In this issue:
Young entrepreneurs harness solar power in Halifax | p. 4 Organic waste is transformed into renewable biogas | p. 5 Power up your organization’s green team | p. 6 Band together and fight for the climate | p. 8
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Contents 3 A message from
Suha Jethalal Growing our green energy community
4 Solar power energizes a
Halifax neighbourhood 5 All about organic waste
diversion at Seacliff Energy 6 Go for green! Practical advice for your company’s sustainability team
8 10 ways to combat climate
change as a community 10 Bullfrogpowered
green index Congratulations to the bullfrogpowered businesses that made an impact this year
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Growing our green energy community This year, Canada experienced abnormal droughts, flooding, and the worst wildfire season on record. It’s impossible to ignore the effects of climate change. Faced with these extremes, we have a choice: to get discouraged, or to do more. We know that the bullfrogpowered community will continue to stand up for the climate, and our team will do everything we can to offer impactful, accessible sustainability solutions to anyone who wants to join us in building a renewably powered future. Every new voice is important to the climate movement, and this issue of the Buzz is all about maximizing our collective impact. With that in mind, we’re excited to announce that Bullfrog Power is expanding our commercial offerings to the United States. By bringing the highest quality green energy solutions to businesses in the U.S., we’ll be able to expand our community’s carbon reductions and transform North America’s energy systems for the better. If your organization has U.S. operations, we would love to hear from you. This issue is packed with stories and guides about what we can accomplish when we work together. On page 4, see how solar awnings supported by the bullfrogpowered community have quickly become an essential community service in Halifax. Turn to page 5 to read how our parent company, Envest, is helping Ontario municipalities green their waste collection through anaerobic digestion. On page 6, you’ll find advice from bullfrogpowered businesses on how to run a successful green team at your organization. And on page 8, we’ve put together a list of 10 ways you can help the climate with your friends, family, or colleagues. As always, community is at the heart of what we do. Thank you for being part of ours.
Suha Jethalal President, Bullfrog Power
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Solar power energizes a Halifax neighbourhood As summer drew to a close in Halifax’s Uniacke Square neighbourhood, the young agricultural entrepreneurs at Hope Blooms, a youth-driven registered charity, rushed to harvest the last of their produce before Hurricane Lee hit. This equity-deserving community is already facing the effects of climate change, and its youth are seizing the opportunity to change the course of the climate crisis.
This year, Bullfrog Power donated $20,000 to help Hope Blooms add even more renewable energy to their operations in the form of two solar awnings. The awnings provide shade for picnic tables, free wifi, and electricity for charging phones, laptops, and ebikes. All bullfrogpowered customers contribute to initiatives like this one through our community projects program.
At Hope Blooms, youth learn to The solar awnings quickly became grow organic food on 10,000 a meeting place, an educational square feet of urban gardens and in tool, and a lifeline. Many community a solar-powered greenhouse that the members who are insecurely housed bullfrogpowered community supported or unhoused come every day to charge The solar awnings have four in 2015. The food they grow is sold at their devices. And when a tropical storm outlets, and the picnic table itself is the subsidized Fair Food Farmer’s Market caused a three-day power outage in the a wireless charger. and used to manufacture fresh herb salad spring, everyone could rely on solar energy to dressings. After graduating at 18, youth leave with keep their phones going. an annual scholarship funded by salad dressing proceeds Uniacke Square is a public housing project that was built in – as well as deep knowledge of sustainability and social part to accommodate the displaced residents of Africville, a entrepreneurship.
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primarily Black community that the City of Halifax destroyed in the 1960s. Having been promised a higher standard of living, Africville residents who were forcibly relocated to Uniacke Square instead encountered racism, unequal access to education and jobs, and a lack of social supports. Racialized poverty persists in Halifax to this day, making many Uniacke Square residents particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts like rising food and energy prices. Hope Blooms is working to alleviate those immediate effects through subsidized produce and free charging, with a longterm goal of breaking the cycle of poverty altogether. For a community that has often been denied a say in where and how they live, the opportunity to engage with environmental stewardship and climate action has been transformative. Jessie Jollymore, the Founder and Executive Director of Hope Blooms, notes that youth are much more likely to develop an interest in things that they can relate to. Her proof? When children grow kale, they’ll devour a kale Caesar salad. Renewable energy is another example. Students who would be bored by a textbook explanation of solar power might love to open up a solar awning’s battery to see how it works.
Hope Blooms hosts Green Labs that let students do just that, gaining hands-on experience with renewable energy during an 8-week program. They learn about environmental stewardship from the ground up, starting with soil health. Then, they’re invited to look at the renewable technology around them, including the solar awnings and off-grid greenhouse, to spark ideas for a more sustainable future. The first group of students built wind turbine models, solar dehydrators for their garden produce, and solar-powered aquaponics systems. To Jessie, bringing cutting-edge renewable technology to historically marginalized neighbourhoods like Uniacke Square is as much about giving the community a voice as it is about emissions reductions. “We’ve been left out of conversations about climate change and climate action, and the solar awnings are a really important tool to involve our community in those conversations,” Jessie said. “Long-term, we hope that some of our youth will go into renewable energy careers.”
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All about organic waste diversion at Seacliff Energy For some Ontarians, putting our food waste in the green bin is second nature. But there are many municipalities and buildings that don’t offer this service – an issue that the province’s organic waste diversion program hopes to address. Ontario aims to reduce or recover 50-70% of its food waste by 2025, but currently has only a third of the infrastructure needed to accept the diverted waste. Bullfrog Power’s parent company, Envest, owns and operates Seacliff Energy: an anaerobic digestor that can process up to 110,000 tonnes of organic waste each year. Set in Leamington, it has served municipalities including the City of Toronto,
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When organic waste is treated as garbage and taken to landfill, it emits potent greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane, that contribute to climate change.
If the organic waste is taken to an anaerobic digestor instead, the gases it emits can be turned into renewable biogas that displaces fossil fuels.
York Region, and Halton Region. Envest recently signed contracts to process organic waste from Windsor-Essex and Durham Region beginning in 2024. “Anaerobic digestion is a closed-loop system where nothing goes to waste,” said Jason Moretto, President and CEO of Envest. The biogas produced in the Leamington facility is converted into renewable electricity for the Ontario grid and thermal energy for a nearby tomato greenhouse. The digestion process also produces nutrient-rich, pasteurized, and certified organic Seacliff Green fertilizer, which Envest distributes to local farmers. If green bin collection isn’t available to you, composting is a great alternative that also lowers greenhouses gases and produces plant-friendly compost. There are even waste diversion options for homes and offices without outdoor space – at the Bullfrog office, we use an appliance to process our food waste and create compost for staff to take home!
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Start with a baseline
Go for green! Practical advice for your company’s sustainability team It’s no secret that bullfrogpowered businesses are sustainability leaders, with many of them having a dedicated green team that encourages emissions reductions, recycling, and much more. We asked our community to share their favourite environmental initiatives and their advice for other companies looking to start or level up their green team.
Focus on the customer experience Staples Canada aims to make sustainable choices easier for their associates and their customers, such as by offering bullfrogpowered marketing collateral and other print materials to their solutionshop customers. In 2012, Staples Canada’s sustainability team initiated a partnership with TerraCycle that allows customers to recycle writing instruments in stores. They’re the only Canadian retailer to do so, and they’ve recycled more than six million writing instruments to date! To celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the partnership, the sustainability team held an event where associates helped create an art piece made of upcycled markers. The artwork hangs in the Staples Canada head office as a reminder to integrate sustainability into their workplace culture.
Muskoka Roastery Coffee Co. has a few key employees who captain their sustainability initiatives, from achieving B Corp certification to implementing a no-waste policy at their office and roasting facility. Thanks to the efforts of the entire team, Muskoka Roastery will achieve their zero-waste target by 2025 – driven largely by the conversion of all coffee bags to a recyclable alternative
Start small and keep steady Ecotrend Ecologics Ltd. considers their entire staff to be a green team working towards reducing unnecessary consumption. Over the past 13 years, they’ve meticulously tracked their energy use, waste, and transportation.
Find strength in numbers Devour Catering doesn’t have a formal green team, but that doesn’t stop them from incorporating sustainability into their decision-making. They’re working to source more produce, meat, and beverages from local vendors to cut down on transportation-related emissions and invest in the local food economy. As a small business, Devour Catering finds that partnering with sustainability-focused organizations is a great way
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Prioritize immediate impact The Muskoka Roastery team stressed the importance of tracking key metrics, like waste, energy, and water, as a first step towards sustainability. Without a baseline, you won’t be able to measure and celebrate your progress.
TAS notes that while distant net-zero goals are important, it’s equally important to look for everyday green opportunities. Their Impact team focuses on sustainability as well as social impact in the pursuit of developing mixed-income, low-carbon housing. At TAS, they prioritize avoiding emissions from the beginning of the building development process, reducing the need for carbon offsets. At their flagship development in downtown Toronto, they diverted more than 92% of demolition waste. Two-thirds of that waste was repurposed on site, reducing emissions from transportation, recycling, and new material production.
e.
They’ve found that building sustainable habits can lead to big impacts. By identifying and implementing small changes, like replacing hand towels with efficient dryers or swapping paper for a sugar-based alternative, Ecotrend Ecologics has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 44% compared to their base year.
Keep learning and experimenting Your Neighbourhood Credit Union (YNCU) has a green team made up of a cross-functional group of members. This year, the team switched individual waste bins for central waste and recycling, stopping about 300 plastic bags from going to landfill each week.
to have an impact without overextending their resources. Bullfrogpowering their operations is a simple and effective way to get started. They also work with partners to upcycle their used fryer oil into biofuel and offer reusable food containers to customers.
The green team likes to get creative. Recently, they organized a Build-A-Bike Challenge in all YNCU’s offices and branches. Participants built 23 children’s bikes and donated them to local Big Brothers Big Sisters chapters. The green team’s advice is to commit to ongoing learning and look to other organizations for unique ideas to try. YNCU is also collaborating with other credit unions to encourage green energy adoption. Their Bullfrog Power partnership includes a Good Neighbour Co-operative Pricing Model that gives referred credit unions access to discounted rates.
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10 ways to combat climate change as a community Eat from the Earth, for the Earth We’ve all heard that eating less meat and more local, seasonal foods is an effective way to combat climate change, but it can be hard to change our habits. Draw motivation from your friends and family by starting a vegetarian supper club, creating a group chat for recipe swapping, or joining a community garden.
Stand with Indigenous climate stewards Indigenous Peoples steward only 22% of Earth’s land, but they protect 80% of the planet’s biodiversity. Indigenous land and water defenders are on the front lines of the climate movement, and you can support them by donating, volunteering when requested, and speaking out against environmental racism.
Choose renewable energy, and use it wisely If you’re a bullfrogpowered customer, you’re already addressing your energy-related footprint and encouraging new renewable energy development. For even more positive impact, get your household involved in energy conservation steps like hanging clothes out to dry or unplugging appliances that aren’t in use.
Green your transportation Transport accounts for 22% of Canada’s emissions – almost as much as oil and gas. Next time you plan a trip with family or friends, suggest a local destination that you can bus, train, or carpool to instead of flying. If you do fly, offset your emissions at less.ca, our sister company.
Support ethical business practices The money in your wallet can be a powerful vote for sustainable and ethical business practices. Check the Bullfrog Power Green Index or the B Corp directory to find brands that share your values and are making a positive impact. Share your finds with friends, and give ethical gifts for birthdays and holidays. the bullfrog buzz•10
We’re already seeing the effects of climate change, and it may seem as though one person’s efforts are insignificant compared to record-breaking temperatures, wildfires, and rising sea levels. Luckily, you’re not alone. The bullfrogpowered community is made up of 10,000+ households and 1,500+ businesses who care deeply about our planet and are taking action to protect it. When we act as a community, small changes can have big impacts. Share this article with your friends, family, and colleagues, and pick a few actions to take together. You can also share discount code BUZZ2023 with anyone who’s interested in clean energy – they’ll save $25 on a green electricity or green natural gas purchase.
Prioritize experiences over consumption Research shows that experiences make us happier than material things. You can live better and fight overconsumption by planning activities with your loved ones instead of buying carbon-intensive goods. Try spending time in nature, learning a new skill, or upcycling something that would otherwise go to waste.
Help nature do its thing Nature-based solutions are excellent ways to store carbon and preserve biodiversity. Get your family together to introduce native, pollinator-friendly plants to your yard. No lawn? Check your local parks for opportunities to volunteer by planting trees, clearing invasive species, or picking up litter.
Vote for a sustainable future Our political representatives have a huge impact on climate at the federal, provincial, and municipal levels. Research your candidates’ climate plans and share your findings with your network. When it’s time to vote, go together – particularly for elections with low voter turnout!
Green your investments Your money might be supporting oil and gas, even if you don’t. Meet with your financial advisor to find investment opportunities that support renewable energy, cleantech, and sustainable business practices. You can also mobilize members of your workplace, pension fund, or university to influence greener investing at those institutions.
Have a climate conversation Often, your loved ones trust your opinion more than they trust experts. Talking about the climate can be challenging, but it’s also an effective way to get more people involved in the climate movement. the bullfrog buzz•11 the bullfrog buzz•11
green index Vanguard 5,000–39,999 MWh or 35,000–279,999 GJ or equivalent combination*
Ambassador 500–4,999 MWh or 3,500–34,999 GJ or equivalent combination
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Steward 100–499 MWh or 700–3,499 GJ or equivalent combination • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Egg Farmers of Canada Nature’s Way Branded Cities Morguard Rocky Mountain Soap Co. Geotab Crown Property Management Inc. George Brown College Flow Alkaline Spring Water Warren’s Waterless Printing Sanagan’s Meat Locker KingSett Capital TPH – The Printing House Davis Alphawave IP Jazz Cabbage Gardens Flexahopper BLES Biochemicals The Grizzly Paw Brewing Company Muldoon’s Craft Roasted Coffee OMISTA Credit Union Georgian Greengate Garden Centres Value Village Righteous Gelato Ecotrend Ecologics The Wooly Pub Just Us! Coffee Roasters UofG Central Student Association Dialysis Management Clinics
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Community Foundations of Canada JASCO Applied Sciences Laurentian Bank PFB Corporation The Westin Ottawa DIALOG Wild Rock Outfitters Proof Strategies RioCan Uponor David Suzuki Foundation Eatmore Sprouts & Greens Ltd. Upper Canada College Colliers McMillan LLP IATSE Local 873 Beck Taxi Diamond Integrated Marketing Kallo Developments Horizon Grocery + Wellness Hain Celestial Canada Sydney Credit Union Your Neighbourhood Credit Union Morgan Meighen & Associates Limited Urbanspace Property Group St Gabriel’s Passionist Parish Muttley Crue Grooming & Daycare
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ergoCentric Seating Systems • KORU Cremation | Burial | Ceremony • Red Bloom Salon • Green Rebel Restaurant • Green Circle Salons • Mitsubishi Motor Sales of • Canada, Inc. • MakeWay Foundation • ENOVIS • Allvision • First Capital • Brookstreet Hotel • Greenpeace Canada • Optimum Health Vitamins • Creative Therapy Consultants • Ocean Brands NetX • The Turn Lab • Pazzo Pizzeria • DIVA dds Automated Machinery • Design Inc. • Orium • Earnest Ice Cream • Volvo Cars of Canada • Terramera • Colour Innovations • Cask Global Canning Solutions • Benevity • SITURA INC Hilton Vancouver Downtown • • Bousfields
West Kelowna RCMP detachment Peel Scrap Metal Recycling Toronto Zoo Amity Insulation Group Inc. Nations Translation Group Urban Strategies Inc. The Animal Clinic Calstone Inc. The Pembina Institute i2i fulfillment Dalvay by the Sea Marketing Kitchen Rain or Shine Ice Cream Neuron Mobility Ltd. West Canadian Digital Imaging Eco-Max pb+j Ottawa Community Foundation Teachers Plus Credit Union Garrison Brewing Moya Financial Credit Union Nature Canada Kasian Architecture Clearstone Engineering Nova Scotia Community College Toronto Foundation Bartlett Lodge DTAH Manderley Turf
To view a full list of bullfrogpowered organizations and the details of their green energy commitments, visit bullfrogpower.com/greenindex
*Green Index tiers are based on annual purchase volume of green energy. Calculated as of August 31, 2023.
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Using business as a force for good As a certified B Corp since 2011, Bullfrog Power remains committed to improving the world around us. We drive social and environmental change by helping to green North America’s energy systems, supporting community-based green energy projects, and donating 10% of our profits to organizations that support sustainability. More than 50 bullfrogpowered organizations are also B Corps, including the environmental leaders below. If you’d like to learn how a green energy purchase can support your B Impact Assessment, contact us at sales@bullfrogpower.com
About Bullfrog
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Bullfrog Power, an Envest company, is Canada’s leading green energy provider. Bullfrog empowers thousands of businesses and individuals to take action on climate change. Our solutions include power purchase agreements, green electricity, green natural gas, and green fuel.
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