TORONTO PUBLIC HEALTH - 20/20 The Way to Clean Air Campaign

Do you reside in the Greater Toronto Area? Would you like to participate in  "20/20 Living Lab Research" Challenge and Earn $500?

This is your opportunity to reduce your home energy use, reduce the amount that you drive your vehicle, and help improve air quality and human health in the GTA.  If you would like to be part of an important public health research project and learn how to save energy dollars at the same time, please read on.

RESEARCH GOALS:

· To help participating households reduce their home energy use by 20% and reduce their personal vehicle use by 20%.
· To test a series of energy-savings activities and vehicle travel alternatives to determine the barriers and opportunities associated with the activities.
· To gauge the relative success of participating households as they overcome challenges and become visible champions of energy reduction.

CRITERIA FOR PARTICIPATION:

The Living Lab challenge is an 8-week study that will begin on April 2nd and end on May 25th, 2001. Participants will be given a list of energy-savings activities and personal vehicle travel alternatives, and assistance to act on them - from "how to" information and tools, free and discounted products, to ongoing counsel and advice.

To be eligible to participate in this study, you must satisfy the following requirements:

· Live in a house (including detached, semi-detached and town houses) that you own, pay the heating and electricity bills for, that is 1,200 square feet or larger and that was built before 1960 in Toronto; or a house built between 1960 and 1996 if you live in the GTA area.
· There are five occupants or fewer in your household and the head of the household is age 50 or under.
· There is at least one person with responsibility for your household who has some post-secondary education (college/university).
· The combined annual household income is $50,000 or more.
· At least one person drives to work everyday.
· Your house is located within a ten-minute (or less) walk or three minute (or less) drive from some form of public transit.
· You will be willing to participate in one initial kick-off meeting and then telephone meetings once every two weeks throughout the 8-week period to discuss your progress.
· You will maintain logs documenting your home energy use and distance traveled reductions.


In addition, we are looking for people who have not done most of the following activities, but who would be willing to consider doing them over the 8-week period:

· Adjust heating/cooling thermostat in the home to conserve energy (either manually or with a programmable thermostat);
· Turn down the temperature on hot water thermostat;
· Conduct weatherization activities, such as weather stripping and caulking;
· Replace incandescent light bulbs with fluorescent lighting;
· Turn off lighting and other electrical appliances when not in use;
· Install low flow shower head and faucet aerators;
· Maximize dish-washing and laundry loads;
· Conduct a self home energy audit or bring in an expert to do one;
· Walk, bike or take public transit to work or school;
· Walk, bike or take public transit for shopping or entertainment;
· Combine errands when using your vehicle to reduce the number of vehicle trips;
· Telecommute to work (stay home to work instead of driving to workplace).

We are also looking for people who would be willing to speak to the media about their experiences (if we are successful, we want the whole world to know!).  This, however, is not a requirement.

If you fit the above profile, please contact Jill McDowell at Toronto Public Health to confirm your participation.  Call 416-338-8103 or email: [log in to unmask]  We look forward to hearing from you.


The 20/20 Campaign has been generously supported by the Toronto Atmospheric Fund, Environment Canada, and Enbridge Consumers Gas.



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Lorraine Fung
Health Promotion Consultant
Health Promotion & Environmental Protection
Toronto Public Health
277 Victoria Street, 7th Floor
Toronto, ON M5B 1W2
Phone (416) 338-8078
Fax (416) 392-7418
Email: [log in to unmask]