Our Kids's World of Energy Festival got off to a brilliant start this morning at the Evergreen Brick Works, blue skies and all!.  In our fifth year of putting on this magnificent event, even the first day doesn't phase us anymore. 

Between TREC Education's excellent staff, committed volunteers and enthusiast workshop leaders we delivered a day full of energy fun and learning for the 500+ students participating on the first day of the Festival.

It was great to see the unique and informative workshops of some of our sponsors, notably Kiosk Solar with their model solar house and Morteson Construction, presenting on how to build a wind farm.  We're always grateful to the many content providers that make our event a little different every year. 

And of course, a big thanks to our Sponsors who enable us to reach as many kids as we do: Gold Sponsors Toronto Hydro and Kiosk Solar; Silver Sponsors HSBC, Mortenson Construction and the Canadian Wind Energy Association and Bronze Sponsors Bullfrog Power, Recurrent Energy, Portlands Energy Centre, Public Mobile and PCL Renewable Energy. 

The forecast is a little cooler and wetter tomorrow, but we anticipate another excellent day with new kids and many smiling faces. 

Don't forget the public day on Saturday - where you too can join the Festivities - at Evergreen Brick Works in the Don Valley (9 am - 2 pm)

KWEF Press Release

From May 15^th – 19^th, 2012, in Toronto, Ontario – TREC Education’s fifth annual Kids’ World of Energy Festival will educate and inspire students and families in topics of renewable energy, energy conservation and the science of energy through one-of-a-kind, hands-on, interactive activities. Be it cooking s’mores in a solar oven, generating electricity with model wind turbines and solar panels, or powering light bulbs with bicycles - there is no shortage of new ideas and unforgettable experiences.

From Tuesday to Friday, May 15-18, approximately 3,000 students will participate in the Festival – the palpable excitement and children’s eyes lighting up with genuine “eureka moments” will provide excellent photo-ops, visuals and sound bites. In addition, on Saturday, May 19^th, for the “public festival day”, approximately 1,500 family members will participate in more hands-on energy and environmental themed activities at the Festival.

Kirstan Vanstone, TREC’s Education Director, highlights the value of the annual event: “The Festival is a unique opportunity for students to connect with important issues in a really fun, meaningful way.  We hope to create lasting experiences that students can take with them as they begin making decisions on how they will consume energy and resources.”

One past student participant from the festival explained some valuable lessons learned from one of the festival activities he attended: “It taught me not to be greedy when using resources.”

As the Ontario government, private sector and citizens continue to chart the path for Ontario as a North American green energy leader – the Festival plays a vital role in ensuring the next generation and the public are informed and engaged in the renewable energy conversation.

What: 2012 Kids’ World of Energy Festival

When: May 15^th – 19^th 2012

Best time for media: May 15^th – May 17^th 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Where: Evergreen Brick Works, 550 Bayview Avenue, Toronto, ON, M4W 3X8 

About TREC Education:

Using the wind turbine that TREC launched with Toronto Hydro as the foundation of all our programs, we work to educate Ontarians about the link between their energy habits and environmental impacts through renewable energy tours, curriculum‐linked workshops and hands‐on activities related to renewable energy. TREC Education now delivers TREC’s educational programs and reaches over 25,000 students, youth, families and professional groups each year. In 2011, TREC Education received the Green Toronto Award for outstanding contribution to the greening of Toronto.

Contact person: Wesley Normington

Address: 401 Richmond Street West, Suite 407, Toronto, ON, M5V 3A8

Office: 416.977.5093

Mobile: 416.993.7460

wesley@trec.on.ca

www.treceducation.ca

In our on-going effort to share experiences, build capacity and foster dialogue about the community power model, TREC is working on a series of free resources that will support our growing sector for increasing project success around the province and beyond.  While a number of tools and products are already available through our TREC Services team, we are working hard on refinement and enhancement as well as adding new items to the series. Watch this space for monthly updates.

In anticipation of the FIT 2.0 announcement, we decided to focus our attention on partnerships this month. Please see the next news entry for a link to this month’s feature tool: Community-Commercial Partnership. 

Considerations for Community-Commercial Partnership

We believe the only way we will have wide-spread renewables success in this province is through partnership.  TREC’s accomplishments have largely been realized through the support of our partners.  Whether a joint venture partnership with Toronto Hydro on our WindShare turbine at Exhibition Place, to supplier partners AGT and UniSolar on our SolarShare installations, or the many relationships that have seen our education programs blossom to reach 20-30,000 people every year, we rely on mutually beneficial relationships.

But not all partnerships are created equal and its important to consider what the parties need and want, and can offer each other.  We explore what a good partnership looks like in this month’s Community Power Toolkit Series. Please follow this link: http://www.trec.on.ca/services-resources/toolkit

For other tools and services please visit: http://www.trec.on.ca/services-resources

TREC is once again hosting our "Project Finance and Capital Markets" Tutorial- a series for women in the social finance and renewable energy sector to build capacity around project finance and deal negotiation. 

Our first tutorial this fall was a quick sell-out and as a result of the success and positive feedback, we have decided to do it again, this time focusing on the broader Renewable Energy sector without the emphasis on non-profits.  This series will once again be facilitated by Jens Lohmueller and include a hands-on component so that attendees can practically apply the concepts learned.

If you attended the first tutorial, you are more than welcome to join us again and we are inviting new registrants to joins us as well.

Four sessions are envisioned initially, however, participants are encouraged to bring their interests forward and participate in setting the agenda and triggering discussion. 

Please see the attached flyer for full details. In our inaugural round we have space for 12 participants.  We feel a small intimate group is more conducive to everyone getting out of the sessions what they need.  

Please get in touch to find out more and to register. melissa@trec.on.ca

Financial Literacy Tutorial Info

Throughout the ongoing FIT Review, TREC continues to address Community Power barriers, and more specifically, challenges to our LakeWind development.  

Download the file below to see TREC's most recent submission to the Ministry of Energy RE: Proposed solution for moving forward stalled community wind project, LakeWind      

LW_Deputy Minister

Two of TREC’s projects, Our Power and SolarShare have made it to the 2^nd round of the ClimateSpark Challenge!

The ClimateSpark Social Venture Challenge is putting $500,000 in funding on the line for “cool” Toronto ventures that can help our climate and our city.

This is a call for all supporters of TREC to visit ClimateSpark and rate the Our Power and SolarShare proposals. Round two ends next Friday, November 11th and we need to get ratings in as soon as possible.

Round 2 is a two-week lightning round with two major parts:

• A fresh round of commenting and rating of the top 20 proposals
• Investing of points in "shares" of the proposals by reviewers like you through our Spark Market, starting next Monday. The Spark Market is your chance to earn a lot more points through savvy investment decisions. We'll tell you more later this week.

Of course, the more points you have, the better your odds of winning our weekly prizes. It's time to get active again!

All you have to do is visit http://www.climatespark.ca/ , create an account, search for Our Power and SolarShare and go from there! We've seen what only a few ratings can do, so if more supporters put in the effort we can reach the top proposal standings!

Our Power and SolarShare are great initiatives and we need your help to spread the word!

Thanks to legislative changes in the past few years, Ontario has made outstanding progress in clean energy and sustainable development- keys to a healthy environmental and economic future for the province.

As we await upcoming provincial elections, TREC encourages all voters to become familiar with the different party platforms, especially their policies on renewable energy. Below is a link to a comparative breakdown of where each party stands on a range of environmental policies. Please have a look so that you can make the most informed decision at the ballots on October 6th!

http://www.greenprosperity.ca/platforms/

You’re an earth-friendly person and want to go solar, but a large tree shades your house; or you’re a renter; or you don’t have $20,000 to drop on a solar power system.  Or maybe you just want to get more than 0.5% interest on your savings account while getting a piece of the clean energy economy.

If you live in the U.S., you’re probably out of options.  Not so in Canada.

Thanks to innovative energy policy, residents of Ontario can invest in local solar power projects by buying SolarShare bonds. Read the full article >>

Save the Toronto Environment Office and Urban Agriculture Program!

Demand that the City’s Environmental Services and Programs are Not Reduced, Compromised, or Eliminated!

WHAT?

Toronto citizens are asked to contact their Councillors and urge them to act!

We need 23 Councillors to vote against any plans to cut environmental services.

WHEN?

Between today and September 26^th.

HOW?

It's easy!

Call your local Councillor directly, click here to find out who your local representative is.

and/or

Sign the Toronto Environmental Alliance (TEA) online petition.

WHY? 

A recently published Toronto Service Review, conducted by KPMG and funded by the city of Toronto, proposed cutting the Toronto Environment Office and Urban Agriculture Program (among other services) in order to reduce the city’s projected deficit.  

As a result of the report release, deputations were held at city hall on July 21st, where 110 citizens presented to the Parks and Environment Committee in defence of the city’s environmental services.  On September 19^th the Mayor’s Executive Committee will review the plan, which will then go to City Council on September 26^th for a final vote.

As our next step to protecting these vital services, we are reaching out to the community to contact Councillors and urge them to vote against the proposed cuts. Let your representatives know the importance of these services in promoting Toronto’s vitality as a successful city; to eliminate them is not only extremely short-sighted but also a giant misstep towards achieving any type of environmental sustainability in our city.

Add your voice to the call for a clean, green, and vibrant future in Toronto. 

“The only thing needed for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

-- Edmund Burke

For more information, contact the TEA office ore visit www.torontoenvironment.org.

**Please forward widely.**