EcoSask News, December 21, 2021

Ocean-dwelling Christmas tree worms use their festive crowns to catch dinner as it floats by. [Oceana]

Upcoming Events 

Participate in iNaturalist’s Winter Bug Project from now until March 1, 2022. Photograph any arthropod (insect, spider, sowbug, etc.) found active indoors or out – in Alberta or Saskatchewan – on land or in water (but not including pets or pet food) and post it online. Experts will help you identify it and it will be added to the count.

Gardening at USask is offering the following online classes, beginning at 7 pm: 

Jan. 3 – Winter Compost Tips 

Feb. 7 – Wasps 

Details about all upcoming events can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar 

Construction 

Climate Caucus, a group of locally-elected climate leaders, has asked the federal government to adopt an energy-efficient, zero-carbon, outcomes-based building code that will set a high standard for local governments. [LinkedIn] 

“If buildings are to make meaningful contributions to keeping global temperature rise to 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels, limiting emissions from building materials is crucial.” [The Conversation]

 

Transportation 

“Instead of funding new and wider roads, we should build places where people want to slow down and get out of their cars.” [Undark] 

A cartoon lampoons the growing size of trucks and SUVs – Share the road? No way! [The Nib via Planetizen] 

Toronto has amended its bylaws to allow pedal-assisted cargo e-bikes for personal and commercial delivery purposes, but “emerging issues regarding vehicle and pedestrian safety highlight a need to examine how best to regulate cargo e-bikes.” [Pembina Institute] 

Consumption 

The sale of peat to gardeners in England and Wales will be banned by 2024. The government hopes to end use of peat in the professional horticulture sector by 2028. [The Guardian] 

Le Printemps, an iconic Parisian department store, has transformed its top floor into an haute couture and vintage thrift store that also showcases sustainable brands. [Sortir à Paris] 

“The Day the World Stops Shopping offers a thought experiment: what if, overnight, we reduced shopping by 25%? What would happen? … What would it mean for fashion brands? What about the people who make those clothes in low income countries? How would it affect the advertising industry, or traffic rates? What would happen to the global economy, and to carbon emissions? Nature gets a look in too, with a chapter investigating the impact on wildlife.” [book review, The Earthbound Report] 

Water 

Proposed coal mining in southern Alberta could lead to contamination of the South Saskatchewan River from metals such as arsenic, selenium, and cadmium. “If you’re going to look at mining development of the headwaters, you have to look at the whole river basin, the whole watershed, and follow the impacts downstream … And that hasn’t been done.” [The StarPhoenix] 

Shifting Priorities 

“Genuinely sustainable investing could help shift trillions of dollars toward renewable energy and other clean technologies, but only with strong parameters. So far, however, there are no stringent requirements in Canada for climate disclosures, nor is there a single set of standards for what counts as a sustainable investment—regulatory gaps that can make it hard for climate-conscious investors to know how to make the right choices.” [The Walrus] 

Wishing you a very happy Christmas from Andrew and Penny at EcoFriendly Sask. We’ll be back next Tuesday with a Boxing Day Book Special and EcoSask News will resume on January 4. 

Snowshoe Hare snort when they’re annoyed. Find out more on EcoFriendly Sask’s free nature website/app for Canada’s 4 western provinces. [Nature Companion]

EcoFriendly Sask supports Saskatchewan environmental initiatives through an online publication, an events calendar, small grants, and the Nature Companion website/app. You can follow EcoFriendly Sask by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter, or subscribing by email (top right corner).

EcoSask News, May 2, 2017

Upcoming Events
Recognition Awards, May 3 (Hafford)
The Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development in Saskatchewan is presenting awards to 25 projects on May 3 in Hafford.

Breeding Bird Atlas Workshop, May 7 (Regina) 
Find out how to collect data for the Saskatchewan Breeding Bird Atlas in Regina from 10 am – 4 pm, May 7.

Bees, May 10 (Regina)
Find out why we need bees and what we can do to help them from an experienced beekeeper from 7 – 8 pm, May 10, at the Connaught Branch, Regina Public Library.

Nature Moose Jaw AGM, May 12
Nature Moose Jaw is holding its annual general meeting at 7 pm, May 12, at 510 Main Street North.

Build Your Own Rain Barrel, May 12 (Herbert)
Join the Swift Current Creek Watershed Stewards at 7 pm, May 12, in Herbert, and build your own rain barrel.

Great Canadian Birdathon, May 13 (Regina)
Join Nature Regina for the Great Canadian Birdathon in Wascana Park from 7 am – 4 pm, May 13.

International Migratory Bird Day, May 13 (Last Mountain Lake)
Nature Saskatchewan will be hosting International Migratory Bird Day activities and the official launch of the Saskatchewan Breeding Bird Atlas from 11 am, May 13, at the Last Mountain Bird Observatory, Last Mountain Regional Park. (updated - May 3/17)

Wildlife Rehab Banquet, May 13 (Saskatoon)
Living Sky Wildlife Rehabilitation is holding a fundraising banquet on May 13 with entertainment by Jody Peters.

Breeding Bird Atlas Workshop, May 13 (Yorkton) 
Yellowhead Flyway Birding Trail is hosting a breeding bird atlas workshop near Yorkton from 9:30 am – 2:30 pm, May 13.

Beekeeping Workshop, May 13 (Prince Albert)
Prince Albert Parkland Permaculture Guild is hosting a beekeeping workshop from 10 am – 4 pm, May 13.

Compost Workshop, May 13 (Saskatoon) 
Join Waste Not yxe and the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council for a composting workshop from 10 am – noon, May 13.

Household Hazardous Waste Day, May 13 (Saskatoon)
You can dispose of household hazardous waste in Saskatoon from 9 am – 3:30 pm, May 13.

SOS Elms AGM, May 14 (Saskatoon)
SOS Elms Coalition is holding its AGM at 1:30 pm, May 14, at the Marr Residence.

Nature Regina AGM, May 15 (Regina)
Join Nature Regina for their annual general meeting from 7 – 9:30 pm, May 15. Following a strawberry social, Kathy Hamre, Regina birder/photographer, will present an overview of Arizona's Patagonia Lake and other desert ecosystems.

Looking Ahead
Nature Saskatchewan Spring Meet, June 2-4 (Candle Lake)
Nature Saskatchewan’s Spring Meet will be held at Candle Lake from June 2-4. Take a geology tour, help band owls, find out about bat vocalization, and more.

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

In the News
A solution may be on the horizon for Quill Lakes flooding.

Two University of Saskatchewan water researchers are part of an international team that has discovered that global reserves of underground water once assumed to be pure are vulnerable to contamination. 

“When you photograph an insect up close for the details you need to ID them, they become more than just a ‘bug’ . . . . You realize it has a face. It has eyes. It’s looking at you. It’s got beautiful designs on its body.”

Useful resources from Environment Lethbridge: a Sustainable Events Guide and 50+ Ways to Host a Sustainable Event: Tips and Ideas for Planning Green Events

Whether it’s sun screen or beauty products, it’s important to consider how our purchases impact the environment.

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 10, 2013

Regina Public Water Meeting, Sept. 11
A Public Water Town Hall Meeting is being held in the Education Auditorium, University of Regina, from 7-9 pm, September 11. Speakers include Maude Barlow, Marley Waiser, and Pierre Hammett. Waiser worked for Environment Canada and has published papers on chemical pollutants. Hammett has done a number of studies on P3s.

Community Action Network Training, Sept. 28
Saskatoon CAN! Community Action Network Training and Networking Session will be held on September 28 at Station 20 West. There will be speakers on environmental, social, and economic justice as well as skills-building workshops on social media, direct action, lobbying, and public speaking.

Nature Society Presentations
The Saskatoon Nature Society’s line-up of speakers for the 2013-14 season looks very interesting:
September 19 – Ron Jensen talks about his recent birding trip to China, especially Sichuan and the Tibetan Plateau
October 17 – David Donald reports on the well-being on wood frogs in Saskatchewan amidst world-wide concern for the status of amphibians
November 21 – Joe Schmutz explains why grass and birds need cowboys, with an update on the future of Saskatchewan’s community pastures
December 12 – Kevin Shook will talk about sloughs and why they rise and fall, come and go
January 16 – Nettie Wiebe will talk about the fine balance between human needs and the needs of the natural world
February 20 – A huge part of the northern plains was once covered by a lake larger than the Caspian Sea. Alec Aitken will explain what happened to Lake Agassiz
April 17 – Stuart Houston, Frank Roy, and Al Smith will talk about the making of the “Great Big Book of Saskatchewan Birds”

Geese, Cranes & Urban Birds
Join the Saskatoon Nature Society on one of their upcoming field trips. Additional information is available on their website.
September 28 – Outlook Goose and Crane Trip (1:30-9 pm)
September 29 – Cosmopolitan Park Bird Walk (8:30-10 am)
October 12 – Whooping Crane Outing (8 am – 5 pm)

Whooping Crane Symposium, October 5
The Saskatoon Nature Society is co-hosting an international symposium on whooping crane conservation on October 5.

Developing the City’s Wetland Policy
The City of Saskatoon is seeking community input in developing a wetland policy for the identification, preservation, and management of wetlands in the City’s growth areas. Wetlands are important areas as they replenish the ground water supply, reduce flooding, provide a home for birds and animals, and are a pleasant place to visit.

Swale Ecoblitz
Students and volunteers continue to document the plants and animals to be found in the North East Swale. They’ve found some plants that are quite rare or potentially threatened, including a tiny fern about 5 cm high.

Laundry Detergent in Strips
Canadians throw out 134 million laundry detergent jugs a year! That’s 134 million jugs that have to be manufactured, shipped and then thrown out. Dizolve, a new Canadian company, has come up with an alternative. Dizolve detergent comes in a tiny, pre-measured strip the size of a bookmark that you simply toss in the washing machine. “The strips are made with a patent-pending formula of concentrated eco-friendly cleaning agents and dissolve completely when wet.” (via Sierra Club Canada)

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.

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

Eco Chic: Shopping for Clothes that are Green and Local

As Kermit said, “It’s not easy being green.” I (Penny) went clothes shopping the other day, and I focussed entirely on style and price. I forgot to consider the environment, and my purchases didn’t benefit local businesses. Next time I’ll do better. Here are some ideas.

Clothes
Did you know that growing cotton uses almost 25% of all the insecticides in the world and over 10% of all pesticides? It takes approximately one pound of cotton to make a t-shirt, and it will have been sprayed with one third of a pound of pesticides. Sheep that are being raised for wool in the US are treated with 14,000 pounds of pesticides a year.

Better Options: Look for organic cotton or linen, hemp, and bamboo. Linen is made from flax that grows well without pesticides or insecticides. An acre of land planted with hemp yields two to three times more fibre than cotton – without the chemicals. Bamboo is one of the fastest-growing plants; it can sprout from 1 to 4 feet per day and it naturally resists pests and many bacteria.

Shop Local: Luna + Hill sells clothing that is Canadian-made, organic, and sustainable. Ten Tree, a Regina-based company, wants to ensure that all their clothing is manufactured responsibly. They plant 10 trees for every piece of their clothing that is purchased.

Shoes & Accessories 
Leather may be a renewable resource, but tanning the hides uses a tremendous amount of water and toxic chemicals, creating dangerous effluent discharge. Some manufacturers in Italy and Mexico are using less toxic processes, but it will take a while before this practice becomes widespread.

Better Options: Look for shoes made from synthetic or recycled materials. Give your shoes a second life through programs such as Brainsport’s Free Shoe Day.

Shop Local: Escape Sports carries fair-trade certified SoleRebels footwear that is made in Ethiopia from recycled and organic materials. Pedestrian now sells shoes from Oliberté, an African company that is working hard to reduce its environmental impact.

The Better Good carries a wide variety of sustainable goods. The Ressac bag is durable and waterproof – like leather – but it’s made from punctured inner tubes.

Swap and Share
How many outfits do you have in your closet that you’ve worn once and may never wear again?

Better options: Buying less clothing is one of the most ecofriendly options. But it can be boring. Why not organize a clothing swap or shop at secondhand clothing stores?

Shop Local: Better Off Duds specializes in secondhand clothing, with a focus on retro attire and quality classics. The Princess Shop loans graduation dresses and accessories to female students in need.

Laundry
Traditional dry cleaning involves submerging clothes in petroleum-based liquid chemicals. The most common chemical is perchloroethylene (PERC), a possible carcinogen and a hazardous pollutant.

Clothes dryers use a lot of energy, emitting almost 1500 pounds of CO2 annually.

Better Options: Look for a “wet” cleaner. This method uses water and non-toxic, biodegradable detergents. Or you may be able to find a dry cleaner that is using liquid CO2 or liquid silicone.

Wash clothes less frequently. Buy a clothing rack and air dry your laundry. Buy energy-efficient appliances.

Shop Local: We’re not aware of any environmentally-friendly dry cleaners in Saskatoon. If you know of one, please let us know.

Resources 
The following books are available from the Saskatoon Public Library:
Green Chic: Saving the Earth in Style
Big Green Purse: Use your Spending Power to Create a Cleaner, Greener World
The Rough Guide to Shopping with a Conscience
Ethical Chic: The Inside Story of the Companies We Think We Love

David Suzuki’s Queen of Green blog offers green living tips and recipes.