City Celebrates Earth Day and Continues Efforts to become a Net-Zero Community
Apr 22, 2021
Thursday, April 22 marks the 51st anniversary of Earth Day, the annual day of global environmental awareness, action and celebration. More than a billion people in 193 countries participate in Earth Day activities each year.
“Earth Day is an annual reminder of the importance of taking action to celebrate and protect our fragile earth – not just on April 22, but every day,” said Greater Sudbury Mayor Brian Bigger. “Big or small, every action we take that can help reduce energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and our ecological footprint makes a difference. So although we can’t celebrate with friends and neighbours as we normally would, we can all still take our own steps toward making positive change for a brighter future and a net-zero Greater Sudbury.”
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there will be no in-person municipal events in celebration of Earth Day. Instead, residents are encouraged to have some fun and get creative while showing the planet some love. Here are a few ideas:
- Begin a home gardening project. Plant a tree, start an herb garden, or pick out plants for your garden that will support bees and other pollinators.
- Go for a “plalk” around your neighbourhood – that means picking up litter as you walk. Visit www.liveablesudbury.org/neighbourhoods_together to learn more about plalking and other COVID-safe neighbourhood activities!
- Organize a nature scavenger hunt with your kids. Make a list of items found in nature and see how many they can check off the list.
- Try some nature-based science experiments at home. Visit www.sciencenorth.ca/teachers for ideas and resources.
- Walk or bike to run your essential errands instead of taking your car.
For more ideas, visit the Earth Day Canada website or check out the list of local community resources on our website.
Community Energy and Emissions Plan
In 2019, City Council declared a climate emergency and committed to achieve net-zero emissions in Greater Sudbury by 2050. That means reducing greenhouse gas emissions caused by human activity to as close to zero as possible, and removing remaining emissions from the atmosphere.
In response to that commitment, the Community Energy and Emissions Plan (CEEP) was approved by Council in September 2020. It is a long-term plan with 18 goals aimed at reducing carbon emissions and pollution in Greater Sudbury and creating a clean energy future.
One of the goals of the CEEP is to electrify 100 per cent of the City’s fleet by 2035. The City has taken the first step toward achieving this goal with the purchase of four fully electric vehicles expected to be on the road in May. The vehicles will be used by the Community Paramedic Program for scheduled appointments with residents in their homes.
This purchase makes Greater Sudbury one of the first municipalities in Canada to add electric vehicles to its Paramedic Services fleet in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The City also has three hybrid ambulances as part of its fleet, with another three to be delivered in the coming months.
Over to You: be part of a #NetZeroGreaterSudbury
The goal to become a net-zero community by 2050 is an ambitious one. Getting there means we all have a role to play – government, businesses, institutions, community groups and residents. While 2050 may seem a long way off, the work to get us to our goal has to start now. Every action counts.
Visit overtoyou.greatersudbury/netzero – we want to hear from you!
- Find ideas on actions you can take to get started – or share tips with others.
- Connect with community groups and find out about upcoming environmental events around the city.
- Ask questions, leave comments, and share photos and stories.