New face for energy
Sheena Adams returns on a full-time basis
Shawn Giilck
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, October 9, 2014
INUVIK
A familiar face is back in town, hopefully to stay this time.
Sheena Adams has recently joined the Arctic Energy Alliance at its Inuvik office. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo
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Sheena Adams, who has worked with the Great Northern Arts Festival and the Inuvik Community Greenhouse, recently took over as the representative for the Arctic Energy Alliance in the Delta region.
She's replacing Donald Andre, who held the position for some time. He left during the summer, leaving the position unfilled for a bit of time.
Many people know Adams as a regular, if part-time, resident of Inuvik. Working two high-profile seasonal and contract jobs has that effect, but she said she's always dreamed of being able to stay in town full-time.
"This was my chance to do that," Adams said in a recent interview. "I've been here for four-and-a-half years working on some contract jobs with non-profit agencies but nothing permanent. So I decided it was time for me to look for a permanent position."
She said the position with the Arctic Energy Alliance offered her nearly everything she wanted in a job in the North.
"I made a wish list of things that were important to me. It was important that I apply for jobs that I'd be interested in and be successful at. This organization filled all my needs.
"It's a non-profit agency that's interested in sustainability, and I was looking for more social sustainability but when I thought about (it), I realized it was important to look at energy sustainability as well. It's important to reduce their costs for energy."
It was also a permanent full-time position that gives her a chance to travel and have some community involvement, she said.
"I specifically wanted a job in Inuvik, and I wanted a job that would allow me to travel to the communities," Adams said. "So it fulfilled all of the things I was looking for."
The goal of the Arctic Energy Alliance is to reduce energy consumption in the NWT, Adams said. It offers funding to non-profit groups, residents and businesses to help fund changes to reduce their energy consumption.
At the moment, one of Adams' first duties is to publicize the organization's rebate to install LED lighting, which is far more efficient than either standard incandescent bulbs or fluorescent lighting.
"We have programs to help people with their heating solutions, programs to install more energy-efficient refrigerators and washing machines, and alternate energy funding who want to explore solar, wind turbine, wood and wood pellet stoves."
That's something many people are interested in, following the problem with the Ikhil oil fields and the escalating price of the synthetic natural gas being trucked in from British Columbia.
"My priority right now is to reach out to the community, let them know that I am here and that we're open and available and to tell them about the programs we do have."
One of her goals is to reach out to businesses such as Northern Properties Real Estate Investment Trust, which controls a major portion of the rental units in Inuvik.
There's an opportunity there to work with such business to upgrade appliances in their buildings, Adams said, and that could make a significant difference in the town's energy needs.
