Projects
There are many ways to define sustainability, but at the root, it means to be able to balance today’s needs with the needs of tomorrow. To get there, we strive to foster sustainability awareness, ethics and skills so that we can, as a community, gain the skills and knowledge we will need to live a more sustainable future.
We work towards sustainability through the three pillars of Energy Security, Water Security and Food Security.
Energy Security
- Partner with local organizations, such as Foothills Energy Co-op, to offer opportunities for community members to learn how and why to add solar energy infrastructure to homes
- Collaborate with community members to increase public energy literacy through initiatives such as host How to Read Your Utility Bill presentations
- Support initiatives to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, such as cycling infrastructure and safety
- Develop one or more local distribution energy system
- Create new energy sources from existing and future technologies
Water Security
- Provide opportunities for local residents and businesses to learn how to implement effective water conservation strategies
- Develop ways to make our water sources more secure
- Install water capture/reuse systems for homes and businesses, which also help to meet our Energy Security goals
- Promote efficient water use practices
Food Security
- Plant a variety of perennial food plants, shrubs, and trees wherever possible
- Support local businesses to reduce their food waste
- Support initiatives designed to gather, distribute, and process unwanted fruit from existing and future trees in our local area
- Create partnerships with local farmers and ranchers with a focus on a secure local food supply
- Share knowledge on how to grow, process, and use herbs for medicinal purposes
- Develop a variety of ways to grow food indoors and over all four seasons
- Support the development of local food production initiatives
- Build greenhouses in the local area, with a focus on 3- or 4-season growing
Skill Sharing
Located at 218 Kennedy Drive SE in the Turner side of town, Valley Makerspace is a community skill- and resource-sharing hub. Click here to learn more about Valley Makerspace!
Repair
Repairing, rather than replacing, broken items is a great way to give new life to your belongings while diverting waste from landfill and learn hands-on skills while you’re at it! Diamond Valley is fortunate to have monthly Repair Cafes hosted at the Griffith Centre. Visit the Griffiths Centre events calendar for upcoming Repair Cafe dates.
Repurpose
- Meet community needs by producing needed items from ‘waste’. Examples:
– Using discarded livestock feed bags to produce products such as aprons, tote bags and tool belts
– Using discarded curtains to produce reusable produce bags
Education
- Develop a series of workshops designed to relearn skills useful in potential situations where our needs cannot be met by usual methods, for both kids and adults
- Engage children through nature-based programming, such as Forest School
- Create a local barter system, perhaps with a local currency
- Develop ways of fostering and enhancing a spirit of community among our members
- Develop a virtual library and knowledge base — documents, podcasts, references, and use of technology to create virtual environments.