Read the November 2022 edition of the Pocket Change Project newsletter
In this issue: November webinars, Pocket Change in the news, e-bike video, new discount on electric heat pump water heaters, and take the Reusable Toronto pledge
Read the November 2022 edition of the Pocket Change Project newsletter
In this issue: November webinars, Pocket Change in the news, e-bike video, new discount on electric heat pump water heaters, and take the Reusable Toronto pledge
The Pocket Change Project has been super busy this fall, working to bring you some great events and to assist even more homeowners undertaking green home improvements through our retrofit coordination service (we call those homeowners ChangeMakers - because they are!). Plus, we've launched a new Sustainable Transportation working group, which is dedicated to making it easier and more enjoyable for people to get around more sustainably in and around our community (by bike, car rentals/car sharing, EVs - and by that we mean both bikes and cars, walking, and transit).
In this issue:
Make all-season cycling a breeze! Cycle Toronto will guide us through topics including: choosing clothing and gear for wet and cold weather, bicycle maintenance and storage tips, winter route-planning, and safe riding techniques for weather-related hazards. Plus bring your questions for the Q&A! Brought to you by the Pocket Change Project and Cycle Toronto.
Home heating costs are soaring thanks to rising gas prices, so there has never been a better time to switch to a cold climate air source heat pump to heat and cool your home. Switching to a heat pump can save you thousands of dollars over the lifetime of the equipment. It will also dramatically reduce your home’s climate impact. This event features experts who can answer all your questions. Brought to you by the Ontario Clean Air Alliance.
Are you interested in greening your home a little – or a lot? Do you want to gain a really clear understanding of how all the steps, options, and processes fit together? Then this essential “big picture” webinar is for you! Pocket Change Retrofit Coach Paul Dowsett (founder of Sustainable: Architecture for a Healthy Planet), Registered Energy Advisor Sarah Grant (co-founder, Goldfinch Energy), and other special guests will take you through what you need to know when considering a deep home retrofit – or an upgrade to work you’ve already done to green your home. Most importantly this webinar will go over ways to “bring it all together” – through a step-wise process that makes sense for your home and makes it a lot easier on you! Brought to you by the Pocket Change Project.
TIME: 8 – 9:15 pm ET
WHERE: On Zoom
RSVP and more info here.
There has been a flurry of media interest lately around the Pocket Change Project, and particularly our green home retrofit coordination service. We’re so glad that the word is getting out there about local community-based solutions to make the process of green home improvements a lot easier for homeowners. Here is a roundup:
We wanted to highlight a couple of initiatives from our friends and colleagues at the Harbord Village Residents Association (HVRA) Net Zero Committee that will no doubt be of interest to many. First, HVRA hosted an excellent e-bike webinar in September that will really tell you a lot if you want to learn about the different types of e-bikes and how they work, purchase and rental options, how e-bikes are great for extending biking distances and "flattening" hills, and many other considerations. To watch the video, click this link or the image here:
Second, HVRA has negotiated a new discount, this time on electric heat pump water heaters, in addition to their ongoing discount on electric induction ranges and cooktops and their e-bike promotion. Highly efficient Rheem Manufacturing electric heat pump water heaters are now available at a discount from Home Depot thanks to HRVA - and anyone is welcome to take advantage of these discounts. Read about the new electric heat pump water heater discount here.
A coalition of local organizations, reuse champions, businesses, and community members, convened by the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA), has come together to work to eliminate disposables and champion a culture of reuse in Toronto through advocacy, policy change, community engagement, and on-the-ground solutions. They are calling for action from municipal, business and other leaders to enact sustainable solutions to single-use plastics: reusables. They are asking us all to imagine and work towards a GTA where for example:
Cafes encourage you to bring your own mug
Take-out is served in a reusable container that you can borrow and return when you’re done
Delivery services ask first if you need condiments and utensils
Reusable cups can be borrowed at a festival or event
The group notes that other cities are creating bold new reuse policies and programs and we can do this in the GTA too! We encourage you to learn more and sign the Reusable Toronto Pledge today, as an individual, group, and/or business.
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Thanks for reading, and best (and green) wishes to all,
Your friends at the Pocket Change Project
Harnessing the power of community to become one of Canada's greenest neighbourhoods.
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.