On Earth Day most blogs will tell you to turn the tap off when you brush your teeth and stop driving your non-hybrid car to work. But not ours! We would rather let you know about innovative Canadian social enterprises that are both green and socially responsible…so here are three examples for you:
Green your deliveries while supporting survivors of mental illness:
A-Way Express Courier Service (http://www.awaycourier.ca/)
Located in Toronto, A-Way Express is a package and document courier service that is founded and staffed by survivors of mental illness. As their website explains, “Yes, the patients are running the institution, and they have been running it successfully for over 23 years, building a base of more than 1,700 customers.”
So why is A-Way Express considered to be green? Well, that would be because this social enterprise courier service is carbon neutral. They use public transportation to make all of their deliveries, which means their business doesn’t negatively impact carbon dioxide levels. I’ll bet you don’t know of another courier service that can boast this claim!
Green your home while helping low-income households:
City Green Solutions (http://www.citygreen.ca/)
Operating throughout British Columbia, City Green Solutions provides tools, resources, and services and to improve the energy efficiency of homes and buildings. City Green Solutions’ profits are reinvested into energy savings programs for the affordable housing sector, and energy efficiency education.
Some of the many services City Green Solutions offer include:
- – Home energy assessments
- – Access to grants for energy efficient home improvements
- – Thermal imaging
- – Custom energy efficiency outreach campaigns
- – New home energy efficiency services
Green your renovation while helping to fund affordable housing initiatives:
ReStore (http://www.habitat.ca/en/community/restores)
ReStore, a social enterprise operated by Habitat for Humanity affiliates, sells new and recycled building supplies provided by corporate and individual donors. The profits are then reinvested to help fund Habitat for Humanity’s affordable housing initiatives. The sale of these materials also ensures useful building materials are recycled, and therefore diverted from North American landfills. In fact, ReStores prevented 12,000 tonnes of supplies from entering Canadian landfills in 2010!
With 65 locations in Canada, every Habitat for Humanity ReStore outlet offers a unique shopping experience because their individual inventories are both different and ever-changing. From windows and doors to lumber and appliances, ReStore has your green renovation needs covered. To find a ReStore location near you, click here.
Happy Earth Day!