Waste Not

By Gavin Pereira**

Climate change, and in fact many of the world’s other problems, can be pinned down to 2 key factors; population growth and the use of fossil fuels. The former has put a massive strain on the planet’s resources, and the projections for 9 Billion by 2050 are worrying as much from a climate change as a resource security perspective.

It is within this context that the Carbon Reduction Institute will favour carbon credits and carbon reduction measures with respect to resource conservation. Since inception, our tag-line in regards to our offset choice is that “The Cleanest Kilowatt is the One Not Used” – we favour energy efficiency projects as they recognize that energy, like all of the planet’s resources increasingly need to be viewed from within the prism of sustainability.

Recycling and energy efficiency are our two favourite forms of carbon reduction, as they are do-able in the short term, avoid emissions, preserve resources and save money. There’s no point in planting trees to offset carbon emissions if you aren’t recycling your paper…

Whilst people are aware of the emissions reductions that can be achieved from energy efficiency, many are unaware of the savings that can be achieved from recycling. For example, if an office can halve its landfill waste from 2 wheelie bins to 1 wheelie bin per week, then it can save over 4 Tonnes of greenhouse gas over a year! If the company were NoCO2, then this would lead to a $52 annual saving in its cost for neutrality.

Here are some of the facts:

· If recycled, each aluminium can saves 767 grams of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. If each household recycled one extra aluminium can every week, this would lead to an annual reduction of over 295,000 Tonnes of greenhouse gas per year. This is because recycled aluminium requires 95% less energy to manufacture
· Recycling a case of VB bottles saves 7.5 kilograms of greenhouse gas
· Ensuring that a small old car is recycled can save more than the average per capita carbon footprint of the world; more than 4 tonnes of greenhouse emissions.
· Recycling every copy of Sydney’s Daily Telegraph would save 4500 tonnes. Individuals who let their newspapers go to landfill will unnecessarily cause 350 kilograms of extra greenhouse gas each year.

So start recycling and help solve climate change!

**Gavin Pereira is the Environmental Director of the Carbon Reduction Institute and a Photovoltaic and Solar Energy Engineer. Among his proudest achievements was his first sip from a carbon neutral beer from a reusable schooner glass at the Agincourt Hotel.