Do you love Alberta? 7 Ways Environment Week Celebrates Alberta
Posted on June 3, 2017
Next week is Canadian National Environment Week, as well as World Environment Day (June 5th) and Clean Air Day (June 7th). Environment Week has been celebrated in Alberta since 1972 and it shows just how committed Albertans are to their province. Here are 7 ways that the week celebrates Alberta & Calgary – one for each day!
1. Alberta parks. Alberta’s Provincial Parks and Calgary’s Municipal Parks are great resources for our citizens, providing education and recreation in a natural setting. What you may not know is that 5 of Alberta’s great Provincial Parks are in the process of being refurbished or that many Calgary parks are being upgraded? For example, Prairie Winds Park reopened this year to great acclaim!
2. Energy innovation. Alberta organizations and companies are investing in energy innovation, opening up Alberta to a bright economic and environmental future. Green Calgary members Bullfrog Power and SkyFire Energy are but a few to lead the crowd. This year’s Energy Futures Lab, Energy New Venture Competition, and our own Energy Revolution Fair are all examples of Albertans’ devotion to innovation.
3. Calgary bike lanes. Last year’s council vote to keep downtown bike lanes was a big step forward in promoting alternate commuting methods, and the number of cyclists in Calgary has been growing fast. Next week, many Calgarians will be using those lanes in the Commuter Challenge trying to reduce their personal emissions and gas usage.
4. Water plans. Did you know that the City of Calgary is on track to succeed in using the same amount of river water for Calgary in 2033 as it did in 2003? Due to utility upgrades, installed water meters, rebates, and more, the City’s Water Efficiency Plan is helping a growing Calgary become more efficient in its water usage. This is also why the City supports Green Calgary’s Rain Barrel Sales. The Alberta Government has also supported multi-faceted approaches to water management and conservation for over a decade with the Water for Life strategy.
5. Calgary transit. Between the expansion of Calgary’s transit network with the Green Line LRT and the possibility of switching Calgary buses to renewable diesel fuel, Calgary is poised to become even more of a transit leader than it already has. Combined with the bike lanes mentioned above, Calgary Transit could significantly lower Calgarians’ carbon footprint from commuting.
6. City compost. The City of Calgary’s Green Cart Food and Yard Program is just around the corner and will have a huge impact on Calgary’s waste diversion, cutting garbage nearly in half, ensuring that our landfills last twice as long and reducing the harmful emissions created by decomposing organic waste in the landfills. Additionally, some of the produced compost will go to community gardens in Calgary, which are a great way to get locally grown produce, get involved in your community, and get outdoors!
7. Local markets. Alberta and Calgary have an extensive network of Farmers’ and natural markets, and that means local goods are more available. Cutting down of the carbon footprint of shipping and refrigerating produce alone make local food hugely beneficial to our environment, but supporting local businesses is also great for our local economy! Green Calgary members Community Natural Foods and REAP Business Association have been serving Calgarians for years, providing local options for food and business. Check them out!
What are some Alberta & Calgary eco programs that make you excited? Cause you concern? We’d love to hear about it! You can talk with us on Twitter and Facebook, or come into our Green Hub at #100, 301 – 14th Street NW Tuesday-Saturday and speak with our green experts! Find out hours and product info here. Have a great Enviro Week, Calgary!
