Category: volunteering

Climate Action Events in Ottawa

GreenLivingOttawa
Flooding and ducks on the Ottawa River Parkway recreational path – D. Deby photo

It’s heartening to see more attention to climate action in Ottawa.

Here are some opportunities to call for, find and implement solutions to our climate emergency:

The next Student Global Strike for Climate happens on Friday, May 24, 2019 from 12-2:30 p.m. Young people and their supporters in Ottawa will join millions around the world to continue to press for climate action. Starts at Ottawa City Hall (Laurier Ave.), with a walk to Parliament Hill and then Environment and Climate Change Minister Catherine McKenna’s office.

A coalition of organizations and individuals are hosting several Town Hall events to inform the creation of a Green New Deal in Canada. The Green New Deal is intended to address a range of crises–from climate to work to housing to Indigenous rights–through a new economic model and relationships. The next Town Hall in Ottawa is on Sunday, May 26, at 2 p.m. at Tom Brown Arena hall (141 Bayview Rd.)

Evidence for Democracy and Science First are hosting Carbon Pricing: Fair & Effective Climate Action on Wednesday, May 29, 2019 from 7-9 p.m. at Impact Hub Ottawa. This panel discussion with speakers from Pembina Institute, Clean Energy Canada, the Business Council of Canada and the media will focus on climate solutions.

Ecology Ottawa is hosting a meeting to exchange ideas for its Renewable City Campaign and next steps for climate action in Ottawa. It’s on Thursday, May 30, 2019 from 6-8 p.m.

Future Rising Ottawa is organizing The Future Is Rising, a gathering on Parliament Hill, on Friday, May 31, 2019 from 12-1 p.m.

Speakers from Free Transit Ottawa, Extinction Rebellion, Ecology Ottawa and Solidarity Ottawa will share ideas for addressing Ottawa’s climate emergency at Confronting Climate Emergency: Ottawa and Beyond. The panel takes place on Friday, May 31, 2019 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at Sandy Hill Community Centre (250 Somerset St. E.).

Climate Justice Ottawa is hosting several events on climate action for volunteers and the public, including a Climate Quiz social on Tuesday, Jun. 4, 2019 as a fun way to share knowledge about climate change and learn about Our Time Ottawa and the Green New Deal. Check the Facebook page for details.

There’s a Sandy Hill Intergenerational Climate Picnic on Saturday, Jun. 1, 2019 from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. at Sir Wilfrid Laurier Park (288 Chapel St.) as part of Intergenerational Day. It includes participatory art, live music and more.

Ottawa VegFest is hosting a panel on science and action related to Climate Change and Species Extinction on Sunday, Jun. 2, 2019 from 2:30-4 p.m. at the RA Centre.

Parents for the Planet is hosting a Picnic & Protest on Friday, Jun. 7, 2019 from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.

David Suzuki, Avi Lewis, Maude Barlow and other speakers will be at A Green New Deal for Ottawa to talk about the climate crisis and the Green New Deal, on Friday, Jun. 14, 2019 from 6:30-9 p.m. at Glebe-St. James United Church. Register in advance.

Check the links for details and registration for the events. Let us know of others!

Great Glebe GREEN Garage Sale 2018

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Great Glebe GREEN Garage Sale – image courtesy Ecology Ottawa

It’s almost time again for the Great Glebe GREEN Garage Sale. The GGGGS happens on Saturday, May 26, 2018 as part of the Great Glebe Garage Sale.

Ecology Ottawa, which organizes the Great Glebe GREEN Garage Sale, is looking for volunteers. Here’s a message from Léna Ndoye at Ecology Ottawa:

(français suit)

The biggest garage sale in Ottawa is coming back to the Glebe! This year, we are continuing last year’s resounding tree giveaway success, which was the single largest one-day distribution of trees Ottawa has ever seen! The saplings will be available for free (or by donation), to be planted around the city and thus strengthen Ottawa’s urban tree canopy. To be able to make these saplings available to everyone during the garage sale, we need lots of volunteers!

SATURDAY, MAY 26, 2018, 8am-4pm – 640 Bank Street (at Clemow Avenue) – Boston Pizza parking lot

We are currently seeking:

  • Help the day before to set up tables and tents + organize material for the tree giveaway (Friday, May 25)
  • People with vehicles to help transport the trees, volunteer kits, and other items to the site (May 25 and 26)
  • Lots of help at the actual event : people to give away trees, to have a booth about it, to run the bakery sale, to paint kids’ faces, to take pictures and plenty of other help (Saturday, May 26)
  • People to clean up the space (May 26)

Get involved in one of the year’s most fun and exciting events. Learn more and sign-up to volunteer today at https://ecologyottawa.ca/events/annual-events/garage-sale/.

// Le plus grand vide-grenier d’Ottawa et son lot de joie et de bonne humeur reviennent dans le Glebe ! Écologie Ottawa sera là pour la plus grande distribution d’arbres jamais effectuée à Ottawa. Pour s’assurer que l’événement se déroule pour le mieux et afin de pouvoir distribuer tous ces jeunes arbres, nous avons besoin de nombreux bénévoles afin d’assurer différentes tâches.

SAMEDI 26 mai 2018, de 8h à 16h – 640 Bank Street – le parking Boston Pizza

Nous sommes actuellement à la recherche :

  • Des personnes avec une auto pour pouvoir amener sur place les arbres et et le reste du matériel (25 et 26 mai)
  • Des personnes pour nous aider la veille à installer les tables et tentes (vendredi 25 mai)
  • De beaucoup d’aide le jour de l’événement : des gens pour distribuer des arbres, pour tenir un stand à ce propos, pour gérer la vente de pâtisseries, pour peindre le visage des enfants, pour prendre des photos et plein d’autres choses (samedi 26 mai)
  • Des gens pour nettoyer l’endroit (26 mai)

Venez-vous engager dans un des événements les plus plaisants et excitants de l’année. Apprenez en plus et devenez bénévole aujourd’hui sur https://ecologieottawa.ca/more/evenements-annuels/vente-debarras/.

Jane’s Walk 2018 Celebrating Ottawa

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Guest post contributed by Angela Plant, Jane’s Walk Ottawa Organizing Committee.

Every year Jane’s Walk convenes close to 2,000 Ottawa residents (May 5-6, 2018) to walk their city in a festival of over 60 community-led, free walking tours that put people in touch with their city.

Jane’s Walk began in May, 2007 in Toronto, and spread quickly. it was founded in honour of the ideas of Jane Jacobs.  Jane Jacobs (1916-2006) was an urbanist and activist whose writings championed a fresh, community-based approach to understanding, organizing, designing, and building cities. She had no formal training as a planner, and yet her 1961 best-seller, The Death and Life of Great American Cities, and her later books introduced ground-breaking ideas about how cities function, evolve, and succeed or fail.

In 2008, the festival was held in ten Canadian cities: here in Ottawa, as well as in Charlottetown, Halifax, Toronto, Guelph, London (ON), Thornbury-Clarksburg (ON), Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver. Over 6000 people across Canada took part. It is now international.

We welcome you to attend one or more of our walks on the weekend of May 5-6! We promise that you will learn something, meet new people and come away feeling energized with ideas. Visit our website to view an interactive map of the walks!

We especially invite you to our Launch Event, a Jane’s Mob, May 3rd, Parkdale Park!

Check out the full schedule of walks on the Jane’s Walk Ottawa website!

Events: Environmental Rights and More

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Forest by meisjedevos on pixabay CC0 Public Domain https://pixabay.com/en/forest-maple-spring-button-tree-2290748/

Some upcoming events to check out:

Great Glebe GREEN Garage Sale

The 10th annual Great Glebe GREEN Garage Sale is happening Saturday, May 27, 2017 as part of the massive Great Glebe Garage Sale. This year you’ll find…free trees! There’s also a veggie BBQ, water bottle filling station and entertainment. Find it all at 680 & 690 Bank St. (Rogers Plus and Kunstadt Sports parking lots).

Ottawa Race Weekend

There’s still time to support runners and walkers in the annual Ottawa Race Weekend, May 27-28, 2017. Many are running for good causes–check out the list of charities involved. (I’m participating for MitoCanada.)

March Against Monsanto

On Saturday, May 27, March Against Monsanto – Gatineau/Ottawa takes place to raise awareness about the risks of genetically modified foods, neonicotinoids and harmful agricultural practices. It’s from 1:30-2:30 starting at the entrance to Major’s Hill Park.

Blue Dot Environmental Rights Forum

The David Suzuki Foundation, Ecology Ottawa and Ecojustice host this forum on environmental rights and responsibilities in Canada, on Wednesday, May 31 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. at Ottawa City Hall. You can also read more about Blue Dot and the call for the right to a healthy environment.

100In1Day Ottawa

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100In1DayDo you have ideas for making Ottawa a more sustainable, a more liveable city? Ever wanted to green your street or neighbourhood, connect with other people in the community, share a creative project or discover interesting places around town?

Here’s an opportunity to put those ideas into practice. Ottawa’s first 100In1Day is happening on June 3, 2017.

100In1Day is a one-day festival comprised of 100+ citizen-led activities that green the city, make art, redesign a space or use other creative approaches that allow participants to experience what a more vibrant, healthier community could be. 100In1Day initiatives—low-cost interventions that can be small or large, permanent or temporary—are public, outdoors, free and open to anyone. They include street art, tree planting, pop-up playgrounds, bike parades, neighbourhood picnics–the sky’s the limit.

Synapcity is organizing 100In1Day, a global citizens’ movement, in Ottawa. They’re inviting everyone to contribute an intervention, volunteer, or spread the word.

Among the interventions registered so far in Ottawa:

Inspired? Want more information? Find details and ideas on the event website and Facebook page. Synapcity also offers a few $50 grants to help get people started.

Let us know about your intervention!

Written by Denise Deby. Thanks to Christine Earnshaw, 100in1day Ottawa for connecting.