So what can I do to help?

Here at CoralWatch we want to try and provide a broad picture for all you environmentally friendly people out there. Not only are we looking to conserve our coral reefs but we also want to show what else can be done. We probably can't stop global warming, but we can try and slow it down by reducing our carbon emissions - turning off appliances, cycling or walking more, using less power. But if we go one step further, and neutralise our emissions by purchasing carbon credits from renewable energy projects, we can help the renewable energy industry grow, put more green energy into the power grid, and really make a difference to global warming.

The Third IPCC report states that ‘Although warming in Australia’s coral reef regions is expected to be slightly less than the global average, according to the SRES global warming scenarios it may be in the range of 2-5°C by 2100. This suggests that unless Australian coral reefs can adapt quickly to these higher temperatures, they will experience temperatures above present bleaching thresholds (Berkelmans and Willis 1999) almost every year, well before the end of the 21st Century (Hoegh-Guldberg, 1999).’

This view is also confirmed within The Economics of Climate Change, Review by Nicholas Stern, 7th November 2006. Sir Nicholas Stern was until recently Head of the Government Economic Service within HM Treasury.
(http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk./media/0AE/B8/stern_gurukulchevening_presentation.pdf)

'The most likely outlook is that mass bleaching, leading to death of corals, will become a more frequent event on Australian coral reefs in coming decades'.
(https://www.climatefriendly.com/faqs?q=3)

There have been many reports on global change recently, but there is no getting away from the fact that human activity is increasing atmospheric concentrations of existing greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide and methane and adding new gases such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Many experts believe that these gases are linked to global warming and climate change by way of an enhanced greenhouse effect - the process by which water vapour, carbon dioxide and other gases form a blanket around the earth, trapping heat. Projections indicate that annual average temperatures in Australia could be 0.4-2.0 degrees Celsius (°C) higher by 2030 and 1.0-6.0 °C higher by 2070 (CSIRO 2004a). These estimates are based on world emissions scenarios produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

(http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/97155E66650851FBCA256F7200832FFC?opendocument)

According to the OECD report of 2002, Australia is amongst the highest producers of waste in the world. It generates waste at a rate of 2.25 kilograms per person per day, the majority of which ends up in landfill (AGO 2004). During 2002-03 over 17 million tonnes of waste was disposed of at landfills in Australia. Over 30% of this was domestic or municipal waste.

The management of wastes is an important environmental issue. Some wastes are toxic and can harm living organisms and their disposal is of particular importance. Other wastes, while not directly toxic, can physically harm the environment. For example, wildlife can become entangled in plastic packaging and natural waterways can become blocked by rubbish. Sites that are used to store waste (e.g. tips, landfills) can also impact on the environment. (http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/90a31e6bf324b980ca256f7200832fbd?OpenDocument)

Listed below are a number of ways that you can help the environment!

 

Improve Energy efficiency

Join Green Power (http://www.greenpower.gov.au/)

GreenPower is renewable energy sourced from the sun, the wind, water and waste with more than 350,000 Australian households and over 20,000 businesses supporting the organisation.
  • Check the Energy Star Rating Labels on appliances such as fridges, dishwashers before purchasing or consider replacing old ones.
  • Make sure the correct sized air-conditioners are installed in a home/business.
  • Use energy efficient light bulbs
  • Install Solar Panels
  • Turn it off!
If an appliance has a standby mode, switch it off at the power point when not in use or when you are going away for a few days or more. Energy used by standby power can contribute 10% of a household’s energy bill. Turn off lights when you are out of the room. Don’t leave the computer running when you don’t need it.
http://www.sustainable.energy.sa.gov.au/pages/advisory/residential/energy_use/standby/standby.htm:sectID=14&tempID=53

  • Insulate: Keep heat in during winter and out during summer by installing insulation in the ceiling and walls. Also, stop draughts by sealing cracks and gaps, especially under doors.
  • When upgrading your house, consider Sustainable Living methods. (http://www.sustainablehomebrisbane.com.au/DESIGN.htm)

 

Top Tips for Saving Water!

Some of the simplest ways to reduce our water consumption around the home is by changing our behaviour (or habits). Whilst efficient appliances can help, water conservation doesn't have to cost the earth. Consider the following;
  • Avoid water use in the garden (e.g. sweep paths instead of hosing)
  • Reduce water use (through sustainable use of alternate supplies and reducing consumption of mains water)
  • Re-use (capturing grey water for re-use in the garden through subsurface irrigation)
  • Recycle water (treating waste water or reclaimed water for alternative uses)
  • Disposal (of untreatable water in an appropriate manner so as not to cause detrimental impact on the receiving environment)
  • Waterless car washing? ECOWASH MOBILE, the waterless car wash and polish service that comes to you. http://www.ecowash.com.au/default.asp
This has been adapted from the Water Conservation Handbook, DEH, 2005 (pp. 11-12).

 

Water use inside the home

The following shows generally how water consumption is spread inside the home:

Bathroom 30-35%
Toilet 25%
Laundry 25%
Kitchen 15-20%

  • Ecosmart (save water whilst it’s running hot)
  • Install water tanks
  • Install dual-flushing toilets

Assuming replacement of an older style (11 litre) full flush toilet, a three person household would save more than 42,000 litres per annum (based upon one full flush and four half flushes per person each day using a AAAA-rated toilet)

  • Or even a composting toilet that doesn’t need flushing at all
  • Install a triple rated shower head; the average showerhead uses 20L a minute, a triple-rated shower head uses only 9L a minute.
  • Simple things – turn the tap off whilst brushing teeth. Only wash up once a day.
  • Cut down shower time, invest in a shower timer, limit to 4 minutes!
  • Do one large load of washing rather than 3 smaller ones; Washing machines account for about 25% of our internal water use

Recycle – as much as possible!

  • Plastics, paper, cardboard, cartons, cans, glass etc.
  • Compost food scraps
  • Suggest to people/organisations ways in which they can recycle. http://www.climatefriendly.com/business.php
  • Re-use! Plastic bags when shopping or better still, invest in the cheap but excellent fabric bags that can be used over and over again.

Transport

The flexibility and convenience of road transport comes at an environmental cost. For example, motor vehicles create air pollution and, in particular, greenhouse gas emissions. In the inventory of Australia's greenhouse gas emissions for 2002 (AGO 2004) road transport accounted for 69.9 mega tonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions or 13% of total greenhouse gas emissions, of which 43.5 Mt (62%) came from passenger cars.
http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/0/90a31e6bf324b980ca256f7200832fbd?OpenDocument

  • Hybrid cars - a vehicle designed to run on a combination of both fuel and an electric motor. Personally recommended by Justin Marshall here at UQ!
  • Take Public Transport
  • Car share

Carbon Neutral

Going carbon neutral is an easy way to take responsibility for the greenhouse gas emissions we create every time we drive our cars, take a plane, or turn on our computers. It's based on the principle that, since climate change is a global problem, an emission reduction made elsewhere has the same positive effect as one made locally.

Here's how it works: if you add polluting emissions to the atmosphere, you can effectively subtract them by purchasing 'carbon offsets'. Carbon offsets are simply credits for emission reductions achieved by projects elsewhere, such as wind farms, solar installations, or energy efficiency projects. By purchasing these credits, you can apply them to your own emissions and reduce your net climate impact.

Vegetation plays an important role in reducing the level of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, as trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide from the air and store it as carbon. Under ideal conditions, one million hectares of new forest could absorb about 25 Mt of carbon dioxide a year, which would lower Australia's present carbon dioxide production by about 9% (CSIRO 2004c).


Greenfleet is a non-profit organisation. Our program provides a simple way to reduce your car's impact on the environment. For $40 (tax deductible), Greenfleet will plant 17 native trees on your behalf. These trees will help to create a forest, and as they grow will absorb the greenhouse gases that your car produces in one year ((based on 4.3 tonnes of CO2 for the average car*).
(http://www.greenfleet.com.au/greenfleet/objectives.asp)


References

Berkelmans, R & B.L. Willis 1999: Seasonal and local spatial patterns in the upper thermal limits of corals on the inshore central Great Barrier Reef. Coral Reefs, 18, 55-60.

Hoegh-Guldberg, O. 1999: Climate change, coral bleaching and the future of the world’s coral reefs. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research, 50, 839-866.