The average Canadian boils twice the amount of water needed for a single cup of tea and the impact on the environment is not small. Research conducted by THAC with Carbon Intelligence showed that by boiling just what you need, Canadians could cut total annual carbon emissions by 83 tons per day.[1] With an average of 22,000,000[2] cups of tea consumed daily in Canada, that equals 582,954 kWh of wasted energy.
“The reality of climate change is very present in the lives of Canadians. We’ve seen the impact firsthand with floods and wildfires. What was the need for climate change has now become a full blown climate emergency and we all need to step up and do our part. The Smart Boil campaign is our way to show Canadians that even small changes matter,” says Shabnam Weber president of THAC.
The Smart Boil initiative has been launched by THAC to show Canadians that boiling just enough water for their favourite cup of tea, can have a real impact on the environment. “Every tea drinker can be a part of the Canadian government’s goal to reach net zero by 2050,” Weber says.
[1] Tea and Herbal Association of Canada research with Carbon Intelligence.
[2] An average calculation using average tea consumed per head as per the International Tea Committee.
SMART BOIL FACTS
DID YOU KNOW
If all Canadians boiled just what was needed for making a cup of tea:
- There would be an energy savings of 582,954 kWh per day.
- #JustWhatYouNeed for making a cup of tea, there would be an energy savings of $104,349 in energy bills per day.
- There would be an energy savings of 83 tCO2e in greenhouse gas emissions per day.
- There would be an energy savings equivalent to the use of 10,493 propane cylinders used for a home barbeque.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
- Help to spread the word by sharing the information on social media using #SmartBoil #JustWhatYouNeed.
- Cycle, walk or take public transit over driving when you can.
- Eat seasonally and locally.
- Get a home energy audit and make your home more efficient.