[greenon-l] We Conserve - April 7, 2010

Thu Apr 8 13:41:57 EDT 2010

If you have trouble seeing this newsletter, please go here
<http://www.weconserve.ca/newsletter/10april.html> 

April 7, 2010

THINK LIKE A MOVEMENT

In this issue.

1.      Celebrate Community

2.      PowerPledge: 
pledge now, pledge often! 

3.      Barriers and Initiatives for Conservation - ECO consultation

4.      Introducing the Great Green Directory

5.      Welcome New Members and Board

 <http://www.weconserve.ca> 

132 - 215 Spadina Ave. Toronto, Ontario  M5T 2C7 

416.533.1635 info(at)weconserve.ca <mailto:info at weconserve.ca>
<mailto:cco at web.ca>   

Editor: Chris Winter, Executive Director
The Conservation Council of Ontario 

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 <http://www.weconserve.ca/donate.html> 

  _____  

Celebrate Community

It seems like everyone wants us to pitch-in, turn-off, or turn-up these
days.  We've just celebrated the fourth annual Earth Hour event, and over
the next month you can join in a 20 Minute Makeover <http://www.pitch-in.ca>
, participate in Earth Day celebrations <http://www.earthday.ca/> , or take
in a Jane <http://www.janeswalk.org/> 's Walk on the May 1st weekend.

There are two good reasons to get involved in some or all of these events.
The first is to show you care.  Get out there, wave your flag, and lend your
support to some terrific organizations that are working to make the world a
better place.   An even more important reason is to build up the spirit of
green in your community.  Some of the best green activities are the ones you
do with friends and neighbours.  And some of the best green events are local
cultural events that have incorporated a commitment to celebrating community
and living green. 

Community spirit is a strong foundation for a culture of conservation.  It's
one of the essential building blocks for effective voluntary change.
Fortunately, there's no shortage of opportunities to get involved these
days.  My suggestion for community groups is to pick the issues your members
are most concerned about and the activities that best build community
spirit.  

Get out there, and have fun conserving! 

  _____  

Power Pledge
Ontario Power Authority launches a new pledge campaign
http://www.powerpledge.ca/ 

Pledge to save energy, then book your flight!

That's right.  The latest social marketing campaign to come out of the
Ontario Power Authority is offering 20 Air Miles as an incentive to make a
pledge to use a power bar or wash clothes in cold water.

Now, most people I know have made a similar pledge at least three times
already -- last years Count Me In campaign from the OPA, CBC's A Million
Acts of Green, the David Suzuki Nature Challenge, or the WWF's Living Planet
challenge (formerly The Good Life).  I've done them all.  "Pledge now,
pledge often", I always say.  But this is one pledge I'm going to pass on.

Air Miles as a reward for conserving?  What are they thinking?  Granted, you
don't have to use your 20 Air Mile points towards a 1,000 point trip from
Toronto to Thunder Bay.  You can use them towards an item from their green
products line ( a point not mentioned on the Power Pledge site).  Or you can
donate your Air Miles to one of three charities: World Wildlife Fund Canada,
Special Olympics Canada, or Kids Help Phone.   (Unfortunately, OSEA, Green
Communities Canada, LIEN, CCO, or any of the many community-based
conservation groups across Ontario are not included in this offer).

But it's the overall marketing approach that is the real issue for me on
this one.  It's time we let the OPA know that centralized, corporate social
marketing campaigns are not the way to build a culture of conservation.  The
OPA should stick to delivering targeted incentives and support programs, and
completely redesign it's public engagement strategy to foster a
decentralized, voluntary sector approach to building conserver communities
and a culture of conservation.

Fortunately, there is a way to make raise these concerns.   Read on...

  _____  

Initiatives and Barriers to Conservation
Environmental Commissioner launches a public consultation website
http://ontarioenergyconservation.ca 

When the Green Energy Act was passed last year, it shifted responsibility
for reporting on energy conservation from Ontario's Chief Energy
Conservation Officer (working out of the Ontario Power Authority) to the
Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO), Gord Miller.

The ECO has now launched a website where you can record your conservation
initiatives and list the barriers to effective conservation.   The suggested
categories for barriers include: informational, financial, regulatory,
technical, and other.

Barriers can result from both errors of omission and commission, and they
can become embedded in the way we use and think about energy. The first step
in addressing these barriers is gathering information from people like you.

If you are frustrated by something in particular and you think it should be
removed, the ECO wants to know.

  _____  

The Great Green Directory
http://www.greatgreendirectory.ca 

We have a fantastic new resource to introduce you to this month:  the Great
Green <http://www.greatgreendirectory.ca>  Directory.

 <http://www.greatgreendirectory.ca/> Imagine having all the products,
services, support programs, incentives, project funding, and resources all
on one website, complete with the ability to create your own factsheet for
your own use, or to hand out at a community group meeting.

That's the challenge we gave to Addison Cameron Huff of Summerhill Design
<http://www.summerhilldesign.com> , one of the country's sharpest young web
designers (he has the Yahoo! Hacker awards to prove it)..

The site is up and running.  It's just the engine at the moment, so don't
expect glitz and glamour.  The polish will come later after we've made sure
the foundation is solid.

The Conservation Council will build and manage the important information
around provincial programs and incentives, the rest is up to you.  If you
wish to add in your group, business, or municipality, all you need to do is
create a personal account (Sign Up) and then enter the details on your
organization and the services you provide.  We'll send you a reminder every
six months or so to make your information is current.

  _____  

Welcome New Members and Board

We welcome Ben Marans as the new President of the Conservation Council.  Ben
is the Manager of Grants and Special Programs with the Toronto Atmospheric
Fund.  Prior to joining TAF, he managed the Smart Living St Lawrence program
for EnerACT in Toronto, a great example of a community-based conservation
program.

We also welcome Dr Ashif Jiwa to the Board. Dr. Jiwa is a family physician
by profession who has a great personal interest in the environment.  She has
have been involved in multiple community engagement activities in many
different capacities - including First Nations, the Rainbow Health Network
and refugees and immigrant communities.

New Members include ECO Building Resource <http://www.eco-building.ca/>
(business), the Ontario Landscape <http://www.organiclandscape.org>
Alliance (organization), and Bob Burdett who has joined us again as an
Individual Member. 

Make a difference.  Become a Friend of Conservation
 <http://www.weconserve.ca/donate.html> 

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