Sustainability

We aim to create an environmentally sustainable community by reducing Council’s greenhouse emissions and utilising sustainable practices.

Our Emissions Reduction Action Plan

Read The Port Stephens Emissions Reduction Action Plan which outlines the short, medium, and long term actions to reduce or remove Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

Our projects funded from our Sustainability Reserve and Grants

  1. Installing a solar photovoltaic system on Council's Administration Building, reducing our annual energy consumption by 25%.
  2. Installing solar photovoltaic systems on many of our libraries, community centres and Rural Fire Service buildings.
  3. Installing solar pool pre-heating at Lakeside Leisure Centre, Tomaree Aquatic Centre and Tilligerry Aquatic Centre.
  4. Installing solar photovoltaic system and water tank at Salamander Waste Transfer Station.
  5. In a first for the Hunter region, we used recycled glass 'greencrete' in the upgrade of Tanilba Bay roundabout. This is a great example of finding new ways to reuse materials as part of a circular economy.
  6. Installed Building Management System and Programmable Logic Controller at our Administration Building, Lakeside Leisure Centre and many sports and community buildings to deliver energy efficiencies and lower operating costs.
  7. Installing water-saving irrigation and stormwater harvesting at Medowie Park and Kindlebark Oval.
  8. Installing variable-speed drives (VSD) at Lakeside Leisure Centre plus Kangaroo Street and Stockton Street flood pumps to save energy consumption.
  9. Installing energy-saving LED field lighting at Ferodale Netball Courts, Tomaree Netball Courts and Tomaree Sports Complex fields 4 and 5.
  10. Installing energy-saving LED lighting at our Administration Building, Tomaree Library and Community Centre, Council works depots, Birubi Surf Club and a number of community centres and halls.

Sustainability Advantage Partner

Council is a Bronze Partner of Sustainability Advantage, a program of the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.

FAQs

Council’s Carbon emissions – Are the total release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, associated with the Port Stephens Council operations. This includes a range of activities from Council’s fuel usage, electricity usage, the amount of waste generated going to landfill and the materials purchased and used to deliver our services.

A ‘carbon neutral’ approach - For an organisation to become ‘carbon neutral’, it must balance out the carbon emissions that it generates through the purchase of carbon offsets. This means that businesses can continue operating as they are without requiring any changes to their operations. Under this approach, there is no obligation to make operational changes that reduce emissions generated, but there is a requirement to purchase offsets to compensate for these emissions each year.

A ‘Net Zero’ approach - For an organisation to strive for ‘net zero’, it must commit to actively working to reduce its emissions over time. This encourages businesses to review their practices and modify their operations over time to reduce emissions. This may include a review of its electricity purchasing, electricity usage, investment in solar systems, incorporating electric vehicles into its fleet, and utilising electric tools and plant equipment where available. Under this approach, offsets are only required beyond 2050 and once an organisation has reduced its emissions as low as operationally and practically possible.

Reducing energy use and costs

  • Focus on cutting electricity consumption across Council operations.
  • Explore ways to lower energy use at high-demand sites like depots, libraries and swimming pools.
  • Invest in solar power and other efficiency measures that offer long-term savings.

Making smart and sustainable purchasing decisions

  • Include sustainability as a consideration in all procurement decisions, alongside cost and quality.
  • Apply sustainable thinking to asset purchasing and service delivery.

Using a self-funding approach

  • Funding sustainability projects through Council’s Sustainability Reserve, which is topped up through energy savings.
  • Ensure sustainability projects deliver a return on investment.
  • Consider sustainability measures that enhance existing budgets or reduce maintenance costs.

The actions detailed in the ERAP identify opportunities for Council to make changes to its operations over time to reduce its emissions.

These opportunities are not mandated for implementation across Council, with each of the opportunities assessed and considered alongside the wide range of other services that Council delivers.

A number of the smaller investment decisions, such as the rollout of solar systems across Council’s buildings, can be funded through the Sustainability Reserve and other Government grant programs. The energy savings made through these installations allow for further reinvestment into other sustainability projects that provide a return on investment to Council.

For larger capital investments, such as the purchase of new vehicles for Council’s fleet, an assessment is undertaken as part of the purchasing process. This would assess the cost, quality, functionality, and sustainability of the chosen vehicle. If there is an opportunity for an electric vehicle to replace a light petrol or diesel vehicle, then Council uses the existing fleet replacement budget to make this purchase. If an electric vehicle is not a viable option, such as the purchase of a new excavator, then Council will replace the vehicle with the most appropriate product until a time in the future where a more sustainable option is available in the market.

The ERAP helps apply sustainable thinking to asset purchasing and service delivery using existing budgets. The ERAP does not commit Council to additional costs that would limit other operations. Sustainable options are a consideration, not a requirement, and Council operates just like a homeowner or small business owner, making smart decisions at the right time with the resources that are available.