Written by Casey Clair, Energy & Climate Advocate
Community-based sustainability is a key strategy in developing flourishing eco-conscious businesses. At The Chamber, it is important for us to promote sustainable businesses and their green initiatives. In our Sustainability Spotlights, we will shift our focus towards sustainable practices and the people that adopt and amplify them.
This September, we interviewed Josep Seras-Gubert, executive director of Green Action Centre.
Josep came to Winnipeg from Toronto in 2019 and wanted to find a job that aligned with his values and skills. He started as Green Action Centre’s Sustainability Projects Coordinator, which eventually lead to his role as executive director in early 2020.
While Josep is about to celebrate his fifth year working with the team, Green Action Centre itself will be celebrating its 40th anniversary this coming February.
So, what is Green Action Centre?
They’re a non-profit organization here in Winnipeg that works to promote environmental sustainability and encourages the community to get involved. Green Action Centre promotes environmental education, policy and advocacy for waste reduction and sustainable transportation. Green Action Centre accomplishes these goals through some pretty cool community-based activities.
Every summer in June, Green Action Centre hosts the Commuter Challenge. It’s a week-long challenge to choose active, sustainable transportation. You can collect points as a team or on your own and you can even win prizes! These sustainable and active modes of transportation include walking, running, wheeling, cycling, rollerblading, car-pooling, telecommuting and taking the bus.
And staying sustainable isn’t just for the warmer months. Green Action Centre also hosts the Jack Frost Challenge every February to encourage everyone to stay active, and pursue sustainable transportation all-year-round. The Jack Frost Challenge asks you, alone or as a team, to log 130 kilometers either by walking, running, snowshoeing, skiing and/or tobogganing. They even work with Kendrick’s Outdoor Adventures so that people can rent fat tire bikes to cycle along the Nestaweya River Trail or elsewhere around The Forks.
“At the end of the day, what we want is people getting connected to the outdoor environment because it’s where you become healthier and feel more connected.”
Green Action Centre promotes waste reduction by offering green audits for businesses and organizations. They even have a compost program available commercially and residentially through Green Action Centre’s social enterprise, Compost Winnipeg. It’s a great option for people looking to reduce the amount of waste they produce or for those who want a healthier carbon footprint.
In addition to their events, Green Action Centre has also created a platform called GoManitoba, a tool designed to ride-match people who want to carpool, bike or walk together.
“I’m trying to ride-match people that can go walking, biking, even use transit. It’s a very social tool with the objective of using sustainable, affordable and healthy practices.”
If you’re ready to get involved, Green Action Centre’s next upcoming event is October 9 and focuses on Equitable Cities and mobility in our transportation system.
“What we do is try to provide sustainable, affordable and healthy solutions to people to do better. Everything is connected.”
Are you ready to become a more sustainable, energy efficient business? Please reach out to our energy and climate advocate, Casey Clair, for more details and find your energy savings today!
