heating a home is an ongoing and serious drain on energy resources. With the move away from fossil fuels (oil, gas, wood, coal etc) the common New Zealand option of heating space with a wood-burning stove or woodchip burner is becoming less sustainable. By far the most effective system of space heating is passive solar, in which the sun’s warming rays are allowed into the space during the day and the heat is stored and trapped inside for when the temperature drops. There are two kinds of passive solar systems: those that rely on direct-gain (where the sun’s energy is captured and stored where it will later be used eg. in a well-insulated tile and concrete floor) and indirect gain (where the sun’s energy is captured and stored in a place remote from that where it will eventually be used and is pumped in to that space later when needed). The latter is often used in passive-solar retrofitted systems. In Aotearoa-New Zealand direct gain systems require that the Northern face of the house have lots of windows (to let in the heat) and careful design of roof overhangs (to prevent overheating in summer) together with the design of thermal mass and insulation inside the house to trap and store the heat. IT also often means that windows and openings on the South suide of a house be minimised in number and size. The design of passive solar heating systems is not difficult, but includes a lot of variables depending on location, exposure etc. It is possible to ‘retrofit’ existing buildings to incorporate passive solar systems. Insulation There is no point in going to the expense of generating or capturing energy to warm space if you just let it escape again. Key to an efficient space-heating system is heavy insulation – as much as you can afford. It will pay for itself over time. On some existing properties, it can be quite difficult to ‘retrofit’ insulation – requiring the removal of exterior cladding, although some systems allow for the injection of foam into the wall cavity through holes drilled in the cladding. The toxicity and environmental sustainability of these foam systems is questionable. If you are going to the expense of insulating walls then it makes sense to also insulate the windows with double-glazing. If this is not affordable then consider the use of heavy drapes or internal insulated shutters for keeping the warm air inside when the outside temperature drops. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_solar_building_design NOTE:Tony has a long experience as an architect designing passive solar buildings and teaching sustainable building technology. As a trial, he has agreed to freely answer questions from listing clients to help them achieve greater sustainability in their building operations. If the demand becomes too difficult to address we may have to initiate a modest charge for this service.Contact Tony on : tonyward.transform@xtra.co.nz Carbon Emissions/Trading
All of these methods and systems will allow you to reduce the carbon footprint of your operation and built environment. In addition, you might consider adding other environmental elements (tree-planting programmes, eco-friendly pest eradication programmes, grey-water treatment, composting toilets, wetland developments, and home-grown fruit and vegetable gardening etc) which will further reduce your environmental impact. Although the Government’s proposed Carbon trading system does not yet include small-scale businesses, nevertheless it is important to recognise that the environmental impact of these is significant and that collectively, we can make a significant difference to the energy (and fossil fuel) consumption of New Zealand. It may eventually be possible to form sustainable energy collectives that can combine carbon credits for the mutual economic benefit of their members.More info at http://www.sustainability.govt.nz/energy/alternative.html Alternative energy New Zealand blog http://alt-e.blogspot.com/2004/12/alternative-energy-new-zealand-120mw.html For a list of Alternative Energy manufacturers, suppliers and other contacts in NZ. http://www.windmills.co.nz/links.html What is sustainable toilet/grey water waste disposal?Water ConservationDomestic water usage in the typical suburban house varies with location. Those who live in an urban setting must usually pay for the amount of metered water that they use. Typically the consumption of a house with a metered supply is about 200 litres a day, compared to more two or three times that for properties that are un-metered. The production of new sources of water is expensive and metering is seen by Government and many Local Authorities as an economical way of reducing demand. Increasingly they are moving towards more metering. In anticipation of this, it makes good sense to think about reducing the amount used – it is simply good economics, both nationally and personally. Water closets themselves use a significant amount of water, and water is destined to become one of the most valuable household commodities in the coming years. You can reduce the amount of water consumed by the toilet quite simply by a number of simple measures. The most obvious ways of saving water is to cut consumption at the personal level–– not running the tap while brushing your teeth, not running the water cold before drinking, taking showers rather than baths, taking shorter showers, not using water to wash paths etc. Other, more systematic ways include fixing leaky inserting a brick inside and (most effective of all) making use of water that normally goes to “waste” by storing rainwater for garden or toilet use, or by recycling “grey water”. Installing rainwater storage tanks is quite easy and not too expensive, and they need not be located directly adjacent to the down-pipes. Saving water makes economic sense not only at the personal level, but at the municipal level also. Each litre of water used has to be filtered, purified, treated and pumped to its disposal point – savings at home flow on (no pun intended) to the macro level. Grey water (the water from all sources except the toilet) can also be recycled, although few local authorities are willing to sanction it even when it is well-conceived and executed. However, the quality of greywater varies considerably. Often, the wastewater from kitchen sinks and laundry sources is laden with fats, food particles and chemicals that make it difficult to reuse - especially in the garden. Bathroom waste – from the hand-basin and shower has been shown to be less difficult to reuse and modifying the waste plumbing from these sources is not too difficult. There are systems available on the market for recycling greywater. See, for instance: http://www.watersmart.co.nz/ Toilet Waste Apart from using a great deal of water, the normal water closet also requires a significant cost of infrastructure “downstream”. Sewage treatment is not cheap and the costs are passed on to the users in Rates. Composting toilets are becoming increasingly accepted by some Local Authorities – particularly in rural areas where septic systems have proven over time to be problematic. There is no reason why composting toilets cannot also become more commonplace in an urban setting, where the non-odorous composted waste can be used as fertiliser for ornamental plants and gardens.
The ecostore stocks a complete range of ecostore laundry, cleaning, body-care and baby-care products. ecostore staff are passionate and knowledgeable about eco/health issues and can help you to choose the best products to meet your needs. |