May 12, 2012

Posted by greenlivingottawa under climate change, energy, Ottawa, transportation
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Written by guest blogger Denise Deby, who writes on local and global social and environmental issues.

I’m thrilled that Ottawa’s newest bikeshare program, RightBike, is launching this week.

It’s not so much a bike rental as a membership program that allows you to use a RightBike when you need one. For the price of a $40 seasonal or $10 monthly membership (plus a refundable $60 security deposit), you’ll receive a card that will let you borrow a bike from one of RightBike’s three outlets along Richmond Road and Wellington Street West. The idea is that you can use the bike for short trips to run errands, check out shops or restaurants, tour the neighbourhood or just get from one end of the 3.5 km strip to the other—without needing a car.

RightBike’s creators—Sustainable Living Ottawa West (SLOWest), the Causeway Work Centre, and the Wellington West and Westboro Business Improvement Associations (BIAs)—all saw the potential benefits of a people-oriented bikeshare program. SLOWest wanted to promote sustainable and affordable transportation, while Causeway, an organization that helps people facing employment challenges find work, saw an opportunity to create jobs. The BIAs aimed to encourage people to visit local shops and services, while minimizing traffic and parking congestion. Rather than bringing in a bike rental program, as Bill Shields of SLOWest explained to me, they based the program on the expertise of Causeway and Cycle Salvation, a Causeway social enterprise that repairs and sells used bikes.

The City of Ottawa, the Ottawa Police Service, Habitat for Humanity and other local businesses chipped in with feasibility funding, in-kind support or used bikes. All 40 of the bikes in the new RightBike fleet, freshly painted purple and sporting the RightBike logo, are donated bikes that Cycle Salvation refurbished. The upright, 3-speed bicycles were chosen to enable both experienced and non-experienced cyclists to be comfortable riding them.

Causeway’s Shane Norris explained to me that besides providing bikes and creating jobs, RightBike will get people outside and interacting with each other. For example, you won’t scan your card into a machine to borrow a bike; you’ll get the bike from a real live person at one of the participating retailers which include Cyclelogik and Mountain Equipment Co-op. You might even meet one of Rightbike’s “mobile mechanics” as they cycle between participating outlets to provide minor repairs.

Bill Shields says that basing RightBike in a small geographic area was intentional: the program’s scale is more manageable, and takes advantage of other neighbourhood features including relatively high population density, the existence of a main street, and few hills. But RightBike’s designers say the program could conceivably be replicated in other Ottawa neighbourhoods.

Let’s hope it works, and spreads. As both Bill and Shane point out, cycling not only has environmental and health benefits; it helps people be more connected, which makes for great, liveable communities.

*  *  *

You can check out RightBike at the Hintonburg Tulip Festival at the Parkdale Market on Saturday, May 12 between noon and 3 p.m., or at the MEC Bike Fest at Lebreton Flats on Sunday May 13 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. You can even take one for a spin if you take part in SLOWest’s Solar Bike Hike, a guided tour of solar panels at area homes, on Saturday, May 12 from 10 a.m.-noon.

RightBike will officially launch on Thursday, May 17 at 11:00 a.m., with an open house at RightBike’s new headquarters at 1A McCormick Street (one block north of Wellington St. West and one block east of Parkdale Avenue) from noon until 2 p.m. Check the RightBike website for other upcoming events.

And if you’re tempted, you can purchase a membership online at http://rightbike.org/ride-with-us/become-a-member/ or at RightBike’s headquarters at 1A McCormick St.

 

May 4, 2012

Jane’s Walk Ottawa 2012

Posted by greenlivingottawa under 100-mile, building, flora and fauna, food, health, Ottawa, transportation, volunteering
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Written by guest blogger Denise Deby, who writes on local and global social and environmental issues.

It’s Jane’s Walk time! On May 5 and 6, you can take part in walks exploring interesting parts of Ottawa. But these are more than just walking tours: you might be learning about what it’s like to live in the area, or about the area’s history, geography or design. What makes the walks special is that they’re created and led by local residents who’ve volunteered to share their perspectives on the city, and who’ll probably invite you to share your own stories.

In this year’s Jane’s Walks, you can:

  • Visit communities like Vanier that are undergoing urban renewal, or (re-) discover neighbourhoods such as Little Italy, the East Glebe, New Edinburgh or Barrhaven from a walker’s perspective;
  • Explore urban green or wild spaces including the parks and community gardens of Centretown, the South March Highlands Forest, Petrie Island, Brown’s Inlet, Nepean Creek or North Island in Manotick;
  • See downtown Ottawa from the perspective of a homeless person, or contribute ideas for improving Ottawa’s neglected urban waterfront;
  • Experience art in Hintonburg, music in Old Ottawa South or the culinary delights of Hintonburg or Chinatown, or learn how to find wild food in the city;
  • Discover the hidden history of Bank Street, see downtown through the eyes of historical figures, or reflect on the past and future of Parliament Hill or rail travel at LeBreton Flats.

There are dozens of walks to choose from, so have a look at the schedule on the Jane’s Walk Ottawa website and find one that appeals to you. The walks are free, conducted in English or French, and vary in length and accessibility.

I really like the whole idea of Jane’s Walk, which happens every year in cities across Canada and around the world. Jane’s Walk celebrates the ideas of Jane Jacobs, an urbanist, writer and activist who generated some innovative thinking about cities and their liveability. She contended, for example, that cities should be built for people, encourage diversity, and be walkable. You can find more information at http://www.janeswalkottawa.ca/view/?home.

“No one can find what will work for our cities by looking at … suburban garden cities, manipulating scale models, or inventing dream cities. You’ve got to get out and walk.”

Jane Jacobs, Downtown Is For People, 1957.

 

April 25, 2012

Bike to Work Month in Ottawa

Posted by greenlivingottawa under climate change, health, household, media, Ottawa, transportation, volunteering
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by guest blogger Mike Buckthought

photo copyright the envirocentre

May is Bike to Work Month in Ottawa, and EnviroCentre is collaborating with workplaces across the region to encourage people to cycle to work. EnviroCentre is offering an updated information kit, four kinds of workshops, cycling safety videos, and a chance to win great prizes, simply by pledging to bike.

Last year, 861 people pledged to cycle to work, covering a total distance of 759,040 km. Participants reduced greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 191 tonnes by biking instead of using motorized modes of transport, like cars and SUVs.  The 2012 edition of Bike to Work Month promises to encourage even more people.

Among many new website features, individuals and workplaces can now log daily trips and track new statistics like money saved.  A community events calendar available year round, welcomes itself as a social hub for postings from anyone in the cycling community.

EnviroCentre is also encouraging people to develop their confidence with cycling skills. The organization has teamed up with City Wide Sports to offer 60-minute workshops geared for a range of skill levels. Training will be offered at workplaces for a modest fee. Options include lunch time presentations on commuter cycling or bike maintenance, as well as hands-on cycling workshops with practice sessions in parking lots and on city roads.
EnviroCentre is actively collaborating with 65 workplaces representing over 50,000 employees. Posters, slideshows, videos and email campaigns will reach a broad audience — encouraging many people to try commuting by bicycle.  For a sample, visit www.biketoworkottawa.com/intersections which features several videos on cycling safety, produced by EnviroCentre.

The videos demonstrate essential habits and skills for navigating intersections, as well as how to interact with the City of Ottawa’s upcoming new road symbols, designed to help drivers and cyclists share the road.

Cycling to work provides many health and environmental benefits. It also increases the productivity of employees, and reduces rates of sickness-related absences. It is a key way to reduce our community’s emissions of global-warming greenhouse gases.
If you live in Kanata, Barrhaven, or Orleans, EnviroCentre brings an inclusive message by offering free presentations open to the public.  “Many Ottawa residents live and work outside the Greenbelt, so we’re trying to reach people in their neighbourhoods and help them become commuter cyclists”, says Jessica Wells, EnviroCentre’s Programs Coordinator for Sustainable Transportation. “Cycling is a convenient, fun, healthy, and cost-effective way to travel. Small steps can have a significant impact to reduce transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions, road congestion, plus noise and air pollution. Our goal is to give people an incentive to give cycling a try, and to reward those who already do.”

To participate in Bike to Work Month, visit www.biketoworkottawa.com. When you pledge to bike during May, you’ll be eligible to win great prizes.

EnviroCentre is a non-profit organization that works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario by delivering energy-efficiency programs and services. Since 2010, Bike to Work Month has been coordinated by EnviroCentre, in collaboration with the City of Ottawa and sponsors.

 

 

April 17, 2012

Spring Cleaning Events in Ottawa 2012

Posted by greenlivingottawa under clothing, household, Ottawa, recycled, volunteering, waste reduction
[5] Comments 

Written by guest blogger Denise Deby, who writes on local and global social and environmental issues.

Get set for spring by recycling some unused stuff—while supporting some good causes:

Electronics recycling

Ontario Electronic Stewardship, an industry-based non-profit which provides collection sites for electronics waste, also partners with organizations to host waste-collection events. For example, you can contribute your e-waste to support Broadview Avenue Public School Parent Council or Osgoode Parent School Council on April 21, or the Girl Guides of Canada on April 28. See the website for details and locations.

Clothing recycling

Clean out your closet while supporting the Canadian Cancer Society and the Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation: donate your “gently used” clothing and accessories to the Clean Your Closet for Cancer event on April 29. Donations are accepted up to April 21. Check the website or Facebook page for details.

Let us know of other recycling events you find out about!

 

April 17, 2012

Best of Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival 2012 at the Museum of Nature

Posted by greenlivingottawa under arts and culture, climate change, flora and fauna, food, Ottawa, waste reduction
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Written by guest blogger Denise Deby, who writes on local and global social and environmental issues.

The Canadian Museum of Nature is again offering its Best of Planet in Focus Film Festival, this year from April 18-20. (The films are selected from the Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival that takes place in Toronto every fall). The documentaries are personal looks at issues such as sustainable farming, energy, climate change and more, according to the Museum. Each evening offers two films and a guest speaker.

Here’s the lineup:

Wednesday, April 18: Truck Farm (USA 2010), a film about urban farms featuring a man who turns his pickup truck into a mobile farm; and White Water, Black Gold (Canada 2011), about the effects of the Alberta tar sands on Canada’s water supply. Guest speaker is Nathan Lemphers, Senior Oilsands Policy Analyst at the Pembina Institute.

Thursday, April 19: La Reine malade [The Ailing Queen] (Canada 2010), on bees, threats to them and one man’s exploration of sustainable beekeeping; and [Chercher le courant / Seeking the Current] (Canada 2010) which follows the filmmakers’ canoe journey to document the Romaine River ecosystem before a damming project begins, and their search for sustainable energy alternatives. The evening’s guest speaker is Chercher le courant’s director, Nicolas Boisclair.

Friday, April 20: The Polar Explorer (Canada 2011), a dramatic look at scientists’ discovery of new life in the Arctic seabed and signs of polar climate change; and the Clean Bin Project (Canada 2010), a humorous and thoughtful take on one couple’s competition to produce the least amount of garbage in a year. Guest speaker is Kathy Conlan, marine biologist at the Canadian Museum of Nature.

Saturday, April 21: Elisha and The Cacao Tree (Canada 2010), in which a 13-year-old and her father explain life on their family’s cacao farm; and The Whale (Canada 2010), which documents a displaced orca (killer whale) and people’s responses. The Museum’s website says, “The Whale captures the complicated interaction between humans and animals and celebrates the whale’s spirit in the face of adversity.” The evening’s guest speaker is Dr. Scott Findlay, Associate Professor of Biology at the University of Ottawa. Since Saturday is closing night, the Museum is hosting A Whale of a Celebration! in its Blue Water Gallery, with a DJ, cash bar and more, following the films.

The screenings start at 7 p.m. each evening. Admission cost varies depending which evening you attend, so check the Museum’s website for details on prices and reservations.

 

[Note, I received 2 guest blog on this same topic!  I've posted the more detailed one, but I wanted to thank Amy Husser, another Ottawa blogger, for also writing about this event.  Amy can be found at: www.localtouristottawa.com]

 

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