A Reader’s Digest
competition has deemed the central Saskatchewan community of Craik the greenest
town in Canada. It’s an honour which doesn’t surprise residents of Craik’s
eco-village. They’ve long since been trying to serve as a model for
sustainability and environmental stewardship with wind turbines, solar panels,
straw bale and clay houses and other DIY sustainability projects. But Craik’s
eco-village is about more than just sustainability – it’s also about creating a
less toxic environment.
“I lost my first wife to
cancer. She was 30 years old. And when I remarried with Audrey we looked at it –
and we had some other health concerns in our family, and we said we can’t do
this anymore. We want to do something that’s different. We want to do something
that’s healthier for our lifestyle,” said resident Kelly Taylor-Faye.
The Taylor-Faye’s have
lived in the eco-village with their two sons since 2006. They produce homemade
soaps and body products and live off the grid in a home made from all natural
building products.
“It’s healthier for my
body and I hope to move out here someday when I grow up,” said 11 year-old
Matthew Taylor-Faye.
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Their neighbor, Brent Kreuger
says a lifestyle of using less and eating what you produce becomes
“addictive.”
“My wife lives in Saskatoon and drives out
here every chance she gets. I live out here and drive into the city when I have to,” Kreuger said.
Kreuger manages the
eco-centre and restaurant in the summer and gives guided tours to visitors from
around the world. He enjoys enlightening
skeptics.
“We had to demonstrate and
give proof that you could live in an environmentally-friendly house and you
didn’t have to give up your creature comforts,” he said.
Since the eco-centre opened
in 2004, the town of Craik has been growing, something unusual compared to
other rural Saskatchewan communities. And residents say the eco-village is a community.
“In 20 years of living in
Saskatoon, I could count on one hand the number of neighbours that we knew,”
said Kelly Taylor-Faye.
Now they belong to a
village of around 25 families, like-minded individuals who they consider
friends.
All entries in the Reader’s Digest competition were voted on for the most interesting town in the country with Quebec City winning the top distinction.
Runners-up were also named, split among various categories: Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Que., for best cuisine; Port Hope, Ont., best destination; Welshpool, N.B., community spirit; Chemainus, B.C., most entrepreneurial; St. Albert, Alta., healthiest and Bouctouche, N.B., most artistic.
All the winners will be featured in April’s edition of reader’s digest.
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