The Sheridan Sun (Oakville, ON): “One Change” can make a difference
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Simple actions matter. A shortbut-sweet slogan for One Change, a not-for-profit community-based social marketing organization dedicated to simple environmental household solutions.
Their main goal as an environmental organization is to actively engage members of the community in simple solution programs.
Their newest initiative, partnered with Canadian Tire, is handing out free tire pressure gauges. So more than 115,000 digital tire pressure gauges have been distributed.
Recent research by One Change shows drivers could save over two weeks worth of gas a year, could help save over $600 million in fuel collectively, and cut 1.4 million tonnes of C02- merely by keeping tire pressure consistent to their respective vehicle.
Their Ontario fuel-efficient initiative is currently making its way around the province. Although the organization is based in Ottawa, volunteers have set up booths in Canadian Tire stores across the province.
Stephanie Mole, event coordinator for the recent Oakville initiative on Nov. 5th, believes that the public should get involved with One Change for several reasons. “It’s not only helping you individually and your wallet but it’s helping out everybody, and the more community involvement we have the more successful this is,” she said.
Mole, an avid volunteer and environmentalist, felt compelled to be involved with One Change after a recent trip to Australia.
“It was a very non-environmentally friendly area, they didn’t recycle or anything like that” she said, “When I came back and found the One Change opportunity I thought that’s kind of giving back for the lack of recycling I did there.”
Although One Change’s most recent campaign promotes simple actions like keeping tire pressure topped-up, they also address some other simple ways citizens can save green while keeping more green. These include other simple actions like not using car’s air conditioning. Keeping your windows down helps
drivers cool their cars naturally and helps to curb C02 emissions. Others include driving the posted speed limit on highways. Cars’ engines are specifically designed to run at highway speeds. The U.S. EPA reports that keeping your car at a slightly higher speed for prolonged periods of time can increase your gas mileage 5-33 per cent.
The One Change fuel efficiency initiative is the second project in a series of environmental campaigns. Their first campaign, Project Porchlight, was an initiative started by the founder of One Change, Stuart Hickox after stumbling upon some astonishing statistics from ENERGYSTAR(if every household in the
U.S. changed replaced one incandescent light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb, the reduction in pollution would be the same as taking 800,000 cars off the road). In a few short months, Hickox and his neighbourhood had started a doorto- door campaign armed with environmental tips and free compact fluorescent light bulbs-One Change was born.
The future for One Change includes a water initiative. When or what this entails has yet to be determined. Volunteers are always needed. Visit OneChange.org for more information.
As Jonathan Culm, another volunteer at the Oakville suggests, “We need lots of help and we’re doing a great thing here.”
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