[Greens-Media] Time to act on solar passive

[Kerrie Tucker - media]

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MEDIA RELEASE Kerrie Tucker ACT Greens for the Senate
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Fri 17 Sept 07 



It's time to act on solar passive
 
ACT Greens Senate candidate Kerrie Tucker today called for action on energy
efficiency. 
 
³The ACT Greens are holding a Solar House showcase tomorrow which makes it
very clear how much can be done to cut greenhouse emissions if we just make
our houses more efficient² Ms Tucker said today.
 
³The problem is that energy efficient buildings sometimes cost a little more
up front, which makes it hard for people renting, and those with limited
income.²
 
³The Greens have proposed a national retrofitting project, which we have
called the Energy Efficiency Access and Savings Initiative, or EASI which
would reach everyone.²

EASI would: 

€ organise a free energy audit by an accredited auditor;
€ advise householders of all efficiency opportunities with a payback period
of ten years or less;
€ organise and pay the upfront costs of implementing cost-effective
opportunities; 
€ collect repayments as a proportion of savings on the home's energy bills
over a ten year period.
 
If fully implemented, EASI would reduce greenhouse emissions by close to 30
million tonnes each year and is designed to be cost neutral.
 
There will be no upfront costs, and repayments will always be less than the
savings on energy bills - no householders will be "out of pocket¹.

 Government costs, excluding administrative costs, would be recouped and the
initiative would deliver considerable economic benefits.
 
³While climate change is finally on the national agenda, there is still no
commitment from either major party to adopt the target of limiting global
warming to less than two degrees, as recommended by the International Panel
on Climate Change.²
 
³In order to have any chance of meeting that target we need to take decisive
action now.  We can cut emissions by 30% just by improving energy
efficiency.  And to do that we don¹t need new technology, we just need
political will² Ms Tucker said.
 
Kerrie Tucker will be at the ACT Greens¹ Solar House Showcase 10:30 am ­
4:00pm tomorrow, 89 Warragamba Ave, Duffy, (Talks at 11am and 1:30pm. Tours
at 11:30am and 2:00pm). Price: $15 on entry, payable to the ACT Greens.


Media contact Roland Manderson 041 224 1379
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ACT Greens 8-10 Hobart Place Canberra City ACT 2601
ph: 6247 6305 fax: 6247 6455
kerrie.tucker at greens.org.au
www.greens.org.au 
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