Craik Sustainable Living Project

Craik, a small community on the highway between Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan inspires me with its sustainable living projects. According to their website http://www.craikecovillage.ca/:

Operating in the Mid-Lakes Region of Saskatchewan, the Craik Sustainable Living Project's Community Challenge will build on current activities and initiate new ones. They will address concerns and opportunities for greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction in rural Saskatchewan, targeting the general public as well as students. Their activities will include:

• Continuing to work on climate change and GHG reduction with students (K-12)


• Developing how-to conferences and workshops on GHG and energy use reduction topics such as home energy, farming practices, retrofitting, home construction and water and waste management


• Participating in local fairs


• Using the newly constructed CSLP Eco-Centre, a living demonstration site for sustainable building, gardening, water and waste management practices, as a focal point of the Challenge
  
• Creating a regular feature for local newspapers and ensuring other media uptake, including CBC and magazines.
  

The CSLP Eco-Centre

In 2003, Craik started planning the Eco-Centre, a combination golf course, restaurant and sustainable project. The building seen in the photo below is a recycled post and beam, straw bale construct with geothermal heating and cooling, solar energy and composting toilets. The building was designed by Sow's Ear Builders, Box 31825, Whitehorse, YT Y1A 6L3 Phone: 867-667-6574 or 867-334-2076

The stonewall that faces the southern windows and absorbs heat in the winter.

The Eco-Village

Participants in the Eco-Village will be expected to build energy efficient housing on separately deeded, unserviced lots 38 m (125 feet) by 30.5 m (100 feet). All lots have been sold and construction should be complete by 2008.

The Botanical Xeric Garden

Completed in November of 2005, the garden consists of 298 species of grasses, perennials, bulbs, shrubs, vines, and trees. It is located on the slope to the east of the Eco-Centre. The Garden will be used to demonstrate and educate people about site reclamation and naturalization, the rich diversity of native plants as well as exotic plants that are suited to prairie conditions, and xeriscape (low water use) strategies. The selection and design was done by Alan Weninger.

The Craik Flax House

A store and processing plant built for Golden Flax 4 U Inc, the Craik Flax House is located on the edge of the highway and is build of flax bales. All heat and electricity is created by a combination of solar and wind generators. http://www.blacksmithcomputers.ca/flaxbales/