In 2001, the City of Boroondara took an early leadership position in adopting a Greenhouse Strategy that committed to a 20 per cent reduction in corporate greenhouse gas emissions by 2010 compared with emissions in 1996.
Council has implemented many actions, achieving a saving of 2,642 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by the end of 2005/06. These include implementation of building energy audit recommendations, a reduction in the size of Council’s vehicle fleet and the use of more fuel efficient vehicles.
Council is tracking well towards meeting its target greenhouse saving level of nearly 7,000 tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent by 2010. In 2001, the City of Boroondara also committed to reducing community greenhouse gas emissions by 20 per cent within the same time frame. Community emissions are generated by energy usage in the residential, commercial, transport and industrial sectors and by waste in landfill. While actions undertaken in the waste sector are proving effective and show a decline in emissions, progress in the other sectors has been minimal.
Recent events have reinforced the need for urgent action to address climate change.
Council is now in the process of finalising its Greenhouse Action Plan to help review its progress and detail new actions to further reduce emissions. As part of this plan, investigations are underway to look at how Council can better use green energy in Council buildings. The next step is to look at the feasibility of alternative energy sources through the purchase of Green Power – government accredited clean, renewable energy sourced from the sun, wind, water and waste.
In delivering the 2008/09 budget, Council agreed to further actions such as the purchase of 30 per cent of the power supplies for Council’s libraries, recreation centres, two waste recycling depots and two municipal offices from Green Power sources. It also allocated $130,000 to purchase partial green power for public street lighting and a further $375,000 for 12 of Council’s largest community facilities.
In the year ahead, Council will also deliver a Towards Carbon Neutrality Strategy, in a bid to cut community greenhouse emissions to zero and thereby, minimise the impact of global warming and reduce future economic, social and environmental risks to the community. Council is in the first stages of preparing this strategy.
Another exciting project is the Eco-Living Demonstration Centre. This will provide a venue where the community can view sustainable products that they can install in their own homes, learn about sustainability through practical demonstrations and where education and behavioural change programs, such as Living for Our Future, can be delivered.
Council has allocated funding for a feasibility study that will recommend a location, detailed designs and management plans for
the centre.
