Planet Ark

Environmental Resources

 

 

 

	Planet Ark is an Australian not-for-profit environmental organisation and aims to educate Australian’s about simple ways in which they can reduce their impact on the planet at home, work and in the community. Planet Ark operates key environmental campaigns including National Tree Day, Recycling Near You and Cartridges 4 Planet Ark. Click here to visit Planet Ark website.
	Make it a year for the planet and commit to a Green Resolution with Planet Ark. Making a green resolution is the easiest way to give the environment a Happy New Year. Follow the link below to receive your weekly “Green Resolutions&rdquo email with practical tips on how to live a cleaner, greener lifestyle. Click here to visit the greener solutions at Planet Ark website.
	Good Environmental Choice – Australia (GECA) is Australia’s only independent eco label to measure a product’s environmental performance from the ‘cradle to the grave’. We are currently working to acheive our GECA accreditiation. Click here to visit the GECA site.
	Coolchange.org.au is all about making good environmental choices really easy, just by changing the things you buy, and supporting companies making a genuine environmental difference. Click here to visit the coolchange site.
	Greencare Developments is one of Australia’s leading creators and manufacturers of more eco-responsible formulations for cosmetics and household cleaning products. Click here to visit the Greencare site.
	Here you will find all the information required for keeping your plants and soil healthy when using greywater. Click here to view the Graywater fact sheet pdf file.
	Geofeat International, is home to a new global directory showcasing a wide range of products, and a growing number of resources, that are green, eco-friendly and organic. Click here to visit the geofeat site.
	Your leading sustainability directory and news source. Click here to visit the green pages site.
	The Green Directory is Australia's number one online green business directory.They promote a comprehensive range of eco friendly products and services for sustainable living. Click here to visit the green directory site.
	Green Times is Australia’s newest online publication and directory for the green industry. It was designed to create more awareness of environmental issues and promote Australian green businesses. Click here to visit the greentimes site.
	Lanfax Laboratories - an independent, commercial and research organisation with special interests in soil, water and wastewater analysis.. Click here to visit the Lanfax site.
	The Ethical Consumer Group is a community based, not-for-profit network set up to help facilitate more sustainable purchasing practices for the everyday consumer, and publishes a free shopping guide. Click here to visit the Ethical Consumer site.
	Ecological liquid waste solutions in south east Melbourne. Click here to visit the Eco Liquide Waste site.

Environmental Facts

 

Australians create about 28 million tonnes of garbage every year. Just over one third of this material is recovered for recycling.

Australians are the second highest producers of waste, per person, in the world with each of us sending almost 690kgs of waste to landfill each year (the United States is the highest waste producer).

The amount of waste placed in landfill each year in Australia is enough to cover the state of Victoria.
When paper is disposed of to landfill rather than recycled, it creates methane as it breaks down. Methane is a major greenhouse gas that contributes to global warming with a life span 21 times longer than carbon dioxide.

Recycling one tonne of glass saves about thirty four litres of fuel oil.

Recycling paper not only reduces the amount of waste to landfill, it also contributes to sustainable resource usage. For each tonne of paper that is recycled:

• 13 trees are saved;
• 2.5 barrels of oil saved;
• 4100 kWh of electricity saved;
• 4 cubic metres of landfill saved;
• 31, 780 litres of water are saved.

Once an aluminium can is recycled, it's back on the grocery shelf as aluminium can in 60 days.

Each year, Australians use 6.9 billion plastic shopping bags. Tied together this amount of bags would stretch around the world 37 times!

Every year each Australian sends around 3.5 kilograms of steel cans and products to landfill - that's enough steel to make 40,000 fridges!

 

Water saving tips

 

You can save water in the garden by:

• using greywater
• choosing low water use plants
• grouping plants with similar water needs
• applying a mulch in pots and garden beds
• checking soil moisture before watering

You can save water when cleaning your car by:

• using a waterless car wash
• washing the car in the rain
• using a low flow/high pressure wash
• washing the car on the lawn

You can save water around the pool by:

• using a pool cover
• maintaining the correct chemical balance in the pool 
  
• checking your pool and equipment for leaks
• collecting rain water to top up the pool