Natural gas and electricity to heat the average 3-person house in Canberra generate to 300 to 600 kilograms of carbon dioxide and equivalent emissions (CO2e) per person per year. Slab heating is at the high end of that range.
The best way to cut back is for our government to bury their twenty-year feud and switch the grid to renewables, but here's what you can do until then.
Turn down your heat. Set your heater two or three degrees lower than usual, day and night. It will feel cold at first but your family will quickly adjust (mine did). Wear more clothes inside. Snuggle under a doona on the couch in front of TV. This willreduce your emissions from winter heating by one third.
Add insulation & eliminate draughts. Add insulation to your wall cavities and roof spaces. Reduce window heat loss with pelmets, blinds or double glazing (either the real stuff or a cheap plastic film). Eliminate draughts at doors, cracks and vents (but allow some fresh air to breathe). Whether you opt for a professional job or cheap DIY, picking a few of these steps will reduce your winter heat emissions by another third.
THIS IS THE SECOND OF TEN INSTALLATIONS AT 'ART, NOT APART 2019'.
CAN YOU FIND NINE MORE HIDDEN AROUND THE FESTIVAL?
Lego kindly on loan from The Green Shed.
Data and sources are here. See also Blog Posts for Weeks Seven, Eight and Nine.