Get in touch!
LIFE's office is in the Treehaus Collaborative Workspace, 260 King Street West, Kitchener, N2G 1B6.
Office hours are by chance or appointment. Please call us at 1-866-889-9155, or email info@lifecoop.ca, to schedule a visit.
Check out LIFE's new Facebook Page!
.Downloads
NEW!: LIFE's Draft Business Plan
Coming Events and Appearances
Come out and hear more about our work (and that of our friends)!
Watch here for upcoming events in the Spring of 2012.
Recent Appearances
January 10, 2012: LIFE Co-op and CREW co-hosted "Local Opportunities in Green Energy" at Kitchener City Hall. This presentation outlined existing and upcoming community renewable power initiatives and ways community members can get involved - including through investment in renewable energy projects - and the environmental, social and economic benefits available. Featured opportunities included LIFE Co-op's St Agatha Wind Project, CREW's Solar City Initiative, CREW's Solar City Co-op Project, and Guelph Solar Community Co-op.
November 28, 2011: LIFE and CREW co-hosted a public meeting on LOCAL RENEWABLE ENERGY OPPORTUNITIES at Kitchener City Hall.
November 23, LIFE held another community meeting at Angie's Kitchen in St Agatha. November 15, at the 11th Annual OSEA Community Power Conference, LIFE presented its project at the session on "Community Power Offerings". November 1-2, Montreal: Shane's presentation on community power was well received at Climate Action Network Canada's conference on provincial leadership in climate change and clean energy. LIFE's AGM was held October 26 at Angie's Kitchen in St Agatha. The AGM was preceded by a *public presentation from ENERCON*. October 22: LIFE's held its Annual Renewable Energy Tour! Tour participants visited a local biogas installation, a 10 kW solar array, and a biodiesel-powered pick-up. October 20: LIFE participated in a Co-op Biogas Workshop at the Holiday Inn, 510 Norwich St., Woodstock. Hosted by the Agrienergy Producers of Ontario and TREC(Toronto Renewable Energy Co-op). October 19: LIFE attended the 11th Annual Co-op Conference and Gala, hosted by On Co-op, at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington. Sept. 29, LIFE participated in an candidates' forum on environmental issues at Rockway Mennonite Church. A video recording of the event can be viewed at this Youtube link. Sept. 15, LIFE hosted the "Roadmap to Success": OSEA's Community Energy Information Session at City Hall in Kitchener. Sept. 6: LIFE Co-op held a community information meeting at Angie's Kitchen in St Agatha. August 27: Potatofest at the Laepple Organic Farm, 2298 Bleam's Road, 1-7pm. Linda Laepple is a founding director of LIFE Co-op. See http://laeppleorganic.ca/.
August 25: CREW Green Movie Night, featuring "Powerful: Energy for Everyone". LIFE Co-op shared information on the St Agatha Wind Project. August 14: LIFE's project manager discussed the co-op and the St Agatha wind project as part of "Get FIT: A Green Energy Act Information Session", held in Downtown Waterloo. The event was hosted by Waterloo PIRG and Reduce the Juice. July 20: Community Meeting at Angie's Kitchen, St Agatha. June 30: LIFE presented its project opportunities as part of the Climate Action Network's "Harvesting Clean Energy on Ontario Farms" Speaking Tour, at Ignatius Jesuit Centre, Hwy 6 North, Guelph February 14, 2011Press Releases
LIFE Co-op Receives CEPP Grant
for Wind Project
Board of Directors
2010-2011 Board of Directors
LIFE's 2010-2011 Board of Directors were elected at our Annual General Meeting in October of 2010.
Rob Yost, Chair and President
Linda Laepple, Vice President
Yvonne Zyma, Secretary
Frank Froklage, Treasurer
Paul Stefanson, Director
Dave MacKay, Director
Rob Yost (President) sells solar Photovoltaic systems for Fritz Construction Services (www.thefritzgroup.ca). Previously he owned an environmentally friendly property maintenance business, Rob’s Eco Care Property Maintenance, which achieved about 90% carbon neutrality through the use of a Dodge diesel pickup truck that ran on waste vegetable oil – saving about 8 tons of carbon dioxide emissions per year. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Ontario and a licensed interprovincial Automotive Mechanic. He led his church, Hillcrest Mennonite in New Hamburg, in the installation of 10 kW solar system prior to his involvement with Fritz Construction. He is a firm believer in a renewable energy future, powering his house with Bullfrog electricity and natural gas and his VW Jetta with biodiesel. Rob was recipient of the Township of Wilmot's Citizen of the Year for the Environment Award in 2011.
Linda Laepple LIFE's first president and a current board member, has proven her capacities in co-operative development. She led LIFE from a steering committee of interested area residents in 2004, through to the formation and incorporation of a growing Renewable Energy Co-operative, and as a director she continues to be instrumental in steering the co-op toward its goals. She is also the co-founder of LOFT Co-operative, which produces and delivers the largest food box program in Waterloo Region. Linda has extensive technical knowledge of wind power, having been engaged for years in researching wind opportunities. She has developed a large number of contacts in the industry, and has also gained a wide range of technical skills, wind data analysis and calculating power yields (energy modeling) using industry software. Linda has also self-published an educational children's book, "The Power Quest", as a means of introducing children to electricity generation and related issues. Linda also sits on the board of the local chapter of the National Farmers Union. For her efforts, she was recognized by Wilmot Township as a 2008 Citizen of the Year in the Environment category. She is a full time organic farmer who grew up in Germany, trained as a Rural Household Economist, and immigrated to Canada in 1980. Her farm, Laepple Organic Farm, is located near Baden. (www.LocalOrganic.ca)
Yvonne Zyma has been LIFE's Secretary since 2007. She is a strong believer in the power of co-operatives and grassroots initiatives. She is employed as a Supervisor with the Region of Waterloo Library, where she has worked for over 26 years. She has extensive experience with non-profit groups, having volunteered with local groups such as Heritage Wilmot, the MCC Thrift Centre, the Wilmot Family Resource Centre and the Wilmot Horticultural Society. Her guiding principle is Margaret Mead's motto, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." As secretary, Yvonne coordinates membership services, and researches and writes reports, applications and letters. She is closely engaged with outreach and organizational development.
Frank Froklage, Treasurer, is a tool and die maker with experience programming and operating CNC (computer numerical control) mills, operating electrical discharge machines (EDM), and designing and reverse engineering of various tools. He has been a member of CREW (Community Renewable Energy Waterloo) for the last 3 years, and has been actively looking for ways to reduce his environmental footprint. He has been driving a hybrid automobile for the last 5 years, and has made substantial upgrades to his house to reduce energy consumption. He joined the board of LIFE Co-op in 2010 with the aim of becoming more involved in learning about and contributing to the development of renewable energy, and wind energy in particular.