A more sustainable Sackville

Have you ever come up with an idea on how to reduce your carbon footprint, yet you were unable to pursue it due to the lack of resources or funding? If yes, you may want to consider submitting an application for the Green Investment Fund for a chance to have your project come to life.

“The purpose of the Green Investment Fund is to provide environmental initiatives with the necessary funding to increase community connections and reduce carbon emissions in the region,” says Mia Tran. Tran is a third year Environmental Studies student, and the Sustainability Coordinator with the MASU. Tran’s main role as the Sustainability Coordinator is to focus on the Green Investment Fund.

The application process for the Green Investment Fund recently closed, but students and community members are highly encouraged to consider applying next year. The Green Investment Fund was an initiative prompted by the MASU in 2009 and has provided numerous individuals with the necessary funding to support their projects that aim at reducing the community’s carbon footprint.

Within the application process, individuals are required to state how much money they expect their project will cost. The Green Investment Fund totals at 20 thousand dollars, and numerous projects may be granted funds if their budget does not exceed the total amount of the Green Investment Fund. Last year, the funding went to EOS Echo Energy where they started a community garden project at the local schools.

Besides coordinating the Green Investment Fund, Tran is also the head of the Sustainability Committee. Tran noted how the committee has been impacted by COVID-19, saying, “I think we’ve had a little difficulty with being able to do the projects and do the things that people feel passionate about and people want to do.” Despite the impacts of COVID-19, the Sustainability Committee hosted a garage sale that encouraged students to become more sustainable.

Part of her role as the Sustainability Coordinator is to increase communication between the environmental clubs and societies at Mt. A. Tran explains that in working with these groups, “there are always a lot of ideas about how things could improve.” In speaking about the Green Investment Fund, she said: “I know there are a lot of ideas out in the community and a lot of projects, and I think it’s a really great way to encourage those ideas.”

Tran noted that despite Sackville being a small town, there are a number of environmental organizations that speak to the attitudes that the residents of Sackville foster in regard to the environment and sustainability. Perhaps this can be owed to the valuable marshes and wildlife present in Sackville and the desire to preserve them. “Sackville, it’s a small place, and it’s really inspiring to see how many people are dedicated to this issue,” says Tran.

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