To celebrate the Mobius Awards, this year we’re taking a look back at 21 inspirational past champions, and recognizing their continued commitments to diverting waste from landfill and making our province a more beautiful, sustainable place. Click on your region below to learn about the top three environmental champions for your area. Be sure to watch the video for your region’s TOP environmental champion!
Cape Breton District Health Authority
Champion
REGION
Cape Breton
In 2008, Faculty Support Services for the Cape Breton Regional Hospital received the Mobius Award for Institution of the Year. CBDHA is consistently developing new ways to reduce their environmental f
...
ootprint while sourcing sustainable alternatives in their workplace. Since implementing their Solid Waste Management Program, CBDHA began—and continues to—explore purchasing products and supplies with limited or no packaging, while working to eliminate single-use plastics.
Watch the Faculty Support Services video.
John Penney
Champion
REGION
Cape Breton
Our 2015 Mobius Award winner for Individual Excellence, John Penney continues to creatively transform large and bulky discarded objects into environmentally artful creations, saving them from the land
...
fill. Over the past 16 years, John has repurposed 279 organs, 55 pianos, and transformed over 30 spool bedframes into benches. If you want to see how trash can transform into treasure, you can see some of John’s work in Sydney at the Odditorium & Fossil Centre, as well as the Armed Maiden Tattoo.
Louisburg Crab Festival
Champion
REGION
Cape Breton
Since winning its Mobius Award for Best Community-Based Project in 2009, the Louisbourg Crab Festival truly realized the value in operating a greener festival and empowering local youth to learn more
...
about their role in making their community a more sustainable place. Today, the festival has upgraded its sorting practices and water sanitization methods, and continues to educate community youth about successful environmental practices.
WearWell Garments
Champion
REGION
Antigonish | Guysborough | Pictou County
From 2008-2014, WearWell Garments successfully saved approximately 80,000-100,000 lbs of fabric scrap from landfills each year. And since first being recognized in 2014 as Small Business of the Year,
...
they continue to look for efficiencies in their recycling processes and waste reducing initiatives, including remaining consistent in their commitment to becoming a zero-waste facility. Currently, thanks to new software implementations, WearWell Garments saves approximately 160,000 lbs of scrap fabric each year.
Watch the WearWell Garments video.
Gabrieau's Bistro
Champion
REGION
Antigonish | Guysborough | Pictou County
After winning Small Business of the Year in 2013 for their waste management leadership in the restaurant sector, Gabrieau’s Bistro continues to promote environmental initiatives in the region by encou
...
raging other businesses to participate in the Eastern Region Solid Waste Management Business Rewards Program. Now, with their waste under control, the restaurant has expanded their efforts to saving energy and reducing water use.
Sobeys Inc.
Champion
REGION
Antigonish | Guysborough | Pictou County
Since winning Large Business of the Year in 2008, Sobeys’ commitment to environmental sustainability has grown exponentially, focusing their environmental efforts in four categorie
...
s: Food Waste, Waste Diversion, Energy & Emissions, and Plastics & Packaging. Sobeys also found new ways to expand their reusable bag program. The ‘Green Bag for Life’ program set the framework for the company to begin their larger plans of removing all single-use plastic checkout bags from stores, which they successfully initiated in January 2020 across the country.
Tim Hortons Camp Foundation
Champion
REGION
Colchester | East Hants | Cumberland
Since winning Institution of the Year in 2015, the foundation has continued to expand and improve their efforts to recycle and reduce waste. In 2017, their summer camp program evolved into a five
...
-level leadership program with a focus on wilderness expeditions, instilling the Leave No Trace principle to help minimize environmental impact made by campers. And in 2018, the foundation started a beekeeping program to teach campers about food chains and pollination.
Watch the Tim Hortons Camp Foundation video.
G-Man Waste Removal
Champion
REGION
Colchester | East Hants | Cumberland
In 2018, G-Man won Small Business of the Year for their initiatives to help clean up their community and educate neighbours on proper waste sorting. The ‘Diversion Starts at Home’ progr
...
am was the first of its kind for First Nations communities in Nova Scotia, giving a baseline on diversion programs and providing recommendations for improvement. Since then, G-Man continues to work towards the betterment of the province by using what they’ve learned to help educate others on Solid Waste Management issues.
Clay Cafe Truro
Champion
REGION
Colchester | East Hants | Cumberland
This 2011 Small Business of the Year champion reuses 90% of product packaging to re-pack their customers’ creative creations, and any materials that can’t be reused are recycled. The initiatives put i
...
n place to reduce waste at the studio, paired with the staff’s dedication to educating customers on the best recycling and composting practices, as well as their commitment to all facets of environmental sustainability, makes this business a shining example for small businesses everywhere.
Oland Brewery
Champion
REGION
Halifax
Since winning Large Business of the Year in 2008 for recycling and reducing waste on-site at their North-End Halifax Brewery, Oland’s has continued improving their environmental program
...
s with a focus on reducing their water usage and identifying opportunities for environmental innovation. In 2015, they installed a Biological Treatment system to improve the quality of the water they release back into the Halifax Harbour, and by 2025, Oland’s—as well as every other AB InBev brewery—aims to operate using 100% renewable resources.
Watch the Oland Brewery video.
HRM Solid Waste Changes to The Curb
Champion
REGION
Halifax
The municipality received the 2015 Waste Reduction Education Award for developing and implementing their “Changes at the Curb” waste education campaign. Since then, new initiatives like the Recycle Ri
...
ght campaign, along with door-to-door neighbourhood outreach, have been undertaken to spread the word about reducing waste throughout the region.
Mic Mac Mall
Champion
REGION
Halifax
With a 94% waste diversion rate resulting from their “Sort it Out” program, Mic Mac Mall remains a leader in sustainable practices for large businesses in Nova Scotia. Since winning Large Business of
...
the Year in 2015, they continue to strive towards sustainable practices and consistently evaluate and improve their environmental programs through staff training, updated signage, and the ongoing support of Halifax municipal waste educators.
Brian Van Rooyen
Champion
REGION
Annapolis Valley | Kings
When the provincial government passed the solid waste resource management regulations in 1995, Brian and his team in Kings County had already been implementing waste management initiatives for a
...
number of years, including their own blue box recycling program. Brian was instrumental in the creation of Valley Waste, and by the year 2000, completed the launch of all of the region’s waste management programs. In 2000, Brian was awarded for Individual Excellence, and today, he continues to be a champion for the environment in his community.
Watch the Brian Van Rooyen video.
Acadia University Department of Community Development
Champion
REGION
Annapolis Valley | Kings
Every fall, Acadia University’s Community Development department partners with Valley Waste to bring their award-winning education program “Plant Protectors” to elementary schools in the Annapolis Val
...
ley. Ever since their 2014 Mobius Award win, the Department of Community Development continues to act as a model institution for young people in their community, reinforcing the importance of environmental responsibility.
Pepsico Foods Canada
Champion
REGION
Annapolis Valley | Kings
This champion prioritizes sustainable ways to produce, distribute, consume, and dispose of foods. Since their Large Business of the Year win in 2003, PepsiCo continues to be a leader in building a mor
...
e sustainable food system through their efforts to reduce carbon emissions and waste, while increasing water efficiency and community outreach.
Chris Hiltz
Champion
REGION
South Shore | West Hants
In 2009, Chris won the Mobius Award for Individual Excellence for his work with municipal waste educators on a program to ensure students throughout the Annapolis Valley recycled and composted properl
...
y. He visited and provided the proper tools to every school within the Annapolis Valley Regional Centre for Education, getting input from custodians, teachers and administration about their individual needs. Having set the tone for the program, waste management best practices are now built into custodial training, and AVRCE continues to see a positive improvement in their efforts to divert waste from landfill.
Watch the Chris Hiltz video.
Walmart Store 1003 - Bridgewater
Champion
REGION
South Shore | West Hants
Walmart Store 1003 is a shining example of corporate environmental conscience in the region. In 2010, they won Business of the Year. The store went from sending one compactor full of trash to the land
...
fill every week, to sending one every 1-4 months. They’ve also tripled their compost output and achieved a 98% waste-free status, earning them the title of least waste-producing Walmart in Canada.
White Point Beach Resort
Champion
REGION
South Shore | West Hants
White Point has been in a “greening process” since the inception of their environmental stewardship policy in 1991, resulting in dozens of environment-centred operational practices. In 2007, they rece
...
ived the Business of the Year award, and today, White Point continues to adjust their practices and looks for ways to reduce their environmental footprint, proving that they don’t need to compromise on service for the sake of sustainability.
NSCC Burridge Campus
Champion
REGION
Digby | Yarmouth
Since being awarded Institution of the Year in 2012, the campus has achieved a waste diversion rate of 81% by improving sorting stations, waste handling systems, and providing staff educatio
...
n on proper waste management techniques. Currently, NSCC Burridge Campus is undergoing building upgrades, which will improve energy efficiency across campus, while also focusing on reducing their waste through the implementation of reusable mugs, automatic two-sided printing, and reusable cafeteria dishware.
Watch the NSCC Burridge Campus video.
Sissiboo Investments
Champion
REGION
Digby | Yarmouth
Sissiboo Investments is an industry leader in source waste separation units. They have successfully created award-winning recycling bins used in residential, commercial, industrial, and instituti
...
onal settings across the province. These bins make sorting simple and help ensure there is no cross-contamination or mixing of garbage or compost with recyclables, resulting in less landfill waste. In 2010, Sissiboo Investments was awarded Small Business of the Year, and today they continue to grow their business sustainably while helping educate Nova Scotians on source reduction management to improve our province’s environmental footprint.
The Meadows
Champion
REGION
Digby | Yarmouth
Since winning Institution of the Year in 2014, this environmental champion has continued to improve their recycling and waste management efforts by reducing paper, garbage, and food waste wherever the
...
y can. Beyond these measures, The Meadows installed energy efficient lighting, a centralized laundry system that uses less water, and implemented a food waste system that has resulted in a 37% reduction in waste.