Whitehorse City Council recognises the importance of taking local action to ensure we live in an environmentally sustainable community and takes active steps to reduce its contribution to climate change.
Council has identified ways to minimise the impacts already being experienced by climate change and in the 2009/10 financial year, commenced work on the Climate Change Adaptation Plan. This plan will build on the strategies outlined in the Whitehorse Sustainability Strategy 2008–2013: Our EcoVision which outlines Council’s sustainability agenda for the five year period.
During the 2009/10 financial year, in line with the Whitehorse Sustainability Strategy 2008–2013: Our EcoVision, many services and programs were delivered by Council, including the following.
Climate change,
greenhouse and energy
- Increased purchase of GreenPower for
streetlighting to 100 per cent. - Completed the Living Green with LESS
program, which offered free energy efficient light
globe and water saving showerhead installations
to residents. Some 37,872 light globes and 548
showerheads were exchanged. - Facilitated the Solar Suburbs Program, assisting
172 residents to obtain discounted solar power
installations. - Provided 47 financial rebates for solar hot water
systems and 328 for solar photovoltaic panels
to residential homes. - Invested $50,000 to incorporate sustainable
energy initiatives in Council buildings. - Invested $100,000 to install solar power
generation at Blackburn Lake Sanctuary Visitor
Centre and Box Hill Town Hall with a combined
total to produce 11 kilowatt hours per day.
Water conservation and quality
- Invested $100,000 in sustainable water
initiatives in Council buildings. - Plumbing upgrades at several sites to fit
water-saving devices in showers, toilets and
hand basins. - Installed rainwater tanks at several reserves.
- Use of recycled water for sports fields and street
tree watering. - Replaced eight sporting fields with drought-
resistant grasses. - High pressure wash of township centres using
recycled water. - Use of ‘soaker’ – a recycled product to soak up
and clean up oil and fuel spills, preventing it
from washing into stormwater drainage and
river systems. - Use of recycled water for street sweeping and
drainage jet pressure machine.
Resource efficiency,
waste and recycling
- Increased diversion of waste from landfill and increased garden organics service.
- Used recycled materials and products in works
programs.
Natural environment
- Replaced annual floral displays in Council’s
gardens with drought tolerant perennials. - Sustainable landscape design integrated into
the design and construction of public spaces,
particularly water sensitive urban design.
Buildings, infrastructure
and planning
- Engaged Grojan Consultants to undertake a long
term Sustainable Management and Development
Plan for sporting grounds and associated
facilities. - Developed local Environmentally Sustainable
Design Policy to encourage sustainable
development in the municipality.
Education and community engagement
- Implemented the innovative Sustainable
Ambassadors program for the Chinese-
speaking community, including resource
efficiency workshops and behaviour change
training. - Recognised local businesses, homes,
community groups and schools for their
ongoing sustainability achievements as part of
Council’s annual Sustainability Awards. - Commenced garden programs with the
children of long day care centres. A number
of centres are endeavouring to grow
vegetables that can be used by the centre
cooks in the preparation of the children’s
meals.
Sustainability policy,
leadership and reporting
- Contractors with sustainable initiatives are
preferred across Council’s operations. - Council’s continued commitment to report on
its annual green spend as a member of ECO-
Buy. - Continued implementation of Council’s
Greener Office Program. - Continued producing publications on 100
per cent recycled paper using 100 per cent
renewable energy and preferring waterless
printers that use vegetable oil based inks. - business cards produced from 100 per cent
recycled paper.
