The story so far

Greener Footprints was founded in 2005 by Tracey Saxby and Anna Young over a glass of red wine. Their lofty ideas were inspired by the success of voluntary plastic-bag reduction in Australia, and they decided to start the same revolution in Canada.

Greener Footprints is a not-for-profit society, registered in British Columbia, Canada.

And the people that make it happen

Tracey Saxby, Co-Founder & Director
Fed up with being a couch environmentalist, Tracey co-founded Greener Footprints in 2005. In March 2007, Tracey launched a very successful community education campaign in Rossland, BC, resulting in a 75% reduction in plastic bag use in less than one year. The campaign garnered local and national media attention, as well as a few awards. Based in Squamish in the summer and Rossland in the winter, Tracey divides her time between Greener Footprints and her work as an environmental education consultant. In this role, Tracey works with scientists from around the world to visually communicate science. Organizations she has worked with include the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the US National Parks Service, the US Army Corps of Engineers, Conservation International, and the United Nations Environment Programme.

Anna Young, Co-Founder
Inspired by the success of the Australian example, Anna joined forces with Tracey to create Greener Footprints. While slightly unorthodox, Anna likes to think of her life as rich and varied.  Dividing her life between Tasmania, Australia and Revelstoke, BC her heart is enamored with both the mountains and the ocean.  Whilst in Revelstoke, she runs two small businesses: Stripes Gear which sells fun, stripey thermal underwear to the masses, and Red Telegraph which works with womens’ cooperatives in the developing world. More recently, she has begun working for the United Nations World Food Programme. She has worked  in emergency response logistics and contingency planning in places such as Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan, and the Solomon Islands.

Jen Reilly, Chair
Jen has spent the last 15 years immersed in the tourism industry. While many of her friends like to think this means being a tourist, in fact, her experiences in tourism expand beyond personal travel. After completing an Adventure Travel Guide Diploma and Bachelor of Tourism Management from Thompson Rivers University, Jen owned and operated an adventure tourism company in Squamish, BC. She also earned a Master of Resource Management (Planning) from SFU. Now, Jen teaches in the Faculty of Tourism and Outdoor Recreation at Capilano University, and consults on various research and planning projects while she has time. She is involved with sustainability initiatives on the Capilano campus as well as other campuses across the province. Every day, Jen’s young son reminds her that “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” With this Native American proverb in mind, she tries to model thoughtful behaviour for him and his friends.

Tim Abercrombie, Secretary
Over the last three years, Tim has been working in the developing climate change and sustainability disciplines from both consulting and internal corporate perspective. Tim is the BC Team Lead for the GHG and sustainabiltiy practice at EBA, A Tetra Tech Company. His work experience ranges from designing carbon offset and carbon footprint projects to pitching green initiatives and sustainability education. Prior to EBA, Tim conducted environmental impact assessments for large-scale mining, oil and gas development, and exploration. Along the way, Tim earned a Masters Certificate in Project Management with the University of Victoria Business and Project Management Professional (PMP) designation. Tim’s secretarial role with Greener Footprints is the latest addition to his portfolio. Tackling climate change by day, keeping track of the Greener Footprints’ records is a walk in the park for Tim.

Adrienne Petersohn, Treasurer
Recently moving back to Vancouver after an 8-year stretch in Toronto, Adrienne is thrilled to return to her hometown to bask in the milder coastal climate. Not only has West-coast living enabled her to reconnect with massive Douglas-firs and muddy trail runs, but also her love for sushi, local skiing, and golf in December. Earning a few letters along the way (BA, MBA) her career focuses on marketing and advertising, with a penchant for sustainability. By specializing in business and the environment, she gained the right wrench and bolts to help explore the issues that have been tugging at her sleeve for so long.

Michiah Prull, Director
Michiah moved to Vancouver from Santa Fe, New Mexico where he was involved with many non-profit and community development groups, and also worked as a firefighter and emergency medical technician. He moved to Vancouver to study at the University of British Columbia, where he graduated with a BA in Political Science. In 2008, Michiah returned to the U.S to serve as a staffer on the Obama for America campaign. More recently, he managed sustainable development projects in Swaziland, Peru, Kenya, Nepal, and Haiti. After completing these projects, Michiah returned to Vancouver where he now works with organizations to find sustainable solutions for businesses, communities, and individuals. Currently, Michiah sits on the board of directors of two environmental non-profits, and works in the communications department at the David Suzuki Foundation.

Johanna Stange, Director
Originally from Vancouver, Johanna currently works as Sustainability Officer at the Association of Credit Unions in the German province of North-Rhine Westphalia. In this role, she develops and encourages the uptake of sustainable financial products and services and promotes transparency through strategic communication with clients and the public. She holds an MSc in International Development Studies from the University of Utrecht in The Netherlands and a Bachelor of Environmental Studies from the University of Waterloo. Her background is in sustainable development and management consulting, with time spent in Ottawa at Five Winds. During her Masters of Science degree, she worked as a research intern at the Turkish Business Council for Sustainable Development in Istanbul where she conducted a study on the organic food retail sector. When spare time comes her way, Johanna enjoys dance, choir, and photography.

Rachael Roussin, Director
Rachael lives in the small mountain community of Rossland, BC, home of Greener Footprints’ first plastic bag reduction initiative. Inspired by its significant impact, Rachael hopes to contribute continuity to the program and look for opportunities in the future to educate people about waste reduction and plastic bag use. Rachael is an avid food grower and is the co-founder and coordinator of Rossland REAL Food, an active community group that seeks to encourage the growth of local food systems and backyard gardening through a variety of initiatives. As a communications, event coordination, and community engagement consultant, Rachael has been working with climate change adaptation for the last two years. She lives in Rossland for its excellent skiing, biking, camping, and vibrant community life.