Partners in Profile
Stephanie Jackman, Founder and President of REAP Business Association, became involved with the imagineCALGARY project as a member of the Built Environment Working Group during the development of the Plan. At that time, REAP was just an idea that Stephanie had to support the growth of local business and connect companies that were working toward sustainability with concerned citizens. Today it has grown into a thriving organization with a commitment to raising awareness about sustainability issues.
Stephanie shared her experiences as an imagineCALGARY Partner and volunteer in a recent interview.
Q. What prompted REAP to join imagineCALGARY as a Partner?
Since the vision for REAP developed, in large part, through my involvement with imagineCALGARY, it made sense for REAP to become a Partner and to help raise awareness for – and contribute to – achieving the targets.
Q. How is REAP using imagineCALGARY today?
REAP is using the imagineCALGARY network and Targets in several ways.
I’m a member of the Collaborative Action Committee, which helps to keep REAP connected to other organizations that are working toward the imagineCALGARY Targets. This allows for greater partnership and collaboration.
REAP eMagazine includes articles about everything from renewable energy to literacy rates and provides readers with specific ways to take action. In May REAP will add a new action tracker to its website that will enable readers to enter the actions they have taken to affect change and measure their own personal contribution. Many of the actions in the action tracker relate to the imagineCALGARY Targets.
In partnership with Conscious Home, REAP is developing a Green Living Series of workshops for the West Springs Cougar Ridge Community Association. This series of four workshops will run Tuesday evenings in June and will provide participants with the checklists and tools necessary to reduce their ecological footprint in four areas: toxicity in the home, waste reduction, energy and water usage, and fashion and cosmetics. The results of the workshops will be tracked online using the action tracker at www.reapcalgary.com. Many of the steps in the checklists relate to the imagineCALGARY Targets.
REAP is also educating business leaders about ways to make their operations more environmentally and socially responsible. On Earth Day (April 22) we will be co-hosting a free luncheon and panel discussion – entitled Voluntary Action to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint – with Bullfrog Power at Eau Claire Market. On May 7 we will be hosting a presentation on eco-printing and the importance of Forest Stewardship Council certified processes.
This fall REAP will launch a workshop series for businesses that is similar to the Green Living Series for homeowners. Businesses will sign up to benchmark certain areas of their operations and then take steps to reduce their ecological footprint and track the results over a one-year timeframe. Many of the steps in the business checklists relate to the imagineCALGARY Targets.
Q. Does REAP have any particular plans for imagineCALGARY in the future?
As we gain experience and traction with our workshop series, we will rollout our programs to additional communities and businesses. As the number of businesses participating in reducing their ecological footprint grows, so will the number of business leaders who are committed to achieving the imagineCALGARY Targets. We hope that this will help grow the imagineCALGARY network of Partners.
Q. What benefits do you see imagineCALGARY offering the Calgary community?
imagineCALGARY provides Calgarians (businesses and individuals) with the framework for working toward a more sustainable city. Specific targets make it easy for anyone to get involved and make a contribution in whatever area has relevance to them. REAP is excited to be an imagineCALGARY Partner and to help to spread the word about the Targets, and to provide Calgarians with simple ways to take action.
