Press Releases
October 2nd, 2012
University of Waterloo and Grand River Hospital join Sustainable Waterloo
Region’s Regional Carbon Initiative, bringing the number of member
organizations to 50
(Waterloo Region, ON) October 2, 2012 –The University of Waterloo and Grand River Hospital have signed on as Observing Organizations in Sustainable Waterloo Region’s Regional Carbon Initiative (RCI), bringing the number of local organizations taking the lead on environmental sustainability to 50.
The RCI is Sustainable Waterloo Region's flagship program, plugging local organizations into a community of support for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions. RCI membership enables organizations to make GHG reduction commitments, collaborate with area leaders in environmental sustainability and learn how to implement cost-effective reduction projects.
Ranging in size from small, with only one employee, to large, with thousands of employees, RCI members represent all sectors in Waterloo Region, including not-for-profit, business, local government, and academia. Combined, these organizations have committed to reduce their GHG emissions by close to 46,000 tonnes over the next 10 years, which is the equivalent of taking 10,000 cars off the road.
“With more than 50 organizations and about 19,000 employees as well as thousands of students represented within the RCI, it’s clear that we’re seeing a changing mindset amongst organizations across this community,” says Mike Morrice, executive director of Sustainable Waterloo Region. “This groundswell of organizations working to make meaningful commitments to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions is indicative of a cultural shift in how organizations in Waterloo Region operate, integrating sustainability in their day-to-day business, with a view towards increasing their profitability while decreasing their carbon impact.”
"With a long-standing commitment to sustainability, the University of Waterloo is proud to be part of the Regional Carbon Initiative. Working together, we can build a better tomorrow for Waterloo Region and the world," says Tim Jackson, vice-president of university relations, University of Waterloo.
For more information about Sustainable Waterloo Region and the Regional Carbon Initiative, including a list of RCI members, please visit www.sustainablewaterlooregion.ca.
About Sustainable Waterloo Region
Sustainable Waterloo Region advances the environmental sustainability of organizations across Waterloo Region through collaboration. Sustainable Waterloo Region's flagship program is the Regional Carbon Initiative, which facilitates voluntary target-setting and reductions of carbon emissions by organizations across Waterloo Region.
Media Contact
Michelle Sullivan, Media Relations Lead
Sustainable Waterloo Region
Phone: 226.929.7976
michelle.sullivan@sustainablewr.ca
May 17th, 2012
As former Observing Organizations of the RCI, these four organizations are the first to convert their membership to Pledging Partners, taking the next step to commit to a public greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target. This newly acquired status as a Pledging Partner will see these organizations work within a community-developed framework to reduce between 20 and 40 percentof GHG emissions over the next 10 years.
AET Group Inc. has committed to reduce their GHG emissions by 40 percent over the next 10 years with plans to introduce fuel-efficient vehicles to their fleet, reduce employee commuting with the introduction of a work-from-home program, and building efficiencies. “We’ve seen first-hand the value in learning and collaborating with other RCI members to determine the best way to set and achieve an ambitious GHG reduction target, and we’re now ready to take the next step,” says Scott Freiburger, President and CEO of AET.
Wilfrid Laurier University has committed to reduce GHG emissions at its Waterloo campus and Kitchener location by 25 percent over the next 10 years. Projects include lighting retrofits and controls, building re-commissioning, water harvesting, outreach and awareness projects, recycling and organics programs, and real-time energy metering and management systems. “Laurier takes pride in playing a leadership role in the local community,” says Laurier President and Vice-Chancellor Max Blouw. “We believe that our commitment to reduce the environmental impact of our operations is the right thing to do, and we are confident that it will have a positive effect on the university and the larger community.”
FMRP has also committed to reduce their GHG emissions by 20 percent over the next 10 years. These reductions will come from their LEED Gold facility in Cambridge and plans to minimize the energy consumed by computers, monitors, and other electronics.
April 11th, 2012
Sustainable Waterloo Region’s 2011 Report, being released on Thursday, April 12, reveals that Waterloo Region organizations are making commitments to reduce their GHG emissions, they are focused on strategically achieving their goals by creating action plans for these commitments, and projects being implemented are primarily led by green teams. Green teams are a diverse group of employees responsible for meeting and operationalizing an organization’s sustainability objectives. “It’s the people behind these action plans who are driving the results,” says Mike Morrice, Executive Director, Sustainable Waterloo Region.
Taking action
Some key highlights of the 2011 Report include:
Sustainable Waterloo Region’s 2011 Report, Celebrating People of Action, will be officially released on April 12, 2012 at the 3rd Annual Evening of Recognition. Members of the media are invited to join hundreds of sustainability leaders from across our community as they come together to celebrate the accomplishments of Regional Carbon Initiative members and the collective progress that Waterloo Region organizations are making towards sustainability.
Sharing their stories of inspiration and success at the event are:
• Roger Farwell & Elena Wiersma, WalterFedy
When: Thursday, April 12, 2012
An advance digital copy of the 2011 Report can be previewed by media at www.swr.ca/2011Report-media. Sustainable Waterloo Region asks that the report content be kept confidential until 4:00 p.m. on April 12, 2012.
About Sustainable Waterloo Region
February 28th, 2012
Centre In The Square and THEMUSEUM have joined 40 other Regional Carbon Initiative (RCI) members from a diversity of sectors across Waterloo Region, each committed to setting voluntary greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction goals. They are the first arts organizations to take this step, and the hope is that other arts-based organizations will join them.
"THEMUSEUM is thrilled to be part of this important local initiative. We have been working hard to make environmental efficiency and awareness part of THEMUSEUM's mandate - from installing the Living Wall in the Atrium to changing to energy efficient light bulbs, and even installing solar panels on our roof. We are bursting with new ideas to make THEMUSEUM more energy efficient and Sustainable Waterloo Region will help get us there," says THEMUSEUM CEO David Marskell.
“For several years now Centre In The Square has been quietly working toward a more efficient operation that not only reduces our energy consumption but also positively affects our bottom line costs. As a not-for-profit arts organization we believe this is vital. We are excited to team up with Sustainable Waterloo Region to celebrate our successes more broadly and to work with their experts to further reduce our GHG emissions and make an even greater impact on our community,” states Bill Nuhn, Acting General Manager.
Mike Morrice, Executive Director of Sustainable Waterloo Region, is glad to see these leading arts organizations build on their existing sustainability initiatives by joining the RCI. “Our connection to nature instinctively inspires artistic expression, so it's fitting for these leaders to be working towards sustainability across their organizations. We hope their commitment to action will inspire other arts-based organizations across our community,” he says.
“We commend Centre In The Square and THEMUSEUM for their initiative in taking this noteworthy step to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions,” adds Heather Sinclair, CEO of Creative Enterprise Initiative. “This is a tremendous demonstration of their commitment and initiative, and we’re proud that they continue to find innovative ways to connect arts, business, and entrepreneurship in Waterloo Region.”
For more information about Centre In The Square, please visit www.centre-square.com
For more information about THEMUSEUM, please visit www.themuseum.ca
For more information about Creative Enterprise Initiative, please visit www.creativeenterprise.ca
November 19th, 2011
Sustainable Waterloo Region, in partnership with the German Consulate, Canada’s Technology Triangle, and WalterFedy, welcome bestselling Canadian author Chris Turner to Waterloo Region, on his speaking tour profiling the latest innovations in German cleantech and sustainable design.
For more than a decade, Germany has been the global pacesetter in renewable energy and sustainable industrial development. From industrial boomtowns in Saxony's "Solar Valley" to self-sufficient solar communities in the sunny south, Germany is a country reborn on sustainable foundations.
Turner's tour provides a vibrant series of portraits of this German Leap to sustainability. His latest book,The Leap: How to Survive and Thrive in the Sustainable Economy, presents a field guide to making the jump to renewed prosperity based on sustainability, drawing on recent breakthroughs in state-of-the-art renewable energy, cleantech and urban design. He is also the author of the 2007 bestseller, The Geography of Hope: A Tour of the World We Need, a Globe & Mail Best Book of the Year, and a finalist for the Governor Generals’ Award for Nonfiction, the Alberta Literary Award for Nonfiction, and the National Business Book Award.
“Germany is at the forefront of the global transition to a more sustainable economy,” says Mike Morrice, Sustainable Waterloo Region’s Executive Director. “We are thrilled to host this event in partnership with the German Consulate. This evening with Chris is an exciting opportunity to showcase and learn from a model for what communities like ours can achieve when we integrate sustainability into our shared vision for the future.”
The event will be hosted on Tuesday, November 22 from 5:00 – 7:00pm at WalterFedy, located at 675 Queen Street South, Kitchener. Registration for this event is free. The public is encouraged to register by visiting www.sustainablewaterlooregion.
About Sustainable Waterloo Region
Sustainable Waterloo Region advances the environmental sustainability of organizations across Waterloo Region through collaboration. The current work of Sustainable Waterloo Region is focused on the Regional Carbon Initiative, which facilitates voluntary target-setting and reductions of carbon emissions by organizations across Waterloo Region.
Media Contact
Kelly McMath, Public Relations Manager
Sustainable Waterloo Region
519-404-8986
