Many kudos to the province of Ontario for cutting its per capita energy consumption by more than 5 percent over the past two years. Despite the summer’s spike in energy consumption, Ontario will meet its target for 2007, which is a reduction of 1,350 megawatts.
According to Peter Love, Ontario’s conservation officer (pictured above hugging a tree) this is only the beginning. Along with the good news, Love took the opportunity to list his proposals to further reduce Ontario’s energy consumption. Primarily, Love discussed the need for energy conservation officers at the municipal level. If each town or city had its own conservation chief, proposed laws and policies could be scrutinized from a consumption angle. Said Love, “We must unify energy conservation efforts across the province to include all levels of government, institutions, businesses and consumers.”
Love also wants to increase energy standards for the six home appliances that are not taxed by the province and to lift some of the varied municipal bans on clotheslines and solar panels.
The ultimate goal, however, is to create a “culture of conservation,” in which policy serves to identify responsible behavior, but social norms compel people to behave accordingly.
You can read Peter Love’s Annual Report here.
