ENERGY STAR Participants MeetingMay 4, 2006

innovation | solutions | sustainability

Overview Introduction & About Eneract smartliving Community Marketing to ethno-cultural communities Barriers and Opportunities Conclusion

Introduction Eneract is an environmental charity Delivers innovative, practical and turn key solutions to

environmental challenges Works with residents, businesses and other non-profits Established in 1988

Go green, live smart, save money.

Find out more: www.eneract.org

Our programs smartliving St. Lawrence

The first project of its kind in Canada – a community transformation project that offers programming in the three interconnected sectors vital to the health of any neighbourhood: environment, community and economy

Green PrideFor two years (2004, 2005), Eneract coordinated the recycling for Pride Toronto, hosts of Pride Week – one of Toronto’s largest events. In 2005 we helped divert 1.4 tonnes of recyclables (approx. 100,000 500ml plastic water bottles) from the landfill.

smartliving CommunityGo green, live smart, save money… smartliving Community (slC) provides participants with

simple suggestions on how to green their lives and homes in the areas of energy, water, transportation, waste and food.

Focus is on ethno cultural communities Piloted in 2005 with the Chinese community Roll-out plans: South Asian (2006), West Indian (2007),

Italian (2008), Portuguese (2008) and Filipino (2008)

smartliving Community (2)

Program design Three tools:

1. Energy conservation guide (the 20/20 Planner)2. www.smartliving.ca

Translated into Chinese Available for homeowners and tenants

3. smartliving Workshop 1.5 hours Fully interactive Facilitators in Chinese, when necessary

ENERGY STAR was integrated into all elements of the program’s educational component: Workshops – 15 minutes spent on appliance energy

efficiency and ENERGY STAR Publications – ENERGY STAR content integrated into

“5 simple steps to $180 in energy savings” brochure “Look for ENERGY STAR” (NRCan) publication

distributed to thousands of workshop participants Promoted municipal and provincial incentives (eg. tax

reimbursements) for purchasing ENERGY STAR

ENERGY STAR® promotion in the smartliving Community program

Why market to ethno-cultural communities? Sheer numbers:

18% of Canada's population was born outside of the country (5,808,690 people (2005 est.))

Concentrated in Canada’s large urban centres: close to 94% of immigrants settle in urban areas

44% of Toronto’s population was born outside Canada.

SIZE = BUYING POWER

Step 1: Research – focus sessions, stats, etc Step 2: Design program Step 3: Develop publications, website Step 4: Outreach to community leaders Step 5: Outreach to community media – awareness

– drive traffic to smartliving.ca Step 6: Schedule and deliver workshops

Program implementationsmartliving Community – Chinese Pilot

Research – Learnings from the focus session Money, Health and employment are key issues Low levels of awareness of environmental issues unless it

affects bills/money Information must be in Chinese

Crafting the message Establish norms (new Canadians/immigrants) Children wield some power in families from mainland

Chinese because of China’s 1 child policy Person to Person contact is always better

Program design Volunteers, managed by staff, lead:

Research – media, events, sites Translation – brochures, web Graphics/web design Outreach @ events Media – on-air interviews

Program partners Toronto Chinese Environmental Ambassadors Community leaders

Lessons learned

Image: Then City Councillor Olivia Chow is featured in Ming Pao Daily at an Eneract media event at her home

Use community leaders:Jack Layton, Olivia Chow, Josh Matlow, Pam McConnell, Paula Fletcher

Lessons LearnedTake the time to understand your market Research Talk to people from the community Focus groups

Speak in their language Publications and websites must be available in

Chinese. Chinese-speaking support/staff is encouraged.

“The language barrier must be crossed…”

Challenges 1. Language2. Sophisticated community structure –

How do you “crack” a community that is so sophisticated that members do not need to interact with other communities for anything?

3. Cultural – Is it ok to go into someone’s house with your shoes

on? How do they feel about hand shakes?

Eneract can help Services:

Environmental marketing Internal: Employees at work (building a “conservation

culture”); employees on the road (smart commuting) and employees at home (smartliving Workshops)

External: Ethno-demographic market research; environmental direct marketing.

Products: smartliving Guide (www.smartlivingguide.ca) smartliving Workshop www.smartliving.ca

Contact us

401 Richmond St West, Suite 401Toronto, ON M5V 3A8

Telephone: (416) 488-3966Fax: (416) 977-2157

www.eneract.org