LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Greg Jackson

Originally printed in the Salmon Arm Observer 

What started off as an environmentally conscious choice ended up saving Greg Jackson at Joey’s Only a lot of money. When the price of gas went skyrocketing last summer, it didn’t phase Jackson at all. He converted his car to enable it to use something more economical than fuel three years ago.

“We are using our waste vegetable oil from our fryers. We go through 80 litres a week.”

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Nina Rohrer

Originally printed in the Lake District News 

Nina Rohrer grew up where recycling was a way of life, and she’s determined to spread the green news throughout the Lakes District.

“In Burnaby, and in North Delta, we had the blue boxes and curbside service. I was surprised when I saw how little recycling was actually done in such a pristine, beautiful area.”

Restaurateur gives cooking oil new life

Originally printed in the Surrey Now 

Too much cooking oil isn't just bad for your arteries, it's also bad for the planet.

Thanks to restaurateurs like Ronald Yoong of South Surrey, cooking oil is being recycled into renewable energy such as biodiesel, which has 80 per cent fewer carbon emissions than regular diesel. Yoong, the owner of Penang Szechwan Cuisine on Johnston Road, is a Restaurant Green Zone member.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Gary Holman

Originally printed in the Gulf Island Driftwood 

Salt Spring voters may have recently bid farewell to Gary Holman as their Capital Regional District director, but his work over the past six years, and well before that, makes for perfect LiveSmart Community Hero material.

Gary used his grants-in-aid budget of approximately $40,000 per year to give financial support to a number of projects that reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Jim Loucks

Originally printed in the Ashcroft Cache Creek Journal 

Cache Creek has an abundance of renewable energy in the form of the sun, and a Cache Creek Bed and Breakfast uses it to control the temperature in a 7,200 square foot house on Quartz Road.

Owner Jim Loucks says they've cut $550 per month off of their utility bills by going to solar thermal heating, including $350 per month it cost just to heat the indoor swimming pool.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Aurora Lindsay

Originally printed in the Vanderhoof Omineca Express 

She only forgot to wear her gloves once, and when she got to school her hands were two cold reminders of why to keep them covered while riding. Eight-year old Aurora Lindsay and her dad make it a habit of riding their bike to school/work and furthermore have plans to ride it all year around.

“We have studded tires on the bike,” says her dad, Devin.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Mike Owen

Originally printed in the South Delta Leader 

It only stands to reason that a recycling yard embark on a re-development project that utilizes a host of materials on their "second life."

That's just what happened at Ladner Reach Marina up on River Road West. Wholesale renovations were recently wrapped up and managing director Mike Owen says he's proud the vast majority of what went into the changes did not come new from a lumber yard, garden centre or steel mill.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Java Jive Neighbourhood Bistro

Originally printed in the Salmon Arm Observer 

When Nadina and Barry Dearing bought Java Jive coffee shop a year ago, they were committed to making it an environmentally friendly business. And that hasn’t been as easy as it might sound considering most of the customers want their coffees and lunches in takeout containers.

“We’ve almost ruined the world and I didn’t want to open a business and then have all that stuff in the garbage.”

Community garden teaches self-reliance

Originally printed in the Harbour City Star

Eating and ensuring a locally grown food supply is important to the Nanaimo Community Gardens Society.

The society features a garden and rented allotment plots to create a unique, community-grown garden to teach people about the importance of homegrown food.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Lynnwood Seniors Residence

Originally printed in the Chilliwack Times 

Reducing, reusing and recycling must keep one young at heart. That's what the Lynnwood Seniors Residence found recently.

The Corbould Street home, which is operated by Chartwell REIT, began a recycling program recently for its approximately 120 residents. It started after the City of Chilliwack gave a presentation to the folks at Lynnwood in July on how they could go green.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Anastasia Ledwon

Originally printed in the Lake District News

On her way north, Anastasia Ledwon discovered an abandoned house and bought it.

“The previous owners used a diesel generator,” she said. “We heard stories about how they would be out there in the cold with a lighter, trying to get it going to have showers and such.”

Six years later, the house is still off the grid, supporting Ledwon, Richard Beck and their eight month old son.

McDonald practices what she preaches

Originally printed in the Richmond News 

Richmond's Wendy McDonald lives what she preaches.

The mother of three young children is a passionate advocate for teaching young and old about ways to reduce our carbon footprint.

McDonald was always curious about environmental issues. Her educational background is in environmental education from Simon Fraser University.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Heather Grimshire

Originally printed in the Westerly News  

As chief recycling operator for a pilot program Parks Canada started in July, Heather has been primarily responsible for the latest improvements on the recycling bins found in all the day-use areas of Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

Spurred on by outcry on public comment cards, Heather has overseen the installation of bear-proof recycling bins throughout the park.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Paradise Controls

Originally printed in the Keremeos Review

Geoff Thompson of Paradise Controls in Kaleden innovatively utilizes geothermal, hydronics and digital controls to provide heating and cooling systems for residential construction.

Each installation is custom designed by combining ground coupled heat exchange technology (geothermal energy) and several different methods to move warm or cool air (radiant flooring, forced air, heat transfer).

Cedar Green Home Uses Advances in Technology

Originally printed in the Nanaimo Daily News 

Terry Voysey built a 3,500-square-foot green home on his family's Cedar Road farm, which his father bought in 1963.

The technology he chose to reduce the energy and water consumption in his new home represents some of the best advances in home design, everything from the heat pump that uses outdoor air to warm the home to the tankless water heater that eliminates the wasteful habit of waiting for faucets to pump out hot liquid.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Clearwater Home Hardware

Originally printed in the Clearwater Times 

If you want to find a busy place in Clearwater, look no further than the Home Hardware store on Clearwater Station Road.

The store takes in shipments of goods from numerous suppliers every week, and all the shipments come in layers of packaging. Now the store is making changes to divert some of that incoming packaging to the TNRD’s new recycling facilities just outside Clearwater.

Return It in Barriere

Originally printed in the Clearwater Times 

Barriere and area residents know where they can take their beverage containers, rather than having them go to the local landfill. The local bottle depot, BagLady Enterprises, has been owned and operated by Kathy and John Corrigall since 2001.

It has been the heart of the area’s recycling since that time, and the business fits well into today’s ‘Green Enterprise’ initiative.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Gary Swann

Originally printed in the Alberni Valley News 

For organic farmer Gary Swann, ‘sustainability’ has been a guiding concept for decades.He and his wife Jacqueline bought their 80-acre Cherry Creek property, now known as Leda Organic Farm, in the early 1970s.

You’ve heard of the 100-Mile Diet? The Swanns practiced Quarter-Mile Lumber when they built their house, using fir, cedar, maple and alder (it makes great hardwood flooring) harvested on their property and cut with a chainsaw-based mini-mill.

A Proud History

Originally printed in the Northern Sentinal  

KUTE (Kitimat Understanding the Environment) began as a challenge program through Mount Elizabeth Secondary School.

It was at the end of the year that the program was passed on to a group of adults who had the ambition to continue the program.

Women helped found local recycling society

Originally printed in the Maple Ridge Times 

In a time when recycling has become the norm and debates on banning plastic bags happen in government, Julie Koehn can remember a time when recycling wasn't a mainstream idea.

Koehn, 63, is a founding member of the board of directors for the Ridge Meadows Recycling Society. She said the most memorable thing for her experience as part of the society has been seeing the attitudes change.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Norley Calder

Originally printed in the Merritt Herald 

Sagebrush Golf Course is the new premium course currently being developed in Quilchena. But a good game isn't all that course superintendent Norley Calder has on his mind while creating the prime property – he also ensures the green is grown using the most eco-friendly methods possible.

He says that all the fertilizer used to grow the course is organic, which is important on a microbial level.

Jon Lefebure going green at home

Originally printed in the Cowichan Valley Citizen 

Jon Lefebure has his sights set on living green. Though the former North Cowichan Mayor was defeated this election, Lefebure continues to practise green initiatives.

From installing low-flush toilets, to purchasing hybrid cars, forming an environmental committee, hosting environmental forums, reducing backyard burning, creating an anti-idling campaign, and setting the Municipality's sights on being carbon neutral by 2012, Lefebure presided over a council that was determined to lead the way for the environment.

Rain barrels provide a sustainable water supply

Originally printed in the Abbotsford Times 

With the reliable rainfall on the Wet Coast, collecting rainwater for household and commercial use hardly seems necessary.

Beyond turning on the tap, most of us in the Fraser Valley don't give water a second thought. But if you rely on a well, or if you use water for manufacturing or farming, water becomes a more precious commodity.

Geothermal a blooming good idea

Originally printed in the Chilliwack Times 

A Chilliwack greenhouse is going to be the first to pilot a new project to lower greenhouse gas emissions.

Fairfield Propogators Ltd., the largest grower of lilies and mums in the province, has received a $1.26 million grant to explore geothermal energy systems.

The project, which is funded by the B.C. government's Innovative Clean Energy (ICE) Fund, was announced in July by MLAs Barry Penner and John Les.

Organic Growing in the Similkameen

Originally printed in the Keremeos Review 

Harker’s Organics of Cawston began 20 years ago, long before organic growing became the burgeoning industry it is today.

“We had purchased the farm in 1975, but we didn’t go organic right away,” said Kathy Harker. “In those years, Bruce and I had a young family, and we found he was spraying constantly, around the clock. We began to feel it was way too much.”

Soul Gardens: Landscapes with Nature

Originally printed in the Nelson Star 

While it can take many of us years of contemplation after high school to decide what profession we want to enter, the decision was a quick and easy one for Soul Gardens owner Sarah MacCrimmon.

She studied landscape design and horticulture immediately following high school and has a total of nine years experience in the industry.

LiveSmart BC Community Heroes: George Pettie

Originally printed in the Lake District News 

Through a provincial program that now has 94 per cent of B.C.’s pharmacies involved, it is encouraging to know that you can have your unused medications disposed of in an eco-friendly manner by returning them to the pharmacy of your choice.

The B.C. Medications Return Program (MRP) is expected to grow another 25 per cent in 2008, and for Pharmacists like George Pettie of the Fraser Lake Medicine Centre, it is through this program, that he is able to disperse of your unwanted pills safely.

Environmental Educator Lori Carifelle Digs In

Originally printed in the Quesnel Cariboo Observer 

Lori Carifelle is more than just the director of the Quesnel Nature Centre, she is an educator.

“I do my job as I feel there is a hope for the future,” she says. “It is difficult for people to change, but I think we can change.”

Carifelle has worked at the Nature Centre since the fall of 2006. One of the projects she has worked on is worm composting bins.

LiveSmart BC Community Heroes: Ronda & Gary Murdock

Originally printed in the Parksville Qualicum Beach News 

Here in Oceanside a plethora of natural wonders makes eco-tourism a natural. One Parksville couple got in on the ground floor back in 1999, before the concept became a buzzword.

“When we decided to do this no one in the region was offering ecotour day trips,” said Ronda Murdock, one half of a team that operates Pacific Rain Forest Adventure Tours from their home in Parksville.

Going green can be fashionable

Originally printed in the Chilliwack Times 

Sabine Goulet is a Chilliwack entrepreneur trying to make a creative living with natural, sustainable, environmentally-friendly fibres.

Stylish and colourful women's shirts, yoga and exercise wear, comfortable men's collar shirts, summer shorts, and even women's clothing suitable for the office--all Goulet's products at Ecofusion Apparel are made from natural, sustainable fibres.

LiveSmart BC Community Heroes: The Bosco Family

Originally printed in the Northern View 

Drawn to Prince Rupert for the geography and new opportunities for small businesses, Shannon and Aaron Bosco arrived in 2007 and quickly set about establishing a recycling pick-up service using the very trailer that Aaron built to move to the North Coast.

“We had the trailer so I figured we could put it to good use,” explained Aaron. “My wife is very environmentally minded and we liked the public service as a business model.”

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Harold Steves

Originally printed in the Richmond News 

You could say the lifelong farmer, decades-long city councillor, co-pioneer of the Agricultural Land Reserve and champion of sustainable green practices is a modern-day eco superhero.

"It was something our family always did," Steves said of his environmentally friendly practices in his home and on his farm.

Steves grew up during World War II, and he recalls that his mother was really into recycling during the war effort.

Ecovillage leading sustainable edge

Originally printed in the Cowichan Valley Citizen 

At first glance, it may not look like the stereotypical community of the future, but O.U.R. Ecovillage seems to be onto something.

The sustainable learning centre not far from Shawnigan Lake is celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2009 -- a decade of gently integrating human activities with nature, and developing ways to continue to do so in the future. O.U.R. Ecovillage is part of a loose network of more than 300 ecovillages around the world.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Dora McMillan

Originally printed in the Quesnel Advisor

When you think environmental in Quesnel, Dora McMillan comes to mind. For the past 14 years, she has been Baker Creek Enhancement Society’s driving force and chief spokesperson.

The purpose of Baker Creek Enhancement Society is to promote public awareness, stewardship and restoration of the local environment. And, through McMillan’s dedication and leadership, BCES has many accomplishments to its credit as does McMillan herself.

Family Following Alternative Route

Originally printed in the Penticton Western News  

Just over a year ago, the Henderson family of Naramata made a big switch — they traded in their Honda CRV for a Prius hybrid, which uses a combination of gasoline and electrical engines to power the vehicle.

They weren’t so much looking for a new car, according to Craig Henderson, who said the CRV satisfied their transportation needs. Instead, if they had to drive, the Hendersons wanted a vehicle that fi t more with their environmental values.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Kim Rink

Originally printed in the Langley Advance 

When it comes to thinking green, Kim Rink thinks of sewage.

It can be used to make cities bloom, and restore deserts or eroded and overgrazed rural land to healthy crop production, said Rink, president of Eco-Tek Wastewater Treatments.

An architect, Rink became interested in solar aquatics in the late 1980s and established his Langley company in the early 1990s.

Dave Michell in the Recycle Mode

Originally printed in the Lake District News 

Lake Babine Nation member Dave Michell is trying to send a message to others in his community, young and old, that being environmentally responsible is a good thing for the planet on which we dwell.

“I started collecting the tin cans that we use in our house at the beginning of July,” he said. “I didn’t want to see them go into the landfill. We’re taking too much advantage of the earth right now.”

U-Fix-It brings bikes to the community

Originally printed in the Cowichan Valley Citizen 

Dave Ehle and the U-Fix-It Bike Works crew in Duncan like to think they're cleaning up the Cowichan Valley, one backyard at a time.

A Canadian Mental Health Association program, U-Fix-It Bike Works, started about three years ago and, because of their efforts to protect the environment, have been nominated for a LiveSmart award. And that goes to all its volunteers who've formed an eclectic crew that continue to produce new, funky-decorated and painted bikes from old bicycles and scrap pieces of metal.

Eagle Automotive Goes Green

Originally printed in the Lake District News 

Eagle Automotive body shop manager Dave Burkholder has been using friendly ‘green’ paint on vehicles needing body work.

“The environmentally-friendly paint we used is called Sikkens Autowave, a water-based paint that we get from a supplier in Prince George,” said Burkholder.

Brothers work shoulder-to-shoulder recycling metals of all kinds

Originally printed in the Quesnel Cariboo Observer 

Quesnel brothers Wayne and Tony Pastachak are the brains and braun behind Cariboo Metal Recycling, an environmentally-friendly company that boasts a new facility in a new location south of town.

“Metal is a non-renewable resource and it has always been in our family,” said Tony, the younger of two. “Dad collected metal on the side. He was more of a dabbler; we took it one step further.”

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Jeff Cooper

Originally printed in the Kootenay News Advertiser 

Jeff Cooper, from the College of the Rockies is helping the Kootenays become the first Fair Trade region in Canada. Last week Cooper helped bring the Fair Change conference to Cranbrook, Invermere, Creston, Fernie and Golden.

Cooper helped organize the fair trade aspect of the conference, which had four keynote speakers familiar with food politics and the environment, workshops and social events centered around climate change, and Cooper’s cause, Fair Trade.

Green roof a lasting legacy

Originally printed in the Chilliwack Times 

Two Sardis secondary graduates have left a long-lasting impact, maybe even a legacy, at their former school.

Shanelle Marshall and Bailey Derksen, 2008 graduates, are the young masterminds behind Sardis secondary's soon-to-be green roof. After over a year of research the two pitched the idea to the school administration and district officials to build the green roof atop their school, and received approval at the end of last school year.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: StructureCraft

Originally printed in the South Delta Leader 

Spandex-clad speed skaters whizzing around the Olympic Oval in Richmond may be the main focus of the landmark building over the coming months leading up to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.

But a Delta-based company has also helped raise interest in the use of pine beetle affected wood by making the 33,750-square-metre (about 355,000-square-feet) sports venue a massive advert for B.C. lumber.

Junk is more valuable than you think

Originally printed in the Surrey Now 

Few individuals are so excited about recycling that they get a nickname out of it, but that's exactly what happened to Oliver Samonte. His friends from Douglas College gave him the nickname Dr. Recycle, and it's a name that stuck.

Samonte grew up poor in the Philippines, where he learned early on the art of creative recycling. Today he still uses his imagination to teach kids of all ages how to be creative in re-using household junk.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Heritage Food Service

Originally printed in the Nanaimo Daily News 

As a child growing up in wartime Scotland, Marjorie Stewart remembers the very first banana she ever ate, and she remembers the buzz of excitement from her community when a shipment of apples arrived from Canada.

She also remembers merchants from Spain with blue berets riding bicycles through her village, selling onions on a string.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Ryder Bergerud

Originally printed in the Gulf Islands Driftwood  

As if being a high school student wasn’t hard enough, Ryder Bergerud has consistently gone out of his way to take on some of the island’s and the world’s most pressing environmental and social issues.

“I’d like to help make a positive change in the world,” Bergerud said in a September interview for the Driftwood’s Great Kids supplement.

Entrepreneur paints her world green

Originally printed in the Richmond News 

Richmond's Susan Lee Hem lives "green" at work, home and play. As an entrepreneur, she buys secondhand university textbooks and sells them to a warehouse.

At home, all of her light bulbs are LED, the heat is turned down at night, clothes are washed in cold water and only biodegradable products are used to clean the house.

Building green is 'just common sense'

Originally printed in the Harbour City Star 

Health issues within his family prompted Byron Gallant, co-owner of Gallant Homes, to explore building environmentally sustainable homes under the Built Green Society banner.

"My son has dust allergies so we had concerns about the air quality in the house and my father is allergic to some chemicals in some building materials, so I also had some concerns about them. I started to think to myself that 'I can't be the only one concerned about these issues,'" said Gallant.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Alora Griffin

Originally printed in the Prince Rupert Daily News 

Green has always been Alora Griffin's colour. The Prince Rupert architect remembers having to write about a favourite thing when she was a child. She chose to talk about why she liked the colour green.

Today, Griffin tries her best to live as a 'green' citizen in her personal, professional and community life. Since her arrival in Prince Rupert almost three years ago, she has also been attempting to encourage others to do the same.

Walking Lightly and Leaving a Small Footprint

Originally printed in the Cowichan News Leader 

In a unique experiment, more than a dozen Cowichan residents are foregoing many modern contrivances and attempting to live carbon neutral as part of the Great Climate Challenge.

The experiment kicked off during a launch meeting in a private home off Herd Road in September. With assistance from Guy Dauncey, president of the B.C. Sustainable Energy Association, the Cowichan Carbon Busters meet Mondays to compare notes about their progress in Dauncey’s 10-step path toward carbon reduction.

McMillan Sees the Future Through Green-Tinted Glasses

Originally printed in the Richmond News 

Shane McMillan believes we're at a global turning point. Populations are surging, resources are depleting and changes to Earth are coming faster than we realize.

McMillan, a 29-year-old Kwantlen Polytechnic University student and Richmond secondary grad, is part of a growing number of young adults keen on saving the planet. Earlier this year, he spoke passionately in favour of saving the Garden City lands--and the need for us to reconnect to our food and where it comes from.

A Class Act

Originally printed in the Surrey Now 

Grade 5 teacher Tamara Michalas was appalled by the number of recyclables she used to see in the garbage at Holly Elementary school.

Like the rest of the Surrey School District, Holly Elementary recycled paper, but there was no program to recycle the milk cartons and styrofoam trays kids would trash after lunch. Her class started a one-of-a-kind recycling plan at the end of last school year, and it's really taken off.

Northwest Community College Strives to Cut Carbon Footprint

Originally printed in the Northern Connector, a supplement of the Northern Sentinal 

Don’t be surprised one day if you come across reports about the smell of French fries wafting through the air at the Northwest Community College on the Bench.

No. It won’t be about a new culinary arts program at the campus. It’ll represent the successful conversion of the college’s vehicle fleet to burn used vegetable oil rather than gas.  Such a project is on the list of the college as it tackles the challenge of reducing its carbon footprint.

LiveSmart BC Community Heroes: Tumbler Ridge Cubs, Beavers and Scouts

Originally printed in the Tumbler Ridge News 

"We ask our youth to 'Think globally, act locally,' which is our Conservation Badge motto."
-Sarah Falcon, Scout Leader

Scouts Canada is all about connecting youth with the outdoors and involving them in where they live. It teaches children to be a part of the environment and interact with environment and community as it has done this all over the world. We have a particularly active troop in Tumbler Ridge.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Wally Martin

Originally printed in the Langley Advance 

Wally Martin wants to see his power usage drop down to zero, and keep falling.

Earlier this year, Martin, the proprietor of the Princess and the Pea Bed and Breakfast in Murrayville, became an electricity provider to BC Hydro, as well as a customer.

Solar panels on the south side of the building provide it with electricity when the sun is shining. If they make more than the building needs, power flows back out into the Hydro grid, and the B&B's meter runs backwards.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Gordon Terrace Elementary School

Originally printed in the Kootenay News Advertiser 

If you want people to be stewards for the environment, the best way is to teach them when they are young. Gordon Terrace Elementary School and especially teacher Stewart Wilson have been showing for years that children are never too young to learn about caring for the environment around them.

“Environmental stewardship is one of the pillars of our school,” says principal David Standing. Students are encouraged every day to take little steps to lessen their impact.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Josie Osborne

Originally printed in the Westerly News 

For her work at the Tofino Botanical Gardens and with the Raincoast Education Society, Josie Osborne is a LiveSmart Community Hero.

Through the Raincoast Education Society, Josie is responsible for coordinating education and outreach programs, designed primarily for those who would not ordinarily encounter such information. Her programs are aimed at children and adults, locals and tourists alike. The idea is to introduce people to the area and to make them aware of how special our particular ecosystem is.

LiveSmart BC Community Heroes: The Peters Family

Originally printed in the Langley Advance 

The system is simple: just a plastic tank, a pump, and a handful of pipes in the basement of the Peters home in Brookswood.

The device is a grey water system, the first installed in a private home in Langley Township. It recycles water used in some parts of the home's plumbing system and runs them through it a second time.

"We collect the water from our shower and our bathtubs, and our washing machine, if we so choose," said Lonna Peters. She noted that, with two teenagers and two adults in the house, there seems to be plenty of water every day from showers, so far.

LiveSmart BC Community Heroes: Lynn Way & Shirley Hanburg

Originally printed in the Tumbler Ridge News 

Lynn Way and Shirley Hanburg embarked on a mission to clean up the community and raise money for pet care in the spring of 2005. The ladies decided on a win-win formula, patrolling the community looking for discarded bottles and cans, setting up recycle depots in some of the local businesses, and appealing to camps in the bush to bring in their recyclables as a donation.

They have raised over $30,000 for the pet cause, helping out with veterinary costs for those owners who cannot afford the fees, and donating to the Dawson Creek SPCA, which also serves Tumbler Ridge.

Society's programs have grown with membership

Originally printed in the Lillooet News 

Lori Smith from the Lillooet Beautification Committee nominated Kim North of the Lillooet Naturalist Society last week to be the next LiveSmart B.C. Community Hero. When North heard the news, however, she insisted on sharing the title with the rest of the society.

The Lillooet Naturalist Society was formed in July 2002, according to Vivian Birch-Jones, who has served as its president since its creation.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: DEMXX Deconstruction

Originally printed in the  Parksville Qualicum Beach News

In an age of ever-increasing environmental awareness, one Oceanside company is doing more than its share when it comes to one of the three well known Rs.

"There’s reduce, re-use and recycle and we’re the re-use part," said owner of DEMXX Deconstruction Brian Lea. "Our business keeps thousands of tonnes of building materials out of the landfill."

It all starts with an idea

Originally printed in the Nelson Star 

John Alton is an idea guy.

Once he gets his inspiration and he sees how to affect change, he finds a small group of likeminded individuals to work with and they make it happen.

"It" can be anything from the Commuter Challenge to the Nelson Carshare Cooperative to the local outdoor summer markets.

LiveSmart BC Community Heroes: Ian Hourston & Penny Hasell

Originally printed in the  Prince Rupert Daily News

You might not realize it at first glance, but Ian Hourston and Penny Hasell are probably the greenest couple in Prince Rupert. Penny is an elementary school teacher and Ian works for the city as an engineering technician. They've been together for 25 years and moved to Prince Rupert from Victoria in 1991.

Inspiring Others to Help Clean Island’s Beaches

Originally printed in the  Goldstream Gazette

When out for a walk, hike or paddle, many of us – most, it’s hoped – will pack out our garbage for proper disposal, take care where we step, and do our best to leave an area as we found it.

But how many of us stop to pick up someone else’s garbage, or take time to impart our eco-wisdom to others?

One such person is Peter Harris, this week’s LiveSmart Hero, and owner of Pacifica Paddlesports.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Matthew Salkeld

Originally printed in the  Parksville Qualicum Beach News

Do you want to save money on your energy bills, make your home more comfortable and reduce your impact on the environment?

"Home energy efficiency retrofits achieve all three," says Matthew Salkeld, a Certified Energy Advisor with EnergyWise Technologies in Parksville. "And they're one of the best financial investments you can make."

Long-time Tofino resident Spencer Baird, a LiveSmart Hero

Originally printed in the Westerly News

Longtime Tofino resident Spencer Baird is a LiveSmart hero. Spencer and his wife Judy have been living in an environmentally friendly lifestyle long before it became a popular notion.

When they moved to Catface Mountain in 1974 from the United States, they built their "off the grid" house complete with solar panels. They also used batteries as well as hydroelectric power from a nearby creek that only ran in the winter, said Spencer.

The little things make a huge difference

Originally printed in the Surrey Now

Living green is something that stay at home mom Teri Coles does every day by consistently making smart choices that make a difference to the environment.

"I think my children have really helped me become more environmentally conscious," she said. "I'm thinking about the world we're leaving to them and I don't want that world to be a mess."

With her kids in mind, Coles made the switch from plastic water bottles and now uses a stainless steel water bottle.

Walking the green walk

Originally printed in the South Delta Leader

Tsawwassen’s Ulrich Schrems not only talks the green talk, he walks the green walk. Eight years ago, Schrems installed eight solar panels on the roof of his house and in August added a wind generator.

However, the journey started long before that. Schrems and wife Barbara Hinson worked for years to reduce their power consumption so the infrastructure inside could support a renewable energy production system from outside.

Fairwinds home a leader in promoting green initiatives

Originally printed in the Oceanside Star

Fairwinds Marketing Manager Marian Slayter says the Fairwinds community is a leader when it comes to promoting green initiatives and she says more and more people are jumping on the green bandwagon.

"The awareness over the last year has grown dramatically," she says.

The Fairwinds environmental crusade kicked into high gear a year ago with the opening of the Green Solutions Demonstration Home.

Builders promote green initiatives

Originally printed in the Summerland Review

When Eric and Vicki Gerrits decided to build their home a few years ago, they wanted to use environmentally friendly and energy efficient practices.

This decision led them to start building to the Built Green standard.

Eric says the standard is in place through the Canadian Homebuilders Association but is most prevalent in B.C. and Alberta.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: Elizabeth White

Originally printed in the Gulf Island Driftwood

Elizabeth White’s name is synonymous with sustainability on Salt Spring Island.

A founder of the Earth Festival Society (which coordinated the Salt Spring Community Energy Strategy with assistance from other groups beginning in 2003, Elizabeth is also an EnerGuide for Houses Energy Advisor and the go-to person when anyone needs information on home upgrades that can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save energy costs at the same time. She is also an authority on green building issues and sustainable resource use.

Alpine Toyota helps the community breath easier

Originally printed in the Kootenay News Advertiser

Toyota's commitment to the environment guides every decision the company makes and every action it takes. From the creation and improvement of eco-friendly automotive technologies and waste management techniques to contributions to local environmental and clean-up initiatives, it is a vision that people at Toyota always keep before them.

LiveSmart BC Community Hero: The Earthwise Society

Originally printed in the South Delta Leader

The Earthwise Society has been working towards making South Delta a cleaner and more sustainable community for almost 30 years.

“What we see our role as is to provide individuals, groups and businesses with the tools needed to make wise decisions,” said executive director Patricia Fleming.

The organization, which was formerly know as the Delta Recycling Society (DRS), was formed in 1979 when a group of concerned citizens came together and started the Delta Recycling Project.

Retirement Hasn't Slowed Gazetas Down

Originally printed in the Richmond News

Mary Gazetas has spent the last six years dedicated to growing the future of Richmond. Through her work as co-founder of the Richmond Fruit Tree Sharing Project, she has created new farms growing fruit and vegetables to feed the less fortunate.

She is also educating a new generation of farmers.

"I knew I wanted to give something back to the community, but I didn't know how that would shape up," said Gazetas.

Denis Martel Fights for Wilderness

Originally printed in the Cowichan Valley Citizen

It's one thing to say you care about the environment but it's another thing to step up and do something about it.

Lake Cowichan's Denis Martel is a doer, and a passionate one at that.

The coordinator of the Valley Fish and Game Club's Wilderness Watch program is nominated for a LiveSmart award for his efforts in protecting the environment, especially the wildlife and their habitats.

It's pedal power for Jeremy Sibley

Originally printed in the Chilliwack Times

Jeremy Sibley is the manager of the new Sardis BMO branch and as a citizen and a business leader he is a solid LiveSmart B.C. Community Hero.

Not only does Sibley ride his bike 13 kilometres most mornings to his office, but his ride serves as an example for his employees. That's because not only do they see their boss riding to work, but when the branch was being built the BMO powers-that-be agreed to install a bike rack out front and install a shower and small locker room so he, and others, can clean up after a morning commute.