Less water, better air: Highlights from Edmonton’s environmental progress report

EDMONTON – The 2014 report on the environment shows Edmontonians are using less water, more solar energy, and enjoy better quality air than we did in 2013.

The report tracks Edmonton’s progress towards becoming the nation’s leader in setting and acheiving high standards when it comes to environmental preservation and sustainabiltiy.

Scroll down to read the full report

“A healthy urban environment contributes to a rich quality of life for all of us,” said Mark Brostrom, director of City Environmental Strategies. “We want to keep Edmontonians up-to-date with our progress in environmental sustainability and inspire them to continue to advocate for healthier ecosystems and green initiatives.”

The report found in 2014, Edmontonians used an average of 195 litres of water a day per person, which is down from 204 litres in 2013.

The findings also showed that solar energy use has increased by nearly 3,000 per cent in five years.

When it comes to air quality, the city had more days where there was a low health risk in 2014 than the previous year. In 2014, 86 per cent of the days were low risk. In 2013, it was 81 per cent.

There were 330,000 trees maintained by the city in 2014, up slightly from the year before, but a large increase from 145,000 in 2006.

(Graphic credit: Tonia Huynh, Global News)

View image in full screen

The report also showed a big jump in using pesticide alternatives on city-owned and managed land between 1996 and 2014. By 2013, 90 per cent of turf areas were treated with alternatives to herbicides, including mowing, digging and hand-pulling weeds.

However, as Edmonton continues to grow, so do the greenhouse gas emissions emitted within city boundaries. In 2008, the report found 16.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent were released. In 2013, that amount grew to 17.4 million tonnes.

Edmonton’s Green Annual Report 2013