This is the end – but also is the beginning.
After a year (2009) of trying to change my habits and sticking to some pretty hardcore rules I have finished the experiment.
Now it seems kind of ludicrous that I can just punch in some numbers and suddenly i am able to relieve my guilt by buying some trees. But I think that the surprising thing in these numbers is the large piece of the pie that is Flights. This is something i did not expect and to be honest probably something i could not avoid as they were all work flights.
I am proud of the waste and energy figures, these were the things i expected to be high. Having renewables in the electricity department helped a lot. But waste for me was the big thing – this was something i could actually control and change. I think about every single thing i buy now and where it has come from and where it will end up, and this thinking is now set in my head, a checklist everytime i bring something into my ownership.
Being vegetarian and having a compost bin also kept down the figures in the food department.
So what now?
Well I have begun a major art project called Visible City which I wanted from the very start to have a towards zero emissions target for itself. As a consequence my partner organisation, the Melbourne Fringe Festival is employing a ‘Green Intern’ who will not only ensure the sustainability of Visible City but will also attempt to provide a brief for all of the artists working on the Festival.
Working with Willoh S.Weiland as art collaboration Deadpan, we have also instituted a tree buy back scheme to cover all of our carbon for the projects we have undertaken.
I have begun work on a major project slated for 2012 which deals with the human effect of climate change.
All of this has been a consequence of trying to make a small shift in thinking on the domestic front.
If I was to provide tips for future people attempting to go zero for the first time they would be;
- Know where your energy comes from
- Know where your food comes from
- Know how the products you are buying will end up
- Don’t use a car, buy a hybrid vehicle or use public transport
- Try to avoid flying
- Get a compost bin
I’m sure there are heaps of others and maybe i can refine this more in the future…
I will continue to add links to this site in the future but for now this is the end of the regular updating of this blog…maybe…
