News from: January 2017

Canada’s first and only carbon neutral radio station continues in its efforts to plant trees and maintain its efforts to offset carbon emissions. Ottawa’s LiVE 88.5 FM will see another 5,700 trees planted in the southern Ottawa area to offset the carbon dioxide produced annually at their Ottawa broadcast centre. This brings their total to 39,900 trees planted since they decided to go carbon neutral in 2011. This adds up to over 20 hectares (50 acres) of forest.

“LiVE 88.5 is proud to work with the RVCF to help grow and manage our expanding forest,” said Dan Youngs, Live 88.5 Program Director. “Carbon neutrality is a cause important to all of the staff at LiVE 88.5, and we’re very proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish with the RVCF in these short years.”

The amount of carbon dioxide equivalent produced by the regular work of the 48 full time and 19 part time employees in the LiVE broadcast centre on Antares Drive in Ottawa was calculated through the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation’s (RVCF) Carbon Neutral Program. Staff commuting and travel, office heating and cooling, energy consumption of all kinds was tallied using energy bills for a one-year period. Once the total energy consumption was known, a formula converted it into the number of trees needed to absorb or “offset” that same amount of carbon dioxide.

Over the next 80 years, these trees will absorb the same number of tonnes of carbon dioxide that the employees of the station inadvertently produce each year. The growing trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air taking greenhouse gas out of the atmosphere and locking it in the wood for up to 80 years. “We are grateful to the commitment and support of the LiVE 88.5 team,” says Jason Kelly, RVCF Chair. “They have inspired others to go carbon neutral and make growing gifts to the community. The Foundation’s Carbon Neutral Program offers planting options suitable for business, events and families. I think people are surprised at how affordable it is to do such a good thing.”

In addition to carbon abatement, each LiVE 88.5 tree is a little environmental cleaning station. These trees are providing huge environmental goods and services to the people of Ottawa. The trees absorb greenhouse gas, produce life-giving oxygen, clean our water supplies, provide wildlife habitat, buffer noise and wind, improve the soil and reduce soil erosion. Collectively, they make the Ottawa area less vulnerable to the worst effects of unpredictable and unseasonal heavy storms and increasing summer droughts

LiVE 88.5 FM is one of two local affiliates of Newcap Radio Inc. headquartered in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. Newcap is one of Canada’s largest radio companies employing over 800 radio professionals across the country. Newcap holds 96 licences and is heard by millions of listeners each week across Canada.