- [Stephfond] Tonight on WPBS Weekly "Inside The Stories", the Green Beaver in Ottawa continues its mission with creating natural products for a cleaner, healthier world.

And visit an island off the Coast of Maine, where the Audubon Society's Puffin Project helps manage and restore bird populations.

Also two local jazz musicians share their talents direct from the WPBS Studios.

Your stories, your region coming up right now on WPBS weekly "Inside the Stories".

(mid-tempo music) - [Narrator] WPBS weekly "Inside the Stories" is brought to you by the Daisy Marquis Jones foundation, The Watertown Oswego Small Business Development Center, CSX, the Oswego County Community Foundation at the Central New York Community Foundation and by the Richard S Shineman Foundation.

- Good evening everyone and welcome to this edition of WPBS weekly "Inside the Stories".

I'm Stephfond Brunson.

Almost 20 years ago, the founders of Green Beaver, a natural products company in Hawkesbury, Ontario began their journey with a simple idea, create products that allow their family to live a more natural way of life.

Today, that journey has grown into a full blown business and it's making a difference in other people's lives.

(people chattering) (electronic music) (light upbeat music) - If you look at the name of the company, the whole idea was we wanted something that said Canadian and natural, that's Green Beaver.

It all started by a discussion that I had with my wife, it's a time to start a family.

You can't have a baby crawling on the floor, putting their fingers in their mouth when you just finished washing it with chemicals.

So it was like just purging the house, building a nest, I guess, for what was to come.

Back in those days there was very few natural products available and with our background, Karen being a biochemist, I'm a microbiologist, we started formulating own product.

One of the drawbacks of using a ethanol-based hand sanitizer is that it can dry out your skin.

So we thought of you and we added some glycerin.

Glycerin is actually and unbelievable moisturizer, but we added some mint and some orange and we found that the combination made a very nice smell.

Lavender, very nice calming, so I think you're going to appreciate it.

It's a hundred percent natural.

We were basically on a mission to just let people know, you know what, there are alternatives to chemicals, natural products work great.

We can help people through our products to help to live a healthier natural life, and nowadays in a sustainable world, also, that's very important.

It started as a hobby.

We said, "Ah, we'll get the few mixing plates, just turn half the kitchen into a lab, which we both like to do.

So it was a nice little pastime.

Little did I know that here I would be 20 years later and took a good part of my life.

You always gotta identify who is your target audience.

For us it's moms.

Moms with new babies, that's when it starts.

A lot of them that's when they start to use natural, then the whole household has to follow.

And the moms tend to be the ones that decide what products they use in the house in general.

Lavender baby lotion looks yummy hey.

We wanted to come out with baby products to start with, but that was a challenging at the time because there weren't that many natural preservatives around in those days.

There's been a big shift in people's mindset.

20 years ago if I approached a mother with young children and try to convince her to use natural products on their kids and things, they would kinda look at you kind of funny 'cause it was all new, right?

And they'd say, "Well, is it safe?"

(chuckles) You get that kind of response, 'cause nobody really thought about what is in their baby lotions or shampoos and things like that.

So this is wax that comes from plant leaves.

We'll use it as a thickener in some of the creams, witch hazel nuts you have.

These are all, it's a big bag of lavender petals and then we have things like a sweet fern, yarrow.

We're trying to use a lot of Canadian ingredients.

The raspberry seed oil, we use it in the sunscreen as an antioxidant and a couple of our creams.

Cranberry seed oil that comes from Quebec, mostly for a skincare products.

We decided to go with products that are easier to preserve without using chemicals, 'cause that was our mandate, right, a hundred percent natural.

I mean, we were the first to bring out certified organic sunscreen.

We were the first to introduce natural anti-cavity toothpaste without fluoride that is approved by Health Canada.

We're the first that came out with the aluminum free antiperspirant.

We are actually the only one.

The need has greatly increased, especially in the last five, six years.

And when I talk to these millennial moms, oh my God, it's totally different.

It's like they're trying to sell me on natural (chuckles) you know.

A lot of people don't think about it, when they think about sustainability as, oh, whatever the packaging.

Yeah, that's a big part of it.

I hate plastic with a passion.

So I'm working a lot with the packaging industry, trying to stay really on top of okay, what's the latest thing as soon as we can get rid of the plastic, I'm jumping on it, but it's the ingredients.

If you're using chemicals instead of natural ingredients while they won't quite biodegrade the same way, obviously not, some of it actually won't, that's the chemical ones.

We'd like people to understand also that, where does everything go?

How many synthetic artificial fragrances and dyes and colors from shampoos and soaps that will end up in Lake Ontario, or if you're in Ottawa, your Ottawa River.

And those chemicals do end up in our rivers and then we ended up drinking it.

Climate change, actually I think has sensitized people about what they use and we have a lot of experience at formulating natural products, we're really good at it.

We're really good on innovating, that's our strength here, maybe 'cause our company was started by two scientists and not two business people.

(chuckles) Now we are working with new forms of zinc oxide for sunscreen, so I'm just playing around with that.

Another one that didn't work, back to ground zero.

So the lab has always been for us the most important, one of the most important part of the company.

It was a lot of trial and error, most of the time.

Nobody hears we came out with some silly products, I think, and one of them actually we still have and people think it's weird.

I love it and the reason we have it is 'cause I love cilantro.

Eh, that's unique, not a big seller, you know, but that's formulating, right?

But yeah, we have a lot of knowledge and we have very good distribution.

Right now of course, throughout Canada, Vancouver, Mississauga, Calgary, Toronto, States.

We have Hong Kong, Singapore and I just got our first PO for just a small 25-store chain in Mexico.

Abroad people, they see something made in Canada, they think quality, so I think there's a lot of potential.

First, I love the location.

I mean you're an hour from Ottawa, an hour from Montreal, an hour from upstate New York.

I mean an hour, maybe 20 minutes from Vermont.

I mean, wow.

I had just hired a girl that grew up in Hawkesbury, went to school, got her degree in biotechnology, came back 'cause I created a job, where normally those young people didn't come back because there was no job.

But I find that the young people there are coming back, that's a good sign.

Right now, if you go to any store or whatever grocery, you look in an aisle, they always have some natural products, whenever, It maybe it represents, let's say 20% of the category, you give it another five, between five and 10 years, natural products will represent 80% of what's there 'cause the demand is there.

There's still more awareness to get more people onto the natural bandwagon.

Most entrepreneurs are builders and when they always want to build a bigger.

(chuckles) Oh, I think there's still a lot of work to be done, so I'm not done yet.

(air whooshing) - Sustainability around the world happens in many different ways.

On an island off the coast of Maine, for example, birds are the subject.

And studying puffins and other seasonal breeding colonies are giving researchers the data they need to restore threatened bird populations.

This is true of the Puffin.

They're cute, they're awkward and they're an extremely important part of the island's ecosystem.

(birds chirping) (electronic music)ú - I've never met anyone who doesn't like a Puffin.

They're probably their most graceful when they're swimming but then when they're walking, it's like who made you?

It's very awkward, but cute.

Awkward-cute.

(chuckles) I've been here for four summers and I feel a connection here in a big way.

I love hearing the birds at all times of the day, because it means that they're doing okay.

They're all telling us things about the environment that we can't otherwise know.

So I like the term sentinels of climate change.

They are showing us something's wrong.

(gentle upbeat music) My name is Kay Garlick-Ott and I'm the island supervisor of Eastern Egg Rock Island.

It's a seven acre island in the Gulf of Maine managed by the National Audubon Society, Siebert Institute.

The island hosts a team of researchers every summer.

We really live in the ecosystem and work with the birds for conservation monitoring.

40 years ago, there weren't any puffins breeding on this island and there were maybe a handful of terns.

Now we have over a thousand terns.

It's a really good example of how human intervention can help wildlife and conservation science on an island like this, can be a great tool for raising awareness about the issues that the birds are facing and that we all are now facing.

So we have six different species of seabirds that breed here the Atlantic Puffin, black guillemot, Leach's storm petrel, three species of terns, including Common terns, Roseate terns and Arctic terns.

Typically researchers come out here in the beginning of May and then we stay until about mid August or early August.

It's definitely an uncomfortable lifestyle.

We sleep in tents all summer, we don't have running water.

we don't have a shower, so it is physically inconvenient.

Our neighbors, the birds can be very annoying.

They'll dive bomb us when we walk by, they'll poop on us.

and they seem to know exactly where to poop, where it's the most annoying, but there is a beauty to it, being surrounded by nature and wild animals is an immense privilege and not one that many people get to have anymore.

It is a really spectacular thing to be able to stare into the eyes of a Puffin.

(chuckles) At the beginning of the season, we're doing a lot of nest scouting so we're trying to figure out where birds are nesting so that we can track and monitor them over the course of the season.

Mid season, we're just trying to get as many observations in as possible and whether that's resighting for puffins, where we're reading their bands, and that tells us something about who's here, what the population looks like this year or feeding studies, where we're looking at the fish they're bringing in and that tells us something about the forage fish.

Herring seems to be the preferred prey species.

Of course, herring stocks are dwindling, and we're not seeing it quite as much as we'd like to.

This year we're seeing a burst of rough scad.

And usually when you see unusual fish, it means that they're having a hard time finding food.

Data coming out, do really show that we are seeing species move in that wouldn't necessarily have been there before that do prefer warmer waters, like butterfish.

The chicks, especially when they're early in development, just don't have the gape to take down a large butterfish.

They're bringing back these fish that the chicks can't eat.

The chicks don't get fed, so they're getting less food that slows down their growth rate.

Sometimes it means that they die and it is something that's been happening a lot more frequently in the last couple of years.

There might be a bad food year every once in a while, there might be a bad rain event.

They can't regulate their body temperature so if they get wet, then that poses harm to them.

Those are some of the things that we see that cause a lot of mortality, but climate change has exacerbated the effect of all of that and it's very depressing.

I think of climate change every day.

In the trends of season by season, it's like screaming in your face, but I also don't believe that you can create a better future without envisioning it.

And I really hope that what I'm doing is making a difference and that other people feel inspired to make it similar difference.

They're charismatic birds, and often people want to protect charismatic birds, but they bring the entire island along with them.

It's intrinsically important as an ecosystem, I think, that this exists and is healthy.

(air whooshing) - This is probably the only time I'll tell you to grab an ice pick and head for the hills.

It's the dead of winter right now and the adventurer in you may wanna try something new.

We head to Lake Placid to catch up with Brian Delaney of High Peaks Mountain Guides and climb a wee bit of ice.

Take a look.

(electronic music) (car hooting) - [Narrator] When setting out on ice climbing adventure, you need the right equipment and training, which Brian Delaney provided for the team.

- [Brian] Safety.

- Where are we gonna climb?

- The Cascade Pass?

We're going to be on the Cascade Pass.

You're climbing with Brian Delaney from High Peaks, right?

Has anything ever happened?

No, except for the Girl Scout with a twisted ankle.

But if something does happen to me, say something comes off and I'm laying there flat.

What are we gonna do?

We're gonna call 911.

We're gonna say you're with Brian from High Peaks and we've had an accident.

And where are we?

We're in the Cascade Pass.

Okay, on Route 73.

- Cascade Pass.

- Route 73.

- Route 73.

(gentle upbeat music) - I'll help you with them in a second.

- Are you videoing this?

(couple laughing) - I believe his is.

- How bad I am on.

- Any questions?

Feel good?

(fast upbeat music) ♪ Ooh hoo ♪ ♪ Ooh hoo ♪ - So right foot there and now across.

There you go.

Beautiful.

And already as you guys walk up, you can feel the texture of the ice on your crampons.

- [Chris] Crunchier.

- [Brian] Crunchier and you're trusting your feet more.

You can feel it go up.

- Yeah.

That's pretty secure, right?

- [Samantha] Yes.

- [Narrator] The trek to the climb can be just as challenging as the climb itself.

You have to be methodical with every step.

As the team near their spot, Brian prepared them for a top rope climb.

There's a five point scale of difficulty for ice climbing today, the team is facing a level three.

- [Samantha] I will say this is a steep three.

Three, three, I mean.

(laughing nervously) I hate to see the four or five.

(laughing nervously) - See the C on his harness.

We're checking it, he's doubled back.

He's all set.

Helmet's on secure.

You know how to use your tools.

And you just lower your hands when I lower you.

So (indistinct) climb one ready?

- Yeah.

Then you'll say Brian climbing - Okay.

- Go ahead, anytime you're ready.

- Brian climbing.

- And then I'll say, Chris climb away.

And then like you feel that rope?

- Yep.

- Good.

Technically the rope is there only to help you only in case you fall.

The rope is not there to aid you, but I can help, a little bit.

Okay, go ahead.

Climb away!

(ice crunching) Nice pick, Chris!

Move your feet up.

Yeah, now you're climbing smart.

Lower your feet a little, your.

Yeah there you go.

Nice!

Yes, now move your foot a little more left.

Yeah, that's the spot!

Sometimes guys, you have to be dynamic you have to move quick.

- Yes.

- Sometimes you can be methodical, take your time.

(dramatic music) (ice crunching) - Ice.

(Chris panting) You can see how he is muscling it more You don't have to muscle it, you'll be surprised.

- [Samantha] Oh, okay.

(chuckling nervously) - It's actually pretty fun, isn't it?

- It's a blast.

- Yeah.

(dramatic music) - It's about 32 degrees out but I can feel the coldness radiating off the chunks of ice, but I am really sweating.

I'm really hot right now.

I really thought it was going to easier to get the picks in.

I'm starting to get the hang of it, but Brian keeps telling me not to muscle it and he's right, the more I finesse it in, the easier it goes in.

- Yeah be surgical.

- Yeah, it's very surgical and trying to get the ice pick out when it's too deep it's actually a lot of work.

It's pretty strenuous, tires you out pretty quick.

(gentle music) (ice crunching) - [Chris] My first ice climb.

- [Brian] (chuckles) Good job.

Stop, yep.

Be smart, right?

Good!

- All right!

- High five!

- Thanks Brian.

- That was awesome!

- It was awesome.

- Good work!

- [Samantha] Brian climbing.

- [Brian] And then I say climb away.

(dramatic music) (ice crunching) - [Brian] She's good, she's already got the technique down.

(Samantha chuckling) I like her attitude, you guys.

- Yeah.

- I mean it - She's up for a challenge.

- Remember the shelf.

- Try to find a little spot.

- Like this is a good spot.

Oh yeah.

- Get up and try to keep it.

She's aggressive, very good.

(Chris chuckling) No, that's excellent.

(Samantha chuckling) (ice crunching) And she knows she has to be dynamic but get those feet.

- Here?

- Yeah, yeah, good.

Balance, probably does yoga.

(Samantha chuckling) Nice, step.

Ooh almost, hold that one.

(Samantha groaning) Perfect.

- She's not playing around.

- No, she's good.

She's strong.

(chuckles) (dramatic music) - Woo!

- Samantha, you are awesome.

- [Samantha] (exclaims) I'm working on awesome.

(chuckles) (Brian chuckling) (Samantha chuckling) - [Brian] You are good.

(dramatic music continues) (ice crunching) (ice crunching) - [Brian] She's good.

Keep.

Yep, good.

Feel that.

Nice.

Watch your back.

- I got it.

- Get those feet.

- Get those.

- I'm hanging on now.

- Get those feet in.

- I can't get my.

- [Chris] (indistinct) You got it.

Nice.

(Samantha panting) - [Brian] Get that foot in.

There you go.

- There we go.

- You're safe.

(ice crunching) - [Samantha] Ha!

(ice crunching) - [Brian] You made it.

- Woo, nice.

- Go there.

(light upbeat music) - All right.

- Good job.

(Samantha chuckling) - [Samantha] And now I'm up.

(chuckles) - [Brian] Okay, so you say, fry and take.

- Fry and take!

(chuckles) - [Brian] Samantha got.

All right.

(Samantha chuckling) (Samantha groaning) - That was amazing.

(Brian chattering) That was amazing.

(chuckles) - [Brian] You were great.

- [Samantha] Oh my gosh.

- High five.

- That was a high five.

- Hi five to all that.

- Thank you Brian.

- She was great.

(Samantha chuckling) (indistinct) - All right!

Good, good you guys.

- I attacked it.

(chuckles) (Samantha groaning) - [Brian] She's phenomenal.

(air whooshing) - Local musicians and other artists are what this next segment is all about.

Ronnie France and Dave Donley join us in the studio with the classic tune, "At the Modern".

(air whooshing) (drums rolling) (air whooshing) - My name is Ronnie France.

This is David Donley.

We're gonna a Joyce Cooling song called "At the Modern."

(light upbeat music) (wind chimes pealing) (upbeat jazz music) (upbeat jazz music continues) (upbeat jazz music continues) - Yeah.

(upbeat jazz music continues) (upbeat jazz music continues) (upbeat jazz music continues) (light upbeat music) - That does it for us this Tuesday evening.

Join us next week for a fresh look "Inside the Stories."

Music heals.

We'll introduce you to a national musician who helps veterans write their own songs to overcome trauma And small businesses are still going strong.

Discover some in the Kingston region that you may not even know about.

Also how intelligent is the octopus?

Researchers share the truth of these incredible creatures and how their smarts serve their environment.

All this and more coming up on our next episode.

Meantime, if you have a story idea, you'd like to see us explore, or you're a poet or a musician that would like to be featured, email at wpbsweekly@wpbstv.org.

Until then, good night my friends.

- [Narrator] WPBS Weekly "Inside the Stories" is brought to you by the Daisy Marquis Jones Foundation dedicated to improving the wellbeing of communities by helping disadvantaged children and families.

Online at dmjf.org.

The Watertown Oswego Small Business Development Center, a free resource offering confidential business advice for those interested in starting or expanding their small business.

Serving Jefferson Lewis and Oswego counties since 1986.

Online at watertowndotnyspdc.org.

Additional funding provided by CSX, the Oswego County Community Foundation at the Central New York Community Foundation and by the Richard S Shineman Foundation.

("At the Modern") (light upbeat music)