How green can your household go?
We’re looking for families who want to do their bit for the planet and have fun at the same time! The GreenHouse Games are coming to Brighton Secondary College and we want you to take part.

By making simple changes, like using compact fluorescent light globes or choosing an energy-efficient washing machine, your family can make a difference. You also have the chance to win prizes for your family and our school along the way.

What is the GreenHouse Games?
The GreenHouse Games is an eight-week competition between selected Victorian primary and secondary schools where families take action at home to save energy and water, and reduce waste.

Our school is entering a team and every family is invited to join in.
Family registration opens 15 June 2009. The College log in code is: BS3187
The GreenHouse Games run from 20 July – 13 September 2009.

The challenge is to reduce your home’s yearly greenhouse gases by at least one tonne (20,000 black balloons). In Victoria, the average household produces over 12 tonnes (240, 000 black balloons) of greenhouse gases every year.

How do the GreenHouse Games work?
After completing a short online questionnaire, your family will be given a personalised list of sustainable actions for your home. Actions attract points related to their greenhouse gas savings. The more actions you take, the more points you earn!

Each week your household completes a quick, online progress report from the previous week.

Some of the actions in the GreenHouse Games are:
> keeping showers to less than four minutes
> turning off appliances at the switch when you’re not using them
> composting your food and plant scraps
> leaving the car at home for short trips and walking, cycling or using public transport instead
> recycling household waste.
Fantastic prizes up for grabs
Register early and you’ll receive a Sustainability Welcome Pack, valued at $50, to get you started.

Each participating family will also go into a weekly draw to win Bunnings vouchers to the value of $100. Families who reach a 1 tonne greenhouse gas reduction during the challenge will go into a weekly draw to win Bunnings vouchers to the value of $200.

In addition, schools will be rewarded with ‘energy kits’ based on the number of families joining the GreenHouse Games. The more families that join, the more kits a school receives.
The energy kits can be used by students in the classroom, and by families to help them during the GreenHouse Games.

At the end of the challenge, the school with the highest overall greenhouse gas savings, and the school with the highest household average greenhouse gas savings, will each receive $2000 cash to put towards a school sustainability initiative.

What does it cost?
Nothing. It will probably even save you money.

Ms Martine Ayoub, Coordinator GreenHouse Games.