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Think green

Photo: RMIT switched off all unnecessary lights during Earth Hour.

RMIT switched off all unnecessary lights during Earth Hour.

Earth Hour logo

Any ideas?

If you have any tips and ideas on how RMIT staff and students can help the environment, email your thoughts to think.green@rmit.edu.au.

Photo: Dr Mohajerani checks out a stash of light tubes waiting for collection.

Treading lightly
Dr Abbas Mohajerani, from the School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, is someone who has initiated environmental change at RMIT. His proposal for salvaging mercury from used fluorescent tubes has so far led to more than 35,000 lights being recycled. Full story.

Do your bit to help the environment

RMIT University is strongly committed to sustainability.

The many ways in which RMIT is working towards being more sustainable include:

  • Cutting water use by 25 per cent since 2000, with more reductions planned
  • Supporting Earth Hour, with a five per cent reduction of energy consumption during the event.
  • Increasing energy use from Green Power electricity. The environmentally friendly power will make up 15 per cent of RMIT’s electricity consumption in 2008, rising to 20 per cent in 2009.
  • Appointing an Energy Manager to work in Property Services, with the aim of measuring and reducing RMIT’s impact on the environment throughout all campuses.

How you can help

There are countless ways to save energy and here are some suggestions.

At work

  • Before you leave work, turn off all unnecessary appliances such as:
    • Your computer screen (take it off stand by)
    • Your computer (take it off stand by)
    • Printers and photocopiers
    • All lights
    • Mobile phone or laptop chargers (unplug when not in use)

At home

  • Switch to green power – If everyone in Australia did, our greenhouse pollution would be cut by 30 per cent
  • Use energy-saving power adapters
  • Don’t heat rooms you’re not using
  • Unplug unused appliances, such as TVs, microwaves and stereos, as even standby uses energy – an estimated 5 per cent of a household’s energy consumption
  • If you're using the clothes dryer, fill it - it's more efficient to dry a full load
  • Use economy cycle on your dishwasher
  • Install energy efficient lighting, as it will reduce your emissions by up to 4 per cent

Every day

  • Use public transport where you can
  • Ride to work - or make a start and participate in Ride to Work Day on 15 October

External links

Related stories

RMIT leads charge against plastic bags
The Director of RMIT University’s Global Sustainability Institute, Caroline Bayliss, will help oversee an Australian-first trial that aims to reduce the use of plastic shopping bags.
14/07/2008

On the green … on campus
RMIT University’s City campus is getting greener … and can now boast a campus lawn.
12/06/2008

The great switch-off
RMIT University cut power consumption by 5 per cent during Earth Hour, a global initiative that aimed to lower energy use and raise awareness about the steps necessary to combat global warming.
08/04/2008

Switched on about switching off
RMIT University is supporting Earth Hour, a global initiative aimed at cutting energy use and raising awareness about the steps necessary to combat global warming.
20/03/2008

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