The New Joneses 2015

Meet Wayne. From Feb 9-13, this everyday hero and unlikely-eco warrior, will live like ‘The New Joneses’ in public view at City Square in Australia’s first carbon positive home, when the multi-awarded ‘The New Joneses’ project pops-up again.

With lifestyle coaching from Denise Drysdale, (who recently downsized to pursue the simple life) Wayne, (a carnivorous member of a thrasher band) will undertake a series of lifestyle challenges.

Arriving in his undies, Wayne will source his clothes, furniture, home-wares, even bedding, second hand. He will cut his energy use, test collaborative consumption, eliminate food waste, buy direct from Aussie producers, drive an electric vehicle, live chemical free, compost, tend his worm farm, all to maximize resources and minimize waste.

 The New Joneses is open to the public Feb 10th-15th 10am-4pm, FREE to visit, and features positive lifestyle talks. For details www.thenewjoneses.com   http://vimeo.com/90375075

Created to promote conscious lifestyles, The New Joneses are brought to life by: Powershop, Gumtree, Archiblox ,  Bankmecu, Nissan LEAF, Earth Choice, Organic Care,Farmhouse Direct, Airbnb, Sustainability Victoria, Fry’s Family Foods, GoodSpender, GoDigi, Bosch, ClosedLoop, Positive Charge, Leonard Joel, By Joost, Sacred Heart Mission, Blanco, Cool Australia, Westin,  Metropolitan Waste and Resource Recovery Group and The Garry White Foundation.

ABOUT THE NEW JONESES’ MATES

Power: Ranked #1 green energy retailer by Greenpeace, Powershop is the only Aussie power company that is 100% carbon neutral for its’ own and customer emissions. Consistently one of the cheapest, Powershop saves our money and our planet. powershop.com.au

Secondhand adds $580 billion to Global Economy. By 2018, UK’s landfill will be full. TNJ reduce landfill and extend the life of existing goods buying secondhand at Gumtree.com.au, leonardjoel.com.au, sacredheartmission.org

 Banking: TNJ stash their cash with bankmecu, who focus on social and environmental issues, not just growth, as key measures of progress and success. (bankmecu has not and will not make loans to finance coal and coal seam gas projects.) bankmecu.com.au

Smart Design: Designed in harmony with the seasons and environment, TNJ’s ArchiBlox home is Australia’s first carbon positive pre-fab modular home and has the Lowest embodied carbon footprint of any new build in Australia    archiblox.com.au

Food: Supporting local producers and communities, TNJ buy from real people, who grow and make real food at online farmer’s market, farmhousedirect.com.au

Electric Vehicles (EVs) The first EV was designed in 1832 and on Manhattan streets in the 1900s, EVs prevailed as taxis. The electric vehicle industry was revolutionised when in the Nissan LEAF brought the first mass produced EV to market. Protecting our environment, the Nissan LEAF produces zero tailpipe C02 emissions and eliminates petrol bills.  nissan.com.au/LEAF

Energy Saving: Retrofitting, TNJ saved around 80% on their lighting bill, $600 a year on electricity and 70% on heating. They joined 2.5 million Aussies with rooftop solar; changed halogen lights to LEDs and insulated their roof, walls and floors. positivecharge.com.au

Cleaning: For basic cleaning, TNJ use lemons and vinegar (keeping toxic chemicals which contaminate wildlife, seafood and our drinking water out of our waterways.) They buy minimal impact products that are grey water safe and actively working to take their products and packaging to zero-waste. naturesorganics.com.au

Composting: Food scraps sent to landfill don’t break down, producing gases 20 times more toxic than carbon from cars, while 50% of the average bin can be composted rather than sent to landfill. TNJ compost everything they can. closedloop.com.au/domestic-composter

Food Waste Avoidance: Victorian households toss away $4 billion worth of edible food a year. Throwing away food wastes money, impacts our environment (food in landfill produces methane, a potent greenhouse gas) and wastes all the resources (water, soils and energy) used to grow, process, package and transport it. TNJ shop to a list, buy what they need, get creative with leftovers and compost the rest. lovefoodhatewaste.vic.gov.au

It’s not waste, it’s just in the wrong place

Organics are an under-utilised resource. More than half the approximately 2.25 million tonnes of organic matter created in Victoria ends up in landfill at an estimated loss to the economy of $30 million in wasted resources. Knowledge-up and keep organics out of landfill! mwrrg.vic.gov.au