November 7, 2009

Ecoholic Home: Meet the author, Adria Vasil, November 9th

Posted by greenlivingottawa under uncategorized
Leave a Comment 

Written by guest blogger Denise Deby, who has worked in international and community development, and is currently trying to figure out how to connect the local with the global in her everyday life.

garden 1 by Denise Deby

 

Welcome news for anyone who’s looking for more ideas for living sustainably:

Adria Vasil, author of Ecoholic and columnist with Toronto’s NOW Magazine, will be in Ottawa to talk about her new book, Ecoholic Home.  She’ll be speaking at Arbour Environmental Shoppe, 800 Bank Street, on Monday, November 9 at 7:00 p.m., courtesy of Arbour and Octopus Books.

Ecoholic Home is full of advice about products and services for greening the place where you live.  It reviews electronics, gardening, energy, cleaning, decorating, renovating and more.

Vasil’s 2007 book, Ecoholic, covers health and beauty products, food, clothing, children’s stuff, household items and transportation.  It has lots of suggestions for environmentally friendly and healthy options, from making your own toothpaste to safe food storage, where to buy recycled office supplies, and alternative gift ideas.

Vasil also helps interpret “green” labeling, and suggests sources for more information.  And it’s not just about consuming consciously.  Ecoholic also has a section on how to influence “big issues” like climate change, deforestation and clean water.

Ecoholic Home, like Ecoholic, is based on Vasil’s writing for NOW Magazine.  Both books are available in bookstores and the Ottawa Public Library.

 

October 23, 2009

Conscious Consumerism – what’s that?

Posted by greenlivingottawa under Blogroll, Ottawa, clothing, household, media, reduce, waste reduction
[3] Comments 

Today, it is my pleasure to publish a post from another local-to-Ottawa environmental blogger, Katherine Forster.  You can check out her blog at: http://greeneststuff.blogspot.com

Greenest Stuff, by Katherine Forster

Katherine writes…

Last week someone sent me the video  The Story of Stuff and it got me thinking some more about how we can raise awareness about “thinking before you buy”.  I love reading about “freegans” and talking about “buying local” and seeing so many people “freecycling” or using Kijiji Ottawa – but when will these activities become more mainstream?

I do think that there are signs that we are coming around the corner – from the stores of Dalhousie North selling lots of local, handmade, and recycled items, to hearing that my fashion savvy friend is having a clothes swap rather than buy new this fall.  But seeing Karma Wear close was a huge black cloud for the local Ottawa environmental scene.  Will this movement ever be able to compete with the cheap buys that can be had at the local big box store or the bargain centers?

So I was thrilled to see “The Story of Stuff” video.  I sent it to friends, and I want to try to encourage it to be shown in schools.  I’m also so happy that local communities, provinces and territories are celebrating “Waste Reduction Week” in Canada this week – the 2009 theme, Too Good To Waste, emphasizes conserving Earth’s resources to make life on the planet sustainable.  This is a great way to make people think about the impact they have on the Earth and to encourage everyone to start some new habits.  I hope that through activities like these people can start seeing how powerful they are as consumers and that with even small changes they can become activists too.  As Jane Goodall pointed out “You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you.”   Her efforts today focus on empowering people to “recognize their personal power and responsibility to effect positive change through consumer action, lifestyle change and activism”.

Come share your thoughts on sustainable consumption and your efforts on purchases that make positive changes at “Greenest Stuff”.  This is where I’ve been posting about purchases (from Ottawa or further), trying to consider the impact these purchases make.  I’m hoping that at the end of the day, I can make better choices as a consumer.  If you have any great finds in Ottawa or are interested in the topic send me an email.

My next purchase?  Canadian-made vegan winter boots!

Guest blogger, Katherine Forster can be reached at: kifness-at-hotmail.com

 

October 12, 2009

“Who wouldn’t want to pick up a chicken?”

Posted by greenlivingottawa under Ottawa, arts and culture, fair trade, food, household, media
1 Comment 

Written by guest blogger Denise Deby, who has worked in international and community development, and is currently trying to figure out how to connect the local with the global in her everyday life.

Experimental Farm chicken 2, Denise Deby

“Who wouldn’t want to pick up a chicken?”

That’s a line from a trailer for Mad City Chickens, a movie by Tarazod Films about raising chickens in cities.  Mad City Chickens will be screened on Wednesday, October 14 at 7:00 p.m. at Saint Paul’s University Auditorium, 223 Main Street, as part of the Reel Food Film Festival.  Admission is free, or $5 suggested donation.

Following the film, the organization Just Food will hold a discussion about the possibility of raising chickens and other livestock in urban Ottawa.  This will inform Just Food’s “Food Secure Ottawa,” a project intended to come up with recommendations for municipal policies to improve access to foods in Ottawa.

Judging from its trailers, Mad City Chickens was created by somebody with a sense of humour, but it also looks like it will be a thought-provoking examination of this aspect of producing organic and local food.

There are lots of other links out there on urban farming locally and globally, such as:

  • City Farmer, a Vancouver-based source of information on urban agriculture;
  • RUAF, resources on urban agriculture world-wide.

*  *  *

Another opportunity to see a film and participate in a discussion on food issues is on Friday, October 16, when USC Canada will be holding a Forum called “What’s On Your Plate?” as part of World Food Day.  The event will feature a screening of The Story of Food, an animated short film, and a presentation by Wayne Roberts, author of the No-Nonsense Guide to World Food.  Reception starts at 6:30 p.m. at the Library and Archives Canada Auditorium at 395 Wellington, with film at 7:30 p.m.

For yet more films showing locally on global environmental issues, check out the upcoming One World Film Festival (October 15, 23, 29 and 30).

 

October 7, 2009

Ottawa’s Vital Signs

Posted by greenlivingottawa under flora and fauna, health, household, waste reduction
Leave a Comment 

Written by guest blogger Denise Deby, who has worked in international and community development, and is currently trying to figure out how to connect the local with the global in her everyday life.

Ottawa River by Denise Deby

The Community Foundation of Ottawa has released Ottawa’s Vital Signs 2009, a report on the results of its “annual checkup” of Ottawa.  The report presents indicators of Ottawa’s quality of life, along 11 different dimensions, including the environment.

According to the report, Ottawa has done well in some ways, less so in others.  For example:

  • Most Ottawa households recycle glass, paper, plastic and cans (rating: “very good”).
  • At least 24 species in the Ottawa River valley are at risk of becoming endangered, due to threats to their habitat (rating: “poor”).
  • Combined storm water and untreated sewage overflowed into the Ottawa River on average 100 times per year between 2005 and 2008 (rating: “very poor”).

Community members who participated in coming up with the rankings considered the environment one of the 4 top priorities for Ottawa, along with health and wellness, the gap between rich and poor people, and housing.  The report’s “vital signs” and “checkup” metaphors also draw attention to the links between the natural environment, human health, equality, belonging and other indicators of well-being.

The Community Foundation of Ottawa will be holding “community conversations” free of charge for the public to discuss the priorities and what to do about them.  The first of these will be on Tuesday, October 20 from 2-4 p.m. at the Ottawa Public Library, Main Branch.

 

September 30, 2009

Local, Eco-Friendly Daycare

Posted by greenlivingottawa under Ottawa, building, household, reduce
Leave a Comment 

Guest blogger Courtney Bizeau is owner of local green business The Cleaning Crew and is proud mother of a three-year old girl.

daycare

When we discovered Hart Home Daycare it was with such a big sigh of relief. Finally, we could go to work knowing that our daughter was in a safe, secure environment that is totally geared to her well-being. Owner and child care provider Sara Hart devotes her life work to the care and development of children and every aspect of this daycare is proof of her solid commitment.

Sara has transformed her home into a wonderful child care facility that is also an eco-friendly environment, proudly boasting the distinction of being the first in Ottawa and Ontario to be endorsed by the OEC. The indoor play area is fresh and spotlessly clean, bright and sun filled, child-friendly, colourful, and well organized. Sturdy storage bins and shelves house copious amounts of toys, games, blocks, costumes, etc., all geared for imaginative interactive play and conversation. A large chalk board lines one wall to encourage budding artists. The outdoor play space is a safe, fun area where the children are encouraged to run, jump, climb, slide, dig and play to their heart’s content. All activities are well planned months in advance and designed to meet and challenge the mental and physical development of each child. Nutritious meals and healthy snacks are deliciously varied and include organic fruits and vegetables, locally grown as the season permits. The children are encouraged to participate in food preparation and taste testing of new foods.

Every morning Sara greets my daughter and me at the door with a wonderful smile and a warm greeting. I barely manage a quick kiss goodbye before little chunky hands of happy faced friends reach out to welcome my daughter into the group. The excited chatter of tiny voices begins a day that will be filled with laughter and song, music and movement, fresh air, quiet time & naps, skill building, learning, arts and crafts, kitchen science, stories and much much more. Those are the days of childhood dreams.

◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊◊

P.S. from Alette Willis (editor).  I emailed Sara Hart from the daycare to ask how they came to be certified by an Oregon-based environmental group.  Here is her response:

Hi Alette,
I came across the Oregon Environmental Council while looking around the web to see how other daycares were greening their centres.  Unfortunately, I could not find anything similar, or even close, in Canada. I was happy to find that the OEC had recently expanded to a US National Program and was also willing to endorse Canadians who met their criteria.  The OEC now endorses approx.1223 providers which care for 47839 children across the United States and Canada.  Although the program is not well known in Canada,  I applied for endorsement as a symbol, to parents and myself, of my commitment to creating the healthiest possibly environment for the children in my care.  If you are interested in learning more about the OEC and the resources they provide, you can visit them here.

Sara Hart

Hart Home Daycare
●Learning Through Play●
www.harthomedaycare.com

 

Next Page »