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What You Can Do

Reducing your impact on the environment can also save you money, and improve your health and wellbeing.

15 top tips for living greener

• Reduce your power bill and carbon footprint - Energy prices are rising, but it can be cheap and easy to reduce energy use. For businesses, organise a free energy assessment through Council. If you have a concession card you may be eligible for the Home Power Savings Program which helps reduce energy bills by up to 20%.

• Save on water - Follow some simple and cheap water-saving tips, and arrange for a qualified plumber (through Sydney Water) to visit your home to install water saving devices from $88. For businesses, ask Council for a free water audit.

• Turn off the tap - Install a rainwater tank and use your greywater for toilet-flushing and gardens.

• Save your scraps - Compost your food and garden waste or start a worm farm.

• Go native – Plant native grasses, trees and shrubs and you will use less water in your garden and provide habitat for native biodiversity

• Ditch the car - Walk, ride or catch public transport and save yourself petrol dollars and the hassle of finding a park, get some exercise, avoid the stress of sitting in traffic and reduce your carbon emissions.

• Switch to Green Power (accredited renewable energy) – A simple way you can cut your carbon for a few cents extra a day and support renewable energy like solar and wind power.

• Get your garden growing - Plant a veggie garden, footpath garden or pocket park!

• Recycle your rubbish – Use the colour-coded bins for paper, plastics and glass. Drop off your old computers, TVs and other electronic waste to Council. Check out more recycling tips and services.

• Share the driving - Consider using community car share vehicles such as GoGet & Charter Drive . There are now over 30 allocated car share spaces in Waverley!

• Think before you buy – Be a responsible purchaser and ask key questions: What’s the life expectancy? Is there an Energy Rating if it’s an electronic appliance or whitegood? Where was it made or grown (local is better!)? Is it recyclable? Is there unnecessary packaging? Does it contain dangerous chemicals? Will it save you money in the long term?

• Knowledge is power - Learn more by attending one of Council's free Eco-Wise workshops. Visit 'What's on' to see what's coming up.

• Don’t let living in a unit stop you -  Check out these presentations from one of our sustainability workshops - Sydney Water, Energy Australia and Green Strata Management.

• Go bush - Volunteer with a Waverley Bushcare group and help preserve habitat for our native plants and animals.

• Measure your eco-footprint - Use WWF's 'Footprint Calculator' and find out how to improve your green ratings and lifestyle!

Find out more

• Funding support for your environmental project through Council’s community grants program

• Your school and sustainability

• Check out the environmental online forum we share with Randwick and Woollahra Councils on ways to reduce your eco-footprint at home and work.

Talk to us

• Email Council’s Environmental Services Team anytime or call us on 9369 8000.

• Sign up to our Monthly Environmental News Update.