Water Award, Energy Award, Hemp Bags, Bicycle Towing – GCNews #688

688: 5 July 2010 – Published by Green Communities Canada.

PULL THE PLUG. Clean Nova Scotia’s Pull the Plug program gives Haligonians cash for old inefficient fridges, freezers and dehumidifiers. Runs until 21 August.

HEMP BAGS. Rideau Environmental Action League (REAL) reusable bags are made of hemp, produced locally and printed with water-based inks. $18 each or $15 each for two or more … Local store donates 10% of its bulk sales of the last Friday of July and August to REAL… Friday is Make a Deal Friday at the REAL Store.

GREEN YOUTH.Conservation Corps Newfoundland and Labrador kicked off its 18th Green Team Season with a training camp gathering over 100 youth, 28 June- 2 July. Participants met with Clara Hughes, Canadian Olympic Medal winner, and an Al Gore-trained speaker.

WATER AWARD. Thunder Bay received a Most Innovative Water Conservation Method award from The Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative. In 2009, a partnership with EcoSuperior resulted in 293 toilet replacements, presentations on water conservation to 800 students, distribution of over 550 rain barrels, and 383 water-saver visits to residents … See Earth Institute’s Raising Water Productivity to Increase Food Security article.

GIFT OF A TREE. Elora Environment Centre’s Celebration Tree comes with an engraved plaque and an invitation to take part in the planting in a local park.

WATER ISSUES. Green Communities Canada signed onto the Ontario Water Conservation Alliance, a coalition of citizens, organizations and businesses who believe an environmentally sustainable and economically secure province requires a comprehensive water conservation and efficiency strategy. GCC encourages its members to do the same … New science-based report demonstrates relative effectiveness of green vs. conventional methods of dealing with stormwater and spells out environment and economic benefits of green infrastructure … Greening Nipissing held a successful rain barrel event during which 30 barrel were made and sold … A Canadian Charter of Freshwater Rights and Responsibilities was drafted at the Freshwater Summit, 1-2  June.  50,000 signatures are sought to request action from government.

BOARD RESIGNATION HOW-TO. Resign from a board  the way you would like others to resign, says Blue Avocado. “ It’s unsettling to have fellow board members resign without knowing the reason, or suspecting that their stated reason is just an excuse.”

BARRIERS TO SUSTAINABILITY. Making it Happen-The Transition to a Sustainable Society project looks at the institutional barriers that impede the application of available solutions to environmental problems in Canada: why do they exist? how do they function? and how can they be reduced or removed?

OFF THE PAGES. Canadians can choose not to receive phone directories at home and save trees. 

SUSTAINABLE  GROUP. Citizens Advocating the Use of Sustainable Energy  is an Alberta citizens’ coalition supporting the use of sustainable energy options such as wind, solar, and biomass, as well as clean energy options such as cogeneration with natural gas, and improvements in conservation and efficiency.

ENERGY AWARD. Efficiency NB‘s program for large industry is the first Canadian organization chosen to receive the International Star (I-Star) Award for Energy Efficiency for pioneering creative energy efficiency programs and innovative solutions.

PLATE HALF FULL. WasteLOGGER software aims at minimizing pre-consumer food waste for restaurants, caterers and hotels … VegSource lists the hunger, environmental, cancer, pesticide and survival arguments for a vegetarian diet.

BICYCLE TOWING. CAA’s Bike Assist program operates similarly to CAA’s Roadside Assistance: if a cyclist is on a travelled road, they can call for help 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

JOBS. Recycling Council of Ontario, Program Manager /Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Diversion Certification Program. Toronto, due 9 July … Peterborough Community Bike Shop, Director. Due 19 July.