In Canmore, the environment contributes so much to our daily quality of life. In part because of this special relationship with the natural world, Canmore is emerging as a Canadian leader in tackling the difficult question of how to live within its limits. How can we live sustainably – in a way that will allow us to meet our own needs without compromising the needs of future generations?

As part of a unique partnership, the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley and the Town of Canmore worked together to promote sustainability and sustainable action in Canmore. Living sustainably begins with taking simple actions to reduce our impacts. It is about every day Bow Valley realities like energy, water, and garbage.

As part of our Sustainable Action Canmore Program, we visted every home sometime between Fall of 2009 and Spring 2010 to talk to about sustainability, and to ask everyone to play a part in helping our community move towards a more sustainable tomorrow. The program includes taking concrete actions such as changing a light bulb, installing a low-flow shower head, using reusable bags and checking your vehicle’s tire pressure.

Participation rates of 92% of those talked to were even higher than the 75% expected, based on a pilot program test.  For the full project, canvassers spoke with 3,140 people at their doors and 2,588 took one of the action items and pledged to use it.  Another 276 already had all items, so signed a sustainability pledge instead.  Another 344 households, not home for either round of canvassing, picked up their action items at booth events or drop-ins.  To date, 2,933 Canmore households have taken an action item and pledged to use it.

The most popular item was a compact fluorescent light bulb (873 households selected these), followed by low-flow showerheads (788 households), cloth bags (774 households), and then tire pressure gauges (498 households).  In order to ensure action items were used, residents were asked to make some of the changes while the canvassers were at the door.  For instance, showerheads were mostly changed by residents while the canvassers waited, and then the old inefficient showerhead was taken away. 

The next part of the program involves each participating household receiving a phone call to ask if they have used their action item and to see if they would take another action.

Want to learn more? Download the Sustainable Action Canmore brochure.

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