The Whistler Blackcomb Environmental Fund recently donated
$28,395 to local environmental community groups for the 2006 season.
The Get Smart Bear Society, the Whistler Fish Stewardship
Group, the Pemberton Community Garden, the Village of Pemberton, AWARE and the
Slow Food Cycle Sunday are all recipients of donations this year, identified as
significantly contributing to bettering the environment in the Sea to Sky
corridor.
“We are very pleased to be able to contribute to these
worthwhile projects in our community,” said Kathy Jenkins, Whistler Blackcomb’s
Environmental Coordinator. “These groups are all making a difference in our
quest towards a more sustainable corridor, and we hope that this additional
funding will help them reach that goal.”
Funds are raised by Whistler Blackcomb employees, who donate
money from their pay cheques. Those monies are then matched by the Whistler
Blackcomb Foundation. Contributing employees have the opportunity to vote and
decide which projects they would like to see as the recipients of the
donations. Employees are also invited to volunteer to help on projects through
the Whistler Blackcomb Habitat Improvement Team (HIT). HIT works with
local groups on the tactical elements of their project, enabling staff to see
the results of their donations and participate in the success of the projects.
• $5,000 has been donated to the Get Smart Bear Society to help
with the purchase of a bear proof mobile recycling unit to increase the
opportunity to recycle correctly, reducing waste from landfills and ensuring
the bear population stays healthy and safe.
• $5,445 has been donated to the Whistler Fish Stewardship
Group (WFSG) to continue their current stream restoration work and to purchase
a camera for their photopoint monitoring program. The WFSG exists to restore
the health of Whistler’s watersheds to the utmost potential for fish and
people. They have been working on watersheds with community partners since
1996.
• The Pemberton Community Garden has received $2,450 towards
infrastructure for the garden which includes a potting and tool shed, picnic
table and bear bin. Food production in the community garden creates organic
produce benefiting the environment by cutting out the use of chemicals used in
growing non organic produce. Eliminating the need to transport the produce also
results in zero greenhouse gases usually emitted through transportation.
• The Village of Pemberton has received $3,000 to purchase
bear bins for village ‘hot spots.’ By ensuring trash is inaccessible to bears,
the health of the bears can be ensured.
• $12,500 has been donated to AWARE for the Upper Soo Legacy
Proposal. Working with the First Nations, local community groups, the
provincial government and the timber industry, AWARE is attempting to create a
legacy wilderness area in the Upper Soo Valley to protect the wildlife and wild
lands for future generations.
In addition to these projects, the Slow Food Cycle Sunday is
receiving ‘in kind’ donations to help promote the event as well as provide
‘cleaner’ transportation to the second annual Slow Food Cycle Sunday on Aug.
20. The event promotes buying produce locally, and being socially and
environmentally responsible.
Established in 2000, the Whistler Blackcomb Environmental Fund
works with local environmental programs to create a more sustainable and
livable environment to call home by raising awareness and encouraging staff to
help contribute. Since 2000, the Whistler Blackcomb Environment Fund has
raised over $135,000 and sponsored 26 community projects.