As the only Australian member of the GO writing team, it came as a surprise to find my hometown of Melbourne was hosting a green expo. Situated at the Melbourne Exhibition Center, the Save Water Save Energy Expo gave me my first chance to get out of the house for GO.

This article will from hereon out be a journal entry, letting you walk around the exhibition floor.

I’ve just arrived, and made my way to the end of the floor where Mick Harris of The Light takes the 11:30 spot. The array of lightware on the table in front of me suggests that he just might have something to do with lighting.

The Australian Government recently announced that incandescent lights will be banned in Australia. Now despite the frustration I feel that the government felt the need to regulate such a thing, there will obviously be a need to swap to something else.

Mick begins his talk discussing the differences between compact fluro’s and your standard lightbulb. One of the obstacle’s between a mass move toward more energy efficient lightbulbs are the small things, like color and brightness. Mick seems to know everything there is to know about lighting, something that Australian’s are going to need as time passes by and the ban towards normal light bulbs is emplaced.

Pulling a volunteer out of the 70 or so audience, Mick addresses one of the issues that people are definitely going to encounter; dimmable compact fluro’s. However, as much as they might be the better option, where to find them is a mystery to all and sundry. After 15 minutes, I feel like I’ve taken just about as much lighting as I can for one moment. I’m heading off to trundle the room.

I spent the next half an hour trundling around the exhibition floor, visiting numerous booths. It is very hard to turn your head without looking at another way to save water, energy, carbon emissions. Even the seemingly personal experience of the toilet was invaded by a notice about urinal blocks helping save us water.

Possibly the greatest booth that I’ve seen so far, and am likely to see, was the booth for Quench Solutions. Their slogan, “Guilt Free Showers in a Drought”. For a country like Australia, in the midst of one of its worst droughts in recent recorded history, showers are one of those luxuries that people are very unwilling to give up. Brian Gaye spoke to me quickly, and explained the system to me. Click here to hear him sell a good long shower…

12:30 roles around back at the seminar stage and I find myself waiting for Stephen Pepper and Richard Potter speaking on Hot Water & Power from the sun.

Richard Potter speaks first from Solar Charge who has been doing business here in Victoria for 35 years. Back in 1998 it had taken them 18 months to convince an energy supplier to allow for solar power to be used in the grid. A North facing, unshaded roof though seems to be a requirement, which doesn’t bode well for any houses without, as Potter suggests that there is really very little one can do to usurp that problem.

Any house that does manage to get a solar system set up on their roof will get first access to the energy generated through the solar. After your usage, the excess will run off in to the energy grid, and “literally” reverse your meter usage. “During the day your exporting power, at night your using power. It’s an in/out system.”

Most people still end up being a net consumer to the power company, but some manage to get to 100% self reliant over the period of a year. Potter’s main call is that everyone who goes to the expo should go home and swap their lights over to compact fluorescent. With a 25 year warranty, and a 40 or 50 year lifespan, a member of the audience was surprised that this isn’t a loss-loss initiative. Though, Potter does note that “you need an environmental bent” if you want to be really behind this.

Steven Pepper, from InSolar steps up next, to discuss solar hot water. The sun will provide 75% of your hot water in Melbourne each year. But in the winter, there is obviously not going to be a rush for luke-warm showers. In winter, InSolar have three options to boost up the heat; wood-fire, electric and natural gas.

There is a veritable multitude of solar water systems that can be installed, from rooftop systems through to a heat pump. Stephen is reaching the end of his half hour, and speaking faster and faster, forcing my fingers to catch up (if only he had a pause button).

One of the devices that caught my eye are gravity fed systems that allow your wood or gas fire – both very energy efficient for keeping the house warm during winter – can also boost the heat levels in your water system during the colder months where the sun is bored with its life.

I departed at this stage, as everything else was just a repeat of what we had already heard. It was a good morning out, and somewhat gratifying to see others in my country showing this interest. However, in my other article, you’ll see what I really think.

Save Water Save Energy Expo