How to Live Sustainably in Dundee

In Scotland, heating and electricity accounts for 75% of our energy use. Over half of what we spend on fuel bills goes on heating and hot water. Making our homes and buildings more efficient not only reduces our bills and makes them warmer, but it also reduces our carbon emissions.

The Council provides a free advice service to householders on energy saving through the Dundee Energy Efficiency Advice Project.

Home Energy Scotland has information on grants and loans available to make energy efficiency improvements in your home, such as insulation and boiler upgrades; Greener Scotland has lots of useful tips and advice to help you save energy.

Some quick tips include:

• Washing clothes at 30°C instead of 40°C can save you a third of the cost to run the cycle
• Turning down your thermostat by 1°C can save £80 a year
• Changing to LED bulbs can save up to £70 over its lifetime, even though they are a bit more expensive to start with
• Switching off lights when not required can save around £13 a year

Renewable energy sources, such as wind, solar and biomass, supplied 17.8% of Scotland’s energy in 2015. The target is 30% by 2020.

Home Energy Scotland offers advice on installing renewables in your home, including loans and grants to help with the costs.

The Climate Action Plan addresses the wider transition to low carbon low energy in Dundee.

Transport accounts for 25% of Scotland’s energy use and also affects road side air quality.

The Climate Action Plan addresses the wider transition to low carbon low transport in Dundee.

Dundee City Council has various sustainable transport options  to encourage visitors and residents to walk and cycle including:

• A new major public bike hire scheme for the city will be launched shortly. Supported by the Council and operated by Ride-On Scotland, 350 e-bikes will be provided at 40 docking stations in the city over the next 12 months.
• Pedal to the Pool, endorsed by Dundee City Council, is a family approach to active travel by offering free swimming for children who have cycled to their local swimming pool. Participants take a photograph next to their bike to show they have cycled and they can swim for free.
• A new Active Travel Hub will be built in the heart of Dundee's Central Waterfront in 2020. It will be the only building set within a new landscaped and play/beach area sitting adjacent to the V&A Museum and alongside the River Tay and National Cycle Network.
• 'Safer Routes to School' leaflets have been designed and distributed to every primary school within Dundee. These school specific maps highlight the recommended safe routes for walking to school, as well as highlighting designated park and stride zones where parents can park up and pupils can walk the rest of the way (typically a ten minute walk is acceptable).

Some other useful resources to help you travel more sustainably include:

National Cycle Network in Scotland
Dundee Cycling Strategy

Electric Vehicles

For those who own an electric vehicle, or are considering purchasing one, Dundee has a well-established charging infrastructure of over 75 charging points. Dundee City Council itself currently has 87 electric fleet vehicles; more than any other UK local authority.

Drive Dundee Electric provides information and support to local business and residents looking to switch to electric vehicles.

If you don’t have a car but need to use one occasionally, Co-Wheels offer 15 Ultra low emission vehicles for use throughout the city.

Reducing, Reusing and Recycling in Dundee
Each household produces 1 tonne of waste, most of which ends up in landfill or incinerated in Scotland. Not only is this a waste of resources and materials, but it contributes to climate change and pollution and is a huge cost to the economy.

The Council currently recycles 40% of household waste and with new city-wide standards for waste and recycling collections this figure is set to rise.

The Climate Action Plan addresses how waste is to be tackled city-wide in Dundee.

Reduce
Every year 380,000 tonnes of food and drink are thrown away which didn’t have to be – this costs the Scottish public over £1bn every year. Much of this food waste is avoidable. Love Food Hate Waste has lots of ideas about how to reduce your food waste.

Plastic is another common avoidable waste product. Say no to straws, use reusable bags and water bottles and bamboo toothbrushes that can be composted and choose products with less packaging wherever possible.

You can also use the Mail Preference Service to reduce the amount of junk mail you receive.

Reuse
Consider buying second hand clothes, books and household items. Dundee has great choice of charity shops.

Instead of disposing of unwanted appliances, bikes and sofa’s, you could donate them to the Baldovie Community Reuse Hub where they will be repaired and refurbished to be reused by someone else.

Recycling
When items cannot be reused, then recycling is the next best option so make sure you use your recycling bins correctly.

The Council is also trialling SMART waste sensors, compaction and smart phone technologies on bins to monitor fullness, therefore reducing journeys for emptying and associated carbon emissions.

Dundee City Council uses the WARPit (Waste Action Reuse Portal), which allows surplus resources from one service area or building to be reused by another.

In Scotland, over the last few decades our climate has warmed, sea-levels have risen, rainfall patterns have changed and we have been impacted by extreme weather events.

Climate Resilience concerns how we adjust our society as well as our built and natural environments to the impacts of climate change.

The Climate Action Plan outlines how the City is adapting to climate change. For example, Dundee's green spaces can help to reduce the effects of flooding and play a significant role in improving air quality and preserving biodiversity. Strong, connected communities are also more resilient to climate change.

What can you do?

• As well as enjoying the local parks and green spaces, you can also contribute to their conservation and information about their biodiversity by joining local environment and conservation groups.
• Grow your own food at home to help supplement your supplies.
• If you don't have or enough space, you could join a community garden or request an allotment, which is also a great way to meet people and get involved with your community.
• Volunteer in your community to develop new friendships and help others.
• Businesses can follow Adaptation Scotland's guidance to reduce the risks involved in climate change.
• There are many resources available to help you on the Council web pages in the event of flooding.