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Green Scene

by Virginia Rasch

A blog featuring some of the successful sustainable initiatives by Kootenay businesses.

Welcome to Green Scene—a blog featuring environmentally friendly or sustainable initiatives. The Kootenays are a special region in British Columbia with amazing natural beauty. We are looking for stories about people, organizations or businesses that show a fresh, green approach to sustaining this precious environment. Please submit your idea, and we will follow up with you for a possible entry on this page.

Virginia Rasch

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. View all of Virginia Rasch’s articles

Recent Green Scene articles

Paul Denchuk and Meredith Hamstead are standing together in front of a home.
East Kootenay, Invermere, Energy, Environment, Small Business thinkBright Homes: A lighter touch on the planet

thinkBright Homes, based in Invermere, B.C., is at the cutting edge of the green building industry

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The two owners, Petra and Tiffany Ware, are standing in their store with body care products on shelves behind them.
East Kootenay, Cranbrook, Health & Wellness, Retail, Small Business Your nose knows the difference in natural body care products

Petra Naturally in Cranbrook, B.C., expanded to offer even more natural bath and body products and loose teas

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Shown is the interior of a tiny house, showing the kitchen in the foreground with lots of wood everywhere.
West Kootenay, Nelson, Environment, Small Business Nelson Tiny Houses are big on charm

Nelson Tiny Houses in Nelson, B.C., proves that downsizing can mean upgrading

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Two female students are wearing warm layers of clothes and are holding a sign that says
West Kootenay, Castlegar, Nelson, Energy, Environment A Cool Challenge

Selkirk College is participating in the BC Cool Campus Challenge to lower its environmental footprint

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The two owners of The Purist Pantry are shown seated: Todd and Melinda Kopet.
West Kootenay, Rossland, Cuisine, Environment, Small Business The Purist Pantry in Rossland offers healthy foods from scratch

Melinda and Todd Kopet create healthy foods from scratch out of The Purist Pantry in Rossland, B.C.

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Alicia and Nicola Herman stand in front of their storefront, Grow Tea & Elixir Corner in Kimberley, B.C.
East Kootenay, Kimberley, Environment, Health & Wellness, Small Business Growing a sustainable business in Kimberley, B.C.

Grow Tea & Elixir Corner won the Kimberley chamber’s Environmental Stewardship Excellence Award in 2018

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Jill Bentley-Lobban stands in front of her new store in Kimberley.
East Kootenay, Kimberley, Environment, Health & Wellness, Retail, Small Business Fulfill your shopping needs at fullfill in Kimberley

Newly opened fullfill in Kimberley, B.C., is a green alternative to traditional stores

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A bugling bull elk sits in a forest opening.
East Kootenay, Environment, Forestry National Forest Week 2018

National Forest Week (September 23 to 29, 2018) celebrates the research we undertake in our forests, including studies on our Rocky Mountain elk

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Owners Gabriele and Frank Lorenz are standing in front of the Lido Motel in Radium Hot Springs, B.C.
East Kootenay, Radium Hot Springs, Energy, Entertainment and Hospitality The Lido Motel in Radium Hot Springs, B.C., has your values at heart

Green travellers are enthusiastically welcomed at the Lido Motel in Radium Hot Springs, B.C.

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Lana Schanzenbach is holding several of her Little Lunches Reusable Wraps.
East Kootenay, Creston, Cuisine, Environment, Small Business Little Lunches Reusable Wraps reduce your plastic use

Little Lunches Reusable Wraps keep food fresh and reduce plastic use in your lunchbox

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Colourful beehives are lined up underneath blooming apple trees.
Agriculture, Environment Bee involved in bee health

The Province of BC has announced the new BeeBC Program

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A woman's hands hold an eggplant at a farmers market stall. A chalk sign reads
Agriculture, Environment Farm fresh, close to home—here’s a list of all the farmers markets in the Kootenay region

Buying local gives back to your community and your health. Read on to find out where you can get the freshest, organic products at these Kootenay farmers market

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A headshot of Scott Wilson, owner of Grassroots Environmental Services in Golden, B.C.
West Kootenay, Golden, Environment Aquatic biologist Scott Wilson whistles while he works … most of the time

Owner of Grassroots Environmental Services in Golden, Scott Wilson can encounter anything while out protecting waterways … even wolves

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Ashley Taylor is leaning over a green bin that she collects food waste in.
East Kootenay, Fernie, Agriculture, Environment A step forward for food security in Fernie

Valley Vitals owner Ashley Taylor has a passion to connect people back with their environment and their community through food.

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Natasha Benson (L) and Julie Taylor, owners of The Raw House, are standing in a field of beets.
East Kootenay, Cranbrook, Environment, Health & Wellness, Small Business Drink your plants!

The Raw House in Cranbrook, B.C., offers unique, healthy cold-pressed juices and nut mylks

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A headshot of Forrest Campbell, owner of Freewheeling Energy in Invermere, B.C.
East Kootenay, Invermere, Energy, Environment, Small Business Sun-kissed lemons and buckets of optimism

Based in Invermere, B.C., Forrest Campbell formed Freewheeling Energy

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A headshot of Monica Swagar with snow in the background
East Kootenay, Kimberley, Environment, Health & Wellness, Small Business Monica Swagar thrives on growth

The Swag Hair Studio won a green award from the Kimberley and District Chamber of Commerce

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A water bomber is flying over Moyie Lake with the sun filtered by smoke.
East Kootenay, West Kootenay, Environment, Forestry Historic B.C. wildfire season

The unprecedented wildfire season in B.C. will affect the forest industry

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Melanie Buerge is standing outside in a row that is between huge benches of evergreen tree seedlings.
West Kootenay, Forestry Growing our future forests

Harrop, B.C.’s nursery is part of PRT Growing Services Ltd.

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A photo of the moon covering most of the sun during a solar eclipse
Environment Where will you be during Monday’s eclipse?

Watch wild animals during the solar eclipse on Monday, August 21 and become part of the citizen scientist project.

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