Saskatchewan Low Carbon Stories
Every day businesses, organizations, communities, and farms in rural and small town Saskatchewan face tough choices about where to devote their time, resources, energy, and expertise. They know how important it is to keep improving practices and preparing for the future. Saskatchewan’s social and economic landscape is changing and Saskatchewan innovators are responding in ways that make economic and environmental sense.
Here is a series of stories and videos highlighting Saskatchewan innovators who are making changes that are good for the climate and good for their bottom line. Small changes add up and can have significant long-term impacts.
Axten Farms | Minton, Saskatchewan
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- Intercropping or growing more than one crop in a field at one time
- Keeping soil covered at all times, whether through a living cover or crop residue
- Integrating compost and compost derivatives into their soil management to stabilize soil pH and nutrients
- Eliminating or minimizing soil disturbance through low-disturbance seeding and controlled traffic farming
K-Lane Kennels | Kronau, Saskatchewan
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- Since 2002, planting over 5,000 trees and shrubs, and native grasslands
- Geothermal earth heat to heat the kennel facility
- 48 kilowatt solar farm generates 100% of the kennel’s electrical needs
- T12 fluorescent lighting fixtures replaced with LEDs and installed lighting timers
- Canine Carpool Service: provides daily canine car pool shuttle service, where customers save 100 km+ in vehicle carbon emissions for every one-way trip
- Air drying dog bedding rather than using a dryer
McCreary Land & Livestock | Bladworth, Saskatchewan
- Continuous cropping helps to buffer temperature variation, reduce moisture loss, protect against erosion, reduce weed competition, and provide habitat for soil microorganisms
- Sweet clover included in crop rotations to remediate saline areas, improve soil biology and nitrogen content
- Integrating animal waste supports soil microbiology and ability to sequester carbon
- Preserving wetland and bush supports carbon sequestration
- 16.9 kilowatt solar array provides all of the farm’s electrical needs
Nipawin Bible College | Nipawin, Saskatchewan
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- A 400-panel, 100 kilowatt solar array spans 7,150 square feet
- About 200 fluorescent lights were retrofitted to T8s with electronic ballasts; incandescent lights were replaced with LEDs
- Car plug-in timers reduces parking lot electricity consumption by over 75%
- 60-year-old freezers replaced with well-insulated, higher-efficiency models
- Air conditioning is being used strategically than previously
Northern Village of Green Lake, Saskatchewan
- 31.5 kilowatt solar array provides about half of the electricity needed by the community hall and arena
- Local school was the hub of community support
- Project is the starting point for the community which hopes to build more solar installations in the future
We want to come to your community and talk about these stories. If this interests you, contact us at info@environmentalsociety.ca