Sustainable lifestyle in Brisbane - Are we there yet?

SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE IN BRISBANE: ARE WE THERE YET?

Sustainable Development

Social

EnvironmentalEconomic

Sustainability

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs – Brundtland Commission 1987

Brisbane

• Population: 2.15 million– 2% indigenous (Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islanders)– 30% born overseas

• Median age: 35• Median weekly household

income: A$1,388

* Source: Census ABS 2011

Factors affecting sustainable lifestyle

• Energy Consumption• Food habits• Water usage• Means of transportation

Unsustainable use of Energy

• Energy Consumption in Brisbane CBD is 280 MW– In Greater Brisbane it peaks to 4500 MW (same as

the consumption of Delhi, with population of 16M, in 2011)

• 95% of energy produced in Australia is through non-renewable resources– 37% by black and brown coal– 35% by petroleum products

Can we make a difference?

• Start with little things. Educate people, so they – understand the importance of energy

conservation– hang clothes outside instead of using driers– use heavy appliances during off peak hours– turn TV and appliances off when not in use

Energy

Take a step further

• Households to install solar panels – Australia’s dry climate and latitude is very favorable for

solar energy – Supply energy back to grid and start earning

• However, installation is expensive and government rebates are less and for shorter durations

Energy

Why schemes to promote use of solar panels fail

No. of Households with solar

panels increases

Demand of energy from energy distributers decreases + Excess

energy fed back to grid

Infrastructure and distribution costs

remain same. Cost passed to less

number of householdsEnergy prices

soar up

Medium and low income groups can’t

sustain growing energy prices

Rebates are pulled off

Government starts rebates

for Solar Panels

Energy

Why not start a business

• It takes about 15 years to break even the cost of solar panels

• Start a business that would – Install panels for households based on their average energy

consumed– Install them for free– Charge them the same average amount that they used to pay

to their energy company– Charge this amount for just 25 years

• It leads to sustainable lifestyle and leaves people richer over a period of time

Energy

Bad food habits

• Almost every person in Brisbane goes either to Coles or Woolworths for grocery

• These two supermarket giants control – 80% of grocery sales– 50% of horticulture sales– 68% of meat sales in Australia

So what’s the harm ??

Behind the shelves• Food grown by mass industrial agriculture in few countries• Packaged in some other countries• put in storage for months, before it ends up on shelves in

Brisbane

Food

Effects of mass production

• Industrial agriculture relies on heavy irrigation, extensive pesticide and fertilizer application, Intensive tillage, concentrated monoculture production. This leads to– Declining water tables– Chemical leaching and runoff– Soil erosion and land degradation– Loss in biodiversity

• Packaging and transportation is resource and energy exhaustive

Food

Change your food habits

• Buy local and seasonal produce– Shop at farmers market– Participate in Community

Supported Agriculture• Take your own shopping bags,

avoid plastic• Grow in your backyard• STOP wasting food

Food

Changes in Policy

• Government should mandate superstores to have at least 25% of products produced, processed and packaged in Australia

• Improve design in packaging that promotes– Reuse– recycling

Food

Water• BCC estimates a water

consumption of 1,100 L per family (2 adults, 2 children) per day

• In Greater Brisbane it is 174 L per person per day

• In 1990s it was 700 L per person per day

• The big change was because of ‘Millennium Drought’ 2000-2008 that led to new supply and demand strategies

* BCC: Brisbane City Council

Some facts

• Though there has been a big improvement, it is still not sustainable

• Australia is the driest continent on earth• Brisbane’s population is expected to reach 4M

by 2050• With water resources still the same, the

consumption is not sustainable

Water

Measures to make it sustainable• Use less

– Use 7L/min instead of standard 9L/min shower heads. Limit shower time to 4 minutes or less

– Use dishwasher when it is full– Turn off tap when brushing or shaving– Wash your car on lawn if possible

• Stop Polluting– Choose cleaning products that are chemical free and environmental friendly

• Start Conserving– Create depressions and gullies in gardens– Install rain water tanks

Water

Transport

• For SEQ in the 20 year period up to 2011– Population increased 60%– Person trips increased by 70%

• However, use of public transport continues to decline– 40% in 1960 to less than 10% today

* SEQ: South East Queensland

Issue• Increasing population and reduced use

of public transport has lead to more cars on roads, causing– Congestion– Pollution– High energy usage

• Limited space available to build additional infrastructure to even support current needs. Forget future!– Moreover building more infrastructure

does not solve this issue

Transport

Government needs to plan• Reduce soaring fares– Take into account the hidden costs. Less private traffic means

• Reduced carbon emissions• Less accidents. Saves insurance and medical costs• Reduced travel time - higher efficiencies at work

• Increase the frequency of services• Encourage car pooling– Build more roads for high utilization vehicles

• Make private travel less favorable– Add city entrance fee at peak hours

• Use more fuel efficient vehicles

Transport

Encourage people to..

• Cycle to work once a week• Car pool with co-workers

Transport

New business idea !

• Multiple taxis run on mostly common routes with single passengers/parties at the same time

• Start pooled taxi services– Pick up people on the way who have similar drop

off locations– Pass on the benefits to customers, and keep some

for the new taxi company

Transport

Conclusion

A sustainable Brisbane

Effort to change

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