reThink Green

Our annual Regional Business Forum is back for its 9th year! 2024 is all about Innovation in Climate Change. Join us on November 29th for a morning filled with insightful discussions, networking opportunities, and innovative ideas on how Northern Ontario businesses and individuals can mitigate and adapt to climate change. Get tickets here: https://lnkd.in/gRx57cx8 This in-person event will bring together business leaders, experts, and enthusiasts to explore new ways to address the pressing issue of climate change. Don't miss out on this chance to be part of the solution and make a positive impact on our environment. See you there! Holiday Inn Sudbury, November 29th, 7:30 am - 12:30 pm. Breakfast and lunch included with ticket.

It just got easier for Northern Ontario businesses to start their journey to sustainable operations with our Green Economy North program! Our new Membership Tracks allow you to choose what level of participation you want to reach and customize your Green Economy experience based on your unique capacity and goals. 1. The Discover Track is a great starting point for businesses who are not ready or don't have the capacity to dive all the way in just yet. You'll be part of our network, and will be invited to all events and educational opportunities! 2. The Insight Track includes all the perks of Discover, plus the option to begin measuring your Greenhouse Gas emissions. 3. The Lead Track is the signature offering, with all the perks of Discover and Insight plus access to the full array of GEC's resources, help creating your very own Action Plan to reduce emissions and costs, and the status of a Green Economy Leader. There's a Track for everyone! We're so pleased to be able to offer this flexible membership system, making sustainable business accessible to more Northern Ontario organizations. To get started with Green Economy North, contact us at info@rethinkgreen.ca or online at https://lnkd.in/gK4eHZ8b

We are seeking new board members to help us continue to grow as a champion of sustainability in Northern Ontario, connecting people, ideas, and resources to make our home a greener one for all of us. The programs that you would be contributing to are tackling many different challenges facing individuals and organizations in Northern Ontario: Flour Mill Community Farm - supporting youth employment and access to affordable fresh produce. Smart Commute Sudbury - connecting people to make sustainable and accessible commuting options easier to find for the commuters of Sudbury. Green Economy North - building a network of sustainable businesses across Northern Ontario, and helping organizations reduce emissions. Interested in getting involved? Contact us at www.rethinkgreen.ca or email us at info@rehtinkgreen.ca Or, Share if you know someone who would be interested!

Many of us still remember our first summer job - it kept us busy between school years, taught us important lessons about the professional world, and maybe even introduced us to what would become a life-long interest or passion. Unfortunately, lots of young people today struggle to find their own summer jobs and miss out on these important experiences. This is especially true in underserved neighbourhoods like Ryan Heights in Sudbury. So, we are incredibly proud of our Youth Employment Program at the Flour Mill Community Farm, which directly addresses this issue. Through this program, we have provided safe, educational, and empowering summer jobs to over 50 Sudbury high school students with the help of the YMCA of Northeastern Ontario-Employment and Immigrant Services, Sudbury. The youth who spend a summer with us leave with improved confidence and are better prepared to enter the working world after school. We are proud of every one of them, and we are so thankful that we have been able to offer these jobs for the last seven summers and counting. The quote below is from one of the students we had this summer. They spoke with us at the FMCF Open House this past week, which was the last day on the farm for many of our youth employees. They shared their favourites parts of the summer, and their thoughts on the value of this program. To support future summers and youth at the farm, your contribution is crucial. Please visit our donation page www.rethinkgreen.ca/donate or contact info@rethinkgreen.ca to learn more. This program is only possible through the generosity of others, and your support is greatly appreciated. Thank you!

The Flour Mill Community Farm, one of our programs that supports food sovereignty and youth employment in Sudbury, was featured on CTV News yesterday! Our farm coordinators had a chance to discuss the value of an urban farm in Sudbury, and youth participants shared their thoughts about their summer with us at the farm. We are very proud to champion this project for our community and hope to continue for many growing seasons to come. See the article and video from CTV News here: https://lnkd.in/gMvyQ4Kg Learn more about the Flour Mill Community Farm and how you can support it here: https://lnkd.in/gPfsXTGy

Split Rail Brewing Co. on Manitoulin Island was another one of our Microgrant recipients this Spring that shared their story with us. They used their funds to update some of their brewery equipment. Specifically, to keep the brewing room cool and the glycol used in brewing even cooler! How would you use a Microgrant to improve your business' sustainability? With their new equipment, keeping the drinks nice and cold uses up less energy and creates fewer emissions. After all, nothing beats a sip of a drink kept cold using sustainable technology on a hot summer afternoon! Watch the linked video to hear more about their business and how they are working towards a greener business model. https://lnkd.in/ghNDXcZv Find their website with products here: splitrailmanitoulin.com

As we are halfway through and especially warm July, we'd like to share another refreshing story from our Microgrant recipients! Meet Create Your Wave in Gravenhurst, the creators behind new ways to get around on water and on land - perfect for the summer! In this video, Brad Anderson from Create Your Wave shares insights on his all-electric fleet of surfboards and the journey they've been on to bring emissions-free recreation and transportation to Northern Ontario. The funds they received from our Green Economy North Microgrant Program has helped them to do this! For more information on their business and products, visit www.cywnow.com -- https://lnkd.in/gFuCvtje

We are ready to welcome new members to our Board of Directors for this Fall! This is an excellent opportunity to add your voice to environmental and social causes in Greater Sudbury and the rest of Northern Ontario. We focus on regional initiatives, and we connect people, ideas, and resources to build a more sustainable community. We strive to collaborate with like-minded organizations and individuals locally, provincially, and globally. If you are interested in joining this movement, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email at info@rethinkgreen.ca for inquiries and to express interest. For more information on our Board of Directors, including details on our Board Chair, visit our website: https://lnkd.in/gGqnPKrn

We are so excited to welcome our new crew of Youth Employment Program participants to the Flour Mill Community Farm for the 2024 season! We're looking forward to a great summer of learning and growing. Our Youth Employment Program focuses on providing local youth ages 15-18 with practical work experience on our urban farm, and teaching them about urban agriculture, food science, workplace skills, and more. This program is only possible through our community's support! If your business is interested in sponsoring the Farm and our Youth Employment Program, please reach out to our Development Coordinator Adam Churchard at adam.churchard@rethinkgreen.ca. Farm sponsorship is a great way to support the community, demonstrate your commitment to local youth and sustainability, and connect your brand with our large supporter base! Thank you to all the businesses and organizations who have sponsored our season so far, including YMCA of Northeastern Ontario-Employment and Immigrant Services, Sudbury, Sudbury Credit Union Limited, and Responsible Mining Solutions (RMS). Your contributions make our growing season possible!

This past spring, our Green Economy North program provided funding to several of our members to support their journey to reduce their business' emissions. A few of them shared their story with us, and now with you! We'll be sharing these stories over the next few weeks. This first story is from Waveform Plastics Technologies Ltd. in Burk's Falls. Through our Microgrant program, they were able to install new and more efficient thermoforming equipment, and build a community around them in the process. Check it out! If you're interested in learning more about our Green Economy North program, please visit https://lnkd.in/gK4eHZ8b https://lnkd.in/gt__FKJb