Dangling Conversations

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One Tonne Challenge

Posted 21 Apr, 2005 at 12:14 by blue in /Enviroment | Permanent link

I don't have a TV, so I missed all the ads surrounding this in December... but it is still ongoing.

Well known TV actor/comedian Rick Mercer has been promoting a One-Tonne Challenge. The goal is to reduce your greenhouse gas emissions by One-Tonne.

There is a calculator where you can calculate your current emissions as well as see what impact various choices you have would make on your total.

You can check out the site here. It really is interesting.

My own total came out below my regional average, and even below the national average. In some ways not overly surprising for someone who lives in a refurbished apartment, doesn't own a car or a TV, and once was environmentally active. That said, I found it vaguely amusing since when I think about the things I do or don't do, they are such second nature, that I don't view it as 'doing my part'. I simply don't generate tons of garbage... am not interested in TV... find it cheaper and easier to do without the car... etc.

It's nice when one's lifestyle is positive without any effort.

That said... I think I'm going to take on the challenge. In some ways harder for me since I can't just dump my car or something... but after using their calculator, I managed to find ways to lower my environmental debt by 0.7 tonnes. If I can find a way to get that last 0.3 I'll be set.

You should try it too.

What how many tonnes do you produce? Are you going to take the challenge? Let me know.

Comments (1 comment so far)
Neat calculator. Living in an apartment certainly makes things easier, you don't have gardening things to worry about. On the other hand, it makes it a bit harder to reduce consumption when you have no control over the fact that your apartment has electric heating (which is also insanely expensive). Once I move at the end of the month and start walking to work every day instead of taking public transit, my consumption drops by half a ton, making meeting this particular challenge not even a challenge...
Posted 2005/4/21 13:17:15 by wendy
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