Canadian Half Pipe Team Member

Justin Lamoureux

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  Justin Lamoureux joined David Suzuki's Play It Cool in winter 2008. Since joining, Justin has become a strong ambassador for the program, giving TV, radio and print interviews and making many changes in his life that reflect his commitment to the environment.

  In March of this year, he spoke with Dr. Suzuki and Play It Cool members Warren Tanner and Philip Widmer about how climate change is effecting their sports at the media conference for the release of the David Suzuki Foundation report 'On Thin Ice: Winter Sports and Climate Change' (you can download the report here:

Play It Cool: Why is being a member of Play It Cool and going carbon neutral important to you?
Justin Lamoureux: The DSF is a well-known organization and has been educating the public for a long time about environmental issues. So I thought it was a great opportunity to help educate people and share my passion for a clean environment. When I joined the program was pretty small, but had several big name NHL players so I thought it had some legitimacy to work in the long run. And it has. Half the NHL is now on board, let alone athletes from lots of different sports.

PIC: What effects of global warming have you witnessed in your travels?
JL: For over 10 years I've been on the Horseman Glacier at Blackcomb Mountain every June and July. A few summers ago, the spot where we load the main t-bar had to be moved uphill a few hundred feet as the glacier melted out from underneath. Even in winter you can see the drop in the cables where the glacier currently ends.

PIC: What positive changes are you making to reduce your impact on the climate?
JL: Energy Star appliances if I'm getting new ones, CFL and LED light bulbs everywhere in the house, low flow toilets. I build a lot of my own furniture and renovate with salvaged or recycled wood. About all I can do since I live in a townhouse. My house is also located so I can bike or walk to pretty much everything I need when I'm home. I do what I can at home and try and not to drive. I sold my truck and got a smaller car. I hike and splitboard a lot more when I want to get into the backcountry. If a snowboard trip is in driving distance, I'll now drive instead of flying - it takes more time, but emits less carbon. For the emissions I can't really avoid, mostly air travel, I offset with gold standard credits.