Since we meet so many cool people at Green Drinks, we decided to start interviewing some of them. To start off, we talked to the multitalented and always fascinating Lindsey Locke after our last event, Green Drinks: Good Business. Next up is Green Drinks: Habitat on February 1. Hope to see you there!
Hi Lindsey! How long have you lived in Edmonton?
I have lived in Edmonton since October 2014, so just over two years!
Was Good Business your first Green Drinks? If so, why did you decide to come? If not, how many have you been to?
My very first Green Drinks was in the spring of 2015… I believe it was about local food! I went because, as a newcomer to Edmonton, I wanted to meet new people who enjoyed community-minded initiatives. I’ll be honest, I initially thought there were going to be green smoothies!
What were you at Green Drinks to tell people about?
When I first attended Green Drinks, I was eager to tell people about a couple of things happening in Edmonton:
The Vegans & Vegetarians of Alberta. We organize and put on events throughout the year to showcase plant-based lifestyles, including Veganuary, March Meat-Out, and Vegtoberfest. A highlight each year is the day that they get to take over the Sip ‘n Savour tent at Taste of Edmonton, where there have been cook-offs, kids activities, and mini-markets. I believe that there are important aspects of a vegan & vegetarian lifestyle that prove to be more sustainable and easier on the environment, which ties into Green Drinks quite nicely!
Change of Clothes. It’s an Edmonton-based (for now) initiative that brings light to ethical, sustainable fashion. I recall the Green Drinks that was called “Greening Out Your Closet”, where I experienced a clothing swap for the first time and brainstormed part of Change of Clothes with Flatter:Me Belts’ Claire Theaker-Brown. It was amazing how an activity so fun and simple could be so sustainable. A few aspects of this particular Green Drinks inspired some of the activities at Change of Clothes (ie. clothes swap, speakers). We had our first event in June of 2015 and our second event in April of 2016. We hope to have our third event sometime soon, ideally showcasing the ethical fashion documentary, The True Cost.
Flash-forward to now and you will notice that my vision has changed since the beginning…
In December 2016, I became a 200HR Yoga Teacher. Over the holidays, I organized an event called “Flow for the SPCA,” where venues provided their space at no charge and all classes were by donation. With the help of the community, I was able to raise over $400 for the Medicine Hat SPCA. I hope to return to Green Drinks in the future, pitching various yoga fundraiser ideas. Stay tuned!
Who’s the most interesting person you met at the last Green Drinks? (i.e. who should we interview next?)
Kurtis Ewanchuk is a pretty interesting fella! I haven’t talked with him much outside of Green Drinks, but he is a notable character who knows a thing or two about permaculture!
What do you do for work right now?
I have a few things going on right now, actually! I do freelance photography, writing, and social media under Lindsey Catherine Photo + Media, I am an aspiring yoga teacher under Lindsey Catherine Yoga, and I work full-time as a marketer/writer (this is currently in a transition period, so I can’t tell you much else about that right now!)
Can you tell us one nerdy, quirky or interesting fact about yourself?
I am currently taking some DJ lessons through Night Vision! I love to learn new skills whenever possible, and this is a great way to keep the creativity flowing! I’m not sure what I will end up doing with it, but I’m having a blast along the way… Yoga DJ maybe?!
If you could instantly change one thing about Edmonton, or add something we don’t have, what would it be? Is there something you’ve seen in another city that you wish was in Edmonton?
If I could instantly change one thing about Edmonton, it would be to have more efficient ways to get from point A to B. I used to live in Calgary and I found that there were so many main routes (ie. Memorial, Crowfoot), which made driving around the city a breeze. As well, it would be nice to see more designated bike routes along the main roads to make for easier commuting. It seems as though I hear horror stories every week or so from my biking friends (especially in the summertime). I feel most confident biking on the sidewalk, but I understand that’s discouraged by the authorities.
Want to learn more about Lindsey Locke? Her websites are www.lindseycatherine.ca and www.lindseycatherineyoga.ca. She’s on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, and she posts about yoga on Facebook and Instagram too.
