Building Resilience, One Practical Step at a Time
Sustainability grows when we share it.
Hello everyone,
October has been another busy month at Sustainable Life, with projects ranging from municipal water infrastructure and renewable energy to computer repairs and community initiatives.
As I look back over the month, one thing stands out. Although these projects may appear unrelated, they share a common purpose: making better use of our resources, reducing long-term costs, and strengthening our ability to look after ourselves and our communities.
Sustainability doesn’t always require something new. Sometimes it begins with repairing what we already own, learning a new skill, or asking a better question.
Here’s a look at what we’ve been working on.
Water Infrastructure — Thinking 50 Years Ahead
One of October’s important discussions focused on the long-term costs of municipal water infrastructure.
When a water main needs replacing, the initial construction cost is only part of the story. Maintenance, energy consumption, materials, future repairs, and eventual replacement all contribute to the true cost of infrastructure.
Looking at these decisions over 50 years can help communities make better investments today.
We also explored how locally recovered materials, including processed glass, might eventually become part of a circular approach to infrastructure construction, provided they meet engineering and environmental requirements.
The important question isn’t simply what something costs today, but what it will cost throughout its useful life.
Read more in our recent water infrastructure articles at Sustainable Life.
Computer Cabin — A New Life for Older Computers
October brought a significant change to my own computer systems.
I’ve begun moving from Windows to Zorin OS, a Linux-based operating system that can help extend the useful life of existing computers.
Two of my systems are now running open-source software, and the experience has provided plenty of opportunities to learn.
For many households, replacing a computer simply because its operating system is no longer supported can be an unnecessary expense. Exploring alternatives may save money while keeping useful electronics out of the waste stream.
One lesson deserves special attention: always back up your important files before making major changes to a computer.
A computer can be replaced. Family photographs, business records, and years of personal work may not be so easily recovered.
Computer Cabin will continue sharing practical information about computer maintenance, repair, and open-source alternatives.
Renewable Energy — Preparing for Winter
As temperatures begin dropping in southern Alberta, home energy consumption becomes an important consideration.
This month we explored practical ways to understand winter energy use, reduce unnecessary consumption, and improve household efficiency.
Work also continues on my experimental sand battery system, which explores storing thermal energy for later use.
These projects are part of a broader interest in combining renewable energy, energy efficiency, and practical thermal storage.
Not every experiment will produce the results we hope for, but each one contributes to our understanding.
And that’s part of being a maker: build, test, measure, learn, and improve.
Repair Café — Keeping Useful Things in Service
Our next community Repair Café takes place on Saturday, November 14, from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM.
Repair Cafés bring people together to share knowledge, repair household items, and reduce unnecessary waste.
October also saw continued repairs to our community tables. Six large and four medium tables have been completed, with another five scheduled for attention at the November event.
These repairs demonstrate something important about the circular economy.
Extending the life of existing equipment reduces replacement costs, conserves materials, and creates opportunities to share practical skills.
Sometimes the most sustainable product is the one we already own.
We hope to see you at the next Repair Café!
Air Quality — Better Information for Our Communities
Our involvement with the Calgary Region Airshed Zone (CRAZ) continues to provide opportunities to learn more about local air quality.
The PurpleAir monitoring equipment installed earlier this year is part of our growing interest in making environmental information more accessible.
Looking ahead, I’ll be participating in the November 24 Alberta Airhub workshop, which will introduce new resources for understanding air quality across Alberta.
Access to reliable information is an important part of helping communities make informed decisions.
Sustainable Home Review — A New Service
This month, Sustainable Life introduced a new service: the Sustainable Home Review.
The purpose is straightforward: help homeowners examine opportunities to reduce resource consumption, improve efficiency, and make practical improvements to their homes.
Rather than focusing only on expensive upgrades, the review considers how existing systems are being used and where improvements may offer long-term value.
You can learn more through our Services page.
Community Connections — The People Behind the Progress
One of the most rewarding parts of this work is the conversations that happen along the way.
Whether it’s someone stopping me in the grocery store with a question, a volunteer helping repair a household item, or a resident becoming more interested in how our municipality operates, these conversations remind me why sharing knowledge matters.
Throughout October, I’ve had opportunities to exchange ideas with residents, local business owners, volunteers, and people who simply want to understand how things work.
Sometimes a conversation leads to a repair. Sometimes it leads to a new project, a question for Council, or a different way of looking at an old problem.
Our Repair Café is a good example. The tools and repairs are important, but so are the conversations, the skills being shared, and the confidence people gain when they discover something can be repaired rather than discarded.
I’ve always believed that a sustainable community is built as much on relationships and shared knowledge as it is on infrastructure and technology.
When people begin asking questions, sharing ideas, and helping one another, we’re already making progress.
And that’s something worth building on.
Looking Ahead
November promises another active month, with the Repair Café, air quality learning opportunities, and continued work on renewable energy, water conservation, and community resilience.
As always, these projects are connected by a simple idea.
A more sustainable future isn’t something we need to wait for. It’s something we can begin building today, using the knowledge, materials, and people already around us.
Thank you for following along, sharing your thoughts, and supporting these efforts.
Until next month, keep learning, keep repairing, and keep asking questions.
Sustainability grows when we share it.
Dusty Williams
Sustainable Life
www.sustainablelife.biz
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Your writing is comprehensive and inspiring and I am sure half of Diamond Valley wait each week for your next instalment!
Under open source software can I give an addition / shout out for Libre Office. A free, trouble-free, total replacement for Microsoft Office. Imagine MS Office as it was a few years ago and LO works just the same and files totally interchangeable and saveable in either format. Have used it for 14yrs now and not had to pay a cent for it.
Ken
Thank you Ken, for the kind words and encouragement! It’s always good to know the information is useful and reaching people.
And absolutely, LibreOffice deserves a mention! I’ve been using it myself for many years, and it’s an excellent example of how open-source software can reduce costs without sacrificing everyday functionality. Your 14 years of experience is a great endorsement.
My office computer is now wholly open source.
I’ll make sure it gets some attention in the Computer Cabin series. Thanks for sharing your experience!