Susan Roberts
I am an advocate for healthy sustainable food that comes from an ecologically sound food system. I am a community connector on this, as well as being an advocate for sustainable and environmentally sound energy sources."I am an advocate for healthy sustainable food that comes from an ecologically sound food system. I am a community connector on this, as well as being an advocate for sustainable and environmentally sound energy sources.
Tell us about your work in your community
I am a member and Chair of the Jasper Local Food Society and a member of the Town of Jasper Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee. I am an advocate for healthy sustainable food that comes from an ecologically sound food system. I am a community connector on this, as well as being an advocate for sustainable and environmentally sound energy sources. I am leading an initiative to install Solar on our condo building in Jasper.
Tell us a story about a time you brought people together to improve your community.
In 2002 I brought the Public Health Nutrtionsist in Alberta together to start a network called Growing Food Security in Alberta. I have lead the organization up this year when I stepped down as chair and am now Treasurer. The organization is now a new non-profit incorporated in 2013 called Alberta food Matters AFM. The AFM works together to foster leadership, relationships and actions that reconnect people, land and food in Alberta.
What problems are you trying to solve?
Looking to bring people together on divisive issues in an open, non-threatening and supportive environment to talk and discuss views. I am looking at The Kinder Morgan Pipeline and its controversy and helping to ensure people understand the healthful advantage of local ecologically sound food.
What do you need to learn how to do in order to solve those problems?
Learn to see the various sides of an issue. How to gather evidence and connect with the experts. How to be skeptical yet smart about gathering experts and evidence. Find and innovate effective ways to present the evidence.
What are the most powerful questions you need to ask right now?
How do we have sustainable environmental sound energy in our Jasper community and county and how we get buy-in? Waste is another issue we are struggling with in our community. Jasper has a strong tourist presence which burdens our waste system. How do we handle this heavy waste load on our system. Where are the answers? Limit visitors??!
If we all worked together, what do you imagine that we could achieve in the next five to ten years?
Have been successful in separating ourselves from fossils fuels as energy sources and solar , wind and geothermal would be out energy sources. Our Food would not be processed and big Ag and Agricultire canada would embrace organic and permaculture methods as the preferred methods for growing and raising our food. Poverty would be over! Democracy would be alive and well!