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Saturday, December 25, 2010

Happy Holidays 2010

The Holiday season has arrived and thoughts have turned to parties and gift-giving. But for the eco-conscious people in your life there is the wonderment of how they can party and keep their carbon footprint low. The drama continues because people already feel pressure during the Holidays. The roads are more crowded causing more air pollution, the malls are crowded and there is the expectation to be nice to people you don’t necessarily like or agree with. (Green is seen as the new Grinch).

One of the first rules of environmentalism is to reduce consumption and buy less. However, to some ears, the call for less excessive consumption during the holidays sounds almost un-human. Here is a good Green thought - If you are going to buy gifts – Buy Local.

Canadians create up to 60,000 tons of packaging waste during the holidays so it is wise to do what you can to avoid extra packaging. You can try making homemade gifts. Even if you're not a crafty person, you could make coupons that promise friends and family the gift of your time — like a dinner, a massage or something that reflects your skills.

You could also buy as many organic, local ingredients for your holiday feast as you can afford. As we plan to sit down with family and friends to give thanks for all that we have, perhaps the biggest “Thank you” should go to Mother Earth for putting up with our blunders. Earth really has taken a lot of abuse from us humans and yet keeps providing for us and all the other species. It’s not an easy task and it keeps getting harder.

Other environmentally conscious ideas could include: wrapping your gifts in reusable bags, recycled magazines, fabric, newspaper, or turning paper bags into wrapping paper. Get even more creative by using old maps, posters, kids' coloring book pages, or sheet music to wrap gifts. Canadians go through 40 square kilometres of forest in wrapping paper each year!

As a final suggestion you can buy cards printed on recycled paper, handmade papers, or paper made from materials like hemp. Three of Hallmark’s lines have recycled content: Shoebox Greetings, My Thoughts Exactly, and Comedy Club. If you have a computer you can send e-cards instead of paper cards. By the way, Hallmark has e-cards as well. You can buy cards that donate a portion of proceeds to a good cause. At the end of the day you can reuse any paper cards you received by cutting them up to make gift tags for next year.

We live in a world where climate change, deforestation, holes in the ozone layer, water scarcity and air pollution are growing sources of concern. Finding a solution as individuals and as nations against the environmental crisis, even at this time of the year, has never been greater.

I am wishing the best for all of your Holiday celebrations. Therefore, those of you that celebrate Christmas have a happy, healthy and very Merry Green Christmas and for those of you that celebrate a holiday of a different name – Happy Green Holidays and health and happiness to all. For this is the season to celebrate that which you cherish the most: your faith in that which is greater than you, including Mother Earth.

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Climate Change Conference - Mexico December 2010

The 2010 United Nations Climate Change Conference was held in CancĂșn, Mexico, from November 29th to December 10th, 2010. The expectations for the conference were slim following the non-binding Copenhagen Accord, which was put forth at last year’s conference in Copenhagen.

However, the Climate Change Conference in Mexico ended with the adoption of a balanced package of decisions that will put all of the governments on a path towards lower emissions in the future. The decision will also support and enhance action on climate change in developing nations such as China and India.

According to the Russian contingent there seems to be an "inconvenient" truth, in the ongoing lack of awareness in all nations regarding global warming. It is noted that in most countries the domestic problems take the forefront of decision making. In this day and age, the financial crisis, which affects nearly the entire industrialized world, gets the priority while attempts to adopt a binding global treaty to reduce climate change becomes discouraging.

A key working group under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change came up with a six-page text last year in Copenhagen. The draft formed the core of a new global agreement to combat climate change beyond 2012, when the present framework, the Kyoto Protocol, expires.

At the end of this year’s Climate Change Conference in Mexico there were some key elements that were put in place:

• Parties meeting under the Kyoto Protocol have agreed to continue negotiations with the aim of completing their work and ensuring there is no gap between the first and second commitment periods of the treaty.

• A new “Cancun Adaptation Framework” has been established to allow better planning and implementation of adaptation projects in developing countries through increased financial and technical support, including a clear process for continuing work on loss and damage.

• Governments agree to boost action to curb emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries with technological and financial support.

• A total of US$30 billion in financing from the industrialized countries to help support climate action in the developing world up to 2012 and the intention to raise US$100 billion in long-term funds by 2020 was included in the decisions.

The next Conference of the Parties is scheduled to take place in South Africa, from
November 28th to December 9th, 2011.

Manufactured Landscapes

Manufactured Landscapes is a filmed documentary regarding how our industrialized society has changed the landscape of the planet. According to the photographer, Edward Burtynsky the film shows nature being transformed through industry.

The film follows Burtynsky through China and exposes the effects of the country’s massive industrial revolution and the dumping grounds of its waste. It allows the viewer to comprehend what the industrialized society of today has done to the environment and landscape of the earth we all share.

Since so much of what people in North America buy is made in China the film is correctly focused on China. We can all certainly agree that the emerging economies of China and India will create a huge demand on environmental resources. This demand will begin to strip the earth of its natural resources; and when resources become scarce…the end result is typically war. There have been many wars fought over resources throughout the ages.

What about e-waste – Did you know that most recycled electronics and copper wire ends up back in China? This film will probably change your perspective on waste and waste management. That can of pop you just finished drinking – will you throw the can in a recycle bin? Where does it end up after that? What about your old cell phone or computers? What actually happens to them after you drop them off to a recycling centre that is holding a special pick-up for e-waste? You will have to watch the documentary to find out.

The film itself has very little dialogue. The images themselves should say it all. After all, a picture says a thousand words. The film will continue to display landscapes of assembly lines, mines, and mine tailings, dams, trash heaps, recycling yards, quarries, refineries and piles of industrial and e-waste. It is up to the viewer to decide how they feel about the images that will be forever imprinted on the brain.

You are probably asking yourself why you want to see a film showing piles of what we call garbage. This documentary should at the very least make you analyze the waste you throw away. We have all partaken in the output of waste on a daily basis. If we continue to use up natural resources to provide materials for our consumption and just leave behind piles of waste – what will the landscape of the future look like?
I extend a promotion for everyone to take the time to see this film. On Friday, December 10th at 10:00 a.m. there will be a screening of this documentary at the movie theatre.

See you there.

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Senate Kills Bill C-311

In a snap decision, November 16, 2010, the Canadian Senate killed the Climate Change Accountability Act by a vote of 43-32. This vote caught the Liberal senators off guard and not enough of them showed up to vote and possibly save the Legislation.

The Bill had already spent the past year bouncing between the Parliament and the environment committee. The elected House of Commons passed the Bill in May and then it went to the Senate for final approval.

The way this vote was carried out was an insult to all Canadians and our democracy. The vote was called without notice and without debate. The Senate killed the Bill before they studied it or even called for independent expert witnesses.

The Act would have committed Canada to an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 205 and a 25% reduction below 1990 levels by 2020. Stephen Harper’s government claims the cost of reducing emissions will be economically devastating. Since the government could not defeat the Bill in Parliament they relied on the Senate to defeat it. Economists from the World Bank have concluded that the failure to reduce greenhouse gasses will have catastrophic economic and environmental consequences.

Our government dismissed its obligation under the Kyoto Protocol, which was an international climate change agreement that originally Canada and 186 other countries ratified. Now this defeat of the Climate Change Accountability Act – shows why Canada has earned the dubious reputation of obstructing progress at international negotiations regarding climate change, even though Canada is probably more vulnerable to the effects of climate change that any other industrialized nation.

In Nova Scotia, the effects of climate change would be particularly devastating as most of our infrastructure and communities are along the coastline, which would be hard hit by the rise in water levels. Even the marsh area surrounding the Town of Amherst could be hard hit by the rising waters.

Using an unelected body of government to kill a bill that was passed by a significant majority of the members of Parliament and was supported by a petition signed by more that 150,000 Canadians shows a lack of respect for Canadians that do care deeply about climate change. It was irresponsible and will leave the burden of this decision on the shoulders of our children.

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Royal Engagement and the Eco-Home

Well, you would have to be living under a rock if you have not heard about the story of the decade for Royal watchers with the announcement that Prince William will be getting married to Kate Middleton in 2011. A royal wedding for a future king doesn’t come along very often. Much of the world will probably be watching the event next spring or summer. Besides being the Royal event of the decade this story holds some eco-friendly interest.

Prince William’s father is in the process of spending between eight and nine million pounds turning a once run-down estate into an eco-farm, including the creation of a ‘green mansion’ earmarked for William’s and Kate’s use. The property, which is under construction, will be a model of eco- friendliness and will include a reed-bed sewage system, wood chip boiler, solar panels and walls lined with insulating sheep’s wool.

Construction on the six-bedroom home is likely to begin later this year. The plans include the incorporation of the most up-to-date green standards. The property will also include a chapel plus a rainwater reservoir and stables. The 8,500 square-foot, two-story home would feature solar-powered heating and insulation made of sheep’s wool. It would also include a grand dining room, a tree garden, and a hall lined with Greek columns.

As for the home’s environmental standards, there was great input from the Prince of Wales who is passionate about the environment and has a long-standing interest in architecture. This being England, there will be plenty of rain and a 200 L rainwater reservoir will recycle and then provide rainwater to the house and grounds. There will be energy-efficient lighting and a boiler using wood chips from trees on the estate. Water saving and low-energy appliances will also be included throughout the property.

For those of you, like myself, that do not live in a mansion or will likely want to spend several million dollars to build one – I am including some tips that you can use to make your own homes eco-friendly.

To Save Energy:
• If you are not using it, turn it off;
• Try to find and enable energy saving settings on all appliances;
• Unplug anything that takes energy even when it is turned off
• Plug equipment into power bars and turn them off until needed.

Sometimes it may seem difficult to go green especially for those who have a lot of other things to do within a 24 hour day. However, you can play your effective role in being eco-friendly by doing the same old activities in a different more conscientious style, keeping in mind that being environmentally friendly is not as difficult as people think it is.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Chignecto Game Sanctuary

Scientists have been saying for years that we need to protect more land to conserve wildlife and maintain natural ecosystems. The laws for the current game sanctuary protect the animals from rifle hunting and trapping but the land that they live on is not protected from mining and clear cutting. Thus the ecology of the land that the animals need to survive is slowly being destroyed. The proposal from Cumberland Wilderness encourages the protection of both.

The sanctuary will remain intact once the wilderness protected area is created over this land and the crown lands surrounding the sanctuary. The sanctuary will then hold laws that protect both the animals and the land they live on. Wilderness protection does allow long gun hunting but in the sanctuary hunting will be restricted to bow hunting only as it is now. There are many stakeholders involved with the future of the Chignecto Game Sanctuary. A blended approach is needed with ideas from all of the stakeholders interests included.

Better protection for the area does not mean that citizens and tourists will be excluded from the wilderness area. In fact parts of the Wilderness Protection Act want and allow more tourism potential and educational awareness in the form of hiking trails and other outdoor adventures.

The proposal from Cumberland Wilderness keeps 70% of the snowmobile trails open and these trails would be grandfathered in so that they will remain as usable trails. However, the Department of Natural Resources and the people that already use the trail system want to keep all of the trails open. Their interests should also be included in this blended approach. Perhaps having the Wilderness protection and all the trails that are already in existence “grandfathered in” would be the way to go?
Areas designated under the province's Wilderness Areas Protection Act are off limits to logging, mining, and industrial development, but still available for most forms of outdoor recreation including hunting, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, cross-country skiing and eco-tourism.

Section 23 (3-5) of the Wilderness Protection Act says that snowmobiles may be permitted on designated trails if the trail was in existence at the time of wilderness designation; the trail is an essential link to a more extensive snowmobile network outside the wilderness areas; and the continued use will have minimal environmental impact. Atvs may be used to gain access to recreational activities such as hunting, fishing only if no other alternative exists.

Under the Act, Section 17, the prohibited activities would be those used for commercial resources such as mining, forestry (clear-cutting), pipelines, drilling etc. Other activities that are prohibited may include: more roads, railways, altering the surface of the land and littering.

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Remembrance Day

Remembrance Day, held each year on November 11, is a day of commemoration for the individuals who lost their lives in the First World War. During this time of remembering, many nations also choose Remembrance Day to honour all the individuals that have died during times of war. One the eleventh day, of the eleventh month at the eleventh hour we shall remember.

This year, I will think of the importance of the day, respecting the tremendous sacrifices that all troops give when offering their lives for the freedom of others...sadly thinking of the people around the world who are still fighting over resources, land, and past grievances. I will think of the possible wars to come because there will be so many eco-refugees moving from place to place due to the lack of water, good farmland and the rising sea levels.

As well as remembering past wars, it is important that we work to ensure there are no more future wars. War has an enormous impact on the planet – socially, morally, psychologically, financially and also a devastating environmental impact. We’ve all seen pictures of the horrific battlefields, with scarred trees, burned oil fields, destroyed crops and bomb craters, but there is so much more to it than that.

The earth’s environment is battered by war, its preparation, practice and aftermath. It is destroyed as an act of war; it is used as a weapon of war; and its destruction is expensive and sometimes irreversible. Its involvement with war is often secret, widely ignored, and easily forgotten.

This year the United Nations designated November 6th as the International Day for Preventing the Exploitation of the Environment in War and Armed Conflict. This day was set to educate people about the damaging effects of war and armed conflict on the environment.
The assembly considered that that any environmental damage in times of armed conflict impairs ecosystems and natural resources long after the period of conflict has finished. During this designated event People learn and share information about the dangers of new technologies in war such as depleted uranium ammunition, which poses unknown threats to the environment. People around the world are also made aware that all efforts must be taken to limit environmental destruction caused by conflict.
“Lest We Forget”.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Is There A Link Between Climate Change and the Flu?

The Flu and climate change may be related. One of the many impacts of climate change can cause damage to human health. Climate change is a direct result of unsustainable development and environment degradation and the emergence and spread of diseases which may have roots in the combination of water polution and food production.

The term ‘climate change’ conjures images of melting ice caps and rising sea levels that threaten coastal cities and nations, but just as important is how increasing temperatures and fluctuating precipitation levels will change the distribution of dangerous diseases.

Seasonal influenza seems to be a cold weather illness. This is because the flu virus is transmitted through airborne respiratory droplets that have been introduced into the air through coughs and sneezes. When a person that has the flu coughs or sneezes, they propel the virus into the surrounding air which the people around them can then breathe in.

Influenza viruses can only remain airborne in atmospheric conditions of low humidity, and are more common in the colder months. When the humidity increases, water molecules in the atmosphere cling to airborne flu viruses and cause them to drop to the ground, where they cannot be breathed in.

There has been a new study done by Oregon researchers that has found a significant correlation between "absolute" humidity and influenza virus survival and transmission. When absolute humidity is low – as in the peak flu months of January and February – the virus appears to survive longer and the transmission rates increase.

Climate Change may have contributed to the accelerated occurrence of pandemics, but it is more likely the size and deadliness of the recent 100 years of pandemics that may be attributed to global activities such as the economy, war and pollution.

Different internet sites quote differing statistics so these are just approximate. The Spanish Flu (1918) — actually started in the United States and recorded approximately 50 million deaths worldwide. The Asian Flu (1957) — approx. 2 million deaths worldwide and the Hong Kong Flu (1969) — approx. 1 million deaths worldwide.

The Hong Kong Flu lingered around for 20 years (1969 to about 1992), but it was not a pandemic by definition. However, within the last 10 years, there has been three new potential pandemics (Avian Flu 2004; SARS 2005; and the Swine Flu 2009). The reason is unclear, but fortunately, knowledge and quick actions were taken to slow the spread.You may want to consider some of these statistics regarding the effects of climate change when you get your flu shot this year.


Lisa Emery, B.A. is currently living in Amherst. Lisa invites comments to her columns. You can contact Lisa at: emeryvine@gmail.com. Follow her on her blog at http://emeryvinegrapevine.blogspot.com

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Happy Halloween a Time to Be Green

Halloween can be a scary time of year for the green-minded. Last week was waste reduction week. This week the days leading up to Oct. 31st can be a minefield of candy wrappers and other waste items. It makes things difficult for anyone trying to celebrate Halloween in a more environmentally friendly manner. Here are some ideas for celebrating Halloween that may be better for the environment.

If you think of all the waste involved with Halloween between the candy packaging and the costumes that are only worn once for a couple of hours of fun, and the money involved in purchasing these items, the whole idea of Halloween becomes very scary indeed.

One suggestion regarding your Halloween decorations - try to decorate your home with locally grown pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn or attractively colored, natural fall leaves; they're more attractive than most of the plastic and paper decorations. However, if you go for the plastic decoration you can reuse them next year.

For party food, think pumpkin pie, sweets made with local apples, and other dishes that emphasize ingredients of the season where you live. The farmers’ market in Amherst should be able to supply all of these local food and decorating ideas.
Cloth or canvas shopping bags, or even pillowcases, make terrific eco-friendly alternatives to paper or plastic bags. Reusable bags are not only better for the environment at Halloween, they’re also better for kids. Paper and plastic bags can tear easily, spilling your Halloween treats. Reusable bags are much more durable.
Choose treats that use very little packaging, which is produced using fossil fuels and cannot be recycled. Whenever possible, buy locally produced treats from local merchants. Buying locally supports your local economy, and also reduces fuel consumption and pollution associated with transporting products.

If you prefer not to give out candy of any kind, you do have other options. Some people choose to hand out coins, pencils, stickers, little gadgets, stamps, small colouring books, small boxes of crayons, erasers in fun shapes, or other inexpensive items you can find at your local dime store or dollar store. Check these items first and make sure they do not present a choking hazard.

Have fun and be careful. Please compost your pumpkins and try to add some green to your orange and black Halloween celebrations. 

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Waste Reduction Week in Canada

October 18th to October 24th is Waste Reduction Week, which is typically held the third week of October each year. Waste Reduction Week's origins can be traced back to the mid 1980s, when a number of recycling councils and environmental organizations began holding provincial Recycling and Waste Reduction Weeks. In 2001, these organizations came together and decided to pool their resources and expand their efforts into a national event called Waste Reduction Week in Canada.

Clean Nova Scotia began Waste Reduction Week about 15 years ago. The program urges everyone to do their part in by reducing, reusing and recycling in every aspect of their lives – at home, school and work. The theme of Waste Reduction Week is, ‘Too Good to Waste’. Traditionally this event concentrated on the reduction of solid waste; however, the word reduce can and should be a reoccurring theme in our use of water and energy.

According to the Clean Nova Scotia website the three Rs are in order of importance with “reduce” being at the forefront. Each person can help by practicing the 3Rs everyday in their lives. The 3Rs being reducing waste, recycling and reusing materials. Reducing waste is by far the most efficient method of conserving resources and protecting our environment. We are all responsible for the waste that we produce. Some thoughts on reducing waste at work or at school, we could: Reduce paper by using both sides; pack your lunches in reusable containers; and/or purchase products with a recycle content.

Reusing items gives the resources that they were made from another life, meanwhile reducing pollution and conserving the energy needed in the manufacturing or recycling processes. Samples of reusing materials would be reusing jars, plastic bags and containers for storage or by purchasing durable products that can be repaired and then reused.

Recycling or buying products with recycled content is another way to conserve our resources. At work or school there should be thought put into creating a recycling program which will help save money in disposal costs. Our economy has been traditionally measured in production and consumption. Rising incomes will lead to rising consumption and more waste in the form of packaging and other materials that will enter the landfills.

Businesses should therefore consider waste reduction initiatives to reduce their environmental impacts. There are some advantages for business that choose to reduce their waste, which include: a reduction in pollution; possible revenues from marketing reusable materials; savings from more efficient work practices; and it may enhance the corporate image. If businesses communicate their efforts to their consumers and encourage feedback they will have more success with their initiatives.

For more information you can visit the website of Waste Reduction Week Canada at: www.wrwcanda.com.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving

Next Monday marks the first Holiday of our fall season. Traditionally, Thanksgiving is the second Monday, of the month of October and marks the end of the growing season in this climate region. At this time, nature begins its decline and becomes ready for winter. This was the time that the first settlers brought together all the types of food they managed to grow and hosted a feast for the season.

There is still fresh produce at roadside stands and at the local farmers markets. Now is a good time to pick up that fresh pumpkin, squash, corn, zucchini, potatoes and radishes. You can check the local grocery stores for local meat, ham or poultry or perhaps an organic turkey is more your style. There are plenty of places to buy local dairy products such as butter, eggs, milk and cheeses. .

When you start eating foods grown closer to home you are ready to explore what a sustainable diet should look like and begin to develop a relationship with the growers and producers.

We do live in a global culture that takes for granted the fact that we can eat strawberries from New Zealand in the middle of January or other fresh fruits from other far away places in the dead of our winter months. But at this time of the year our own local bounty, which can be bought and frozen for a later meal is much better for you and for the environment.

The result of eating locally produced foods goes above and beyond the reduction of greenhouse gases produced in global shipping, it is support for a local economy that in turn will also be propelled towards more sustainable practices. It is easier to make decisions about sustainability in the produce that you buy when you can walk into the local farmers’ market and see the produce fresh from a local for yourself. The food that travels a great distance then becomes the enemy of awareness.

On another note, It is rather ironic that recycling has always been an integral part of the Thanksgiving celebration. Just think – in the days following the meal, you find yourself eating turkey soup, turkey sandwhiches, and turkey pot pie. In fact, by tradition, no part of the turkey is wasted. When you get down to the bones it is time to compost. During the Thanksgiving Holiday celebrate wisely with you family and friends and help make dinner a sustainable event.

This Thanksgiving see what you can create with local ingredients in keeping with the spirit of Thanksgiving. A Holiday that was created to give thanks for the local bounty.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

International Walk To School Month

International Walk to School Month gives children, parents, school teachers and community leaders an opportunity to be part of a global event to celebrate the benefits of walking. In 2009, millions of walkers from around the globe walked to school together hoping to create communities that are safe places to walk.

Last year a record 40 countries participated in the 2009 International Walk to School events, and new countries are joining this international event all the time. An international event can create a higher level of awareness of the issues within the community that surrounds the journey to and from school.

For many parents around the world, the car has become the main means of transporting children to and from school. The reasons of convenience, work commitments, safety concerns and general changes in lifestyle in a growing economy are just some of the factors influencing their choice of the car as a mode of travel to and from school for their children. Of course, in rural areas the bus is used to transport students to school; however, once the student is at the school, and in a safe territory they should be encouraged to exercise by short walks on school property or near-by.

The proportion of journeys to school made by car has increased considerably in the last several years, with the effect being a gradual decline in the numbers of children walking to and from school on a regular basis. This shows the lack of daily exercise for our students that need to exercise in order to stay healthy. Remember the old stories from your parents or grand-parents that HAD to walk to school up-hill both ways in the snow?

The general themes that are promoted during the International Walk to School month (IWALK) include: increasing daily physical activity, improving safety, enhancing the environment, developing community cohesion, promoting social interaction and reducing traffic congestion, pollution and speed near schools.

For students who cannot walk to school, encourage recess or lunch walking clubs and have students track the number of kilometers they walk. Challenge the entire school to walk across Canada or the world by walking to school/at school and keeping track of their kilometers.

To learn more about this international event visit http://www.iwalktoschool.org/. T-shirts and other “walk to school” gifts can viewed at: http://shop.cafepress.ca/walk-to-school.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Take Me Outside Week

Take Me Outside Week is organized through Recreation Nova Scotia in partnership with Sense of Wonder Environmental Education and the Sharing Nature Foundation. From September 20th to September 26th, this event, in Nova Scotia, supports a back to nature movement for our children and youth.

This movement has two goals: first to encourage nature and environmental programs and activities among organizations, schools, individuals and families; and second to expose our youth to nature experiences and activities. People and organizations that are taking part can register at www.takemeoutside.ca. There you can list what you plan to do in regards to exposing youth to nature. Some examples include going for a bike ride, a hike, gardening, etc.

Another example could be the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup. Every September, Canadians from across the county head for the shore to help clean up litter and make a positive impact on their communities along the shore. This may be a fun way for everyone to be involved and get outside. This cleanup activity is slated from September 18th to September 26th. This is a hands-on conservation activity that can give a person an environmental one of a kind learning experience. If you would like to be involved in this outdoor activity you can register your cleanup site at http://shorelinecleanup.ca.

Another event that is happening this weekend is the Cumberland County River Enhancement Association Second Annual Fundraising Dinner and Auction being held September 25, 2010 beginning at 6:00 p.m. The location of this significant event is the Amherst Fire Hall. This fund- raiser will feature both live and silent auctions and raffles for all outdoor enthusiasts. The funds raised will go to the continuing operation of the Williamsdale Hatchery.

The CCRE is a local group created to work with the community to foster the conservation and restoration of our freshwater ecosystems in Cumberland County. For more information on this group and the fundraising dinner you can go to www.nsflyguy.ca.

With all of these great outdoor activities to choose from it should be easy to get our young people outside, away from their computers, and have fun while learning in the great outdoors at the same time.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Sussex Hot Air Balloon Fiesta

This past weekend was the hot air balloon fiesta in Sussex, New Brunswick. Since the weather on Saturday was not great I made the trip early (5:30 a.m.) to Sussex on Sunday to see the balloons launch at 7:00 in the morning. It was a long drive at such an early hour but well worth it. According to a brochure that I read the best time to fly is just after sunrise when the winds are at their calmest and the air is more stable.

A hot air balloon acts like a big bubble, and attached to the bubble is a basket, which is made of wicker and woven by hand, for the pilot and passengers, a heat source, and fuel. When the balloon first arrives it is folded into the basket along with all of the equipment needed. Once it is laid out for inflation it may be as long as 60 feet and nearly as wide. Air is then forced into the balloon and then the pilot will ignite the heat source, which is typically a propane burner, and aim the flame directly inside the balloon. The air inside the balloon needs to be heated to temperatures of 100 to 250 degrees greater than the air outside. As the air begins to heat, the balloon will begin to rise to a position above the basket and then it is ready to go!

The balloon itself is made of reinforced fabric called rip-stop nylon. This material is very lightweight, but very strong. The fabric is then coated on the inside to prevent leaks. Once in the air the pilot will go wherever the wind takes him, but by selecting different altitudes and wind currents a trained pilot can fly in any direction they want to go. Since the balloon has no forward propulsion systems, its speed is determined by the speed of the wind.

When it is time to land there is a vent at the top of the balloon that is opened to dump some of the air and the pilot light on the propane burner is blown out. As the air inside the balloon begins to cool the whole kit and caboodle will begin to descend to the ground.

Hot air balloons work on one of two principles. The "hot air rises" principle is at work in balloons with propane tanks aboard; the propane heats the air, the air rises, the balloon floats. In other words it is truly full of hot air.

The burners in an hot air balloon generally run on propane. The propane is kept in pressurized tanks on the floor of the basket. It carries 30 to 40 gallons of liquid propane, which passes to the burner throught flexible hoses. When the valve opens and the pilot light is lit the flame may shoot out as much as 10 to 20 feet and make a loud “whoosh” sound.

Propane is a relatively clean fuel, but the balloons require quite a bit of it in flight – an amount comparible to running your gas grill for three days. The propane does emit some pollutants, including carbon dioxide. However, the amount of pollutants emitted by balloon burners is small compared to cars, motor boats, and SUVs. In the big picture hot air balloons have a very small effect on the environment.

Propane is a petroleum by-product that is usually extracted when making other oil products. In this way you could argue that it's making the most of an energy source. It also burns much cleaner than some other types of fuel and hot air balloons are a relatively efficient mode of transportation as it can go pretty far on very little fuel.

Lisa Emery, B.A. is currently living in Amherst. Lisa invites comments to her columns. You can contact Lisa at: emeryvine@gmail.com.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Hurricane Earl

During the past few years, Canada has had to deal with five or six hurricanes a year. There is really no way to accurately predict how many storms in the Atlantic will affect Canada. The predictions for this year say that we will have an active hurricane season with up to five large storms in the Atlantic Canada region between August and November. So the question is – Was Earl the last because it was the fifth named storm or the first of five large storms to sweep into our region?

A hurricane is formed by a group of thunderstorms that circle around each other and form a vortex. This group of thunderstorms continues to spin in tight formation until, in the centre, the eye is formed. The meteorologist watch the eye to see when and where the hurricane will make land fall since this is where the hurricane will pack the greatest punch. Earl landed on the South Shore near and definitely affected the areas around Halifax and Lunenburg.

The winds were very strong in the Amherst Shore area causing the trees to bend from the force. At around 2:00 there was absolute silence. The wind had completely stopped blowing and there was the eerie feeling of “what just happened”?

The resident’s nearby began to cleanup any downed branches from trees and inspect their properties for damage. By this time the power was out. At 3:00p.m. I received a phone call from my cousin in Ottawa that was watching CNN and the announcers described where Earl was and where he was heading. The eye or the centre of the storm was directly over – Amherst Shore. They stated that as soon as the eye area had passed we would be in for round two of the winds. This did happen but thankfully Earl had blown himself out over land and the winds were not as strong as they were during the first part of his windy event.

Imagine – Amherst Shore was being described on CNN and we all missed it because the power was out and the weather channel who was supposed to keep our local stations up-to-date was busy describing the area around Halifax and not letting us know what was happening in other parts of the province. Oh, the shame of it - caught without the story by CNN.

The Gulf Stream becomes an important factor when predicting Hurricanes in our region. Scientists know that the ocean has been warming up on a yearly basis due to more heat in the atmosphere. This has an effect on all storms from thunderstorms to hurricanes.

In Nova Scotia, we can expect warmer average temperatures, higher sea levels, more extreme rainfalls and storm flooding, and more-frequent and extreme storms. Preparing for these changes poses particular challenges in Nova Scotia because most of our population lives along the coastline.

Hurricane Earl may have been a bit of a dud in some areas of the province including the Town of Amherst but continued vigilance of these storms and preparations will become very important for everyone.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

The Eat Atlantic Challenge

On September 2, 2010, the Eat Atlantic Challenge is trying to encourage Atlantic Canadians to eat only food produced in Atlantic Canada for one entire day. The goal is to promote the economic, health and environmental benefits of eating food that is produced right here in Atlantic Canada.

By Eating Atlantic you are supporting farmers from all over Atlantic Canada who make a living producing food for our tables and in turn retain money and jobs in our communities. There are family farms in the area that have been growing food and sharing food in Atlantic Canada for generations.

A few examples of this would be McCains French fries in New Brunswick or Cavendish from PEI, Ganong’s chocolates from Saint John, Blueberries and Maple products from Oxford Frozen Foods, wines from Jost in Malagash and the list goes on.

Atlantic products can easily be found in each of the four food groups: fruits and vegetables; meats, seafood and other protein products, dairy products; and grains. Do you love fresh fish and seafood? Some of the local seafood that can be purchased include: Lobster, blue mussels, oysters, trout and salmon.

Eating nutritious and balanced meals is essential for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. At this time of the year it is easy to find the necessary fruit and vegetables for a healthy lifestyle. By eating home-grown food we will know more about how are food is grown and have a say as consumers about how and where our food is grown.

The Eat Atlantic Food Challenge has been set up by the Atlantic Co-op Food Stores. Those who pledge to take part in the challenge automatically qualify for a chance to win a gift basket of Atlantic foods, valued at $250, donated by the region’s Co-op food stores.

So challenge your friends to eat Atlantic or you can also make the pledge yourself by going to www.eatatlantic.ca.

The Emeryvine Retail Shop - A Full Assortment of Clothing, Gifts, and Accessories with photos and art designs. There are also Environmentally Friendly Products available.

http://www.cafepress.ca/Emeryvine

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Climate Change and Hurricanes

During the past several years, Canada has had to deal with five or six hurricanes a year. Climate specialists say that this particular storm activity could continue for another decade. There is really no way to accurately predict how many storms in the Atlantic will affect Canada. What we lack in number of hurricanes we make up for in their intensity. Think of hurricane Juan and White Juan just a few months later. The cleanup from hurricane Juan still continues in Point Pleasant Park, in Halifax. The predictions for this year say that we will have an active hurricane season with up to five large storms in the Atlantic Canada region between August and November

A hurricane is formed by a group of thunderstorms that circle around each other and form a vortex. This group of thunderstorms continues to spin in tight formation until, in the centre, the eye is formed. The meteorologist watch the eye to see when and where the hurricane will make land fall since this is where the hurricane will pack the greatest punch.

There is growing evidence the climate change and warming conditions in the oceans and the atmosphere will make hurricanes even more destructive in the future; however, this does not necessarily mean more hurricanes. In our area, the Gulf Stream becomes an important factor. Scientists know that the ocean has been warming up on a yearly basis due to more heat in the atmosphere. This has an effect on all storms from thunderstorms to hurricanes.

Hurricane Bill was the first major hurricane of the 2009 Atlantic Hurricane season.. Bill, originated as a tropical wave that emerged from the western coast of Africa on August 12, and organized into a tropical depression on August 15, 2009. The depression was quickly upgraded to a tropical storm. This storm continued to track west-northwestward. Bill attained hurricane status and major hurricane status on August 17 and by August 18th the status as a Category 4 Hurricane. It weakened as it veered north, passing Bermuda with little impact, and then, thankfully, Bill lost its tropical characteristics as it passed into the waters of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

Was this hurricane caused by climate change? How will climate change continue to affect Nova Scotia? We are beginning to experience a gradual increase in the impacts of climate change. This may mean increasingly extreme weather (hot or cold), droughts, flooding on the marsh and in towns like Oxford, and erosion along our beaches. How can we be proactive against such an enormous global threat as climate change?

In Nova Scotia, we can expect warmer average temperatures, higher sea levels, more extreme rainfalls and storm flooding, and more-frequent and extreme storms. Preparing for a changing climate poses particular challenges in Nova Scotia because most of our population lives along the coastline and much of our infrastructure is located in those vulnerable areas.

Education should be a major focus. Communities need to understand climate change so they can prepare for expected changes. Hurricane Bill may have been a bit of a dud but continued vigilance and preparations will become very important for everyone.

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

The Positive Aspects of Community Gardening

Community gardens promote healthy communities and help provide food security for some low income persons. Community gardens also strengthen community bonds and create recreational and therapeutic opportunities for the people of the community. They can also promote environmental awareness and provide community education. One of the goals to create healthier communities is to improve the nutrition and access to food for the community as a whole.

One thought behind a community garden is to provide fresh local produce to community organizations that help serve those in need. The community garden in Amherst is a product of many community organizations that help provide for those in need; such as, the Cumberland Food Network, Maggie’s Place, and the local food bank, just to name a few.

During the past week there were a few incidents at our local community garden that may have been a little demoralizing at first for the gardeners; however, everyone is moving forward with the food that is continuing to grow. Some of the gardeners give directly to places like the food bank while others share what they can, from the food they grow, with other people.

There may be a little bit of confusion regarding the term “Community Garden”. Some may feel that once the food is growing anyone in the “community” can go and pick it. During a meeting last week this was discussed and the gardeners are willing to share some of their food but would like to be asked first. After all, they are doing the hard part – growing, weeding, watering and caring for the plants until they are ready to be harvested.

There was a little outcry in the comments section of the Amherst Daily News regarding youth in our community. We have several pre-teens growing gardens and working in gardens with some of our more experienced gardeners. They are learning to grow vegetables and learning how to share and work with others. There was also a Leadership Group from Maggie’s Place that came up to the garden a few weeks ago to help pick weeds and do some cleanup. This was a wonderful group of youngsters and I was very privileged to meet them and work with them. Let us not forget the Canada World Youth Group that helped clean out the garden at the end of last year. They brought some of the food home to the people they were staying with and the rest went to the food bank “from them”.

So, let’s not paint all youth with a bad streak. We were all young once and perhaps did a few things that we may not be proud of including swiping a few carrots or cucumbers from a garden. But give the youth a chance to shine and they will shock you with what they are willing to do to make grownups proud of them. So three cheers to the youth in our community!!

Anyone can grow food for their table or even flowers if they choose at the Community Garden. It does not cost anything for a garden plot. We just hope that you too are willing to share just a little bit of it.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Vandals strike at community garden - Local - News - The Amherst Daily News

Vandals strike at community garden - Local - News - The Amherst Daily News

This act of vandalism was very disappointing for the community gardeners in Amherst. But we will perservere. The food that is still being grown will be harvested and most sent to the local food bank.

Dream kitchen of the future is green, survey finds

Dream kitchen of the future is green, survey finds



This article is an interesting approach to bringing the outdoors indoors.

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Eco-Friendly School Supplies

Summer vacation is almost over, which means it’s time for back-to-school shopping. This year there are choices you can make regarding environmentally friendly school supplies. There is a green, environmentally-conscious school supply alternative for every one of your school and homework needs, so it’s the perfect time to make a conscious choice to think about the environment while shopping.

The main issue is reducing the amount of stuff that you have to buy. By reusing supplies from last year you will reduce the amount of stuff you have to purchase. It's the best thing you can do to be more environmentally friendly.

We all know the three Rs. If you ask kids how many of them recycle all of them do try. But, if you ask them how many of them reuse or reduce they're completely confused. By reusing you will reduce the amount of stuff you're going to have to purchase. Can you reuse binders, pencils, and markers and crayons from last year? You might not need to buy them new.

Paper, paper, paper! Paper is a product of logging and deforestation, which makes finding a green school supply alternative a bit difficult. Wrong! Most stores sell notebook paper made from 100 percent recycled paper. Just make sure you check the paper package before you buy it.

14 billion pencils are produced every year, many made with wood from forests. Look for the FSC label on pencils and paper. Many paper products are made from trees specifically grown and harvested for papermaking, thus sparing delicate rainforest ecosystems. The Forest Stewardship Council certifies that wood and paper products are grown and managed responsibly.

You can buy refillable pens to cut down on pens you have to purchase. If you must buy disposables, choose pens that are recycled. You can also look for refillable pens made of recycled materials. Every child needs a ruler when they are going back to school. Most rulers that you can buy in the store come in either plastic or wood. There is a green alternative to the ruler conundrum: A ruler that was used last year.
Purchase supplies with minimal packaging. Packaging makes up about a third of the garbage that piles up in landfills. Also, less processing and packaging means less energy goes into production, and less global warming pollution is created.

Environmentally friendly school supplies aren't a new idea — recycled paper and refillable pens and pencils have been around for years — but increased green awareness in the marketplace has made them more prominent. Cutting back on back-school purchases isn't only good for the planet- it's good for your wallet, too.




Lisa Emery, B.A. is currently living in Amherst. Lisa invites comments to her columns. You can contact Lisa at: emeryvine@gmail.com. Follow her on her website at: http://sustainablefuture.webs.com or view her blog at http://emeryvinegrapevine.blogspot.com

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Water Conservation

It is imperative that we protect all that we rely on to survive. This includes clean water, clean air, productive farmland, biodiversity and reforestation. But of all of our natural resources, water is the most essential. However, the available supply is diminishing rapidly as human populations grow and inefficiently drain our precious fresh water aquifers.

The good news is that we can all do our part to conserve water by taking simple measures and such steps can be relatively easy and pain-free. A more sustainable path is to use the water that we have wisely. The first and most sensible thing to do is to make sure that any leaks or drips in your house are fixed to avoid constant water loss.

Other tips involve waiting for a full load of laundry before running your machine or wetting your toothbrush when brushing your teeth and then turning the water off until you are ready to rinse. Do you realize that you are wasting up to 3 gallons of water for every 30 seconds that you leave the tap running while brushing your teeth?

Another idea is not to turn on the shower until you are ready to get in or even get your body wet in the shower and then turn the water off while you soap up, and then turn it back on to rinse off. You could also invest in a water saving showerhead that provides a nice strong spray but uses less water than traditional showerheads.

There are also conservation ideas for water usage outside the home. Instead of using just a simple hose, connect a sprayer to your garden hose so that when watering plants you save one water usage. If you use low spray sprinklers early in the mornings and late in the evenings, the water has less chance of evaporating. Or even better, use a cistern to collect rainwater for watering your plants. Another tip for watering you plants – use the water that you have boiled vegetables in after the water has cooled. This will add some nutrients to the water.

Theses sustainable measures are not ludicrous. They are simple choices for anyone that wants to conserve the water they use in their daily lives. The benefits of these tips are twofold: reduce your water usage while saving on your water bill.

Lisa Emery, B.A. is currently living in Amherst. Lisa invites comments to her columns. You can contact Lisa at: emeryvine@gmail.com. Follow her on her website at: http://emeryvine.webs.com or view her blog at http://emeryvinegrapevine.blogspot.com

Friday, July 30, 2010

Local Flooding a Symptom of Climate Change

According to Nova Scotia’s Department of Environment, climate change is more than a warming trend. The increasing temperatures will lead to changes in many aspects of our weather, such as wind patterns, the amount and type of precipitation, and the types and frequency of severe weather events that may be expected to occur in our province. Such climate change could have far-reaching and unpredictable environmental, social and economic consequences.

In Canada such environmental stresses could cause problems with where we grow our food and how we transport it; deep changes in infrastructure, community designs and cause regional vuneralbility. We are not prepared for any of this!!
Any politician that is listening to not only the scientists but also the local people will know what will happen if the dykes on the tantramar marshes give way to Bay of Fundy. Most of the marsh will be under water and Nova Scotia could become separated from the mainland for a period of time possibly forever.

Most scientists feel that there will be up to a metre rise in the oceans during our lifetime. This will also cause a rapid change in our coastal areas, our geography and could hold significant consequences. This is a period when Mother Nature takes over and should be a matter of urgency with all three levels of government.

Just last week, after the flooding in Nappan, the County Council decided it will be calling on the province to replace the existing aboiteau on the Nappan River with a new, larger structure that would be able to handle an increasing amount of water. Some people in the area felt that the debris in the area of the dam caused the flooding; however, if you think about it – the flood waters brought the debris to the dam area.

During the storm that ensued on July 10th, more than 90 mm of rain fell on the area. There were flood alerts issued the night before, by Cindy Day, during the CTV news, for Cumberland County. The localized flooding closed the Smith Road and flooded farmer’s fields stranding cattle.

In the past the rebuilding and the maintaining of the dykes was the job of the federal government; however, in 1967 the responsibility of maintaining the dykes and aboiteaux was deemed solely that of the province. Last week, Doug Bacon, the farmer whose cattle became stranded, and area resident Ben Griffin spoke to the County Council urging them to lobby the province to widen the aboiteau and to urge the federal government to again become involved in maintaining the dykes on the marsh near Amherst.

A United Nations climate report last year described Nova Scotia and New Orleans as areas that have important highway and rail infrastructure located on or behind dyke systems that will provide progressively less protection unless raised on an ongoing basis. Strengthening our dyke system may be the only way to avert disaster in the future so we will not leave our children with a mess to clean up.

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Green Travel

The next couple of months will mark the time that Nova Scotian’s travel and visit areas of our own Province. Like any other consumer item, travel comes with many choices which may include ecologically friendly and/or green travel. As public concerns regarding global warming increase, travel companies and tourist attractions are trying to embrace environmentally friendly practices to accommodate the growing number of tourists that are making “greener” travel choices.

The first stop for most visitors to our Province is the Nova Scotia Visitor Information Centre at the border of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. This is the true “Gateway” to the Province.
I encourage residents of the County to visit this Centre and the friendly staff who can answer any of your questions about the Province, including environmental matters. While at the Centre you should visit their flower garden. The garden itself is huge and holds many types of flowers and plants. Behind the Centre is the site of the Acadian Village “Beaubasin” and the former Fort Lawrence.

Current green-travel initiatives have grown out of ecotourism, sustainable tourism and nature tourism. Ecotourism is in fact growing at three times the rate of traditional tourism. In the past the Department of Tourism for Nova Scotia has put out an ecotourism guide for the Glooscap Trail which begins in Amherst and follows the trail through Advocate and Parrsboro and on to Truro. There is a complete description of the ecology of each area you would be travelling through and some of the attractions along the way. You could request this guide from the Department of Tourism or check the visitor centres.

To be able to visit places that are environmentally friendly you need to make careful choices and be able to ask many questions regarding green initiatives. You may want to hold off and travel during the off-season to avoid over-crowding of natural sites and the depletion of natural resources; you should try to eat in locally owned restaurants and see if these restaurants serve locally harvested food; and leave excess packaging of store bought travel articles at home where you know they can be recycled;

Some other ideas to make your travel more environmentally friendly include: Unplugging some of your appliances at home to save energy while you are away. When visiting a park area, never leave your own paths and do not disrupt or remove anything. Leave everything exactly how you found it so that others may enjoy the park in the future. If you are camping, please leave the park better than you found it. Carry all trash out with you, do not burn or bury your trash, and double check the campsite to make sure that nothing gets left behind.

If anyone in the local area wants to highlight their travel environmental or ecological practices to the readers of the Amherst Daily News, please feel free to contact me at the e-mail address below. I hope everyone enjoys their summer travels.

Lisa Emery, B.A. is currently living in Amherst. Lisa invites comments to her columns. You can contact Lisa at: emeryvine@gmail.com. Follow her on her website at: http://emeryvine.webs.com or view her blog at http://emeryvinegrapevine.blogspot.com

Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Our Daily Toxins

This past weekend my mother and I took a day trip up to the Bouctouche area. One of the many places we stopped at was the Olivier Soapery where they make soap from pure products. They hand craft their soaps from the pure products such as olive oil, cocoa butter and bees wax. Then they add petals of various flowers to give the soap colour as well as a special smell.

One thing the ladies at Soapary mentioned is that the word “Natural” or the word “Pure” on a product label does not always mean the product is safe or even made from natural ingredients. They have a saying at the Soapary – If you do not put a product that is found in various skin care products in your mouth – Don’t put it on your skin.

While we were there they made soap with just the three ingredients listed above and then just added boiling hot water with sea salt to create the chemical process needed to form soap. They added petals of flowers and then poured the mixture into moulds, which would have to set for six days.

They gave us a fact sheet, which shows various chemicals that are used in other soaps, cosmetics, shampoos, and toothpaste. Some of these ingredients are incredibly harmful and could cause cancer. Have you ever bothered to read the ingredients on the package labels of the various cosmetics you may use during the day??

According to the fact sheet they supplied us with – the commercial cosmetic industry says that it is safe to put toxic chemicals into our personal care products because the amount in each product is to small to matter. Really?? Try to think of how many products you use in a single day; toothpaste, soaps, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, body lotions, shaving lotions and makeup.

Unlike food and drugs, cosmetics and body care products are not approved for safety by any North American government agency before they are sold. The European Union now bans 1,100 chemicals from personal care products unlike 11 ingredients banned or regulated for use in the United States.

Since I am so sensitive and allergic to many perfumes and certain smells I thought I might have a problem at the soap factory; however, I was surprisingly not as affected as I thought I would be. This may have to do with the lack of chemicals used to create the soaps. One smell that always gets to me is the antibacterial hand cleansers that every place I go seems to have installed. I can not use them and I know immediately when someone in my vicinity has used some as I immediately begin to sneeze and cough. The Soapary does offer various (non chemical) products that act as antibacterial and provide better cleanliness. Perhaps we all need to re-think the products we are putting on our bodies as well as in our bodies.


Lisa Emery, B.A. is currently living in Amherst. Lisa invites comments to her columns. You can contact Lisa at: emeryvine@gmail.com. Follow her on her website at: http://emeryvine.webs.com

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Healthier Office Spaces Benefit Everyone

Healthier Office Spaces Benefit Everyone

Gardening for Local Food Production

Community gardens promote healthy communities and provide food security for many low income persons. Community gardens strengthen community bonds and create recreational and therapeutic opportunities for the people of the community. They can also promote environmental awareness and provide community education. One of the goals to create healthier communities is to improve nutrition and access to food for the community as a whole.

A community garden has the potential to address much larger issues such as food security. In order for a community to enjoy food security it must have access to adequate amounts of safe and nutritious foods that are produced in an environmentally sustainable way.

Food security encompasses the safety, quality and sustainability of our food supply, and access to a healthy diet. When thinking about food security in relation to your community, ask yourself some of the following questions:

• Does your community have access to local-grown nutritious food?
• What happens when families can't afford to buy nutritious food?
• What role do community gardens and community kitchens play in enhancing people's ability to eat well?
• Do we have a sustainable agricultural system?

By making sure that all people, at all times, have access to adequate amounts of safe, nutritious, appropriate foods, produced in an environmentally sustainable way and provided in a manner that promotes dignity, we will have obtained the first steps of food security.

One purpose of a community garden is to provide fresh local produce to community organizations who help serve those in need. The community garden in Amherst is a product of many community organizations that help provide for those in need; such as, the Poverty Action Committee, the Cumberland Food Network, Maggies Place, and the local food bank, just to name a few.

We still have a few spaces left if you would like to grow food for yourself and for others less fortunate. Please contact me if you would like to be a part of the Amherst Community Garden.


Lisa Emery, B.A. is currently living in Amherst. Lisa invites comments to her columns. You can contact Lisa at: emeryvine@gmail.com. Follow her on her website at: http://emeryvine.webs.com or view her blog at http://emeryvinegrapevine.blogspot.com

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Green Summer To-Do List

Green Summer To-Do List

Local Food Production

As a community we need to support our local farmers in the development of sustainable farming practices and support the development of food access programs such as community gardens, farmers’ markets and produce stands. As consumers we should seek out local farmers markets and/or buy locally grown seasonal food in order to cut down on the environmental costs associated with transporting produce to our community from a great distance.

Food security also includes being able to make a living by growing and producing food in ways that protect and support both the land, sea and the food producers, and that in turn will help ensure that there will be healthy food for our children’s children. The way that we now produce and process food cannot support a sustainable food system. We need to encourage a way of producing food that will last well into the future and ensure that our children’s children have all the food they need.

Gardens are of great benefit to both the gardener and helping develop sustainability. You can start with something small like planting a container garden. Or you can go for something bigger like preparing a spot in your backyard for a vegetable garden. Planting a small garden is good for you and for the earth. If you do not have a backyard (apartments) then perhaps taking part in the local community garden might benefit you.

A community Garden allows for the exchange of ideas, the sharing of gardening tips and provides varying levels of expertise. Growing your own food is a great method to build food security in our communities, promote active living and encouraging people of all ages and abiliities to work outdoors.

A community garden is an inexpensive way for people to work together to grow their own food. Community gardens are usually located in neighbourhoods where people can drop by and participate. The community garden in Amherst is located just off Veno Avenue across the street from Dickey Park. This land was donated by a community member.

The Amherst Community Garden can also be seen as poverty action at the local level. It produces fresh food and provides food security for those that grow their own food and for those that grow food and then share it with the local food bank.

If you are interested in becoming part of the Amherst Community Garden Project please feel free to contact me so I can arrange for you to have a garden plot to grow your own food.

Saturday, June 26, 2010

New Waterworld Leaders

Look what I stumbled upon. Found this on twitter. Will Jellyfish rule the oceans?

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Green Go the Grads

As you get ready to celebrate High School Graduation 2010, why not add a little green to help make sure your graduation-related events are environmentally friendly? As it turns out showing eco-solidarity at graduation just may be a theme that will catch on this year or in the future.

One way to support this vision may be to party during the daytime. By doing this you are reducing your power consumption by celebrating in the sunshine. If the party continues into the night, use the event as an opportunity to bring out energy saving alternatives, such as; candles and rechargeable batteries for your flashlights and boom boxes.

Our graduates could pin green ribbons to their black gowns during the ceremony to show solidarity in the ongoing fight for a sustainable future. Wearing a green ribbon shows solidarity with your friends and family that are moving towards a greener future. If you show people you're thinking about this, then others might start thinking the same way.

With our high school students in the area set to graduate, I’m wondering how many might choose to get involved and make it a form of action. It could be one way in which students can stand together and let the nation know that they certainly do care about the environment, and that they are willing to take action to protect it.

Perhaps you can begin to think of ways you can make a difference to protect our planet. Think of the activities that take place during graduation and see if you can make them more environmentally friendly. How about hosting a “Green Graduation Party”? Some ideas for this could be:
• Send electronic invitations and request email RSVPs.
• Request that guests use greener forms of transportation to get to and from the party, like bicycles (with helmets) or carpooling. Please have a designated driver.
• Plan the menu with local foods that are in season.
• Freeze leftovers for later meals or arrange ahead of time to donate extra food to the local food bank.
• Be sure table settings and decorations will be reused, rather than throwing away disposables. And remember, reusing is even better than recycling!
• Use potted plants like herbs as centerpieces. Give them to your guests to take home as thank-you gifts or plant them in your own garden after the party.
• Sort out recyclables when the party is over and compost as appropriate.

We have been teaching our students the smaller things that matter, such as; recycling, not wasting water and turning out the lights when leaving a room with no other occupants. These graduates have the choice to conserve or to continue to use a lot of energy. We should be helping them to make the right choice.

Congratulations to all graduates in Cumberland County.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Summer is Coming!!

Yahoo, summer is coming!! June 21st is a very important day for our planet and its relationship with the sun. June 21st is one of two solstice days when the rays of the sun directly strike one of the two tropical latitude lines. June 21st marks the beginning of summer in the northern hemisphere and at the same time heralds the beginning of winter in the southern hemisphere. Around December 21 the solstices are reversed and winter begins in the northern hemisphere.

You know it is summer because the Sun reaches its farthest point north for the year. It is at its highest in the sky at noon and the solstice shadows are very short. The higher the Sun rises in the heavens the more distance it has to travel from one horizon to the other and hence, the longer daylight. Which makes this is the longest day of the year, or so they say!

When summer occurs in a hemisphere, it is due to that hemisphere receiving more direct rays of the sun than the opposite hemisphere where it is winter. In winter, the sun's energy hits the earth at oblique angles and is thus less concentrated.

The first days of summer are a time most favoured for weeding the garden (the sap has risen to its highest point, and there is very little sap in the roots of plants). Since Sap is a life force we can also use this time to “weed” out old emotional patterns within ourselves as well as tending to the weeds in our gardens.

On the summer solstice, for many centuries people have done ritual traditions like Leaping over bonfires symbolizing leaving behind outmoded emotional patterns, stuck ways of thinking, addictions, sorrow, and the fire symbolizes the flames of passion which we are entering the new season with.

Take some time this year between June 20th and June 24th, (midsummer’s day) to do some type of ritual to pledge you to a year of growth, and passion, and joy. Summer brings us an energy that is about shifting perceptions and doing the work required to create the needed changes in our minds. Looking at what we can do to make our lives better, be the best we can be and perhaps even share and teach others this.

How do you do this? Less bad news; having fewer grumpy people around us; less thinking of what should or could have been. More laughter, more service with a smile, more connections with those who make you feel better inside and out. And of course the most important work of all with this time in our lives is the personal transformation we must make within ourselves. Thinking negative thoughts is normal, and the second that thought comes into our minds instead of feeding it, lets weed it out.


Lisa Emery, B.A. is currently living in Amherst. Lisa invites comments to her column. You can contact Lisa at: emeryvine@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/emeryvine, or view her blog at http://emeryvinegrapevine.blogspot.com

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Rivers to Oceans Week

Rivers to Oceans Week (June 8 - 13) is an opportunity to work together to create a better understanding of Canada's watersheds, our connection to fresh- and salt-water environments and what everyone can do to protect and keep watersheds healthy for people and wildlife.

As Canadians, we are blessed with a great abundance of water. Yet, how often do we think about the world living beneath the surface of our many lakes, rivers and oceans, which depends on an unspoiled supply of water?

Water is a precious resource that supports fish and wildlife populations; provides important ecological functions; is used in agriculture, industry and recreation; not to mention the main source of drinking water for both the human and animal populations. Also, fishing is not only a favourite pastime; it puts food on the table for millions of Canadians every day. Fishing for food means jobs for the people of the county which supports the local economy.

Our rivers, lakes, wetlands, estuaries and oceans are ecosystems that share energy, nutrients and inhabitants. This intricate ecosystem also connects, through the water’s thin surface, to our more familiar land-based ecosystems. That means we humans, too, are connected. Besides food connections, underwater ecosystems provide a number of other ecological “services,” such as producing life-giving oxygen and stabilizing our planet’s climate.

Lakes, rivers and oceans have, at the base of their food chain, very tiny but very plentiful free-floating plants called phytoplankton. Like the plants that grow on land, they give off oxygen. Since much of the planet’s surface is water-covered (about 70 per cent), their contribution is important.

Our rivers, oceans and lakes are becoming bombarded by threats: pollution from harmful chemicals like fertilizers, which encourages underwater plant growth that absorbs mass amounts of oxygen; acid rain can throw off the balance in watery ecosystems; and oil spills can be fatal to wildlife that rely on the water to survive.

Oil from ships can enter Canada’s oceans either accidentally or by deliberate dumping. The Seabirds face the greatest threats from oil, especially those that dive underwater to catch their food. In fact, approximately 300,000 seabirds die annually from oil pollution off the Atlantic coast of Newfoundland. Seabirds suffer from drowning, hypothermia, poisoning, and loss of flight from heavy amounts of oil on their wings.

Now think about what is happening South of our border in the Gulf of Mexico. Between the oil still gushing from the broken pipe and the chemical dispersants used – What chance do the fish, birds and wildlife in the Gulf have of surviving?

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

It's Easy To Go Green

Many people agree with the goals of the environmental movement; however, many more admit to only recycling when it comes to following up on these goals. Things such as a busy lifestyle and lack of guidance regarding their role for solutions that are needed today compound into making a greener life difficult for them.

Some people are afraid of the activism angle of going green or being an environmentalist. Adopting better habits and a more conscientious way of doing things does not have to mean overhauling your entire life. If we can remove some of the myths about being more environmentally aware people would be more ready to adapt to a few changes that are equally good for them and for their surroundings.

Your efforts to tread more lightly on this earth are not alone. Every conscious decision you make and every action you take over many days and copied by many people will have a profound effect on the environment even if you can not see what changes are occurring.

We all share in the responsibility of sustaining the health of our environment. There are simple tips to reduce our footprint on the environment. Some of these include:

• At work you can make two-sided copies to save paper.
• Put your printer, copier, fax machines on sleep mode when not in use
• Lights in rooms that are not occupied should be turned off
• In your home, fix all water leaks
• Take shorter showers
• Turn water off when you are brushing your teeth
• Use vinegar and baking soda as cleaners in your home
• Buy local for both groceries and any other retail product.
• Support your local farmer’s markets

There are lots of ways to support a cleaner greener environment these are just some of the simple ones that anyone should be able to accomplish without to much fuss. Then there is the old adage, “Reduce, Reuse and Recycle”. Three simple words to help you get started on a greener lifestyle.

Biosolids

To achieve a sustainable food supply and protect our food supply, our farmers must succeed in protecting their farm land, biodiversity, topsoil, water supply and livestock health. Good local land is a gift, but the soil can only be sustained by the farmers who know how to sustain and enrich it.

One topic that has come up regarding our farmland is the use of biosolids. Biosolids are made from the solid waste that remains in human sewage also called the sludge. Our farmland soil is a unique and valuable resource that is maintained by our local farmers. So the question is – Does it make sense to build a multi-million dollar sewage treatment plant, which will remove pollutants from the sewage only to have the pollutant by-products (sludge) spread on the land?

Protecting our farmland as a valuable and viable resource requires avoiding potential harm and degradation of the land. If the land were to become contaminated with possible pollutants from the biosolids, the damage could persist for decades.

Think of the possible contaminants in sewer sludge. Think of everyday hospital waste for example. There would be a cocktail of feces, urine, cleaners, blood, personal care products, drugs, heavy metals and other more industrial wastes. Now I understand that the left over sludge is treated before being turned into a biosolid which is then applied to the land to act as a fertilizer. But is that enough??

Proponents of the use of biosolids say yes. They insist that the biosolids are tested and meet all present regulations surrounding the treatment of wastewater products. They feel that the spread of this product is completely safe on agriculture land.

In a message written by Fred Blois of the Nova Scotia Environmental Network and the NDP Environmental Committee, It is important to consider that current waste water treatment plant technology was not designed to remove many of the nutrients, estrogenic compounds, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products present in waste water. Therefore, current technologies may be creating risks of unknown magnitude for public health.

There is a tremendous amount of new knowledge about what substances exist in biosolids and how they behave which has come to light in recent years. Contrary to claims made by proponents of biosolids, soil scientists specializing in sewage sludges have determined that contaminants can leech into groundwater sources or enter other water courses via field run-off.

The Nova Scotia Environmental Network is asking Nova Scotians to collect signatures on a petition to the provincial government to declare an immediate moratorium on the use of sewage sludge (biosolids) on Nova Scotia lands and to adopt with minimum delay safe options for sewage sludge disposal or destruction. You can find more information at their website: www.nsen.ca.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Food Security

There is an old saying, “you are what you eat.”

To achieve a sustainable food supply and protect our food supply, our farmers must succeed in protecting their farm land, biodiversity, topsoil, water supply and livestock health. Good local land is a gift, but the soil can only be sustained by the farmers who know how to sustain and enrich it.

As a community we need to support our local farmers in the development of sustainable farming practices and support the development of food access programs such as community gardens, community kitchens, farmers’ markets and produce stands.
As consumers we should seek out local farmers markets and/or buy locally grown seasonal food in order to cut down on the environmental costs associated with transporting produce to our community from a great distance. Some products, coming from the United States and Ontario, have commuted an average of 1500 miles. More calories of energy go into packing, storing and carting the food than exist in the food itself.

Having our food come from some place else is a trend that can threaten the safety and security of our food supply. Other countries, that import food to our area, do not have the same food safety requirements that we have here in Canada and therefore outbreaks of E. coli and other contaminants can and have happened.

There is no sure way to ensure the quality and safety if imported foods that come from areas where standards are less stringent. The global supply chain is unsustainable and irresponsible from the perspective of combating climate change, protecting the health of citizens, and avoiding the potential for widespread food insecurity due to changes in political and economic conditions.

Food security also includes being able to make a living by growing and producing food in ways that protect and support both the land, sea and the food producers, and that ensures that there will be healthy food for our children’s children. The way that we now produce and process food cannot support a sustainable food system. We need to encourage a way of producing food that will last into the future and ensure that our children’s children have all the food they need.

If you are interested in becoming part of the Amherst Community Garden Project please feel free to contact me so I can arrange for you to have a garden plot to grow your own food.


Lisa Emery, B.A. is currently living in Amherst. Lisa invites comments to her column. You can contact Lisa at: emeryvine@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/emeryvine, or view her blog at http://emeryvinegrapevine.blogspot.com

Thursday, May 6, 2010

An Environmental Mother's Day 2010

When people discuss the state of the planet they sometimes refer to “Mother Earth”, which makes sense as our human mothers are very important people in our lives. Mothers give us life and tend to work for our benefit for many years. Mother Nature, another term that has been coined to refer to the world around us, has been considered a female for thousands of years. She – Mother Nature gives us life and sustenance, food and water to live on.

Consider getting your mom a gift of “green” this year for Mother’s Day. You’ll impress her with your environmental awareness and will be doing Mother Nature a favour. One gift that people like to do for Mother’s Day is to give her breakfast in bed. How about making sure that you have local food and ingredients? We have local eggs, meats, milk, maple syrup and other breakfast items. Buying local foods saves on the transportation, energy, and packaging it takes to bring produce from faraway while also supporting our local farmers.

You can spend some time alone with your mother for Mother’s Day. All of the April showers have brought us May flowers. Instead of a bouquet how about a walk in a park or perhaps the bird sanctuary (if it is not still raining of course).

There are lots of possible “green” gifts for Mother’s Day. How about a donation in her name for a tree planting or another conservation project. Mabey a trip to our newly openned health spa on Church Street.

If you want to take a little side trip, the Fossil Centre in Joggins has a brunch menue with two seatings available for Mother’s Day. There will also be an exhibit of hooked rugs and a guided walking tour. You need to call them at 257-2727 to book your table for the brunch seating at either 10:00 or 11:00.

Or, you can cook for your mother or wife using local ingredients. There should be asparagus, sprouts and fiddleheads available at your local grocery store or farmers market. A purchase of fresh food will support our local farmers and help preserve local open spaces.


Lisa Emery, B.A. is currently living in Amherst. Lisa invites comments to her column. You can contact Lisa at: emeryvine@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/emeryvine, or view her blog at http://emeryvinegrapevine.blogspot.com

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Happy 40th Earth Day - April 22, 2010

Earth Day is an international celebration that began with the environmental movement of the 1970’s. Although Earth Day began as a day of protest during the 70’s it has now become a day of action. These actions come in many forms; such as planting trees and cleaning up litter. This year Earth Day was celebrating 40 years as an environmental movement.

Last weekend if you were out and about you would have seen people along Robert Angus Drive and in the area of Dickey Brook with clear garbage bags cleaning up the litter along the road and waterway. My hats off to these people and their actions at helping make Amherst a cleaner place to live.

For the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, the Amherst Community Garden Project and its volunteers decided to hold a social event to “get the conversation started” about the importance of good, healthy, nutritious food and the possibilities available for growing your own food.

We had a guest speaker, Jason Blanch who is our local environmentalist and member of the Green Party for this area. He spoke on the importance of food security. The local community garden is an important part of our food security. We know exactly where the food has come from and how it was grown.

Jeanne Sumbu who lives near the community garden produced a powerpoint presentation with some of the photos that were taken last year when the garden was just a field full of weeds that became a beautiful garden area with a lot of hard work and perseverance from all of the members.

There was a display of “green” cleaning products; such as, vinegar and baking soda with some examples of how these products can be used to clean anywhere in your home. This display was produced by the Poverty Action Committee who also present this information at the local food bank. They try to encourage the donation of vinegar and baking soda to the food bank as a cleaning product.

The event itself was held at Maggie’s Place, in Amherst. This centre is also a member of the community garden and last year they donated a shed to the community garden. The food for the Earth Day event was catered by the Cumberland Food Mentors, which is a group that is dedicated to making sure everyone has access to healthy and nutritious food.

The community garden is accessible for people of all ages and abilities. For those that have trouble bending or kneeling, there are raised beds for them to work on. This garden can also be seen as poverty action at the local level. It produces fresh food and provides food security for those that grow their own food and for those that grow food and then share it with the local food bank.

For more information on the community garden please feel free to contact me at the email address below.


Lisa Emery, B.A. is currently living in Amherst. Lisa invites comments to her column. You can contact Lisa at: emeryvine@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/emeryvine, or view her blog at http://emeryvinegrapevine.blogspot.com

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Earth Day Social Amherst Community Garden Project

Earth Day 2010 Social
Thursday, April 22nd
4:30 – 6:00 PM
Location: Maggie’s Place on Elmwood Drive

The Amherst Community Garden is getting ready for the season! The community garden committee invites you to our first social event of the season and we would like to invite you to plant a garden at our site this year. Stop by and consider the
“Growing Possibilities” for your involvement!

All are welcome and there are still some plots left for planting this Spring if you or your group is interested in joining the fun.
Gardening offers opportunities for community involvement, friendships, and skill building for young and old alike!

There will be food and refreshments served.

Please RSVP by April 20th to:

Lisa Emery
667-1424
emeryvine@gmail.com

Earth Day April 22, 2010

Earth Day Canada is a national environmental charity to provide Canadians with the practical knowledge and tools they need to help the environment. It was recognized in 2004 as the top environmental education organization in North America. Earth Day Canada regularly partners with many organizations in all parts of Canada to support environmental causes. This year is the 20th anniversary of Earth Day Canada.

This entire weekend celebrates Earth Day. I encourage all teachers, trainers and educators to employ environmental information into their classroom studies on Friday and Monday. There are many websites on the internet regarding Earth Day and activities that can be used in a classroom setting.

The most important environmental actions will happen at the local grassroots level. Some people are involved in the community garden project; others in the protection of natural spaces, such as the Chignecto Game Sanctuary; still others have started their own environmental networks or organizations. The environmental issue you focus on is really up to you.

On April 22 from 4:30 to 6pm the members of the Amherst Community Garden Project are hosting and event at Maggie’s Place. We invite people who are interested in gardening and becoming involved with the community garden to attend. Please RSVP to Lisa Emery at the email address below.

The Joggins Fossil Centre will be open for Earth Day from 9:30 to 4:30 with free admission. Since this is also the UN year of biodiversity they have a new exhibit called “Have you thanked a plant today”. They are also encouraging children to bring in plastic pop bottles to help build a recycled pop bottle greenhouse and plant a pumpkin seed for the pumpkin competition. You can contact the Centre for more details.

Now, the fight for a clean environment continues at every corner of the globe, including Canada. This year you can be a part of this history and a part of Earth Day. You may even discover an energy you didn't even know you had. Feel it rumble through the grass roots under your feet. Channel it into building a clean, healthy, diverse world for generations to come.

Lisa Emery, B.A. is currently living in Amherst. Lisa invites comments to her column. You can contact Lisa at: emeryvine@gmail.com. Follow her on Twitter at: http://www.twitter.com/emeryvine, or view her blog at http://emeryvinegrapevine.blogspot.com

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

United Nations Year of Biodiversity

The United Nations declared 2010 to be the Year of Biodiversity. It is a celebration of life on earth and of the value of biodiversity in our lives. Each and every one of us is and integral part of nature. Our lives are linked to biodiversity and the variety of animal and plant species, including the places they live.

We rely on their diversity of life to provide us with the food, fuel, medicine and other essentials that we cannot live without. Yet the rich diversity of our world is being lost at an accelerated pace due to human activities. There is no corner of the earth that man hasn't touched in some way and sadly, that man hasn't attempted to exploit.

The definition of biodiversity is the term that is given to the variety of life on Earth and the natural patterns they form. This biodiversity forms the web of life for all species including those we depend on for our survival.

Biodiversity also includes genetic differences within each species - for example, between varieties of crops and breeds of livestock. Another aspect of biodiversity is the variety of ecosystems such as: deserts, forests, wetlands, mountains, lakes, rivers, and agricultural landscapes. In each ecosystem, living creatures, including humans, form a community, which interact with one another and with the air, water, and soil around them.

It is very important that we conserve and protect the things that we rely on to survive. This would include our fresh water supply, clean air, productive farmland and the biodiversity of our forestland. All of these things are related. We can not protect our water supply without protecting our forests and wetlands. We can not protect biodiversity without protecting the animals of our forests and having productive farmland. Everything is equal and everything is related.

The loss of biodiversity threatens our food supplies, opportunities for recreation and tourism, and sources of wood, medicines and energy. While the loss of individual species catches our attention, it is the degradation and loss of forests, wetlands, coral reefs, and other ecosystems that is the gravest threat to biodiversity. Forests are home for much of the known tree, plant and animal biodiversity, but about 45 per cent of the Earth's original forests are gone, mostly cleared during the last century.

Unsustainable use of our ecosystems and the over-exploitation of our forests continue to be a major threat. Many species of trees, plants and animals from the forestland are used by humans to fulfill basic needs. These species are in a state of decline because they are being used at unsustainable levels or are being harvested in such a way that threatens the ecosystems on which they depend.
The website for the year of biodiversity can be found at: http://www.cbd.int/2010/welcome/ .

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Gardening For Earth Day - April 22, 2010

This year is the 40th anniversary of celebrating Earth Day. If you haven’t done anything to celebrate Earth Day in the past, this year might be a good year to start. You can start with something small like planting a container garden or at least preparing the container for gardening. Or you can go for something bigger like preparing a spot in your backyard for a vegetable garden. Planting a small garden is good for you and for the earth. If you do not have a backyard (apartments) then perhaps taking part in the local community garden might benefit you.

A community garden is an inexpensive way for people to work together to grow their own food. Community gardens are usually located in neighbourhoods where people can drop by and participate. The community garden in Amherst is located just off Veno Avenue across the street from Dickey Park. This land was donated by a community member.

A community Garden allows for the exchange of ideas, the sharing of gardening tips and provides varying levels of expertise. Growing your own food is a great method to build food security in our communities, promote active living and encouraging people to work outdoors. Again, planting a garden plot is both good for you and for the earth.

Earth Day is celebrated every year on April 22nd. This day is a shout out for everyone to learn and appreciate more about what we have locally. Earth Day is all about simple actions that everyone can take part in to lessen their impact on the environment.

Earth Day celebrations are usually carried out using a plant theme. Something related to nature or that would benefit our earth is the most successful way of celebrating Earth Day. The typical Earth Day celebration usually involves tree planting; however, planting or preparing for a garden is a fantastic way to celebrate your growing eco-activism.

The Amherst Community Garden will be open to anyone who expresses an interest. Half an acre of land has been divided into simple gardening plots which include raised bed gardening (for seniors or people with physical restrictions) and a conventional row garden. If you are interested in having a plot in the community garden you can contact me at the email address below or contact the Poverty Action Committee 667-3319. A donation to the Poverty Action Committee is the only suggested cost for a plot in the garden.


One other item of note: This week is National Wildlife Week from April 4th to April 10th. Perhaps a hike in the bird sanctuary or any other area that you can get into to see wildlife would be a great family adventure.