CHRIS HARRIES, Launch of novel community based climate project, Sunday August 30
A southern Tasmania community is challenging all Tasmanian householders to beat soaring energy costs by slashing their energy consumption.
Launching its state government funded ‘climate connect’ project, the Waterworks Valley Community says all householders can rise to the challenge and they can do it with a sense of fun.
Project coordinator Mr Chris Harries said rather than view the climate change crisis with despondency, Tasmanians should see the creation of a low-energy future as a living adventure and a personal challenge.
“Street-by-street, community-by-community, suburb-by-suburb members of the public can challenge each other to outperform everyone else. We have already seen some outstanding examples in every corner of our state.”
“Tasmanians can defy rising energy costs whilst helping the state reduce its carbon footprint”, Mr Harries said
The Waterworks community, working alongside business group EcoTasmania Inc, is conducting the pilot project in the South Hobart / Dynnyrne area to find out how households can overcome the barriers that prevent them from reducing their carbon footprints.
“We know that over 90 percent of the population is very concerned about climate change, but householders find themselves confronted by a range of psychological, practical and other barriers.”
Mr Harries said the Australian public is being inundated with well-intentioned advice on how to save energy but much of this effort is of little value because it has not taken into account the ‘drivers’ that motivate people to act on their concerns.
The project aims to use the information to assist communities throughout Tasmania overcome barriers to shrinking their collective carbon footprint.
(The attached graphic is of garden signs that participating households will be erecting in their front gardens.
An on-site photo should be available by end of today, meanwhile you are welcome to use this graphic.)
