Interview with Fairy Cakes- Cera

We recently spoke to Cera from Fairy Cakes.

Tell us a bit about your company?
-Bakery geared towards dietary restrictions
-Use as environmentally friendly company as possible
-Don't allow dairy, peanuts, eggs, etc
-Been open for 2 years

Popular products that you have?
-When first opened, it was strictly cupcakes
-Expanded to mini-cupcakes, cakes, cheesecakes, cinnamon/blueberry/etc buns, cookies, etc

Advice for youth?
- Do your research
- I took business classes, surveys and spoke to different business owners.
- Research gives an edge on things
- Need it to survive with a small business
-It’s important for youth to get involved in sustainable practices
-This is our planet and home.

Internships/work experience?
-Not currently, but thinking about it later

What does sustainability mean to you?
-Doing whatever you can to help your home
-The more we learn, the more responsibility to take knowledge into account
-Only way planet will survive is through sustainability. Takes awareness in public’s part. Environmentally friendly products are the norm rather than exception. Pass that idea onto the consumer.

Special thanks to Cera for taking part in this interview

Company Website
http://www.fairycakescupcakes.ca/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/FairyCakesVan

Twitter:
https://twitter.com/fairycakes_yumm

Interview with Recycle 4 U- Dave

We recently spoke with Dave from Recycle 4 U

Tell us about your company
-Started in 2010. Already being in garbage/recycling game, opportunity in lower mainland for this program.
Put yellow bin in each area.
- All I do is pick up pop bottles, beer bottles, etc.

Is there lots of competition?
-In hotels and bars, there is lots of competition. Not in recycling companies exactly.

Any advice for someone looking to go into a similar field?

-Have to work really hard, roughly $40,000-50,000 put away to get bins.
-Not easy to get into

Do you think its important for youth to get into sustainable practices?
-Good for landfill, economy, make money as well. Win-win for the environment, for landfill, for recycling, and to make some money off it.

Any internships/work experience?
-No, it is a small company
-No students at the moment. Still starting up. Takes about 5-7 years to really take off

What does sustainability mean to you?

-What I’m doing is great for environment/employment, put money back into governments pockets
-Strong outlook in the future
-My company will never go away
-In one word, it’s recession-proof
-People have recycling that needs to go
-Steady career/business

Last comments
-Initially, the city was kind of nervous
-Encorp advertising, started from the bottom
-Donate money back to boys and girls club, grew up on downtown Eastside
-Donate $10,000 a year to boys and girls club
-In the future, kids should run the business no problem.

Special thanks to Dave for talking part in this interview!

Website Link
http://recycle4u.ca/

Interview with Green Coast Rubbish- Eamonn

We also recently spoke with Eamonn from Green Coast rubbish.

How did you guys start?

-May 2006 at UBC. Started during our undergrad

-It has grown from there

-Offer environmentally conscious disposal and recycling of waste

-Main vehicle is biodiesel

-Also, we measure our carbon footprint

What are your popular services?

Recycling services such as for carpets and couches

-Also did mattress recycling before it was mandated

-Have commercial clients

Is there lots of competition in this field?

-Definitely a competitive field

-In 2006, we saw nobody doing it

-There was not a green initiative for it at that time

Can you give some advice to youth who are looking to go into a similar field?

-Be prepared to work hard, have a good message and to work at it every day

-Build towards a future

Do you think it is important for youth to get involved in sustainable practices?

-Yes, it is key.

-Increasingly more important in everyday life

How about if youth want to get involved in your company?

-Contact us and we’ll talk!

What does sustainability mean to you?

-The things that we need to do in order to progress as a society

-We are embracing, moving to the forefront and becoming more prominent

-Everyone needs to embrace this movement

Is sustainability on the rise?

-Becoming a major issue and from that, an industry

-Being pulled into the forefront

-Finding value in it

Special thanks to Eamonn for taking part in this interview.

Interview with Lighthouse- Veronica

This week, we interviewed Veronica from Lighthouse. This is how our interview went.

Tell us about your company?

-We offer green building services

-Consultants for developers and contractors

-Mechanical, civil, electrical inspectors

-Site inspectors as well

We have several different components of our organization

1) Research Policies

-Environment commission

-Promote energy efficiency

-Green management

2) Green Buildings

-Energy audits

-How comfortable in office space

3) Facilitation and education

-strategic planning

-urban design/planning

-publish papers

-working with strategic partner

How did your company start?

-Started in 2005-

- Initially to educate homeowners about green products such as how to insulate the home

-Started by doing seminars, industrial projects, etc

-Big green wave/building in 2007-2008

-Huge demand for services in certain industries

Any advice for students?

Get experience because it is a competitive market

Start by volunteering

Read and keep up on the industry

Look at blogs, e-newsletters, etc

Keep up on national/international news

Trade shows can be free

Why is Sustainability important?

Look at the climate

Increase in long winters, hurricanes, tropical storms, etc

Directly translated to weather

People are going to deal with these climate changes

What does sustainability mean to you?

-Better environment to live in, work and play

-Reducing carbon footprint

Special thanks to Veronica for taking part in this interview!

Interview with Kids for Climate Action- Kate

This week, we spoke with Kate from Kids for Climate Action! This is our interview with her.

Tell us about your company

It is called Kids for Climate Action

-It is a youth organization that promotes sustainability

-An outreach to youth through politics, lobbying, etc.

An example of this is the 2013 provincial election campaign, where Kids for Climate Action promoted sustainability

-Tried to make climate change a bigger issue with political parties

-Getting more youth to vote

-They are currently working to bring awareness to the coal exports that are coming into British Columbia

When did this organization start?

-Started by Sophie Harrison in 2010 at the Copenhagen, conference summit

-Founded to engage youth

-This has escalated to where it is today in modern day

-There are 500 people following on Facebook, more on Twitter

-Thousands on the email list

Advice to join this non-profit

-Follow on Facebook and Twitter

-Volunteer opportunities get posted on there

-More of a high school group

-Not many college students but they can be advisers

What does sustainability mean to you?

-Grade 9- took an environmental studies course

-Wanted to make a further impact than just changing light bulbs

Do you see future in sustainability?

-Yes! Youth are becoming more empathetic

-Youth are really starting to care

Special thanks to Kate for taking part in this interview!

Interview with Hemlock Printers- Richard

We recently spoke with Richard from Hemlock Printers. This is our interview with him.

Tell us about your company

-          We are based in Burnaby and have been operating for 46 years

-          Our location is primarily in the Lower Mainland but we do have offices in Victoria

-          We also have locations along the Western United States (San Francisco, Seattle, etc) that account for a third of our sales

-          All businesses are in commercial printing

-          Founded by Richard’s father in 1968. It is a family business

What are some popular sustainable products and services that your company has?

-Within the last 8 years, there have been more sustainable products

-Started in sustainable/recycled papers

-Over time, grown our paper industry. 10% to 100% post-consumer content

-Paper side is big with sustainability

-Last 5 years, did carbon footprinting

-Did a full life cycle

-Got clients more involved with sustainability

What is your competition like?

-Lots of competition

-Lots of options for clients makes it difficult

-Environmental conscience provides an additional take and potential advantage to the company

-Have a good service model

-Adapted technology to get a step over the competition

What does sustainability mean to you?

-Looking at the reality of our lives on this planet

-Need to ensure health on life on earth

-Bring new products, services and stay innovative for sustainability

-Corporations and businesses should step up in the sustainability department

-Sustainability is also important for innovation going forward

-Very important for youth to get involved

What is some advice for youth who are looking to go into a similar field?

-Think independently and learn to apply your skills

-Be very open and honest with people

-Enjoy what they do

-Set short and long term goals for oneself

How does one go about working at Hemlock?

-Hemlock does have interns/new employees

-Generally come from Ryerson or BCIT

-Students can look for internships online or on job boards at school

-More of a specialization than a general degree.

Thanks to Richard for taking part in this interview!

Interview with Green Chair Recycling- Liliana and Nikki

We recently spoke with Liliana and Nikki of Green Chair Recycling. This is our interview with them.

Tell us a bit about your company?

-We are a for profit social enterprise

- We do recycling for such things as community events

-We also do consulting

-We take recycling to facilities and provide the events with a full report, and recycling after event.

-We have 100 different stations at these events and volunteers at each one

-We focus on four different aspects of waste management

1) Weigh all materials

2) Get feedback

3) send a report

4) waste audit

-We do this to give companies feedback on how much they use and recycle at events.

So you have volunteers? Tell us more about them?

-There is a community of volunteers at this company

-Teach volunteers, it’s spread through word-of-mouth

-All ethnicities are allowed to volunteer and all people who speak various languages are allowed as well.

So you said you are a for-profit social enterprise? Where do most of your profits come from?

-Most money is made from consulting of family businesses, other businesses, and municipalities industries

-This is mostly an educational support on recycling and more of a focus on residents in society

-There are outreach programs as well for free. This is to give back to the community (colleges, universities, conferences, etc) on how to achieve sustainability.

When did you guys start?

-In 2009

Is there any competition?

-No direct competition

-Do hire on contract

How do I get into a similar field?

-be passionate

-get community involved

-bring change, use sustainability

-don’t only worry about money

How do I join?

-volunteering, website, internships

-show drive and passion

-”stand out” from the crowd

-passion more important than education

What does sustainability mean to you?

Nikki:  Living in a way so future generations will enjoy same luxuries as today

Liliana- All about community (doing the right thing)

Is the green economy growing? 

-yes

-ones who participate, will get noticed

-need overall balance in life

Closing comments

-this industry needs to be seen to believed

-need to experience it

-do the right thing for you and be passionate in whatever you do!

Thanks to Liliana and Nikki for taking part in this interview!