London’s
One-Tonne Challenge Campaign 2005 and Spring
of 2006
The One-Tonne Challenge (OTC) was part of
the Government of Canada’s Climate Change
Plan, released in November 2002, just prior
to the government ratifying the Kyoto Protocol
in December 2003.
Forty communities across Canada participated
in this program by delivering special OTC
projects in their communities and sharing
their experiences.
On average individual Canadians produce 5
tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions (GGE) annually.
The OTC calls on all of us to take those next
steps, to achieve a national goal of reducing
emissions by one tonne per person.
Thames Region Ecological Association (TREA)
and the City of London co-lead the London
OTC campaign, each with specific initiatives
to engage Londoners. TREA's community outreach
strategy reached over 25,000 local citizens
with 14 measureable challenges emphasizing
personal behaviour changes to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions as well as having 3,038 citizens
register for the Challenge.
Local
OTC challenges included residences, schools,
businesses and service groups involving the
reduction of energy, waste and water use and
transportation alternatives.
TREA promoted their yearly Commuter Challenge
to businesses and Active & Safe Routes
to schools with messages of drive less, drive
smarter and don’t idle, visits to gas
stations on idling and tire checks and visits
to dealerships on fuel-efficient purchases.
TREA worked with condo associations on energy
conservation, schools and retailers on pesticide
reduction initiatives, delivered workshops
and helped Boy Scout troups with their climate
badge.
The City worked with 7 neighbourhoods with
several programs. Visit the City’s Air
Quality page at www.london.ca.
Prior to the Challenge, TREA in collaboration
with the City delivered TREA’s Do
Your Share for Clean Air community
awareness campaign. This involved successful
visits to over 100 sites and talking to over
30,000 people at schools, businesses, churches
and special events throughout the year with
materials from12 local program partner organizations
involved with environment and health concerns.
The OTC enhanced the goals of the Do
Your Share for Clean Air campaign.
Thames
Region Ecological Association
Telephone: (519) 645-2845, Fax (519) 645-0981,
Email: trea@wwdc.com
