Sustainable Solutions for a Greener Future
Eco-friendly services for a healthier planet
Sustainable Solutions for a Greener Future
Eco-friendly services for a healthier planet
Meet Our Team
Vernon Burns, Founder and CEO
My name is Vernon Victor Burns, and I am the founder of Sovereign Earth Works Environmental Solutions (SEWES). Much of what shaped me came from time spent on the land and with people who carried that knowledge forward. Through relationships with neighboring First Nations communities, I learned early that the land provides only if it’s treated with respect. Those teachings didn’t come from books; they came from watching, listening, and doing, in the same way our people have always learned. Those lessons stuck with me and still guide how I move through the world.
I returned to school after recognizing that many laws and systems governing land, food, and resources were built without Indigenous realities in mind—and often in direct conflict with them. I began my post-secondary education at the Saskatchewan Indian Institute of Technologies (SIIT), initially drawn to food systems and harvesting because of their deep cultural, economic, and treaty significance. It was through the guidance of my instructors and an Indigenous-centered curriculum that I was encouraged to pursue biology and environmental studies, a path that gave me the tools to engage these issues more directly and effectively.
From there, I completed the Integrated Resource Management (IRM) diploma at Saskatchewan Polytechnic, graduating with distinction, and went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Biology, with a minor in Anthropology, through First Nations University of Canada / University of Regina. My education reinforced what I had already experienced: Indigenous people continue to face systemic barriers in science, governance, and environmental decision-making—but persistence, preparation, and community support create leverage.
Akshith "Robin" Naidu, Environmental and Energy Systems Engineer
I am an Environmental and Energy Systems Engineer with a strong foundation in process and chemical engineering principles, specializing in water treatment, wastewater systems, and energy-integrated infrastructure. My work focuses on designing practical, buildable solutions that combine sound engineering, energy efficiency, and long-term operational reliability, particularly for rural and Indigenous communities. I apply a systems-level approach to infrastructure development, integrating treatment process optimization, energy analysis, and funding considerations to deliver projects that protect environmental health, respect the land, and support sustainable community growth for generations to come.