What is the One-Tonne Challenge?

In an effort to lower the amount of greenhouse gases produced by Canadians, the One-Tonne Challenge was developed. According the Seeds Foundation, every Canadian produces about five tonnes or more of greenhouse-gas emissions every year. More than a quarter of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions come from consumers.

The One-Tonne Challenge is an attempt to get every citizen living in industrialized areas to reduce their carbon dioxide emissions by one tonne or more in a year. The ultimate goal is to help get global warming under control by slowing down the release of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping “greenhouse” gases into the atmosphere.

Becoming more energy efficient is a challenge for all Canadians. Many shrug their shoulders at the mere mention thinking they can’t make a difference. But being energy efficient doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the conveniences of modern life – it just asks that you pay closer attention to how much you use and save where you can.

If you would like to conserve energy and help reduce these green house gases, there are a lot of simple things that you can do at school, at home, at work or even on the road. Start by thinking about how, when, and where you use energy.

• Do you turn off the lights when you leave a room?
• Do you insist on always driving or do you car pool, walk, or ride a bike?
• When you brush your teeth, do you leave the water running?
• Do you recycle as many items as possible and encourage the rest of your family to as well?

 
Platinum Renovations supports this national effort to take action on climate change. Our EnerView windows help by being more energy efficient. You will appreciate the comfort and ease of Platinum EnerView Vinyl Windows all year round.

The One-Tonne Challenge calls on each of us to reduce our annual greenhouse gas emissions by one tonne, but how much is that really? It’s about 20%. By using energy more efficiently and producing less waste, you can protect our environment, improve air quality and cut your energy costs. A one tonne reduction doesn’t have to be done with big, sweeping lifestyle changes. It can be done with small, simple actions taken by each and every one of us.