| Climate Change Action |
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Are You Up For A Challenge? To find out your personal yearly greenhouse gas (GHG) emisions check out the Federal Greenhouse Gas Calculator. You can join the Climate Change Challenge by filling out our on-line pledge form and committ to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by one tonne -- about 20 per cent. Choose to take actions like using less energy, reducing waste and making smart consumer decisions. You'll save money, protect our climate and help give us cleaner air. To find out more about what the Peterborough Community is doing contact Peterborough Green-Up.
CLIMATE CHANGE FACTS Our Climate is changing. As the concentrations of Greenhouse Gas (GHGs) increase in the atmosphere, they are causing average temperatures to rise. Climate: long term average day-to-day weather, including seasonal extremes and variations, for a specific location or a region. Greenhouse Gases (GHGs): are found in the earth's atmosphere; they trap the sun's heat close to the planet's surface. Without them, this heat would escape into space and the earth would not be habitable. However, changing the concentrations of these GHGs changes our climate. The most common GHG contributed by human activity is carbon dioxide (CO2), which is released through the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) and through deforestation and land degradation. Climate Change: a long term shift in the climate of a specific location, region or the entire planet, measured by changes in temperature, wind patterns, and precipitation. Scientific research shows that human activities are increasing the concentration of GHGs in the atmosphere, resulting in changes in temperature, which in turn cause changes in weather patterns. In Canada, we are already seeing the signs of climate change-melting permafrost in the north, declining water levels in our lakes and rivers; and more extreme weather events, such as droughts, ice storms and floods. How does our personal energy use contribute to climate change? In many Canadian homes, natural gas or oil is burned for heating and hot water. Electricity is used for heating and, increasingly, cooling. It also runs major appliances and provides lighting. In addition, we consume energy through yard maintenance and the dsiposal of household waste. Electricity is often thought of as "clean energy", but in many parts of Canada, where there are no nuclear generation or suitable hydroelectric resources, electricity is generated by burning coal, natural gas and oil, which produce a large percentage of Canada's total GHG emissions. Even in those places that depend on nuclear stations and hydro dams for power, the nature of the North American electricity grid means it is difficult to know the exact source of electricity from day to day. For more information on Climate Change click here.
Air Quality in Peterborough As of October 5, Peterborough has been issued 35 smog alerts by the Ministry of the Environment for 2005. That's 15 more days of poor air quality compared to last year's 20 days. Thatâs cause for concern and action. In a study released by the Ontario Medical Association on July 14th, Ontario doctors reported that exposure to smog will contribute to approximately 5,800 premature deaths province-wide. To give these numbers a local context, the City of Peterborough will experience 80 premature deaths, 190 hospital admissions, 680 emergency visits with health care costs to treat victims nearing $4 million. It also estimates that the local economic impact of poor air quality will amount to $3.36 million. A pretty hefty price to pay, eh? Thatâs the bad news. The good news is, each of us can do something about it that will make a difference. Not only will the following actions save our air but they will also save you money! Read about what you can do On the Road and At Home. To get Peterborough's daily Air Quality Report and to learn more about Smog go to: For information on how Smog affects our health check out these Peterborough Green-Up Factsheets: Outdoor Exercise in Heat and Smog
The Challenge Hits the Road Don't idle
Drive 10% less Use a block heater on a timer when the temperature drops below 0°C (32°F)
Taking the Challenge Home It takes a lot of energy to keep our homes comfortable, as our ever-rising utility bills will attest! So much energy in fact that the energy we use around the house accounts for 50% of our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Here are some simple common sense actions you can take that will save you money and reduce your GHG emissions getting you closer to your one-tonne goal. Home Heating Install one of todays energy efficient furnaces Keep your furnace well maintained Lower your thermostat Use caulking and weather-stripping to seal air leaks Upgrade your insulation Keep window curtains open during the day in winter
One-Tonne Challenge Presentations Is your organization interested in learning more about the One-Tonne Challenge? Are you a school group or youth organization looking for interesting ways to engage young people around the concept of climate change and energy efficiency? Are you a business looking for a fun way to promote energy efficiency amongst your staff? Why not book a One-Tonne Challenge Presentation? Our One-Tonne Challenge Coordinator would be excited to deliver an interesting and entertaining presentation customized to your audience. To find out more please contact Michael Gibbs at Peterborough Green-Up for more information.
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