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9. EARTH HOUR UNE HEURE POUR LA PLANÈTE |
That Council support
Earth Hour and encourage residents and businesses to participate.
Que le Conseil appuye l'initiative Une heure pour la Planète
et d'encourager les résidents et les entreprises à y participer.
Documentation
1.
Deputy
City Manager's report Planning, Transit
and the Environment dated 8 February 2008 (ACS2008-PTE-ECO-0011).
Planning and
Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement
8 February 2008 / le 8 février 2008
Submitted by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager/
Directrice
municipale adjointe,
Planning,
Transit and the Environment/
Urbanisme,
Transport en commun et Environnement
Contact Person/Personne ressource : Carol Christensen, Manager
Economic
and Environmental Sustainability/Direction de la viabilité économique et de la
durabilité de l’environnement
(613)
580-2424 x, carol.christensen@ottawa.ca
SUBJECT:
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OBJET :
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That Planning and Environment Committee recommend that City Council support Earth Hour and encourage residents and businesses to participate.
Que le Comité de l'urbanisme et de
l'environnement recommande au Conseil municipal d'appuyer l'initiative Une heure pour la Planète et d'encourager
les résidents et les entreprises à y participer.
Earth Hour is a global initiative organized by the World Wildlife Fund aimed at raising awareness for action against climate change. The intent is to have cities and communities turn off their lights for one hour (from 8.p.m. to 9 p.m.) on March 29 as a symbolic action to show people how easy it is to change everyday behaviour to reduce green house gas emissions and help fight climate change. The idea is to leverage this simple act into ongoing behaviour that results in turning off appliances and lights when they are not necessary or in use.
This year, the City of Ottawa is partnering with Hydro Ottawa to bring Earth Hour to Ottawa and join millions of people in other major cities across the world in this symbolic action. More than 15 cities around the world have signed on to date.
The City already turns off its administration building lights at 7 p.m. but will turn-off all non‑essential lighting in as many municipal buildings as possible. The City also plans to challenge residents and businesses to join the effort. Material is already posted on the City's web site and more will be added. Hydro Ottawa will monitor the reduction in electrical demand and report on the results after March 29. In 2007, the City of Sydney, Australia pioneered the event and recorded a 10 per cent reduction in electrical use which in the case of Sydney, translated into a saving of 25 000 tonnes of CO2 - equivalent to taking about 50 000 cars off the road for an hour.
Earth Hour is a symbolic act to raise awareness about energy consumption and climate change. Energy conservation and reduction of GHG emissions in many ways comes down to everyday individual choices and by raising awareness through a simple act during Earth Hour, it provides one more opportunity to deliver this message. Community GHG emissions are 5 per cent above 1990 levels as of 2004, so it is important to continue to encourage individual and community awareness if progress towards the City target of 20 per cent reduction below 1990 levels by 2012 is to be made.
There has been no formal consultation on this initiative.
There are no financial implications other than some staff resource time and the use of standard communication channels to deliver the message and encourage participation.
Communication staff will promote Earth Hour through a variety of standard communication techniques such as use of the City Web site and promotion amongst City staff. Real Property and Asset Management will work to turn off City building lights as much as is practical and appropriate.