Who's your Climate Champion?

Nominations are now open for the Climate Hub's second annual Climate Champion awards. Last year it was so inspiring to see the people and organizations in Maple Ridge who are making a difference in the fight against carbon pollution. We couldn't wait to do it again! 

The Climate Champion Awards program not only recognizes leaders in green practices - it also inspires others to begin or expand their own climate-saving journey. So please take a few minutes to nominate those who demonstrate that a better future is possible through their actions today. 

Last year's winners

Watch the videos of last year's winners on the Climate Hub's Youtube Channel – winners like the Friends in Need Food Bank, with their innovative Perishable Food Recovery program, and Hammond Forever House - a century-old home that achieved net zero emissions through home energy retrofits.  

We also recognized Climate Champions who:

• promoted cycling to commute, shop, and just have fun
• led a student environmental and climate awareness group 
• promoted climate-friendly transportation for children travelling to and from their elementary school
• repaired and fixed consumer goods to extend their useful life
• made sure their business reduced their carbon footprint through careful choice of products and recycling 

This year's awards will be presented at the Earth Day celebrations in Memorial Peace Park on Saturday, April 22.  

Nominate a Climate Champion here in Maple Ridge. 

IPCC report spells it out

On March 20 the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) issued their wrap-up report, which draws together the findings from the work of hundreds of climate scientists over the past eight years. 

The conclusions are stark, but not new. The report confirms that limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C is vital if we are to avoid devastating and irreversible climate catastrophes.

But the report still holds out hope. Hoesung Lee, the chair of the IPCC, says: “This synthesis report underscores the urgency of taking more ambitious action and shows that, if we act now, we can still secure a livable sustainable future for all.” 

• View the 3-min. summary video 
• Read an article in The Guardian 

We still have time to act – with urgency and determination. We must each ask ourselves: "What can I do today to make a difference? 

Share your vision with City Council

This week, our new City Council will finalize business plans that set the course for the next four years. 

They need to hear how much we are counting on them to take ambitious action to lower greenhouse gas emissions and fight climate change. 

They need to embrace a vision and create a plan for a thriving, equitable and sustainable community. This plan should include:

• new standards to reduce carbon emissions from new buildings, including an end to gas-fired heat sources (furnaces, hot water tanks and fireplaces)
• targets, incentives and other supports to retrofit existing homes and buildings to reduce emissions
• swift implementation of low-emission transportation supports including safe cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, and expanded transit options
• early protection and expansion of natural assets that act as carbon "sinks", such as wetlands and forests
• emphasis on urban/built features, such as an increased urban tree canopy and city gardens, to address the effects of climate change and complement wild spaces

Take five minutes today to send your thoughts and expectations to our City Council. 

The sustainable wardrobe

Recently the CBC's What on Earth column published an article on the sheer volume of clothing we think we need, vs. how much we actually need. 

The article was prompted by a new report from Hot or Cool, that establishes an equity-based target for per capita fashion consumption for 2030. With the fashion industry accounting for up to eight per cent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions and nine per cent of the microplastics that end up in our oceans each year, we need to find a way to limit our wardrobes and reduce the need to replace. 

Hot or Cool's report suggests a wardrobe of 85 items should suffice for Canada's four seasons. Enter sustainability champions like My Green Closet and EcoCult, both of which take the pain out of hunting for sustainable clothing by doing the sleuthing for the rest of us. 

These two sites also offer ideas on how to buy for value and longevity, with "capsule" wardrobe tips and information on sustainably-produced fabric. 

Just in time for the annual migration of winter wardrobe items into storage and the return of summery stuff, let's make this the year we slim down our wardrobes, supplement with second-hand, and buy only what we need from sustainable brands. 

Please share this newsletter

At this critical time in the race to combat climate change, it's crucial that we stand together and act in big and small ways to move our community to a low-emissions future.   

You can take one simple step today: forward this newsletter to friends and family members, neighbours and co-workers. One of the most effective ways to fight climate change is simply to talk about it. By sending this newsletter out into your world, you are talking about it, and helping others join the conversation. 

Sustainably yours,

The Maple Ridge Climate Hub team