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Virginia Rasch’s writer profile

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Virginia is a writer and copy editor with Koocanusa Publications. She is an avid outdoor recreationist in all seasons and has lived in the Kootenays for 10 years. With degrees in the natural sciences, she has worked as a tour guide, an environmentalist, a writer, and a copy editor of scientific publications. Virginia now brings her passion for everything green to Kootenay Business.

Most recent articles by Virginia Rasch

Ornamental kale is in the foreground of a traditional flower garden. The green, purple and pink kale is edible.
Agriculture, Environment Edimentals: edible, ornamental plants

Landscape your yard for beauty and for food with edimentals—edible, ornamental plants

Co-owner Wendy Lyn holds out a two-scoop ice cream cone while standing in front of the Happy Cow Ice Cream's logo.
East Kootenay, Cranbrook, Fernie, Cuisine, Small Business Happy cows and happy eaters

Taste the delicious, decadent difference when indulging in premium Happy Cow ice cream in Fernie and now Cranbrook.

The author is sitting on top of Mount Brewer near Invermere with a sea of mountains in the background.
Environment, Health & Wellness Time to play . . . on Earth Day!

This year’s theme for Earth Day—April 22nd—is EarthPlay

A Chevy Bolt is parked next to the newly unveiled DC fast-charging station in Cranbrook, B.C.
East Kootenay, Cranbrook, Energy, Environment, Tourism, Transportation Accelerating the future of electric vehicles in the Kootenays

Accelerate Kootenay is a two-year $1.5-million project to install over 50 electric vehicle chargers along Highway 3

The pot is into a plastic bag that is inside the solar collector.
East Kootenay, Fernie, Cuisine, Energy, Environment Faisal Jhandir of Fernie, B.C., has invented a portable solar kitchen

Retired physician Faisal Jhandir is on a mission to save the planet with solar cooking

A mother is reading a book to her young son.
West Kootenay, Nelson, Energy, Environment Celebrate Earth Hour by reading aloud by candlelight

Revive the lost art of reading aloud during Earth Hour—Saturday, March 25th starting at 8:30 p.m.

Steven Thomson enjoys the challenges and diversity of his career, even sitting in the office, as he is here
West Kootenay, Nelson, Developments, Energy, Environment, Small Business, 40 Under 40 Steven Thomson: Meet this maverick engineer

9dot Engineering Inc., based in Nelson, B.C., has talented innovators such as CEO Steven Thomson

Jocelyn Brunner stands in front of her Invermere store, Summit Footwear & Fashion.
East Kootenay, Invermere, Retail, 40 Under 40 Jocelyn Brunner: A creative and strategic shop owner

Jocelyn Brunner offers something for everyone—without sacrificing quality, comfort and design—at her store, Summit Footwear & Fashion.

A head shot of Fraser Blyth.
West Kootenay, Revelstoke, Small Business, 40 Under 40 Fraser Blyth: Designing memorable places

Fraser Blyth of Selkirk Planning & Design helps mountain communities maintain and enhance their sense of place

Robin Dixon is standing in the middle of her store, The Grater Good in Kimberley’s Platzl, surrounded by a rainbow of colourful kitchen items—from dishware and linens to kitchen appliances, gadgets, and pots and pans.
East Kootenay, Kimberley, Cuisine, Retail “For the love of food, family and friends” is the tagline of this new kitchen shop

For Robin Dixon, opening The Grater Good in Kimberley has allowed her to share her love of cooking and entertaining

A herd of big-horn sheep are running across a road.
East Kootenay, Elkford, Fernie, Sparwood, Environment, Transportation Here’s a wild idea: Grab your phone and report wildlife

Road Watch BC is recruiting citizen scientists to gather data that will reduce wildlife-vehicle collisions

A woman is one of the many volunteers planting tulip bulbs last October.
East Kootenay, Fernie, Agriculture Fernie is coming up tulips

The EcoGarden in Fernie was awarded 1,000 red and white tulip bulbs to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary

Ingrid Hope, president/owner of Hall Printing, stands beside an environmentally friendly, energy-efficient printer that uses no processing chemicals or water.
West Kootenay, Nelson, Trail, Environment, Forestry Lightening its print on the planet

Hall Printing in Trail, B.C., won the Go Green Award from the local chamber of commerce

Kayte Rock’s soups meet the health and nutritional demands of today’s educated consumers. Here, she stands in her kitchen.
West Kootenay, New Denver, Cuisine, Environment, Health & Wellness, Small Business Follow the seasons with soups made in New Denver, B.C.

Soup du Jar in New Denver, B.C., is Kayte Rock’s pride and joy

Don Langvand, owner of Atlantis Antiques in Marysville, is standing beside a very old painting of an emperor executed on parchment.
East Kootenay, Cranbrook, Kimberley, Retail, Small Business, Tourism Three antique stores, one busy guy for Cranbrook’s Don Langvand

Atlantis Antiques in Marysville and Phoenix Antiques in Cranbrook are the latest additions for Don Langvand, also owner of Dragon Antiques

Gail and Lorne Knutson stand in front of the duplex that contains their bed-and-breakfast suite, B&B@228 in Kimberley, B.C.
East Kootenay, Kimberley, Entertainment and Hospitality, Tourism An alpine B&B at the base of the Kimberley Alpine Resort

The [email protected] in Kimberley, B.C., gets lots of its business from its Airbnb listing

Custom jeweler Kara Clarke has won several chamber awards from the Kimberley Chamber of Commerce including Home Business of the Year. She stands in front of a wall full of hanging necklaces.
East Kootenay, West Kootenay, Environment, Retail, Small Business Analyzing the accolades

A summary of the similarities and differences among all of the Kootenay chambers of commerce Business Excellence Awards

A Nissan Leaf is recharging at a unique electric car charging station at the Kettle River Museum Society in Midway. The charging station is located on the back of an old gasoline pump.
East Kootenay, West Kootenay, Castlegar, Nelson, Energy, Environment, Transportation Filling in the geographic gap for electric car charging stations in the Kootenays

Shifting to electric cars is needed in the Kootenays as our current transportation accounts for 60 per cent of our total greenhouse gas emissions

Taken by a drone, this aerial shot of Nelson Hydro’s Bonnington generating station also shows the clearcut (upper right) where the solar garden will be located.
West Kootenay, Nelson, Energy, Environment A successful sunny garden

Nelson, B.C., grew a solar garden in a year and a half with the help of its citizens

A logging truck is being loaded at a cut block.
Forestry Forests are fundamental to our economy, our culture and our future

During National Forest Week, Canadians are invited to learn more about this valuable renewable resource

John Managh, co-owner of Hellbent Geothermal, stands in front of a large piece of machinery.
West Kootenay, Golden, Energy, Environment The Kootenays are a potential hot zone for geothermal energy

Hellbent Geothermal is a leading-edge company offering geothermal systems in the East Kootenay, where the potential for this green energy is overflowing

Co-owner Leanna Spring of From the Ground Up in Cranbrook stands next to a shelf full of health foods.
East Kootenay, Cranbrook, Health & Wellness, Small Business Uprooted: From the Ground Up moves to downtown Cranbrook

From the Ground Up relocates to Cranbrook’s downtown core

Heddlestone Village has a pedestrian common path with homes on both sides. A woman is using a community cart and a boy is playing roller hockey.
Nelson, Developments, Energy, Environment Intentional community in Nelson, B.C., wins efficiency award

FortisBC awarded Nelson’s Heddlestone Village an Efficiency in Action award

Master butcher Uwe Gwinner is explaining the aging process, with meats hanging in the room.
Kimberley, Agriculture, Small Business Gwinner’s is a winner (butcher shop)

Gwinner's Butcher Shop offers natural, authentic European-style meats for every meal

The retreat centre has a large circular deck with trees close by.
Nelson, Education, Environment Retreating for artistic or business creativity

The Hidden Creek Art & Ecology Centre is a secluded retreat centre across the water from Nelson, B.C.

Celeste Needham stands in front of her store's displays of shoes, handbags, scarves and hats.
East Kootenay, Kimberley, Small Business Talaria Footwear in Kimberley, B.C., is for shoe lovers

A new shoe store in Kimberley, B.C., features quality footwear and adornments

Chantel Delaney is standing in front of the Sprout Grocery sign with birch tree wallpaper on the wall.
Kimberley, Health & Wellness, Small Business Sprout Grocery is uprooted to Kimberley’s Platzl

Sprout Grocery in Kimberley, B.C., has a new owner and a new location

Shrubs and trees in pots are lined up for sale at the Morris Flowers Garden Centre in Creston, B.C.
Agriculture, Environment, Forestry One tree does make a difference

Canada has committed to planting 35 million trees by 2020, one for each Canadian

An aerial view of the Mulvehill Creek Eco-Retreat on the shore of the Upper Arrow Lakes
Revelstoke, Developments, Environment, Real Estate, Tourism Green investment opportunity in Mulvehill Creek Eco-Retreat, Revelstoke, B.C.

Located on the shores of the Upper Arrow Lakes, the Mulvehill Creek Eco-Retreat is looking for residents, partners or investors

Several beeswax candles are burning with a soft golden glow. These candles are from Honey Candles near Kaslo, B.C.
Kaslo, Energy, Environment Earth Hour: What are you doing on March 19th at 8:30 p.m.?

Earth Hour encourages you to have a lights-off hour.

Four young business people.
40 under 40—Our first-ever salute to the Kootenays’ younger business people

We sought out the top 40 young business leaders in the Kootenays, Boundary Country and the Revelstoke area and found some fascinating trends.

Workers at Emco in Cranbrook are lined up and holding a green pipe made by Aquatherm.
Cranbrook, Fernie, Energy, Environment Greening your infrastructure pays off

Emco in Cranbrook has plumbing and heating solutions that reduce the carbon footprint of your home and business.

(L) MP Richard Cannings (South Okanagan-West Kootenay) and MP Wayne Stetski (Kootenay-Columbia)
Environment, Small Business A snapshot of the Kootenays’ MPs

Kootenay MPs Richard Cannings and Wayne Stetski talk about their hopes to help our region environmentally and economically

A rendering of street tree plantings along a boulevard with a multi-use pathway within Castlegar's Columbia Avenue Residential District
Castlegar, Environment, Forestry, Transportation On the shady side of the street

Castlegar's newly released Street Tree Master Plan makes trees top priority

The exterior of an energy-efficient home built by Tyee Custom Homes in Kimberley, B.C.
Invermere, Kimberley, Sparwood, Energy, Environment Rewarding greener buildings

Three East Kootenay communities have rebate programs to encourage energy-efficient buildings

A photo of the Earth from space.
Nelson, Environment Who will be the first Kootenay community to go blue?

Communities across Canada are promoting the basic human right to clean air, fresh water and healthy food

An Observe tire on a Subaru in the snow
Invermere, Environment, Technology, Transportation Black tires go green

Turning nut waste into tires is an example of upcycling for environmental benefits

A highway sign with an elk on it that is part of a wildlife detection system in the Elk Valley, B.C.
Elkford, Sparwood, Environment, Transportation Elk radar will keep humans and elk safer

A pilot project of a wildlife detection system in the Elk Valley, B.C., may save lives—both human and wild

Trees covered in snow along an alpine ski run.
Fernie, Kimberley, Golden, Environment, Tourism More trees, less paper

Three Kootenay ski resorts are part of a campaign to reduce their environmental footprints

Chelsea McCormack strikes a standing pose in her new yoga studio, The Inner Roar.
Cranbrook, Health & Wellness Celebrate being yourself

The Inner Roar is a new yoga studio in Cranbrook, B.C.

Owner Alan Bowler stands in front of his store, Root For Me, in Marysville, B.C.
Kimberley, Agriculture, Environment, Health & Wellness, Small Business Marysville store wins environmental award from the Kimberley Chamber of Commerce

Root For Me in Marysville, B.C., won an Environmental Stewardship Excellence Award from the Kimberley Chamber of Commerce

An incandescent lightbulb with two green leaves inside of it
Greening your business

Businesses should act now to protect the environment and strengthen our economy.

Tammy Bessant sits near a water fountain in front of her house in Cranbrook from which she runs her business, EarthWear.
Cranbrook, Health & Wellness, Retail EarthWear is all about skin care . . . naturally

EarthWear in Cranbrook has a complete line of natural skin care products

Rob and Shelley Ramsay, owners of Canadog in Kimberley, B.C., stand in front of a colourful selection of harnesses, collars and leashes.
Kimberley, Animal Care, Retail Keep calm and mush on

Canadog is a thriving business for all things dog and dog-powered with a retail store in Kimberley, B.C.

The de Vries family—Jeremy, Keely and their three daughters—stand in a field of their organic dairy farm.
Grand Forks, Agriculture, Environment, Health & Wellness Reduce your foodprint deliciously

Choosing to support farms that responsibly caretake the environment and their animals is a very positive way to spend your food dollar.

Margeaux Bauman, co-owner of Kootenay Valley Water & Spas, is standing with the Big Green Egg barbecue and a big bag of natural charcoal.
Castlegar, Cuisine, Environment The Big Green Egg is a very green barbecue

The versatile Big Green Egg is a barbecue, smoker, grill and oven

Co-owner Margeaux Bauman of Kootenay Valley Water & Spas in Castlegar sits in one of the many hot tubs the store sells.
Castlegar, Health & Wellness, Retail The water store with a whole lot more

Kootenay Valley Water & Spas in Castlegar stocks hot tubs, barbecues and lots of water

Kimberley Fire Chief Al Collinson is standing on tree chips from a fuel reduction project at Duck Pond.
Fernie, Kimberley, Environment, Forestry The City of Kimberley tackles wildland fire risk

Many more resources are needed for B.C. communities, including Kimberley, to be safe from catastrophic wildfires

Owner and chef Kayla Sebastian of The Wooden Spoon Bistro & Bake Shop in Grand Forks is standing in front of the bistro's logo.
Grand Forks, Cuisine Every person has a role in this Grand Forks kitchen

The staff and burgers are super stars at The Wooden Spoon Bistro & Bake Shop in Grand Forks

Owner of Sue's Clotheslines in Creston, Sue Thomas stands near her front counter.
Creston, Retail Sue’s Clotheslines will fill up your clothesline

Sue's Clothesline in Creston is filled with favourite brands of womenswear