As a brand with a commitment to continuously reducing our impact on the environment, we also recognize the need to address the climate crisis beyond our own footprint. This commitment inspired us to partner with the Nunatsiavut Government to help the indigenous communities living in Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik, Postville, and Rigolet across the Nunatsiavut region in Northern Labrador, Canada who relied exclusively on diesel fuel, which can only arrive by boat or plane, to power their homes. Together, we worked towards creating a sustainable, economical, and energy-independent future for these communities in a way that aligned with their values of respectful and mindful land use. By converting energy usage from diesel fuel to renewable solar energy, this initiative embodied the Inuit philosophy of only taking what’s essential and leaving minimal impact on the earth and symbolized our shared goal of safeguarding the environment.
In 2019, the Nunatsiavut community embarked on a renewable energy journey, marked by the installation of solar panels on the roof of the community center in Makkovik. Three years later, they began the next phase of their journey by expanding the solar system initiative across the remaining communities. As a beauty brand born in Canada, aware that environmental efforts needed to be tackled within our home country, we were compelled to contribute.
While collaborating with the local Nunatsiavut government to procure renewable solar panels, we encountered two notable challenges. The first involved gaining access to the four remote Nunatsiavut lands of Nain, Hopedale, Postville, and Rigolet communities, accessible solely by boat or airplane. This was solved head-on by thorough logistical and travel planning to establish a seamless delivery.
The second challenge was multifaceted. It involved ensuring our contribution could lead to long-lasting autonomy and self-sustaining impacts within these communities, reducing their independence on external assistance while also doing so in a manner that respected their cultural boundaries. Through a series of discussions with Nunatsiavut community leaders, we navigated this challenge with a clear focus on aligning every decision with the best interest of the Nunatsiavut communities. This collaborative approach ensured their values, aspirations, and distinct identities remained at the forefront of their endeavors.
The partnership with the Nunatsiavut Government realized our goal of assisting this community’s transition to clean energy. Through a donation of $100,000 CAD for solar panel installation, the Nain, Hopedale, Makkovik, Postville, and Rigolet communities each obtained solar panels and ultimately became one step closer to creating a more sustainable, independent, and economically viable future for their people. The Nain community was able to implement a 24-kilowatt hour AC solar photovoltaic system, which will provide around 25,000-kilowatt hours annually, equivalent to saving around 8,500 liters of diesel every year. The communities of Hopedale, Makkovik, Positive, and Riglot have seen similar progress, collectively transforming the region’s energy landscape. In addition to helping reduce daily diesel consumption, this solar panel undertaking also drastically reduces the transport of diesel by boat or plane, further reducing diesel usage as well as carbon emissions.
The $100,000 donation also supported the Nunatsiavut Youth Energy Initiative (YETI), a government-led- led capacity-building program that trains Inuit youth in the Nunatsiavut region to become certified solar installers. The program provides skills, knowledge, and educational background to upkeep the panels.
Moreover, the implementation of these solar panels provides the Nunatsiavut communities with self-reliant energy sources for their home and a stream of work, providing further independence to the community.
