Climate Change

Climate change will impact on the lifestyle we lead. The potential impacts of climate change in the South West are broad and may involve:

• Increased coastal erosion and inundation leading to reduced access to the coast.
• Lower but more intense levels of rainfall threatening stormwater systems and causing floods.
• Changes in building heating and cooling costs.
• Increased likelihood of storm damage on public amenities.
• Loss of beach width.
• Changes in river flows and potential for more river mouth closures.
• Damage to coastal infrastructure.

Council

• Installed a solar panel system on the Library to produce electricity.
• Purchase of hybrid vehicles, electric bike, and dedicated gas vehicles.
• Purchase of 20% accredited green power.
• Purchase of energy efficient office equipment.
• Use of energy efficient lighting and timers for water heating.
• TravelSmart: Targets employees commuting from home to work.
• A substantial tree planting programme of 15,000 trees that helps offset the Council’s greenhouse gas emissions.
• Tracking energy use, fleet use and greenhouse gas emissions through subscription to Planet Footprint.
• Council staff are encouraged to catch the train and stay at the only carbon neutral hotel in Melbourne.

Community

• Solar bulk buy conducted in 2010 resulting in 400 people attending workshops and 150 solar panel systems installed to produce electricity.
• Community inventory investigation.
• Walking School Bus™: Encourages children to walk to school in organised groups.

Travel

• Ride to Work Day: Provided a healthy breakfast as part of the campaign by Bicycle Victoria to encourage people to ride to work.
• Bike Able Warrnambool: Encourages bicycles as transport.
• Wunta TravelSmart Bike Ride: Families took part in a ride along the foreshore and back through city streets to breakwater (10km ride).

Future greenhouse abatement actions

• Continue to educate Council staff on energy efficiency by implementing energy management project primarily relating to Council buildings.
• Continue to promote alternative transport to and from work.
• Allocation of appropriate staff time to the CCP programme.
• Reporting annual measures, this will gather information on greenhouse abatement actions highlighting the financial savings and investment.
• Continue to investigate better public transport options.

For more information please follow this link to www.climatechange.gov.au/en/climate-change.aspx