After 40 + years in private enterprises, I was gradually becoming aware of the looming climate crisis.

Exploring places like Kaskawulsh Glacier and Yukon River has helped me understand that when changes occur they tend to be slow developing and yet seem like they are sudden. They are only sudden to those who are not looking. This is not surprising as the majority of citizens live in cities and most Canadians spend 95% of their time indoors. Indoors in our houses, our cars, our places of work.

In our exploration process, we visited the north, west and east coasts and Florida to see the effect of rising sea levels on coastal communities. We witnessed a high “King Tide” in the fall of 2019 on the Atlantic coast flood locations.  

Municipalities that border saltwater are trying to come to grips with what will sea level rise cost to mitigate.    

We researched the climate change deception campaigns funded by the energy companies. This has opened up a tsunami of lawsuits that will inevitably mirror the cigarette company’s settlements.      

Fully 25% of the world population gets their water from “Water Towers” and they are significantly at risk.

We travelled with world experts like Bob Sandford and worked with leading scientists like John Pomeroy as he lead the project to install world leading snow, ice and water measurement instruments at Fortress Mountain.  

Our vision for the company is to try to affect changes to the world’s climate change crisis so I may be able to explain in 20 years to my grandchildren how I had a positive affect.

I started taking daily weather measurements with my first ski resort – Ski Martock in 1979. Over 25 years of 2 times daily weather measurements I observed our average snowmaking temperatures rise from minus 6.8C to minus 2.3C. I realized that if it hit 0C. I no longer had a business.

We are working with local groups like Bow Valley Climate Action Group, Bow Valley Green Energy Co-Op, Canmore Eagles, Banff Marathon, Town of Banff, Province of NS and other companies leading a charge in the general direction of meeting or exceeding the Paris Accord’s call for action.

We have been awarded The Green Sports Alliance “North America’s Innovator of the Year” for our work with the Banff Marathon. The United Nations and their call for partnerships have accepted us as the first Canadian company and one of only 80 in the world under their “Climate Action through Sports”.    

We have accomplished 100% waste diversion for events with 10,000 people. We calculated the Green House Gas footprint of 5000 people attending a New Years Eve celebration and we have aligned events and businesses with sponsors to make greening activities revenue positive. 

What now? What will the world look like in our Post COVID-19 time? Will we be so desperate for a return to the comfort of our past that we rush back to it? Is it possible that this pause allows us to consider how we live and make our choices?

Only time will tell.