Climate change - what can you do?

Cool Changes is our program that works with local communities across the shire to facilitate the development of local climate action plans. The program enacts a council commitment in its Climate Change Action Plan, adopted in June 2017.

Cool Changes is based on the principle of community-led planning, whereby members of a local community determine the content of the action plan, and are therefore more likely to take ownership of the plan and ensure implementation of its actions. Our role as a facilitator is to provide a forum where the development of the plan can be guided by independent consultants working with the community. 

You can still be involved in the Cool Changes programs. Our current groups are:

• Macedon and Mt Macedon
• Kyneton
• Gisborne
• Riddells Creek
• Romsey and Lancefield
• Woodend
• Malmsbury

Email Council's Sustainability Officer, Justin Walsh at juwalsh@mrsc.vic.gov.au to find out how you can be part of the community-led action.

Three Sustainable Home Kits are available to borrow for residents via the Woodend, Romsey and Gisborne libraries.

The kits include:

• Thermal camera – to identify draughts and heat/cooling-loss spots
• Power meter – to identify electricity usage of individual appliances
•  Energy saving thermometer – to build understanding of seasonal temperature comfort levels
•  The Energy Freedom Homes handbook – a practical guide to home energy efficiency and reduction.

These kits allow the community to conduct self-assessments of their homes and offer a practical pathway to increasing energy efficiency. Whilst saving residents money on energy bills, these kits also empower the community to implement household changes in a climate emergency.

Library members can reserve a kit via the library catalogue, or by visiting the Woodend, Romsey or Gisborne libraries. 

Around 40% of the world’s energy resources are used in our buildings – both residential and commercial.

Sustainable design is a key priority in the development of today’s built environment. It assists with protecting our environment, secures today's living standards and future-proofs our community against rising energy, water and waste disposal costs.

Using sustainable design principles will save energy, water and money while creating a healthy and comfortable building. Considering environmentally sustainable design principles in the early stage of your development gives you the greatest opportunity to make a sustainable difference and to save the most money.

View our environmentally sustainable design fact sheet(PDF, 8MB) outlining key sustainable building categories.

Sustainability Victoria

The Victorian Government's Sustainability Victoria has a range of information on current rebates, information about saving water and energy and reducing waste.

The sustainable design and energy efficiency section provides more specific information on a sustainable approach to building or renovating your home.

Your Home

An excellent resource for individuals seeking to improve their understanding of environmentally sustainable design concepts and practice - Your Home provides a wide range of advice and design guides for passive design and building.

Includes the Your Home Renovators Guide, Your Home Buyer’s Guide and Your Home Technical Manual. 

Tankulator

Use the free online Tankulator to help you calculate what size rainwater tank best suits your need.

Sunulator

The Sunulator is a free simulation tool that can help you plan for grid-connected solar power. Simulates generation, consumption and battery management data on a half-hourly basis over an entire year and subsequently calculates feasibility over a 30-year time frame.

Renew

The national, non for profit organisation Renew provides resources and advice to enable people to live sustainably in their homes and communities

Everyone in the community will continue to experience the direct and indirect impacts of climate change, regardless of their circumstances.

Elderly or isolated people may be more affected by extreme weather events and be concerned about the legacy they’re leaving to future generations; young people may be affected by an increase in natural disasters and the increase stresses on cost of living.

We can be a community that prioritises connections and cohesion in a climate emergency.

Bridging the Divide

The World Health Organisation has declared climate change to be the biggest threat to humanity and by bridging our intergenerational divides we are about to create a stronger, more resilient community in a changing climate.

Council asked residents, young and old, their perspectives on climate change. Questions spanned from why they love the nature we live amongst in the Macedon Ranges to who what they believe other generations should be doing to ensure a safe and flourishing future.

This project resulted in multiple resources for the community:

• Conversation cards(PDF, 3MB): designed to assist more conversations about climate change throughout the shire. Download and use around the kitchen table, classroom or camp fire
• Climate Change and Mental Health fact sheet(PDF, 2MB): Learn of the complexities of how climate change can impact our mental health
• Climate Change and Physical Health fact sheet(PDF, 1MB): Learn of the direct and indirect effects that climate change will have to our physical health.
• Short film: These intergenerational conversations show there more many similarities of the perspectives of young and older residents towards climate change. View the film shorts

Action on climate change can come in many forms, and ‘conversation’ offers a simple, inclusive and inspiring gateway.

Council would like to thank Central Victorian Primary Care Partnerships (now transitioned into Loddon Mallee Public Health Unit) for making this project possible. Our most sincere thanks to all community members that participated in the project.   

If you're a school or community group and would like to get a copies of the conversations cards or fact sheets, email the Environment team at environment@mrsc.vic.gov.au

Grants and rebates can help you to reduce the upfront expense of installing energy and water saving measures in your home. Reducing energy and water consumption can also reduce the future running costs of your home or business.

Federal and state governments offer a range of rebates and other assistance to help you to live greener.

Australian Government initiatives

Energy.gov.au offers the ability to search for rebates, grants or support according to location or type of rebate.

Clean Energy Regulator is the Government body responsible for administering legislation that will reduce carbon emissions and increase the use of clean energy. It manages programs like The Small-Scale Renewable Energy Scheme which creates a financial incentive for households and small businesses to install eligible small-scale renewable energy systems such as solar panel systems, small-scale wind systems, small-scale hydro systems, solar water heaters and air source heat pumps. The rebate is determined by the number of Small-Scale Technology Certificates an installation attracts.

Victorian Government Initiatives

The state government has several programs that benefit households and businesses while contributing to targets for renewable energy generation and greenhouse emissions reduction. 

The Victorian Energy Upgrades program  provides access to discounted energy saving products and services, enabling householders and small businesses to save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The website has information about eligible products and services, and how accredited providers operate to ensure that works undertaken within the program contribute to state government targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions  

Solar Victoria has several programs to assist installation of solar systems or improve energy efficiency, including the Solar panel rebate, Solar battery loans and Hot water rebate.

Sustainability Victoria  delivers a range of programs to improve energy efficiency and reduce waste for households and businesses. For example, information about reducing emissions associated with operation of a business can be found at reducing emissions in business.

Regional programs

MASH (More Australian Solar Homes) was a non-for-profit community solar bulk-buy program that operated in central and northern Victoria from 2015-2022. The findings of a review conducted in 2023 will inform whether a similar or new program will be established in 2024.

More information about grants available to the community can be found at the recently established Macedon Ranges Grants Hub.

Earlier this year Council ran three home sustainability webinars alongside Renew, a leader in education and taking practical action on climate change. Renew's presenters have expert, independent knowledge, extensive experience presenting and a passion for empowering sustainable living within Australian homes. Recordings can be found below in case you missed out.

All-Electric Homes 

Recent research suggests that by 2024 a household in Melbourne will save more than $2,700 a year by going all-electric.

But ditching gas in favour of electric solutions isn’t only a way to save on your energy bills, it’s also better for the environment and your health. With so many options for electric heating, hot water, and cooking, how can you be sure where to start? And how much does it cost?

Electric Vehicles

With fuel prices rising steadily, it’s time for Australians to embrace electric vehicles. But finding independent advice can be tricky! This webinar will give you the information that you need to go electric.

Designing for Resilience 

As our climate becomes increasingly precarious, the need for us to build and renovate our homes for resilience becomes more pertinent than ever.

The problem is, so many of our homes are not well equipped to deal with the varying weather extremes that characterise modern life. Despite the Melbourne cold and heat, many older homes are uninsulated or lack other basic means of providing households a comfortable refuge from the outside climate.