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| Wayne Groszko. (Danny Abriel Photo) |
When Wayne Groszko talks about sustainability in the classroom, he doesn鈥檛 just rely on textbooks and lesson plans, or his scholarly background in oceanography. Instead, much of what he teaches his class of engineering students comes from his extensive personal and professional experience working to reduce environmental impacts.
His commitment to the cause runs so deeply through every facet of his life that he鈥檚 earned a reputation as one of AV俱乐部鈥檚 most sustainable individuals.
鈥淭his has been central to my life since Grade Six,鈥� he says, remembering his school days in a small town outside of Calgary. 鈥淚 had a teacher named Mr. MacKinnon and he was all about pointing out how important the environment was at every opportunity. That really set the direction for me.鈥�
An instructor in the Faculty of Engineering, Dr. Groszko is teaching Complementary Studies this term, a crash-course in environmental issues for engineering students that鈥檚 a requirement in most programs. It鈥檚 a broad survey, covering everything from climate change to air and water pollution. And a third of the class is dedicated to exploring engineering-related solutions, things such as wind and solar energy, sustainable transport planning and green building design.
In discussing the latter, Dr. Groszko draws heavily on his own experience renovating his 115-year-old home on Agricola Street,聽describing in detail the work put into the re-insulating the entire home and replacing all of the siding and windows. The house was evaluated through the Energuide process, which rates the energy efficiency of a property out of 100. 鈥淲e started at 41 and now we鈥檙e at 72. We鈥檙e aiming for 82.鈥� By this spring, he hopes to add a solar heating system that will provide heat and hot water, with the goal of also using solar for electricity afterwards.
The savings of all that work are significant 鈥� he expects to make up the net cost in nine years 鈥� but that鈥檚 not the real payoff. 鈥淭he moment you finish it, you pay it off with the feeling that you鈥檝e done something real to make a difference,鈥� he says.
His commitment to sustainability doesn鈥檛 stop at housing. That Dr. Groszko lives within walking distance from campus is not a coincidence 鈥� he鈥檚 made a conscious choice to always live within an hour鈥檚 walk of anything he鈥檇 need on a daily basis. Most of the time, he bikes. And he鈥檚 a familiar face at the Halifax Farmer鈥檚 Market and smaller fresh markets around town, where he purchases most of his food. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very important to me to have a direct relationship with where my food comes from.鈥�
Put together, this profile of environmental commitment sounds not only impressive, but daunting. That鈥檚 why when he talks about making sustainable choices, Dr. Groszko encourages students to start with the small ones.
鈥淚鈥檇 start what whatever it is that you鈥檙e interested in changing,鈥� he says. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e looking for the easiest change to make, it鈥檚 probably food, and it鈥檚 a very important one. Visit your farmer鈥檚 market, get to know the farmers and ask them questions. And even if you don鈥檛 live near a farmer鈥檚 market, most large grocery stores have started labeling local or organically-grown food. The best part is that food that鈥檚 local is less processed and brings more fruits and vegetables into your diet.鈥�
鈥淭his isn鈥檛 a burden to me,鈥� he adds. 鈥淚鈥檓 motivated by the same thing that鈥檚 always motivated me 鈥� the goal of living in a way that doesn鈥檛 destroy the natural world. It鈥檚 a way to fulfil my purpose in life.鈥�