Green Homes Programme

Nationwide

Green Homes Programme

http://www.greenhome.ie/level1.php?id=programme

Courtesy of Dorothy Stewart

Green Homes Programme
Courtesy of Dorothy Stewart

Green Homes Programme

http://www.greenhome.ie/level1.php?id=programme

Courtesy of Dorothy Stewart

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In June 2010, An Taisce, in partnership with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), awarded 37 Green Home flags to schools who completed the Green Home programme.

The aim of the Green Home programme is to raise environmental awareness and support positive and sustainable environmental actions amongst householders and community groups. The Green Home programme, which builds on the very successful Green Schools programme, has been run on a pilot basis since November 2006.

By 2010, almost 10,000 families in 65 different communities throughout Ireland had been given the opportunity to participate. Participants found the programme helped unite the community who worked together towards a common purpose of being more environmentally responsible and built further on their strong sense of community. The programme focuses on:

·   waste reduction;

·   energy efficiency in the home;

·   water conservation and

·   the promotion of sustainable travel.  

Householders receive information and advice through the programme to help them make informed decisions and take various actions that will help the environment, while also reducing costs in the home.

Participants are surveyed at the beginning of the programme and again on completion of the programme. The purpose of the survey is to measure and analyse any change in their environmental behaviour and attitudes on completion of the programme. The results from 2010 were very encouraging:

·   Energy Efficiency: Householder energy use has been reduced from between 10-25%, just by simple measures such as turning the lights off when leaving the room or by un plugging appliances. This measure alone can save households up to 10% in their average electricity bill.

·   Waste reduction: Householders are preventing waste generation by adopting clever shopping habits such as avoiding over packaged goods. The survey results indicate a 10% to 40% increase in home composting.

·   Water conservation: The Green Home ‘Water Wise’ challenge helped participants to find out ways to conserve and preserve water as a most precious resource.

·   Sustainable travel: The Green Home ‘Travel Green from home to school’ challenge helped to raise awareness about the social, economic and environmental benefits of more sustainable transport options. Participants took part in a number of initiatives including car pooling, using public transport and walking and cycling family activities.

Green Homes Programme Representatives

Green Home, Environmental Educational Unit, An Taisce, Unit 5a, Swift's Alley, Francis Street, Dublin 8.

Courtesy of Dorothy Stewart

Green Homes Programme Representatives
Courtesy of Dorothy Stewart

Green Homes Programme Representatives

Green Home, Environmental Educational Unit, An Taisce, Unit 5a, Swift's Alley, Francis Street, Dublin 8.

Courtesy of Dorothy Stewart

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The Green Home Programme continues to grow, evolve and most importantly empower individuals to be part of the solution in Ireland’s journey towards more sustainable living.