Sponsors

Ecology Watch: Toronto Wants to Pay Citizens for Green Concepts Email Print

By Bill Hare
04/30/2008 04:28:14 PM EST

The April 26 edition of the Toronto Star in an article by its environmental reporter Moira Welsh reveals, "The City of Toronto plans to pay its citizens to go green."

Starting in May, a staff with the Live Green Toronto program, operating with $20 million in city funding for five years, will begin meeting with residents to discuss carbon-saving projects it will help subsidize.

Toronto Mayor David Miller has said that the "the plan's success depends on residents creating change."  

An initial target has been projected of a 6 percent decrease in carbon emissions by 2012.

"We won't meet our ambitious targets if we don't have the support of every Torontonian and every Toronto-based business," Miller exclaimed at the Green Living Show, a consumer show selling products with an environmental focus.  

According to Moira Welsh:

"Lawson Oates, director of the Toronto Environment Office, said city council still has to sign off on the criteria for the public to receive grants to develop green project ideas, and get money to share the cost of buying equipment and materials.  Once that is done, likely next month, the project will begin."

The ambitious effort will commence with what Oates called "activators," environmentalists working for non-governmental agencies who will meet with residents to assist them through the idea stage.  The application process will occur next, followed by the effort to accomplish the work.

One example cited for the project is a solar-heated water system.  Another example is an inventory of neighborhood trees, with the goal of planting more on private property and public parks.

This is a meritorious plan promoted by a large, progressive international city.  Let us hope that it becomes a successful model for others to follow throughout the world.


KEYWORDS: ,

Sign up for a Complimentary Member Account... Join the community! It's fast. And it'll allow you to take advantage of all this site's great features!

< 150 Oregon Officials Quit Over Ethics Policy | Nigeria, Australia Move Toward Aiding Workers and Families >
 Display:
Ecology Watch: Toronto Wants to Pay Citizens for Green Concepts | 2 comments (2 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
Bush proposes a summer holiday from gas taxes ... (none / 0)
Where is the sense in this?  As gas prices rise,
maybe, just maybe, people will change their driving habits and begin to think about buying small, more efficient vehicles.  Give people a break on gas and no one will change.  In an effort to cut back on electricity used by clothes dryers, there were a couple of programmeas by the city of Toronto to provide free clothes lines.  It's easy and simple to use a laundry horse indoors all year round and it really does make a difference.  

by ggb on 05/06/2008 12:53:16 PM EST

We need to make a (none / 0)
difference as individuals pertaining to the environment.  Thanks for the contribution.  Those steps need to be taken to improve our world.

by Bill Hare on 05/07/2008 05:04:40 PM EST

[ Parent ]
Ecology Watch: Toronto Wants to Pay Citizens for Green Concepts | 2 comments (2 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
 Display: