Biography     Curriculum Vitae     Credentials     Local Initiatives

Denis Drever/NRTEE

David Chernushenko is a sustainability advocate who explores and communicates ways to create healthy, abundant livelihoods for all citizens. He helps people and organizations prosper by tapping into personal values, creativity and enthusiasm and directing them toward actions that are both practical and fulfilling. He works to promote the idea of Living Lightly on the Earth.


David was born in 1963 in Calgary, and he has lived, worked or studied in more than 30 countries, yet he has called Ottawa, Ont., home for most of his life. He is fluently bilingual in English and French.


David holds a B.A. in Political Studies from Queen’s University and a Master’s in International Relations from Cambridge University. He is a “green building” professional accredited by the LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification program. As owner of the consulting firm Green & Gold Inc. starting in 1998, David advised public, private, and non-profit organizations on adopting more sustainable and socially responsible practices.


He served as Vice Chair of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) and was an appointed member from 2006 to 2009. In this role, he provided non-partisan policy advice to the federal government, and worked to promote the integrated pursuit of excellence in environmental, social and economic practices in Canada’s public, private and civil society sectors.


From 1998 to 2004, David served on the International Olympic Committee’s commission on Sport and the Environment. In 2001, he co-founded Clean Air Champions, a national charity that engages athletes in raising awareness about air pollution, climate change and the benefits of physical activity. He has acted as sustainability advisor for the Canadian Special Olympics and on bids for the Canada Games, Commonwealth Games and World’s Fair. Closer to home, he has advised Bluesfest, the Ottawa Jazz Festival, and the National Capital Commission.


An active and dedicated community volunteer, David has served as a director of the Sustainable Ottawa Energy Co-operative, and as a community ambassador for the Ottawa Sustainability Fund. He is a founding board member of Conservation Co-operative Housing Inc. in Sandy Hill, and a founding supporter of the 1,000 Solar Rooftops campaign. He played a lead role in the campaign to save the Mayfair Theatre, he fought to keep the Sunnyside Branch of the Ottawa Public Library open, and he contributed his environmental expertise to the redesign of the Old Firehall (the Old Ottawa South community centre). Ottawa’s Social Planning Council honoured him with the Marion Dewar Defender of the Public Good Award in 2010.


David established the Living Lightly Project in 2007 as a way to share the stories, solutions and passion of a growing movement of people to build a rich future for all on a healthy planet. He has directed and produced two Living Lightly films: Be the Change (2008) and Powerful: Energy for Everyone (2010).


A former Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Canada, he has written several books on sustainable management practices, including Sustainable Sport Management (UNEP, 2001) and Greening Our Games: Running Sports Events & Facilities that Won’t Cost the Earth (Centurion, 1994), and the electronic publication Greening Campuses and their Communities (IISD/ACCC/UNEP, 1996).


David Chernushenko was elected in 2010 to serve as City Councillor of Capital Ward in the City of Ottawa.