2004 EcoStar Award Winners

There are many shades of being green. Happily, we have an award category for every one. The 2004 EcoStar Award winners are listed below.

Lifetime Achievement

Mr. Bill Turner, Executive Director and President of The Land Conservancy

In 1997, Mr. Turner founded The Land Conservancy with five other like-minded individuals. Mr. Turner has volunteered his time and energy to raise more than $20 million, enabling the preservation of 90 tracts of land comprising more than 100,000 acres.

Youth

Kaitlyn van der Werff

Kaitlyn van der Werff organized a comprehensive recycling program at Royal Oak Middle School, recruiting more than 50 student helpers to participate in the program. Kaitlyn used the funds generated from selling recyclables to cover the cost of purchasing containers to hold recycled materials and reward participants with bowling, golfing and laser tag field trips. She also nominated participating students for the school’s Service Honour Role.

Climate Change

Mr. Ted Sheldon, Chair, Greenhouse Gas Subcommittee CRD Roundtable on the Environment

Mr. Sheldon has been key in developing a regional community energy plan to mitigate climate change. In so doing he has demonstrated vision, innovation, leadership and optimism in bringing together diverse perspectives and interests in the climate change area.

Conservation and Restoration

Highlands Stewardship Foundation

The Highlands Stewardship Foundation is a non-profit society formed in 1996 to promote environmental stewardship. Its efforts were initially focused on conserving and restoring the natural habitat around Fork Lake. The group’s interests have since expanded to include seven of the 10 lakes in the District.

Drinking Water Stewardship

Island Farm Dairies Co-op Association

Island Farms demonstrated its commitment to reducing water and energy consumption by increasing the efficiency of its equipment, adopting more efficient work practices, and through company policies like using drought tolerant native plants in company landscaping. Island Farms reduced its water consumption by some 30,000 cubic meters per year, the equivalent of 120 households’ water use.

Environmental Education

SeaChange Marine Conservation Society

SeaChange Marine Conservation Society is a non-profit group founded to build environmental awareness, create awareness of First Nations’ culture and promote teamwork. The society engages students in a day-long excursion to the Esquimalt Lagoon. In four years more than 2000 students and 60 teachers have participated in the program.

Pollution Prevention

Dad’s Homemade Soups and Sangy’s

Dad’s is a finalist in this category for its proactive approach to pollution prevention. The restaurant implemented all mandatory requirements of the source control bylaw and went beyond it to adopt voluntary best management practices that exceed the bylaw.

Research and Technology

David Polster

Mr. Polster is widely known for his success in soil bioengineering which uses living plants in place of engineered structures to stabilize banks. He has developed an ecological approach to vegetation management using non-chemical ways to manage invasive species and is a principal contributor to the Gary Oak Ecosystem Recovery Team.

Sustainability

Terra Firma Builders Ltd. of Salt Spring Island

Terra Firma was founded by Mr. Meror Krayenhoff the first commercial contractor in the world to build with insulated rammed earth. His patented technology has resulted in a wall system that is energy efficient, beautiful and safe, even in an earthquake. His latest development, SIREwall technology further refines the rammed earth concept, resulting in an extremely durable and long-lasting product with the added benefits of insulation inside the wall.

Transportation

John Luton, Executive Director of Capital Bike and Walk

Mr. Luton’s commitment to getting people out of cars and onto the street is legendary. He has been instrumental in organizing a host of events, conferences and promotions including Bike to Work Week. Mr. Luton worked with the Victoria Airport Authority to establish the first bicycle service station in North America.

Urban Watershed Protection

University of Victoria

The University of Victoria is the first university in Canada to develop an integrated storm water management plan. The university lands are at the headwater of four watersheds. The sensitivity of its geographic positioning prompted the university to develop a plan to reduce water flows and improve the quality of those flows.

Waste Reduction

Cottage Grove Contracting Ltd.

Cottage Grove Contracting Ltd. deconstructed three homes in Saanich, salvaging valuable wood, windows, bricks and other materials which were resold, reused or donated to Habitat for Humanity. Concrete from the homes’ foundations was crushed and reused as gravel. Metals from electrical fittings and plumbing were recycled. The project reused or recycled more than 85 per cent of the waste materials from these three homes.

EcoStar Awards