TIGblogs - Sustainable Solutions Community

The City of Toronto has partnered with Zerofootprint to develop a new campaign called "Zerofootprint Toronto", the first-ever community-wide initiative aimed at engaging citizens in the fight against climate change. The program, which provides free access to the Zerofootprint Toronto web-based carbon calculator and social network, launched in February 2008 and will run over the course of two years.

Zerofootprint is a registered Canadian not-for-profit. Our goal is to mobilize and empower large groups of individuals and organizations worldwide, to reduce their collective carbon and ecological footprint.

"You can click on your neighbourhood and compare yourself with other people in the area," said Deborah Kaplan, executive director of zerofootprint.

The site's calculator allows people to find their carbon footprint in a minute or so.

A questionnaire lets people plug in details about how they get to work, how often they fly and even what kind of food they buy.

They can post their information and compare their environmental impact with others in the city and, eventually, around the world.

Although the site is called toronto.zerofootprint, officials said people in Mississauga, Oshawa, Barrie and areas outside Toronto will be able to take part.

The site will feature links to environmental meetings and activities, like Earth Hour, and places where people can sign up for car pools.

To learn more about Zerofootprint Toronto, please visit:

http://toronto.zerofootprint.net

------------------------------------------------------
Go Blue & One Minute Water Calculator
------------------------------------------------------
Zerofootprint has developed an online application that helps individuals and organizations measure and modify their water consumption. The new One Minute Water Calculator is the first of its kind and has been designed to address risks to the world's supply of potable water. Zerofootprint is a Canadian not-for-profit software innovator that pioneers carbon calculators for corporations, governments and individuals around the world.

Zerofootprint is now applying its software expertise to help people understand their water footprint. "Even in Canada people are generally unaware that in many parts of the country we are using drinking water at a rate that is faster than nature can renew it," explained Ron Dembo, the Founder & CEO of Zerofootprint.

"Water shortages and carbon emissions are two of the greatest threats to our environment", commented Deborah Kaplan, the Executive Director of Zerofootprint. "Our unique calculators engage individuals and organizations directly in these challenges to our environment by empowering them to measure and make adjustments to their consumption patterns."

"Our challenge here in Toronto from a water perspective is how to live with a growing population...with the same water infrastructure," Councillor Adam Giambrone told the group at City Hall.

He noted Toronto's system dates to the early 1900s and its age is a "constraint" on upgrades. He added Toronto's water conservation policies, which began about a decade ago, stem from an environmental and a fiscal concern.

"Toronto's (water department) is the highest user of electricity in the city," he said.

To calculate your water usage footprint & learn more about the Go Blue campaign, please visit:

http://www.goblue.org/

---------------------------------------------
Related Links:

Start A Wave Project - Share Your Story of Creating Positive Changes in Communities
http://www.startawave.ca/startawave.html