Chris Winter,
Executive Director
cco@web.ca |
Chris Winter has twenty years experience in
environmental strategic planning, research, and communications. He holds a
Masters in Environmental Studies from York University. Through the
Conservation Council of Ontario, Chris has developed many innovative projects,
including Community Action Plans (working
with seven Ontario communities), the Green Ontario website (www.greenontario.org),
the Eco Summit conference and "Greening Ontario: an NGO strategy for conservation and the
environment". He also serves on the board of Green$aver
and on the community board of the Community Bike
Network.
Chris sees urban sprawl as the most significant conservation and environmental
challenge we face in Ontario. Over the past two years, he has monitored
Ontario's Smart Growth Initiative and is currently helping develop a smart
growth network for Ontario that would coordinate and support the work of
non-governmental organizations to control urban sprawl and create compact,
livable communities. The mistakes we make today, he believes, are the
costs we will have to bear for generations to come.
If urban sprawl is the greatest challenge, then
energy conservation is the greatest opportunity. Responding to the
August 14th 2003 blackout, Chris developed a Four
Point Energy Conservation Action Plan that will achieve a 20% reduction in
electricity consumption at a fraction of the cost of developing new capacity.
He is now working on a campaign to encourage Ontario residents to switch to at
least ten compact fluorescent lightbulbs -- and save up to $100 a
year.
Chris practices conservation in his home life with his family.
They live in an Energuide
rated home in a diverse and healthy community in Toronto. They have energy
efficient appliances and lighting, have no car, are members of Autoshare,
the Ontario
Natural Food Cooperative and Windshare,
support regional organic farms, have a naturalized, pesticide free yard, avoid
hazardous household products, and participate in a local cooperative daycare.
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