Making a difference in the community
Individual commitment is key to the Alberta Emerald Foundation’s goal of promoting environmental leadership and engaging with youth. The upcoming 25th annual Emerald Awards is recognizing and inspiring the next generation of eco-heroes, as is the Youth Environmental Engagement Grant, reaching over 7,000 youth annually.
Kelsey Armstrong is a youth finalist for her Storm Drain Survival Kits—a shovel, gloves, and garbage bags meant to clean out home, school or business storm drains and gutters. Over 1,000 kits have been distributed for free at farmers’ markets and through the Lethbridge Adopt-a-Storm Drain program—“a huge step in keeping contaminants out of Oldman River and in keeping our drinking water healthy and clean,” said Armstrong.
Educating youth and the larger community is the essence of finalist Roy and Judy Louis’ ‘Blessing of the Water ceremony’, near Battle River in central Alberta. For the last four years, the Louis’ have turned the one-day ceremony into a sharing of indigenous teachings, dancing and a pot-luck feast for over 200 visitors.
“The ceremony hasn’t been done here in decades, but this even attracted international guests. We did it for future generations,” said Roy. “It keeps the spirit of water alive and recognizes the four sacred elements of life: Mother Earth, wind, water and fire. We hope to create a legacy of understanding.”
Last year, Edmonton’s Reuse Centre welcomed 30,000 visitors and handled 243 tonnes of donated items not normally accepted elsewhere—books, stationery, craft supplies and home décor. The Emerald Awards government finalist is an integral element of the city’s waste management system, according to waste reduction programs supervisor Aurea Siemens—a place where citizens can learn about waste reduction and reuse in a fun, friendly environment.
“The Reuse Centre is an example of how community spirit, dedication and enthusiasm can transform a simple idea into a successful facility. The centre is helping change attitudes and behaviors about waste by promoting positive, everyday ways that residents can practice reuse at home and work,” said Siemens.
Already providing facility tours and crafting workshops, the centre will now offer educational programs to further expand and enhance public awareness of reuse.
The green, sustainable community of Echohaven is currently 10 homes (with four more under construction) in northwest Calgary—a thriving example of energy efficiency using collected rain water and solar or electric heat rather than natural gas. The homes (permanent solar access rights are written into the architectural guidelines and bylaws), have reduced heating energy by more than 80 per cent from codeminimum houses.
Echohaven’s Brian Taylor said being a finalist for the Emerald Awards is important to help inform people about the community—25 lots in total are set to be developed. “It’s a recognition of our showing that greenhouse gases from housing can be drastically reduced without sacrifice of comfort or convenience, and without subsidies,” he said.
Echohaven targets include a 50 per cent reduction in electricity and city water use, and the protection of area tree groves and ponds.
The upcoming 25th annual Emerald Awards is recognizing and inspiring the next generation of eco-heroes, as is the Youth Environmental Engagement Grant, reaching over 7,000 youth annually.