Driving hybrid vehicles
MOE’s vehicle fleet is one of the greenest in the Ontario Public Service. So far our hybrid vehicles make up 30 percent of the fleet – and that percentage is growing as old vehicles need to be retired and are replaced with hybrid or electric models.
Holding “virtual” meetings
When travel distances are significant, ministry staff is encouraged to replace in-person meetings with non-travel alternatives, like video conferencing and web collaboration.
In just three months in 2010, a total of 223 MOE meetings were conducted using WebEx and Live Meeting – two web-conferencing services.
Using alternatives like these not only reduces the ministry’s GHG emissions, but also eliminates expenses associated with travel, like gas, flights, meals and hotels.
Diverting our waste
Diverting waste from landfills – through recycling, composting and waste-reduction initiatives – is a top priority for the ministry.
Some of our reduction initiatives include:
- encouraging staff to reduce the amount of pages that are printed
- hosting “green” meetings, which means implementing green strategies such as:
- not using any paper
- meeting “virtually” by computer to reduce travel
- encouraging participants to bring their own mugs to cut down on disposable-cup waste
- stocking kitchens with plates and cutlery
- purchasing FSC-certified and post-consumer, recycled-content paper
The ministry is working to ensure that comprehensive waste-diversion programs are in place in all MOE-occupied buildings.
Comprehensive diversion programs, like the Maximum Green Program, have been implemented in the buildings occupied by at least 70 percent of MOE’s staff.
The Maximum Green Program aims to get offices to recycle nearly all of its waste through effective separation. This includes providing separate disposal containers for recyclables like plastic, metal, glass, paper and cardboard.
