Discovering Sustainable Living (The Second Wind Way)

Hey, I’m Cody. I run Second Wind Sales and Service here in Raymond, Alberta — population ~4,000 if you count the dogs, the hedgehogs, and the occasional stray lawnmower I rescue.

I live here with my wife, our two dogs (Harvey & Jasper, professional snack thieves), and Hariette the hedgehog (unpaid emotional support staff). Somewhere between fixing broken tech, flipping thrift finds, and wrangling a business, I realized I wanted to live a little lighter on the planet — and maybe drag a few neighbors along with me.

How It Started (Spoiler: Not Perfectly)

I didn’t wake up one day as Captain Planet. It started with small things:

• Tossing a reusable water bottle in the truck so I’d stop buying plastic ones.
• Switching out lightbulbs for LEDs and realizing my power bill liked that as much as the planet did.
• Actually remembering to bring cloth bags to the store (okay, 70% of the time).

It wasn’t glamorous, but it added up.

Food, But Make It Local-ish

I also started eating differently — not full vegan saint status, but more local produce, less packaging, and yeah… sometimes sardines and blueberries on toast (don’t knock it ‘til you try it). Healthier for me, easier on the environment, and funnier for the internet when I post it.

Why Raymond, Alberta?

People think you need to live in Vancouver or Toronto to care about sustainability. Nope. Small towns like Raymond are where change can sneak up fastest. When one person swaps habits, people notice. Conversations start. Pretty soon your neighbor is composting because you wouldn’t shut up about it over coffee.

How You Can Join In

You don’t need to overhaul your life to make a difference. Just:

• Talk about sustainability with friends (yes, even if Karen rolls her eyes).
• Share eco tips on your socials (bonus points if it’s weird enough to get likes).
• Show up at local clean-up events or tree plantings (free exercise + community points).
• Support businesses that are trying to do better.
• Lead by example — even if it’s just carrying a reusable cup.

The Bottom Line

I’m not perfect. Nobody is. But if we all do what we can — and maybe laugh along the way — we’ll breathe a little more life into the stuff worth keeping. And hey, that’s kinda what Second Wind is all about.