Green Calgary's Blog

At the end of 2019, Green Calgary was talking with some of our frequent partners and friends in the sustainability community, and we got to talking about our wishes for 2020: what our sustainability goals were individually, and what we hoped for in general. We wanted to take this moment to share some of our wishes for 2020, and some of those that we've gathered from the community. We hope that this might inspire you for the year and help showcase some other voices in the sustainability community! First, Green Calgary's sustainability wish for the year is for more Calgarians to engage with the sustainability community - there are many great organizations and events throughout the year in Calgary, and we hope that Calgarians show their passion for the environment, our city, and the planet. Next, we have some responses from a couple of members of the community. From Joe Vipond (@jvipondmd on Twitter): You can find more of what Joe is working on at The Cana...

When undertaking a renovation, there are a few things you can do to make your renovation more environmentally friendly! The best thing you can do is make conscious decisions – plan out the renovation and look for alternatives where they exist. Often, there are eco-friendly options out there, but we just don’t see them! Here are some more tips: Do research. Look into the products you’re getting and what kind of environmental programs the business has in place. You can check various certifications, too, such as Forest Stewardship Council for wood and Canada’s EcoLogo program for eco-friendly products. Paint. Painting is an easy way to brighten up a home and the biggest issue are the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in many paints. Look at labels and ask in the paint department for low-VOC paint, recycled latex paint, or natural paint. Repurpose & Reuse. Find new spots for old furniture, such as turning an old dresser into a new shelving unit. Check in thrift stores and onl...

Welcome to 2020 everyone! A new year and a new decade, and introducing some more sustainability into your life has never been easier! With 2020 starting off with some major climate-related disasters and lots of uncertainty, it can feel out of place to equate using a water bottle to fighting climate change, but we're here to remind you that tackling climate change and sustainability starts with each and every one of us making choices in our lives. Looking at climate and environment news, it's clear that the problems our planet is facing are global, so personal solutions can often feel small or insignificant, but they really do have an impact on the world we live in.  Every action we take helps shift behaviours - in us, in our social circle, and in the local economy. That means each step we take on our green journey makes a difference, even if that difference is very small, and when we add them all up, we make a huge difference. So, while it's important ...