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Category: Projects
Are you passionate about trees?
Are you curious about the Private Urban Forest?
Come join us this Saturday to learn how to measure trees and collect data!
Feel free to bring a friend!
Location: Queen Alex Park 10722 73 Ave NW
Time: 2 pm – 5 pm
Bring: Water bottle, comfortable shoes, clothes you can work in.
When: Saturday, September 11
Covid precautions: Mask use is at your discretion. This event takes place outside.
Let us know you are coming by emailing [email protected]…
On a stormy Edmonton morning in August, we had our first training session for tree count volunteers! We arranged to meet in Queen Alex park at 10am and just at the stroke of 10, the heavens opened as a massive storm traveled overhead. We sheltered under the bandstand and watched as our hardy volunteers arrived – walking through the rain, thunder and lightning. We are so lucky to have such dedicated volunteers!
As we waited out the storm, our resident tree expert Barbara was able to give us all some initial training and tips on identifying and measuring trees; showing us how to use the DBH tape, and the basics of leaf identification. She also gave a brief overview of the data collection table and how to map the tree locations.
Once the storm had passed (after an hours’ wait!) we were able to enjoy some sunshine and put what we had learned into practice, identifying and measuring the trees in the park. We identified white and blue spruce, linden, elm, amongst many others! We did not have time to measure trees in the pilot area but now we have some trained volunteers, we can’t wait to get out there and finish gathering data on Edmonton’s Private Urban Forest!
Over 90% of Edmonton’s greenhouse gas emissions come from three big sources: buildings, energy sources, and transportation. Backyard houses, (or, “garage suites”) have the potential to help solve all three problems at once!
Edmonton-based architect Eugene Dening and builder William Keith have designed and built an innovative backyard house that is a step closer to the holy grail: the carbon-negative, net-zero backyard house. Attend this webinar to learn more about this type of house, how it can be a powerful climate solution, and the innovations that Eugene and Keith have implemented in this project.
This free webinar is happening on July 14, 2021, at 7pm.
If we are to meet our climate obligations, it’s going to take a big effort. What exactly is the scale of the problem? Here are some numbers:
- Edmonton’s emissions in 2019 were 17 million tonnes of CO2 equivalent, that’s 46,575 tonnes per day (more data here).
- Our goal is to reduce that to roughly 5.4 million tonnes by 2030, nine short years from now.
- So, we need to cut our greenhouse gas emissions by 12% each and every year for the next nine years.
In what areas can we reduce our emissions?
The above figure represents where Edmonton could take effective climate action (as reported by the city here). If we fully greened our energy system (where we get our heat and electricity), that would solve 36% of the problem. Transportation is next at 28%, then buildings at 19%. We’ll worry about the last category at a later time.
Edmonton needs to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions 12% every year until 2030. Our focus areas should be transportation, buildings, and our heat and electricity. At a very high level, it would look something like this:
- Transportation: rapidly convert all cars and SUVs to electric, while more than doubling the share of transit, walk and bike trips.
- Buildings: Perform as many Deep Energy Retrofits on houses and buildings as possible, as fast as possible. We need to be retrofitting 10,000+ houses every year.
- Energy Systems: rapid and deep decarbonization to our electricity and heating systems. This means solar and wind, integration with BC’s electricity grid (they have lots of hydro), geothermal, biomass energy, and anything else we can think of.
Some of the changes need to be driven at the provincial and federal levels, working in tandem. However, Edmonton has many actions that it can take, starting right now, that will bring us closer to our goals. Over the next posts, we will take a closer look at each of the areas above, transportation, buildings, and energy systems, and examine what Edmonton can do, and when, to respond to the climate emergency.
Our first stop: Transportation.…
Councillors Cartmell, Hamilton, McKeen, and Walters, and Mayor Iveson,
Subject: Item 6.14, November 9, 2020 Executive Committee Meeting
Thank you for accepting this submission as you consider Edmonton’s response to the worldwide climate crisis. Tomorrow Foundation for a Sustainable Future is a charitable environmental organization with deep roots and a 50-year history in Edmonton. We have recently begun organizing the 75% of Edmontonians who are concerned about climate change and are motivated to build a better future for our city through bold, impactful action.
In October, we launched the #Yes2ClimateYEG campaign asking Edmontonians to weigh in on how taking climate action is good for them, good for their lifestyle and good for their livelihood. We will share a campaign report update during December’s budget deliberations.
With only a few days between administration’s release of the Energy Transition update and this submission, these are the most pressing comments we urge you to consider:
- Time is of the essence. Our carbon budget is rapidly shrinking. Since the signing of the Edmonton Declaration in 2018, which committed Edmonton to a carbon budget of 155,000,000 tonnes of CO2 from 2019 onwards, Edmonton has released approximately 32,000,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent, 21% of our budget.
- This council has a mandate to act as we reimagine recovery from COVID and building back better. Decisive, specific, accountable and funded action cannot wait for the next council, or we miss the opportunity before us.
- Please fund all of the “Proposed Accelerated Actions” put forth by administration and expedite those with the potential to target systemic inequality (CR_7576 Attachment 1_ Energy Transition Strategy Accelerated Actions.pdf).
- Bike infrastructure and tree planting could be particularly good parts of an equity strategy, and they should be funded and directed to specific and underserved areas of the city.
- Administration’s Carbon Accounting Framework initiative is crucial but not ambitious enough in its timeframes. (page 26, “Revising Edmonton’s Community Energy Transition Strategy”).
- An initial funding for carbon accounting should be included in this year’s budget deliberations for post COVID recovery in 2021-2023.
- The rollout timeline should be cut from two years to one year. A pilot Carbon Accounting Framework must be ready for implementation in Fall 2021. Similar to retirement or education savings, starting early in small amounts is less noticeable to a household’s bottom line than having to catch up on savings in a short period of time later. We need a carbon accounting tool implemented immediately to ensure all decisions are held accountable to the carbon budget’s bottom line.
- Council should direct administration to create a list of inexpensive and/or money-saving accelerated actions for release in early 2021 alongside the final revised Community Energy Transition Strategy. Examples on this list could include:
- Enable separate titles for net-zero garden suites by June 2021. This would stimulate the economy, increase a climate-friendly housing type, increase the supply of more affordable housing, accelerate progress towards our density targets, and increase the tax base.
- Reimagine Saskatchewan Drive – Re-allocating a car lane to a multi-use path as suggested by Paths for People would save money on the Duggan Bridge renewal and increase bike and walk trips (thereby reducing CO2 emissions).
- Dedicated Bus Lanes for the April 2021 Bus Network Redevelopment – A reallocation of space on 2-3 priority bus routes would significantly increase ridership for a relatively minor investment.
There has never been more support for or awareness of the need for climate action in Edmonton. We urge you to show courage in moving our city boldly forward as part of the solution to our era’s most urgent crisis.
Sincerely,
Conrad Nobert
President, Tomorrow Foundation for a Sustainable Future…
MEDIA RELEASE:
#Yes2ClimateYEG – Edmonton charity launches campaign to support a low carbon future and healthy environment
Release date: October 16, 2020 at 9:00 am
The 50-year old environmental charity, Tomorrow Foundation for a Sustainable Future, is launching the #Yes2ClimateYEG campaign to support a low carbon future and healthy environment. “With the anticipated release of the updated Community Energy Transition Strategy from the City of Edmonton, now is the perfect time to mobilize residents around today’s climate reality,” says Julie Kusiek, Executive Director of the Tomorrow Foundation.
Edmontonians have a vision for a climate-friendly future. Tomorrow Foundation wants to know what climate action(s) will make a positive impact in your personal, community or professional life. How do you envision a low-carbon Edmonton positively impacting you? For example, investment in zero emissions transportation might mean a high quality active transportation route to school or work for you or your kids, or green building standards might lead to lower energy costs and more certainty for your business. Starting today, Edmontonians are invited to share their stories at https://tomorrowfoundation.ca/yes2climateyeg/.
The purpose of this campaign is to gather and amplify support from a variety of individuals, businesses and community organizations for climate action at a municipal level. “Through the eyes of the individual, we can deepen our understanding of climate change and translate what is often positioned as a burden into that of an opportunity,” says Mike Mellross, Program Director of the Climate Innovation Fund at Alberta EcoTrust, “A personal journey can surface the failures of our systems and provide a northstar to effective, just and equitable solutions. I encourage residents of Edmonton to take part in this campaign and assist in building a climate positive future.”
Stories will be shared over social media, using the hashtag #Yes2ClimateYEG and presented in a final report to Edmonton City Council on October 26. Edmontonians wishing to keep informed on campaign updates or take additional actions can sign up by emailing [email protected] or going to the campaign website.
You can find out more about Tomorrow Foundation for a Sustainable Future at www.tomorrowfoundation.ca.
Media inquiries can be sent to Julie Kusiek by emailing [email protected] or contacting @tomorrowfdn on Twitter. …
Categories
#Yes2ClimateYEG
Join the movement.
Tomorrow Foundation supports a low-carbon, sustainable, healthy Edmonton.
Climate Action in Edmonton:
- is healthy – climate-friendly cities have cleaner air, healthier food, and safe, active ways to get around
- diversifies the economy – Edmonton competes on a worldwide stage because we recognize that energy transition is happening and our workforce is prepared for it
- spurs innovation and community – climate change is the challenge of our lifetimes, and we can come together as a community to spur innovation and create a more connected community
- increases resiliency – renewable energy and energy efficiency reduce utility costs, making our households stronger and more able to withstand the winds of a changing future
- should be inclusive and diverse – Edmonton’s climate action should include traditionally-underrepresented persons, with an emphasis on Indigenous voices
“I encourage residents of Edmonton to take part in @tomorrowfdn‘s campaign and assist in building a climate positive future.” – Mike Mellross, Program Director of the Alberta Ecotrust Climate Innovation Fund
Say #Yes2ClimateYEG: https://t.co/vU1bKw0hog pic.twitter.com/p8iXcCwkoA
— Alberta Ecotrust (@AlbertaEcotrust) October 24, 2020
We’re launching the #Yes2ClimateYEG campaign to help gather momentum for this vision, and we’re looking to hear from you!
Tell us how decisive climate action by Edmonton City Council can make a positive impact on your own life. Some ideas:
- Will cleaner air make your family healthier?
- What if there was a protected bike lane connecting your block to the grocery store? Would your family live a more active life?
- What if your electricity and heating costs were cut in half?
- Trees and community gardens contribute to a climate-friendly Edmonton. How could more access to these change your life for the better?
Submit your story here.
Other actions:
- Spread the word with hashtag #Yes2ClimateYEG.
- Speak to Edmonton City Council Executive Committee on Monday, November 9, 2020.
- If you’ve never presented at Council Committee before, no problem. We can help show you the ropes.
- We need lots of speakers to help amplify the story messages coming in. Email us at [email protected].
Thank you for helping Edmonton City Council vote #Yes2ClimateYEG.
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We at the Tomorrow Foundation were quite tickled to hear about the Alberta Capital Airshed’s latest passive air quality installation. It’s in Camrose, Alberta!
“Why,” you might ask, is the Tomorrow Foundation so pumped up about an air quality monitoring station in Camrose when our work is focused mainly in Edmonton, Alberta? Here’s why. This is a great example of the “Tomorrow Foundation way” and that way is all about connecting people. We bring people together to discover and champion system-wide solutions for a healthy environment and low carbon future.
Pictured above: Gary Redmond (Executive Director of Alberta Capital Airshed) and Dr. Greg King (Assistant Professor of Environmental Science, UofA Augustana). Behind them: a fresh air monitoring installment.
So, here’s the back story:
In June 2020, Tomorrow Foundation launched the Community Science Air Quality Traffic Monitoring Pilot in the Queen Alexandra neighbourhood in Edmonton, Alberta. Our former President, Matthew Dance, had already connected the proposed project with Executive Director of the Alberta Capital Airshed, Gary Redmond. Gary saw the mutual benefit for the Airshed and Tomorrow Foundation and dug right in, even speaking about various air quality monitors at our kick off meeting and later co-presenting at a webinar hosted by Tomorrow Foundation. The Airshed wants to get more air quality monitors out there and Tomorrow Foundation wants to engage community members in understanding what all those monitors are about and getting to policy discussion around air quality in the urban Edmonton context.
Lucky for us, Dr. Greg King (UofA Augustana) heard about this program launch during a radio interview our Executive Director, Julie Kusiek had on CBC RadioActive earlier that evening. Greg connected with us and has been an incredible resource, adding richness to our understanding of air quality. You see, while Tomorrow Foundation is focusing on the potential causes of air quality and how to mitigate that through transportation planning policy, his research is focused on ways to reduce neighbourhood air pollution through urban forests. It’s the flip side of the coin but both are needed. You can check out the webinar Dr. King presented by visiting our YouTube Channel.
Through these project meetings and webinars, Greg and Gary have connected around the shared goal of understanding local air quality better. Alberta Capital Airshed covers both Edmonton and all the way out to Camrose, where Greg is located and where his research is focused. However, the Air Shed hasn’t had many monitoring sites set up in that area yet. That is, they didn’t have many monitors set up until Greg and Gary met.
This warms our hearts at Tomorrow Foundation to see the connections being made through one of our programs are off-shooting into other relationships and air quality explorations. This is the kind of collaborative approach that we at Tomorrow Foundation will be key to addressing our most pressing issue of the day – climate change and environmental issues – in a well researched and systemic way.
Thank you to both Greg and Gary for being a part of Tomorrow Foundation’s journey and we are excited to learn more about what you discover…and shout it out to the world. Who knows what other connections might be made?…
Join us as we welcome guests from the City of Edmonton Urban Forestry department for this engaging webinar all about YEG Tree Map and the eco benefits of Edmonton’s urban forest. Participants will even learn how to plot their own private trees! Registration and more information is below. As this is an online event, anyone can register even if you don’t live in Edmonton.
The webinar will conclude with a Q&A session, then opportunity for interested participants to stay on the call for the Tomorrow Foundation’s Community Science Meet Up.
We’d also like to give a shoutout to GFI Systems for sponsoring this event. Sponsorships and event donations go towards purchasing air quality and traffic monitoring devices to help expand our Community Science Program.
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