What if your New Year’s resolutions were not only about improvements for you, but for your community? Luckily, the two go together.
Here are just a few examples:
Getting around
Are you hoping to be healthier, get more exercise, de-stress with more time outside? Guess what? Active transportation fits all those things into your day! Getting around by walking, biking or even taking the bus (which includes a walk to and from bus stops) gets you active throughout the day. The bonus for your community? Lower carbon emissions, less traffic and more street life.
Going local
Planning on eating more fresh and whole foods? Eating local is a great way to do that while also supporting local farmers. Why not get a membership at Eat Local Sudbury? Don’t stop at food. Shopping local supports local businesses, and local artists and artisans.
Connect more
Wanting to spend more quality time with friends and family? Take time to explore and enjoy your neighbourhood with them. Discover favourite places and favourite routes to walk and cycle. Stop and chat with neighbours. Shovel someone’s walk or join in on some neighbourhood street hockey. Be a part of making your neighbourhood a friendly and welcoming place to live — for you and for your neighbours.
Don’t stop there. Head over to parks and trails with your family, friends or neighbours. Hang out at the library. Drop in at local coffee shops. Take time to enjoy life. Without even thinking about it, you’ll be adding to the vibrancy of your community.
Make it happen
There’s great satisfaction in being part of making something good happen and seeing the difference it makes. Have a great idea? Now’s your chance to get an extra hand up with Project Impact. It invites you or your group to submit your idea for a small community project with a big impact. You’ll have the opportunity to share your idea with the community, who will vote on which projects will receive funding and volunteer support.
Whether you’re pitching a project, or supporting someone else’s great idea, Project Impact gives everyone the chance to make something happen. Submit your idea by Jan. 30.
Applications, more information and project ideas can be found at liveablesudbury.org/projectImpact.html.
Speak up
We can all be a part of making our community a better place to live for ourselves and others. Whatever your interests or passions, there is sure to a likeminded group to connect with and support.
Whatever your priorities and vision, sharing your input with city council, the city and others is a first step in seeing that vision realized. Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury can help connect you with the groups, issues and events of most interest to you, and with opportunities to have your voice heard. Take the city’s current GS2025 process, for example, which asks for your input on a collective vision for the future.
Contact us at [email protected], 705-691-5538, or liveablesudbury.org, where you can sign up for our e-newsletter to keep informed on issues, events, and opportunities to speak up and take action for a vibrant and sustainable community.
ReThinking Green is produced by ReThink Green, a local non-profit organization promoting environmental action, policies and networking in the Greater Sudbury area.
Naomi Grant is chair of Coalition for a Liveable Sudbury.
