Wooden spoons, sawdust and mushrooms: How a Quebec business is carving a circular economy

For 30 years, Littledeer Tools has made maple wood products in Carignan on Montreal's South Shore.

The leftover sawdust is used to grow food in gardens powered by solar panels.

The story began 30 years ago when Tom Littledeer wanted to make the perfect canoe paddle.

He says people were intrigued by the small "scoop-shaped paddles" he made.

"At the start, I made 20 little miniature canoe paddles," says Littledeer. He then discovered they were great for cooking.

At that, the Littledeer business of handmade maple wood spoons and spatulas was born.Maple wood spoons made on Montreal's South Shore by Littledeer Tools.

With a circular economy in mind, the sawdust is spread on garden soil to help grow mushrooms and other vegetables, says Littledeer's partner Sharron Wall.

"It's all tied in together. It's all very seasonal right now. He just planted onions. The garlic scapes will be ready in a month," she said.

April 22 is Earth Day. And Littledeer hopes more people will take time to reflect on their environmental impact.

"It's so incredibly important to have people think about sustainability," he said. "Making food has our biggest footprint, so we really have to think about how to make it sustainably."

The Littledeer site is also the largest solar energy producer in Quebec among small businesses.

People come from around the world to learn how they do it.

Thirty members of The World College and Polytechnic Conference, held at Palais des Congres in Montreal as part of Earth Week, were bussed to Carignan to visit.

International students visit the Littledeer Tools site on Montreal's South Shore.International students had a chance to see for themselves how using nature gently can be a sustainable business model.

"This is more practical because we are in nature," said Enrique Garcias, from Chile. "You can see the future of different plants and how you can reuse these kinds of things."

"It's such a small change that can make a big difference, so there's no reason why we can't do it," said Australian student Mikayla Royal.