Guelph is one of the most environmentally sustainable cities in Canada – so sustainable that dignitaries from countries all over the world have come to examine the way Guelph maintains its sustainability. The way the city runs environmentally is sort of like a micro model of the way the world could be—it’s a community that manages to sustain itself through collaborative efforts.
Guelph’s Community Energy Initiative is aimed at improving the way Guelph uses energy resources. Guelph’s city website states that the initiative aims to “use less energy in 25 years than we do today,” “consume less energy per capita than comparable Canadian cities,” and “produce less greenhouse gas per capita than the current global average.” This initiative began back in 2007 and is still ongoing.
One of the factors that make Guelph the perfect model city in environmental sustainability is the fact that the city’s water is supplied entirely by ground water.
If you take a drive through Guelph, it is common to see many households using solar panels as an energy source. The City of Guelph aims to use as much renewable energy as possible, including solar energy.
If you take a drive over the summer, you can also find signs sprawled out around Guelph indicating the city’s water usage.
The city makes it easy to reduce carbon emissions by providing stellar public transportation. The bus system is easier and more efficient to use, in comparison to bus systems in other cities. Guelph puts a great deal of effort into ensuring that public transport is as available as possible for its citizens. Along with an excellent public transport system, Guelph also puts a lot of its efforts into creating safe and clear bike paths throughout the city. Lots of renovations and changes have been made to the roads, to ensure Guelph is a biker-friendly city.
Waste collection is also supervised closely, as citizens must use clear garbage bags, as opposed to black garbage bags, to ensure that recycling is not being thrown in the trash. The city has also implemented easy-to-use bins that make recycling and composting as simple as possible for the city.
The City of Guelph has help, though. Much of that help comes from the university. U of G students are constantly striving for stronger environmental sustainability on campus.
Reusable mugs are strongly encouraged throughout campus by offering discounts as an incentive for students. The CSA is also getting closer each year to implementing a water-bottle free campus—a practice that has already been adopted by other universities.
Whatever the process or the model, it’s easy to see that Guelph is a truly green sustained, with a strong vision for an eco-friendly future. Sustainability in Guelph is one of the many reasons that make the Royal City such a great place to live.
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The Ontarion publishes independent, student-produced news, opinion, and commentary for University of Guelph students so that they can make informed decisions in their lives. To do this, The Ontarion provides learning opportunities and training in journalism, media production, leadership, board governance, and other aspects of nonprofit news.
The Ontarion is the University of Guelph’s independent student newspaper. It began in 1951 as part of the Ontario Agricultural College and then began to represent the entire University of Guelph once it amalgamated in 1964. The Ontarion incorporated in May 1970 as The Ontarion, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation registered with the province of Ontario.