Canadian Businesses Get Help Shrinking Carbon Footprint
A group of 13 Canadian companies and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) have launched a pilot program in British Columbia (BC) to help the 370,000 small and medium-sized businesses there cut their global warming pollution.
Ecotrust Canada, the Pembina Institute, the David Suzuki Foundation, and corporate partners have developed the Carbon Neutral Workgroup for Small Business, which will help companies calculate their global warming emissions and identify efficient means of reducing those emissions. Even better, the group wants to create free software for small and medium-sized business to show them how to cut their carbon footprints. The Pembina Institute, an NGO that provides education and consulting on clean energy issues, will offer one-on-one technical assistance.
The Workgroup points out that small businesses are responsible for about 30 percent of BC’s gross domestic product (GDP), making it a significant market in which to cut climate change emissions. Ian Gill, President of Ecotrust Canada, explained:
“It’s part of a growing ‘conservation economy’ driven by the dramatic change in consumer and corporate attitudes toward the environment as a result of global warming.” But no one is “talking or thinking about how” to help small businesses.
Small business owners will also learn about the emerging carbon offsets market, thereby giving them more tools with which to reinvest money into climate change projects in their local communities and offset their emissions.
Businesses involved in the Workgroup so far include an architecture firm, a bus company, fisheries, and a flooring and upholstery service.
July 3rd, 2007 at 10:44 pm
PS - The folks at Ecotrust tell me that although the measurements and energy sources they use to calculate carbon footprints are based on British Columbia numbers, they hope to expand the program to be available to companies outside of the BC/Canada.
July 9th, 2007 at 11:19 pm
This is a great move by EcoTrust. While the large multinational corporations are begining to report on ESG performance there is still a chasm to be crossed by the small and medium sized businesses which are a substantial portion of our economy.
November 21st, 2007 at 4:57 pm
It is always good to know people care about our World, and the fact that small companies get free help encourages commitment. I think we should all pay more attention to what our sons will inherit.
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Submited by : Caballos
May 3rd, 2008 at 1:19 pm
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