Sustainable Life Newsletter – May 2026

When Patience Pays Off

Welcome to the May edition of our Newsletter.

Over the past several years, Sustainable Life has explored a wide range of topics—from water and air quality to land use, circular economy ideas, rainwater harvesting, and community resilience.

Much of this work happens quietly. Articles are written, presentations are prepared, projects move forward, and conversations continue one person at a time.

May brought a reminder that these efforts matter.

Several residents stopped me in the street to say they were reading the articles and following the discussions. Others shared posts, asked questions, and encouraged the work to continue. The Diamond Valley Information page began sharing Sustainable Life content, helping many more residents discover these resources.

The response reinforced something I’ve believed for a long time:

Meaningful change rarely happens all at once. It grows through awareness, conversation, and the willingness to keep showing up.

Civic Tools: Helping Residents Participate

One of the strongest responses this month came from the Civic Tools series.

The goal of this series is simple: help residents better understand how local government works and how to participate effectively.

Many readers commented that they appreciated having complex municipal processes explained in plain language. Others shared that the information helped them feel more confident about engaging with Council discussions and community planning processes.

An informed community is a stronger community.

Water, Air, and Community Resilience

Work also continued on several ongoing sustainability themes.

The Water Season series continued exploring how water moves through Alberta’s systems and how those systems connect to growth, infrastructure, and long-term resilience.

Community air quality discussions remained active following the CRAZ Lunch & Learn, with residents expressing interest in learning more about local monitoring and environmental health.

These topics may seem separate, but they share a common thread: understanding the systems that support our communities.

Community Projects Continue

Rainwater harvesting projects remain active as residents prepare for the growing season. Repair Café planning continues, helping extend the life of useful items while building community connections and practical skills.

These projects demonstrate that sustainability is not just a concept—it is something we can practice every day through small, meaningful actions.

• Projects-Live https://www.sustainablelife.biz/projects/

Canadian Water Portal Corner

Several readers have asked where they can find articles I’ve written for other organizations. Beginning this month, I’ll be including a Canadian Water Portal Corner to share those publications and future contributions.

I’ve been fortunate to have two articles published through the Canadian Water Portal this year.

These articles explore an idea that has become increasingly important in my own work: water literacy. The more we understand where our water comes from, how watersheds function, and how our decisions affect these systems, the better prepared we are to build resilient communities.

📖 Water Literacy Begins Where We Pay Attention
A reflection on how awareness is often the first step toward stewardship and why paying attention to our local water systems matters. https://waterportal.ca/alberta-water-blog/water-literacy/

📖 Watersheds, Rivers, and Lessons
An exploration of the connections between watersheds, rivers, communities, and the lessons they can teach us about resilience and sustainability.
https://waterportal.ca/alberta-water-blog/watersheds-rivers-and-lessons/

I hope you enjoy these articles as much as I enjoyed writing them. Additional Canadian Water Portal articles are currently in development and will be shared here as they are published.

New Canadian Water Portal Article Published

I’m pleased to share that my latest article has been published by Canadian Water Portal:

Restoring the Living Edge: How Flood, Community, and Stewardship Reshaped One Alberta Stream-bank

The article reflects on stream-bank restoration efforts in Black Diamond following the 2013 Alberta flood and explores how restoration can become a powerful form of watershed education and community stewardship.

One aspect I particularly appreciate is that the article recognizes the contributions of many people involved in the project, including Les Quinton, Rayleigh Conley, Sustainability Circle, Cows and Fish, and numerous community volunteers. Canadian Water Portal even took the time to track down and link additional project information, helping preserve the history and connections behind the work.

You can read the full article here: https://waterportal.ca/alberta-water-blog/restoring-the-living-edge/

This project reminded me that healthy watersheds, like healthy communities, are built through shared knowledge, persistence, and people willing to care for the places they call home.

Looking Ahead

The coming months will bring new articles, workshops, community discussions, and project updates.

Topics on the horizon include:

• Watershed and riparian health
• Circular economy opportunities
• Sustainable building practices
• Water resilience
• Community-led sustainability initiatives

Thank you to everyone who reads, shares, comments, and participates in these conversations.

Every question asked, every idea shared, and every discussion started helps build a stronger and more resilient community.

Closing

One of the most rewarding parts of this month wasn’t a statistic or a project milestone. It was hearing from residents who stopped me on the street to talk about the articles they had been reading. Many told me they appreciated having complex topics explained in plain language. Those conversations remind me that awareness often begins quietly, one discussion at a time.

🌱 Sustainability grows when we share it.