Electric Vehicles (EV)

The transportation sector is the second largest emitter of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Canada. For those looking to invest in a new vehicle, explore the option of an electric vehicle.

Check out this list of electric vehicles that are eligible for the Incentives for Zero-Emission Vehicles (iZEV) Program incentive, which offers up to $5,000 for certain new electric vehicles. This program is currently paused.

With the number of charging stations increasing throughout Ontario and Lanark County, it’s even easier to plan your route with an electric vehicle. To see what charging stations are available near you, visit PlugShare.

 

Active Transportation

Active transportation is a great way to improve your health, help the environment, and save money! Incorporate walking, biking, jogging, wheel chairing, and other forms of active transportation into your travel plans and lifestyle. Going the distance? Take a look at our Trail Map to see what routes you can travel to get from point A to point B throughout Lanark County.

 

Carpooling Lots and Programs

Reducing the number of vehicles on the road by carpooling is a great way to help lower Lanark County’s community greenhouse gas emissions. Meet up and share rides by parking at one of the existing Park N Ride lots in the County.

Renovating and Retrofitting

Buildings, including homes, are one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Lanark County.  By completing a home energy assessment, you can learn more about upgrades that can improve the efficiency of your home. Completing home energy retrofits can reduce carbon emissions produced from your home, reduce energy loss, increase home comfort, and result in cost savings on your energy bills.

 

Enhance and Create Naturalized Landscapes

Rethink traditional lawn and garden maintenance and convert your property from a carbon emitter to a carbon sink. A study from the California Air Resource Board shows that a gas-powered commercial leaf blower running for an hour generates the same amount of pollution as driving 1,770 kilometers in a new light-duty passenger car.  Some simple ways you can reduce the carbon footprint of your lawn include;

• Reduce your area of maintained lawn.
• Leave the leaves on your lawn and help support wildlife. Sending leaves to the landfill creates methane, a potent greenhouse gas.
• Plant native and perennial shrubs, grasses, plants, and trees. This not only creates habitat and food for wildlife (birds, pollinators, etc.) but can also help filter and capture rainwater due to their deep root systems. They are also better at sequestering carbon than annual plants.

Composting

Diverting organic waste from landfills can help reduce community greenhouse gas emissions. By composting organic waste, this not only decreases methane production from landfills but also provides a valuable soil amendment for your garden.

Check out these composting resources to learn more about composting:

The Four Seasons of Composting

Home Compost Book

Visit your municipality’s website to learn more about local waste and recycling programs:

• Waste Collection – Carleton Place
• Organics Diversion – Mississippi Mills
• Waste Management – Beckwith
• Compostable Material – Tay Valley Township
• Garbage & Recycling – Smiths Falls
• Garbage and Recycling – Drummond North Elmsley
• Garbage and Recycling – Montague
• Waste & Recycling Information – Lanark Highlands
• Garbage and Recycling – Perth

If you’re a resident or business of Almonte and you’re interested in managing your food scraps, check out Just Good Compost. Just Good Compost is a local pilot project that collects your food scraps and turns them into compost for your garden. NEW! Just Good Compost is now available to Carleton Place residents.

 

Shorten Your Food Supply Chain

Shortening your food supply chain reduces the amount of energy that is put into getting food from farms to plate. The energy that goes into production, harvesting, transporting, and packaging of food generates approximately 3.3 billion metric tonnes of carbon dioxide annually. Globally it is estimated that 30-40% of all food produced is lost in the food supply chain from harvest to final consumer. Food that is lost along the food chain due to spoilage or damage, has a greater environmental cost due to the costs incurred during processing, transport, storage, and cooking on top of the initial production costs.

To see a comprehensive list of local food suppliers by visiting the links below:

Home | Lanark Local Flavour

Home – Farm Directory of Leeds and Grenville (farmdirectory-leedsgrenville.com)

Savour Ottawa Buy Local Food Guide – Savour Ottawa

Some other ways you can reduce food waste include:

• Plant a vegetable garden.
• Preserve food through means of fermentation, freezing, and canning.
• Maintaining a clean fridge to increase the longevity of produce.
• Follow a list when shopping.

 

Consume Wisely

The demand for consumer goods puts pressure on resources like energy, water, land and the natural environment. The steps required to get products to the consumer contributes to emissions in transportation, energy, industrial production, services, construction and agriculture. To help lessen these emissions, it is recommended to:

• Buy only as much as you need or consider bulk purchasing for things you consume often.
• Buy second-hand or renewable products.
• Purchase from local retailers.
• Reduce, Reuse, Repair, and Recycle.

Check out our Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture seminar to learn more about different ways you can make your farm more sustainable.

 

ALUS Mississippi-Rideau

ALUS Mississippi-Rideau supports farmers in the creation of an array of ecosystem projects, including reforestation, windbreaks, riparian buffers, wetland projects, tallgrass prairie, pollinator habitat and more. These projects contribute to the health of the farmers’ privately-owned landscape, while also benefitting the broader environment by providing support for biodiversity; reducing downstream flooding in neighbouring communities and ecosystems; and mitigating the impacts of climate change through carbon sequestration. Initiated by Climate Network Lanark and Lanark County, ALUS Lanark is administered by the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority and the Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority.

 

Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario

Visit the Ecological Farmers Association of Ontario to learn more about climate-friendly farming practices that can help farmers become more resilient in the face of the changing climate.

Retrofitting and Renovating

Buildings are one of the largest sources of greenhouse gas emissions in Lanark County.  Completing energy retrofits can reduce carbon emissions produced from the building, reduce energy loss, increase comfort, and result in cost savings on your energy bills.

 

Sustainably.eco

Lanark County has joined the Sustainably.eco Strategic Associate Program. Sustainably.eco aims to connect conscious businesses and people committed to sustainability by promoting sustainable actions and products through their platform. Businesses can apply for and be awarded for 12 badges upon fulfilling the requirements. If your business is interested in becoming a Sustainably.eco member, send us an email.

Community groups inspire local change and can help mobilize climate action. Regardless of your groups focus, most causes can be examined through a climate perspective. Join a local community group or encourage your group to incorporate climate action into your mission.

 

Community Volunteer Opportunities

Lanark County is home to some great organizations working on climate action. To learn more about them or to get involved, visit their websites:

Carleton Place Environmental Advisory Committee – The Carleton Place Environmental Advisory Committee provides environmental advice, recommendations and information to Council concerning all aspects of environmental issues related to public policies, programs, and projects.

Perth Climate Change Advisory Panel – The Committee reviews issues and make recommendations to Council for consideration.

Climate Network Lanark – Climate Network Lanark was established by the Lanark County Stewardship Council to connect, coordinate, facilitate and support collaborative community efforts to address climate change. The Climate Network Lanark provides advice and support towards the development of Lanark County’s Climate Action Plan. For more information on how to get involved, please visit Climate Network Lanark’s web page.

Every day, positive progress is being made on climate change. Staying informed on local, provincial, national, and international climate action will help you understand what can be done to tackle climate change. Speak up and talk to your friends, family, community and local government about taking climate action together.