Story by: Ron Toyota, Mayor of the Town of Creston

Last month Labatt Brewing Company (Columbia Brewery) and the Town of Creston co-hosted an environmental awareness forum.

The event was initiated by brewery general manager Murray Oswald as his company was participating in a worldwide environmental awareness forum organized by the United Nations. He wanted to promote the event with a local, CrestonValley focus.

About 35 individuals gathered for four hours to listen to presentations about how local businesses and organizations are addressing environmental concerns with common-sense ideas that result in real cost savings.

Highlights of the event included the following discussions:

• Chief Jason Louie explained his culture and how appreciating the simple gifts of nature (water, air, land and animals) is important in the daily lives of Lower Kootenay Band members.
• Interior Health and CrestonValleyHospital are utilizing daily practices to be more environmentally friendly. Additionally, they are piloting a “solar wall” concept in order to save on energy costs while providing more efficient heating.
• Our Creston and District Community Complex is using the latest technology to provide energy savings in the new indoor aquatic centre, curling rink and hockey arena.
• Wynndel Box and Lumber utilizes energy savings systems and also has strong planting and reclamation programs to restore their woodlands.
• The College of the Rockies is aggressively expanding its greenhouse program and providing locally grown foods for our “10-mile diets.”
• The Creston Valley Food Action Coalition has the C.V. Farmers’ Market and Harvest Share program in full swing.
• The Columbia Brewery outlined its energy saving programs.
• Fortis expanded on its grant programs for energy savings.

The general consensus of forum participants was that we must continue with this type of local event to bring awareness to others in our community and promote and expand the sharing of workable ideas. Partnerships will be considered to make this kind of forum an annual event.

(Ron Toyota can be reached by phone at 250-428-2214, e-mail at Ron.Toyota@creston.ca or on the Web at www.creston.ca.)