A Black Diamond resident with a dream to see his community become self-sufficient is bringing people together once again to show them how it can be done.
Dusty Williams, chair of the Sustainable Black Diamond Advisory Committee, is planning the third annual Sustainability Fair to give citizens and municipal delegates information on the value of living a sustainable life with ideas from composting and alternative energy to water consumption.
The event is hosted by the Sustainable Black Diamond Advisory Committee at the Flare ‘n’ Derrick Community Hall in Turner Valley May 12 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
There is no cost to attend the fair.
"It’s an education factor,” said Williams, who owns Sustainable Life, a business that assists home and business owners with water conservation and energy savings. "People are asking for this stuff for the simple fact that the attendance is up and the requests are there for presenters. What I’m hearing is ‘Where do I go for information?’
"That’s why I came up with this idea in the first place, to make this information available to the public.”
Williams said the fair will feature about 25 tables with information on topics like composting, water conservation, energy conservation, sustainable homes, solar energy and rebate programs. There will also be a tiny home on site.
In addition, up to six speakers have been set up with topics that include Okotoks’ recycling and composting program and net zero homes.
"My dream is to have a community that is self-sufficient and as resilient as possible so that we are depending on our own energy as opposed to the big huge conglomerate power-line energy thing,” said Williams. "With a fully-sustainable community you are supporting yourselves. When we do something sustainable and community-oriented everybody benefits.”
For instance, if rainwater was captured on every building in Black Diamond and Turner Valley, it would total 109,090,090 cubic metres a year on average, representing just over $283,000 in savings at $2.63 a cubic metre, Williams said.
The Town of Black Diamond has become an example of energy conservation, using alternative energy and water consumption reduction measures on its facilities.
Goose Creek Contracting has done the installation of solar systems on the Town’s buildings and about half a dozen homes in Black Diamond and Turner Valley, according to Rick Dunsmore, the company’s chief administrative officer.
Dunsmore, who will have a table at the fair with information on how to connect a solar system to the grid, Alberta Utility Commission requirements and information on Efficiency Alberta’s funding program for solar energy, said solar energy is increasing in demand.
"The draw to solar is the funding from the government and lower cost to install solar,” he said. "There is 30 per cent funding from Energy Efficiency Alberta. The funding program is pretty enticing.”
Dunsmore said 10 years ago the cost to install solar panels on a home was $10 a watt. Now it’s less than $3.
At Saturday’s fair, Goose Creek Contracting will assist in hosting bus tours of the various homes and buildings with solar panels, as well as a stop at the Oilfields Regional Arena in Black Diamond to showcase the various energy-efficient projects that have been done there.
Returning to the fair will be Okotoks waste services manager Paul Lyons, who will present to attendees what Okotoks has achieved in terms of waste management initiatives and programs, current trends in the industry, discuss the regional Materials Recovery Facility initiative and suggest the next steps for Black Diamond and Turner Valley.
"What we would probably be looking at is what could be done from a sustainable standpoint and a waste and recycling perspective to address some of the issues that Turner Valley and Black Diamond might have,” he said.
Lyons said the Sustainability Fair addresses avenues of sustainability that go beyond things like planting trees.
"My approach to environmentalism and sustainability is taking it from a waste perspective,” he said. "I think this adds another dimension to what is required and what would prove beneficial.”
