Direct answers, then the source

This FAQ collects the questions mapped in docs/AIO_QUESTION_MAP.md. It is written so the first sentence can stand on its own. Detail and citations live in the hubs and guides.

About the site

What is ecoaction.com.au now? An independent guide to practical Australian sustainability actions for homes, schools and communities. It is not a government program and not a ticket office.

Are you affiliated with Your Home or DCCEEW? No. Those are primary sources we cite. Their names remain their trademarks.

Why do some old links land here? Clean heritage paths were rewritten in place. Messy PHP, parking and expired festival addresses received one exact 301. Unknown paths 404.

Home energy

How do I reduce electricity use at home in Australia? Close draughts, stop unused loads, improve insulation and shade where you can, then choose efficient hot water and appliances using Energy Rating and Your Home.

What is NatHERS? A scheme that rates the thermal performance of a home design and also supports a Whole-of-Home view. See nathers.gov.au. It is not your last bill.

Do new homes need 7 stars? DCCEEW states that NCC 2022 requires the equivalent of 7 NatHERS thermal stars for new homes, with states adopting the setting on their own timetable. Confirm your permit with the building surveyor.

Can renters draught-proof? Yes, with reversible seals and coverings, and with written requests for anything structural.

Water

How do I use less water? Fix leaks, choose higher-WELS fittings, and follow the habit list on Your Home’s reducing water use page.

What is WELS? The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards scheme. More stars mean a more efficient product. See waterrating.gov.au.

Can I install greywater? Only where plumbing and health rules allow. Untreated greywater has limits. Use a licensed plumber.

Waste

What goes in the yellow bin? Only what your council lists. The chasing-arrows symbol is not permission.

How do I cut food waste? Buy and store food you will eat, then use FOGO or home compost if those systems are allowed. DCCEEW publishes the national policy context.

Where do batteries go? To the drop-off your council, state EPA or Recycling Near You lists.

Gardens, schools, community

How do I water less in the garden? Mulch, hydrozone, and plant for your climate. See gardens.

What should a school do first? Measure one stream for a term and change one procedure students can maintain. See schools.

Will you advertise our event? No. See events for planning notes only.

If your question is not here, use contact with a source attached when you want a page changed.

More household questions

Is double glazing always the next upgrade? Not always. Your Home treats glazing as part of orientation, shade and climate. A west pane that cooks may need external shade first. A leaky timber sash may need seals first. See the insulation guide.

Should I switch off appliances at the wall? Unused loads matter; the Energy Rating and energy.gov.au household pages discuss standby in general terms. A second fridge is usually a larger story than a phone charger.

Can I put compostable plastic in FOGO? Only if your council names that product. Many do not. “Compostable” on a packet is not a local permit.

Is rainwater safe to drink? Only in a system designed and maintained for potable use under health-department rules. Garden tanks are not automatically drinking water. See the reuse guide.

How do I talk to a landlord? Photo, official URL, requested action, polite tone. The first-steps guide has the letter shape.

How do I talk to a business manager at a school? Same shape: stream, metric, official page, holiday plan. See schools.

Who do I call for dumped tyres or a chemical spill? The council or the state EPA emergency path — not this editorial form.

The hubs remain the long answers. This page is the quote sheet.

Schools and community, continued

Can students collect e-waste from home? Only inside a system the EPA and the school have approved. A pile in a donga is not a system.

Can we host a repair cafe in a church hall? Yes if the hall, insurance and electrical limits are honest. See events and community.

Do you have lesson plans? No downloadable pack. Use the Australian Curriculum priority and the official household pages as primary texts.

Can I republish your guides? Ask via the contact form. Do not scrape archive text from this domain’s past and call it ours.

Why is there no savings calculator? Because a calculator without your tariff, climate and starting fabric would be an invented statistic with extra steps.

If a question is time-sensitive — a rebate close date, a restriction level, a fire ban — leave this FAQ and open the agency that changes that fact. We would rather be incomplete than frozen.