Category: News Release

For Immediate Release
June 4, 2014

Online Tool will Capture and Visually Represent Your Ideas and Input

ST. JOHN’S, NL – June 5, 2014 is World Environment Day and the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) wants to hear what your environmental concerns are in the province through an online tool.

“We want to help ensure that decision-makers have a better understanding of the environmental issues that are important to Newfoundland and Labradorians,” says Ted Lomond, Executive Director of NEIA. Lomond explains that what some see as environmental problems, others can view as economic opportunities. “Many of NEIA’s member-firms started with a single individual who identified an environmental challenge – and then created or modified their firm to provide a solution to that challenge.”

That is why being able to identify the problems we face is so critical, says Lomond. “What environmental issues are we experiencing in Newfoundland and Labrador? And the next question should be: Where are the opportunities?”

The online tool available on NEIA’s website will capture your individual concerns and visually represent them – along with every other submission – in real-time through a ‘word cloud’. A word cloud weighs the frequency of words or ideas by representing them at varying sizes.

NEIA is hoping that the collection and sharing of results may promote entrepreneurship in the sector. “NEIA’s members are forward-thinking businesses which provide sustainable products and services globally,” says Lomond. “With the environmental problems we face today and will face in the future, we need to ask ourselves what the businesses opportunities are for Newfoundland and Labrador.”

Visit www.neia.org/environment to express any or all of your concerns.

World Environment Day was designated by the United Nations in 1972 to stimulate action on the environment and empower people from every corner of the globe to become agents of sustainable and equitable development. June 1-7, 2014 is Canadian Environment Week.

NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the growth and development of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. The organization offers a diverse range of expert knowledge and support services for members working to grow economic opportunity while respecting the natural environment. NEIA is The Business of the Environment, and has over 160 members.

Media Contact:
Kieran Hanley
kieran@neia.org
709.237.8190

For Immediate Release
June 2, 2014

ST. JOHN’S, NL – June 1-7, 2014 is Canadian Environment Week and the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) is issuing a challenge to all residents of the province: this week choose a healthier and cleaner mode of commuting.

“Our routine is to get in the car and drive ourselves to and from work each day,” says Ted Lomond, Executive Director of NEIA. “But this is an opportunity to consider other means of transportation – such as the bus, taking your bicycle, or even walking.”

The Commuter Challenge is a nation-wide event that promotes citizens opting out of single occupancy vehicles. “By leaving the car at home, we can reduce air pollution, decrease fuel usage, and ease congestion on the roads,” says Lomond.

Each alternative to the single occupancy vehicle has its merits. One bus replaces an average of 45 cars on the road. “Simply by carpooling you reduce your greenhouse gas emissions – and your expenses – in half,” notes Lomond. But the benefits can be even more substantial. “Walking is one of the best and easiest ways to improve your overall fitness and health”.

NEIA’s Board of Directors has committed to taking the Commuter Challenge, and the association is encouraging its membership to register too. “As individuals we can make a personal decision. Collectively these decisions can make a significant difference.” says Lomond. “At the end of the week we will be able to estimate the carbon emissions avoided, fuel saved, and calories burned.”

Individuals and businesses can participate in the Commuter Challenge by registering at http://commuterchallenge.ca/.

NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the growth and development of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. The organization offers a diverse range of expert knowledge and support services for members working to grow economic opportunity while respecting the natural environment. NEIA is The Business of the Environment, and has over 160 members.

Media Contact
Kieran Hanley: 709.237.8190

For Immediate Release
May 29, 2014

Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture; Export Development Canada’s Chief Economist; and local businessman Paul Antle among Speakers

ST. JOHN’S, NL – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) is holding its second annual International Business Development Symposium this Friday – an event which focuses on building the capacity of local firms to be active on a global scale.

“Supporting the efforts of Newfoundland and Labrador businesses to engage in international markets is critical for two reasons,” says Ted Lomond, Executive Director of NEIA. “First, the provincial marketplace is limited and international business is an opportunity for growth and expansion for individual firms.”

The second reason, Lomond notes, is related to the overall provincial economy. “Companies that are involved in international business contribute significantly to the diversification and strength of Newfoundland and Labrador’s economy.”

Lomond says the International Business Development Symposium will provide important information for businesses who are involved with or are exploring conducting business abroad. “Firms attending the event will hear the latest information on how Canada’s international trade agreements will affect local industry; on expert insight into the global economy from Export Development Canada’s Chief Economist; and benefit from the past experiences of local individuals who have been quite successful in international markets.”

The event features:

“International Trade Agreements and Opportunities for the Provincial Fishery”
Hon. Keith Hutchings, Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture / Member for Ferryland

“Making Sense of the Market: What’s Happening and What’s Next”
Catherine Murray, Co-Host and Anchor for BNN / Former VP at Deutsche Bank

“Doing Business in China”
Paul Antle, CEO of Phase Separation Solutions and West Mountain Capital Corp.

“Developing International Markets”
Ron Collier, Vice-President Business Development, SubC Imaging

“Let’s Talk Exports”
Peter Hall, Vice President & Chief Economist of Export Development Canada

“The International Business Development Symposium is an opportunity for businesses, support agencies, academia and aspiring entrepreneurs to network and learn from each other,” says Lomond.

For more information on NEIA’s International Business Development Symposium, including speaker biographies, visit the event website at www.neia.org/ibds2014. The event is open to businesses and organizations in all sectors of the economy.NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the growth and development of the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador. The organization offers a diverse range of expert knowledge and support services for members working to grow economic opportunity while respecting the natural environment. NEIA is The Business of the Environment, and has over 160 members.

Media Contact
Kieran Hanley: 709.237.8190

For Immediate Release
May 5, 2014

Innovation Week is a five-day series of events happening in St. John’s May 5th- 9th, 2014. The local business community, leading provincial industry associations and our public sector partners have come together with one common vision: to shine a light on the incredible innovation advances being made in Newfoundland and Labrador.

By bringing together startups, youth, business, and private and public partners, Innovation Week hopes to forge new connections and collectively raise the profile of our innovative endeavors. It will focus on furthering growth and developing new opportunities in sectors that include information technology, ocean technology, manufacturing, aerospace and defense, the green economy and more.

Scheduled events include StartupNL’s Fireside Chat and Demo Camp for entrepreneurs, the Youth in Technology (YIT) conference for 400 Grade 9 students, NATI’s Knowledge Summit, TEDxStJohns 2014 (Dis)Connect, Unconventional Conventions, the Innovation Outlook conference at Memorial University’s Bruneau Centre, and CME NL’s Manufacturing Productivity conference.

Details of each event can be found at http://www.innovationweek.ca/schedule/.

Innovation Week partners include:

• Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Technology Industries (NATI)
• Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA)
• Aerospace and Defence Industry Association of NL (ADIANL)
• Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) Association of NL
• OceansAdvance
• StartupNL
• TEDxStJohns
• College of the North Atlantic
• Genesis Centre
• Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA)
• The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development (IBRD)

For further information, please visit www.innovationweek.ca. You can also follow us on Twitter: @InnovateWeekNL.

On March 18, 2014 the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the Holiday Inn in St. John’s, NL. At this meeting, the members of the NEIA Board of Directors will be elected and appointed.

There are five (5) Board of Directors positions to be filled.

NEIA’s Board of Directors provide direction and support to NEIA’s staff in their work to represent the interests of the members and to strengthen and grow the green economy in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Interested individuals can contact NEIA’s Executive Director at ted@neia.org. At request, you can be provided with a document outlining the duties and expectations of NEIA’s Directors.

For Immediate Release
October 24, 2013

ST. JOHN’S, NL – This week is Waste Reduction Week in Canada, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) is encouraging businesses, governments, and other organizations to think twice about what they are throwing away.

“Per capita, Newfoundland and Labradorians produce more waste than most other provinces in the country,” said Ted Lomond, NEIA’s Executive Director.

Lomond says it is particularly critical for businesses and their employees to take responsibility for waste in the workplace. “60% of our waste is produced at work or at school,” he said. “Simple deviations in our daily routines and small changes in procurement could help significantly reduce the amount of waste going to our landfills.”

Some of the simplest changes recommended by NEIA that yield important waste reduction results include:

• Managing the use of paper. Reducing the use of and recycling paper remains the most effective manner to reduce office waste. 67% of typical office building waste is recyclable paper.
• Disposing of disposables. Paper or plastic plates, cups, and cutlery add up fast. Use real kitchenware.
• Avoiding individually packaged condiments. Buy milk, salt, butter, etc. in larger quantities to stop generating waste with needlessly single-packaged items.
• Changing the way coffee is drank. Encourage the use of reusable coffee mugs, while discouraging the use of single-cup machines.
• Getting rid of garbage… bins. Studies show less office waste is generated when employees don’t each have a personal waste bin.
• Involving everyone. Reducing waste in an office setting is a team effort and will only be a success if buy-in occurs across the board at all levels of a company.

“The average employee generates 1 tonne of loose garbage every year; that’s over 100 household garbage cans per person,” said Lomond. “We can do better.”

NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the growth and development of the environmental industry in this province, offering a diverse range of expert knowledge and services in the business of mitigating and minimizing environmental damage for the protection and enhancement of the environment for present and future generations. NEIA has over 150 members.

ST. JOHN’S, NL – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) is pleased to announce Rt. Hon. Joe Clark as the keynote speaker for Newleef 2013: Adapting to a Changing Environment, taking place on October 10-11 in St. John’s, NL.

“We are excited to welcome Mr. Clark to speak at our annual green economy conference,” said Ted Lomond, Executive Director of NEIA. “Mr. Clark is an expert in the area of corporate social responsibility, and as Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition he has had experience making policy decisions at the highest levels. His address will be of great interest and value to our audience.”

Newleef is an annual conference organized by NEIA which is aimed at building new relationships within the green economy in the province; strengthening existing ones; identifying business opportunities; energizing participants in the sector; and learning from one another. The forum features two days of presentations and interactive sessions, a ‘Green Showcase’ tradeshow, a chance to see first-hand exciting local research in the environmental field, and an evening social at the Newman Wine Vaults.

The focus for Newleef 2013 is ‘adaptation’. “Our focus will be on how businesses in the environmental sector of Newfoundland and Labrador’s economy can adapt and grow through a changing climate, changing markets, changing regulations and processes, changing technologies, and changing corporate expectations,” says Lomond. “We look forward to Mr. Clark’s insight on corporate responsibility as it pertains to the environment.”

Canada’s 16th Prime Minister, Clark has had a distinguished and influential career in Canadian politics, and has since been active internationally as the architect of a series of significant Canadian initiatives in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Clark is very active in international business and governance as the founder and chairman of a company harvesting underwater timber in Ghana and as director of the BDA foundation, which teaches Congolese farmers to harvest and market medicinal plants.

“The businesses and organizations in Newfoundland and Labrador that are driving the growth of the green economy can learn from the commitment and passion Mr. Clarke has shown in all of his initiatives,” said Lomond.

NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the growth and development of the environmental industry in this province, offering a diverse range of expert knowledge and services in the business of mitigating and minimizing environmental damage for the protection and enhancement of the environment for present and future generations. NEIA has over 140 members.

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Media Contact
Kieran Hanley: 709.237.8190

For Immediate Release
September 23, 2013

The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) has revealed the theme and agenda for its annual environmental sector conference.

Newleef 2013: Adapting to a Changing Environment, which is taking place on October 10-11 in St. John’s, will focus on how businesses in the environmental sector of Newfoundland and Labrador’s economy can adapt and grow through a changing climate, changing markets, changing regulations and processes, and changing technologies.

This year’s forum will include:

• a keynote address from the RT. HON. JOE CLARK, former Prime Minister of Canada
• a day and a half of presentations and interactive sessions for businesses, organizations, and individuals in the local green economy;
• the “Green Showcase” trade exhibition which will feature contests, refreshments, and a peek into the vast array of business being done in Newfoundland and Labrador’s environmental sector;
• a social at the Newman Wine Vaults featuring live entertainment, locally sourced food and beverages, and an extraordinary opportunity to network with others in the sector;
• the chance to see first hand some of the exciting research being done in our province in the environmental field through rapid-fire presentations from researchers

More information and registration can be found on the Newleef website at https://neia.org/newleef-2013/register/.

NewLeef, which stands for the Newfoundland and Labrador Economy and the Environment Forum, is an annual conference aimed at building new relationships within the green economy in the province; strengthening existing ones; identifying business opportunities; energizing participants in the sector; and learning from one another.

ST. JOHN’S, NL – The Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA) held a roundtable yesterday on best practices in consultation and engagement with aboriginal groups as it relates to project and resource development.

“The environmental sector is regularly involved in business activities which require or benefit from the involvement of aboriginal groups throughout the province,” said Ted Lomond, Executive Director of NEIA. “Whether it be in environmental assessment, permitting, or mega-project planning and implementation, the engagement process is vital to achieving successful outcomes.”

The event featured an overview of the province’s new aboriginal consultation policy and practical considerations for industry undertaking projects in Newfoundland and Labrador by the Minister for Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs, Felix Collins.

“Our roundtable brought sector stakeholders together – government, industry, and aboriginal groups – to have an open discussion on best practices and new requirements in aboriginal engagement,” said Lomond.

Sessions led by sector stakeholders included discussions on past agreements with aboriginal groups, recent approaches and experiences of industry practitioners, and perspectives on the consultation process from Aboriginal group representatives.

“NEIA’s role is to provide businesses and organizations working in the environmental sector in the province with the tools they need to grow our green economy and provide meaningful employment,” said Lomond. “Effective engagement and partnership with aboriginal groups will be vital in the growth of Newfoundland and Labrador’s economy.”

NEIA is a not-for-profit association of businesses that promotes the growth and development of the environmental industry in this province, offering a diverse range of expert knowledge and services in the business of mitigating and minimizing environmental damage for the protection and enhancement of the environment for present and future generations. NEIA has over 140 members.

Media Contact
Kieran Hanley: 709.237.8190

For Immediate Release
September 17, 2013

NEIA is encouraging businesses and organizations across the province to attend Earth Bound, Newfoundland and Labrador’s first Organic Waste Management conference being organized by the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB) on September 26th and 27th in St. John’s.

“Organic waste management has been identified as an area of business opportunity by both firms operating within the environmental sector and third-party consultants,” said Ted Lomond, Executive Director of NEIA. “There are really two types of opportunities. Firstly, firms can reduce their operating costs and increase their competitiveness through waste reduction and leaner production. Secondly, the organic waste produced by many businesses and organizations has significant economic value. It can be a stand-alone product that provides a return to the business.”

Earth Bound aims to broker relationships between waste generators, both public and private, and waste managers in the province. The two-day conference invites businesses, organic waste producers and managers, municipalities, provincial government departments, and environmental organizations to participate in industry-lead educational and technical sessions and an equipment and technology exhibition. Collaboratively, conference participants will explore economic development opportunities aimed at harvesting the full value of organics from both existing and new waste supply streams.

“The MMSB’s role in creating awareness and facilitating the development of partnerships within and across the sector compliments NEIA’s efforts to advance innovation and productivity within the environmental sector,” said Lomond. “To that end, NEIA will be participating in the conference by facilitating panel discussions and working to identify and broker possible waste stream relationships.”

“We are encouraging businesses and organizations across all sectors to consider their role in the organic waste stream, and to learn how they can benefit from entering new value chains.”

More information on Earth Bound can be found at the conference’s website at earthbound2013.com.