How can I help?

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Every one of us has a part to play and can take action in our home and workplace by making minor changes that can impact our community. Below are climate-related steps you can take now and for your future.

Reduce your climate impact

There are many ways you can reduce your climate impact today:

  • Choose renewable energy by buying green power or installing rooftop solar panels. Go to Victorian Energy Compare to search for the best offer. Just remember to click “Only show green offers”. Look at our Solar Savers page for access to the best deals from trusted suppliers of solar panels.
  • Choose energy-efficient appliances and LED lights, and switch off lights and appliances when not in use
  • Cycle, walk or use public transport instead of driving where you can
  • Check out our waste reduction programs. There’s resources to help you recycle right, dispose of difficult goods, and even get discounts on composting equipment! Take a look at our Single Use Plastic Policy to see how else we’re planning on tackling plastic pollution.
  • Buy second-hand before buying something new
  • Shop and eat local
  • Avoid packaging, and always preference the reusable option first, such as water bottles, beeswax wraps, rags, silicone food bags, cotton rounds, menstrual cups and underwear, reusable nappies. Shopping at bulk stores allows you to reduce waste by getting refillable soaps, oils, milks, and even wine! For items that get worn out and need replacing, look for natural fibres like bamboo toothbrushes and combs, coconut dish scrubs, or sea sponges.
  • Try eating vegetarian where you can, particularly avoiding red meat.
  • Consider choosing companies that do not invest in fossil fuels to look after your money and superannuation. Market Forces provide everything you need to make an informed decision.
  • Grow your own food. My Smart Garden has great workshops, tips and resources that can help you get started.
  • Join a climate action group like Climate Action Maribyrnong, AYCC, SEED, Victorian Forest Alliance, or Act on Climate Victoria.
  • Check for volunteering opportunities. Becoming part of a Friends of group can be a great way to connect with your local environment and community. Talk about climate change with your friends and family compassionately. Ask how you think climate change will affect them. 

Becoming more sustainable for the future 

Maribyrnong City Council is committed to supporting our community by offering services and programs that foster a more sustainable future.

Here are a few ways you can be more sustainable at home.

  1. Live Sustainably

    We can’t buy a sustainable planet. It’s a value to consider when you have a choice to make. We can’t shop our way to a green future, but we can’t forgo daily essentials like food, clothes, and cleaning products. When choosing, consider the 5 R’s: Reuse, Repair, refuse, reduce, recycle. If you already have a water bottle, use that one before you consider spending $60 on the “eco-friendly” version. Use up your current shampoo before making the switch to shampoo bars. Instead of spending $200 on the ethically sourced sustainable dress, look at your local op shop or buy, swap and sell group. A lot of cleaning products on our supermarket shelves contain ingredients that can be harmful to the environment. These chemicals used to wash our clothes, dishes, and house have devastating impacts on our planet and its biodiversity. When shopping make sure to avoid chlorine, mineral oil, artificial dyes, fragrances, phosphates, or triclosan. Anything that says hazardous warning, danger, irritant or corrosive will also damage the environments they come into contact with. Check out EcoWatch for a list of certified ecofriendly products.

  2. Learn to Repair What You Have

    Did you know you can get years more use out of your socks by learning to darn or run a heel? Learning basic sewing techniques can extend the life of your clothes and save you money. Check out our community centres for programs to help you gain the skills you need. For everything else, check out a repair café. These are free spaces where volunteers help you bring your broken items back to life.

  3. Beware of Greenwashing

    As we notice our daily choices’ impact on the environment, many of us opt for the more “ethical” product. Some businesses genuinely share sustainable values. However, some use the language of sustainability because they see sustainability is a profitable trend. When a company uses sustainability as a marketing tool without practising it, this is called “Greenwashing”. To spot greenwashing, watch out for “eco-friendly, ethical, sustainable” language that isn’t backed up with evidence. If the claim seems vague, that may be because it’s not true. Another form of greenwashing to keep an eye out for is when a company makes sustainable promises that are out of proportion with the harm they’re responsible for. Websites like Good on You and Ethical can help check a brands actual ethics rating by looking at conditions of workers, source of raw materials, and behaviour of the parent company.

  4. Love your Local

    Support our community and environment by shopping locally. The City of Maribyrnong is home to a range of retail traders, food vendors and local artists, all within walking distance of your home. Spending money in our local shops and restaurants reduces climate impacts from food miles. It can help our community overcome financial adversities faced because of the climate emergency. To find out more about where to shop in our City, visit the Love Your West webpage.

Tools and Resources

Here you will find a list of resources and tools to better understand the climate emergency and local environmental impacts. Share these with friends, family and co-workers to cultivate a cleaner, healthier, greener Maribyrnong.

Climate Emergency Fact Sheet

Climate Emergency - Maribyrnong

Victoria’s Climate Science Report 2019

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