Roger Bidwell

Bullfrog Founders Club

A biologist by profession, Roger Bidwell was one of the first homeowners in the Maritimes to sign on with Bullfrog Power. Roger and his wife Shirley live in Wallace, Nova Scotia, and joined the bullfrogpowered community in October 2009.

BP: Why did you decide to become bullfrogpowered?
RB: Shirley and I both feel that the cost of Bullfrog Power is a very
small price to pay to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions footprint. We admire Bullfrog for its efforts, and we’re delighted to be a part of the community.

BP: What else do you do to reduce your environmental impact?

RB: Our home is heavily insulated, and we have installed a solar water heater. We don’t use air conditioning during the summer. A hybrid vehicle is our primary mode of transportation.
In addition, the house has a large garden that we use to grow our own food. I spend a great deal of time in the garden, and outdoors in general—as much of my spare time as possible. The food we purchase is always locally sourced.

BP: Why is being bullfrogpowered important to you and your family?

RB: We want to help preserve the environment. As a biologist, I have always been concerned about the state of the planet. Although my profession lies more in biochemistry, I’m greatly interested in biological systems and the natural world. It’s important to do as much as we can to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions footprint and address climate change—for our children, our grandchildren, and generations to come.

BP: In your opinion, what are the benefits of taking action for the environment?

RB: The first and most straightforward benefit is that taking action helps preserve the state of our natural world. Second, a cleaner environment means easier breathing and an improvement in personal health. Finally, by reducing their environmental impact, people can improve their financial health. It costs money to pollute. You can save some of that money if you make an initial investment in green products and initiatives. In the long run, you can yield some very strong returns by going green.

BP: If you had one message for all Canadians about the environment, what would that message be?

RB: In my view as a biologist, it’s extremely important to take action now—for our children, our grandchildren and our great grandchildren. We owe it to future generations to start working hard now.

People are always worried about the cost of preserving the environment. However, when you measure the extra cost against the benefits and the long term gain, it quickly becomes apparent that it makes sense to pay a little more for green products and services now.