Peterborough-based environmental social enterprise Random Acts of Green is receiving $200,000 in federal funding for its mobile app that motivates Canadians to change their behaviour when it comes to climate change.
The funding was announced on Thursday (April 18) at Victoria Park in Peterborough by Peterborough-Kawartha MP Maryam Monsef on behalf of federal Minister of Environment and Climate Change Catherine McKenna.
“Canadians across the country are full of good ideas,” Monsef says. “Their initiatives will help others learn and make positive choices to fight climate change. Local projects like Random Acts of Green provide solutions to fight climate change for Canadians in communities across the country.”
Random Acts of Green’s mobile app encourages Canadians to act daily to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions production by choosing to adopt one or more of 40 low-carbon choices (“Green Acts”). The app has been designed based on motivational tools and barrier reduction strategies and educates, engages, encourages, and rewards individual Canadians for taking climate action.
Random Acts of Green originally released the mobile app in October 2018 and has since been making adjustments in response to feedback from its current users. The federal funding will support the implementation, launch, and promotion of the app as well as measuring, evaluating, and reporting on its success.
“I am grateful for the Government of Canada’s funding that will allow the Random Acts of Green app to spread across the country,” says Random Acts of Green founder and CEO Jessica Correa.
“This innovative tool will provide Canadians with a list of actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The app demonstrates the power that individuals have to create change. By working with organizations and businesses in our communities, each and every Canadian can make a difference for the health and future of our planet.”
The funding comes from the Canadian government’s Climate Action Fund, which provides up to $3 million to support projects delivered by students, youth, indigenous peoples and organizations, not-for-profit organizations, small and medium-sized businesses, and research and educational institutions.
Random Acts of Green plans to host an official app launch party — celebrating its many volunteers, local business partners, and supporters — on Tuesday, May 28th at Market Hall Performing Arts Centre in downtown Peterborough. A national kick-off tour to promote the mobile app will follow later this fall.
