Page 3
WINNING TWICE FOR OUR ENVIRONMENT
Environment Hamilton has launched a new program called Tonnes for Trees
in Ainslie Wood/Westdale, Strathcona and Kirkendall. In return for reducing
personal greenhouse gas emissions, residents will be rewarded with free
new trees ready for planting.
Tonnes for Trees supports
the Kyoto accord and the federal
government’s One-Tonne
Challenge, AND provides free
trees to neighbourhoods.
Each Canadian produces –
on average - five and half
tonnes of greenhouse gases
a year when we drive, heat
our homes or use electricity
and other energy produced
with fossil fuels. It is clear
that those greenhouse gas
emissions are changing the
global climate and contributing
to rising average temperatures.
As a result, Canada and
most other countries have committed to reducing
their greenhouse gas
emissions. Individuals have
a big role to play in achieving this goal, and in Hamilton your personal
reductions will also
help us plant more trees in the city. In
fact, for every tonne reduced
by individuals, the
Tonnes for Trees program will
provide two free trees.
Tonnes for Trees
is being piloted in
three neighbourhoods, but
you can participate even if
you don’t live there.
The Environment Hamilton website, and a booklet we can provide, explains more than 60 simple ways you can reduce your
emissions (see some examples below).
The website will allow you
to track your reductions, and
allocate your achievements
to one of the three neighbourhoods.
Please register at the
email address below to start
winning twice for our local
and global environment.
Get involved: tonnes@environmenthamilton.org
HOW TO DROP
A TONNE
Stop idling!
Idling 10 minutes a day
creates a quarter of a
tonne per year. If you’re not
in traffic, and stopping
longer than 10 seconds,
turn off the engine.
Restarting takes less fuel
than keeping it running!
Get pumped!
Check your car's tire pressures once a
month and save one-eighth
of a tonne every year.
Slow down
Driving at 100 km/hr
instead of 120 cuts fuel
consumption by 20% and
cuts your emissions by half
a tonne!
Turn down the heat
Every time you leave
home, turn the heating
down by 3 degrees – that
saves half a tonne a year.
Compost & recycle
This saves one-eighth of a
tonne per year.
Efficient Lights!
Replacing your five most
used lights with low-watt
compact fluorescents will
cut out half a tonne AND
save you $30 a year.