Climate action, including supporting solar and going electric will reduce the cost of living
Better climate policy will help reduce your energy bills and improve your health
- Supporting solar and energy storage significantly reduces household electricity costs.
- Moving away from gas to efficient electric appliances slashes energy bills.
- Electrifying cars, supporting cycling infrastructure and improving public transport lowers the cost of living.
- Walkable neighbourhoods and improving green spaces and tree cover protects our health and reduces costs.
Climate action not only reduces the cost of living but protects our quality of life
Points to consider
Putting on solar PV
Lower energy bills by generating your own clean energy
$1200 per year – that’s how much solar households save on average, with our grid now at 46% clean (AEMO, Q4 2024).
- Solar is incredibly popular – nearly four million Australian homes have solar panels
- Solar panels with electric appliances future proof (p10) against rising power costs.
- Climate impacts? Solar PV and storage increases resilience during extreme weather at home and at the community level.
Solar panels increases property values by 4-6% or more.
A Domain report states sustainability features such as solar panels and rain water tanks can increase home selling price by $100,000 or more.
Homes with solar panels also sell more quickly.
Going electric saves
Shifting away from gas to efficient electric appliance cuts energy bills significantly
- Going electric reduces household energy consumption by 60% (pp 6-7)
- Shifting to electric heating and cooling and electric hot water can drop costs by 50-66% (pp 13-14).
Going electric with a HECS-style plan
Certified Macarthur genius, Saul Griffiths from Rewiring Australia has proposed that people should be able to switch to fully electric homes on a HECS style scheme.
This would reduce household costs over $4000 a year with an EV, radically reducing pollution and emissions, and allowing an orderly transition away from gas.
Vulnerable households would be able to benefit from more comfortable, affordable homes, and the taxpayer would reap savings in avoided gas infrastructure build out and reduced health costs.
Comfortable energy efficient homes
The cheapest energy is the energy you don’t use
Supporting energy efficiency will lower heating and cooling costs and reduce electricity and gas usage.
- Energy efficiency lowers energy bills and increases home comfort.
- DIY or low cost solutions can make a bit impact – draught stopping, heavy drapes, even the humble door sausage.
- Ecomaster have a vast collection of videos and guides on how to install floor or ceiling insulation installation, draught proofing, window leak sealing and more.
Get started with DIY draught proofing!
Draught proofing is the simplest and cheapest way to reduce your energy costs – if your home leaks, you can reduce your heating and cooling bills by 20-50%!
Check out this Renew article with handy tips and rating draught proofing products.
Keeping us cool
Reducing urban heat impacts
Shade matters. Tree canopies reduce urban heat impacts and improve our health.
- ABC: The rise in high density townhouse developments, especially in the west, is associated with the urban heat effect and higher death rates in heat waves.
- Urban density with lower tree cover can result in suburbs that are ten degrees hotter.
- ABC: Increasing tree cover and adding green roofs and green canopy features can reduce surface temperatures by 40%.
Trees increase your physical and mental health, reducing sick days.
Trees provide affordable cooling, so important for gardens, streets and schools. Shaded areas do not radiate heat back indoors and reduce stress when walking outside.
Deakin reports a major Dutch study finding that living within 1km of green spaces reduces major disease, increasing income generating capacity
Walkable neighbourhoods, healthy communities
Better urban design supports thriving communities
Good planning decisions contribute to climate action and supporting lower costs of living, lower transport times, boosts connectivity and social cohesion, making it easier to share resources.
Strong targets and clean energy policy provide certainty for investors. The Coalition plans to slow down the clean energy rollout in favour of expanding gas and prolonging the live of coal power.
Policy support for sustainable design lowers costs and boosts property values
Urban greening is considered to be an important pillar in government planning, for instance Action 91 in 5yr Plan Melbourne Action Plan sets targets and support for urban forest goals, precast planning, streets scapes and more.
The Property Council of Australia estimates property values rise up to 7% if living close to a park.
Supporting public and electric transport options
Better transport options lower costs and help communities thrive
Climate action includes improving electric vehicle infrastructure and improving public transport to help reduce household costs.
Solar PV increases household energy independence
Check out Solar Victoria’s comprehensive guide to planning your solar system, including sizing, usage patterns and getting expert trusted installers.
Climate action supports our communities and protects nature
Whether it’s large scale renewables and storage or your very own solar PV, clean energy reducing emissions and increases our resilience
- Putting on panels, adding rooftop insulation or going electric all increase resilience and energy independence.
- Making our own energy at home, and switching to efficient electric appliances locks in prices – retail electricity prices are tied to gas export prices which are vulnerable to global shocks like the war on Ukraine or the pandemic.
- At a wider level, good planning that protects communities from rising heat or fosters connectivity and mobility lowers our costs.
Climate action will drops household costs now, and protects from much higher costs later on
A problem – our politicians are still approving new coal and gas
Even though Australia has world leading solar and wind resources, and massive potential for renewables-led exports, our government still is promoting gas expansion. Currently, including exports, Australia contributes a whopping 4.5% of global emissions, continuing to damage our climate.
- Accelerating climate action would set Australia up to be a clean energy superpower, transforming manufacturing and exports.
- Australia is vulnerable to increasing climate damage from fires, droughts and floods, according to the latest State of the Climate CSIRO report.
Moving to clean energy will lower costs, increase our resilience, and protect our future.
Further Information
Lighter Footprints information
Going electric and energy efficiency
- Entertaining short video on electrification with home energy expert Tim Forcey
- Home energy assessments – summary blog
- Insulation and draught proofing – informative video highlights
- Health benefits of getting off gas – Dr Genevieve Cowie video highlights
Energy
- We can do this! Richard Denniss, The Australia Institute, gives us a rousing call to move faster towards clean energy.
- Delaying renewables and expanding fossil exports – more details on nuclear and CCS here.
Authorised by Lighter Footprints Inc, Register No A0095302A, 12 Segtoune St, Kew, Victoria
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