EcoSask News, November 21, 2017

Upcoming Events
Fall Food Fair, Nov. 22 (Prince Albert) 
The Prince Albert Food Coalition is holding a Fall Food Fair from 5:30-7:30 pm, Nov. 22.

Bird Habitat & Biodiversity at the NE Swale, Nov. 22 (Saskatoon) 
Renny Grilz, Meewasin Valley Authority, will discuss Enhancing Grassland Bird Habitat & Biodiversity at the Northeast Swale as part of the WildEcol seminar series at the University of Saskatchewan at 3:30 pm, Nov. 22.

Not Just Flat: SK Geological Sites, Nov. 23 (Regina) 
The University of Regina’s Science Pub series is offering a talk, Not Just Flat: Top Geological Sites of Saskatchewan, from 5-7 pm, Nov. 23.

Why Grasslands Matter, Nov. 23 (Regina) 
Nature Conservancy of Canada is presenting a panel discussion on Why Grasslands Matter at 7 pm, Nov. 23, in Regina.

Walking Saskatoon, Nov. 26 (Saskatoon) 
Everyone is welcome at the upcoming meeting of Walking Saskatoon from 1-3 pm, Nov. 26.

Moose Jaw Nature Society, Nov. 27 (Moose Jaw)
Moose Jaw Nature Society will be meeting on Nov. 27 at 6:30 pm to make ornaments and decorate a tree for wildlife. Check out the recipes and ideas on their Facebook page.

From Global to Local, Nov. 28 (webinar)
Nature Canada is hosting a webinar panel to discuss interdependencies and the need for global governance systems to protect critical habitats and migratory paths from 10-11:30 am PST, Nov. 28.

The Battle for Dark Skies in Saskatchewan, Nov. 28 (Saskatoon)
Rick Huziak will discuss what stands in the way of eliminating light pollution at the 7:30 pm, Nov. 28, meeting of Café Scientific.

Want Local Food?, Nov. 29 (Regina) 
Permaculture Regina is screening the documentary, Cultivating Calgary’s Local Food Resiliency followed by a discussion about local food production at 7 pm, Nov. 29.

Sagebrush Restoration for Greater Sage-Grouse, Nov. 29 (webinar) 
Autumn Watkinson will present a webinar on Sagebrush Grasslands Restoration for Greater Sage-Grouse Recovery at noon, Nov. 29. (EcoFriendly Sask is pleased to be a sponsor of the PCAP-SK Native Prairie Speaker series.)

Wymark Wind Project Open House, Nov. 29 (Swift Current) 
ENGIE Canada Inc. is holding an open house from 4-8 pm, Nov. 29, in the Chinook Golf Course restaurant to solicit feedback on their plans for the Wymark Wind Project, 25 km southeast of Swift Current.

Benchlands Wind Project Open House, Nov. 30 (Gull Lake)
ENGIE Canada Inc. is holding an open house from 4-8 pm, Nov. 30, in the Gull Lake Community Hall to solicit feedback on their plans for the Benchlands Wind Project, 80 km southwest of Swift Current.

Co-existing with Coyotes (webinar) 
Join Lesley Sampson of Coyote Watch Canada for a webinar on co-existence programs, community buy-in, and what can lead to success or failure for co-flourishing with coyotes.

Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips
Saskatoon Young Naturalists 
Jan. 13, 1-3 pm – Snowshoeing
Jan. 20, 1-3 pm – Tracks and Scats
Space is limited; register early to avoid disappointment.
Other Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips 
Nov. 26, 2-3 pm – Pre-Grey Cup Birding at President Murray Park
Dec. 2, 9 am-5 pm – Gardiner Dam Birding
Check the Saskatoon Nature Society’s website for full details and updated information.

Looking Ahead 
Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan AGM & Conference, Jan. 27 & 28 (Regina)
The Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan will hold their annual general meeting and conference in Regina, Jan. 27 & 28. This year’s theme is A Prairie Patchwork: Selected Topics on Native Prairie and keynote speakers are Branimir Gjetvaj and Trevor Herriot.

The Prairie Ecosystems learning module of the Saskatchewan Master Naturalist program is scheduled for Jan. 28.

A full list of upcoming events can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar 

In the News
Let’s give this road to the birds.

“A coal phase-out is not only attainable but an imperative for better health and climate change mitigation, and the longer the province puts off planning for this inevitable transition the more difficult it is going to be.” (Climate Justice Saskatoon)

“H. sapiens depends utterly on a rich diversity of life-forms to provide various life-support functions essential to the existence and continued survival of human civilization.” Accelerating biodiversity loss poses as big a threat as climate change.

Armchair ecotourism: “For no reason that I can describe, I have a deep yearning to visit the desert south of Arizona. However, this would involve an 11-hour flight each way – bypassing so many other places en route – and then lots of driving, and I'd be exerting ecological pressure on an ecosystem from which it would be unfair to expect support for large numbers of non-desert humans. So I've opted, instead, for an armchair surrogate in the form of second-hand copy of the Time-Life natural history book Cactus Country.”

Solar power is expanding - but so is oil use. “It is far too early to write the obituary of oil as growth for trucks, aviation, petrochemicals, shipping, and aviation keep pushing demand higher.”

EcoSask News is a weekly round-up of local news and events. Email us if you have items you would like us to include. 

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner).

EcoSask News, September 26, 2017

Upcoming Events
World Green Building Week, Sept. 25-Oct. 1
Buildings account for over a third of the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. Find out more on the World Green Building Week website.

Master Naturalist Field Trip, Sept. 27 (SK)
Register now for the SK Master Naturalist Field Trip on Sept. 27 to Last Mountain Lake National Wildlife Area. The day trip is the outdoor component of the Prairie Ecosystems module. A classroom component will be offered this winter.

Campus Master Plan Open House, Sept. 27 (Saskatoon)
The University of Saskatchewan is holding a public open house from 4-8 pm, Sept. 27, at Louis’ Loft to discuss the development of the university’s new Campus Master Plan.

Be A Weed Warrior, Sept. 28 (Findlater)
The Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan is looking for volunteers to search for invasive salt cedar near Findlater on Sept. 28.

Wildlife Rehab Volunteers, Sept. 30/Oct. 1 (Yorkton)
Wildlife Rehabilitation Society of Saskatchewan will be holding a new volunteer information and orientation session in Yorkton in conjunction with Pet Expo on Sept 30 or Oct 1. If you're interested, contact Sean at shonersquid20@yahoo.ca or stop by the WRSOS booth at Pet Expo.

Selling Green Housing, Oct. 4 (Saskatoon)
Nathan Jones, Bill Madder, and Marcus Prebble will discuss selling green housing in Saskatoon at the Oct. 4 meeting of the Saskatchewan Energy Management Task Force.

Crude Power: Oil, Money & Influence in SK, Oct. 4 (Regina)
The film Crude Power: Oil, Money & Influence in Saskatchewan, produced by University of Regina School of Journalism students, will have its premiere followed by a panel discussion at 7 pm, Oct. 4.

Climate Reality Canada (webinar series), Sept./Oct.
Climate Reality Canada is presenting a fall webinar series at no cost.
Sept. 28, 2 pm – Experiential Change: One Month of Living Differently
Oct. 3, 5 pm – Best Practices in Municipal Ecofiscal Policy
Oct. 12, 2 pm – Legal Powers & Responsibilities of Municipalities
Oct. 17, 5 pm – Well-being for All: Taking your Institution Carbon Neutral
Oct. 26, 2 pm – Tarifer la Pollution: Etablir des Précédents à travers la Gestion des Déchets et de l’Eau

Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips
Golden Eagles
Oct. 5, 9 am – Whooping Cranes
Oct. 12, 9 am – Blackstrap, Indi Lakes Area
Retirees and partners who are interested in birds and the natural world are invited to participate in Golden Eagle field trips.

Other Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips 
Oct. 7, 8 am-5 pm – Whooping Crane Field Trip
Oct. 9, 9:30-11:30 am – Woodlawn Cemetery Bird Walk
Check the Saskatoon Nature Society’s website for full details and updated information.

A full list of upcoming events can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar 

Rob Dumont Energy Management Awards 
The Rob Dumont Energy Management Awards recognizing and honouring outstanding achievement in energy management will be presented on Oct. 4. There are so many outstanding individuals and organizations on the list of nominees! EcoFriendly Sask is honoured to be one of them.

In the News 
The murder of the energy industry is key to it securing a bright future

10 key ingredients of a green, healthy community

The wildlife value of a messy garden

#BugsR4Girls: How 8-year-old Sophia Spencer co-authored a scientific paper on bugs

EcoSask News is a weekly round-up of local news and events. Email us if you have items you would like us to include. 

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner).

EcoSaskNews, January 17, 2017

Upcoming Events
The Messenger, Jan. 18 (Moose Jaw)
The award-winning film The Messenger is being shown in Moose Jaw from 7-8:30 pm, Jan. 18.

Bike Regina AGM, Jan. 23 (Regina) 
Bike Regina is holding its AGM from 7-10 pm, Jan. 23.

Land Cover & Species-Habitat Modelling Initiatives, Jan. 23 (webinar) 
Ryan Fisher will talk about SK Ministry of Environment’s land cover and species-habitat modelling initiatives in a PCAP-SK webinar on Jan. 23.

Wildlife Rescue Animals, Jan. 24 (Saskatoon) 
Learn about wildlife rescue animals from Jan Shadick, Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation, from 1-3 pm, Jan. 24, at the Cliff Wright Library.

Pipelines, Enviro Assessment, Risk Perception, Jan. 24 (Saskatoon)
Dr. Jean-Michel DeVink will lead a discussion on pipelines, environmental assessment, and risk perception at the Jan. 24 meeting of Tox on Tap.

Regional Land Use Plan, Jan. 24 (Saskatoon)
Partnership for Growth is looking for feedback on their draft regional land use plan on Jan. 24 from 1-4 and 5-8 pm at Wanuskewin Heritage Park.

EnviroConnect Trivia Night, Jan. 25 (Saskatoon)
EnviroConnect is hosting a Trivia Night at 5 pm, Jan. 25, in Room 5C61 of the Agriculture Building for students in environmental programs at the U of S.

National Energy Board Expert Panel Visitation, Jan. 25/26 (Saskatoon)
The National Energy Board Expert Panel will be in Saskatoon on Jan. 25/26 to discuss how to modernize the NEB. Sessions on both days are open to anyone with an interest.

Beekeeping & Garden Sustainability, Jan. 26 (Regina) 
The Regina Horticultural Society is hosting a presentation on beekeeping and garden sustainability at 7 pm, Jan. 26, in Regina.

Master Naturalist Workshop, Jan. 27 (Saskatoon) 
The Citizen Science module of the Saskatchewan Master Naturalists program is being offered on Jan. 27 in conjunction with the Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan’s annual conference.

Looking Ahead
Edible Plant Walk, June 24 (Regina) 
Edible Landscapes Permaculture Design and Consulting is offering an Edible Plant Walk near Regina from 1-4 pm, June 24. Last year’s workshop filled up fast so register early.

Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips
Jan. 15, 3-4 pm – Living Sky Wildlife Rehab Facility Tour
Jan. 21 or 28 – Overnight trip to Beauval area to search for possible Northern Pygmy Owl
Check the Saskatoon Nature Society’s website for full details and updated information.

Nature Regina Field Trips
Jan. 22, 8:30 am – A. E. Wilson Park
Check Nature Regina’s website for full details and updated information.

A full list of upcoming events can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar

In the News
Droughts on the prairies could become more frequent, more severe, and last longer in the years ahead according to a new book, Vulnerability and Adaptation to Drought on the Canadian Prairies, edited by U of R faculty members.

Data from two SK bird banders shows that Snowy Owls that head south aren't starving.

EcoSask News is a weekly round-up of local news and events. Email us if you have items you would like us to include. 

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner).

EcoSask News, April 26, 2016

Upcoming Events
Native Plants & Grasses, Apr. 28 (Regina)
Nora Stewart, author of Cultivating Our Roots, will be presenting on Native Plants & Grasses at the 7 pm, Apr. 28, meeting of the Regina Horticultural Society.

Reducing Home Water Consumption, May 4
Ronn Lepage will share the lessons learned from Vereco Home’s research on how to reduce and reuse potable water in your home at the May 4 meeting of the Energy Management Task Force.

Grasslands Project Films, May (southern Saskatchewan)
The National Film Board will be premiering their Grasslands Project films in various communities across southern Saskatchewan in May.
May 6 – Magrath
May 7 – Coutts
May 8 – Foremost
May 10 – Rockglen
May 11 – Radville
May 12 – Gravelbourg
May 13 – Wood Mountain
May 14 - Eastend

Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips
May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 7-9:30 am – MVA Trail Bird Walk (ideal for beginners)
May 11, 7-9:30 pm – Owl Banding Evening
Check the Saskatoon Nature Society’s website for full details and updated information.

Nature Regina Field Trips
Apr. 30, 8:30-11:30 am – Condie & Brown’s Slough Field Trip
May 21, 10 am – 12 pm – 3 Lakes Walk in NW Regina
Check Nature Regina’s website for full details and updated information.

Climate Change for all Ages Book Readings, May 7
Ingrid Alesich will be reading from her book Artemis Flies to the Rescue at 1 & 3 pm, May 7, at Turning the Tide.

Household Hazardous Waste Day, May 7 (Regina)
You can dispose of household hazardous waste, major appliances, rimless tires, and some electronics at the City of Regina’s Public Works Yard (2425 4th Avenue) from 9 am – 3:45 pm on May 7.

Rain Barrel Fundraiser, May 7 (Prud’homme)
Prud’homme Library is selling rain barrels as a fundraiser from 10 am to 2 pm, May 7.

Wise Seedling Spree, May 7
Nature Conservancy of Canada is holding its first conservation volunteer event of the season on May 7.

Jane’s Walk Saskatoon, May 7
Jane's Walk Saskatoon events include:
Hike and nature photography at the Northeast Swale
Meewasin ecological walk
Making change: 23rd Street protected bike lane

Jane’s Walk Regina, May 7
Jane's Walk Regina events include:
Riverside Dyke: holding back the floods
Wascana Lake: dig it and they will come

Master Naturalist Program Courses, May 26, 27
The Saskatchewan Master Naturalist Program debuts during Saskatoon’s NatureCity Festival with the following courses:
May 26 – Citizen Science
May 27 – Urban Ecosystems
Register online.

A full list of upcoming events can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar 

News
Plastic Pollution Coalition: 4Rs Pledge
The Plastic Pollution Coalition encourages individuals to take the 4R Pledge:
Refuse disposable plastic wherever and whenever possible. Choose items that are not packaged in plastic, and carry your own bags, containers and utensils. Say 'no straw, please.'

Reduce your plastic footprint. Cut down on your consumption of goods that contain excessive plastic packaging and parts. If it will leave behind plastic trash, don’t use it.

Reuse durable, non-toxic straws, utensils, to-go containers, bottles, bags, and other everyday items. Choose glass, paper, stainless steel, wood, ceramic and bamboo over plastic.

Recycle what you can’t refuse, reduce or reuse. Pay attention to the entire life cycle of items you bring into your life, from source to manufacturing to distribution to disposal.

EcoSask News is a weekly round-up of local news and events. Email us if you have items you would like us to include. 

You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or by email (top right corner).