Resilience was the word of the day at the Yellowhead Brewery on April 6 as 100+ people packed the place for the latest Green Drinks Edmonton. We asked our guests and speakers, what does local resilience mean to you?
For Rachael Putt, policy advisor & community liaison at the City of Edmonton, it’s about engaging Edmontonians in areas that can inhibit personal resilience, such as mental health and urban isolation. Howard Lawrence, who co-founded Edmonton’s Abundant Communities Initiative, shared a perspective that focuses on creating connections among neighbours. That in turn can lead to an increased sense of self and encourage people to work towards a common good. (By the way: you can take part in free workshops and conversations cafes with Howard during the 2016 Edmonton Resilience Festival.)
No demeanour is quite as resilient as Allison Maclean of Carbon Environmental Boutique. Her goal in life is to spread joy and happiness to the entire city while offering up unique, planet-friendly products. Michael Moore’s focus is on the sustainability of our food production. As the president of the Edmonton Permaculture Guild and works hard to bring people together around the common thread of permaculture and sustainable living.
But could living sustainably mean making the most of your space to keep wants and needs in check? That’s part of the thinking behind YEG Tiny Home. Marc Davison presented on how living in small spaces can be positive for your mental health and your pocket book. You’ve heard of shop locally … but craft locally? It is possible, but not so easy. And that’s why Alliston Findlay got involved with the Alberta Yarn Project to keep our crafting supplies in Alberta, whenever possible. Don’t forget to check out their locally focused Craft and Draught events.
What role can research projects have in the overall sustainability of our city? Kevin Jones is a community-engaged researcher on topics ranging from city building to public engagement. Got an idea for a research project? Kevin Jones is a great person to talk to first.
Resilience and sustainability sometimes get a little lost in the world of business. But Terry Nguyen, president of oikos Edmonton, said he doesn’t think it has to be that way. Oikos educates students about sustainable business practices through networking and hands-on projects.
Rob Agostinis snuck out before we could get him on stage, but his involvement in the Edmonton Federation of Community Leagues and several other boards and committees cannot be denied.
Overall, the event also served to whet people’s appetite for the Edmonton Resilience Festival. Interested? Check out the list of speakers and get your tickets here … because we’re only so resilient against selling out.