The Ontario Trillium Foundation awarded $140,000 to Pride Toronto to make the festival more environmentally friendly, Pride Toronto staff announced Dec 5.

The initiative partners Pride with the Icarus Foundation, a group that promotes carbon neutrality in tourism. Managing the carbon footprint of travellers is a growing concern, since most transportation, especially commercial air travel, is carbon-intensive.

In the first year, Pride will use the money to conduct an audit of the festival’s impact on the environment and to train staff and volunteers. Pride plans to be carbon neutral by 2015, a year after Toronto hosts World Pride.

Liberal MPP and Toronto mayoral candidate George Smitherman spoke at the announcement at Pride’s new office on Dundonald St. David Whitaker, president of Tourism Toronto, was also on hand. Pride Week 2010 runs from Jun 25-Jul 4.