This year during Toronto's Earth Week (April 19th - April 25th), you can give a tip to the environment through selected Toronto retailers. The new program, named GREENtuity and launched new this year, lets you give $1 to the environment when you buy something in a store.
GREENtuity is a volunteer project that allows you to give a $1 tip to the environment at stores and restaurants in Toronto. The $1 tip goes to Toronto Green Community to help with their efforts to create a greener Toronto.
We touched base with Laura Casselman of GREENtuity, who answered some of our questions.
GreenGTA: What is the motivation behind GREENtuity?
Laura: We wanted to inspire customers to contribute in a small way, knowing collectively that their efforts will help to further green projects in the city. When individuals go to a participating location they have an opportunity to make their own contribution. Engagement of the customers also helps to spread the word about the event, the Toronto Green Community and green businesses in Toronto.
GreenGTA: How much of the $1 will go towards helping the environment?
Laura: 100% will go to the Toronto Green Community. GREENtuity volunteers started this project knowing that we have zero budget. All our volunteers have generously donated their time.
- Pistachio hosted our media launch
- Steam Whistle has covered media costs
- White Lioness Media is creating a GREENtuity video
- Printing costs were sponsored by I.C. Printing & Graphics Ltd. & RealCash Bancorp Inc
GreenGTA: How will the money help the environment?
Laura: All the money will go to the Toronto Green Community (TGC). The TGC runs various environmental programs in the city from community gardens, to eco-camps for kids in the summer, to an Apartment Greening Initiative, which aims to reduce waste in highrise apartment buildings up to 50 per cent.
GreenGTA: Which businesses are currently participating in the project?
Laura: Vegetarian Haven| Burger Shoppe | Rice Bar | Ten Thousands Villages | Grassroots | Merchants of Green Coffee Inc. | Kakayo Chocolate | Front Door Organics | | The T Cafe | The Papery | Salad Creations | Panacea Eco Shop | Rowe Farms
GreenGTA: How can other businesses join the program?
Laura: Visit www.GREENtuity.org or email info@greentuity.org or call Karim Kanji @ 416.567.7522
GreenGTA is also proud to be a GREENtuity Sponsor, by donating the web hosting for the GREENtuity website.
How You Can Participate
Other than adding your $1 tip to the environment this week, you can also:
Visit the GREENtuity website
Follow GREENtuity on Twitter
Join GREENtuity on Facebook
About GREENtuity
In celebration of Earth Week a group of volunteers are coming together to raise funds for the Toronto Green Community. GREENtuity, a tip to the environment, works by allowing patrons to make a voluntary $1 donation at their time of purchase. The goal of GREENtuity is to raise awareness about restaurants and other businesses in Toronto that are eco-conscious about the ingredients and materials that they use on a daily basis. 100% of the funds raised will go to Toronto Green Community.
About Toronto Green Community
The Toronto Green Community is a not-for-profit community-based organization that was founded by Jacky Kennedy and Rita Benach in 1995. The organization aims to develop and nurture ideas that create eco-friendly change in Toronto. Some past successes include helping to launch both the first wind turbine in Toronto at Exhibition Place and Auto Share, Toronto’s first car-sharing program.
cool!
What a cool concept! Gonna visit the site and see how i can participate!!