What would motivate you to take action to reduce your carbon footprint?

Its not so much about the carbon for me - more about lifestyle. Living without wasting feels good.

Discounted rates for households with solar/heat pump hot water/rainwater tanks/certified "green" power usage etc It doesn't have to be a big discount two or three per-cent would be sufficent.

Federal government investment in renewable energy; State government incentives for solar energy, and public transport efficiencies (such as multiple one-day bus/train/ferry pass for workers); and safer cycle paths and secure cycle depots at Artarmon, Chatswood & St Leonards stations.

I've thought alot about this in the last couple of years:

- Community norms (what my friends and neighbours, other parents from school think is normal for transport, school lunches, diapering, etc)

- Courageous calls for action at all levels of government. I think people everywhere understand the tokenism of focus on shorter showers or standby power while at the same time staying silent on biggies like overpopulation, meat consumption, the general encouragement for consumerism or other much bigger impacts. My second child is a much bigger impact on the world's warming problem than my second car, and until we're prepared to speak honestly about that stuff, I think motivation will remain for enthusiasts only.

It is very encouraging (at the same time as depressing) to her the new POTUS to be talking about sacrifices we need to make. I think rhetoric like this can be enobling and people would step up to the challenge.

A collection of local stories from other hard times (Depression, WWII) as part of a way to encourage community collaboration on action would be a great project for Willoughby Council and a wonderful way to draw on the input of our elders.

At the end of the day for me and most people it would be cost. Council could offer discounted rates for efficient housing and discount parking for efficient cars. All these things would make a real difference.