OUR WORK
Lighter Living in British Columbia
Creating an ecosystem of activity through programs, investments and campaigns
PROJECT LEADS
- OneEarth Living
- Vancity
PARTNER
- BCIT Centre for EcoCities
FUNDER
- Vancity
How do we help communities in southwest British Columbia consume sustainably and live happier and more well-balanced lives, while preserving the Earth?
Canada’s largest community credit union, Vancity, is in a strategic partnership with OneEarth Living aimed at empowering individuals to live lighter in southwest British Columbia (BC). Together, we adopt a systemic and collaborative approach and support a range of actors – from organizations to businesses – to create the solutions for people to reduce their carbon and ecological footprints across the province.
OneEarth Living collaborated with Vancity to develop the “lighter living’ focus area for Vancity’s signature envirofund™ program from 2018 to 2022. The aim is to support initiatives that encourage communities to reduce their footprints and gain more of what matters – more time for connecting with others and with nature; quality long-lasting goods; affordable living; service to our communities; and health, security and wellbeing. Vancity’s grants and investments are supported by OneEarth Living’s strategic guidance as well as joint mapping of those engaged in Lighter Living across the province. OneEarth Living’s simple, accessible and impactful framework around Lighter Living helps catalyze action by partners.
How do we help communities in southwest British Columbia consume sustainably and live happier and more well-balanced lives, while preserving the Earth?
Canada’s largest community credit union, Vancity, is in a strategic partnership with OneEarth Living aimed at empowering individuals to live lighter in southwest British Columbia (BC). Together, we adopt a systemic and collaborative approach and support a range of actors – from organizations to businesses – to create the solutions for people to reduce their carbon and ecological footprints across the province.
OneEarth Living collaborated with Vancity to develop the “lighter living’ focus area for Vancity’s signature envirofund™ program from 2018 to 2022. The aim is to support initiatives that encourage communities to reduce their footprints and gain more of what matters – more time for connecting with others and with nature; quality long-lasting goods; affordable living; service to our communities; and health, security and wellbeing. Vancity’s grants and investments are supported by OneEarth Living’s strategic guidance as well as joint mapping of those engaged in Lighter Living across the province. OneEarth Living’s simple, accessible and impactful framework around Lighter Living helps catalyze action by partners.
Vancity’s envirofund™ provides grants to non-profits, social enterprises, co-operatives, labour unions, Indigenous organizations, First Nation governments and others that align with the Lighter Living criteria, including local businesses that are helping to address waste from construction, food and textiles. Funding to support Lighter Living projects has resulted in tangible reductions in ecological footprints. For example, Vancity’s early investment in the business start-up Unbuilders helped to establish the company as a viable alternative to wasteful home renovation practices, with a 99% salvage and recycle rate on a single-family home.
OneEarth Living and Vancity continue to build community capacity to accelerate Lighter Living solutions through webinars, events, workshops, financial services, investments, resources and toolkits. This support reaches across individuals, businesses, neighbourhoods and whole communities. Vancity investments have supported green business incubators and market research, leading to stronger business success and a more robust circular economy in BC. Educational programming and collaboration among different groups committed to sustainable lifestyles has been key to developing new markets for more sustainable products and services.
Through Vancity and OneEarth Living’s commitment to supporting Lighter Living, there has been a rise in both consumer understanding of Lighter Living practices and in businesses that provide solutions for sustainable daily living, including in the areas of food and zero waste.
Project Team
Dr. Vanessa Timmer
Dagmar Timmer
Cora Hallsworth
Fergus Kinnaird
LEAD
LEAD
PARTNER