Aileen Vening, left, and Jessica Harrison, right, with locals at a recent Cosy Homes event at the Venus Bay Community Centre. By Jessica Harrison
DID you know that curtains keep out cold air most effectively if they rest on the floor?
Or that rolled towels or pool noodles are good makeshift pelmets to stop the cold air next to your windows from circulating into the room.
Or that your energy company can give you details on your daily energy usage.
Our Cosy Homes project is spreading energy-saving ideas to local people least able to afford big power bills, and helping to reduce carbon emissions at the same time.
DID you know that curtains keep out cold air most effectively if they rest on the floor?
Or that rolled towels or pool noodles are good makeshift pelmets to stop the cold air next to your windows from circulating into the room.
Or that your energy company can give you details on your daily energy usage.
Our Cosy Homes project is spreading energy-saving ideas to local people least able to afford big power bills, and helping to reduce carbon emissions at the same time.
The idea began with a partnership between two committed climate activists. Aileen Vening is an experienced climate change educator and I’m a community activist with many contacts from my membership of the Wonthaggi Branch of the Australian Unemployed Workers Union and involvement with Mitchell House.
Aileen was keen to take climate action this year, but not just to continue talking to “the converted”.
“Cosy Homes has given me that opportunity, and importantly a chance to meet and help people in our community struggling with high energy bills.”
We pooled our knowledge and contacts for the first Cosy Homes event in June 2021, where those attending could apply for the Victorian Government’s one-off $250 energy bonus and pick up free LED globes, warm rugs and draught stoppers sewn by Boomerang Bags volunteers.
Now the project is expanding thanks to a grant received by the Energy Innovation Co-op from the Victorian Government’s Regional Climate Change Adaption Strategy, which aims to develop a community-focused approach to climate change adaptation. This enabled us to continue to reach out to low-income people in the Bass Coast and South Gippsland shires.
The grant will enable us to buy insulation materials to seal doors, windows and other draughty areas for 30 eligible householders.
If information is only on a website, people can miss out on opportunities. Cosy Homes volunteers are training to understand the energy rebates on offer, as well as best ways to save energy.
We are here to pass on the news of energy offers and rebates so they are easy to apply to your situation. We are training to become energy auditors and standing by to help with retrofits.
The next Cosy Home event is at Mitchell House between 10am and 1pm on November 27. Anyone receiving benefits can apply on the spot for a one-off $250 energy saving grant. Just bring a recent electricity bill, pension cards and bank details on the day.
We’ll be giving tips on saving energy and we’ll sit down and go through your energy bills and check that you are with the best energy retailer for your household.
Flyers on the latest government rebates for replacement of hot water systems and heating and cooling systems will be available. Low energy LED globes, warm rugs and draught stoppers will be free to collect.
At the Cosy Home event we will be adding to our waiting list of householders who have asked us to visit their home for a free Cosy Home Audit. A concession card and a vaccination certificate need to be seen before an audit is booked.
We will look at each home in terms of draughts, door and window sealing, zoning to keep most-used rooms warm or cool, and the efficiency of the hot water system. On average, 15 per cent of energy bills go on heating water, and 38 per cent on heating rooms.
Retro-fits
Information is one step, but our project goes further – a qualified energy auditor has agreed to retrofit the 30 audited houses to implement our advice, with our help as volunteers.
We will also be advising householders how to adapt to our changing climate. Extremes of heat and cold cause stress, but if you plan ahead there are simple solutions such as closing up your home early to keep out hot winds, and shading windows exposed to sun during the day.
Spread the word!
Bass Coast and South Gippsland residents have had a low uptake of the State Government $250 energy saving bonus which ends in January 2022. Pop-up stalls run by the Consumer Policy Research Centre will help people take advantage of this offer:
Solar heat pumps
Solar heat pumps, which use refrigeration technology to extract warmth from the surrounding air, to heat water. Cosy Homes is collecting names of residents who are interested in a bulk buy of energy efficient heat pumps, which are manufactured by the https://earthworkercooperative.com.au/ a workers co-operative based in Morwell. Please get in touch if you would like to join the bulk buy, which is available to all householders.
For more information, contact Jessica Harrison on [email protected] or 0438 174 029.
Aileen was keen to take climate action this year, but not just to continue talking to “the converted”.
“Cosy Homes has given me that opportunity, and importantly a chance to meet and help people in our community struggling with high energy bills.”
We pooled our knowledge and contacts for the first Cosy Homes event in June 2021, where those attending could apply for the Victorian Government’s one-off $250 energy bonus and pick up free LED globes, warm rugs and draught stoppers sewn by Boomerang Bags volunteers.
Now the project is expanding thanks to a grant received by the Energy Innovation Co-op from the Victorian Government’s Regional Climate Change Adaption Strategy, which aims to develop a community-focused approach to climate change adaptation. This enabled us to continue to reach out to low-income people in the Bass Coast and South Gippsland shires.
The grant will enable us to buy insulation materials to seal doors, windows and other draughty areas for 30 eligible householders.
If information is only on a website, people can miss out on opportunities. Cosy Homes volunteers are training to understand the energy rebates on offer, as well as best ways to save energy.
We are here to pass on the news of energy offers and rebates so they are easy to apply to your situation. We are training to become energy auditors and standing by to help with retrofits.
The next Cosy Home event is at Mitchell House between 10am and 1pm on November 27. Anyone receiving benefits can apply on the spot for a one-off $250 energy saving grant. Just bring a recent electricity bill, pension cards and bank details on the day.
We’ll be giving tips on saving energy and we’ll sit down and go through your energy bills and check that you are with the best energy retailer for your household.
Flyers on the latest government rebates for replacement of hot water systems and heating and cooling systems will be available. Low energy LED globes, warm rugs and draught stoppers will be free to collect.
At the Cosy Home event we will be adding to our waiting list of householders who have asked us to visit their home for a free Cosy Home Audit. A concession card and a vaccination certificate need to be seen before an audit is booked.
We will look at each home in terms of draughts, door and window sealing, zoning to keep most-used rooms warm or cool, and the efficiency of the hot water system. On average, 15 per cent of energy bills go on heating water, and 38 per cent on heating rooms.
Retro-fits
Information is one step, but our project goes further – a qualified energy auditor has agreed to retrofit the 30 audited houses to implement our advice, with our help as volunteers.
We will also be advising householders how to adapt to our changing climate. Extremes of heat and cold cause stress, but if you plan ahead there are simple solutions such as closing up your home early to keep out hot winds, and shading windows exposed to sun during the day.
Spread the word!
Bass Coast and South Gippsland residents have had a low uptake of the State Government $250 energy saving bonus which ends in January 2022. Pop-up stalls run by the Consumer Policy Research Centre will help people take advantage of this offer:
- 11am to 4.30pm, Monday 6 December, Wonthaggi Plaza
- 9.30am to 4.30pm, Tuesday 7 December, Wonthaggi Apex Park
- 9.30am to 2pm, Wednesday 8 December, Grantville Transaction Centre, 1504 - 1510 Bass Hwy
Solar heat pumps
Solar heat pumps, which use refrigeration technology to extract warmth from the surrounding air, to heat water. Cosy Homes is collecting names of residents who are interested in a bulk buy of energy efficient heat pumps, which are manufactured by the https://earthworkercooperative.com.au/ a workers co-operative based in Morwell. Please get in touch if you would like to join the bulk buy, which is available to all householders.
For more information, contact Jessica Harrison on [email protected] or 0438 174 029.