For the last three weeks, I have had a lot of time to observe various things in and around the city (ok - mostly in my neighborhood). One thing I am consistently impressed with is the Australian commitment to conservation. The US could learn a few things.
Mass transit here is fantastic. You can choose between water taxi, bus, train or even easily rent a bicycle if needed. Purchase a "GO card" with credit on it and you don't need cash to get around town. Just scan your card when you get on and then again when you get off. It is a very nice system that makes it easy to go into the city for dinner and you don't have to mess with parking or driving.
It is very easy to recycle - easier than anywhere else I have lived. At your house, you are allotted a full size garbage can for recyclable materials and they accept most everything as recyclable. Just load it up and wheel it to the curb. Anywhere there is a trash can, just next to it is a recycle can. Brisbane has made it simple.
People tend to carry re-usable water containers - No plastic water bottles around to discard. Of course, bottled water is very expensive...that may also be why you don't see them in use.
Appliances are designed differently. I now have the best dishwasher ever with regards to fitting more dishes in the racks. Our clothes washer is "smart" enough to decide for each load based on bulk how much water is needed and how long the load will take to clean. The dryer has a reservoir that captures the water from the clothes. This water can then be used for other things such as plants.
In general, cars are smaller...both engine and size wise. Many of the streets here are narrow so the smaller size is a great thing. I must admit, I do miss my V8 engine. Of course I won't when I go to fill up the tank with petrol. Last I checked, it was $1.60-ish/litre and my tank holds 54 litres. I'll have to send Robert to do that. :)
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