Generated by All in One SEO v5.0.1.1, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site.

# changeyourcorner.com

changeyourcorner.com

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://changeyourcorner.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [“Do Good”](https://changeyourcorner.com/do-good/) - A few years ago I heard the (true?) story of what must be history’s shortest speech ever. It happened at a high school graduation ceremony that was running terribly late. The building was sweltering, the program was dragging on and everyone was getting restless. When it came to his turn to speak, the guest speaker
- [When people are hungry, nothing should be wasted ](https://changeyourcorner.com/when-people-are-hungry-nothing-should-be-wasted/) - True story from earlier this month: I was delivering a gift of groceries to a food bank on behalf of someone else when I noticed a bunch of oranges in a trash bin. When I asked about them, the attendant said (I’m paraphrasing), “If they have any dings, we can’t distribute them; we’ll get nasty
- [Less-known truths about Canada’s oil and gas industry](https://changeyourcorner.com/less-known-truths-about-canadas-oil-and-gas-industry/) - Here’s a quick three-question quiz for you: 1. What percentage of Canada's GDP comes directly from the oil & gas industry? a) Less than 10% b) 10-20% c) 21-30% d) 31-50% e) Greater than 50% 2. What’s the percentage when you also factor in indirect contributions (IE downstream industries and
- [Five quick tips for a more sustainable summer](https://changeyourcorner.com/five-quick-tips-for-a-more-sustainable-summer/) - July is the month for rest, relaxation – and shorter emails! So here are five quick tips for a more sustainable summer: Ease back the AC: air conditioning is one of the biggest loads on our power grid in summer, and we often overdo it beyond what’s needed for comfort – particularly in commercial buildings
- [A little-known impact of the war in Iran: Fertilizer](https://changeyourcorner.com/a-little-known-impact-of-the-war-in-iran-fertilizer/) - For most people, the most direct impact of the US-Iran war has been an enormous spike in gas prices (a hardship that has translated into windfall profits for fossil fuel companies). But there’s a lesser-known impact that should also be of concern to us: global fertilizer supplies. Consider: Synthetic fertilizers are THE reason why we
- [Install a rainwater collection system](https://changeyourcorner.com/install-a-rainwater-collection-system/) - Last year was one of the driest years my province has ever experienced. Where I live, in a rural area with lots of forest, it was a bit scary even: the feeling that we were just one spark, one bad decision, one lightning strike away from serious consequences. And my garden wasn’t very happy with
- [The Great Canadian EV Road Trip, Revisited](https://changeyourcorner.com/the-great-canadian-ev-road-trip-revisited/) - Longer term readers may remember that last summer our family took an epic cross-Canada vacation in our EV. Given what’s happening to the price of gas in this vacation-planning time of year, I thought it might be worth resharing our experiences and learnings. Hope it may help you learn and better understand the savings and
- [Time of Day power rates: good for utilities, good for us!](https://changeyourcorner.com/time-of-day-power-rates-good-for-utilities-good-for-us/) - Remember a recent Green Ideas about Peak Power, explaining the breakfast and suppertime peak loads our electric power grid experiences every day? If so, you might also remember that peak power is really expensive for utilities to supply, because they have to buy power from neighbouring grids at the same time everyone else wants it,
- [The most important number on your power bill](https://changeyourcorner.com/the-most-important-number-on-your-power-bill/) - Looking past dollars to the number that really matters When you get your power bill each month, what do you see first? Chances are it’s the bottom line: how much you owe. That’s understandable: money is the language of our world, and rising power bills are a real pain point when money is tight. But
- [What solar has done for us, and its potential for all](https://changeyourcorner.com/what-solar-has-done-for-us-and-its-potential-for-all/) - If you’re a longtime subscriber, you likely know I’m a big fan of solar energy – and that we had two six kilowatt grid-tied solar arrays installed at our home, in 2020 and 2023. Well, this month marks a milestone worth celebrating: two years that our arrays have produced 100 per cent of the electricity
- [The twin peak challenge - and how you can help!](https://changeyourcorner.com/the-twin-peak-challenge-and-how-you-can-help/) - When I was a kid growing up on a farm, we had a backup generator that we’d start up during power failures. But then each time we’d turn something back on, we could hear the generator strain under the load – and if we turned too many things on too quickly, we’d stall the generator
- [This RRSP season, choose sustainable investments](https://changeyourcorner.com/this-rrsp-season-choose-sustainable-investments/) - In our capitalist system, money makes things happen, and lack of money prevents things from happening. That can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on how you look at it. For example, money made the oilsands happen: it’s an engineering marvel; a financial jackpot and an ongoing ecological disaster. On the other
- [Good reasons to choose real intelligence over the artificial kind](https://changeyourcorner.com/good-reasons-to-choose-real-intelligence-over-the-artificial-kind/) - It’s hard to do anything online without being bombarded with invitations to use AI, or artificial intelligence. Do a Google search, and the top hit is now AI generated. Use Zoom, and Zoom’s AI Companion can take meeting notes. Use Microsoft and you’re invited to try Copilot. Chat GPT has changed how we work, as
- [A clear graphic to guide you to savings](https://changeyourcorner.com/a-clear-graphic-to-guide-you-to-savings/) - Most people want to save energy and reduce emissions. But it’s hard to know where to start – and where to get the biggest bang for your buck. As a result, many of us get stalled in a zone of uncertainty or ‘analysis paralysis’. Here’s a graphic that should help: the Energy Efficiency Pyramid. It’s
- [Suggestions for smoother climate change discussions over turkey](https://changeyourcorner.com/suggestions-for-smoother-climate-change-discussions-over-turkey/) - Finally – it’s Christmas week, and even us guys are wrapping up our shopping! Now, it’s time to look ahead to the centerpiece of many families’ celebrations, Christmas dinner. A big part of solving climate change involves conversations: engaging as many people as possible to create better understanding of the problem and the solutions needed.
- [Savings from the Circular Economy](https://changeyourcorner.com/savings-from-the-circular-economy/) - Perhaps you’ve heard of the expression ‘Circular Economy’. It’s the term to describe when industries, manufacturers and consumers do everything possible to eliminate waste and reduce their consumption of resources. It’s about: Designing better products that last longer and are repairable Using renewable energy for everything, and conserving water and other resources at every step
- [The Butterfly Effect and my dear Mom](https://changeyourcorner.com/the-butterfly-effect-and-my-dear-mom/) - I love the story of the Butterfly Effect, because it shows how seemingly small actions can be the seeds of much larger change and progress: In 1961, MIT meteorologist Edward Lorenz developed one of the world’s first computer programs for predicting the weather. It would accept numbers representing current conditions, perform some complicated calculations and
- [The cause of and solution to climate change in one simple graphic](https://changeyourcorner.com/the-cause-of-and-solution-to-climate-change-in-one-simple-graphic/) - Perhaps you’re a fan of things that are simple and clear, as I am. Unfortunately, climate change is pretty complicated. However, if there were one single image that encapsulated both the problem and the solution, it would be this one – the one I’ve come to call the most important slide in every presentation I
- [The carbon footprint of a cross-country EV trip, and how it compares to gas](https://changeyourcorner.com/the-carbon-footprint-of-a-cross-country-ev-trip-and-how-it-compares-to-gas/) - This past summer, our family took the Great Canadian EV Road Trip, travelling 16,000 KM to Victoria, BC and back in our Chevy Bolt. I shared highlights and challenges of the trip in this Green Ideas, and it was featured on CBC Radio’s What On Earth. But I’ve since wondered: what was the carbon footprint
- [Fall in love with your local (public, church or community) library](https://changeyourcorner.com/fall-in-love-with-your-local-public-church-or-community-library/) - Most of us have too much stuff. It drains our wallets; its manufacture takes a toll on the planet; and it occupies so much space in our homes and lives that many of us need to rent storage spaces to keep it. Worse, much of it is often stuff we rarely if ever use. “Bought
- [A drought is a perfect time to develop some great water conservation habits](https://changeyourcorner.com/a-drought-is-a-perfect-time-to-develop-some-great-water-conservation-habits/) - Phew – 2025 been the driest summer I can remember here in New Brunswick. Communities and rural homeowners who rely on wells are rightly concerned about running out of water – a concern that will extend through the winter if we don’t get rain before freeze-up. But if crisis is opportunity, this drought is a
- [Sustainable toothbrush options](https://changeyourcorner.com/sustainable-toothbrush-options/) - A toothbrush might not seem like a big thing. But consider: billions are used every day; billions are tossed out every year; and the vast majority of toothbrushes are single-use plastic and end up in landfills. Fortunately, there are better options. I’ve been using a bamboo toothbrush (the one pictured) for about six months, and
- [Teaching youth – and all of us – to use public transit](https://changeyourcorner.com/teaching-youth-and-all-of-us-to-use-public-transit/) - With the start of school, many parents find themselves driving their kids to school every morning. It costs in time, fuel, emissions and congestion. And it can be frustrating. Could a better option be using public transit? Get On The Bus is a brilliant program that started in Kingston, Ontario in 2012 when a few
- [Write a letter for your child or grandchild to read in the future](https://changeyourcorner.com/write-a-letter-for-your-child-or-grandchild-to-read-in-the-future/) - Since you’re reading this post, I’m guessing you’re concerned about climate change. But there’s often a gap between how we feel about climate change and what we actually do about it. If that could be you, here’s a strategy that might help: write a letter for a child or grandchild to read in the future.
- [August 6 - The Great Canadian EV Road Trip](https://changeyourcorner.com/august-6-the-great-canadian-ev-road-trip/) - Learnings from driving across Canada in an EV In this, the year of the staycation, you might wonder: is it possible to drive across Canada coast-to-coast in an EV? And is it cheaper than gas? I’m happy to report that the answer to both questions is a resounding YES! My family and I have just
- [June 11 – When the pin touches the balloon: reality is showing that a proposed climate solution is no solution at all](https://changeyourcorner.com/june-11-when-the-pin-touches-the-balloon-reality-is-showing-that-a-proposed-climate-solution-is-no-solution-at-all/) - Truth about Direct Air Capture Perhaps you’ve heard of direct air capture as a means of solving climate change: the use of large machines to filter carbon dioxide out of the air. The technology was launched a few years ago, and early projects in British Columbia and Iceland received a lot of media coverage. But
- [May 28 – Shorten your food chain](https://changeyourcorner.com/may-28-shorten-your-food-chain/) - Start a home garden, for so many good reasons Take a sniff of that fresh spring air – it’s gardening time! Here are eight good reasons to grow a vegetable garden: Reduce your carbon footprint: there are a lot of emissions embedded in the food we eat, mostly from the fuel and fertilizer used to
- [May 14 – The easiest way EVER to reduce emissions!](https://changeyourcorner.com/may-14-the-easiest-way-ever-to-reduce-emissions/) - Don’t idle your engine, EVER! Of all the actions that could reduce emissions and help prevent the worst of climate change, surely there is none easier than this one simple habit: don’t idle your engine, EVER. Alas, you only need to look around most parking lots to see that ‘the idling disease’ continues to flourish.
- [April 30 – Complicated, but a critical part of solving climate change](https://changeyourcorner.com/april-30-complicated-but-a-critical-part-of-solving-climate-change/) - Explaining Canada’s Emissions Cap Perhaps you’ve heard of the “Emissions Cap” proposed for the Canadian oil and gas industry – but what is it, why does it matter in the battle against climate change, and why is it such a politically sensitive issue? Here’s information that I hope will help clarify. IF… the dream: If
- [April 16 – Where the political parties stand this election](https://changeyourcorner.com/april-16-where-the-political-parties-stand-this-election/) - Comparing the environmental platforms of the four main parties The need for fast and aggressive action on climate change hasn’t gone anywhere. Unfortunately, it’s been elbowed off of the political priority list this election by more in-your-face issues like tariffs and affordability (something I’m fairly sure future generations will struggle to comprehend). Still, all four
- [April 2 - In something this important, it’s not nice to be fooled](https://changeyourcorner.com/in-something-this-important-its-not-nice-to-be-fooled/) - A bit of truth about oil sands and the Pathways Alliance Sorry for the longer-than-usual post; but please read, as there’s a lot of stuff here! If you’re like me, you’ve probably seen a lot of ads this winter from an organization called the Pathways Alliance, extolling all the virtues of the Alberta oil sands.
- [March 19 – Spring is coming, but…](https://changeyourcorner.com/march-19-spring-is-coming-but/) - …Hold off on that spring garden cleanup If you’re like me, longer days and warming temperatures have you thinking about getting outside and starting the annual spring garden cleanup. But don’t – at least not yet! The remnants of last year’s garden may look like a mess to us, but consider: Dead plant materials and
- [March 5 – A little respite from the madness](https://changeyourcorner.com/march-5-a-little-respite-from-the-madness/) - Staying focussed on what’s important Not long ago I received the following auto-response to an email I’d sent: “Please note that in an effort to slow down and prioritize our mental health, and in recognition that an economy predicated on unfettered growth and constant productivity is in conflict with a liveable planet, our team has
- [February 19 – “What the heck goes where??”](https://changeyourcorner.com/february-19-what-the-heck-goes-where/) - Your guide to recycling in New Brunswick Just over a year ago, the list of what can be recycled in New Brunswick got much longer – a good thing. But you could be forgiven if you didn’t hear about it or are still scratching your head about what is recyclable and how do you go
- [February 4 – What uses how much?](https://changeyourcorner.com/february-4-what-uses-how-much/) - Knowing what uses how much power can help you save Three of the biggest shortcomings about power bills are 1) you have to pay them; 2) they lump everything together, so you can’t tell what uses how much; and 3) they arrive after the fact, so don’t give you any idea of when all
- [January 22 – “Carl, maybe you can’t change the whole world…”](https://changeyourcorner.com/january-22-carl-maybe-you-cant-change-the-whole-world/) - “…but you can change your little corner of the world.” That was the advice given to me by my dear Mom when I left home for university. It still resonates over 40 years later, and has become my mantra. It’s especially relevant this week, for two reasons (and the second is most important). The first
- [January 8 – ‘A stitch in time saves nine’](https://changeyourcorner.com/december-11-stemming-the-feeding-frenzy-part-2/) - The cost of climate inaction When I first heard the above expression as a kid, it took me a while to figure out what it really meant: it’s often better to spend a little time, effort and even money to deal with a problem right away, rather than letting it fester and get worse to
- [November 27 – Stemming the feeding frenzy](https://changeyourcorner.com/november-27-stemming-the-feeding-frenzy/) - Toward a Circular Economy Perhaps you’ve heard the expression “circular economy” lately. It’s defined as a sustainable economic model that aims to minimize waste and maximize the use of resources by: Designing products so that they easily can be dissembled into components that are recyclable (IE cradle-to-cradle design, versus the cradle-to-grave throwaway design philosophy that
- [November 13 – The carbon footprint of food](https://changeyourcorner.com/november-13-the-carbon-footprint-of-food/) - The climate impact of our diets, and how to reduce it What we eat has an enormous impact on our environment: it’s estimated that one-third of human-caused global emissions are linked to food. One third! Most of those emissions happen at the production end: Emissions from converting forests to farmland Emissions from the use of
- [October 30 – Correcting common misconceptions…](https://changeyourcorner.com/october-30-correcting-common-misconceptions/) - …about Canada’s place in the world of greenhouse gas emissions Not long ago, I attended a conference where a member of the audience asked a speaker (I’m paraphrasing), “When will other countries start doing all the things Canada is doing to reduce emissions?” The underlying premises behind the question were clear: We’re doing a lot
- [October 16 – The Honourable Harvest](https://changeyourcorner.com/october-16-the-honourable-harvest/) - Beautiful guidelines for sustainable living Have you ever heard of the Honourable Harvest? I first learned of it Thanksgiving weekend a few years ago – appropriate timing, given that it’s a value system that combines gratitude, humility and sustainability. The Honourable Harvest is a set of food harvesting principles rooted in indigenous traditions of reverence
- [October 2 – “It’s physics, actually”](https://changeyourcorner.com/october-2-its-physics-actually/) - Warmer oceans and warmer air equal bigger storms A few years ago, my wife and I hosted an exchange student from Colombia. She had a healthy curiosity, so many suppertime conversations were centered around science and the way the world works. In answering her questions, I often found myself starting with, “It’s physics, actually.” That’s
- [September 18 – Your most important environmental action of all](https://changeyourcorner.com/september-18-your-most-important-environmental-action-of-all/) - The importance of voting for climate action There are many important things anyone can do to help the environment and solve climate change: drive less and drive electric; improve home efficiency and reduce energy use; or eat a more planet-friendly diet. But there’s one action that may be the most important of all, and it’s
- [September 4 – A strategy for less stuff](https://changeyourcorner.com/september-4-a-strategy-for-less-stuff/) - The case for buying less, or even a Buy-Nothing Year! Back in 2016, an IKEA executive made headlines when he said, “If we look on a global basis, in the west we have probably hit peak stuff.” It was an amazing admission from one of the world’s biggest retailers of stuff; you could call it
- [August 21 – The worst inventions of all time?](https://changeyourcorner.com/august-21-the-worst-inventions-of-all-time/) - Would the planet (and its inhabitants) be better off without these five things? If you view the world through a sustainability lens, it doesn’t take very long to notice products and practices all around us that aren’t very environmentally friendly. So, more from summer musings on the deck than from any deep scientific analysis, here
- [August 7 – Progress report in getting to net-zero](https://changeyourcorner.com/august-7-progress-report-in-getting-to-net-zero/) - An update on our solar energy experience “Your panels must love this weather,” a friend commented last week. He was referring to how sunny and hot July was here in NB. My response: “Yes – and no.” Yes, because panels turn light from the sun into electricity, and the more sunlight there is, the more
- [July 24 – How the internet is heating the planet](https://changeyourcorner.com/july-24-how-the-internet-is-heating-the-planet/) - Good reasons to think before you click Billions of people use the internet every day, so perhaps the info in this graphic shouldn’t come as a complete surprise. But it sure knocked me off my chair when I discovered it recently: The energy use of data centers – like the ones that power Amazon, Microsoft,
- [July 10 – An eye-opener worth sharing](https://changeyourcorner.com/july-10-an-eye-opener-worth-sharing/) - In the midst of summer heat, the story of ice and sea level rise Quick quiz: if all of the ice in the Greenland ice sheet (a massive chunk of frozen water that covers 80 per cent of Greenland, or an area about the size of Quebec) were to melt and flow into the ocean,
- [June 26 – Be a green guest](https://changeyourcorner.com/june-26-be-a-green-guest/) - Minimize the impact of your hotel stay When traveling, most of us don’t think much about waste or carbon footprints when we settle into a hotel room. Yet guest habits factor heavily in the energy consumption of hotels, and energy use means emissions. So here are a few ideas for things you can do to
- [June 12 – A secret to trashless travel](https://changeyourcorner.com/june-12-a-secret-to-trashless-travel/) - Keep a travel kit of reusable dishes in your car Last week my wife and I took a road trip to our son’s university graduation (sidebar: 2000 KM in an EV with no charging hitches). Most of our hotels included breakfast – a nice cost savings, but typically served entirely with disposable plates, bowls, coffee
- [May 29 – “The savings are enormous, both in $ and CO2”](https://changeyourcorner.com/may-29-the-savings-are-enormous-both-in-and-co2/) - No matter how you get around, go electric! I love it when people write me to share positive news about a sustainability decision they’ve made. Like this summary of two recent messages from a subscriber (slightly edited for context): “My PHEV is performing better than expected. From Oct 20 – March 31, I drove 4600
- [May 15 – What are you reading?](https://changeyourcorner.com/may-15-what-are-you-reading/) - In times of evasive truth, some solid information sources you can rely upon A few weeks ago, a friend shared a link to a climate story by the Fraser Institute, a think tank based in Vancouver. The Fraser Institute has long been an advocate of classic right-leaning economics and politics, but has more recently moved
- [May 1 – Solar 101 – and an Open House invitation!](https://changeyourcorner.com/may-1-solar-101-and-an-open-house-invitation/) - Why not generate your own power? There’s never been a better time for installing solar panels on your property to generate part or all of the power you use: The cost of solar arrays continues to come down as manufacturing technology is improved and more systems are installed The payback for solar panels gets better
- [April 17 – For Earth Day, and every day](https://changeyourcorner.com/april-17-for-earth-day-and-every-day/) - Quotes to reflect upon This week, a collage of a dozen quotes to provoke reflection, and hopefully action. Happy Earth Day, April 22; and may the health of the planet be the compass that guides us every day. In the news: Arg – March becomes the tenth consecutive record-hot month, and the past 12 months
- [April 3 – Ten truths and no lie](https://changeyourcorner.com/april-3-ten-truths-and-no-lie/) - Some straight facts about carbon pricing Phew – you’d have to be living under a rock to have missed all the recent hype about carbon pricing. But amid all the chatter, it’s not easy to discern truth. I suppose that’s because much of the discussion has been politically-driven, not fact driven; and because much of
- [March 20 – They’re not as cool as you think](https://changeyourcorner.com/march-20-theyre-not-as-cool-as-you-think/) - Six reasons not to get that pickup truck Thinking about buying a pickup truck? Here are six reasons to think again: They’re expensive to buy: if you want anything but the bare bones, expect to put down a ton of money – way more than you’d pay for a typical EV. They’re really expensive to
- [March 6 – The huge emissions from an under-the-radar source](https://changeyourcorner.com/march-6-the-huge-emissions-from-an-under-the-radar-source/) - Surprisingly, it’s nitrogen fertilizer – and it affects you! There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of German chemists Fritz Haber or Carl Bosch – yet they’ve probably changed our world more than anyone else. A little over a hundred years ago, they developed the Haber-Bosch process, an industrial procedure that captured nitrogen from the
- [February 21 – “Show me the money!”](https://changeyourcorner.com/february-21-show-me-the-money/) - Why we should think twice on Small Modular Nuclear Reactors “Show me the money!” football player Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr) yelled to his agent Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) in the movie of the same name. It was his way of asking for proof that the agent would actually do what he was promising he’d
- [February 7 – If you ‘follow your money’, where does it lead?](https://changeyourcorner.com/february-7-if-you-follow-your-money-where-does-it-lead/) - Choose to invest sustainably this RRSP season (and always) “Follow the money,” informant Deep Throat whispered in All the President’s Men, a movie about corruption in the Nixon era. That now-famous line speaks to a basic truth in our world: money makes things happen, and lack of money prevents things from happening. Energy is a
- [January 24 – Paying for power for the first time since summer](https://changeyourcorner.com/january-24-paying-for-power-for-the-first-time-since-summer/) - An update on our home’s solar power system If you’re a longstanding subscriber, you probably know that I’m a big fan of solar panels to generate emission-free electricity and save money. You may also know that we’ve had solar here at home for the past few years. Here’s an update. First, a quick backgrounder: In
- [January 10 – Heat Pumps 101](https://changeyourcorner.com/january-10-heat-pumps-101/) - A closer look at one of the best ways to save AND reduce emissions Heating accounts for about 60% of the energy used in Canadian homes and buildings. It’s expensive, and it can be a huge source of emissions too, especially if that energy comes from natural gas or coal-fired electricity. Heat pumps to the
- [December 27 – Fill-in-the-blank New Year’s Resolutions](https://changeyourcorner.com/december-27-fill-in-the-blank-new-years-resolutions/) - Make 2024 your Sustainability Big Year In the birdwatching world, a Big Year is a personal challenge a birder sets for themselves to spot as many different species of birds as possible in a single calendar year. Among avid birders, it’s a pretty serious undertaking – there are official rules, and it was even the
- [December 13– 'Twas the Week Before Christmas](https://changeyourcorner.com/december-13-twas-the-week-before-christmas/) - 11th Hour Sustainable Christmas ideas Somehow, in spite of my best intentions every year, Christmas shopping ends up being a last-minute affair. It’s made more challenging by the fact that we really don’t want or need more stuff in our home; we just want a fun, sustainable holiday season with some uncluttered, quality time together.
- [November 29 – Filling those “notable knowledge gaps” about EVs](https://changeyourcorner.com/november-29-filling-those-notable-knowledge-gaps-about-evs/) - Debunking common myths about Electric Vehicles According to a recent survey, Canadians have “notable knowledge gaps” about the cost and performance of electric vehicles, which may be holding them back from buying them. That’s unfortunate, because it means many of us are missing out on the benefits – savings, performance, sustainability – that EVs offer.
- [Updated Face-off: the 2023 Chevy Bolt EV versus the 2023 Honda Civic Sedan](https://changeyourcorner.com/updated-face-off-the-2023-chevy-bolt-ev-versus-the-2023-honda-civic-sedan/) - Comparing costs: a fuel-efficient gas vehicle versus an EV In June 2022, I shared a table comparing the operating costs, emissions and purchase cost of a Honda Civic Sedan (2.0 litre/4 cyl) and a Chevy Bolt EV. Here’s an updated comparison for the 2023 models. (Same caveat as last time: I’m not an accountant so
- [Hitting a ceiling?](https://changeyourcorner.com/hitting-a-ceiling/) - Capacity limits and living on less According to a book I read a few years ago, humanity’s global population has quadrupled over the past century. So has our consumption of resources per person. That means we’re consuming 16 times as much as we were a century ago – on a planet that hasn’t gotten any
- [Seventeen ways to lower your fuel bill](https://changeyourcorner.com/seventeen-ways-to-lower-your-fuel-bill/) - Simple strategies for saving on gas and reducing emissions Transportation is a huge slice of our carbon footprint – and most of it is from the fuel we burn in our personal vehicles. These days, that fuel is pretty hard on our wallets too. So here are some simple tips to save on fuel: For
- [Greedy but strategic](https://changeyourcorner.com/greedy-but-strategic/) - Shining a spotlight on the oil industry I believe most people are basically good: kind, well-intentioned and guided by sound principles. But there’s one group of people out there who I believe, when examined under the clear lens of morality, are outliers. They are the leaders of the oil and gas industry, in this country
- [A great way to test drive an EV](https://changeyourcorner.com/a-great-way-to-test-drive-an-ev/) - Next time you rent a car, ask for an EV! Electric vehicles are the way of the future – they reduce emissions and save their owners money (and the savings get better the higher gas prices go); they’re peppy and fun to drive; and you don’t need to stop at a gas station because you
- [Some easy ways to reduce plastic (and other) packaging waste](https://changeyourcorner.com/some-easy-ways-to-reduce-plastic-and-other-packaging-waste/) - Refilleries, bulk stores and good habits! We work really hard in our household to reduce trash. We try to avoid products with too much packaging; repurpose when possible and recycle meticulously. Yet in spite of our best efforts, the trash we do end up producing is dominated by one category: packaging. Contrary to what many
- [Are you the eco-friendliest person in your home?](https://changeyourcorner.com/are-you-the-eco-friendliest-person-in-your-home/) - How to green your household If you’re the lone voice in your household advocating for greater sustainability, things can get pretty frustrating. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There’s an art to persuading people amicably, and it can be learned. A few key strategies: Appreciate and acknowledge good things that are already happening
- [Save money and reduce emissions with every bite!](https://changeyourcorner.com/save-money-and-reduce-emissions-with-every-bite/) - Food is glorious – let’s not waste it! Food, glorious food! Most of us are lucky to live in a part of the world where three square meals a day are the norm – so we probably don’t appreciate food quite as much as the cast of the Broadway musical “Oliver”. As a result, we
- [The paradox of air conditioning](https://changeyourcorner.com/the-paradox-of-air-conditioning/) - Warming the planet to keep myself cool? I have a love-hate relationship with air conditioning. Love, because it’s cool comfort on a hot day; but hate because of the trade-off it represents. Air conditioners consume a ton of energy in buildings and vehicles, resulting in an enormous amount of emissions. In other words, air conditioning
- [Energy literacy 2: Canada’s carbon footprint by sector](https://changeyourcorner.com/energy-literacy-2-canadas-carbon-footprint-by-sector/) - The sources of our emissions Here’s a graphic worth sharing and putting on your fridge: a chart of Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions in 2021. Here are brief explanations of each slice: Oil & gas: emissions from the extraction, transportation and refining of fossil fuels (but not the burning). Most of this slice is from the
- [An energy primer for ‘non-energy-geeks’](https://changeyourcorner.com/an-energy-primer-for-non-energy-geeks/) - How much energy we use might help us understand how much we waste Virtually everything in our world relies on energy: transportation, heating, cooling, food production, manufacturing, the internet and much more. In my lifetime, energy has been abundant and cheap (largely because fossil fuels have been burned without any consideration of the cost of
- [Pick the lowest hanging fruit first](https://changeyourcorner.com/pick-the-lowest-hanging-fruit-first/) - Simple keys to solving climate change The science of climate change is pretty simple: higher levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere are causing the planet to warm up. The most obvious consequences – rising sea levels (be very worried, Florida), hotter temperatures, bigger storms and more intense wildfires – are unfortunately just the prelude
- [Generate your own power – from the sun!](https://changeyourcorner.com/generate-your-own-power-from-the-sun/) - It’s a great time for solar energy There’s never been a better time for installing solar panels on your property to generate part or all of the power you use: The cost of solar arrays continues to come down as manufacturing technology is improved and more systems are installed The payback for solar panels gets
- [When it’s just too good to toss](https://changeyourcorner.com/when-its-just-too-good-to-toss/) - Organize a Used Item Swap in your community If you hate waste but love free stuff, here’s an idea worth pursuing: why not take part in a Used Item Swap in your community, or organize a Swap if there isn’t one now? The premise is pretty simple: most of us have things (furniture, household items,
- [Lower your grocery bills and carbon footprint](https://changeyourcorner.com/lower-your-grocery-bills-and-carbon-footprint/) - Make this the year you break ground – on your own vegetable garden! It’s no secret that higher food prices are straining many budgets. And food can be a significant portion of a family’s carbon budget too (especially for diets heavy in animal products). So here’s a simple strategy to help address both of those
- [What’s your niche?](https://changeyourcorner.com/whats-your-niche/) - Find the cause that speaks to your heart, then get involved Last week I read in a news story that former rock musician Feargal Sharkey has found a new vocation as an advocate for cleaner rivers in England. It happened quite by fluke: when Sharkey, a life-long fly fisherman, was elected leader of a small
- [Don’t be a Wishcycler](https://changeyourcorner.com/dont-be-a-wishcycler/) - When ‘recycling’ too much actually does more harm than good I learned a new word recently: ‘wishcycling’. It’s the practice of putting questionable things into the recycling bin in the hopes that they are recyclable and will be recycled. Guilty. We work really hard in our home to limit the amount of trash we generate.
- [<strong>A report that (hopefully) lights a firecracker under our collective butts</strong>](https://changeyourcorner.com/a-report-that-hopefully-lights-a-firecracker-under-our-collective-butts/) - Three critical graphics from this week’s IPCC Report The UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, comprised of hundreds of climate scientists from 195 countries, this week issued its latest report on climate change and what it will take to stop it. It’s a heavy read (shorter version here), but here are three key graphics to
- [<strong>Some things are worth repeating</strong>](https://changeyourcorner.com/some-things-are-worth-repeating/) - Rebalancing our Carbon Cycle: A graphic for your fridge This Green Ideas is from four years ago, but its message is so fundamental to solving climate change I think it’s worth sharing again. This graphic is worth sharing, and printing and placing onto your fridge because it shows, very clearly and simply, the global carbon
- [<strong>“What do I tell my kids?”</strong>](https://changeyourcorner.com/what-do-i-tell-my-kids/) - How to move from ecoanxiety to eco-action “So – what do you do?” a person I met this week asked. (My wife was not there to warn her ‘don’t get him started!!’) A nice conversation about climate change and sustainability followed, after which she asked, “Okay – now what do I tell my kids?” A
- [<strong>Be kind to the planet AND sweet to your Valentine!</strong>](https://changeyourcorner.com/be-kind-to-the-planet-and-sweet-to-your-valentine/) - Ideas for a more sustainable Valentine’s Day What the world needs now is love, sweet love It's the only thing that there's just too little of What the world needs now is love, sweet love No, not just for some, but for everyone - Jackie DeShannon It’s true, especially after three long years of COVID-19
- [<strong>Are you a Jim or a David?</strong>](https://changeyourcorner.com/are-you-a-jim-or-a-david/) - Solve it or leave it? Two quotes representing dramatically different views of climate responsibility caught my attention recently. The first was from Jim, an oceanfront homeowner in North Carolina, upon realizing his property was becoming more vulnerable to storm surges and sea level rise: “I thought it wouldn't happen in my lifetime; I'd let the
- [Winter travel tips](https://changeyourcorner.com/winter-travel-tips/) - Minimize the carbon footprint of your southern sojourn Planning a trip south this winter? It would seem many of us are, and travel is returning to pre-pandemic levels. Air travel is (usually) comfortable and convenient, but it has a significant carbon footprint. Airplanes that fly on hydrogen or batteries are under development, but they won’t
- [A guide for Christmas, and always](https://changeyourcorner.com/a-guide-for-christmas-and-always/) - A lesson from the San people of Africa Wilbur Smith is one of my favourite writers. His novels are set in Africa, and his fictional stories take place against a rich background of accurate African history, culture and tradition. Smith’s “The Burning Shore” is set in the Namib Desert, one of the most inhospitable places
- [Treading lightly: 15 ways to reduce your ecological footprint](https://changeyourcorner.com/treading-lightly-15-ways-to-reduce-your-ecological-footprint/) - A countdown of everyday actions, large and small, anyone can take to live more lightly on the planet. When it comes to the environment, we North Americans have a pretty big footprint. We consume vast amounts of fossil fuels and other resources, and generate immense waste and emissions. Our lifestyle may be the envy of
- ["Where does that stuff go?"](https://changeyourcorner.com/where-does-that-stuff-go/) - It must have been a powerful lesson, because it's still with me nearly five decades after I first learned it – as a kid watching Sesame Street! One of the Muppet characters had dirt on their hands and wanted to get rid of it. "Just wash your hands," the other Muppets suggested. The first Muppet did, and the
- [Your Green Filter](https://changeyourcorner.com/your-green-filter/) - A fun and interactive look at the environmental impact of all those everyday decisions we make, with a lasting message that will have everyone thinking – and living – greener every day. It’s said that a typical person makes thousands of decisions, large and small, every single day. What to wear? What to eat? Where
- [Better options for fall leaves](https://changeyourcorner.com/better-options-for-fall-leaves/) - In NB where I live, most leaves have fallen and people are well into their fall routines of raking, bagging and placing at the curb. But maybe there's a better way. Consider: • Leaves are actually a pretty integral part of our natural environment, cycling nutrients from one plant to another, and creating food and habitat
- [More feminine leadership needed](https://changeyourcorner.com/more-feminine-leadership-needed-2/) - There's a common thread that runs through audience comments I receive after I speak: the most touching and sincere are almost always from women and girls. My social media accounts tell a similar tale: the most caring climate change insights often come from women, and the most passionate climate activists are typically girls. This month
- [Beautiful guidelines for sustainable living](https://changeyourcorner.com/beautiful-guidelines-for-sustainable-living/) - Have you ever heard of the Honourable Harvest? I first learned of it Thanksgiving weekend – appropriate timing, given that it's a value system that combines gratitude, humility and sustainability. The Honourable Harvest is a set of food harvesting principles rooted in indigenous traditions of reverence for ancestors, concern for descendants (the next seven generations as a minimum) and
- [Start saving energy today!](https://changeyourcorner.com/start-saving-energy-today/) - An interactive session modelled on television’s “The Price is Right” that will have everyone laughing their way to money and energy savings. “If you can’t measure it, you can’t manage it” is a well-known business rule, but it applies to energy usage as well. The trouble is, most of us get just one measure of
- [Update on our solar array's performance](https://changeyourcorner.com/update-on-our-solar-arrays-performance/) - Regular subscribers will remember that we had a solar array installed at our home last December. (If that's news to you, read more about the planning and installation here, and about how net metering works here.) So how is it working out? In short, pretty good: · Over the past seven months, the array has produced about 80 per cent
- [Awakenings: Meeting the Challenge of Climate Change](https://changeyourcorner.com/awakenings-meeting-the-challenge-of-climate-change/) - A clear, impactful update on climate change, with a focus on solutions, both globally and locally, that will take us to the healthy, sustainable future we need. When it comes to the environment, we North Americans have a pretty big footprint. We consume vast Climate change is the most pressing issue of our time. Every
- [Doing the things that will make the biggest difference](https://changeyourcorner.com/doing-the-things-that-will-make-the-biggest-difference/) - Phew – it seems 2021 was the year climate change impacts – particularly heat, wildfires and floods – got close and personal for many of us. Couple that with a pandemic that's showing us it's not done yet, and it all makes for some sombre reflection. But take heart: whether climate or COVID, the best

## Pages

- [Home](https://changeyourcorner.com/) - Carl Duivenvoorden: Speaker – Writer – Sustainability Consultant. His services include dynamic keynotes andpresentations on the environment and sustainability.
- [Video](https://changeyourcorner.com/video/) - Media NEW! This past winter and spring, Carl joined Vanessa Vander Valk on CBC Radio’s Shift NB every second Monday to help everyone learn how they can save energy, money and our environment. The conversations covered some big issues, but always drilled down to impacts on each of us, and what we can do. Shift
- [Presentations](https://changeyourcorner.com/presentations/) - Carl Duivenvoorden can help you save money, energy and our environment, with dynamic keynotes, workshops and seminars.
- [Contact](https://changeyourcorner.com/contact/) - Get in touch with Carl Duivenvoorden to book your next presentation: carl@changeyourcorner.com.
- [Al Gore & the Climate Reality Project](https://changeyourcorner.com/al-gore-the-climate-reality-project/) - Carl was trained by Al Gore & the Climate Reality Project to deliver presentations of “Beyond ‘An Inconvenient Truth’”
- [Consulting](https://changeyourcorner.com/consulting/) - Carl can help your team discover how to save energy and reduce waste, and develop simple sustainability priorities, policies and procedures that work.
- [Green Ideas](https://changeyourcorner.com/green-ideas/) - The world's becoming a greener place. People are learning about the importance of cleaner living. Read Carl's Green ideas and learn more about sustainability.
- [About Carl](https://changeyourcorner.com/about-2/) - Carl Duivenvoorden is a speaker, writer and sustainability consultant. He brings an understanding of climate change and our other ecological challenges to people.
- [Past clients & audiences](https://changeyourcorner.com/about/) - Discover Carl's past clients and audiences that he has presented his climate and environment presentations to.
- [Change Your Corner](https://changeyourcorner.com/change-your-corner/) - Carl believes in the power of one committed individual, through word and action, to make a positive difference in our world.
- [Climate Reality Project](https://changeyourcorner.com/climate-reality-project/) - Climate Reality Project Carl, Al Gore and the Climate Reality Project The Climate Reality Project Not long after An Inconvenient Truth was released in 2006, a reporter asked Al Gore what he was going to do next. He thought for a second, and replied, “I’m going to train 1000 people to present the slideshow!” Carl
- [Donate](https://changeyourcorner.com/donate/) - Small change - big effect Donation Details Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus luctus nec ullam corper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo. Tell Us How You Can Help Make a Change Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Quisque in accumsan odio. Morbi ut ultricies diam. Susse aliquam tincidunt ipsum,
- [Sample Page](https://changeyourcorner.com/sample-page/) - This is an example page. It's different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will show up in your site navigation (in most themes). Most people start with an About page that introduces them to potential site visitors. It might say something like this: Hi there! I'm a bike messenger

## Categories

- [Uncategorized](https://changeyourcorner.com/category/uncategorized/)
- [energy saving](https://changeyourcorner.com/category/energy-saving/)
- [waste](https://changeyourcorner.com/category/waste/)
- [Climate change](https://changeyourcorner.com/category/climate-change/)
- [Sustainability](https://changeyourcorner.com/category/sustainability/)
- [presentations](https://changeyourcorner.com/category/presentations/)

## Tags

- [Sustainability](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/sustainability/)
- [Green Ideas](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/green-ideas/)
- [climate](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/climate/)
- [climate change](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/climate-change/)
- [children](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/children/)
- [write](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/write/)
- [letter](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/letter/)
- [environment](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/environment/)
- [save water](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/save-water/)
- [water](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/water/)
- [water conservation](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/water-conservation/)
- [library](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/library/)
- [stuff](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/stuff/)
- [EV](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/ev/)
- [electric vehicle](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/electric-vehicle/)
- [emissions](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/emissions/)
- [travel](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/travel/)
- [energy](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/energy/)
- [save](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/save/)
- [carbon footprint](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/carbon-footprint/)
- [electricity](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/electricity/)
- [carbon cycle](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/carbon-cycle/)
- [global warming](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/global-warming/)
- [butterfly effect](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/butterfly-effect/)
- [change the world](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/change-the-world/)
- [Christmas](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/christmas/)
- [consumption](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/consumption/)
- [saving](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/saving/)
- [shopping](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/shopping/)
- [local](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/local/)
- [conversation](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/conversation/)
- [dinner](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/dinner/)
- [holiday](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/holiday/)
- [New Years resolution](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/new-years-resolution/)
- [climate action](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/climate-action/)
- [habit](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/habit/)
- [energy literacy](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/energy-literacy/)
- [energy efficiency](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/energy-efficiency/)
- [data centers](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/data-centers/)
- [ai](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/ai/)
- [finance](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/finance/)
- [investment](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/investment/)
- [responsible investing](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/responsible-investing/)
- [wealth](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/wealth/)
- [peak power](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/peak-power/)
- [power grid](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/power-grid/)
- [savings](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/savings/)
- [emission-free electricity](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/emission-free-electricity/)
- [power](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/power/)
- [save energy](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/save-energy/)
- [solar](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/solar/)
- [affordability](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/affordability/)
- [power rates](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/power-rates/)
- [time of day](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/time-of-day/)
- [GreenIdeas](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/greenideas/)
- [electricvehicle](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/electricvehicle/)
- [road trip](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/road-trip/)
- [fuel savings](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/fuel-savings/)
- [barrel](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/barrel/)
- [drought](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/drought/)
- [fire](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/fire/)
- [rainwater](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/rainwater/)
- [tote](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/tote/)
- [water collection](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/water-collection/)
- [sustainabilty](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/sustainabilty/)
- [fertilizer](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/fertilizer/)
- [air conditioning](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/air-conditioning/)
- [reuse](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/reuse/)
- [summer](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/summer/)
- [trash](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/trash/)
- [vacation](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/vacation/)
- [employment](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/employment/)
- [economy](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/economy/)
- [fossil fuel](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/fossil-fuel/)
- [gas](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/gas/)
- [GDP](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/gdp/)
- [oil](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/oil/)
- [oilsands](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/oilsands/)
- [subsidies](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/subsidies/)
- [food](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/food/)
- [imperfect food](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/imperfect-food/)
- [recipes](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/recipes/)
- [waste](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/waste/)
- [act](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/act/)
- [change](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/change/)
- [action](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/action/)
- [good](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/good/)
- [mantra](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/mantra/)
- [motto](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/motto/)
- [truth](https://changeyourcorner.com/tag/truth/)