Season Seven: Emerald Documentary Series

The Emerald Documentary Series features the remarkable efforts of environmental leaders across Alberta. These inspiring documentary shorts highlight innovative projects, passionate individuals, and groundbreaking initiatives building a more sustainable and resilient future for our province.

From transforming garbage into low-carbon fuel to ranchers protecting native grasslands, season seven dives into the Alberta-based solutions driving sustainability forward.

Echo Food Rescue | Lacombe, AB

What If Every Community Rescued Food Like This?

Nearly half of all food in Canada is wasted each year, and much of it never makes it to your fridge.

In this documentary short, we travel to Lacombe, Alberta, where Echo Food Rescue is showing how a small rural community can make a big dent in food waste. Through partnerships with local grocery stores and farms, they’re rescuing ‘imperfect’ and surplus food and putting it in the hands of community members at no cost, no questions asked.

MFC Games: Aaron & Justin Tan | Calgary, AB

Inside a Student-Led Movement Powering the Future With Mud

Turning mud into electricity might sound unlikely, but for students across Canada, it’s already happening.

In this documentary short, we go inside the Microbial Fuel Cell (MFC) Games, a student-led initiative founded by Calgarian brothers Justin and Aaron Tan that uses hands-on experimentation to introduce young people to renewable energy. By generating electricity from mud, students learn how biological processes can power real-world solutions.

Ecco Recycling | Calgary, AB

Can Your Garbage Replace Fossil Fuels?

Canadians produce 36.5 million tonnes of waste each year. But what if there were a better option than sending it to the landfill?

In this documentary short, we explore how Ecco Recycling & Energy Corporation, based in Calgary, Alberta, is transforming waste into a clean-burning alternative fuel—replacing traditional fossil fuels in cement kilns and cutting carbon emissions by up to 50%.

Burke Creek Ranch | Furman, AB

How Ranchers Are Protecting Alberta’s Native Grasslands—One Generation at a Time

Canada’s grasslands are among the most endangered ecosystems in the world—supporting wildlife, storing carbon, and helping mitigate floods, yet disappearing at an alarming rate.

In this documentary short, we head to the Foothills of Southern Alberta to visit Burke Creek Ranch to discover how four generations of ranchers are protecting our native grasslands.

Oldman Watershed Council | Lethbridge, AB

How Can Nature Protect the Water We Rely On?

The way we build our cities can have lasting impacts on our water systems, but there are solutions available, and they’re often simpler and more natural than you might expect.

In this documentary short, we explore how Oldman Watershed Council is working to restore and protect the Oldman River, a critical water source for irrigation, nearby municipalities, livestock, and industry. By using nature-based solutions, such as planting willows along banks to prevent erosion, the OWC is strengthening the natural systems that help keep water clean and watersheds healthy.

Métis Nation of Alberta | Smoky Lake County, AB

Inside Salay Prayzaan: A Métis-Led Solar Project for Future Generations

Métis people have a deep, intergenerational connection to the land—one that guides how it is cared for today and protected for future generations.

In this documentary short, we visit Métis Crossing to explore Salay Prayzaan, a 4.86 MW solar project led by the Otipemisiwak Métis Government. Developed in collaboration with the Town of Smokey Lake and Smokey Lake County, the project demonstrates what’s possible when communities work together toward a shared vision for a sustainable future—one that delivers environmental and economic benefits beyond its own borders.

EPCOR: Glass of the Sask | Edmonton, AB

How a Simple Glass of Water Is Building Pride in Edmonton’s River

The average Edmontonian uses 160 litres of water every day, and all of it comes from one place: the North Saskatchewan River.

In this documentary short, we explore how EPCOR is helping Edmontonians build a stronger connection to their water source through the Glass of the Sask campaign. By introducing water stations at community events and curated carafes at local restaurants, the initiative invites people to pause, reflect, and learn more about where their water comes from.

Growth with Us: Friends of Fish Creek | Calgary, AB

How One Non-Profit Is Restoring Alberta’s Grasslands, One Plant at a Time

Grasslands play a critical role in Alberta’s ecosystems, supporting carbon sequestration and providing habitat for nearly 80% of the province’s species at risk. Yet today, less than 2% of Alberta’s native grasslands are protected.

In this documentary short, we explore how the Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society is helping restore these vital ecosystems through their Grow With Us program. With the help of dedicated volunteers, FOFC rescues native plants from development sites, redistributes them to community members, and later harvests the seeds—creating a circular system that preserves genetically diverse plants for grassland restoration in Fish Creek.

Dr. Brad Stelfox | Calgary, AB

What Happens When We Push a Finite World Too Far?

Human societies have benefited greatly from the resources our planet provides—but those benefits have come with costs to our air, land, and water that are often difficult to see until they’re well underway.

In this documentary short, we sit down with Dr. Brad Stelfox, a Wildlife Ecologist who dedicated his career to studying the relationships between human land use practices and the environment. Drawing on decades of research and observation, Brad reflects on how increasing consumption is eroding the natural capital we all depend on—and why there are no simple, win-win solutions in a finite world.

Future Energy Systems | Edmonton, AB

Inside the Work Shaping Canada’s Energy Future

The way we generate and use energy is changing—and understanding those changes is key to building a future that supports our society, economy, and environment.

In this documentary short, we explore how Future Energy Systems is helping Canadians navigate the transition to a low-net-carbon energy economy. Through multidisciplinary research and free, accessible public education, FES is developing the energy technologies of the near future while helping people of all ages understand how energy systems shape our daily lives—and how they can be part of what comes next.

Trade Winds to Success | Edmonton, AB

How One Program Is Strengthening Indigenous Housing AND Employment

Access to skilled trades training and energy-efficient housing are both critical to building resilient Indigenous communities, but they’re rarely addressed together.

In this documentary short, we take a closer look at how Tradewinds to Success is connecting these challenges by providing trades training to Indigenous students while supporting the construction of energy-efficient tiny homes for Indigenous and First Nations communities across Alberta. Through this hands-on, community-focused approach, participants are building skills, careers, and housing solutions that strengthen resiliency both inside and outside the home.

Water Wednesday: City of Lethbridge | Lethbridge, AB

What Happens When Drought Becomes the New Normal?

Water is essential for everyday life; we use it to drink, cook, and keep ourselves healthy. But in Southern Alberta, recurring droughts are making water scarcity a growing reality.

In this documentary short, we explore how the City of Lethbridge’s Water Wednesday program is responding to this challenge through public education, awareness, and practical water conservation strategies. As water advisories become more common during the summer months, initiatives like this help residents understand how small, collective actions can make a meaningful difference.

Alberta Capital Airshed | Edmonton, AB

Can We Adapt to Changes in the Air We Breathe?

Wildfire smoke and stagnant air are becoming more common, affecting the quality of the air Albertans breathe every day.

In this documentary short, we take a closer look at how air quality affects our health and how the Alberta Capital Airshed monitors and shares this information with the public. Through engagement at local events and online, the ACA is helping Albertans make informed decisions that can help reduce air quality impacts and ensure they are able to live, work and play safely.

Four Winds & Associates | Enoch Cree Nation, AB

How Do Indigenous Communities Lead Sustainable Infrastructure Solutions?

Indigenous communities have long been stewards of the land, but they are also leaders in shaping what a sustainable future looks like today.

In this documentary short, we explore how Four Winds & Associates is working alongside Indigenous communities across Alberta to improve the efficiency and sustainability of community-owned infrastructure. Through collaborative approaches and capacity-building, communities are actively shaping solutions that reflect their values, priorities, and long-term vision for the land.