We first acknowledged climate change in the mid-to-late 1980s and since then politicians, governments, and other environmental champions have tried to identify the best ways to articulate the impact of this issue. Positively communicating about the climate can offer valuable information to and increased understanding among those new to the topic and continue to engage climate allies about the issues already at hand. Most importantly, the conversation needs to be ongoing.
Climate conversations among peers, family members and loved ones can be more powerful and more likely to elicit behaviour change than information received from governments or environmental organizations. By fostering ongoing, collective climate conversations, it incentivizes people to catalyze ideas about how to create a healthier planet within their homes and elsewhere.
From a condominium’s perspective, property managers face a similar challenge: How do we perpetuate impactful, sustainability-focused conversations within our own high-rise communities?
We recognize that reducing carbon emissions from large residential buildings is a critical piece of the climate puzzle (building carbon emissions account for 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions). Recognizing this, condo boards and presidents regularly look for ways to explore their energy efficiency and minimize their negative environmental impact. The goal is to do this, helping create more sustainable living environments without interrupting residents’ comfort or day-to-day routine.
We set out to hear from condo board presidents within the Greater Toronto Area, about what they are doing within their buildings for the environment. They offered insight about their stance on climate change and the ways they’ve discovered to most effectively communicate to their residents and condo boards about sustainable changes. For them, change starts with a conversation too.
The themes were clear: it’s up to us as individuals to do our part and engage in questions and answers about the climate; to understand our responsibility as citizens, tenants, managers and homeowners; to proactively bring ideas to the table. Their experience suggests that if we all start talking about what we can be doing better for climate change within the comfort of our own homes, people will start to adopt those ideas and in-turn actively decide to participate in climate action beyond their condo suites.
There is no silver bullet to addressing climate change but by engaging in progressive, solution-oriented discussions, we have the power as individuals to leave this planet in a better condition.
For Earth Day, we pledge to continue these critical conversations. We choose to work with people who want to challenge the status quo, crush residential building waste and have a hand in creating a greater, greener future for all.
To see more about what condo presidents using Parity have to say click here to learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MpkZev4fgCs
