Since our last Newsletter, PTC has participated in two very important ‘Green’ events that we hope, in collaboration with other companies and individuals, will continue to create an impact on our environment and global awareness.

On March 29th, PTC staff and friends turned off our lights for one hour at 8pm for Earth Hour, which was a worldwide event aimed at taking a stand against climate change. Earth Hour was a huge success, with at least 50 million people participating, making it the largest voluntary power-down event in history. And it was Canada that led the way, with over 150 cities and towns turning off their lights.

According to WWF Canada, energy consumption dropped by 8.7 per cent in Toronto alone. In all of Ontario, 900 MW of energy was saved, the equivalent of taking over 11,000 cars off the road for one hour.

On April 18th, PTC staff took to the streets for the 20-minute Toronto Makeover, where, equipped with garbage bags and gloves, we filled about 10 garbage bags with trash. While this may not seem like much, you have to wonder; if every company and household in Toronto participated in a 20-minute makeover or Earth Hour at least once a week, what kind of impact would it have on our environment?

For other daily changes that will make a significant difference over a certain period of time, consider these tips from stopglobalwarming.org:

Use Fluorescent Bulbs
Replace 3 frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $60 per year.

Inflate Your Tires
Keep the tires on your car adequately inflated. Check them monthly. Save 250 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $840 per year.

Change Your Air Filter
Check your car's air filter monthly. Save 800 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $130 per year.

Fill the Dishwasher
Run your dishwasher only with a full load. Save 100 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $40 per year.

Use Recycled Paper
Make sure your printer paper is 100% post consumer recycled paper. Save 5 lbs. of carbon dioxide per ream of paper.

Adjust Your Thermostat
Move your heater thermostat down two degrees in winter and up two degrees in the summer. Save 2000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $98 per year.

Check Your Waterheater
Keep your water heater thermostat no higher than 120°F. Save 550 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $30 per year.

Change the AC Filter
Clean or replace dirty air conditioner filters as recommended. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $150 per year.

Take Shorter Showers
Showers account for 2/3 of all water heating costs. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $99 per year.

Install a Low-Flow Showerhead
Using less water in the shower means less energy to heat the water. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $150.

Buy Minimally Packaged Goods
Less packaging could reduce your garbage by about 10%. Save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide and $1,000 per year.

Buy a Hybrid Car
The average driver could save 16,000 lbs. of CO2 and $3,750 per year driving a hybrid.

Carpool When You Can
Own a big vehicle? Carpooling with friends and co-workers saves fuel. Save 790 lbs. of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars per year.

Reduce Garbage
Buy products with less packaging and recycle paper, plastic and glass. Save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.

Plant a Tree
Trees suck up carbon dioxide and make clean air for us to breathe. Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year.

If we all do our part as a community, we will lay the groundwork for a healthier, safer and less carbon-producing environment. Stay tuned for more ‘Green’ Events and tip sheets from PTC in the future.