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May 30, 1990

THE GREENING OF DON BALLARD

(and a major life
insurance agency)

e doesn’t look the part of an environ-
mentalist. A blue pinstripe, three-
piece suit and his rapidly-thinning,
greying hair says middle-aged businessman.

His comfortable office in the IBM building —

the blonde oak desk and the pleasant furni-
ture — says executive. The flow charts, files,
and spread sheets on his desk say corporate
elite. But then again, what’s an environmen-
talist supposed to look like anyway? After all,
this is 1990.

Don Ballard clearly doesn’t fit the mould of
wild-eyed tree hugger intent on saving the world.

He’s quiet, reflective, rational, level-headed, busi- .
nesslike and knowledgeable. He gets things done. He |

talks about Vicky Husband, David Suzuki and John
Reynolds like they were long-term friends. He speaks
of sustained yield, ozone depletion and resource

reviewing the sales performance of employees or last
year’s profit-to-gross ratio.

Don Ballard is a man who has achieved a measure
-of success in the business world. He is the branch
manager of Canada Life in Victoria which is one of
the top producers for the company in Canada. He’s
also a man with an obsession — he wants to leave a
livable world behind for future generations. Like
many others, he can see that won't be possible if we
continue as we have done in the past.

Education and communication are the keys to
improving the world we live in, according to Ballard.
In order to better educate his fellow citizens about
how we are ruining our environment and how we can

~ turn it around, Ballard has taken action in several

7h, ee: ee

areas, the most public among them being the spear-
heading of Environment Festival 90 (see accompany-
ing story) which will take place during Environment
Week June 2-10.

Ballard hopes the Environment Festival will be-
come a yearly event. The idea came to him as a result
of the organization of the Youth Wildlife Club formed
with the help of Canada Life in conjunction with the
World Wildlife Fund.

Continued on Page 3

A TRUE FRIEND, Canada Life’s Don Ballard shows off his bear Thormdyke. The bear interests
children in environmental issues — an interest that, as Ballard knows, makes economic and

social sense.

Goldenrod: Page 4
Basic Black: Page 4
Miss Manners: Page 7
Dr. Tomorrow: Page Il
: MAKING A SPLASH about word environmental concems: Books: Page I¢ WISE WORDS from rtiing UVC
ey can be involved in Environment rou ‘9. See Calendar Page 20 president. See page 10.