Here’s an idea to reduce the financial impact of going green. Householders by now know many ways to reduce their environmental footprint on the planet- solar photo- voltaics, solar water heaters, micro wind turbines and so on. With three electricity price rises forecast for this year and more to come homeowners can be increasingly confident that the capital outlay will save them money. Here’s a way to reduce the impact of that financial outlay.
The City of South Perth could lend homeowners and businesses the money to install sensible, approved technology. To pay for this the City could set up a fund by accessing loan money at lower rates than individuals can. Owners could repay the loans over a number of years as a charge on their rates bill. The City could provide a list of approved technologies and require that only equipment with Australian Standards approval and licensed installers be used.
To reassure the City’s financial managers, in the event of homeowners getting into financial difficulty, rates debts rank higher than most other obligations.
To implement this proposal the City already has a very competent Sustainability Officer who could research the program and provide advice. We also have a very active community Sustainability Action Group who could develop this idea further.
We know that the long- term effect of good technology can be to reduce household electricity bills to near zero. Now we can do this with no immediate financial outlay while doing the right thing for the planet. Seems like an easy decision to me.
4 comments:
Sounds like a super idea !
What do ratepayers need to do to encourage its implementation ?
I have to say it sounds like a fantastic idea.
Having just got my electricity bill for the past two months, $613,and the prospect of even higher costs to come the thought of generating your own solar power is appealing and will I think inevitably become 'normal' considering our climate. I think your idea is worth developing and with low cost loans repaid in conjunction with our rates is probably a good idea. It needs to happen quickly however because there is a lot of competition out there and consumers may go elsewhere in the meantime. Too late for this year but am seriously considering installation before next year.
Good thinking Pete, how can we develop it further....only three responses to your email so far!
Within the "Canning Bridge Vision" area, nobody seems to have considered potential or likelihood for most of that area being subject to Acid Sulfate Soils. Which is fine, if you do not disturb them. Once you start building high density towers, with basement parking intruding into the previously unexposed watertable, the result is most often oxygenation of the surrounding estuarine soil in the watertable, resulting in acidification of the surrounding soil and thence the resultant corrosion of the reinforcing steel in the basement concrete perimeter foundations - which is not much good for future investment value of your above-basement upper level unit or penthouse ?
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