A green club is a better club.
Taking care of the environment is such an important job and everyone needs to do their part, big or small. Over the years, the RUC has implemented a range of green initiatives, each one tackling a different issue. From gaining our ACTSmart Business Recycling Accreditation, removing plastic straws, solar energy, and lowering our water usage, the RUC is committed to being an environmentally friendly venue.
What we’re already doing
In 2013 and every year since, the RUC gained its Actsmart Business Recycling Accreditation. To gain this, we needed to implement ways to separate the different waste streams, including paper and cardboard, glass, organic waste, and general waste. We were also required to have:
- appointed an implementation coordinator
- conducted waste summaries
- developed a waste management plan
- educated our staff
- continually monitored progress and report on results.
The RUC has moved away from the use of single use plastic straws as part of the Straws Suck Campaign. We’re happy to provide paper straws upon request.
Through the ACT Government’s Business and Energy and Water program the RUC has been able to upgrade to more water efficient and energy-efficient technologies, including lighting, appliances, heating and cooling, refrigeration, toilets, and tapware. It has also helped to lower operation costs with the reduction in water and energy, which in turn has helped the ACT lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Green waste collected from our bowling greens is added to compost and then used by the ANU for their cricket pitches or used as mulch for our garden surrounds. Our home-grown composting station has been a great success. We made the compost station out of disused beer keg crates, food scraps from our kitchen and green waste from our bowling greens and gardens.
The RUC has partnered with RecycleAbilities, a disability employer to stop plastic and glass bottles making their way to landfill. Each week our team at the RUC save any bottles that are suitable for the ACT Container Deposit Scheme, that are then collected by Ryan from RecycleAbilities. The funds collected through recycling these containers and bottles go towards donations to charities and paying Ryan a nominal wage, giving him a purpose and a valued social role within his local community based around his environmental passions.
Let’s not forget the roof of the RUC, which holds 210 solar panels covering almost two thirds of the space available. The 99kW system can capture on an average Canberra day about a third of the RUC’s total energy needs..
What we’re planning
With a focus on moving away from gas, the RUC will be looking to remove the old inefficient gas heaters and evaporative coolers currently in use. These heaters will be replaced with renewable heat pump packaging units which will be partially powered by the solar panels on the roof.
While we’re already doing a lot, we know there’s still more to do and we’re committed to doing our part to help create a greener Canberra.
P.S Did you see Jeremy zipping around in the ActewAGL EV Clean Machine? He was lucky enough to have the electric vehicle on loan from Actew to test drive and couldn’t believe how quiet it was, “Everyone will be driving one soon, they’re amazing, super quiet and great to drive.”