UPCOMING EVENTS

Re/New Festival
June 26 and 27
Kenora

The Re/New Festival is a celebration of existing local initiatives, and a forum to showcase the potential financial, environmental and health benefits of participating in sustainable community development.

On Friday June 26 we will be inviting presenters to host workshops on topics such as alternative energy retrofitting, building with natural materials, and practical affordable housing. The day will be attended by city planners and engineers, builders, contractors, architects and community groups with a special interest in affordable and efficient housing projects. Topics include: presentations from CMHC on building sustainable communities, and retro-fitting homes with alternative energy, securing healthy food locally, and innovative sustainable social housing ideas.

The following day will be attended by the general public. We will have information booths and workshops on topics similar to the previous day, with a practical, easy-to- implement focus. Additionally, local groups such as the Lake of the Woods Artists Collective, KACL Art Partners, musicians, and the urban trail group will be on hand to help the community learn about the environment and ways to creatively interact with it.

We are excited to share the principles of sustainable development with the area. There is a huge potential to develop a diverse economy based on sustainable practices. Poverty reduction and human development are central to sustainable development. Ways to improve the lives of impoverished people without further degrading ecosystems can be developed. The process begins with building communities that support each others’ initiatives and seeing the interconnection of local producer and consumer.