EcoSask News, February 9, 2021

This Week’s Highlights 

Join SaskOutdoors at outdoor events for all ages in your bubble in Rosthern (Feb. 21), North Battleford (Feb. 28), and Prince Albert (Mar. 7). 

Join the Pembina Institute for an online discussion of passive house retrofits from 6-8 pm, Feb. 15. 

Upcoming Events 

Women & Water, Feb. 11 (online) 

Global Water Futures is offering an online series on women and water with a discussion on sustainable ecosystems at 12:30 pm, Feb. 11.

Get Outside – Lakeridge Park, Feb. 12 (Regina)

Explore Lakeridge Park with Nature Regina at 10, 11:15, 1, or 2:15 pm, Feb. 12. 

Eco-Scavenger Hunt, Feb. 13, 18, 19 & 27 (Saskatoon) 

Meewasin Valley Authority is hosting self-directed eco-scavenger hunts to help track wildlife at Beaver Creek Conservation Area on Feb. 13, 18, 19 & 27. 

Train the Trainer, Feb. 13 (Regina) 

Nature Regina is looking for volunteers to learn more about the birds, wildlife, and plants at Les Sherman Park from 10 am-12 pm, Feb. 13, in order to lead a public event. 

Gardening with Nature, Feb. 15 (online) 

Nature Regina will host an online discussion on organic and ecological gardening with nature at 7 pm, Feb. 15. 

Genetic Diversity & Food Security, Feb. 16 (online) 

The importance of maintaining genetic plant diversity as well as farmer-led and public plant breeding will be discussed at 7 pm, Feb. 16, as part of the Sustainable Speaker Series. 

Dessiner des Insectes, Feb. 16 (online) 

Learn about and draw insects, a program in French for 6-12 year olds, at 4 pm, Feb. 16, Regina Public Library.

Ferruginous Hawks, Feb. 18 (online) 

Janet Ng will present highlights from her research on ferruginous hawks at the 7:30 pm, Feb. 18, online meeting of the Saskatoon Nature Society. 

North Saskatchewan Heritage River, Feb. 18 (online) 

Find out about Alberta’s plans for designating the North Saskatchewan as a heritage river at noon, Feb. 18. 

Sustainable YXE, Feb. 18 (online) 

Saskatoon Public Library is hosting an online discussion for teens about making our community more sustainable from 6-7 pm, Feb. 18. 

Get Outside – Wascana Lake, Feb. 19 (Regina) 

Explore Wascana Lake with Nature Regina at 10, 11:15, 1, or 2:15 pm, Feb. 19.

Looking Ahead 

Nature to the Rescue, Feb. 27 (online) 

The Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan’s annual general meeting on Feb. 27 will discuss how we can be more involved with nature on a local scale. 

Building Operator Training (online) 

The Saskatchewan Environmental Society is helping building operators to lower their utility bills and make their buildings more comfortable through online training. 

Mar. 5 or 26, 9 am-noon – lighting & electrical equipment and water 

May 7 or 28, 9 am-noon – heating, ventilation, and cooling 

A full list of upcoming events (online and in person) can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar 

Local News 

The first stage, including environmental consultation, of the Lake Diefenbaker irrigation expansion project will be conducted by Regina-based Clifton Associates. 

A new study has found that exposure to glyphosate and its commercial Roundup formulation has potentially serious effects on human health. 

Clearing started on a peat mine in Manitoba before applying for an environmental licence. 

From Information to Action 

“If deforestation in the Tropics were a country, it would be the third-biggest polluter in the world, after China and the US.” 

Plans to improve carbon-credit markets include better standards and more transparency and oversight but also weigh in on the trickier issue of the best variety of carbon offset. 

Good News 

A Mayan beekeeper who led a coalition that stopped Monsanto from planting genetically modified crops in seven states in southern Mexico was recently awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize. 

A California teenager helped install seed libraries in all 50 states. 

The Ecological Society of America and the British Ecological Society are marking Black History Month with a series of blog posts by and about black ecologists, their work, and their experiences in ecology. 

 All-electric delivery vehicles – more storage space with a smaller vehicle footprint. 

An Alberta farmer is turning agricultural plastic into fence posts. 

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). 

Check out EcoFriendly Sask’s Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s four western provinces

EcoSask News, January 26, 2021

Upcoming Events 

Graduate Program Overviews, Jan. 27, Feb. 11, Mar. 2 (online) 

The School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, is offering online overviews of their programs on Jan. 27 (7:30 pm), Feb. 11 (1:30 pm), or Mar. 2 (7:30 am). 

Get Outside! Kids’ Club, Feb. 3/10 (Regina) 

Children ages 6-12 are invited to register for the Get Outside! Kids’ Club at 10 am, Feb. 3 or 10. 

Looking Ahead 

Outdoor Experience (North Battleford, Prince Albert, Rosthern)

Enjoy an all ages-friendly, outdoor event with your bubble hosted by SaskOutdoors and Wildernook Fresh Air Learning: 

Feb. 21 - Rosthern 

Feb. 28 - North Battleford 

Mar. 7 - Prince Albert 

Native Plant Society AGM, Feb. 27 (online) 

The Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan will be hosting an online annual general meeting on Feb. 27. This year’s theme is Nature to the Rescue and will discuss how we can be more involved with nature on a local scale. 

A full list of upcoming events (online and in person) can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar 

Local News 

Local groups are asking for support on three petitions. You can: 

Show your opposition to a Loraas landfill in the RM of Caledonia 

Demonstrate your support for members of Regina City Council who have promised climate action; and 

Ban the use of Avitrol, a neurotoxin that causes a slow, painful death, by pest control operators in Saskatoon 

CPAWS SK reminds us that our water systems are all connected. The Saskatchewan River Delta will be greatly impacted by the Lake Diefenbaker irrigation plan.

 

Educational Resources 

Earth Rangers School Clubs are a new program for elementary students and their teachers. Environmental-based lessons, activities, and worksheets are available free of charge. 

The Alberta WaterPortal Society provides online games and videos for water learning at home. 

Check out a role-playing board game about Arctic research, politics, and environment for high school students.

From Information to Action 

Canadians drive the most polluting cars in the world – participate in a Feb 17 webinar on fixing Canada's car conundrum. 

Your Zoom work conferences, Netflix binging, and video chats with friends are all adding up in your carbon footprint.

“Creating a new, renewable electricity grid is going to require substantial new transmission capacity. In terms of direct impacts, there isn’t necessarily much difference between siting a pipeline and siting a transmission line.” 

The lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles carry a huge environmental burden and could cause a health and environmental crisis. 

A Finnish hockey team has gone carbon neutral. 

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).

Check out EcoFriendly Sask’s Nature Companion, a free nature app for Canada’s four western provinces 

EcoSask News, May 28, 2019

Upcoming Events
Seed Exchange, May 31 (Jansen) 
Jansen Public Library is hosting a seed exchange from 4-8 pm, May 31.

Animal Sanctuary Tour, June 2 (Moose Jaw) 
Join Moose Jaw Nature Society for a tour of the Free to be Me Sanctuary from 1-2 pm, June 2.

Household Hazardous Waste, June 2 (Saskatoon) 
You can dispose of household hazardous waste in Saskatoon from 9 am-3:30 pm, June 2.

Water Conservation, June 4 (Regina) 
Learn about irrigation and water conservation in the garden at 12 noon, June 4, at Innovation Place Regina.

SK Communities and the Coal Phase-out, June 5 (Saskatoon) 
Hayley Carlson and Justin Fisher will discuss communities and the coal phase-out in Saskatchewan at the June 5 breakfast meeting of the Saskatoon Energy Management Task Force.

La Terre Vue du Coeur/ Earth: Scene from the Heart, June 6 (Saskatoon) 
La Terre Vue du Coeur, a documentary about threats to biodiversity, will be shown at the Frances Morrison Library at 6:30 pm, June 6.

Narrative Approaches to Engaging with the Climate Crisis, June 7 (Saskatoon) 
Rachel Malena-Chan will discuss narrative approaches to engaging with the climate crisis at 12:30 pm, June 7, at SERI, College of Education, U of S.

Learn to Camp, June 8 (Saskatoon) 
Learn basic camping and outdoor living skills from 2-4 pm, June 8, at the Round Prairie Branch Library.

Looking Ahead
Beginner Bird Id, June 13 (Rosthern) 
The Saskatchewan Breeding Bird Atlas is offering a 2-hour beginner bird identification workshop in Rosthern from 7-9 pm, June 13.

Native Prairie Pasture Tour, June 22 (Regina) 
Join PCAP-SK for a guided tour of Caledonia-Elmsthorpe Community Pasture from 4-9 pm, June 22, with buses from Regina. Register by June 14.

Botanizing the Badlands, July 6 (Avonlea) 
Join the Native Plant Society of Saskatchewan in spotting wildflowers in the Avonlea Badlands on July 6.

Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips
Golden Eagles 
June 6, 8 am – Chappell Marsh & St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area
June 13, 8 am – Turtles at Pike Lake
Retirees and partners who are interested in birds and the natural world are invited to participate.

Other Saskatoon Nature Society Field Trips 
June 12 & 19 – Invasive Plants Identification Workshop
Everyone is welcome. Check the Saskatoon Nature Society’s website for full details and updated information.

Birdwatching with Stan (Saskatoon)
Birdwatch with Stan Shadick at Wanuskewin Heritage Park from 7-8:30 am on June 26, July 28, Aug. 18, and Aug. 28. Birdwatch from 7-8:30 pm on June 5, July 14, and Aug. 7 ($20/person). Stan is also offering guided birding tours at Blackstrap and Beaver Creek as a fundraiser for Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation.

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

In the News
Saskatoon is the second Canadian city to join the Urban Wildlife Information Network. The goal is to learn how urbanization affects wildlife in order to preserve urban biodiversity and minimize human-wildlife conflict.

8-80 Cities conducted an active transportation survey in Saskatoon. They learned: people want to cycle but aren’t sure it’s reasonable; sharing the road with drivers and pedestrians is tricky; and fear of bike theft is a barrier for low-income residents.

Slovenia’s capital, Ljubjlana, has a comprehensive waste management program incorporating household repair workshops, zero-waste stores, and recycled toilet paper in municipal facilities.

They may not be cute, but earthworms provide us with fertile soil that retains rainwater. Unfortunately, their numbers are dropping rapidly.

We assume that streetlights make cities safer, but there is no research to back that up.

Textile waste consumes nearly 5% of all landfill space, and 20% of all freshwater pollution is a result of textile treatment and dyeing. Researchers are inventing new ways to turn old clothes into everything from new cotton to fake knees.

70-80 otters live in Singapore. 30,000 people follow their activities on Facebook [video].

If you're in the area, check out the trails at Cannington Lake Resort Hamlet, an EcoFriendlySask Action Grant recipient.

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).