1998 Nova Scotia Environmental Awards

Environment Minister Don Downe today presented awards to 23 Nova Scotian citizens, companies and community groups to recognize their commitment to improving the provincial ecosystem.

"You are all a force of positive change," Mr. Downe told the award recipients at a ceremony in Halifax. "Your efforts are a lot like the stone striking the pond. The ripple effect of your example spreads the message that people can make a difference when it comes to environmental quality."

The recipients were selected from among nominations made by the public or received from regional science fairs. The selection committee comprised chairman William Charles, Mark Coffin, Doreen Crick, Stephen Rankin and Anne Wilkie. All are members of the Nova Scotia Environmental Assessment Board.

The award recipients are:

BUSINESS/INDUSTRIAL CATEGORY
Plaque:

Refrigerant Service Inc., Dartmouth

Refrigerant Services Inc., a Nova Scotia company, established Canada's first refrigerant-reclamation facility in Dartmouth in 1993. Since then, the company has developed a unique patent pending process to separate refrigerant mixtures and, in 1995, designed and built the first effective commercial refrigerant separation system in the world.

Certificates of Merit:

1. The Good Earth Organic Resources Group Ltd., Lower
   Sackville

The Good Earth Organic Resources Group Ltd., 100 per cent Nova Scotia owned and operated, is dedicated to sustainable economic and ecologic development. The Good Earth, using in-vessel technology, manufactures compost through the diversion of industrial, commercial and institutional waste from landfill disposal. The Good Earth will play a major role in achieving the provincial goal of 50 per cent diversion of organics from landfills.

2. Titan Technology Ltd., Halifax

Titan Technology Ltd.'s provincial hazardous material management initiative has created a solution for managing materials such as asbestos, mould, lead and chemicals. Their provincial program is called Asbestos Trakker 98.

CITIZEN GROUP CATEGORY
Plaque:

1. Atlantic Wood Energy Technicians Association, Dartmouth

The Atlantic Wood Energy Technicians Association, an industry-led non-profit group of residential wood-heating professionals, was founded in 1989 for the main purpose of promoting all aspects of safety and safety training concerning residential wood heating. The association spearheaded a Healthy Woodstove Awareness Campaign. The Burn It Hot, Keep It Clean campaign was a success, and committee members plan to repeat it in 1998.

2. Glace Bay Optimists Club, Glace Bay

The Glace Bay Optimists Club, in partnership with Human Resources Development Canada, was responsible for the development and introduction of a job-creation project focused on improving the environment of the local community. The U-CARE project encompassed education on solid waste disposal methods, community gardens, composting, and environmental clubs in the schools.

CREATIVE ARTS CATEGORY
Certificate of Merit:

The Sustainable Times, Halifax

The Sustainable Times, published in Halifax, is a quarterly national news magazine focused on the environment and community issues. The publication features success stories, action ideas and articles from Canada and around the world.

EDUCATION CATEGORY
Plaque:

1. Heather Nolsoe of Windsor Forks District School, Windsor

Heather Nolsoe began an environmental awareness program at the Windsor Forks School in September 1994. Started as a composting and recycling program, the project was expanded in 1995 to include environmental involvement through the school's enrolment in the SEEDS Environmental Green School Project. The students were recently awarded Emerald School status upon completion of 500 environmental projects.

2. Whycocomagh Consolidated School staff, Whycocomagh

The Whycocomagh Consolidated School has been committed to improving its curriculum by more fully integrating environmental education into all disciplines and units. Efforts have included a recycling program, a comprehensive study of the water quality of Whycocomagh Bay, a pioneer farm, a symposium on environmental education, schoolyard naturalization, and registration with the Indicators Project, known as Rescue Mission Planet Earth.

Certificates of Merit:

1. Dartmouth High School, Dartmouth

Over the past several years, Dartmouth High School students and staff have raised their awareness of environmental issues in numerous ways. The Environment Club is responsible for several in-house projects. These include a recycling program, a cleanup and beautification of the Thistle Street area and entrance, the Memory Garden in the centre of the school, and involvement in a school ground naturalization project.

2. Sharon Hawboldt, Granville Ferry

Sharon Hawboldt, a Grade 2 teacher at Annapolis East Elementary School, is an experienced educator and birder. The Classroom Feeder Watch program was initiated after Ms. Hawboldt was invited by Bird Studies Canada to be the Nova Scotia pilot for the expansion of their highly successful program in Canadian schools. Ms. Hawboldt has also played a pivotal role in the design, implementation and funding of the school's naturalization initiative.

GOVERNMENT CATEGORY
Plaque:

Carol MacKenzie, Pictou County

Carol MacKenzie, Pictou County's waste reduction co-ordinator, has been described as the driving force behind the county's successful solid waste program. Ms. MacKenzie is responsible for the co-ordination of waste reduction for six municipal units. She has implemented the blue bag program, is responsible for the Sensible Sam and Maggie cartoon in the local newspaper, visits schools to educate students on the benefits of recycling, and organized the first Pictou County paint swap in 1995. Through the above efforts of both Ms. MacKenzie and county residents, 14,641 tonnes of material have been diverted from the landfill since 1989.

INDIVIDUAL CATEGORY
Plaque:

1. William McCurdy, Truro

William McCurdy has been a leader in the introduction of floatation tires on manure spreaders for the reduction of soil compaction, and a pioneer in the area of no-till, and minimum-till seeding of grains, corn and forages for the reduction of soil erosion. Mr. McCurdy has volunteered countless hours promoting the importance of soil conservation in Nova Scotia and, as a member of the board of directors of the Soil Conservation Council of Canada, has brought local soil conservation issues to the national level.

2. Etta Parker, Halifax

Etta Parker, a dedicated conservationist and environmentalist, was nominated as the project co-ordinator for the Nova Scotia Piping Plover Guardian Program. Since 1991 she has been tireless in patrolling beaches, encouraging beach visitors to stay away from nesting birds, recruiting, training and motivating other volunteers, writing newsletters, gathering and reporting statistics.

Certificate of Merit:

John Findlay, Maccan

John Findlay has been actively promoting recycling in the West End Memorial Elementary School for the past three years. Through his efforts, 200 students and nine staff are active participants in a recycling program.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT CATEGORY
Certificate of Merit:

Chezzetcook Harbour Revitalization Association, Chezzetcook

The Chezzetcook Harbour Revitalization Association is a non-profit organization of concerned citizens from the Chezzetcook and Grand Desert area along the Eastern Shore. Its goal is to clean up the Chezzetcook Inlet, lower pollution levels entering this body of water, and reopen the clam flats to shellfish harvesting. The association's concerted efforts have already achieved a winter opening of the clam fishery and they hope to soon have the flats open year-round.

YOUTH CATEGORY
Certificate of Merit:

The S.A.E.R.C. (Strait Area Education Recreation Centre)
Highland Thunder Electric Racing Team, Port Hawkesbury

The members of the Highland Thunder Electric Racing Team are Cara Dawson, Janine Goyetche, Erin MacIntyre, Nicole MacDonald, Amie MacDonald, Natalie MacKeigan, Elisa Conner and Cheryl Kawaja. After more than three years of hard work, the eight grades 11 and 12 honours French immersion students have successfully completed construction of an environmentally friendly electric race car.

SCIENCE FAIR CATEGORY
Plaques:

1. Amanda Cherpak, Cape Breton Regional Science Fair,
   North Sydney

Amanda Cherpak's project, Plug Into The Earth, was an exploration of geothermal energy as an alternative means of meeting our energy needs.

2. Esther Miedema, Colchester County Regional Science Fair,
   Truro

Esther Miedema's project, Poison In the Parlour, examined the harmful effects of household chemicals indoors.

3. Nicole Earl, Annapolis Valley Regional Science Fair,
   Truro

Nicole Earl's project, Green House, explored the possibility of building a house out of recycled materials. She was able to construct 85 per cent of her house using recycled materials.

4. Lisa Romkey and Jennifer Boutilier, Halifax-Dartmouth
   Regional Science Fair, Halifax

Lisa Romkey's and Jennifer Boutilier's project, Lichenology of Halifax, explored the use of lichens as indicators of atmospheric pollution by sulphur dioxide.

Certificate of Merit:

Marian Williams and Julie Doyle, Pictou County Regional
Science Fair, Guysborough

Marian Williams's and Julie Doyle's project, Mould and Bacterial Growth Found In Guysborough Municipal High School, explored the direct and indirect effects of such growth on students and staff.