How to Get Involved - Business / Industry
Do you want to make eco-friendly choices in your business but don't know where to turn to? You've come to the right place. Take a look below to see variety of programs and initiatives geared to assist business owners to become more eco-friendly.
Projects and Initiatives
Partners in Project Green: A Pearson Eco Business Zone
Partners in Project Green is a growing of community of businesses working together to green their bottom line. Through new forms of business to business collaboration, Partners in Project Green delivers programming that helps businesses reduce energy and resource costs, undercover new business opportunities. They host various workshops and events for businesses to attend. To learn more, click here.
Carbon Competitive Cities
The dynamic, healthy and sustainable cities of tomorrow require brave leadership and coherent strategies today. Climate change management needs to become systemic in city planning, embedded in the decision-making process, and municipalities need to capitalize on their capacity for innovation and implementation to transform the risks of climate change into opportunities for growth and prosperity. The TRCA is committed to assisting its member municipalities, and others, forge a new path that harmonizes environmental imperatives with economic goals and social values. To learn more, click here.
Greening Health Care
Greening Health Care is the leading member-driven, performance-based, health care energy management collective in Canada. The program's 44 hospital sites across Ontario are working together to improve energy and water efficiency and reduce solid waste generation. The program reduces costs, contributes to the health and well-being of communities and demonstrates the health care sector's commitment to fiscal and environmental responsibility. To learn more, click here.
Greening Retail Program
Green Retail Program undertakes research, develops resources and programs and facilitates demonstration projects to help retails implement environmental best practices. It works in partnerships with sector leaders government agencies and other organizations to provide retailers with strategies and tools to become eco-friendly. To learn more, click here.
Sustainable Technologies Evaluation Program (STEP)
STEP is a multi-agency program that was developed to provide data and analytical tools necessary to support broader implementation of sustainable technologies within Canada. There are numerous studies and reports on green technologies. To access these publications, click here.
Tips
Purchase energy efficient office equipment and appliances, such as Energy Star products, this will save energy and money!
Do not over-light the office, this wastes energy and creates glare which is unhealthily for employees.
Install lighting controls and use sensor lighting in areas of infrequent use.
Invest in communications technologies, i.e. video and web conferencing. This will reduce travel (including air travel!) and improve the efficiency of employees.
Encourage employees to reduce their environmental impact by taking public transit, car-pooling, walking or biking to work.
Keep the blinds closed in the summer and open in the winter, this will help regulate the inside temperature by controlling how much sunlight enters your office.
Create a recycling program that includes compost.
Emphasize to employees the importance of reducing paper use.
Ensure that fleet vehicles are the most energy efficient models available, and keep them maintained to ensure their efficiency!
Upgrade the infrastructure of your office building with energy efficient retrofits.
