Goal D Use Resources Efficiently

Goal D: Increase Resource Efficiency

To increase resource efficiency; conserve water and energy; and reduce waste.

Resource use is a part of daily life, but it can have harmful impacts on the environment and human health. Improving resource technology is a step forward, but the amount and quality of resource use needs to be addressed. This goal aims to have the City of Windsor and the Windsor community use energy in a responsible manner that reduces impacts on the environment and human health.

The Environmental Master Plan outlines 6 objectives to increase resource efficiency:

• Objective D1: Decrease community energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions
• Objective D2: Decrease corporate energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions
• Objective D3: Consider environmental design in newly constructed or retrofitted municipal buildings
• Objective D4: Increase the diversion rate of recyclable material at all City facilities
• Objective D5: Increase community waste diversion through recycling and composting
• Objective D6: Integrate environmental sustainability and climate change into Asset Management

What is Resource Efficiency?

Resources are finite – even renewable resources should only be used at a rate that is below their regenerative capacity. In addition, extraction and use of resources often causes pollution. The more resources we use, the more waste and wastewater is generated, which needs to be treated. Solid and organic waste in landfills occupies a significant amount of space, is a threat to air quality due to greenhouse gas emissions, and poses a risk to ground water quality. Newer landfills, such as those currently operated by the Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority employ new technologies to mitigate the historic risk posed by landfills (i.e. flaring of methane to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and leachate collection systems to reduce impacts on ground water quality). However, it is still necessary to use resources responsibly, carefully determining the necessity of using a resource and following the “reduce, reuse, recycle” principle. In addition, energy generation is not only expensive, but it is detrimental to air and water quality. Through building a resilient energy system and ensuring wise use of energy by the corporation and by Windsorites, we can enhance our lifestyle and drive economic development.