Greetings Caledon Community,
As 2023 winds down, we would like to take a moment and look back at the most memorable accomplishments of 2023 and see what we achieved together – we couldn’t have done it without you, THANK YOU!
2023 Environmental Accomplishments:
Caledon Cares Enviro Challenge (pictured above)
In 2023, Caledon residents took on the Caledon Cares Enviro Challenge, thanks to the Town of Caledon Climate Action Fund! This year-long challenge saw residents take action to reduce their impact on the environment and make Caledon more SUSAINABLE. Residents reduced their carbon footprints in the following areas: food, transportation, home energy and resilience.
You can still TAKE ACTION and watch highlight videos here!
Gratitude for Food Cooks
Gratitude for Food, a hard working volunteer subcommittee of ecoCaledon, has been meeting up, at the Palgrave United Community Kitchen, on a monthly basis since March of 2022 – chopping and sautéing their way to help reduce hunger in Caledon.
Gratitude for Food educates Caledon residents about the important role food can play in the fight against climate change. Anyone can have a positive impact on lowering greenhouse gases by eating as locally as possible, minimizing food waste, and choosing responsibly grown, plant-based foods as often as possible.
Gratitude for Food Cooks is a project that provides visitors of The Exchange with access to healthy, plant-based meals that can be easily defrosted and served. In 2023, the group prepared approximately 250 plant-based meals for The Exchange and 170 meals to community members at ecoCaledon Lunch + Learn events.
This project not only supports hungry families in this age of inflation and soaring grocery prices, but also succeeds in reducing food waste and greenhouse gas emissions in the community. First and foremost, food is always sourced from local grocers and farms, including Mount Wolfe Farm, a Caledon CSA that offers fresh, sustainably grown produce and other local foodstuffs. Buying local ingredients not only supports local businesses but also reduces the greenhouse gases associated with transporting food long distances. In addition to buying local, Gratitude for Food is committed to lowering food waste.
Repair Café and More…
This year, ecoCaledon hosted two Repair Cafés in Caledon and volunteer fixers were able to prevent over 80+ items from entering the landfill!
Repair café are spaces where you can bring broken items and have them repaired under the guidance of volunteer fixers. Cafés promote the philosophy of fixing and reusing items instead of throwing them away.
In addition to having items fixed, residents were able to hear from guest speakers such as: The EV Society of Caledon and visit local vendors to learn more about sustainability – Mount Wolfe Farm, Albion Hills Community Farm, Butterfly Way, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, the Town of Caledon and much more!
Hands Off the Greenbelt
Thanks to PEOPLE POWER, on September 21st, Ontario Premier Doug Ford reversed his decision to open thousands of acres of protected lands in Ontario’s Greenbelt for housing development.
When Premier Ford refused to go back on his decision to change the Greenbelt – Ontarians did not GIVE UP, they SHOWED UP! News regarding the Greenbelt dominated headlines and Ontarians flooded the phone lines and email inboxes of the Premier, key Ministers and local MPPs. When we come together, nothing is impossible!
Thank you for being part of our 2023 achievements! Stay tuned to see what we have in store for 2024!!!
“Each person, group or organization working toward a different world may seem powerless and insignificant, but all of them can add up to a force that can become irresistible” – David Suzuki
