The Sustainable Communities and Waste Hub is supporting a new community-led initiative in the town of Snug, Tasmania, to tackle harmful wood heater emissions.
The Snug project is part of Project 3: Wood Heater Emissions – Novel Solutions. It is one of three case studies trialling different approaches to reduce wood heater smoke pollution. The project empowers community members to design and lead their own interventions, supported by researchers from the University of Tasmania, CSIRO and Curtin University.
Why this matters
Wood heaters are a major source of winter air pollution in Australia, releasing fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that increases the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular illness. Despite regulations, smoke continues to cause hundreds of premature deaths and thousands of hospitalisations each year.
A new approach
The Snug campaign is unique because it is community-designed and led. Local champions are at the heart of the initiative, sharing concerns, identifying solutions, and trialling hyper-local interventions. The research team is led by Prof Fay Johnston and PhD student Kristian Mikhel from the University of Tasmania.
It provides technical support and best-practice advice to strengthen community ideas and evaluate outcomes.
Examples include:
- The www.snug2025.com website, which was built with and for the Snug community
- A YouTube channel and Facebook group to share local stories and knowledge
- Initiatives like a wood swap program, developed and run by residents themselves.
The Snug campaign demonstrates how science and community leadership can come together to create healthier, cleaner air.
Visit www.snug2025.com to explore the project and follow its progress.
