ReThink Green opens community space, business incubator

More environmental and social groups in Sudbury are gathering under one umbrella called reThink Green.

The agency has a new boardroom and business incubator to help members organizations — such as the Sudbury Cyclists Union and Eat Local — make a bigger difference in the city.

A year ago, membership was dwindling and the office was in a small, dark space, ReThink Green's executive director, Justin Carter, said the agency now has a light, airy board room that’s available to rent to 14 member groups.

Carter said he has already seen a farmer butcher a side of beef in the boardroom, as a tutorial to Eat Local members.

“So they were able to come in here — actually bring a side of beef and show how to prepare it in front of 18-20 guests — and everyone had a really great time.”

The focus is to make the boardroom “a community space, where a lot of the control over what goes on in here is given over to our members,” he said.

“The creativity of what they can come up with, in terms of events and workshops, [means] that we really have an impact beyond sitting down and having meetings.”

Carter said there is also a business incubator called The Forge.

People can rent a desk and have access to supplies as they work the kinks out of their start-ups.

Naomi Grant, who is with the Coalition for Sustainable Living, said the coalition relies on the physical space provided by ReThink Green to meet and brainstorm.

“Community gardens are just blossoming around town [and] cycling is really gaining momentum,” she said.

“So all those aspects of sustainable community are really growing in strength here and, the more we work together, the better.”

Grant said the environment is a key reason people choose to live in Sudbury and the movement is gaining momentum.