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Canadian Signature Experiences Winnipeg is home to a variety of attractions that not only offer memorable experiences, but also prioritize sustainability and environmental responsibility . SUSTAINABILITY With almost four million visitors a year, The Forks is Winnipeg's number one tourist destination. With their Target Zero initiative, The Forks has set a boldly impressive goal of zero garbage, zero water waste and zero carbon emissions. It is leading the way for sustainable and eco-friendly operations with initiatives that include switching heating to a geothermal heat pump system, onsite composting of bio waste from the food hall, a robust recycling program, and using waste vegetable oil from onsite restaurants to power ice clearing and utility vehicles. The world's foremost Arctic species exhibit, Journey to Churchill at Assiniboine Park Zoo houses the Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre. The scientists and researchers here study polar bear denning, diets and behaviours, all while alerting the public to the climate issues that the bears and other Arctic species face in the ever-heating wild. Its team are such experts that they've gone on to star in two seasons of Arctic Vets on CBC Television, and you can often learn in-person from some of them at this state-of-the-art research facility on northern animals and ecosystems. Other initiatives by the Assiniboine Park Conservancy include their onsite Biovator, which converts animal manure from the zoo into compost used by the horticulture team and two electric vehicle charging stations located in the park, plus one in the zoo. Located within the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, The Leaf, planted with more than 12,000 trees, shrubs and flowers in four separate indoor biomes, is Winnipeg's newest attraction. The building's unique spiral pattern was inspired by the Fibonacci sequence and designed for LEED silver certification. The stunning roof is an important part of the building's eco-system and optimizes solar gain (heat and light), while reducing the need for mechanical systems to control the environment, optimizing building performance and maximizing sustainable building operations. FortWhyte Alive is all about 'connecting humans with nature.' Located in the south end of the city, this gorgeous area is home to lakes you can traverse on canoe or sailboat; aspen forests brimming with trails for hiking, biking, snowshoeing, skiing and birding; North America's largest urban bison herd; a farm that specializes in teaching inner city kids about agriculture and countless programs that promote a sustainable future for the region. Its recently remodeled Richardson Interpretive Centre has reduced electricity consumption by 36 per cent with fossil fuel-free geothermal systems that run under the forest, using the land to heat and cool the building. The Canadian Museum for Human Rights contains numerous exhibits that illuminate the connection between human rights and sustainability, posing questions like "how does a healthy environment contribute to human rights?" The building itself is an architectural marvel and a green one at that! A LEED certified building, it captures rainwater for air conditioning and toilets and has a side roof seeded with prairie grasses and plants that are indigenous to Manitoba. The Boutique contains only fair-trade, ethically sourced and eco-conscious items. The Leaf: Salvador Maniquiz 21 Legends + Tales • Volume 11 • 2024 Legends + Tales • Volume 11 • 2024 21