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
Not sure how to deal with climate change or the emotions and thoughts it brings? Maybe we don’t need to figure it out on our own. Check out this inspiring story from one Pocket resident who started her own climate change support group among friends and neighbours.
The story of one Pocket Changemaking family who focused their retrofit on creating more space for their kids and lowering their home’s carbon footprint. Now they’re 100% electric, enjoying air conditioning in summer and greater comfort in winter, and loving their much lower utility costs.
