Planet Ark is working in collaboration with My Local Guide to bring you the following feature articles to help us work together to improve the environment:

• Kicking Tyres - How Much CO2 Does Your Car Emit?
• Feature: Ecofriendly Laundry Powder
• Planet Ark & Climate Change

Kicking Tyres - How Much CO 2 Does Your Car Emit?

With rising petrol prices and more people wanting to play their part in preventing dangerous climate change, the Green Vehicle Guide's new Fuel Cost Calculator is an extremely timely development.

This web-based consumer tool lets you estimate the annual cost of running a particular make and model of car based on current or future fuel prices as well as the distance you drive. It will also calculate the vehicle's annual CO 2 emissions. Filling up the car can have a significant impact on the weekly budget. Knowing this cost in advance will help you make an informed choice and ultimately buy a car you can afford.

Not surprisingly the Toyota Prius had the lowest annual fuel bill at $990 and CO 2 emissions of 1.6 tonnes. This compares with the two biggest selling family cars which have annual fuel bills of more then $2,400 and emissions levels of more than 3.6 tonnes of CO 2 .

Check out the guide to rate your car www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au

This article was reprinted courtesy of Planet Ark

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Feature: Aware Eco Choice Laundry Powder

So you want to do something to help the environment but you don't know where to start? Why not start in the laundry?

• Aware Eco Choice Laundry Powder is now available from Coles and Bi-Lo, Woolworths and Safeway Supermarkets nationally and K-Mart stores.
• What's so good about Aware Laundry Powder? The health and environmental benefits of Aware Laundry Powder are listed briefly below:-
  • Really works and will save you money!
  • Is made without phosphates
  • Is readily biodegradable
  • Is made without petrochemicals
  • Is low allergy
  • Contains no optical brighteners or enzymes
  • Is not tested on animals
  • Is concentrated and sensibly packaged
  • Is Australian made & owned
  • Is energy efficient
  • Helps raise funds for Planet Ark's campaigns.
• And a water saving tip for everyone including drought affected areas: Aware Laundry Powder is so safe you can use your used laundry water (grey water) straight on the garden!!

This article was reprinted courtesy of Planet Ark

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Feature Article: Planet Ark and Climate Change

• Planet Ark's aim is to show people and business the many ways that they can reduce their day-to-day impact on the environment - at home, at work and in the community.
• We believe that human induced climate change caused by the huge growth in greenhouse gas emissions is the greatest problem ever faced by humankind and one that could lead to the end of civilzation as we know it.
• The intention of the flyer "An Inconvenient Truth - 6 ways to save the environment and your wallet!" is to educate people about the need to address the issue of climate change. A list of steps that people can take to help reduce their impact on the environment in the home is then provided.
• If only a small portion of those receiving the flyer act on it, then carbon emissions will be reduced- that is a positive outcome. Planet Ark are proud to be part of this initiative.

What Can You Do?

What is Australia's contribution to Global Warming?

Over the past 100 years the world has grown rich on a diet of carbon rich fossil fuels such oil, coal and gas. One of the downsides of the huge amount of fossil fuels we have burnt is that it is now affecting the stability of our climate though global warming.

Each year, Australians emit more than 550 million tonnes of greenhouse gases. That's an average of 26 tonnes per person (enough gas to fill around 26 typical 3 bedroom houses). This includes emissions from a variety of sources, many of which are 'downstream', for example the greenhouse gases emitted in growing, transporting and having your food stored in a supermarket.

Per person, Australians are the highest greenhouse gas emitters in the world.

Directly, our households generate about a fifth of this total through everyday activities such as driving to work, heating or cooling our houses, heating water, lighting and electrical appliances. Even sending our food waste to be buried in landfills creates greenhouse gases. This equals about 15 tonnes per household each year, though this varies depending on: the size and number of people in the house, and the size and number of cars the family owns.

How do I cut this down and go on a 'carbon diet'?

Like any good diet you need a strategy. Our recommended strategy is to first calculate your carbon output, then set a target of how much carbon 'weight' you want to lose. There are many good carbon calculators online.

A good target is 50%, as that is roughly the proportion we need to 'lose' globally to stabilise climate change. The three stages we recommend you go through are:

Reduce - the amount of carbon you put out. An example is replacing incandescent globes with compact fluorescents.

Replace - fossil fuel based energy with renewable. An example is to replace black coal fired power electricity with renewable energy.

Offset - your carbon. An example is to have trees planted to offset the emissions of items such as car and air travel.

Below is Planet Ark's suggested list of the most important ways of reducing your carbon.

Great choices you can make right now:

• Switch off lights and appliances when they're not needed. Simple but very effective.
• Install energy-efficient compact fluorescent lamps. They can save up to 80% of your lighting bill and last up to 8 times longer.
• Cut hot water usage by installing a 3-star, water-efficient showerhead, taking shorter showers and using cold-water clothes washing.
• Switch to a GreenPower electricity contract. Get the maximum % of GreenPower you can afford. For the most competitive rates go to our survey www.planetark.com/greenpowertable/
• Switch to low greenhouse impact transport options like your legs, bicycles or public transport. Use phone, email or video conferencing wherever possible.
• Make your home more pleasant to live in and reduce your need for home heating and cooling by installing insulation, draft-sealing and shading.
• If you have a heating or cooling system set the thermostat appropriately. Each degree you turn it up summer and down in winter can save you 10% in energy.
• Divert garden and food wastes from landfill to composting (either at home or through a Council scheme - if they don't have one ring them up and ask for one to be set up).

Great choices you can make in the future:

• When buying your next car ask if you really need it - maybe a public transport pass, a good bicycle and an occasional taxi ride will do the job. You will save lots of money and get fit as well.
• If you still decide you need a car, then buy a fuel-efficient one such as a hybrid. For ratings of the most efficient cars and to find out how efficient you current car is, go to www.greenvehicleguide.gov.au
• When choosing a home location, consider the time and cost of travel from there to work, school, shops and leisure activities
• When replacing an electric hot water service, install a solar unit preferably backed by natural gas. Go to www.HillsSolar.com for the most efficient system on the market.
• When building, renovating, or buying a home, aim for high energy-efficiency. Go to www.greenhouse.gov.au/yourhome/ for more info.
• Buy energy-efficient appliances. This is very important for appliances that get used often such as fridges and washing machines and last a long time. Just don't pick the cheapest as the extra upfront cost is paid for by your power bill savings. Go to www.energyrating.gov.au/ to pick the most efficient.

This article was reprinted courtesy of Planet Ark