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Sustainability

This category contains 331 posts

Green Christmas Wrapping

I love wrapping gifts, so I always struggle with the environmental impact of it. I do things like reuse some types of wrapping paper year after year – we had some metallic paper that worked really well for this, use cloth bags that someone made me, use regular gift bags. But these are all pretty … Continue reading

Dry your hands with one paper towel

For years now I have stubbornly refused to use two paper towels to dry my hands. The prevalence of the two towel hand dry had to be having a negative impact on our paper consumption and waste production. But until now this meant that my pants generally assisted in my hand drying efforts. Little did … Continue reading

Tigers, leopards, and humans… It’s complicated

When I was a kid and my brother moved out, I took over his room immediately. Why would we think that animals are any different? I am not against recovering threatened and endangered species obviously. But, it sometimes amazes me that we are surprised that other animals, and plants to, have adapted to their absence. … Continue reading

Wolves are a vital part of the ecosystem

I was watching the local news a few days ago and was stunned to hear a story of local farmers and ranchers wanting wolves removed from the ecosystem. I have sympathy for the individuals. I understand that the wolves affect their livelihood. I think one of the issues here, and with so many similar cases … Continue reading

Affected by climate change – Alberta’s Biodiversity

The Alberta Biodiversity Monitoring Institute released a new report in June 2014 assessing the climate change vulnerability of Alberta’s land based plants and animals. 173 species were examined regarding their sensitivity, exposure to risk, and ability to adapt. Not surprisingly, amphibians are considered to be most vulnerable to climate change. This makes sense because humans create … Continue reading

Trying to find enough

When I used to talk to kids about burrowing owls I couldn’t help but talk about the relationship between the owls and farmers. I would talk about how they were both trying to make their way in the world, working to meet their own needs and this brought them into conflict with each other as … Continue reading

Why can’t I get the last little bit out of the container?

I am money conscious and waste conscious. When I am buying things in containers I will do things like buy the 1 L bottle of shampoo, rather than having to buy more of the smaller containers. It is generally cheaper to buy more and produces less waste; so long as I can use it before … Continue reading

Finding urban nature

I used to take people on voyageur canoe trips down the North Saskatchewan River Valley in Edmonton. Today, I paddle and coach dragon boats on the river. I bike through the river valley on a regular basis, both commuting and for recreation. I meet friends in the river valley parks for campfires and walks. And … Continue reading

Someone else helping others: Habitat for Humanity

Yesterday Habitat for Humanity Edmonton welcomed 16 families into the largest habitat build in Canadian history. Once completed it will provide homes and a sense of security for 64 families. The vision of Habitat for Humanity is “To see a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live.” They talk of breaking … Continue reading

Helping someone else

I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of different people through the different positions I have had. One individual who stands out was a young mother who had gotten herself out of an abusive relationship. She was going back to school when I met her. Working extremely hard to learn what she needed … Continue reading

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