Conservation is nothing new to the Vancouver Aquarium. From a Power Smart facilities retrofit in the mid 1990s to a newly ISO 14001 certified environmental management system, the Aquarium has been home to energy saving ideas for many years. 2008 saw the Aquarium’s energy conservation activities re-energized through an employee awareness campaign run by the Green Team. This 26-member team is composed of paid and volunteer members from every level and operational area of the Aquarium. Their goal: to promote environmental awareness and effect change both at home and at work. With the help of a Power Smart grant and an appealing mascot—Earl the Electric Eel—the Green Team ran a popular and successful energy conservation awareness campaign, using a range of inspiring activities from scavenger hunts to individual conservation pledges. The Green Team showed that it can be effective—and fun—to make change when you work together.
GREEN TEAM MEMBERS: Jennifer Kennedy (co-chair), Janah Hastie, Melanie Knight (co-chair), Kelly Johnson, Katie Hill (secretary), Kelly Kalesa, Heather Brekke (advisor), Oliver Kuehn, Faye Alexander, Carlos Laos, Sarah Anning, Meredith Lemon, Ruby Banwait, Evan Maxwell, Dawn Bassett, John Miller, Kristen Brown, Katrina Ockerman, Christopher Cook, Alana Phillips, Marcel Gijssen, Ian Russell, Angela Griffiths, Melanie Vaughan, Jan Halvarson, Sean Wilson
Lorena Lennox, who works in Jawl Properties’ accounting department, stepped outside her job description to inspire her colleagues to make their office—and their energy use habits—greener. Lorena was instrumental in developing Jawl Properties’ tenant awareness program, which reached over 3,200 people in over 50 offices and 14 buildings. Leading the delivery of the program in her own office, Lorena engaged 100 per cent of her fellow employees in energy and environmental learning and action. With a winning combination of enthusiasm, motivation and education, Lorena Lennox led her colleagues toward environmental sustainability.
Manulife Financial’s Vancouver Real Estate Operations Team has achieved outstanding success in motivating their buildings’ tenants and employees to be more energy efficient. In 2008, their Go Green! contest inspired more than half of all tenants to adopt energy-saving measures in their offices, and a contest for employees produced a number of ideas that are already saving energy. Beyond their daily responsibilities in the company, the team monitors utility consumption and improves building operations for greater efficiency. When it comes to fostering tenant and employee awareness and action, Manulife Financial ranks with the best.
GREEN TEAM MEMBERS: Kathy Ireland, Armando Hombrebueno, Bob Burns, Richard Hutton, Colleen Stepney, Marilyn Lacis
GREEN TEAM MEMBERS: Jennifer Kennedy (co-chair), Janah Hastie, Melanie Knight (co-chair), Kelly Johnson, Katie Hill (secretary), Kelly Kalesa, Heather Brekke (advisor), Oliver Kuehn, Faye Alexander, Carlos Laos, Sarah Anning, Meredith Lemon, Ruby Banwait, Evan Maxwell, Dawn Bassett, John Miller, Kristen Brown, Katrina Ockerman, Christopher Cook, Alana Phillips, Marcel Gijssen, Ian Russell, Angela Griffiths, Melanie Vaughan, Jan Halvarson, Sean Wilson
GREEN TEAM MEMBERS: Kathy Ireland, Armando Hombrebueno, Bob Burns, Richard Hutton, Colleen Stepney, Marilyn Lacis