<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"> <head> <META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"> <meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)"> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="City"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="State"/> <o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" name="place"/>  <style>  </style> </head> <body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=blue> <div class=Section1> FYI, we’ve posted a framework for “the People’s Strategy” on climate change on <a href="http://www.weconserve.ca/">www.weconserve.ca</a>. <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> To paraphrase Pogo, “I have met the solution, and it is us”.  Unlike other climate change strategies that focus on the major emitters, and caps and emission trading, our approach is to focus on consumers as the engine of change.  We are, I believe, unique in that we emphasize the need to invest in the products and services that will help make it easier for people to adopt new conserver habits and practices.  <o:p></o:p>  <o:p></o:p> I am also putting the finishing touches on an overhaul of the <a href="http://www.greenontario.org/">www.greenontario.org</a> website, which is our more comprehensive site of links and resources,  The Green Ontario site will flesh out the We Conserve strategy with more resources on how to become a better conserver.<o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Investing in the People’s Strategy on Climate Change is one of our topics at the upcoming Conservation Summit on April 27.  Be sure to register at <a href="http://www.weconserve.ca/summit/">www.weconserve.ca/summit/</a> <o:p></o:p> <o:p> </o:p> <o:p> </o:p> Chris Winter<o:p></o:p> <div> <a href="http://www.weconserve.ca/">weconserve.ca</a><o:p></o:p> <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ontario</st1:place></st1:State>'s Conservation Movement<o:p></o:p> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <div> <div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'> <hr size=2 width="100%" align=center tabindex=-1> </div> </div> <o:p> </o:p> <img border=0 width=251 height=62 id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.jpg@01C777D9.D4FDA630" alt="Emacs!"> New <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State w:st="on">Ontario</st1:State></st1:place> climate change strategy provides everyday practical solutions Finally, a strategy that is aimed at helping people take action (<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Toronto</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">Ontario</st1:State></st1:place>, April 5, 2007)   Today, the Conservation Council of Ontario released an eight step consumer-oriented climate change strategy called We Conserve: The People's Strategy on Climate Change.  In a word, the strategy is "conserve."  In four words, "Be a better conserver."  And in 28 words and eight actions, the strategy is…"Live in an energy efficient home with renewable power, in a compact and complete community with lots of green spaces.  Drive less.  Buy local.  Eat local.  Waste less." On the Council's website, <a href="http://www.weconserve.ca/" eudora=autourl>www.weconserve.ca</a> , people can find a page of ideas for each of these eight actions, with links to organizations and companies that make it easy to take the actions. "There's absolutely no point in asking people to conserve if we can't back it up with tailored advice and support services, and with easy access to conservation products like renewable power, car-sharing and locally-produced food," said Chris Winter, Executive Director of the Conservation Council of Ontario and the strategy's author. The strategy is based on the Council's work over the past three years to link a provincial conservation movement with an emerging conserver economy.  It also points to the need for provincial and federal climate change strategies to emphasize public incentives, support for an emerging conserver economy, and strengthening the social infrastructure for conservation. "Any long term solution has to be based on a consumer-driven strategy," explained Winter.  "Caps and emission-trading are great, but people also need to see that their governments are backing them up in their personal efforts to conserve energy." We Conserve is being promoted this month with posters in all 441 locations of The Beer Store across <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ontario</st1:place></st1:State>.  And for the month of April, donations can be made to the Conservation Council of Ontario through coin boxes in all The Beer Store locations.  -30- CONTACT: <x-tab>        </x-tab> Chris Winter, Executive Director, Conservation Council of <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ontario</st1:place></st1:State>, 416-533-1635 ext 1., cell: phone at 647-393-5000 The Conservation Council of Ontario is a provincial association of organizations and conservation leaders working to facilitate the transition to a conserver society and a conserver economy in <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ontario</st1:place></st1:State>.  Visit <a href="http://www.weconserve.ca/" eudora=autourl>www.weconserve.ca</a> for more information. (Charitable # 11887 4858 RR0001)<o:p></o:p> </div> </body> </html>