Check out the February 2022 Pocket Change Project Newsletter
Welcome back neighbours. This is the second monthly newsletter for the Pocket Change Project, bringing you news and information about reducing your carbon footprint.
There have been several developments both at City Hall and right here in the Pocket that will make it even easier for folks to make environmentally-friendly decisions like buying an electric vehicle (EV) or switching off the natural gas (which is really just methane) at home.
Read on for some highlights from January.
Pocket Residents responded en masse to a call-out from the Pocket Change Project and successfully pressured Toronto City staff to reverse their position and commit to expanding the number of public EV charging stations in the city.
We've still got a long way to go to 10,000 on-street chargers, but this shows we can make a difference.
More news on the EV front:
EV Chargers at every ONroute rest stop by the end of the year
Millions of dollars for hundreds of EV chargers in the GTHA
On Jan 27, the Pocket Change Project hosted a webinar on home renovations to reduce or eliminate your carbon footprint. The keynote speaker for the evening was Stewart Dutfield, a manager of public renewable energy initiatives at the City of Toronto, who reviewed all the grants and loans available for homeowners looking to lower their carbon footprint. We also had expert contractors and energy advisors who discussed Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) and rooftop solar panels.
Don't fret if you missed it, we've got a video posted on our site.
Interested in learning more about ASHPs and Net-Zero home retrofits?
Carbon Switch founder Michael Thomas debunks the myth that ASHPs don't work in sub-zero temperatures
On Dec 15th, Toronto City Council approved the Pocket Plus Neighbourhood Climate Action Plan.
As they explain: "the "Pocket Change Project" is a long-term transformation initiative focused on reducing the environmental footprint of the community through a suite of environmental actions for both residential and institutional stakeholders living and operating in the Pocket Neighbourhood."
In other words, this means the city is officially backing our efforts to reduce residential carbon emissions and is adding its own push to green public buildings and infrastructure.
The Pocket Change Project has been offered a number of free trees for residents. Please email us at [email protected] before March 1st if you're interested in getting a tree for your front or back yard. There are a number of native species on offer and we can help with the planting and give you tips on maintenance in the first key years.
We need you to help us build the Pocket Change Project. Bring your enthusiasm, experience and expertise to help with:
Email us if you're interested in pitching in on any of the above.
Until next month,
Liisa and Marco
Pocket Change Project
With their furnace and central air conditioner both nearing their 20-year mark, Adam and Monica attended a Pocket Changemakers Social, hoping for support and inspiration. Today, they are Changemakers themselves, and they’ve joined the growing number of homeowners in the Pocket with a 100% electric home.
Simple insulation can be a game changer. These Pocket homeowners have cut their gas use in half and more than halved their home's carbon footprint. They've also made huge gains in terms of their own comfort.
Stefan, Ellie, and their dog Ernie recently installed a heat pump after finding out their furnace was near the end of its life. Here Stephan shares the results of their switch (spoiler alert: they are very happy with it, and love the fact that they have cooling now too). He also outlines the steps anyone can expect to go through when getting a heat pump.