s
Waterloo Region, Canada; April 27, 2009 – Sustainable Waterloo, an organization that is guiding corporations in Waterloo Region towards a more environmentally sustainable future by facilitating collaboration between industry, local government, academia, and NGOs, today reported the release of their Carbon Reduction Options Paper, the formation and progress of their External Working Group, and a significant increase in grant funding. Sustainable Waterloo is happy to provide their Carbon Reduction Options Paper, the starting point for collaboratively setting a carbon reduction framework for future participants in Sustainable Waterloo’s Regional Carbon Initiative. This document is the outcome of several months of intensive research that involved consultations with key community stakeholders, an analysis of industry precedents, regular meetings of an Internal Working Group, and syntheses of climate change science. It is meant to provide an External Working Group with the informational basis and decision points from which to consider and choose an ambitious, yet realistic, carbon reduction structure for organizations that will participate in the Regional Carbon Initiative. Sustainable Waterloo’s External Working Group is comprised of 24 individuals from industry, local government, academia and NGOs. Represented organizations include DALSA Corporation, Google Inc, Christie Digital Systems Canada Inc., Open Text Corporation, the Region of Waterloo, the University of Waterloo and Waterloo Region Green Solutions (aka REEP). This group is meeting every two weeks until mid-May to collaboratively determine an ambitious, yet realistic, CO2 reduction target framework for organizations that participate in Sustainable Waterloo’s Regional Carbon Initiative. To date, this group has already determined all elements of how future Pledging Partners will account for their carbon emissions, including what emission sources will count towards their carbon footprint, how reductions will be calculated, and how carbon offsets will be incorporated. Peter Pekurar, an External Working Group participant is senior manager of integrated systems management at Christie Digital Systems Canada, Inc.  Pekurar says, “I am pleased to partner with a dedicated group of individuals and work towards a carbon reduction target for local businesses.  The collaborative effort of these individuals and their respective organizations will result in industries which are more environmentally conscious, thereby contributing to a greener Waterloo Region.” Meetings are being held every other Tuesday morning at KitchenerCity Hall where interested members of the public are welcome to observe the proceedings. Contact Sustainable Waterloo for details. This month, Sustainable Waterloo also announced the receipt of $20 000 in grant funding from the Province of Ontario’s Community Go Green Fund, $35 000 from the City of Kitchener’s Local Environmental Action Fund (LEAF), and $25 000 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, for a total of $80 000 in new grant funding. “We’re excited about the carbon emission reductions these grants will enable our organization to facilitate in Waterloo Region,” said Sustainable Waterloo Executive Director Mike Morrice. “This funding, coupled with that from our Founding Partners, will allow Sustainable Waterloo to continue to assemble a compelling service offering that will encourage future participating organizations to commit to ambitious voluntary carbon emission reductions. It represents the strong shift towards environmental sustainability in our community and the understanding that reducing our collective carbon footprint makes business sense”. Sustainable Waterloo’s Founding Partners to-date include the City of Kitchener, Waterloo North Hydro, WilfridLaurierUniversity’s CMA Centre for Responsible Organizations, and Virtual Causeway. ### Media Contact Joanna la Fleur Public Relations Manager Sustainable Waterloo 22 King   St S, Suite 405 Waterloo, ON, N2J 1N8 PH: 519-772-0621 joanna.lafleur@sustainablewaterloo.org