The City of Guelph has two goals, one to be a net zero community by 2050 and the other to be 100 per cent powered by renewable energy at the same time, and while 2050 is still a good 26 years away, it’s going to get here sooner than we think. This week, we're going to go over the climate action report card, how is Guelph doing as we're trying to turn the tide?
From the moment Guelph city council established their net zero and 100 per cent renewable goals in 2021, local climate activists have been asking to see a plan and interim goals. Guelph has a reputation for being one of the most environmentally-friendly cities in the county, but the devil’s in the details and people have been wanting City Hall to do go beyond bike lanes and electric vehicles.
There’s also a matter of logistics. City hall has been trying to help us out with things like the Guelph Greener Homes program, which offers interest free loans to homeowners to make environmentally-friendly renovations, but that’s only going to help about 600 households; Guelph has 55,000. And then a new controversy arose this week with the Ontario government preparing to override a decision of an Ontario Energy Board, forcing city councils around the province to weigh in.
What a perfect time to be joined again by Evan Ferrari, who is the executive director of eMERGE Guelph, an environmental consultancy. Ferrari will tell us about the current state of Guelph’s conversion to net zero, and how there’s still a lot of work to do. Also, he will talk about how climate action is getting lost in the housing and affordability crisis, and the hiccups in the shift to EVs. And finally, he will look at how the climate deniers have changed the game with new talking points.
So let's look at where we are in the local climate fight on this week's Guelph Politicast!
You can learn more about the advocacy and services of eMERGE at their website, or by following them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin. You can learn more about the City of Guelph’s Greener Homes program at the City’s website. Also, to learn more about the natural gas decision of the Ontario Energy Debate at council this week, you can catch the meeting coverage on Guelph Politico.
The host for the Guelph Politicast is Podbean. Find more episodes of the Politicast here, or download them on your favourite podcast app at Apple, Google, TuneIn and Spotify.
Also, when you subscribe to the Guelph Politicast channel and you will also get an episode of Open Sources Guelph every Monday, and an episode of End Credits every Friday.
Open Sources Guelph #419 - March 30, 2023
End Credits #290 - March 29, 2023 (Scream VI)
GUELPH POLITICAST #366 - The Other James Gordon
Open Sources Guelph #418 - March 23, 2023
End Credits #289 - March 22, 2023 (The Whale)
GUELPH POLITICAST #365 - The State of the Arts
Open Sources Guelph. #417 - March 16, 2023
End Credits #288 - March 15, 2023 (Creed III)
GUELPH POLITICAST #364 - COVID Questions Remain
Open Sources Guelph #416 - March 9, 2023
End Credits #287 - March 8, 2023 (Cocaine Bear)
GUELPH POLITICAST #363 - The Future of Our Food Future
Open Sources Guelph #415 - March 2, 2023
End Credits #286 - March 1, 2023 (The Fabelmans)
GUELPH POLITICAST #362 - A-Salt on the Water
Open Sources Guelph #414 - February 23, 2023
End Credits #285 - February 22, 2023 (Somebody I Used to Know)
GUELPH POLITICAST #361 – The Convoy Was the End of the Beginning
Open Sources Guelph #413 - February 16, 2023
End Credits #284 - February 15, 2023 (Knock at the Cabin)
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