EnviroCentre

Whether you want a city that’s less congested, cleaner, or greener, sustainable transportation is the way to go! Sustainable transportation is: ⭐️ More affordable: Saves money for individuals and governments. ⚙️ More efficient: Biking, walking, and transit move at least 5 times as many people as motor vehicles. 💚 Healthier: Physical activity from active travel like walking or biking reduce the risk of over 25 chronic conditions and driving less reduces harmful air pollution. 🌱 Greener: Less GHG emissions helps everyone and leaves more room for the urban tree canopy. Join us in celebrating #WorldSustainableTransportDay 🚍🚲

Did you know that free and discounted youth transit fares are at risk in Ottawa? Read our latest blog on the issue and learn why EnviroCentre thinks the future of transit should be supporting the next generation of transit riders 🚍

I was thrilled to join the Ontario Traffic Council School Zone Safety Symposium yesterday. I had the chance to share some of the amazing work we do at EnviroCentre and that I do in my personal life to make getting to school FUN! Transportation is so often seen as being only about getting from A to Z, but it doesn’t have to be a chore. Walking or biking to school can be an opportunity to be outside, to start your day in an active way, and to introduce some joy into your routine. And, in my personal opinion, the #BikeBus is the absolutely best way to do this. At EnviroCentre we have a web-based app called Hop! (https://123hop.ca/) where kids can log their walks to school (or anywhere else) and earn digital prizes. There are seasonal challenges, teachers can set up classroom challenges, and kids work towards the big treasure of golden sneakers for walking enough trips to avert 40kg of GHG emissions! I also spoke about our School Streets Feasibility Study. #SchoolStreets are (often temporary) closures of streets adjacent to schools to motor vehicles to make space for kids. Sometimes what you need for fun and community is the space for it. The study explores what is needed to implement school streets in the Ottawa context. EnviroCentre also inspires people to take action. One way we do this is through articles and sharing ideas for people to take on in their own lives – like our blog earlier this year encouraging parents to consider leading a walking school bus or bike bus in their community. And I know all about this because I have been leading a Bike Bus to my child’s school since May 2023. I gave the symposium participants a run-down on how I got started, what it looks like now, the benefits, challenges, and exciting new developments in the space. When I started there were only a few resources available – now there are so many more, including a brand-new nonprofit Bike Bus World, research projects and funding in the UK, US, and Canada, and more. Do you have any questions about making the trip to school a fun and active one, or how to start a bike bus in your community? Let me know, I’m always happy to connect! And a shout-out to the others on our EnviroCentre Green Transportation team that help make all of this happen: Dzifa B., Lisa Gander, Jennifer Stelzer

A new pilot is being launched to tackle stormwater in our city using some of the best technology around— trees! EnviroCentre was pleased to attend an info session on Ottawa's first trees planted in soil cells directly connected to storm catchment basins. Large amounts of stormwater will be absorbed and cleaned by the trees right where they stand at the corner of Bank St and Glebe Ave. This pilot has real potential to show that trees can be added to our most challenging hardscaped spaces in the city, providing much-needed shade, stormwater management and beauty for decades to come. Thank you to CAFESOttawa for organizing the event!

Got questions about heat pumps? Then this free live webinar is for you! Heat pumps are ideal for the Ottawa region’s winter. You’ll learn about how these energy-smart systems work, how they can drastically reduce home energy use, elevate your comfort, and shrink your carbon footprint. Join us for some practical tips to optimize efficiency, boost savings, and discover the transformative potential of heat pumps. Note: This session will be offered in English only.

What a great, impressive event. The EnviroCentre team is here in force, talking #EnergyEfficiency, and sharing opportunities for social housing providers to join our Retrofit Accelerator. Making new friends and partnerships to bring energy savings, health and comfort improvements to affordable housing.

EnviroCentre is out promoting our free-of-charge energy retrofit planning service for social housing providers. If you are at the Ontario Non-Profit Housing Association (ONPHA) conference today, and provide social housing in Eastern Ontario, stop by our booth to learn how we can help you. https://lnkd.in/gPuQDdzC

Des microforêts sont aménagées dans les quartiers de Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCH) Housing - OCH en partenariat avec EnviroCentre et Forêt Capitale Forest En savoir plus: https://ow.ly/7Ag150U3hkc

New Tiny Forests Take Root in Ottawa Community Housing Corporation (OCH) Neighbourhoods in Partnership with EnviroCentre and Forêt Capitale Forest 🌳 Learn more: https://ow.ly/KSjf50U1gEn

Fixed! Thanks to Ottawa Tool Library’s repair cafe, my broken slow cooker was given a second life. Repairing is an important aspect of a circular economy. It ensures that valuable resources stay in our economy at their highest possible value for the longest possible time, reducing waste and the need for new resources. Repair cafes have also other benefits: they build community, foster the transfer of skills, save you money and promote non-consumerist forms of citizenship. We need more of this! A typical OTL repair cafe in numbers: 🛠️ 25 repair stations (ranging from fabrics to electronics via bikes, appliances, small furniture items, and even knife sharpening) 🛠️ 34 volunteers 🛠️ 150 visitors 🛠️ a tireless leader with exceptional organizational skills (shoutout to Bettina Vollmerhausen) OTL has fixed over 1500 items since its first cafe in 2017!