Green Living Ottawa

“After enlightenment, the laundry.” Zen Proverb

greenlivingottawa — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 12:41:04 +0000

By Eloise Collison. Eloise is a freelance writer, organic gardener, and fibre fanatic who lives and writes in Westboro.

I’ve been thinking about laundry a lot lately. With five people in the house and a lot of rain this spring, laundry is becoming more of a sporting event than a chore.

To lessen the environmental impact of all this washing we are looking at solar hot water heating, and will be attending the next info session in our neighbourhood. If you missed the previous post it will be in Westboro (Ottawa): Tuesday June 23rd, 2009. 7pm-9pm at Dovercourt Recreation Centre, 411 Dovercourt Avenue, Ottawa, ON.

I am also hanging as much of my laundry outside as possible. It’s been raining a lot this spring but I sometimes hang it out anyway. I call it the second rinse. It will dry eventually, and still smell fresh.

In some communities there are by-laws prohibiting the hanging of laundry. However, in Ontario those by-laws have been repealed. (As far as I can judge from the legalese that I found here.) The environmental tips page at the City of Ottawa encourages the use of lines and laundry racks.

In BC an organization called Let’s Hang Out is working to promote outdoor clothes drying, as a way to combat global warming and save energy. According to the people at Let’s Hang Out, 6% of your household energy is consumed by the clothes dryer.

If you need a reason to abandon your dryer here are mine:

Top 10 reasons to hang your laundry on the line:

1 You can meditate about life as you pin up the clothes.

2 Folding the clothes as they come off the line prevents that “we decorate with mountains of socks” look in your living room.

3 Hanging laundry gets you outside on a sunny day.

4 Laundry flapping on the line is beautiful.

5 In the few minutes it takes, you can keep an eye on your garden, your children and what’s happening in your neighbourhood.

6 No static cling, and no need for fabric softener.

7 It’s a chemical free way to bleach out stains.

8 Bacteria in your clothing is killed when exposed to the sun.

9 Your laundry will smell fantastic when it’s dry.

10 Air drying your laundry saves money and Energy!!

Native Plant Sale- Fletcher Wildlife Garden – Saturday, June 6, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm

greenlivingottawa — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 12:39:37 +0000

By Eloise Collison. Eloise is a freelance writer, organic gardener, and fibre fanatic who lives and writes in Westboro.

One of my favorite gardening events of the year is coming up this weekend.

The Fletcher Wildlife Garden is holding its annual Native Plant sale on June 6^th. There you can buy native plants that have been grown in our area, and that are adapted to local soil and climate. Native plants require little or no watering once they are established, and are pest resistant. By putting plants such as Solomon’s seal and Bloodroot in your garden you are supporting species diversity.

The volunteers and growers at the garden sale will be happy to offer advice about growing and caring for the plants you buy.

Saturday, June 6, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm, at the Fletcher Wildlife Garden (across from the Experimental Farm, on Prince of Wales Drive, south of the Arboretum and traffic circle). For more information, call (613) 730-0714, email sgarland@teksavvy.com, or see www.ofnc.ca/fletcher.php

Other resources for native plant info.

If you are unable to attend the sale, one of the best local sources for beautiful and healthy Native Plants is Old Field Garden and Wildflower Nursery. Old Field promotes habitat restoration and informed experimentation as a way to increase species diversity in areas that have been irreversibly disturbed by development. His plants are largely propagated from seed, and never wild harvested. A tour of the garden is a good way to begin to learn about Native plants available to Ontario gardeners. For more information about tours and seminars contact the garden.

North American Native Plant Society plant sources, seed exchange for members, plant rescue strategies.

Ottawa Horticultural Society gardening articles, links and resources.

Wildflower Farm native seeds, plants, garden design info.

Re-use Tip: Giving Your Furniture A New Home

greenlivingottawa — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:57:58 +0000

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.

Sometimes I like to think that one or two individuals can start something that will make a positive difference. Recently, I had the good fortune to meet some people who have done exactly that. Two women in Ottawa, Nathalie Maione and Buffey Cassidy, with the help of some enthusiastic volunteers, have formed a non-profit organization called Helping With Furniture (www.helpingwithfurniture.org).

Helping With Furniture’s approach is straightforward: collect good quality used furniture and household items from people who no longer need them, and deliver them to people who can use them. Once a week, Helping With Furniture volunteers pick up “gently used” items and drop them off at the homes of refugee claimants. Items which might have ended up in the landfill or unused are instead helping families who would otherwise have very little to start their homes.

Since its first delivery in November 2005, Helping with Furniture has assisted well over 200 households, with families coming from some 40 countries, among them Afghanistan, Burundi, Congo, Colombia, Haiti, and Nigeria (to name a few). Helping With Furniture provides a welcome as well as some basics such as beds, tables, chairs, and kitchen supplies. Helping With Furniture’s founders estimate that they recycle an average 1000 cf of furniture a year.

For me, finding a good home for a few treasured items that have been collecting dust in my basement – a rocking chair, a mattress that my children have outgrown, a handmade blanket, an extra lamp – was easy. I filled in Helping With Furniture’s on-line donation form that outlines what types of things they’re looking for. I received a prompt and friendly reply. On a recent Wednesday evening, Helping With Furniture’s volunteers arrived with a bright yellow moving van and loaded everything for transfer to temporary storage and on to new owners.

I was struck by the strong sense of purpose that motivates Nathalie Maione and Buffey Cassidy, by their commitment to addressing poverty and the environment. A growing demand has prompted them to expand the service provided by Helping With Furniture, which amazingly they run in addition to their jobs and families. For more information or to donate items, check out www.helpingwithfurniture.org.

Other organizations in Ottawa which accept donations of used household items are listed on the City of Ottawa’s Take It Back site (www.ottawa.ca/takeitback/).

Spring Cleaning: Recycling Options in Ottawa

greenlivingottawa — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 18:56:47 +0000

Written by guest blogger Eloise Collison. Eloise is a freelance writer, organic gardener, and fibre fanatic who lives and writes in Westboro.

With the return of warmer weather I have been seeing more of my neighbours as we start to come out of hibernation. We’re outside, nose down in the garden or clinging to a ladder washing windows. It is our urban spring ritual; raking the lawn, tuning up the bike and cleaning out the garage. But if you’re like me, you’ll find the junk in your basement has multiplied over the winter. Here are a few options for places to recycle and reroute your garbage.

Batteries

The Ottawa Public Library has started collecting household batteries at six library branches: Carp, Cumberland, Greenboro, Main, Manotick and Rosemount. This is a pilot project sponsored by the City of Ottawa.
They are accepting alkaline batteries (D, C, AA, AAA and 9-volt), lithium batteries (with their ends taped), zinc air button cell batteries, and silver oxide button cell batteries. They won’t be accepting rechargeable batteries or car batteries.

E-Waste

On Saturday, April 25^th from 9 am until noon Waste Management Ottawa is accepting electronic trash at the WM Facility on Carp Road. They will be taking: keyboards, computers, laptops, printers, phones, light electronics including toys and Game Boys, alarm clocks, PDAs, VCRs, DVD players, and heavy electronics including photocopiers. No TVs or microwaves please.

Please note, WM is requesting $10 (cash) per vehicle to offset the costs associated in processing the materials. For every $10 collected, $1 will be donated to the local food banks.

[Editor's note: Sorry for not posting this on time for the e-waste pick-up. Heartwood House has a regular electronics drop-off: see my previous post.]

Take It Back

If you miss the e-cycle event you may be able to divert some of your garbage through the City of Ottawa’s Take it Back program. The site lists businesses that will take specific unwanted items. Call ahead to confirm that your items will be accepted. I found a place for my unwanted plastic garden pots, and those Styrofoam chips I was sent in the mail. A few years ago I managed to recycle my old dented aluminum shed at Cohen’s.

Hazardous Waste

The city has scheduled several hazardous waste recycling depots for the year. The next one will be on Saturday, May 2 in the Natural Resources Canada Parking Lot, between 405 Rochester Street and 550 Booth Street, just south of the Queensway. The disposal sites are open to City of Ottawa residents with household hazardous waste.

Hazardous waste includes such things as lightbulbs, thermometers, and oven cleaners. Anything corrosive, flammable or poisonous is considered hazardous, and shouldn’t be put into your regular garbage or poured down the drain.

I try to team up with another family, or an elderly neighbour and offer to take their waste in to the depot too. I often end up with a few extra jars and bottles that I know would have been slipped into the garbage.

Spring Cleaning Your Neighbourhood

greenlivingottawa — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 18:10:44 +0000

Written by guest blogger Eloise Collison. Eloise is a freelance writer, organic gardener, and fibre fanatic who lives and writes in Westboro.

Cleaning the Capital: Apr 15 – May 15 — Clean Up Day: Sat Apr 25.

The annual Spring Cleaning the Capital Campaign is already underway. Thousands of volunteers from community groups, families, schools and clubs have registered their clean-up projects. They will be clearing the parks and ditches of the debris uncovered as the snow melted. If you haven’t registered you can still participate by cleaning up where you live or work, or in your favorite park.

Take care as you clean up. Dress appropriately, wear gloves, and look out for needles and condoms. Be extra careful if you are cleaning by the river, as the water levels are high at this time of the year.

Ottawa River Spring Clean-Up Sun Apr 26, 2009, Ottawa, ON

The Ottawa Riverkeeper volunteers will be spring cleaning Westboro Beach with the help of Mountain Equipment Co-op. Meet at Westboro beach, at 9:00 am on April 26th, to clean-up the Ottawa River shoreline around Westboro Beach/Kitchissippi Beach.

The City of Ottawa is providing gloves, plastic bags, and trash disposal as this event is part of the spring clean-up of the Capital. This area can be muddy, please dress accordingly.

A Few More Earth Day Events in Ottawa

greenlivingottawa — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 20:27:48 +0000

Just a couple more events to let you know about:

Earth Day Ottawa Info Fair, Concert and Student Awards Show – April 22nd 6pm

There will be an info fair, followed by a folk concert, and award ceremonies for various student Earth Day Ottawa contests at Ben Franklin Place, 101 Centrepointe Drive. Local peace and environment groups will have booths up from 6pm and the show will begin at 7pm. The first performers, Pippa and John, will be enjoyed by younger members of the audience. While the second set, Kate and Hollis, play bluegrass and folk.

Spartacat will be on hand to give out awards to the students who won the Cloth Bag Design contest and the Waste to Gold contest. Booths will open again after the show.

This is a fund raiser for Earth Day Ottawa programs. Tickets are $15 and can be bought on-line at Earth Day Ottawa.

Earth Eve at the Cube Gallery – April 22nd 7pm

The Ottawa River Keeper, Meredith Brown, will be giving a short talk at the Cube Gallery about the importance of the Ottawa River and the challenges it faces. This will be followed by a tasting of a variety of sustainably-produced wines and an opportunity to view the current exhibit of art entitled “Water.” Entry by donation.

Cube Gallery, 7 Hamilton Ave. N., (613) 728 1750

Support Local Artisans Who Use the 3-Rs in Their Crafts – April 18 and 19

greenlivingottawa — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 12:32:37 +0000

Here’s an event that I wish I was in town to attend: The third annual Salon des Artisans-Récupérateurs de L’Outaouais. This craft fair will be on April 18th and 19th at the Tétreau Community Centre in Gatineau. There will be over 50 crafts-people selling everything from jewellry, to clothing, accessories, paintings, sculptures, and household items.

The show is being organized by Friends of the Earth Outaouais and Véronique Bérubé of Design-Vert. Everything for sale must be designed and made by the artisans present. In order to qualify for the show, the items must be made primarily out of re-used or recycled materials, and be of high quality workmanship and artistry.

Alongside the craft fair there will be workshops, a recycled craft area for kids, items on display from an international contest to make toys out of reused materials, and a café. Please note that there is no ATM on site and that many of the artisans will only be able to accept cash.

I’m honestly astonished (pleasantly) that there are 50 such artisans in our local area. So please take the opportunity to support local environmentally-friendly crafts-people and let us imagine a day when most of the goods we buy are locally produced from sustainable sources.

Salon des Artisans-Récupérateurs de L’Outaouais

When: 18th and 19th of April from 10 am to 5pm.
Where: Tétreau Community Centre (Parc Mousette), 361 Boulevard de Lucerne, Gatineau
Admission is free!
Parking is also free, but the Community Centre is easily accessible by bike along the path that runs on the North bank of the Ottawa River. So why not use environmentally-friendly transportation to get there.

Ottawa International Writers Festival – Green events, April 22nd and 23rd

greenlivingottawa — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 11:38:57 +0000

Written by guest blogger Eloise Collison. Eloise is a freelance writer, organic gardener, and fibre fanatic who lives and writes in Westboro.

The line up for the 2009 Ottawa International Writers Festival includes the work of various science and environment writers. Wayne Grady and Alanna Mitchell open the festival on Wednesday, April 22^nd with “Washing the Water”; a discussion on water, and the environmental impact of human activity on the world’s oceans and waterways.
There will be an onstage talk, time for audience Q&A, and a book signing.

On Wednesday, April 23^rd at 7:00pm you can join Thomas Homer-Dixon and William Marsden for a conversation on their new book Carbon Shift: How the Twin Crises of Oil Depletion and Climate Change Will Define the Future.

The Writers Festival Spring Edition runs from April 22 to May 2 – the full schedule is online at www.writersfestival.org. Be sure to read the whole line-up; there are so many wonderful writers to listen to: from Wayson Choy to Ursula K LeGuin.

The Ottawa International Writers Festival takes place at Saint Brigid’s Centre for the Arts and Humanities (314 Saint Patrick, at Cumberland)
Tickets: $15 / $10 Student or Senior
Free for Festival Members and Carleton Students
Available at www.writersfestival.org, by phone at 613-562-1243, and at Nicholas Hoare Books, Collected Works, and Octopus Books.

On-line Directory of Green Shops and Services in Gatineau

greenlivingottawa — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:50:40 +0000

Marie, a blog-reader from Gatineau, sent me a link to a fabulous resource for everyone in the region: an on-line directory of environmentally-friendly shops and services on the Quebec side of the river. The Green Directory (Le Bottin Vert) includes a guide to green living in Gatineau with lots of useful links, as well as a searchable directory of where to find green goods and services and where to bring used goods for re-use or recycling.

The Green Directory is a service provided by the City of Gatineau:

The Green Directory for the English version.

Le Bottin Vert for the French version.

Climate Justice – Climate Action – April 20th

greenlivingottawa — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 13:22:23 +0000

Post from guest blogger Eloise Collison. Eloise is a freelance writer, organic gardener, and fibre fanatic who lives and writes in Westboro.

Climate Action Network Canada and Greenpeace Canada are hosting an event featuring leading climate change thinkers from the United States and Europe, short films on climate justice, and a reception to celebrate the launch of new reports from Eco-Equity, the Pembina Institute, and Greenpeace Canada.

This event will address issues surrounding Canada’s commitment to stabilizing the earth’s climate and stimulating a green energy revolution here.

Featured speakers will include:

Tom Athanasiou, director of EcoEquity, a U.S.-based organization dedicated to linking ecological issues with the problems of social equity. He will be discussing ways the international community can carry out an emergency program to stabilize the Earth’s climate
while preserving sustainable human development.

Sven Teske, Greenpeace International’s Amsterdam-based Renewable Energy Director. He will be talking about how to kick-start a clean energy revolution here at home.

Monday, April 20, 2009 Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm

Location: Library and Archives Canada, 395 Wellington St., Ottawa ON

Phone: 613-558-3368 Email: mburgess (at) climateactionnetwork.ca