Project Neutral Launches 2nd Annual Household Carbon Footprint Survey

TORONTO, Oct. 9, 2012 /CNW/ - Project Neutral will launch the 2^nd annual Household Carbon Footprint Survey on Saturday, October 13, 2012 (for the Junction), at 10:00 am, at the Annette Public Library, and on Sunday, October 14, 2012 (for Riverdale), at 1:00 pm, at the Frankland Community Centre. Launch events will feature local residents (of Riverdale and the Junction) author Vincent Lam, architect Martin Liefhebber, and former Mayor of Toronto David Miller, speaking about why they have chosen to support Project Neutral.

Project Neutral's 2012 goal is to have 400 households participate in the survey and we thank local businesses and environmental organizations for offering a range of prizes and incentives, including Options for Cars, Danforth Home Hardware, Autoshare, M J | architecture, Ed's Real Scoop, Agora Cafe, RPM, Riversides, Green Power Action, Toronto Forum for Green Building + Design , Sustainable TO Architecture + Building, Windfall Ecology, Eyedro Green Solutions, Above Ground Art Supplies, The Good Neighbour Espresso Bar, and Bullfrog Power.

Each household that completes the survey will receive a Household Carbon Footprint Report, which provides a breakdown of the household footprint in terms of water, energy, transportation, food, and - new this year - waste. The report also compares the household with the average and top performers in their neighbourhood. Based on the results of the 2011 survey, leaders in Riverdale and the Junction will offer residents ways to reduce their driving footprint. As a result, Project Neutral will be launching "Get Charged!", our neighbourhood electric vehicle campaign.

"It will be really interesting for households to have a chance to see how their footprint compares to last year, to look at the data and changes in behaviour", said co-founder Karen Nasmith. "It's (the survey and household report) creating a buzz. People are talking about Project Neutral in Riverdale and the Junction; they're seeing lawn signs and posters in local businesses, and they want to know what their neighbours are doing.  It's a grassroots, climate change dialogue".

Project Neutral is incubated by CivicAction's Emerging Leaders Network (ELN). In 2012, Project Neutral received provincial funding through the Ontario Trillium Foundation and from private sector partnerships, including TD Friends of the Environment, Green Power Action and Bullfrog Power.

SOURCE: CivicAction