GN thanks Nunavummiut for Environment Week participation

Over the past month, Nunavummiut have engaged in a number of activities to promote Avatittinnik Kamatsiarniq, the Inuit value of environmental stewardship.

For Environment Week, the Department of Environment held a contest asking people to share what they did in their homes and communities to promote Avatittinnik Kamatsiarniq.

The responses from across the territory showed a number of innovative and simple, yet effective initiatives taken by individuals, families and school classes. Here are some examples:

• An Iqaluit school started an earth club to promote green living.
• A man in Resolute Bay coordinated a community-wide effort resulting in a five-day community clean-up.
• A woman in Arviat recycles and reuses much of her garbage into useful items such as sewing needle holders, cutting boards and storage containers.

The challenge was also extended to Department of Environment employees in order to encourage leadership by example.

A Department of Environment employee now uses a worm composter to turn food scraps into soil for gardening. Many other employees are committing to walking or biking instead of driving to work.

I am also pleased to see many community clean-ups are also being coordinated across the territory.

A total of twelve communities (Iqaluit, Kugluktuk, Pangnirtung, Arctic Bay, Taloyoak, Pond Inlet, Whale Cove, Igloolik, Cape Dorset and Resolute Bay, Rankin Inlet and Cambridge Bay) have worked to pick up litter and restore the natural beauty of the local environment.

All of these initiatives are making a significant difference as we work to promote respect and care for the land, animals and environment in Nunavut.

I wish to thank and congratulate everyone for their commitment to protecting and respecting Nunavut’s natural environment.

In the meantime, we look forward to supporting Nunavummiut in doing positive things for the environment year round. Through one simple action at a time, we can all make a difference.

Simon Awa
Deputy Minister
Department of Environment
Government of Nunavut

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