One degree

How eco did they go?

News Limited CEO and Chairman John Hartigan has sent a message of congratulations to staff on their support of the One Degree initiative and ‘How eco would you go’ competition, in particular, our winner Carl Winter.

Click here to hear Carl, Press Room Supervisor at Perth Print talk to One Degree about the simple yet inspiring actions he took to win a Toyota Prius in the ‘How eco would you go’ competition. Congratulations Carl.

Also, be inspired by the stories of some of our finalists as they talk to One Degree about their experiences in the ‘How eco would you go’ competition. They talk exclusively about how easy they found making One Degree of difference to their family life, home, work and community.

Alternatively, meet the 10 finalists of ‘How eco would you go?’ below:

Carl Winter – Perth Print
One Degree of Action winner Carl Winter from Perth Print pledged to see how eco he could go in his own life, and then went One Degree further by inspiring everyone he could to consider their actions and follow suit. Carl overhauled his home, and his family, by changing they way they live at home. And he looked at everything from changing light bulbs and switching off appliances, to turning off an electric hot water system. Carl even purchased and installed a wind turbine for a zero-carbon power source.

Ebony Bizys – News Magazines
Ebony Bizys is turning News Magazines green. She started with an eco-makeover of the offices and the launch of an eco-newsletter and went on to negotiate a discount at a local coffee shop for employees who bring a mug, and to start a communal garden in the Alexandria business park. She has also enlisted the help of Al Gore ambassador Liane Rossler to inspire others to join her quest, beginning with an assessment of the News Magazines offices, and ending with an inspiring delivery of the Al Gore speech on World Environment Day.

Taryn Davis – Quest Community Newspapers
Quest journalist Taryn Davis and her partner Ben created their own campaign – the SOL Train – to inspire action through social networking. They led by example with their own ‘Simple Organic Life’ by cycling, switching to a vegan diet and growing as much as they could themselves. Taryn wrote about her challenge in the Quest Community Newspapers, to help the Queensland community jump on the SOL Train journey, and loaded her story up on YouTube so the rest of the world can get onboard.

Simon Faber – Queensland Newspapers
Simon Faber took “eco” to a whole new level by cutting meat and beer from his daily life. It was a big ask for a Queenslander - but Simon was prepared to go even further and incorporated low-carbon transport in to the way he went about his work, setting a great example for colleagues and friends. Simon wrote to his local member, PM Kevin Rudd, to find out more about Kevin’s own One Degree of Action at home, and in his family life, emphasising that it doesn’t matter who you are – One Degree of change, by everyone, every day, adds up to a big difference for the planet.

Kate Flowers – News Magazines
Kate Flowers, from News Magazines, studied her new house from top and bottom and discovered news ways to “green” a house on a tight budget, bringing her partner and flatmates along for the journey. She then took the lessons learned at home into work to share the good news, encouraging others to see how eco they can go. Kate cut the chemical use in their household by making their own natural cleaning products, and found a bonanza of gardening items to be recycled at no cost at home whilst walking her dogs during council clean-up week.

Sharon Maslen – Adelaide Advertiser
Sharon Maslen, from the Adelaide Advertiser, went back to basics, turning the humble bucket into the ultimate eco-tool, recycling bath water to cut water usage by 25 per cent. Even guests from interstate pitched in to help Sharon’s family reduce their water use in parched South Australia. Sharon took the bus daily with dogged determination, despite the extra hour it added to her daily commute, and used the time to research, reflect and relax. A solar system on the roof, and tanks and chooks out the back – the Maslen house went Eco!

Kate Moore – Cumberland Community Newspapers
Showing impeccable style and taste, and providing the photos to prove it, Kate Moore, from Cumberland Community Newspapers, impressed with her eco-wardrobe for work. Setting herself the goal of shopping second hand for her work wardrobe, Kate has become a fashion and eco-trendsetter, and will share her inspired designs with others as she leads an Op Shop tour through Gosford during National Recycling Week. From sofas to shoes, cocktail wear to café-style, Kate has found a treasure-trove of high fashion items whilst donating to local charities at the same time. Now that is win-win!

Andrew Munkman – Nationwide News
Nationwide News’ Andrew Munkman rode his bicycle 75 kilometers to and from work and saw his household waste, electricity, water and fuel usage plummet by making small changes to almost every part of his life. He then shared his eco tips with others, helping his children take the message to school to inspire their classmates and looking for new ways that Nationwide News can inspire action on climate change. Andrew encouraged colleagues to have tv-free days and to rediscover dinner time conversation over a bottle red. Now that doesn’t sound hard at all!

Angelee Samin – Queensland Newspapers
Starting at home and inspiring others through her experiences, Angelee Samin, from Queensland Newspapers, tried pretty much everything on her eco goals list. Angelee and her family researched low-carbon living; began to compost and worm-farm the household scraps; repaired household items rather than buying new ones; booked a home energy audit; installed blinds to turn off the air-conditioning; started a garden at home; cut showers to 30 seconds; and cut meat out of the weekly meal plan. She even started a blog – Queensland Eco Parent – to inspire others.

Marcus Verrall – News Digital Media
Working at News Digital Media, Marcus Verrall focused his eco-thoughts on the web, and developed a proposal to cut carbon by consolidating servers. Marcus had already changed his light bulbs at home to energy savers, started using green bags and made other easy changes, so with those ticked off his list, Marcus was up for a bigger challenge. With some smart thinking and a bit of research, Marcus has found big carbon and big dollar savings which could see NDM work smarter and harder with the same amount of energy.