Net Zero Dundas

Pebble in the Pond

The concept of the pebble in the pond is an old one, but one that resonates with us. We believe that small changes can ripple outward and become larger. Those larger ripples are what change the face of our society, locally and globally. With climate change being the existential threat of our time we are proactively trying to learn more about how we can be part of the solution, and we wish to share it with others. We believe in being a pebble.

Many of our blog entries will be connected to the Live Net Zero contest and the challenge categories they have defined, and then some will be more general or miscellaneous. We are organizing them that way to simplify finding posts that are of more interest to you.

You can select a category here or dive in to the most recent posts as shown below. Even though some of the categories will be empty until that challenge period is active we want to show how the Live Net Zero organizers are approaching ways to reduce your household and individual emissions / carbon footprint—thanks for reading!

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Optimism, and a plan
by Jen Reid and Steve Viau - 07 Oct 2023

Part of the process of moving towards net zero is thinking divergently and creatively about how this can be attained. We have done a great deal of work securing quotes, which we will use to apply for an interest free loan from the federal government. 

We have quotes and plans quotes for the following: 

  • Energy efficient triple pane windows for the front of our house, and energy efficient double pane windows for the back of the house. The rest of the windows are newer and should be all right.
     
  • Insulation, including for an uninsulated crawlspace.
     
  • An even more efficient heat pump now that our existing one is getting older.
     
  • Two energy efficient doors, one for the entry to the house from the garage and one separating the cold cellar from the main basement.
     
  • Solar panels that can power our house directly, as opposed to only feeding the grid. 

We have already had the exterior of the house professionally caulked. We are in the process of  adding foam insulation to exterior light switches and sockets, adding weather stripping, and switching out pot lights so we can add insulation. 

An important part of this process is to communicate with other people what we are doing, to share resources and ideas, to organize in our communities. Lots of people are very worried and anxious about climate change. Creating a community around our transition to net zero has been a powerful way to generate hope, as we are researching, implementing, and sharing the solutions. 

The brilliant cartoonist Rose Anne Prevec, whose work can be seen through her website https://www.groundhoghill.ca/, sums it up best with this image. 

Such a quintessential scene of the Dundas valley, and with a particularly beautiful time here in southern Ontario around the corner. It also speaks to the optimism and joy that can be created when working with others in our community.