Mornington Peninsula Shire is significantly closer to achieving its goal of carbon neutrality with the completion of a project to install LED light fittings in Shire buildings across the Peninsula.
The Shire's LED rollout, completed on the 11th January 2021, is projected to save roughly 200 tonnes of CO2 equivalent each year. This is about the same as the amount of carbon sequestered by 261 acres of forest, helping Council meet its commitment to carbon neutrality by 2021 while also reducing energy and maintenance bills.
In all, over 1720 individual light fittings were upgraded in 107 Shire buildings such as toilet blocks, community halls, offices and information centres, as well as sporting grounds, car parks and residential streets.
The plan to roll out LED light fittings across the Shire was adopted in 2016 as part of Council's Carbon Neutral Policy. The project gained further impetus with Council's unanimous adoption of an ambitious climate emergency plan - Ensuring Our Future: Our Climate Emergency Response - on Tuesday 25 August 2020.
This plan will guide the Peninsula towards zero carbon emissions by 2040, providing a positive way forward and clear priorities for how we will support and work with our community on seven key target areas:
- leadership and governance
- climate advocacy
- zero carbon energy
- a resilient and adaptive community
- sustainable transport and travel
- sustainable land use and natural environment
- circular economy and zero waste.
Mornington Peninsula was the 34th council in Australia to declare a climate emergency and among the first to adopt a climate emergency plan. Now, 18 months later, 98 Australian councils have declared a climate emergency.
Quotes attributable to Mayor Councillor Despi O'Connor:
"Our council buildings have traditionally used what is now considered out of date and energy inefficient lighting technology, such as fluorescent, incandescent, metal halide and mercury vapour luminaires. This project has significantly reduced our carbon emissions by replacing these fittings with improved, energy and cost-efficient LED technology."
"By uniformly upgrading each building's lighting, we have also been able to achieve an optimum, uniform spectrum of light, maximising the use of the facility and providing a better user experience."
"This project is further proof that it is entirely possible to meet the challenge of climate change while also improving sustainability and quality of life for our community."
