SUSTAINABILITY POLICY
HOME / SUSTAINABILITY
ON A PERSONAL NOTE ...
“To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body but the soul.” — Alfred Austin
I am committed to sustainability in my business and personal life. The business sustainability policy embraces three principles:
• supporting the local community
• protecting the local environment
• maintaining a green office space
To support the local community, I buy as much as I can in local goods and services. I also volunteer in a variety of ways. Please see below for more details of community involvement.
To protect the local environment, I have obtained Canadian Wildlife Federation certification as a Backyard Wildlife Habitat for the property surrounding my home and office. Gardening is free of chemicals, and two rain barrels keep the plants watered. Besides making monthly contributions to environmental organizations, I aim for a net-zero carbon footprint by supporting international Gold Standard carbon-offset programs.
My office space is well insulated and has plenty of natural light. It benefits from passive solar heating in winter and breezes
Monarch butterfly (photo taken on my office property)
from open windows in summer. In-floor heating is on an electronic timer under NS Power’s Time-of-Day program, with an efficient woodstove as back-up heat. Bullfrog Power provides green energy to offset the electricity that powers my home and office. Rechargeable batteries power the computer mouse and keyboard. Supplies are reused or recycled as much as possible.
Almost all business is conducted by email and phone, which greatly reduces the need for travel.
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Business volunteer
Communications director, Valley Women’s Business Network, 2012–2015 and 2022–2023. Secretary 2018–2022. Treasurer 2023–24. Web administrator 2024–present.
Lifelong Learning advocate
Editorial Board member, Association of Workplace Educators of Nova Scotia, 2014–15. Advisory Board member, Acadia Lifelong Learning Centre, 2007–11 (chaired board 2009–11).
Community Arts supporter
Performer and past board member for CentreStage Theatre, Kentville, NS. Coordinator of theatre gallery to showcase work by local artists, 2009–14. Volunteer auditor 2022, 2023, 2024.
Nature advocate
Supporter of the Blomidon Naturalists Society and other wildlife and environmental organizations. My interest in nature photography grew out of curiosity about the birds that visit in winter.
Nature-friendly gardener
Part of a good-natured if unruly team; the others are the weather and assorted local wildlife. In 2013, the Canadian Wildlife Federation certified my property as a Backyard Wildlife Habitat.
I grow and preserve some of my own food — partly for fun and to share, and partly to reduce my environmental footprint. As a good Nova Scotian, I shop at Frenchy’s and consignment shops for quality used clothing. And, of course, it’s easy to support Nova Scotia’s many gifted artisans and producers of outstanding food and wine. If you haven’t already visited this beautiful, culturally rich province, you really should.
