Phone 4342 2070 Fax 4342 2071 Email us
2002 (c) Peninsula Community Access Newspaper Inc
Energy smart colouring competition
Peninsula News is running a colouring competition for young readers as part of the "Live Energy Smart" campaign.
The campaign is aimed at raising local awareness of the effect local people are having on climate change.
The competition design features the Energy Smart Zone characters "Gusto", "Sola", "Squirt", "Fluro" and "Watt" from the website www.energysmartzone.com .
People without home access to the internet can book time at Gosford Council libraries, or ask about allowing children access to the energysmartzone site at their school.
Staff from Ettalong Public School's art department will judge the competition and will choose a winner on Monday, September 16, from all entries received by last post on Friday, September 13.
The prize pack is valued at $60 and includes a Whirlpool sports bag, a Live Energy Smart calico bag, an appliance thermometer to check appliances are operating at the correct temperatures, a two-in-one fridge magnet that can be used as a photo frame.
It also includes a colourful postcard that lists all of the free brochures available from the Energy Smart Information Centre, six stickers featuring the Energy Smart Zone characters, with fun advice on saving energy around the home and a brochure packed with information on how to save money on energy bills.
Retravision, along with Whirlpool and the Sustainable Energy Development Authority of NSW (SEDA), are conducting the "Live Energy Smart" campaign from August 11 to September 15.
have launched a campaign to encourage Central Coast residents to live energy smart.
According to Umina and Woy Woy Retravision owner, Alan Hardy, the campaign is designed to encourage Central Coast residents to consider energy efficiency when purchasing electrical appliances.
"The average NSW home emits twice as much greenhouse gas as the family car every year," said Allan.
"By choosing an appliance with a high star rating, not only can customers save considerably on water consumption, but because of the energy efficiency, they can also save on energy bills.
A "Reach for the Stars" Consumer Buyer Guide will be available at Umina and Woy Woy Retravision, detailing useful information on the energy rating of appliances to assist local customers.
"We are also pleased to have in store the new SEDA brochure "How to Live Energy Smart", packed with tips and information on how to live more energy efficiently, reducing your energy bill and your greenhouse gas emissions," said Alan.
Live Energy Smart is a NSW Government initiative raising awareness of the environmental impacts of household energy usage, and profiling initiatives, products and policies that help reduce greenhouse emissions from the residential sector.
In a recent email to Peninsula News, author of the Earth Garden building book "Design and Build your own House" suggested that building homes with strawbale walls would make a significant reduction to greenhouse gas production.
Dr Bob Rich said: "Straw is a major waste product of agriculture, and millions of tonnes are burnt each year.
Burning one tonne of straw generates the same amount of carbon dioxide as burning one tonne of wood.
"Forty-five percent of all the energy consumed in the world is used in the manufacturing and transportation of building and construction materials.
"The making of one house brick generates one kilogram of carbon dioxide.
Building using straw bale walls reduced greenhouse gas emission by both reducing the amount of straw being burnt and the amount of energy consumed in manufacturing wall materials, he said.
"Imagine the environmental benefits of a strawbale city!"