“A food system is everything that happens to get food from where it’s grown or produced to our tables,” said Mayor Don McIsaac. “By strengthening our local food system, we can improve access to fresh, healthy food, support local businesses, and ensure greater food security for everyone in Orillia. We encourage residents to come out, learn more, and have a say in shaping our food future.”

The event takes place from 5 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 2, on the first floor of Orillia City Centre (50 Andrew St. S.). Doors open at 5 p.m. with a meet-and-greet in the Tudhope-McIntyre Boardroom, where attendees can browse informational displays and connect with local food organizations. Light fare will be provided by The Sharing Place (please bring a reusable water bottle).

At 5:30 p.m., the Working Group will present in the Council Chamber, explaining what a food system is and the history of our local food system. They will also discuss how a food strategy could benefit Orillia and the surrounding area. The presentation will be followed by an opportunity for attendees to provide input based on their roles within the food system.

Residents are encouraged to share their thoughts on how to strengthen Orillia’s food system. By taking part in this discussion, residents can help shape a more resilient and sustainable local food system. A stronger food system can:

• Improve access to fresh, healthy food close to home.
• Support local businesses, helping protect the community from food supply disruptions caused by natural disasters, tariffs, and even events like the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Enhance the health and well-being of everyone in the city.

“This open house is an important step in bringing the community together to discuss how we can create a healthier, more sustainable food system in Orillia,” said Jacob Kearey-Moreland, Chair of the Food Access and Sustainability Working Group. “We look forward to hearing from residents and working together to make positive changes that benefit everyone.”

The Orillia Food Access and Sustainability Working Group’s mandate is to bring diverse voices together to advise Council on food-related policies and facilitate projects that promote food sovereignty and a healthy, equitable, and sustainable local food system.

For more information visit orillia.ca/boardscommittees.

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Muskoka Roastery makes coffee with beans imported from nine countries, offering various blends as well as specialty flavours like Butter Tart, Nanaimo Bar, S’mores and Pumpkin Spice. Along with the whole bean and ground coffee options, the company just launched a new and improved version of its fully compostable coffee pods, which debuted in 2016. The pods hold up better thanks to new materials while providing a fresher cup of coffee with more flavour than before.

“When we started out, 23 years ago, roasting in small batches for the local community, we had a vision to become the biggest and the best specialty coffee roaster in Canada,” said President and Co-Founder Patricia Snell. “I’m proud and thrilled with all of the innovation Muskoka Roastery has done over the years, from our whole bean and ground to 100 per cent compostable pods, variety of limited editions, and specialty all-natural flavours – there’s always something new in the works!”

Muskoka Roastery became the first coffee roaster in North America to source 100 per cent Rainforest Alliance Certified beans. It was the first company in Canada to launch completely compostable coffee pods. It’s also a bullfrog-powered organization, meaning they use green electricity, green natural gas and green fuel with Bullfrog Power for the roastery, office and vehicles to eliminate the company’s energy-related emissions footprint.

The company also got registered as a certified B Corp to celebrate 20 years in business. B Corps are for-profit companies that meet high standards for social and environmental performance and transparency. Becoming a B Corp is an extensive process and means that the company is legally required to consider the impact of its decisions on its employees, customers, and the community and environment at large.

“We recognize that we are fortunate to live and work in a place like Muskoka, which, in many ways, represents the best of natural Canada,” Snell said. “Being surrounded by this landscape, this wildlife and this beauty makes us that much more aware of the importance in protecting these spaces. We’d like to ensure future generations can see and enjoy Canada the way we get to.”

The company’s dedication to the environment is right there in its mission statement: To handcraft Canada’s best coffee – sustainably. Snell said sustainability doesn’t just play a role in their identity; in many ways, it is the company’s identity.

Some coffee companies greenwash their business and claim sustainability with a few isolated products or promotions. Muskoka Roastery is different, integrating its environmental efforts into every part of the business. Snell wants to offer a big thank you to Muskoka Roastery’s customers for supporting the business and allowing it to give back.

“We are proud to have your support, and we work hard to give you reasons to be proud to support us,” Snell said. “If you didn’t know, we are committed to donating at least 1 per cent of our sales each year to Canadian charities and environmental protection programs – so your support of Muskoka Roastery means we can continue to do more.”

Jordan Neudorf, Marketing Manager for Muskoka Roastery, said she’s proud to work for an organization that puts so much focus on sustainability and giving back. Along with making a change, they make coffee that’s a cut above the rest.

“The beans we source, the complexity to the blends and the roasting, and the care with which it’s handcrafted all, in my opinion, come through in the taste,” she said.

Muskoka Roastery also offers a subscription to make sure coffee lovers never run out of their favourite blends. Customers can select the type of coffee and the delivery frequency, and they’ll receive 10 per cent off all the items in their subscription.

“We are constantly innovating – and listening to our consumers to learn more about what they want,” Neudorf said. “I can’t say too much now, but the best way to learn about new products and limited editions is to subscribe to our newsletter!”

Visit Muskoka Roastery’s website to sign up for their newsletter, and use code MUSKOKA411 for 15 per cent off your online order.

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This report examines two themes: the overarching impact of salon waste on the environment and the attitudes of salon professionals towards this critical issue. According to Green Circle data, the salon industry in the US and Canada generates an astonishing 877 pounds of waste per minute. To put that into perspective, that’s the weight of an adult grizzly bear per minute. This adds up to a staggering 421,000 pounds daily, assuming an eight-hour workday. The largest contributors to waste are:

• Hair Colour: the industry throws away over 42,000 pounds of excess hair colour daily
• Hair Clippings: Beauty waste includes a whopping 63,000 pounds of hair every day, which emits potent greenhouse gasses when left to decompose.
• Metal: salons in North America dispose of 110,000 pounds of metal every day, which is more than half the weight of a commercial airplane.

“When most people sit down in a stylist’s chair, they’re prepping for a relaxing experience that will leave them looking and feeling good. But neither they — nor, often, the salon workers — are thinking about the tremendous impact they have on the environment at that moment. But it’s not their fault. There hasn’t been much education about the impact, and in the past, there has been a dearth of solutions,” said Shane Price, CEO of Green Circle Salons. “Fortunately, this is a problem that can be fixed, which is our mission here at Green Circle.”

While momentum is building for salon sustainability, many salon professionals don’t know the industry’s environmental impacts. According to the report, 70 percent of salon professionals remain unaware of the clean recycling streams for hair colour and the significant impact of hair waste on greenhouse gas emissions. The report also revealed that 64 percent of the general salon sample rated sustainability as “extremely important,” indicating that the industry is ready to prioritize eco-friendly practices.

See the full Circle of Impact Report here.

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The course, Sustainable Hotel and Resort Operations, focuses on the United Nations (UN) 17 Sustainable Development Goals and was developed for several reasons said Steven Hilborn, a professor in Georgian’s Hospitality, Tourism and Recreation programs.

“Georgian signing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Accord in 2021 was one of the reasons, but those of us in the hospitality industry have always understood the precarious balance we maintain with our environment,” said Hilborn. “The majority of tourism is based in areas of natural beauty and ecological significance, and while the industry is dependent on those who travel to experience these beautiful environments, we must take steps to ensure they’re protected.” 

For the past 14 weeks, 143 third-semester students worked on developing a Sustainability Action Plan Report with three local resorts – Muskoka Beer Spa, Grand Tappattoo Resort and the Sherwood Inn.

“We were very excited to see Georgian students learning and embracing sustainability in the tourism industry,” said Melissa Whittle, Director of Sales and General Shenanigans, Muskoka Beer Spa. “With tourism being a significant part of the local economy, it’s imperative that we all work together to not only keep Muskoka beautiful but encourage businesses, guests and local residents to keep sustainability front of mind. We look forward to building a solid foundation for those in the community and everyone in the future.”

The students also worked with Green Step Solutions – a green certification based in British Columbia who provided oversight and context, and Regional Tourism Organization 12 (Explorer’s Edge) who provided funding. They have a new mission statement to help ensure sustainable activity within their tourism area.

During the course students learned about the UN sustainability goals, the three pillars (economics, environment and social) and ways to apply them in real-world scenarios. After spending the first half of the semester in the classroom, they went out to the resorts and conducted their own sustainability audits. This included staying at the resort, eating in their restaurants, touring the resort and meeting with management. 

Students finished the semester by presenting their final reports to the partner resorts. In addition to learning about the importance of sustainability, they also learned the importance of motivation noting that the best recommendations were the ones that could be easily implemented, did not impact the customer’s experience negatively, helped the environment and local area, and saved the business money.

Rie Asada, an international student from Japan, said he learned that we need to be better for our environment, our guests and also for our employees.

“In my home city Kyoto, I used to be annoyed at the strict policy of separating waste, and I only took public transportation because I was too scared to drive,” said Asada. “Since being in Canada, I only realize now I was being sustainable. In this course I learned about what’s happening in the world, what sustainability is, and what I can do about it. I have to be willing to do more things, such as using less water, finishing all the food I buy, or unplugging unused home appliances. However, these are practices of the general people, and the hospitality industry requires further steps.”

The course will be offered again next fall and students will work with three different resorts. If you’re a resort operator looking to participate next year, reach out to Steven Hilborn at steven.hilborn@georgiancollege.ca.

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For the overwhelming majority of Canadians, ‘environmental protection’ (61%) is what comes to mind when hearing the word ‘sustainability’ and they are prepared to take action: Canadians agree the most impactful decision/action one can take to improve sustainability is to reduce waste (61%) and 81% agree plastic grocery bags have a large negative impact on the environment. Nearly four in five (78%) say they have recycled at home, and three-quarters (76%) have used reusable shopping bags at the grocery store, in the last 6 months.

Lower down on Canadians’ list of impactful sustainable actions are driving less (29%), investing in a more efficient home (22%), eating less meat (20%) and using ‘all-natural’ products (17%). Similarly, less than a quarter of Canadians have changed their diet (23%) or driven an eco-friendly vehicle (10%) in the last six months.

All in all, Canadians are looking to companies and brands to lead the charge to create a more sustainable future: 43% say companies/corporations are the most responsible for improving sustainability, compared to 28% who say individuals/consumers are the most responsible and 26% who say the same of governments. What’s more, 81% of Canadians want businesses to provide information about the carbon footprint of their products and three in five (63%) say they’d like to be able to immediately offset the carbon footprint of a purchase.

Scott Stewart, Associate Director, Lifestyle & Leisure, at Mintel said:

“Given that most Canadians consider themselves to be sustainable consumers and concerns surrounding sustainability are on the rise, companies and brands can confidently roll out sustainability strategies knowing that consumers are receptive. Even among the third of Canadians who say they generally tune out sustainability messaging, it points to white space where brands can fill the gap.

“The challenge will be finding the best way to do so. Most consumers want to be sustainable, yet do not want to make major sacrifices. And there is still a lot of confusion around the topic, meaning education and guidance are necessary. Companies have an opportunity to be leaders by making sustainable consumption simple to implement and easy to understand. Transparency will be welcomed by Canadians who acknowledge that they need help to fully understand the impact of their consumption.”

Consumers are happy with their sustainability actions
The majority (65%) of consumers say they are satisfied with the amount of sustainable action they are taking (ie they feel it is the appropriate amount), including 73% of men aged 18-34 and 64% of women aged 65+. However, whether or not that translates into a positive impact is another story given that 35% of Canadians would rather spend money to support sustainability than change their behaviour, including 57% of men aged 18-34. Even among those who do want to change their behaviours, there is a clear pattern that shows they want to make minimal sacrifices.

“The most common sustainable actions that consumers are taking are those that are easy and convenient. Like recycling, the fact that most Canadians bring reusable bags to the grocery store is reflective of how easy it is to make that behaviour change. Larger sustainability commitments like reducing meat consumption or switching to an electric vehicle see a lot fewer consumers willing to make a change. And, oftentimes, consumers are more willing to spend money on sustainability measures rather than make any changes at all to their lifestyle.

“This is illustrative of the kinds of solutions that consumers want to engage in to feel like they are doing their part without drastically changing their behaviour and points to opportunities for brands to better meet consumer needs by offering them the sustainable solutions they are looking for with minimal effort on their part,” concluded Stewart.

SOURCE Mintel Group Ltd.

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