FAQs (Frequently asked questions)
Do you have questions we haven’t answered here? Let us know and we’ll add it to our FAQ page.
Carbon footprint
Q: What is a carbon footprint and why is it important?
A: A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases (including carbon dioxide and methane) that are generated by our actions.
The average carbon footprint for a person in the United States is 16 tons, one of the highest rates in the world. Globally, the average carbon footprint is closer to 4 tons. To have the best chance of avoiding a 2℃ rise in global temperatures, the average global carbon footprint per year needs to drop to under 2 tons by 2050. Source: https://www.nature.org/en-us/get-involved/how-to-help/carbon-footprint-calculator/
The carbon footprint per capita in Australia is 15.10 tons (!), most European countries have a carbon footprint per capita that is half of ours, e.g. Norway’s carbon footprint per capita is 8.04 tons. Source: https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/carbon-footprint-by-country
EVS
Q: Isn’t an Electric Vehicle as bad as a car with a petrol/diesel engine.
A: No, one of the key findings from a recent study comparing electric vehicles, hybrid vehicles and petrol/diesel (ICE vehicles): “EVs have the lowest CO and CO2 emissions, while PHEVs and HEVs show significant reductions compared to ICE vehicles, making them suitable for achieving net zero emissions by 2050.” Source: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1110016823009055
Q: Don’t EVs catch fire easily?
A: This is one of the regular anti-EV myths. Comparing their data, an insurer found that ICE (internal combustion engine, so petrol/diesel) vehicles burn around 60x more. Source: https://www.autoinsuranceez.com/gas-vs-electric-car-fires/
Q: But an EV is not environmentally friendly either, so what about Hydrogen?
A: EVs are more environmentally friendly than ICE vehicles but the best solution for the environment is still to walk, use a bicycle or public transport. These are the transport solutions with the lowest carbon footprint.
Hydrogen powered vehicles are an option if you generate the hydrogen with green energy (solar or wind). The big disadvantage of hydrogen powered vehicles is that they can only use about 30% of the stored energy for moving the vehicle (similar to ICE vehicles). An EV can use ~80% of its stored energy for moving the vehicles. So Hydrogen powered vehicles are not really efficient. Furthermore, you need special infrastructure to fill these vehicles. An EV can be charged from every power socket. Still, there might be use cases for hydrogen vehicles (e.g. road trains). Source: https://evse.com.au/blog/electric-cars-vs-hydrogen-cars/
Trees
Q: Everybody is talking about trees. Why should I plant trees on my block?
A: Just two important reasons – trees improve the air you breath and help you save costs in giving you shade in summer, so your A/C doesn’t have to do all the hard work. A UWA study also found that trees increase the value of your home by increases the median property price by AU$16,889
Home Energy
Q: Can I save money if I electrify my home?
A: Yes, you can save over $5,000 per year. You can find a detailed comparison in our resources section
Q: Is the colour of my roof important?
A: Yes, a dark-coloured roof drives up your electricity bill in summer, and you could spend almost $700 extra to keep your home cool. Source: https://theconversation.com/if-youve-got-a-dark-roof-youre-spending-almost-700-extra-a-year-to-keep-your-house-cool-225674
Q: What are ways to reduce my power bill at home?
A: First of all, improve your insulation and eliminate draughts! But check out this article for further ideas as well (it is a few years old already, but most points are still current): https://theconversation.com/if-youve-got-a-dark-roof-youre-spending-almost-700-extra-a-year-to-keep-your-house-cool-225674
Nuclear
Q: Is Nuclear a good option to reduce emissions in Australia?
A: No, because it takes too long is one of the four main reasons. Check out the video on our resources page to learn more.