Reducing Ottawa’s greenhouse gas emissions in four simple steps

[guest]

Step one​

Step one was clicking the link, or opening the email, that brought you to this story. Lookit you; you’re already a quarter of the way there.

Step two​

Read this story to the end. We can’t promise all of it will be useful to you, but we bet at least some of it will be.

Step three​

The information is pretty general, so if you really want to learn something, visit ClimateActionOttawa.ca  to find out more of what you can do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, or visit Climate Change Master Plan | City of Ottawa to see what the City of Ottawa is doing, and why we’re doing it.

Hello home energy savings​

Heating our homes and buildings is responsible for a huge chunk of Ottawa’s greenhouse gas emissions.

If you’re renovating or changing your heating or cooling system, now is the time to look at the massive benefits of switching to a heat pump. A heat pump is an electrical device that provides both heating and cooling. A heat pump produces fewer greenhouse gas emissions compared to a furnace or electric baseboard heating and is a big step toward creating a more comfortable and climate-friendly home.

Hello electric vehicle transportation​

Transportation is the second largest contributor to Ottawa’s greenhouse gas emissions.

By re-thinking the way we get around, we can not only reduce emissions but also improve our health, and save money. Whether using public transportation, commuting by bike, or charging up your knowledge of electric vehicles, each decision is an opportunity to reduce our climate impact.

Hello 15-minute neighbourhoods​

Where we live has a huge impact on our ability to make choices that reduce emissions. We can drive less and use walking, cycling, and transit more by encouraging walkable “15-minute neighbourhoods”. Walkable neighbourhoods with higher-density housing mean fewer emissions, less pollution, more affordable housing and better social connections.

This is why the City of Ottawa has committed to creating more 15-minute neighbourhoods in its Official Plan and new Zoning By-law.

Hello commercial energy savings​

This one applies to you if you are a commercial property owner or manager, or if you live in a multi-residential building. There are many opportunities to make your buildings greener while also making them more profitable and attractive to existing and future tenants.

The first step is seeing how your building measures up and discovering what programs are available to you.

Learn how to benchmark your property.

Step four​

This is up to you. Will you use this information for your next big purchase? Will you sign up for a program or a newsletter? Will you pass the information on to someone else? Whatever you do, after you’ve completed the fourth step, return to the social media post where you found this story, or email us at climatechange@ottawa.ca to tell us how you hope your step will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Ottawa.

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