With the weather taking a turn for the worst in Ballarat, there is much that you can do to improve the thermal efficiency of your home, reduce your power bills and your carbon footprint.  Simple and inexpensive measures include draft-proofing doors and windows.  Materials are readily available from hardware stores and easy to install. A home energy efficiency kit, including a thermal imaging camera to detect heat leaks is available for members to hire from The Ballarat Tool Library – a terrific volunteer run organisation located in Barkly Square, and auspiced by Breaze.  (The thermal imaging cameras cost $900 to purchase so are a great tool to borrow.) Ballarat Tool Library

Roof insulation can make a huge difference to how warm you house is. I’m hearing lots of reports of people looking in their roofs and discovering that whole rooms have been left out or that there are big gaps or that the insulation has packed down to almost nothing.  You can also purchase cones that go in the roof over downlights so that the insulation can be brought right up to the edge of the lights and covering fan vents

Many people own reverse cycle air-conditioners, but are unaware of how cost effective they are to heat your home.  A research report put out last year by Environment Victoria found that the average home in Ballarat cost $878 to heat in winter if it was uninsulated and used gas ducted heating.  By contrast, an insulated home using reverse cycle AC would cost $126 – a huge difference!

If you have ceiling fans, don’t forget to turn them to winter settings so that warm air is directed downwards.  Also, a clogged filter can reduce the efficiency of your air-con significantly – so don’t forget to check this. If you have solar, make the most of it by heating your house during the day when you are producing your own power, to ensure it needs less heating in the evenings and night-time.

It’s a really hard time for renters with the lack of housing availability and the very high cost of renting.  Often renters are reluctant to ask landlords to make improvements for fear of eviction or rate hikes. The Energy Efficiency Guide for People who rent is a very handy resource for renters: https://www.betterrenting.org.au/energy_efficiency_renting 
Sally Missing  April 2024

Container Deposit Scheme.  Exciting news,  BREAZE has signed up with the Vic State Governments Container Deposit Scheme.  In this way BREAZE supporters and members of the public can donate to BREAZE to support our programs.
 
There are a couple of ways you can connect to have BREAZE  receive donations when you use the CDS deposit points.
 
Currently you must use the CDS VIC West App. to donate to a chosen Not for Profit or Charity.  
 
Open the CDS Vic West app and create your personal profile (download the FREE app HERE or here https://onelink.to/cdsvic)
Look us up under the “Charities” Menu on the home page of the app
Find BREAZE under the Environment group or select from the campaign of “Electrify Everything”. 
Scroll down and press “Set as Payout” on our campaign/charity page
Scan the app at the machine & start returning bottles and cans
Press "TRANSFER" on the machine screen when finished!

Upcoming Events

Ballarat Green Drinks: Thursday 18th April (and every Third Thursday of the month) Coming up next Virginia Wilson will talk about the Food Is Free Laneway. Come along and find out about this terrific Ballarat institution addressing our growing food security problem. FIFL which celebrates its first decade this year, was featured on the ABC Garden Show in 2019. https://www.abc.net.au/garde.../how-to/food-is-free/10971480 https://www.foodisfree.com.au 6:30-8:00pm, Join us for drinks/dinner, great talks and conversation. 6.30 for drinks/meal.
Presentation starts at 7.00. Bunch of Grapes Hotel, 401 Pleasant St, South, Ballarat

Smart Living Ballarat: Wed April 24th 12:30-1:30pm Sebastopol Library Meeting Room.
Cheap Eats presented by Ellen Burns Join Ellen to learn some great tips on how you can slash your grocery bills, save on food waste and eat cheaply.

A free monthly program with lots of great speakers and presentations to help you live more economically and sustainably. Fourth Wednesday of the month.

Children’s Writing Competition
BREAZE is again running its Children's Writing Competition in 2024 and we will have prizes ready for our best young writers. By 'best' we mean those with understanding and passion for protecting our natural environment. The Writing Competition is timed to celebrate World Environment Day, 5 June - the day we hold the competition awards ceremony. The competition is open to all children in grades 5 & 6 enrolled in a primary school in greater Ballarat. Entries must be submitted via a school teacher by 17 May. Children's Writing Competition details

BREAZE on 3BA: April 26th @ 10:15 am.  This month we have Sally Missing chatting to Brett McDonald on the many benefits of electrifying our homes.
 

NET ZERO BALLARAT BY 2030 - GET INVOLVED 
The BREAZE board is committed to working with the Ballarat community towards reaching Net Zero by 2030.
 
Have you considered taking a position on the BREAZE Board for 2024? We have a number of vacancies for ordinary board members to support our work to facilitate, encourage and educate the wider Ballarat community towards a goal of zero emissions by 2030.

BREAZE volunteers engage in advocacy, community education, fund raising and project management, for the installation and provision of renewable energy sources, along with improving energy efficiency across all sectors — to move the community towards a zero emissions future. At present the Board meets monthly via Zoom and quarterly in person. Minimum attendance is six meetings a year.

We welcome anyone with a passion for Climate Change Advocacy, and volunteers with experience in the following are especially encouraged:

Project management,
Renewable energy sector
Media/communications
Marketing
Information technology
Event management
Fundraising
Writing grant applications

Appy via the Seek Volunteer Platform or email   BREAZE volunteer and/or Board Member, Breaze | SEEK Volunteer

Presenter John Ditchburn and Ellen Burns
share a joke at the packed March session of
Smart Living Ballarat on Seed Saving