Youth Challenges

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• You are the expert using AI Prompts to help families estimate their costs and get suggestions how to reduce them
• You like interacting with others about costs and emissions.

• You are the Observer and Documenter onsite with families
• You like to use IR cameras, sensors, apps, AI
• You like systems and things: heating systems, hot water heating, food storage, EV charging capacity

• You love spreadsheets and databases.
• You create Tally Sheets, Scorecards, Plans for Families and Communities.
• You like researching best practices and analyzing data.

• You like creating results, help ing families reduce costs and emissions
• Show  DIY-ers how to caulk, insulate, grow food, cover windows, grow food, go EV

• You like to organize and coordinate, to conducts meetings, and speak at events
• You stay awake at night wondering how to keep your Team moving

• You are the social butterfly, posting photos and videos
• You enjoy interviewing models and experts 
• You can't wait to e-publish the next community newsletter on latest ways to cut costs and carbon

• Family of four: parents ages 38 and 35, children ages 12 and 10
• Live in a single-family detached home (suburban Ottawa, ~1,800 sq ft)
• Natural gas heating, standard insulation, some upgrades but not Net Zero
• Two earners, upper middle income (~$150,000 household income)
• Mostly home cooking, meat once per day, kids take lunch to school
• Vehicles: 2023 hybrid sedan, driven 15,000 km/year
• Commute: one parent uses OC Transpo bus/LRT, the other drives hybrid sedan

ChatGPT+ (AI) Estimate of Annual Expenditures (baseline)

• Food: $15,000
• Home Energy: $10,000 (natural gas + electricity + water heating)
• Transportation: $10,000 (fuel, insurance, maintenance, OC Transpo passes)
• Total (core categories): $35,000

• Retired couple, ages 71 and 69
• Downsized to an apartment (~900 sq ft), efficient heat pump system
• Fixed income (~$70,000 from pensions and RRSP withdrawals)
• Drive a 2016 compact car, ~6,000 km/year
• Cook at home, eat less meat, shop at local grocery co-op

ChatGPT+ (AI) Estimate of Annual Expenditures (baseline)

• Food: $9,000
• Home Energy: $3,500 (efficient building, shared heating costs)
• Transportation: $3,000 (gas, insurance, maintenance)
• Total: $15,500

• Parent (age 25) with two children (ages 4 and 2)
• Apartment rental, 3-bedroom unit, ~1,100 sq ft, electric baseboard heat
• Works part-time in retail, lower-middle income (~$55,000 household)
• No car: relies on OC Transpo and occasional rideshare
• Food: cook at home often, some fast food on busy days

ChatGPT+ (AI) Estimate of Annual Expenditures (baseline)

• Food: $12,000
• Home Energy: $4,500 (electric heat is expensive in winter)
• Transportation: $4,000 (bus passes, rideshare, some taxis)
• Total: $20,500

• Food:
  • Could Community Association organize bulk food direct-from-Producer?
• Home Energy:
  • Use FCC Cost/Benefit Analysis for Programmable Thermostat
• Transportation
  • Survey interest in shared EV's through community association

• Food
  • Could your community association host  potlucks for seniors using local low carbon food?
• Home Energy
  • Can an IR camera identify air leaks/energy loss in unit ?
• Transportation
  • Could your Community Association offer e-Delivery Service for Meds

• Food
  • Suggest lower-cost oatmeal for breakfast
• Home Energy 
  • Test Portable room ceramic heaters
• Transportation
  • Survey Ride Share options for family through community association