Thursday, April 22, 2021 – Earth Day, April 22, and every day. More than a billion people in 193 countries participate in Earth Day activities each year. This year, in Sooke, the District invites you to join a conversation on low carbon resilience at letstalk.sooke.ca/lcr as Earth Day activities take place around the world.
Low Carbon Resilience (LCR) is a green lens that balances the co-benefits of environmental, economic and social determinants and aligns with Sustainable Development Goals[i]. Among the co-benefits:
- Economic co-benefits look to diversify the local economy and reduce waste and optimize resources;
- Social co-benefits look to enhance human health and well-being, improve climate awareness and access to data and information, and improve community livability and vitality;
- Environmental co-benefits look to improve water quality, support habitat creation and promote regional connectivity.
Expanding active transportation corridors, investing in wastewater treatment infrastructure, and the availability of a community carbon calculator are just some of Sooke’s steps forward to create low carbon resilience. Join the conversation! The combined efforts of all citizens will allow Sooke to truly deliver in this area.
Every action in daily living has a climate impact – either locally or globally. By inherently applying consideration for the environment through a “low carbon resilience” lens, the District is taking action to support the community to have a lighter carbon footprint.
“Residents and neighbours, who we know share a love for Sooke, can share their ideas to support and inspire each other,” says Jessica Boquist, Parks and Environmental Services Coordinator, and staff liaison with the Climate Action Committee “The Climate Action Committee wants to understand what is working in Sooke and what barriers residents are experiencing to lowering their emissions. This conversation will support the incredible work of all stewards of our community,” Boquist adds.
Learn more and participate at letstalk.sooke.ca/lcr.
The LCR co-benefits model, adopted by Council on April 12, 2021, offers twenty-seven points of reference to use when making decisions. Across the District, staff apply this “LCR lens” to optimize recommendations that are made to Council.
Learn more:
- LCR Co-Benefits – a tool to help local government staff and their service providers communicate the wide range of co-benefits that can be achieved when applying the LCR lens (ACT, 2019).
- Carbon Calculator Methodology: The District of Sooke acknowledges the District of Saanich for their support and permission to use their comparable calculations to make this tool available for Sooke residents. See Saanich’s award-winning Climate Plan.
- District of Sooke Climate Action Information page
Contact:
Christina Moog, Communications Coordinator
District of Sooke
Tel: 250.642.1634, ext. 678
e: cmoog@sooke.ca
[i] Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDGs were adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity by 2030 (United Nations website)
