Toronto is paying citizens for projects that reduce carbon footprints.  ENN, the Environmental News Network, which is a great source of news about all things environmental, reports that the city of Toronto has launched a "Live Green Toronto program" that provides $20 million over the next 5 years for innovative carbon savings projects that folks come up with to help the city reduce its carbon footprint by 6% by 2012.  David Miller, Toronto's mayor, told the Toronto Star paper that "the plan’s success depends on residents creating change."

In addition to being a creative new program, the implementation of the program is also unconventional.  "It works with what are termed "activators," environmentalists working for non-governmental agencies. Activators meet people with project ideas and collaborate with them through the first stages. If a project idea survives the idea development stage, citizens will have been granted $1,000 to $25,000. They then can apply for full grants of between $25,000 to $250,000 for their projects to become reality."

Seattle, a city renown for its innovators, might think about a similar program, eh?