Wollongong City Council's new campaign to inspire environment action showcases everyday people who are taking steps to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, save money and live more sustainably.
Dubbed 'Net Zero Heroes', the campaign launched today during Global Climate Change Week , features the likes of Mary who does the school drop via e-bike, Georgia who makes planet-conscious purchases, April whose pan frying is electrifying, and Billie and Anna who make hops when the sun shines.
Lord Mayor of Wollongong Councillor Tania Brown said the big takeaway from Council's Climate Change Mitigation Plan is that everyone has a role to play in creating a sustainable future for Wollongong.
"Global Climate Change Week provides an opportunity to celebrate wins and bring focus to what must happen next,'' Cr Brown said.
"We need to get to net zero emissions for Wollongong and we need to get there soon. It's going to take a concerted effort from the whole community; businesses, government and individuals.
"These net zero heroes are doing their bit, their way, and every bit counts. Making the switch to renewable energy, reducing household waste, buying energy efficient appliances where possible, and utilising low or no carbon transport are steps we can all take to reduce our carbon footprints.
"Many of these actions result in added benefits like cheaper household bills and improved wellbeing."
Council has launched a dedicated hub with information and support about a whole range of actions residents can take to reduce their emissions. Wollongong City Libraries is helping residents find energy savings with a free-to-borrow toolkit .
Cr Brown said that in addition to empowering the community, Council will continue to lead by example as it aims for net zero emissions for council operations by 2030.
"Council has taken some big steps already including introducing Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) collection, entering into a long-term renewable energy contract—which has avoided 12 thousand tonnes of carbon emissions since 2023, the equivalent of planting more than 400,000 trees—and transitioning our fleet to low-carbon vehicles and machinery which can be charged with that renewable energy," said Cr Brown.
"And we're not done, as part of the Illawarra Shoalhaven Joint Organisation, we're in the tendering process for a community renewables program to increase access to solar and battery storage solutions for households and small businesses across the region."
See Renewable energy equity a priority for Illawarra and Shoalhaven councils
Held each October, Global Climate Change Week aims to raise awareness, inspire behaviour change, and drive political transformation in relation to climate policy. It is led locally by the University of Wollongong coordinate a range of events .
