Happy Earth Day everyone!! Usually on the blog, we share information about our passion, solar energy, but the foundation of that passion is our desire to help create a greener and more sustainable way of living. We feel so lucky to live in a province where both the government and the people living here are prioritizing the environment and taking action on creating a brighter, green future for us all.

In honour of Earth Day, we wanted to take a moment to give a quick shout out of some of the many amazing green initiatives in Nova Scotia! This is by no means an exhaustive list, but rather a few highlights.

Efficiency NS
The first program of its kind in Canada, Efficiency NS was created to help Nova Scotia save power through energy efficiency and conservation programs. They estimate that their programs save Nova Scotians $475 million and have reached 1 000 000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent avoided annually. This year, Efficiency NS launched the SolarHomes rebate program, which has made switching to solar energy a financial possibility for homeowners around the province.

Clean Foundation
Many of us know this non-profit as Clean Nova Scotia, but they actually offer programs, education, policy contributions, strategic collaborations and more all over Atlantic Canada with the goal of tackling some of our most pressing environmental issues.

Hope for Wildlife
Hope for Wildlife is much more than a rehab center for wild animals (though that in itself would be enough!). In addition to taking on over 4500 animals every year, the center also offers assistance to over 20 000 callers annually, provides offsite education sessions, runs tours, and is able to collect a wide range of data collected from the treated animals.

photo: Hope for Wildlife

Common Roots Urban Farm
This community farm, which is currently in the process of moving from its original home by the QEII hospital to BiHi park, provides an urban space for the community to come together to grow their own produce, run a produce market, and offer workshops and education sessions.

Green Schools Nova Scotia
This free program is an initiative from Efficiency Nova Scotia that supports our teachers and students in becoming energy savvy. Through this programming, the entire school community learns how to waste less energy and the importance of energy efficiency.

Ecology Action Centre
Located in Halifax’s North End, this member-based charity tackles environmental challenges around Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada. They cover a wide range of issues including community planning and development, oceans and coastal areas, energy, food policy, wildlife, and more.

Zero Waste Nova Scotia
Looking for some local advice and inspiration on minimizing your consumption and living a zero/low waste lifestyle? @zerowastenovascotia shares tons of great tips on their Instagram account.

The Tare Shop
And speaking of zero waste, this list wouldn’t be complete without one of our favourite local businesses. The Tare Shop in North End Halifax is a package free bulk store/coffee shop. Bring along your jars to stock up on their wide selection of bulk items and check out their frequent community events.

Solar Schools Canada
This non-profit is particularly near and dear to us because it helps to bring solar energy systems to schools around the province (and beyond). Solar Schools not only helps to bring solar photovoltaic (PV) systems to schools but it also involves the students along the way and provides hands-on learning about renewable energy.

Edge Energy Management and Consulting
Edge sprang from its co-founders’ passion for energy efficiency and carbon reduction and works to help businesses reduce their energy waste and adopt energy-saving practices and technologies.

This is just a small list of the many amazing green initiatives going on around Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada! We’re thrilled that both the government and our community have come together in so many ways to help support our environment and create a brighter, greener future.

We’re passionate about the environmental benefits of solar energy and the massive large-scale impact it can have for our province and our planet. To learn more about the environmental benefits, check out our post here and to get started with your own solar energy system, get your FREE customized report here.