Earth Matters by Jacqueline Milner – EcoBusiness; simple steps to help your business and our planet. – Cornwall Ontario – August 6, 2010

Cornwall ON – The Cornwall Carbon Reduction Initiative has recently launched a new project entitled EcoBusiness.
The premise behind this new initiative is to help business institute changes to lighten their carbon footprint by providing facts, figures, tools and ideas to incorporate environmentally respectful practices in their day to day operations.  Incorporating small changes will lighten your carbon footprint and has the potential to save your business dollars and provide a healthier work environment to boot.

Involvement in this free community project is open to all businesses in the SD&G area.  Please call 613-932-2088 or e-mail angie@cornwallcarbonreduction.ca to confirm your participation. CCRI staff will make themselves available to personally discuss how to move forward with this project.  Confirming your participation is requested so that CCRI can promote and celebrate the efforts and successes of participating businesses within our community.  If your workplace does not currently have an environmental policy in place this is an ideal opportunity to begin.  The information available will help you be kinder to our planet and save $$’s.  Who doesn’t like that?

EcoBusiness resources are currently available for download from their website http://www.cornwallcarbonreduction.ca/index.cfm?Title=EcoBusiness These resources cover such information as paper and product choices, lighting, live plant benefits and why and how to eliminate phantom electrical loads to name a few.  This information is well worth the read for all individuals as the knowledge gained is actionable in your business or personal environment.  For further information about EcoBusiness you may contact EcoBusiness project Coordinator Jen Mattice at 613-932-2088.

Trees with a Story: The Bus Tour
We have some amazing specimens of trees that dot our landscape.  Not only do these specimens provide shade, shelter and food; many have stories attached to them by the people who have lived in close proximity to them over the years.  Believing these trees and their personal stories are of interest to all of you the Resource Stewardship SD&G Council has organized a “Trees with a Story Bus Tour”.  The tour is scheduled for Sunday, September 26, 2010 from 1 – 5 p.m., fee $5.00 per person, refreshments included.  The tour will visit interesting trees in South Glengarry County and will feature special Guest Mark Burleton, Manager of Grounds, Green houses and Official Residences of the National Capital Commission.

This is a family friendly event.  Pre-registration is a must!  Limited Space Available.  Contact and registration available at Resource Stewardship SD&G Council, 613-933-7671 or jim.hendry@ontario.ca

Eco tip of the week.
Your produce purchases often contain chemicals and dirt that is not visible to the eye.  Remember to regularly wash out your reusable shopping bags.  Consider using a removable washable container in your reusable shopping bag for your meat purchases.  This will insure meat juices do not breed bacteria uncontrollably in your shopping bag.

Your commentary is invited and encouraged below or at  earthmatters@jmilner.com

10 Comments

  1. I wish them all the best but it appears to be repetitive actions

    Didn’t the government already provide an initiative to industry to reduce their carbon foot print? I know from the field I am in it is a huge part of what we do.

    Does industry not already, in their operating costs, include the cost for R/D and better manufacturing processes?

    Do grocery stores not already charge us for bags? Bags that are already part of their operating costs.

    Is the province not about to drop a hidden fee to provide industry a break with manufacturing processes?

    Then why do we need CCR investing more time and money in the same thing. I have met a few of them and they mean well, but does any of them have the experience to provide this “The premise behind this new initiative is to help business institute changes to lighten their carbon footprint by providing facts, figures, tools and ideas to incorporate environmentally respectful practices in their day to day operations” service

  2. Smee, As it turns out, people often need to hear a message over and over again before they actually take notice and take action. This is why we need the services of CCRI. Hopefully they will be able to get the horses to drink once they get them to the water hole!

  3. Repitition works for children, you need to change the approach for industry. RIght now it is only wasting money. Look abroad for ideas and procedures, Here it is the build to fail in order to keep the market alive. The Canadians are dumb and greedy enough to buy into it. We need a government to enforce reasonable laws on industry not small entities like CCRI.

    A man maywell bring a horse to the water, But he cannot make him drink without the will, If you want the horse to drink then perhaps you should run him first giving him the will

  4. Smee, why are you always so negative about everything? If CCRI can provide a service to these businesses that others can’t (or won’t), where is the harm? Governments do enforce certain standards on industry, for example, through the building codes, which specify minimum insulation standards. The market itself also enforces standards, for example, the lower the energy costs, the better the bottom line.

    As for your comment about whether or not the CCRI has the expertise to advise business and industry, I would imagine they would have more expertise than many here, and I also imagine that CCRI are smart enough to seek the advice of some of the experts who live in this region, and who would be happy to help out.

    To CCRI – this is a worthy project. Keep up the good work.

  5. Positive or negative, it is still a persons right to speak his/her opinion. Smee is thought provoking.

  6. Author

    Yes and he was much different in person at the NDP BBQ than the way he posts here….

  7. Did he look into your eyes? That’s how he rates politicians, you know.

  8. lol admin

  9. I am sorry you find the truth negative Richard.
    What you seem to miss are the additional monies spent, no wasted by subservient entities such as CCRI. The fact that you assume is also a huge reason the environment issues fails, too many people assume and are fooled b y entities such as CCRI. They make the little things big and tend to distract if you will from the major issues at hand.
    When a person such as me provides information to the contrary we are considered negative. It is a frustrating shame, but expected.

    What has CCRI actually accomplished other than to state the obvious? at what cost?

  10. Again, I agree with smee. Perception is never reality.

Leave a Reply