Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In times of economic and environmental challenges we can still find ways to reduce costs. I’d like to recognize the efforts of a group of employees in the Department of Environment and Natural Resources known as the Green Team. They have been working to reduce their department’s impact on the budget and the environment with a number of small measures adding up to big savings. All the printers in the department are set to print double-sided and one-sided sheets are used again. They have switched the entire department to recycled printer paper. Signs around the department remind staff to switch off lights and computers, and they have set appliances like energy hog coffee makers on timers to shut off at night and on in the morning. Simple and easy measures to take but in the long run they make a big difference.

The Green Team has also been participating in the commuter challenge, which encourages people to walk, bike or carpool to work instead of driving alone in a vehicle. Another measure that my colleague Wendy Bisaro was touting last week is to encourage caterers to not use bottled water and encourage staff to avoid disposable containers.

Mr. Speaker, while seemingly small and to many just common sense, most of the GNWT is still not following these kinds of steps towards a greener and more frugal way of doing business. Here at the Legislative Assembly I am happy to report most briefing binders coming through are printed double sided. Our use of unnecessary lighting is cut back and we are actively investigating other energy efficiencies for implementation. However, while ENR has been doing this for months, we are just now finally investigating the routine use of recycled paper.

Mr. Speaker, this morning I heard a Weledeh constituent interviewed on CBC. Mr. Blake Rasmussen eloquently described all the practical ways he has cut back his costs, reduced fossil fuel consumption and built an increasingly healthy lifestyle for his family and himself. He heats his home with wood that he carefully selects from the Duck Lake area. He keeps water hot on the woodstove for washing and to humidify the air. He gets his meat supply from the moose and caribou of the land. There is nothing to lose here, Mr. Speaker, and much to be gained.

I honour these early adopters and I encourage the entire government, our businesses and our families to take advantage of these practical and simple opportunities. By changing small habits bit by bit, we will move towards a more sustainable way of

doing business which can only bring benefits to us all. Mahsi.