Year end message to Greening OPSEU supporters

2008 in Review
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Dear OPSEU Green Stewards and Staff,

Seasons greetings to everyone for safe and happy holidays. 2008 was a busy year for Greening OPSEU, our efforts to make a difference by reducing OPSEU's environmental footprint and encouraging our members, employers and governments to do the same through awareness raising, concrete actions and effective alternatives.

Here are some highlights of this year's activities:

• OPSEU set greenhouse gas emission reduction targets of 80% from 2006 levels by 2040) (May)
• participation in Energy Conservation Week (May)
• participation in Earth Hour (March)
• bottled water phase out of from Head Office (Lesmill) and more than half of our regional offices
• lighting improvements at Lesmill
• energy efficient windows installed at Toronto Regional Office
• native plant garden and green patio established at Lesmill
• new recycling program developed at Lesmill
• Bike to Work (Lesmill) Day part of the Clean Air Commute
• supported tree planting
• development of a climate change educational
• GreenUnion blog (over 200 posts)
• International Youth Day focus on global warming
• growing the green stewards list (200+ OPSEU members)
• establishing a green staff email list (60+ staff members)
• paper reduction initiatives
• sponsored Planet in Focus film festival
• move to green cleaning products at head office
• webconferencing pilot gets off the ground
• rollout of NUPGE's videoconferencing system to Lesmill
• workplace tour of the Ontario Correctional Institute (Brampton)
• draft green meeting guide (to be published in 2009)
• Convention 2008 activities and planning for a greener Convention in 2009

Special thanks to 1st Vice-President/Treasurer Patty, Peggy Maybury, President Smokey, Environment Committee members Gino Franche, Sandra Snider & Jen Giroux, OPSEU Building Services and everyone who's had a hand in moving our green agenda forward this year.

In solidarity

Gary Shaul

Greening OPSEU

416-443-8888