April 2008: EcoAction Teams Newsletter
Dear friends,
Did you pledge to make 2008 a greener year at home and at work? If you need a little help to keep you on track of your goals, why not get back on the EcoAction calculator. Already done Level 1? Check out Level 2 and 3 and keep your checklist of items at hand - www.calculator.ecoactionteams.ca.
In this issue:
- Bringing the EcoAction Teams program to all Canadians has been our goal since we first started calculating environmental savings over five years ago. Right now, various municipalities and townships have expressed interest in becoming program partners with us and the roll-out has officially began.
- We‘ve added a new column to this newsletter called The Green Scene, which will cover different topics each issue. In this edition, you can read about the dramatic increase in e-waste in this country and what to consider before buying new electronics.
- Do you know someone who has made a difference in your community? Are
you an environmental leader? If so, read about the Earth Day Canada Hometown Heroes Award and tell us who is deserving of consideration.
- Finally, don’t forget that Earth Day is around the corner. Mark April 22nd on your calendar and find out how you can get involved in an Earth Day event near you.
Be well,
The Team
EcoAction Teams targets municipalities across Canada
The EcoAction Teams initiative to engage municipalities is moving forward and outwards! We are very excited about furthering our reach and are motivated by the enthusiasm we are seeing from our partner municipalities. We are striving to bring Canada’s most comprehensive resource conservation initiative to households in your community. Earth Day Canada’s EcoAction Teams Program is the program of choice for municipalities striving to build sustainable communities, reduce local greenhouse gas emissions, and save costs on municipal water use and waste management. To find out more about our municipal partnership strategy, click here.
The Green Scene: Before You Buy That TV
You’ve decided to buy a new LCD (liquid crystal display) or plasma television. They are a superior product to tube televisions in every aspect. The only problem is that the one you own is in perfect working condition and it feels a little wrong to get rid of it.
Here’s the good news: virtually all new flat screen televisions are more energy-efficient than their predecessors. ENERGY STAR TVs can reduce your set’s energy consumption (and greenhouse gas emissions) by 30% in standby mode. By the end of the year, the ENERGY STAR label will mean that the set is also 30% more efficient when it is turned on. (Note: LCD models are more efficient than plasmas of comparable size).
When shopping for new appliances, most people forget about the cost to power the product over its lifetime. Choosing energy-efficient appliances and electronics will significantly reduce your household energy consumption and lower your monthly bills.
The bad news is that the bigger the screen, the more energy it requires. And
we Canadians don’t stop at the television. We want new laptops, video game consoles, surround sound speakers, mp3 players, stereos, and cell phones. Unfortunately, buying brand new toys comes with another cost we all absorb.
Canada dumps more than 140,000 tonnes of e-waste into landfills every year. This includes computer equipment, phones, televisions, stereos and small home appliances.
It’s important to be mindful of the environmental costs of producing new products and disposing of their potentially hazardous components. By avoiding the purchase completely or by recycling your outdated electronics and appliances with care, you ensure the recovery and reuse of materials, and help reduce the pollution and energy that goes into producing new ones.
Searching for Earth Day Canada’s 2008 Environmental Hometown Hero
Earth Day Canada, in partnership with Cascades, has launched the search for the 2008 Hometown Heroes Award winner and wants to hear from you and environmental leaders in your community.
If you or someone you know is engaged in fostering meaningful, long-term environmental awareness and action at the local level, please visit earthday.ca/hometown today for a chance to win the 2008 Hometown Heroes Award. This year’s winner will receive a cash-prize of $10,000 ($5,000 to keep and $5,000 to donate to the environmental cause of their choice).
The Hometown Heroes Award was established in 2004 by Earth Day Canada to recognize and celebrate the local environmental achievements of hometowns across the country. The 2008 winner will be recognized as part of the 5th Annual Earth Day Gala in Toronto, on June 18th 2008.
For more information contact Reid Bodley at heroes@earthday.ca or 1-888-283-2784 ext. 114.
Earth Day is April 22
Celebrated every April 22, Earth Day is the largest, most celebrated
environmental event in the world. In Canada, more than six million Canadians join 500 million people in over 180 countries in staging events and projects to address local environmental issues. In fact, nearly every school child in Canada takes part in an Earth Day activity.
Get involved today. To find out how you can help the Earth this April 22nd, go to earthday.ca
Support EcoAction Teams and Earth Day Canada
To help fund a truly innovative approach to conservation across Canada, donate to Earth Day Canada, and indicate that you want your donation to go to the EcoAction Teams program. To donate online, visit earthday.ca. You can also mail a cheque to Earth Day Canada:
You can also mail a cheque to Earth Day Canada:
111 Peter St., Suite 503
Toronto, ON, M5V 2H1
Attention: Jed Goldberg, President, Earth Day Canada
Earth Day Canada is a registered charity (#13195 1378 RR0001) and a registered adherent to Imagine Canada’s Ethical Fundraising and Financial Accountability Code.
EcoAction Teams and Earth Day Canada
gratefully acknowledge the support of:
Make ecoactionteams.ca your home for household conservation all year-round!