You’ve likely heard of carbon neutral homes and commercial buildings as the next big thing in green building. A carbon neutral building creates no more carbon dioxide than it captures or offsets.

An ambitious village 350 strong has set its sights on the goal of carbon neutrality, and they’re starting simple, from the bottom up gaining voluntary buy-in as they go along!

Following the example of British Ashton Hayes, the community is pulling up its socks not just to be the first carbon neutral village in North America, but to truly do everything in their power to reduce their contribution to climate change. Charles Simon, renowned Canadian architect and champion for green and healthy design has been an instrumental member of the Eden Mills carbon neutral team.

Yet what may be most inspiring about Eden Mills, is that rather than waiting for governments to take the lead or becoming overwhelmed by the challenging carbon neutral target, they have made a public commitment and are getting to work the best way they know how - with common sense projects like:

• encouraging biking, public transit use and car pooling

• home audits paired with energy conservation initiatives

• green power purchases and tree planting

Above all, Eden Mills has committed to an approach that is grassroots, guilt-free, and fun for all those who participate. Perhaps that is why the project has garnered the unanimous and full support of their local mayor and council. There is truly something to be learned from the Eden Mills project about how to welcome people to make positive environmental behaviour changes.

With its priorities to first reduce energy consumption, use renewable energy wherever possible, and, absorb or sequester the carbon that’s left, the Eden Mills project is wisely using the savings from its energy conservation projects to finance more costly upcoming initiatives.

To learn more about the Eden Mills carbon neutral village project, visit their web site or listen to Shelagh Rogers’ October ‘07 interview with Charles Simon on CBC’s Sounds Like Canada.

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