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Lunenburg County Supports
Earth Hour

8.30PM Saturday 31 March 2012

At 8:30pm (local time) on Saturday March 31, 2012, cities across the world will turn off their lights and non-essential power for just one hour – Earth Hour™ – to show that it’s possible to take action on climate change. Switching off is a simple action that can make a difference and it sends a powerful message that the people of the world and Lunenburg County care about the future of the planet. We need you to help us make it happen.

It is important that you register the support of you, your family, business, school or organization. As each sign up is added to the world total and provides the world event organizers with worldwide participation statistics. For example X individuals, Y businesses and Z schools participated in Earth Hour from Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Canada.

What can you do to help?

What you can do as an individual
What you can do as a business
What you can do as a Hotel, Motel or B&B
What you can do as a Restaurant
What you can do as a Government
What you can do as a School

Saving Energy Saves you Money
Click here for some great energy and money saving ideas.

So just how much energy does that
appliance really use?

Conserve Nova Scotia is pleased to provide electricity-use meters in Public Libraries. These meters can be used to measure electricity use in most household appliances and devices. So just like a book, CD or DVD, you’ll be able to borrow one of these meters free from your local library.

Borrow this meter to find out how much energy is being used by some of your household appliances. Some things may even surprise you, as some devices continue to use energy even while turned off (known as phantom loads). Understanding how electricity is used is an important part in taking steps to reduce overall electricity use, which results in lower energy bills and lower greenhouse gas emissions.

For additional information please visit the Conserve Nova Scotia website at www.conservens.ca/meter

So just what is my Carbon Footprint?

To find out visit www.tcf-fca.ca/calculator

Many of our actions generate carbon emissions, which contribute to accelerating global warming and climate change. This is called your carbon footprint an indication of the effect you have on the climate in terms of the total amount of greenhouse gases you produce (measured in units of carbon dioxide). The first step to taking effective action is to reduce your carbon footprint.

What can you do?

Replace 10 lightbulbs in your house with compact fluorescent bulbs and reduce your carbon footprint by 1000 lbs per year. Each bulb can save $40 or more over its lifetime.

Reduce your driving by 10% and reduce your carbon footprint by 1018 lbs.

Weatherize your home with caulk and weather strips and reduce your carbon by 1700 lbs per year.

Lower the thermostat in your home by 2 degrees in the winter and raise it by 2 degrees in the summer to reduce your carbon footprint by 2000lbs per year.

Keep your car’s tires inflated and the air filter clean and reduce your carbon footprint by 1050 lbs per year.

Keep your heating and cooling system tuned. When it’s time to replace, do your research and ask for ENERGY STAR.

Install water conservation devices in your home - a low flow showerhead, faucet aerator and a toilet tank bank. Using less water, uses less energy!

Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

You’ve heard it before, but it’s still great advice. Manufacturing products produces an average 4-8 pounds of CO2 for every pound of manufactured product.

Buy locally - Shipping burns fuel. A 5-pound package shipped by air across the country creates 12 pounds of CO2 (3 ½ pounds if shipped by truck).

For additional information please check out these websites.
www.carbonfund.org

Thank you for supporting Earth Hour
in Lunenburg County

As participants in the world community, it is not only the responsibility of our elected officials and community leaders, but also the responsibility of us its citizens, to put in place and support projects and initiatives that will positively move the community forward.

Symbolic? Yes. But sometimes it is the littlest of efforts, when combined with the efforts of others that can make the most difference. Let us, as a diverse community show the world that the people and governments of Lunenburg County care.

What are the steps that would have to be taken to have this very small, yet positive initiative being adopted by all residents in Lunenburg County?

Simply say. Yes, let’s do it. And do it we can.

It’s also important to note that although this event is only taking place during 1 hour for 1 day, people are encouraged to incorporate these energy savings measures into their everyday lives, as it will require a significant effort to truly reduce our greenhouse gas emissions to more appropriate levels.