Norm Ruttan

Norm Ruttan is President of iWastenot Systems which helps people in communities and organizations lighten their footprint on the earth by eliminating waste in their surplus property and discard chains. Graduating from the University of Western Ontario in Science in 1967, he worked as a High School Science and Outdoor Education Teacher in Niagara Falls, Hamilton, and Fonthill up until 1974. Returning to University for a 2nd degree in Ecology he joined Parks Canada working first as a park naturalist at Point Pelee National Park and as Chief Park Naturalist at Pukaskwa National Park, then as middle manager at the Sault Canal National Historic Site and the Trent Severn Waterway National Historic Site. In 1997 he moved to eastern Ontario as National Park Superintendent at St. Lawrence Islands, now Thousand Islands National Park and retired from there in 2002 after 25 years of public service. Norm has previous volunteer experience as a Board Member and/or Executive Director with the 1000 Islands Watershed Network, the Algonquin to Adirondack Conservation Association, the Thousand Islands Watershed Land Trust and the Frontenac Arch UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, as well as with the ecotourism program for Sir Sandford Fleming College, and with the Trans-Canada Trail Association (Ontario Section). Norm founded the family company, iWastenot Systems following retirement in 2003. Having worked to conserve nature for most of his life, he decided that helping people reduce consumption and waste would take the pressure off biodiversity, climate change, environmental harm, etc. Norm and his wife Joanne have 5 children, all of whom work part-time or full-time with iWastenot Systems. Norm and his wife Joanne live on Lyon’s Creek outside of Chippawa, Ontario.