During Ontario winters, we are using much more salt than we need to keep our roads, sidewalks and parking lots safe. Road salt contains chloride, and its excessive use can have devastating effects on freshwater species. In fact, when at peak levels such as the winter, some waterways are just as salty as the ocean! Freshwater fish can’t survive in water that’s too salty, and too much chloride in the water kills eggs and larvae of wildlife such as mussels.

Implementing actions to reduce your office's energy use is a great step forward in doing your part to combat climate change. Get started today by leading one or more actions to reduce your energy-related carbon emissions.

With around 400 million tons of paper produced each year and growing, our unsustainable printing habits are adding pressure on the earth’s last remaining natural forests. These same habits can also be costing your business money. Reducing your company’s paper footprint is not just about printing less, it involves ensuring the paper-based products you buy comes from responsibly sourced forests and teaching employees to think differently about how to change the way they think about printing in their daily jobs.

When your organization purchases a product or service, it usually considers things like cost, quality, and technical capabilities. Buying responsibly adds another important layer of considerations to the table: considerations for the well-being of people and the planet. You might be surprised by the ways you can influence your organization’s buying habits. Sometimes, all it takes is asking the right questions to the right people. You can be the one to start that conversation.

Many forms of commuting and business travel produce emissions that create pollution and contribute to climate change. By encouraging office-wide changes towards alternative, lower carbon travel actions, you can help your company reduce its carbon footprint and save money.

Every day we’re witnessing steps toward building a zero-waste future, but we need to accelerate the pace. Champions like you can create this change at your organization.

A clean commute challenge encourages employees to make small changes to reduce their travel footprint by incorporating lower-carbon alternatives such as walking, cycling and taking public transportation into their commutes.

Many companies match their employees’ charitable donations, effectively doubling your gift at no cost to you. Find out if your company offers matches for your donations to double your impact.

Supplement your office energy-related communications with a Living Planet @ Work poster.