Aug. 15, 2019 — Ottawa Greek Fest is one of the capital’s hottest summer festivals, but this year it’s keeping it cool with a pledge to go carbon neutral through the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation. 

The foundation helped the festival calculate its estimated carbon footprint from the gas, propane, diesel and electricity used over the course of its 11-day food, music and art extravaganza near Hog’s Back Falls. That calculation will translate into 120 trees planted locally across the Rideau Valley watershed, adding to Eastern Ontario’s forests and natural spaces and offsetting the event’s carbon footprint over the next 40 years.

So, how does planting trees make a festival like Ottawa Greek Fest carbon neutral? Trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air and capture it in their wood cells as part of their life cycle. Once we know how much carbon an event creates, we know how many trees are needed to offset it. It’s as easy as that!

The foundation supports the watershed protection work of the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority. Its staff plant and care for the trees over time to make sure they grow into a thriving forest that will not only capture carbon but also reduce runoff and flood risks, create vital wildlife habitat and improve soil quality.

Want to make your own home, business or event carbon neutral? Visit our website for more information: https://www.rvcf.ca/ways-to-give/carbon-neutral-program.

To support Ottawa’s latest carbon neutral event, visit www.ottawagreekfest.com.

hip with the RVCF, a registered charity which supports the RVCA’s conservation and watershed management goals.