I’ve worked on the EcoAction Teams program for over three years, and I’ve learned that taking positive environmental action in my life is not only simple but contagious. I’m not an environmental scientist or engineer, just a concerned urban dweller who decided she needed to mesh all her passions with environmental work. I also love words and social commentary, so blogging is a good fit. Born and raised in friendly Manitoba, I live in Toronto with my trusty bicycle.
Blogger: Prabhjit Banga
Since being captivated by the cartoon movie FernGully at the age of five, Prabhjit (Prabh) Banga has been an avid supporter of green causes. Prabh has over four years of experience working in the environmental sector on diverse topics, including conservation, waste management and environmental education. She recently received a Master of Resource and Environmental Management at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Born and raised in Toronto with roots in India, Prabh loves to travel and discover new places!
About ecoblogist
Like the tagline says, this blog is all about news, views and tips on living green. Read ‘em, share ‘em – we’re all in it together. Once you start doing a few things differently, it’s pretty hard to turn off that chip in your brain that says, “Should I be buying this? Should I be doing that?” Maybe it begins with remembering to bring your own bag when you go shopping, then suddenly you’re thinking about dual flush toilets, power bars, and energy efficient coffee makers before bedtime.
Ask Us
We won’t pretend to know it all, but we do know where to find the answers. Send us your green living questions and we’ll be happy to address them in an upcoming post.
September is biodiversity month. This is a time to celebrate Canada’s rich diversity of life and learn about our local environment and the importance of biodiversity.
So why is biodiversity so important for us? Biodiversity is defined as the variety of life on Earth. This includes over 14 million species from mountain top to deep in the sea. Biodiversity is based on the variety within species, the variety between species and the variety of ecosystems. The interactions between these species and ecosystems are what provide us goods and services such as oxygen production, water filtration and storage, pest control, food production, carbon storage and erosion control. As a result, biodiversity is crucial to our survival.
In an effort to raise awareness about the importance of biodiversity, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity. The aim of this year is to celebrate, appreciate and integrate biodiversity into our lives. Canadians have always celebrated the spectacular natural bounty that makes us one of the most diverse and beautiful nations. We encourage Canadians to go a step further and seek opportunities to take action on biodiversity to protect our diverse natural heritage.
Here are some things you can do to take action:
- Contribute some of your time by volunteering for a nature-related cause
- Make a donation to a group engaged in biodiversity conservation
- Challenge yourself to buy local, organic food during the harvest times in your region
- Organize a native tree planting event in your community, or check with your town or city to see if a sponsored tree planting program exists
- Share your knowledge about the importance of preserving biodiversity with your friends and neighbours
- Take part in biodiversity events going on in your area. Here are some examples:
A construction worker works on the G20 security fence.
Walking down the streets of Toronto it’s hard not to notice the large amounts of police officers, steel fences and empty streets. This is all preparation for The G20 summit, which starts tomorrow. The G-20 leaders are meeting to discuss ways to address the financial crisis. The heads of state will attempt to create new international frameworks to govern global finance and the global economy.
As the host for the G20 economic summits, Canada had the privilege of setting the agenda for this year’s summit. Despite pressure from the United Nations and several G8 and G20 member nations, Prime Minister Harper sees environmental concerns as a “sideshow.” He does not want to put it on the agenda, since the summits are economic in nature.
However, I believe that environmental and economic issues must be addressed as one. The challenge for our political leadership should not merely be to kickstart the global economy, but to do so in a way that creates jobs, stabilizes the climate, increases food output using less water and chemicals, and generates prosperity while achieving greater income equality. Leaders should support a just transition to a green and inclusive global economy and to value the role of environment as the foundation of sustainable and balanced economic growth.
As environmental economist Herman Daly said, “The economy is a wholly owned subsidiary of the environment.” Oil is made of organic matter, our furniture comes from trees, diamonds form in the earth’s crust, and the list goes on, so without the environment, there would be no economy.
A man dressed as Prime Minister Stephen Harper leads protesters covered by oil down the streets of Toronto.
On one afternoon in June, volunteers from Earth Day Canada and Aeroplan got their hands dirty planting trees for the Black Creek Conservation Project . Partially funded by Earth Day Canada’s Community Environment Fund, the Black Creek Conservation project is about preserving and rehabilitating the Black Creek through community involvement.
More than 20 volunteers traveled on a school bus out of the downtown core and arrived at Downsview Dells Park in North York. Although some of us were first time tree planters (including myself) we managed to plant 222 maple sugar, black maple and white oak trees in just 2 hours – even the rainfall didn’t stop us from completing our task!
At the end of the planting, though cold and wet, we felt great knowing that our planted trees would help to rehabiliate the Black Creek watershed.
Here are a couple of photos from the event:
My first tree
Cheryl and I planting away
The team of volunteers- Earth Day Staff and Aeroplan Employees
On Sunday, we welcome the Year of the Tiger. The Chinese New Year celebration is the most important of Chinese holidays. It is a time for the family to come together, feast, renew ties, make a new beginning and wish each other good fortune for the coming year.
The New Year is a vibrant festival and great fun to celebrate at home with traditional food, handmade lanterns, storytelling and music. Have your own eco-friendly family traditions durring this important time of year? Send us your suggestions!
Groundhog Day is celebrated across North America on February 2.
According to folklore, if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on this day fails to see its shadow, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end. However, if the groundhog sees its shadow, the groundhog will supposedly retreat into its burrow, and winter will continue for six more weeks. So keep your fingers crossed and hope that Mr.Groundhog does not see his shadow, so that the spring arrives soon!
“I’d really like to come, but I just don’t have the time.”
“If only I had some free time…”
Do these comments sound familiar? Imagine how it would feel to be able to give or receive the gift of time. It sounds like a hard task, but when you’re old and you reflect back on your life, what will you remember most, the stuff you received as gifts, or the time you spent with the people you care about?
Last year around the holidays my grandpa suffered a heart attack. All I could think was how little time I had been spending with him. When I went to go see him the first thing he said to me was “So you’re too busy for everyone these days.” Those words really hit home with me.
My grandpa made me realize life really is short and how important it is to make time for the people you love. Because what we cherish and remember even more than materialistic things are meaningful, memorable experiences spent with people we care about. Now, I spend time with him at least once a week.
So in preparation for the holidays, consider giving the gift of an experience rather than a thing. This can be anything from:
- making a home-cooked meal
- special dinner out
- movie passes
- an outdoor adventure or day trip around the city
- coupon book filled with redeemable vouchers reading “Good for 3 hours of time spent with me” or “Good for one whole-house cleaning” (I personally would love to receive this last one)
Be creative and think about what you are able to offer and what the person would appreciate most.
Also called the festival of lights, Diwali is one of the most popular festivals in the South East Asian culture. The occasion celebrates the victory of good over evil. Lamps and candles are lit to chase away the darkness of ignorance and welcome the bright light of enlightenment. This is a time of reflection, thanks and renewal. This Diwali take the time to reflect on the things you can do to make your Diwali celebration an eco-friendly one.
Diwali Cleaning In preparation for Diwali every year my family and I clean our home from top to bottom. The cleaning is done to harmonize the space around us to derive positive energy. Any unwanted clothes and household items are donated to our local shelter. Cleaning up, not only means cleaning your home, but also cleaning our environment, so pick up some litter from the ground!
Avoid the Fireworks As a kid lighting firecrackers was the highlight of Diwali. The brighter the sparkles were and the louder the noise they made, the more excited I got. But I soon came to realize that the temporary joy of watching firecrackers was replaced with a stinky toxic smell. Toxic substances used in the firecrackers aren’t very good for us or the environment. Celebrate by lighting candles and diyas (small clay pots filled with oil in which a wick is lit) and avoid the fireworks.
A Candle-Light Diwali Being the Festival of Lights, this is a good time to remind ourselves of all the energy and resources it takes to light up our homes and businesses. On Diwail, many people leave all the lights on in their home. Please avoid this. I prefer the look of diyas and candles, instead of electric illumination, not only do they look nicer, but it also cuts down energy consumption. If you’re putting up outdoor lights, use LED lights; they come in bright colors and use 80% less energy than traditional lights.
Also, keep in mind that the deeper meaning of Diwali is not about lighting up our homes, it’s about dispelling darkness in our lives and ushering in positive feelings and energy.
Buy Less Since Diwali is also a celebration of abundance and wealth, many people believe that it is a good time to buy. Often, people go out and buy new items even when they don’t need them. Cut down your shopping list and avoid purchasing unnecessary things this Diwali. Instead of buying gifts, make them! Bake some goodies, paint a picture or take one of your mom’s old sarees and drape it over a canvas to make a great piece of art (see picture below).
This Diwali take the time to reflect on the things that you can do to live responsibly and reduce your impact on the environment. A little thought and care can make a huge difference.
April 22 isn’t about a single action you can do to support a healthier environment. No, Earth Day is a catalyst for change and a day to renew a personal commitment to support a healthier environment.
To encourage further environmental action, Earth Day Canada’s EcoAction Teams program (the ecoblogist’s conservation program of choice) offers the Top 10 Actions for Earth Day to help you reduce their impact on the environment every day.
Out sick with a nasty bout of the flu last week, I had plenty of time to catch up on daytime TV and the news. Not surprisingly, the top story this past week was the election. What was surprising to me, however, was the number of news segments on the topic of political apathy and the expected low voter turnout for today.
I, as much as anybody else, am suffering from a mild case of ‘voter fatigue’ (three federal elections in four years!) but I still feel the urge to vote and have my opinion count. This election, an environmental action plan from my federal government is on my wish list. If the environment is on your mind too, you may want to check out the website: www.voteforenvironment.ca. The site has been generating a buzz over the past two weeks because it promotes voting strategically (and not voting for one major political party).
I know which party I’m voting for, but if you don’t, why not take some time today to check out the party platforms.
Major Canadian Political Parties (in alphabetical order):
I am really enjoying the Olympics. From beach volleyball to swimming to gymnastics, I just can’t get enough. I even discovered synchronized diving (awesome!).
And then the Chinese Men’s Basketball team played the American team. Never before had I seen a game featuring two mismatched teams so hyped up! News outlets estimate that over 1 billion people tuned in to see Yao Ming take on Lebron James and the rest of the NBA superstars.
Although the amount of viewers might seem staggering, everything related to the Olympics is Herculean big. The athletes, coaches, families, journalists, crew, and spectators that descend on a host city are in the hundreds of thousands!
And that’s where this post gets green (and opinionated). No matter where the Olympics are hosted, the environmental impact of hosting a two-week extravaganza on such a massive scale is huge. Not only should we worry about energy use, water use, waste management and air quality due to transportation, but how about the hasty construction of dozens of new Olympic venues?
The International Olympic Committee acknowledges the environmental impact of each Olympic Games. “Sustainable Development” was recognized as an Agenda item of the IOC in 1999. One can only hope this principle is already in practice…
Beijing National Stadium (aka The Bird’s Nest)
The biggest venue of any Olympics is the building that holds the Opening Ceremonies and Track and Field events. In Beijing, not one but two buildings were constructed for the purpose. Guandong stadium (80,000 capacity) was finished in 2001 and was the original intended venue for these events, but somehow a need for another venue was created. The Beijing National Stadium was completed in March 2008 and boasts a seating capacity of 91,000. I am still trying to find out why Guandong stadium was deemed inadequate.
What’s more, in order to secure enough water to supply the Olympics and “green Beijing,” a canal channeled 300 million cubic metres of Hebei province’s remaining waters and rushed them 300 km north to the city. The people living in Hebei province are already suffering from a water shortage and a direct threat to their way of life.
Looking ahead to 2010
“In the excitement of the Games, it would be easy to forget about the environment and the communities that may be affected by the construction of new facilities or other preparations,” reads the Vancouver 2010 Olympics website.
Sustainability is the buzz word of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and many projects do appear to be adhering to the values of sustainable development. Let’s make sure they keep it up for Games to come!
