Events
Red Panda Day, Sept. 20
Join the Saskatoon Zoo Society in celebrating Red Panda Day from 10:30 am to 4 pm, September 20.
People’s Climate March, Sept. 21
Saskatoon Is joining the International Day of Climate Action with a rally and a march starting at City Hall, Sunday, September 21, at 1 pm.
The Regina rally will start at the Legislative Buildings at 12 pm.
Cleaning House & Yard (Regina)
The City of Regina is hosting a Household Waste Day from 9 am to 4 pm, October 4. They’ll accept almost everything from hazardous waste to large appliances.
Yard and waste depots will be set up on Saturdays from October 4 to November 8.
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| Frigatebird, Baja, Mexico |
Local News
Magnificent Frigatebird visits SK
Magnificent frigatebirds are normally found along the tropical and sub-tropical coasts of the Americas, so Saskatchewan residents couldn’t believe their eyes when they thought they saw one. An article in Nature Saskatchewan’s magazine, Blue Jay, confirms that a magnificent frigatebird was actually a visitor in our province in 2010.
The bird spends its life in flight, except when breeding, and can live up to 34 years. It has a wing span of up to 2.5 metres.
Needs and Yields: A Community Exchange
You may be interested in joining Needs and Yields, a Facebook group that is designed to provide a forum for sharing skills, seeds, plants, etc. If you need something or have something to share, post it.
SES/WDM Receive Action Grant
EcoFriendly Sask is pleased to present the Saskatchewan Environmental Society and the Western Development Museum with a $2,000 grant to help them expand and maintain the Smarter Science Better Buildings education program.
The program focuses on energy-efficient buildings, referencing the net zero home that was on site at the Saskatoon WDM in 2010. They plan to update the program and expand into two new centres (they are currently active at all 4 WDM sites in Saskatchewan).
For more information about our grant program, take a look at 10 Tips for Successful EcoFriendly Action Grants.
Waste Reduction
Bring Your Own Container: Lose All of that Packaging
Penny McKinlay has started writing a column for the bi-monthly flow magazine about reducing waste and greening our lives. Here’s the first article from page 45 of the September/October 2014 issue.Have you ever looked in the cupboard and wondered how on earth you could have accumulated so many take-out containers? Or maybe you threw them out but felt guilty about creating unnecessary waste.
Here’s one solution: provide your own container.
I try and remember to stash a reusable container in my car or office drawer so that if I pick up soup for lunch or have leftovers after a restaurant meal, I can use my own container. Reusable containers are sturdier so I’m less likely to dribble sauce all over my desk, and I’ve avoided adding to my Styrofoam stash.
There’s a side benefit to providing your own container as it prevents impulse purchases. You’ll be less likely to buy a piece of that decadent chocolate cake if you only purchase it when you have your own container.
I feel sorry for restaurants and other food businesses as there really aren’t any environmentally friendly take-out containers. Recycled paper is one of the better options and some vendors, like Floating Gardens, are paying extra to use clamshells made out of recycled plastic.
But the best option of all is your own container that you can use over and over again.
Kill the Cup University Challenge
Ten American universities will be competing in the Kill the Cup University Challenge to see which one can use the fewest disposable cups.
EcoSask News is a weekly round-up of local news and events. Email us if you have items you would like us to include. Additional upcoming events can be found on our Calendar.
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