1344.8.55.001 - ACT Stats, 2006  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 07/02/2006   
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Canberrans are a mixed bag on environmental usage - Feb 2006


Comfort rather than environmental concerns was the main reason Canberrans chose to purchase insulation, according to an analysis released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) today.

Three-quarters (75%) of Canberra households reported that they installed insulation into their houses for the purpose of comfort rather than saving costs or reducing energy usage according to figures at March 2005.

Some of the other main findings were:
  • Almost half (49%) of Canberra households were aware of the green power schemes, which was higher than all other states and territories. However, the proportion of ACT households willing to pay for the scheme has dropped over time from over one-third (35%) at March 2002 to less than one-quarter (23%) at March 2005.
  • The use of energy saving lights (other than fluorescent) in the ACT increased from just over one-quarter (26%) to just over one-third (35%) in the three years to 2005.
  • Gas usage as a source of energy in dwellings, increased from 64% in 2002 to 71% of ACT households in 2005, well above the national figure of 58%.
  • One in five ACT households use front loading washing machines (20%), the highest usage rate of all states and territories.
    Further details can be found in ACT Stats: Environmental Issues in the ACT: Behaviour of ACT Households (cat. no. 1344.8.55.001) available free of charge.

    Note: Green power schemes require electricity consumers to pay a premium for electricity generated from renewable sources.