Touch on Wood is a non-profit organization located in Sydney that demonstrates
community enterprise at its finest. For the past few years, Touch on Wood has run a
woodworking-training centre and retail outlet that provides community residents with skills
training and work experience to help them become productive members of the community.

Last year with the help of RRFB Nova Scotia, Touch on Wood upgraded their woodworking equipment to better recycle wooden pallets that were destined for disposal. By looking “outside the box” Touch on Wood searched out innovative yet simple ways to convert waste pallets into new products such as strawberry, raspberry and apple crates.

At Touch on Wood nothing goes to waste. Any waste from the pallet deconstruction process is further recycled. Smaller pieces of wood are made into survey stakes for the Department of Transportation and Public Works. Leftovers are given to needy families for kindling and sawdust is given to local farms for livestock bedding. So far, Touch on Wood has been able to recycle 30,000 used pallets and provide meaningful employment for 19 clients. Touch on Wood is an example for other community organizations across the province.

Betty Bartlett, Executive Director of Touch on Wood, accepted the RRFB Nova Scotia Mobius Environmental Award for Innovation in Waste Management on behalf of Touch on Wood.