Get your sweater on this February 6!
What is National Sweater Day?
WWF-Canada is calling on Canadians across the country to put on a sweater and turn down the thermostats by two degrees Celsius on Thursday, February 6. Since 2011, over one million Canadians have participated in National Sweater Day to support energy conservation and action on climate change.
What do sweaters have to do with climate change?
National Sweater Day is a chance to think differently about how we use energy, where our energy comes from and how we can play an important role in tackling climate change in Canada. By wearing your sweater and turning down your heat on National Sweater Day, you’re calling on our decision-makers to take action.
Why is energy conservation important to fighting climate change?
We know that climate change is one of the greatest threats to our natural world. It impacts all species—from butterflies to bowhead whales, polar bears to people—that depend on healthy ecosystems. Our country is way off-track on meeting the federal government’s own 2020 climate targets. Reducing the amount of energy we use is half of the battle in putting Canada on the right path to climate leadership. The great news is, that all of us can participate in and help drive energy conservation. The solutions connect the choices we make in our everyday lives to the choices we can advocate for as citizens. In part, that means being smarter about how we each use energy. For example, if all Canadians lowered their thermostats by just two degrees Celsius, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about four megatons — equivalent to taking nearly 700,000 cars off the road. But it also means taking energy efficiency seriously, throughout the entire economy and at all levels of government.
For example, here are three key strategies that Canadians and Canada can put in action to make huge strides in saving energy:
- Retrofit it: Make it easy and affordable to make older homes & buildings energy efficient
- Build it smarter: Set a high-bar for the efficiency of all new buildings and for consumer appliances
- Sustainable transportation: Make more efficient transportation options, from transit to cycling to electric vehicles, more accessible for everyone
How can I join?
Mark February 6th on your calendars and start going through your closet to find that perfect cozy sweater for National Sweater Day.
Visit our website www.sweaterday.ca in late January to make your pledge and learn about fun ways to participate. And if you haven’t done this already, follow WWF-Canada on Instagram so that you’re all set up for our upcoming interactive experience for National Sweater Day.
If you’re a student, parent or teacher, this is a great event for schools! Ask custodial staff to turn down the heat in school buildings, cozy up in the classroom and learn how your actions can help fight climate change. Visit schools.wwfcastg.wwf.ca/GetInvolved for tips, ideas and free resources for teachers.
And if you’re a business or work in an office, why not host a Lunch ‘n Learn, an energy trivia challenge or better yet, a fundraiser to support WWF’s conservation work? Visit our Living Planet at Work website to learn more on how to engage your colleagues in energy conservation and make sure to share stories or photos of your workplace’s wacky sweaters!
National Sweater Day is made possible through partial proceeds from the sale of plastic shopping bags in Loblaw banner stores across Canada. Since 2009, Loblaw Companies Limited has donated one million dollars annually to WWF, for a total of six million dollars, to support activities that engage Canadians on climate change and other conservation issues.
