Page 23 - Cornwall Sports Energy News Issue No 96, Mike Piquette

www.sportsenergynews.com Issue #96 January 2021 23

613-938-3300
www.ronacornwall.ca JOIN US ON
1100 Marleau Ave.
Cornwall, ON

Business Opportunities

in a More Localized

Economy

By John Towndrow seen an increased interest in people
growing their own food at home
e have seen a lot of and planting in community gardens.
Winformation recently about Consumers are also demanding
how to repair, reuse, and re-gift meat and dairy products be sourced
goods, not only to save money but locally so they know where and
to reduce our carbon footprint and how it’s produced and that animals
to divert the materials going to the are treated humanely.
landfill. This is also reflected in a
Even though we are a small
renewed interest in vintage clothing town, we have internationally
and a return to believing in quality
recognized expertise in
as opposed to quantity. I love my architecture and engineering and
Christmas gift of socks that were
we now have local examples of
made in Green Valley. I really only ‘PASSIVHAUS’ construction, that
need a few good pairs, as opposed
is very energy-efficient buildings.
to a dozen socks cheaply made in Local Engineer, Jeremiah Point
some distant country.
of Point Engineering, explains
It has become apparent during the that a modest 7% up-front cost
current pandemic that much of our can reduce the energy needed to Photo courtesy of Cornwall Tourism
capacity to produce the things we heat and cool buildings by 90%!
need locally has been dismantled. These huge savings in energy, and
Shipments of things in from all a greatly reduced carbon footprint,
over the globe generates a huge continues year after year. Taking
carbon footprint and so we need to the bold steps to make buildings
ask what new businesses, buildings, more energy efficient, tapping into
and skills are needed to establish renewable energy sources, and
a low-carbon community and how using locally sourced materials can
do we keep the money that we generate many new local businesses
spend circulating in the local area, and jobs in the area at the same time
rather than leaking out to offshore as reducing operation costs.
multinationals.
Local newspapers, magazines,
One of the most obvious short-run printing of books, and art
opportunities is to produce more are a vital part of the local economy
food locally and thereby have better and if we make a point of supporting
food security. We are fortunate that all these, then the multiplier effect is
many new opportunities for getting massive, boosting both the creative
our food locally have sprung up in and the production economy.
recent years through the efforts of These are some of the reasons
hard-working young entrepreneurs. why supporting our locally-owned
We can support these through businesses are so important to
CSAs (Community Supported building a resilient and vibrant
Agriculture), which provide community.
farmers with up-front money to
grow and be able to deliver weekly For more information, check out Cornwall artist, Pierre Giroux, creator of the Historic Walking Tour
boxes of local produce. We have www.transitioncornwall.com plaques seen throughout the city. Photo courtesy of Susan Towndrow