Free hot dog lunch for all volunteers!

DATE: Monday, April 16, 2012

TIME: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

PLACE: Pick up your garbage bags and gloves at the Delta Sun Peaks loading bay. When you’re finished with the garbage, drop the full bags back off and have some lunch!

“Community engagement is an important part of Delta Greens,” explains David Bird, senior vice president of operations for Delta Hotels and resorts. “We’re excited to provide these unique energy-saving services in addition to joining millions of people around the world in turning off lights.”

Delta Sun Peaks is one of Delta’s 43 properties across Canada that will be turning off lights in support of Earth Hour.

Just in time for Earth Day 2012 on April 22, Earth Day Canada is imploring Canadians to Take it Up for Earth Day by taking on new actions that are healthy for the environment and for themselves. The campaign offers tips and resources to help people make better decisions about their environmental footprint including what they eat and drink, how they move and the products they use.

The Take it Up campaign tracks individual and group commitments showing that healthier alternatives, even in the short-term, can lead to lifelong thinking about environmental impact.

The campaign is the brainchild of Earth Day Canada, a national charity that provides Canadians with practical advice and tools to support a healthier environment.

Participants can register their commitments in March and April and can commit to one to four weeks of action.

At 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 31 the lights will go out at the Delta Sun Peaks Resort, just one of the millions of businesses around the world supporting Earth Hour, the largest environmental event in history.

Earth Hour, the brainchild of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), is a simple movement that’s grown into a global phenomenon in just six short years. Last year, more than 5,200 cities and towns in 135 countries switched off their lights, sending a powerful message for action on
climate change.

“Earth Hour is a bit like an environmental New Year, providing a chance to reflect on how our planet’s faring and what we can do to help,” says Gerald Butts, WWF’s CEO. “That moment of reflection is the heart of Earth Hour.”
The Delta Sun Peaks Resort has long been a proponent of Earth Hour having hosted candlelit dinners with acoustic entertainment, but their commitment to the environment doesn’t start and end there.

“It’s not just about Earth Hour,” says Delta General Manager Roman St. Germain who oversees the hotel’s comprehensive Delta Greens Environmental Program. “It’s one thing to engage in Earth Hour, spending just one hour a year turning off your lights, that’s great. It’s another to be engaged, period.”

The invitation to switch off is extended to everyone. The annual event is scheduled from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. the last Saturday of every March, to closely coincide with the Vernal equinox, ensuring most cities are in darkness as Earth Hour unfolds around the Earth.

To register to support Earth Hour visit: www.earthhour.org.

When it comes to Christmas, many people join in the festivities by blanketing their houses and trees with colourful lights and shiny ornaments. But when it comes to property, where anyone is allowed access, is tree decorating merely littering or does the tradition extend past property lines?

Some Christmas decorations can be harmful to the environment and the animals that call those trees home. The biodegradability of the ornaments (or lack thereof) can classify the decorations as litter. Also, birds and other small animals may become confused and attempt to eat the shiny objects, causing a multitude of problems. Some believe that the year-round Christmas decorations are sign of neglect, and cast a negative light on the resort.

That being said, the majority of the voters and people of Sun Peaks enjoy the decorations and believe their presence adds a little extra bit of Christmas cheer to an already amazing place. Some believe that the decorations are a great idea, as long as those who bring the Christmas cheer clean up after themselves once the season has come to an end.

Shawn registered her opinion on the www.sunpeaksnews.com online poll, suggesting that the decorations keep “the Christmas cheer alive year-round” and many other voters (more than 80 per cent) agree that the ornaments are a positive addition to the resort.

According to Jamie Tattersfield, mountain operations manager for Sun Peaks Resort Corporation (SPRC), when it comes to the decorations being hung on resort property, it just adds to the Sun Peaks charm.

“All in all (it’s) a neat tradition, and I think unique to our resort,” Tattersfield states. “I know there’s opposition from some in terms of the clean up but we (SPRC) have no plans to limit the activity.”

So the debate surrounding the status of the decorations (litter or joyful additions) seems to have resolved itself with a conclusion that, those who spread Christmas cheer need to be mindful of nature and the animals, and clean up after themselves.

Burton’s Green Mountain Project uses recycled materials and Earth-friendly weatherproofing technology in a new line of outerwear. The goal is to create clothing that takes as little away from the environment as possible by preserving the Earth’s natural resources.

Similarly, Von Zipper’s Shift Into Neutral line of sunglasses and goggles uses a non-toxic, sustainable oil derived from the castor bean. Both companies are making slight changes that may not be as drastic as a complete company overhaul, but every little bit of eco-friendly awareness, and every effort, contributes to a brighter future.

Drake’s Hybrid bindings were also created with mother nature in mind. They use an eco-friendly, completely wooden high back, natural materials for the straps and non-toxic paint, making them a sophisticated combination of nature and technology.

One company that goes a step farther than the others is Arbor; the entire company revolves around environmental sustainability. Arbor uses renewable resources, such as bamboo, and harvesting techniques that are less invasive.

Scott Jansen, owner of 5Forty Ski-Board-Skate shop at Sun Peaks sells Arbor gear.

“They’re the most environmentally friendly snowboard company that (I’ve) ever dealt with,” he says. “Arbor’s an awesome company, they stand by their product and (their prices) are comparable to any other snowboard company.”

As we now have the option of buying environmentally conscious gear, we should be. We need a clean Earth, with snow, to ride and these companies are making changes and focusing on sustainability in order to protect the future of our planet’s ecosystems.

Both 5Forty and Southside Board Shop at Sun Peaks carry these environmentally conscious snowboard companies’ products, giving you the opportunity to make some choices with mother nature in mind.

“It was way more than I thought it would be,” grins Wild.

Wild, along with 60 other students from around the world joined the Students on Ice Expedition to the Antarctic in December. Now in its 11th year, the organization provides students, educators and scientists inspiring educational opportunities at the end of the Earth.

Travelling three days to Ushuaia, Argentina, the group boarded an expedition ship to cross the Drake Passage to the South Shetland Islands. Long feared by mariners, the Drake has a reputation for rough crossings.

“It was pretty bad, everyone was sick,” remembers Wild. “But after we crossed the passage, according to the ship’s crew, we had the best weather in the whole year.”

That weather opened a window on a world very few have encountered and, in Wild’s experience, a world that was untouched.

“I remember we were on the deck one day and a plane flew overhead. Everyone just stopped to watch this plane and it really showed me, there’s just no one down there.”

Adding to that perception of isolation, Students on Ice participants are required to unplug from the outside world. Wild didn’t mind being disconnected.

“I didn’t feel alone, but I did feel isolated, but in a good way,” explains Wild. “We were so busy during the day; we really didn’t notice it all.”

While the Antarctic may be devoid of humans, the wildlife is abundant. Sailing the Antarctic Ocean the group saw plenty of shore birds, seals and, on one occasion, a pod of 16 killer whales swam alongside their research vessel. Out on a hike one afternoon Wild and her fellow students encountered a mountain of penguins.

“It was pretty cool. We didn’t realize it was penguins until someone gave us binoculars and when we looked, (the horizon) was full of penguins; it was incredible!”

It’s a bit early to know what she’ll do for her career, but after taking part in the Students on Ice expedition, one thing Wild knows for sure is that it will somehow involve a return visit to Antarctica.
“It really showed me what is out there, and I’d love to go back,” she says. “It’s just incredible.”

Blake Andreassen is a lifelong skier, coach and FIS Technical Delegate whose interest has been piqued by ski history and antique ski poles in particular.

“I collect a lot of old ski equipment; I’ve got some old antique wooden skis on my wall and I wanted some bamboo poles to go with them,” he explains. “Now there are lots of old antique skis around, but very few pairs of old bamboo poles. The poles would get broken and thrown away. Because they’re so hard to come by, I made a few pairs for my display.”

On display in his Squamish car dealership, clients began to take an interest in the prototype poles.
“Everyone would ask me about these poles I had in my office,” Andreassen states. “And so I started making them and giving them to customers as gifts.”

The popularity of his poles is a combination of nostalgia, environmental consideration, practicality and funky style.

“It’s an old, antique looking ski pole and it’s very green, and it’s sort of retro looking. Most people ski with aluminum ski poles; if you fall on it, or bend it, it kinks and it breaks. The bottom part gets thrown in the bush, and it’s an environmental disaster, and now you have a sharp weapon in your hand and you have to head down the mountain and get a new pair. With the bamboo, if it breaks, it just sort of splinters and you put a bit of duct tape around it and you can probably finish the day skiing with the broken pole. And even if it does get thrown in the bush it’s going to rot and fall apart,” explains Andreassen.

Andreassen manufactures the poles himself, in small quantities. He uses bamboo for the shafts, plastic powder baskets and cork handles. Lately word has gotten out about these retro poles, and Andreassen is working to keep up with demand.

“I took ten pairs to Banff with me and everyone went nuts and I sold them all quick, boom.”

Closer to home, Sun Peaks local Peter Smith acquired a pair and likes the new feel.

“I like the fact that there’s give in the poles,” he says. “They have more flex than aluminum or steel or carbon fibre poles would give you, and it’s easy on the wrist because there’s a bowing nature. If you’re on blue ice (the aggressive tips) will be the best thing out there.”

The poles are being sold through Andreassen directly, and at McSporties at Sun Peaks.

“People like the look of them,” says McSporties employee Elise Benoit. “They keep commenting on them, so I’m sure they’ll sell.”

Since my life began as a seedling years ago, I have existed for one primary purpose – to spread joy and holiday cheer during the Christmas season. Being the center of attention comes and goes as the decorations go up and come down, but are you aware of just how brief my life cycle is?

It all starts with my production in a nursery. When I’m old enough, I’m cut down, fastened to a vehicle and transported to the home of a loving family where I’m decorated and put on display. For the duration of the holiday season, I’m the main feature of family gatherings and I always take centre stage on Christmas morning. But when the holiday season ends and Christmas decorations are put back in storage, I’ll be left out in the cold. The final stage of my life will involve being sent to a landfill where I’ll slowly decompose . . . or worse, go to an incinerator to meet a fiery death!

I’m speaking out to say that it doesn’t have to end like this.

Millions of Canadians will have a Christmas tree this year, but many don’t recognize that I and thousands of my fellow tree friends can be recycled and put to greater use. Adding to this bad news for us trees, one in three Canadians aren’t even sure if a tree recycling program exists in their community!

To my relief and that of thousands of natural Christmas trees across the country, there are ways we can be re-used long after the holiday season has come and gone. The best thing to do with your tree after Christmas has passed is to recycle it. You can recycle me through tree mulching and recycling programs, which are both fast-growing practices across Canada. Once trees are recycled, we can be turned into erosion barriers, garden mulch and can even be used to create feeding grounds for lake fish.

Christmas trees aren’t just a symbol for cheer and tradition; we can be recycled to have a tangible, positive affect on the environment long after the holiday season is over.

Christmas tree recycling is available at the Heffley Creek Landfill, and other locations in the City of Kamloops, from Dec. 29 until Jan. 18. In the 2010-11 holiday season, 3,616 trees were recycled in Kamloops, with 400 of those being composted. To date, Kamloops has recycled almost 150,000 trees. Click here for facility information.

Studies show that while most people recycle their containers most of the time, there’s one group that’s responsible for 87 per cent (or 242 million) of the containers that hit the trash, rather than the recycle bin. They are usually single, male and between 18 and 34 years of age.

“The push is really on to recycle as much as we can,” says Dennis Lebrie, environmental health safety technologist for the Thompson-Nicola Regional District. “I know it’s a lot of work, but they’re going to inherit the earth.”

Recycling has been available at the Sun Peaks transfer station since 2008 when the TNRD collected 840 metric tonnes of garbage and only 41.77 metric tonnes of recycling. In the time since, recycling has grown to 100.57 metric tonnes, while waste has gone down to 388 metric tonnes, proving that we’re doing something right at Sun Peaks.

While this dramatic reduction of waste and increase of recycling is impressive, we can always do more.
“We’re really quite pleased,” noted Lebrie. “We’d really like to bring that up to 50 per cent. That’s our goal, to ramp up and double what we’re recycling currently. It’s just so much better for the environment.”

The TNRD makes it easy for residents and visitors to recycle by providing a collection station at the Sun Peaks transfer station, located on Industrial Way. Simply put your recyclables in a see-through blue bag (keeping glass and cardboard separate) and drop them off during normal business hours.

For some people the additional cost of blue bags can be perceived as a barrier to recycling.

“If you don’t want to put it in a blue bag and you have a tote or a cardboard box, you can put all your stuff in that and you can dump it in the bin and keep the box, keep re-using it. You can get around the eight cents, that shouldn’t be a stumbling block,” commented Lebrie.

In 2011 the federal government announced the return of the ecoEnergy Retrofit for Homes Program, granting up to $5,000 for homeowners to improve their home’s energy efficiency. Including an allowance of $1,250 for installing a year-round solar hot water system. As homeowners evaluate their home’s energy efficiency, many are turning to solar thermal systems.

Advancements in solar energy production have resulted in two main types of solar energy systems.
“Flat panel is the old technology,” says Sun Peaks resident and systems architect Vladimir Grebenyuk. “Although they’ve been proven and work quite well in many installations, the new technology is vacuum tube which uses not only the visible light, but UV (ultra violet).”

The ability of the vacuum tubes to capture UV light is especially important for homeowners in British Columbia.

“They (the panels) could be covered in two feet of snow, it still penetrates,” notes Grebenyuk.
A vacuum tube solar thermal system is slightly more expensive than the older solar panel technology. Regardless of your choice, you will reduce greenhouse gases, improve energy efficiency, and reduce costs, while helping to save the planet.