The Climate Café recently stopped in Novo mesto, where the topic of energy saving in households was discussed in the atrium of the Miran Jarc Library.
In a relaxed café atmosphere, we discussed how we as individuals can save money and contribute to climate change mitigation by taking action at home. The professionals present at the event were Pia Primec, undersecretary at the Sustainable Mobility and Transport Policy Directorate of the Ministry of Infrastructure, Davor Rašić, undersecretary at the Energy Directorate, Energy Use Sector of the Ministry of Infrastructure, and Marjeta Zupančič, independent expert and energy consultant of the Ensvet network and head of the Ensvet office in Novo mesto and Trebnje. Energy efficiency measures were highlighted from different angles: in sustainable mobility, energy efficiency and ways to save energy in residential buildings.
The experts highlighted immediately takeable measures that can save money in the family budget. Davor Rašić underlined the importance of using a dishwasher as one of the most important measures, as it uses less hot water than washing dishes by hand. He added that a lot of energy can be saved on heating food and boiling water by using a microwave and a kettle instead of a stove.
There are also significant savings to be made in the area of sustainable mobility, with mobility, according to SURS, accounting for 17% of the family budget. Pia Primec attached great importance to measures such as using public transport, cycling and walking, reducing motorway speeds from 130 to 100 km/h, and keeping in mind the amount of luggage in or on the car, which also affects fuel consumption. During the discussion, participants pointed to the less efficient public transport outside major towns and cities and recalled the once active workers’ buses. In response, Ms Primec mentioned carpooling as one of the solutions for sustainable commuting and stressed that a lot of work is being done in Slovenia to develop more efficient public transport. The audience was also asked whether they were aware of European Mobility Week, and most of them raised their hands to confirm that the activities of European Mobility Week are widely recognised.
The energy renovation of buildings has also attracted a lot of attention. Marjeta Zupančič advised that one of the first renovation measures should be the replacement or repair of dilapidated windows, often followed by the installation of a suitable ventilation system. She highlighted waste heat recovery ventilation as energy efficient, which attracted a lot of interest and led to an in-depth discussion among those present.
After the debate, visitors to the Climate Café enjoyed coffee from the Buna cooperative and chocolate biscuits made with fair trade chocolate. They spun the climate wheel of fortune with great enthusiasm and successfully answered questions about climate change. The library space was decorated with illustrations by kindergarten children, created as part of this year’s European Mobility Week, to round off the event in a symbolic way.
See highlights from the event in the gallery.
The next Climate Café will take place on 14 December at the Domžale Library. You are kindly invited to join us.
Photographs: Jaka Šuln