Recycling Realities In Peel

At our November 26th speaker's series, the evening started off with a presentation by Carly Ducharme from Waste Management with the Region of Peel. Carly took some time and showed the audience exactly what can (and cannot) be recycled in Peel Region.

In addition to being and helpful informative, Carly's presentation was also a real eye opener for many present and brought home some of the not so happy realities of the recycling industry. For example, Peel's curbside recycling program currently collects a variety of commonly recycled materials, but area residents sometimes wonder why additional materials are not eligible.

There are a few main reasons why materials are not collected at the curb for recycling.

1. Volume or size - In order for it to be cost effective to collect a material for recycling, the item needs to be of a large enough size and of sufficient volume that the recycling facility is able to efficiently and economically sort, store, and market the material. That means smallish items like single serving yogurt or applesauce cups are not recyclable, nor are drinking straws. Similarly, the lids of aerosol cans, pop or water bottles should be thrown away, not placed in your recycle bin - they are too small.

2. Contamination - if an item has been used for food and cannot be washed clean, or if it is a "composite" material (ie: made with two or more items that cannot be easily separated) it cannot be recycled. Wax coated paper cups are a good example of this.

3. It is unfortunate that some common items that could be recycled are not made with consistent ingredients, and therefore are excluded from the recycling process. This means that items like the clear "clamshell-style" containers often used for strawberries or salad greens are not recyclable in Peel.

4. Small pieces of paper such as those from a paper shredder cannot be recycled either, due to the difficulty of bundling them. However, they can be used in layers in the compost bin.

Carly suggested that everyone take the time to visit the Peel Region website (http://www.peelregion.ca/pw/waste/garb-recy/2009-brochure/pdfs/recycling-guide.pdf) and read the recycling guide in detail; an excellent idea as many in the audience were very surprised to realize what could and could not be recycled.

At the end of the day, we left the presentation feeling that curbside recycling is a great way to reduce landfill and while much more advanced than when it first started it still has a long way to go.

We're Soaking In It...

On Wednesday, October 28th, an audience of over 125 Green T members and other local residents joined Green T and Credit Valley Conservation at the beautiful SGI Caledon Centre as we co-presented "Slow Death by Rubber Duck", a talk by prominent Canadian environmentalist and author Rick Smith.

The evening opened with a short presentation by Aviva Patel, Terrestrial Specialist at Credit Valley Conservation who spoke about Natural Heritage Systems and their vital role in providing us with services that sustain life.

Then Rick Smith took the floor. Smith, who is also the Executive Director of Environmental Defence Canada, spoke to an attentive audience for over 40 minutes on the subject of environmental toxins in our environment, then stayed behind for an additional quarter hour or so, answering questions and signing books.

It's no secret that our planet is struggling under a load of toxic pollution from vehicles, smokestacks and garbage. We hear about it every day, we see it ourselves when we drive in the city. But there is another type of pollution taking place on planet earth... it's chemical, it's everywhere, and - the thrust of Smith's talk - we're literally soaking in it.

Smith's talk centred around the book he co-authored with Bruce Lourie called "Slow Death By Rubber Duck". In the book, the pair use humour, plain language and tests they devised and implemented on themselves to illustrate the extent to which we are being quietly poisoned every day of our lives by everyday items like plastic, cosmetics and lawn care items.

In particular, they isolated what they called the 7 Deadly Syn-thetics:

1. Phalates - the things that help aromatic items carry scent more efficiently;
   
2. PFC - Non-stick coatings like Teflon that off-gas at high heats;
   
3. PBDE - a fire retardant which bioaccumulates in blood, breast milk, and fat tissues;
   
4. Mercury - found in large quantity in large, long lived fish like tuna;
   
5. Triclosan - a synthetic, broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent that can cause everything from skin irritation, allergy susceptibility and dioxin contamination to the destruction of fragile aquatic ecosystems;
   
6. Pesticides - now banned in Ontario, these chemicals kept our grass green for decades, but at what cost?
   
7. Biphenol A - a pollutant once commonly found in many products (such as baby bottles) that can mess with human hormone balance, and is particularly nasty when heated up.

Powerful & compelling stuff... and some of it was truly frightening. An evening that could have been distressing and depressing, to be sure. But Smith's primary message is ultimately an upbeat one - small changes can make big differences. His secondary message is clear and urgent... these chemicals will be with us for a long time, sitting in our blood and the blood of our children. Lets clean up our act now - and help ensure a healthier life for future generations.

Smith's book is a compelling read and a must have on any home bookshelf. It is available at fine bookstores everywhere (and of course we like Forster's Bookgarden in Bolton and BookLore in Orangeville). If you prefer to order online visit SlowDeathByRubberDuck.com , Amazon.ca , Chapters.Indigo.ca or http://www.randomhouse.ca

Our Town - Sustainable by Design

On September 17th, a crowd of almost 80 people gathered at the Caledon Community Centre in Caledon East to hear an open forum Green T Speaker’s Series entitled “Your Town: Sustainable by Design”. It was an exceptional evening - at once entertaining and educational, and we've received much positive feedback about it already!

After opening comments by Green T’s founder Patti Foley, Caledon’s Mayor Marolyn Morrison spoke briefly to the crowd about the Towns’ commitment to Green initiatives before introducing the evening’s moderator - Caledon writer and Alternatives Journal editor Nicola Ross. Nicola then led the Crandall’s and the audience in a question-based discussion that was insightful, entertaining and at times, very touching. The discussion covered a variety of topics, investigating what makes a community work and grow, what makes Caledon special and what are some ways we can assure our town’s sustainability.

The Crandall’s (three sisters from a family of five) have lived in Caledon all their lives and, through each of their own area’s of expertise, are uniquely qualified to discuss the various ways to assure the Town’s sustainability. Debbe – a member of the STORM Coalition (Save The Oak Ridges Moraine) since 1990 and its Executive Director since 1999 - is an environmental activist. She spoke at some length about the concept of thinking globally but acting locally. Sarah, a nurse by profession, is a philanthropist and likes to put her resources to good use in support of Canadian Whale Institute, as well as countless worthy local projects. Sheilagh, a gardener and person of the Earth (co-owner of MsPlants) rounded out the panel and brought her own brand of wit and warmth to the conversation.

One question that Nicola posed to the audience early in the evening (“What makes Caledon special to you?”) had me thinking about my experiences since moving here 6 years ago. The assembled crowd spoke of many reasons for loving Caledon – the trails, the diversity, the unique physical traits of the area... but for me, it is something else that makes the area so special…

My husband and I moved here to raise our two children in a clean, green, rural environment - free of the tangle and crush of big city life. Within days of our arrival, we went shopping for groceries for the first time, and it was then that we realized we had moved from a house to a community. The other shoppers chatted to us as we moved among the aisles. The cashiers at the grocery store spoke to us like neighbours, smiling at our kids and offering to have someone help carry the heavy items to the car! But I thought I’d died and gone to heaven when I realized each and every shopper was taking their cart back to the designated cart area – without prompting. To me – that is what is so special about Caledon. To think that - in a community that is a unique hybrid of founding families, escapee’s from the city, farmers, artists, professionals and blue collar workers – we had stumbled upon a little enclave of old-fashioned community values we’d both been raised with – but had thought lost forever.

I sat at the back of the room and listened as Nicola led the sisters through the evening’s discussion. I was struck by the shared history in the room. In addition to the panel on stage, a quick survey of the audience showed a current Mayor, a former Mayor, a councillor, at least one farmer, several community leaders, a few green neophytes, some very talented local writers, performers and artists, a few business professionals, some activists and more.

Each sister in her own way (and indeed, Nicola Ross herself), had a connection with this diverse group of people, and has enriched the lives of dozens of others. Their contributions – and the contributions of many of the people who made up the audience – are what serves to make Caledon a better place to live, work and play. The combined knowledge and passion of the panel and the audience -as well as their enthusiasm and commitment when it comes to teaching the next generation to respect the land and honour the people – will be what makes Caledon a sustainable community in years to come.

COMING UP:

In the next few weeks, Green T will be VERY, VERY busy! Here's a snapshot of what the first few weeks of fall looks like for us:

• Saturday and Sunday, September 26 & 27 - visit our booth at the Bolton Fall Fair - we'll be there for the whole weekend - top of Bolton's south hill!
  
• Saturday, October 3rd - be sure to visit the Green T booth at Caledon Day. Taking place at the Caledon Town Hall grounds, Old Church Road in Caledon East!
  
• Thursday, October 8th - We'll be on site from 3-8pm for the last Caledon Farmer's Market of the 2009 Season, with activities, facepainting and information.

Later on in October, we have a very special version of the Speaking Green Speaker's Series planned... keep watching the blog and the website for details!

New Board Members, busy fall season

Hello, Green T members and eco-enthusiasts! I’m Shelly Sargent and – along with Amanda Squire - I am one of two newly appointed Green T Board Members. And when I say newly appointed, I am not exaggerating... as I began writing this blog entry, it was less than 3 hours after Amanda & I had been confirmed as Board Members. I suspect that I can safely speak for Amanda as well, when I say we are thrilled to be part of Green T, and can’t wait to get cracking!

One of the area’s I’ve volunteered to help out with is writing blog updates, and since I came home tonight full of enthusiasm, I thought I might as well get an early start.

I believe that I am like many of the people who live in the area, in that I have great “eco” intentions, and a building desire to learn more about being a responsible inhabitant and steward of our planet. Having said that, I think it’s also safe to say my good intentions lag behind my knowledge by a good bit – I am still exploring and finding ways to incorporate what I learn into my family’s lifestyle.

Organizations such as Green T are vitally important in the ongoing eco-education of a community… committed to raising awareness of environmental issues and initiatives, these groups assist the average person in putting this new knowledge to good use in simple and effective ways. That is one of the reasons that I have loved the idea of Green T from day one.

Green T is looking forward to a busy fall season and we hope you'll join us as we kick things off on September 17th when we host another Speaker’s Series at the Caledon Community Complex in Caledon East. Join us for Your Town: Sustainable by Design with guest panel, the Crandall sisters (Debbe, Sarah and Sheilagh), moderator Nicola Ross from Alternatives Journal, and Caledon Mayor Marolyn Morrison on hand to introduce the evenings's speakers.

Following that, Green T will be front and centre with booths at the Bolton Fall Fair (Sept 26-27), Caledon Day (Oct.3) and at the Bolton Farmer’s Market (Oct. 8). If you are interested in finding out more about any of these events or any of the other Green T events taking place this fall and winter, stay tuned to our website at www.greentcaledon.ca or, better yet, make sure you're on our Green Thoughts monthly newsletter list.

Eco-yoga?

Popular yoga master Neal Arbic volunteered his morning on Saturday August 8th to lead a yoga class as a fundraiser for Green T Environmental Awareness. Surrounded by lovely old trees the ladies spread their mats in the lush green grass at Dicks Dam Park in Bolton and stretched away their stress. A big Green T thank-you goes out to Neal for his thoughtfulness and generosity.

Getting it

An impromptu long weekend pit-stop for pizza had me thinking about greenwashing in a big way. The store proudly announced on their take-out box that it was mostly made from re-cycled paper and bragged about how many trees they were saving by making this choice. Sadly, the same store offered zero options for recycling the pop cans or plastic water bottles that they sold along with their "greenly-boxed" pizzas. Any drink containers would have to go straight into their single garbage bin - or, as in our case, be toted home for appropriate disposal. Irritating, to say the least - and raises the question - do busnesses really "get it"?

Proactive Environmental Responsibility

The June 17th Green TEA Speakers Night (recently dubbed "Speaking Green") was a bit longer than our usual format but it was also an eye-opener and well worth the extra 45 minutes according to guests I spoke with at the end.

Lee Norton shared his presentation "The Climate Disruption", an update on stats covered in Al Gore's An Inconvenient Truth - and the truth is.....we need to act and maybe faster than we thought. Lee left me feeling even more committed to making a difference.

Jennifer Wright spoke from the heart about why she started GreenShift, her green consulting firm. And left many of us inspired to talk to our employers about "shifting" in the green direction. Jennifer gave us hope. You can have a look at their consulting services and products at http://www.greenshift.ca/

And Ryan Fabi, Director of Environment Health and Safety at Bolton's Husky Injection Molding, gave us........even more hope. Now you have to admit that in these times plastic is not everyone's favourite word........but, as consumers, we've given it huge support in our marketplace, or, of course, it wouldn't exist. Yet, as a supplier of injection molding systems to the plastics industry, Husky has recognized it's environmental impact and implemented an array of programs, supplier requirements, and best practices to ensure that they are doing all they can to be environmentally responsible and negate, wherever possible, their own carbon footprint.

"Proactive Environmental Responsibility" ........Husky has made it their core value.....GreenShift is helping companies and residents live up to it......Lee Norton showed us what will happen if we don't..........

Skin Deep

At our April environmental speakers' night, as well as at our first "Kitchen Cosmetics" workshop, we spent time discussing the chemicals that are so pervasive in cosmetics and skin care products. The cosmetics database on the website Skin Deep, a project of the Environmental Working Group, came up a few times. One of Green TEA's Board members Rosemarie DuPont wrote us about her thoughts on the these fab websites and submitted them to us below........

About two years ago I was googling for a bit of research for an article I was writing and I hit upon this website http://www.ewg.org/ . The Environmental Working Group is a well organized and informative collective that seem to have a fair amount of clout in the United States. This Group has developed a Skin Deep Database http://www.cosmeticsdatabase.com/ that informs the public on the toxicity levels in make-up, hair products, eye care, baby care, etc. It was an eye opening experience for me and I am now very careful and at the very least aware of what I potentially purchase.

In the Health/Toxics section of this website there is a subtitle called Our Food. It is here that you will find the Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides. After reading all of the information about the pesticide levels and the number of pesticides that are sprayed on North American fruits and vegetables, I have switched to buying organic when I shop.

………..and if that isn’t enough information for you, here is another website that is very well written, with a whole lot of pertinent info on current products that are in the news: http://www.enviroblog.com/ There was a recent article on BPA’s that shocked me called “Thank you for buying our toxic plastic”.

I suppose there is a fine line on how much “stuff” a person can cram into their brain on what not to eat, what not to buy…….but I have come back to these sites time and again for solid insight into today’s marketplace, and am grateful that there are a lot of people out there that take the time and energy to keep the rest of us informed.

Note: Green T Environmental Awareness has launched a new program called Saving Face. The goal of the program is to help women make knowledgeable decisions about their skin care and cosmetic purchases and to teach basic skills in creating their own products with natural ingredients through our Kitchen Cosmetics workshop series. To register for an upcoming workshop contact Patti Foley at 905-951-0625 or email patti@greentcaledon.ca

Saving Face a lot of fun!

Surrounded by clays (pink, white, and even green), rose petals and salts, and with the light aroma of essential oils wafting through the air, last Saturday afternoon was a lot of fun and a great learning experience for the ladies who participated in our inaugral Kitchen Cosmetics workshop. Facilitator Carrole Blakeman downloaded plenty of information to this eager group who came seeking ideas for making some of their own skin and bath products from natural ingredients. This first in a series of workshops for our new Saving Face program was a big hit. We have one open space, due to a cancellation, in our June 27th workshop and a handful of seats left for our July 8th date. Want in? Give Patti a shout at patti@greentcaledon.ca

Let's hang out!

Looking for another idea to save money and energy? Take advantage of this beautiful breezy spring weather to hang your clothes outside to dry.

WWF Canada reports that, next to your refrigerator, your clothes dryer is the top energy-using appliance in your home. Need more convincing?

Using an outside clothes line to dry your clothes:
- makes your clothes smell fresh without adding chemical fragrances to them
- can make your fabrics last longer (need proof? no lint)
- will get you outside and into the fresh air and sunshine
- eliminate dryer noise
- reduce your greenhouse gas emissions
- reduce adding heat to your home in warm months
- eliminate static cling without the expense of dryer sheets

If yard space is restrictive consider a rotary (spinner-style) clothesline. For rainy days or winter weather you can use an indoor drying rack. These sturdy collapsible racks have come a long way and you can find everything from the tried and true wooden clotheshorse to large stainless steel models that easily hold a full load of clothes. In winter, drying clothes this way will add moisture to dry indoor air. If you find clothes too “crunchy” for your liking you can throw them in the dryer for 3-5 minutes once they are dry.

So…. let’s hang out!

Note: this article also appeared in the May 27th edition of Caledon Today e-Magazine. You can read and subscribe to this terrific (and free) online Caledon magazine at http://www.caledonmedia.com/

Fresh, organic, Caledon-grown - a win/win/win!

Thinking about going organic? Or about supporting Caledon farmers? Or visiting the new Bolton Farmers Market this summer? Did you know that you could create a win/win/win and combine all three?

Whole Village, a biodynamic farm nestled in the northwest corner of Caledon, supplies residents with fresh vegetables, herbs and fruit grown without the use of artificial fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, or fungicides. You can buy a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) share of this delicious produce and conveniently pick it up each Thursday at their booth at the Bolton Farmers Market. If you live in northern Caledon you may wish to arrange to pick it up at the farm or at the Orangeville Farmers Market (Saturdays).

Your CSA share will provide you with nutritious, fresh, organic, Caledon-grown produce for the season, from approximately mid-June to the last week of October. You have the choice of purchasing a small or large share. The small share is $500 so over a 20-week growing season that would equate to a cost of $25 per week for your farm-fresh veggies. The large share is $700 and can feed a family of four or two vegetarians. The small share provides a bit more than half of the large share and is suitable for a small family, a couple or a single vegetarian.

Crops will include greens such as lettuce, spinach, chard, kale, herbs and green onions, plus carrots, tomatoes, peppers, squash, beets, onions, parsnips, potatoes and corn, all harvested fresh as they come into season.

Last week my family and I visited Whole Village and tasted yummy samplings of mustard greens, kale, and arugula, as greens are one of the first things ready for harvest. We were very impressed with the farm and the knowledge and dedication of the people working the fields. We purchased a small CSA-share and look forward to picking it up fresh each Thursday at the Bolton Farmers Market and “topping up” with other locally-produced food and treats.

For more information, or to purchase a Whole Village CSA-share, contact Graham Corbett at (519) 942-0168 or email him at csagarden@wholevillage.org

For more information about the Bolton Farmers Market contact Sandra Dolson at the Town of Caledon at (905) 584-2272 or email her at sandra.dolson@caledon.ca

The rain didn't dampen any spirits at the Palgrave Eco-Fair

Fair trade coffee, local home-baked treats, info about local environmental groups, locally-crafted jewellery, a drum circle, a plant sale, corn gluten & other organic products, rainbarrels for sale, a busy day despite the downpours!

June 27th 2009 "Kitchen Cosmetics" Workshop

Concerned about the chemicals in store-bought cosmetics? Looking for some natural alternatives? Join us for Kitchen Cosmetics, a workshop hosted by Green TEA and the Caledon Library. Have fun while learning how to create lovely skin, body and bath care products with ingredients found in your kitchen. Workshop facilitator Carrole Blakeman is a certified aromatherapy practitioner with a background in alternative health including studies in homeopathy. You'll learn the basics of scrubs, masks, lip balms, and salves and see demonstrations of techniques and ideas, plus get samples to take home! This exciting three-hour workshop will be held at the Bolton Branch of the Caledon Library.

Workshop Fee: $25 for Green TEA members; $30 for non-members. Your material costs are included in the workshop fee. Light refreshments will be served. Only 20 seats available so PRE-Registration is necessary. To register contact Patti Foley at (905) 951-0625 or patti@greentcaledon.ca

Note: Our first workshop (scheduled for June 6th) was a speedy sell-out and the second workshop (June 27th) is already 50% booked - so RSVP quickly to reserve your seat!

Kick Your Greening Up a Notch!

Looking to go greener, at home or at work? Green T Environmental Awareness (Green TEA) now collects used inkjet and laser printer cartridges, as well as old cell phones.

Working with a reverse logistics company we are participating in a program that processes and recycles these items, diverting them from our landfills. As a non-profit organization, Green TEA even receives a small donation on select items.

It is estimated that over 300,000,000 empty printer cartridges are generated in North America every year. Add all of the “previously enjoyed” cell phones to that number and it’s easy to see how tons of electronic waste could potentially head to our landfill sites.

So give us a shout! We’ll be happy to arrange for pick ups (within Caledon) and can even provide you a collection box to get started. And why not ask around at work; many employers are eager to show their green community spirit!

Contact Patti Foley (905) 951-0625 or patti@greentcaledon.ca

Earth Day Caledon 2009 - Thank you ANDREW WELCH and company!

Local resident Andrew Welch teamed up with his friend Jay Mowat from Erin Radio and together brainstormed an idea for Earth Day 2009.

Caledon Library, Orangeville's Booklore, and others sponsored the event to cover advertising costs and Caledon's historic Claude Church offered up the venue.

Billed as "a fabulous evening of entertainment to benefit the environment" Earth Day Payback was a big success and proceeds raised will be soon forwarded to 2 local environemental non-profits, Green T Environmental Awareness (Green TEA) and Caledon Countryside Alliance (CCA).

Our thanks goes out to Andrew and Jay and all the musicians and other area celebs who made this special Earth Day evening one that we'll remember for years to come. You folks are stars of the best kind!

April's Green TEA Night

After a long and REALLY cold winter an awesome display of new life is just what makes April the perfect month for Earth Month! And here in Caledon we celebrated it in appropriate style. We experienced an amazing Green TEA Environmental Speakers Night on the 16th that drew almost 70 people.

Guest speaker Kate Agosta gave a down-to-earth (pun intended) presentation about alternatives to the traditional grass lawns for those of us who are no longer enthused with watering, fertilizing, aerating, spraying, weeding, overseeding, and then FINALLY mowing down GRASS! Carrole Blakeman gave a real eye-opener of a talk about chemical-ridden cosmetics and, at audience-demand, agreed to do a workshop for us in early June on how to make your own cosmetics with natural ingredients. Take note ladies - this workshop will fill up fast so when you hear the word....register fast!

Paddy Running Horan was on hand to offer up some pesticide and herbicide alternatives now that the Ontario-wide Pesticide Ban is taking effect (as of April 22nd) and 3 wonderful ladies from the Town of Caledon gave us updates about the Ban plus the Bolton Farmers Market and the Town's own Environmental Progress Report. Thank you Noreen Knight, Sandra Dolson and Sara Peckford!

Lastly I want to thank the folks that came out and participated on the Green T-eam for the April 19th MS Walk - we did great! Final figures yet to come but I know we raised somewhere in the vicinity of $600 - not too shabby for a first-time team!

Exciting legislation can mean a greener future!

On Thursday March 5th Green TEA had the pleasure of co-sponsoring a Green Energy Act (GEA) information night, along with Windy Hills Caledon and the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA).

This proposed piece of legislation has the ability to put Ontario on an exciting course for a cleaner, greener future; not to mention the creation of an estimated 50,000 jobs in the first 3 years. If you support this legislation, and would like to see it pass, then THIS is the time to speak up and express that support. I encourage all of you to read up, ask questions, offer comments, and use this opportunity to be part of the democratic process.

As Kay MacDuffee, in her weekend column, quoted OSEA Executive Director Kris Stevens saying “the GEA is like the pizza crust, now it’s all about the toppings”. So if, after reading the GEA, you have concerns, for example about the size of standard setbacks, or have other input you’d like to see considered, this is also your chance to voice your opinion on those issues.

Deadline for submissions to the Ontario Environmental Registry is March 26th. So as my dear grandmother use to say “Speak up now or forever hold your peace!” (and I’ll include links at the end of today’s blog so you can do just that.)

Lastly, a great big thank-you to the guest panel, including Kris Stevens, Emil Kolb, and Mayor Marolyn Morrison – for recognizing the significance of this legislation and showing up to offer your opinions and to answer questions for Caledon residents. Your participation was very much appreciated!

Background:

OSEA is a member of the GEA Alliance, an alliance that includes the David Suzuki Foundation, Environmental Defence, the Ontario Federation of Agriculture, the Pembina Institute, the Ivey Foundation, the First Nations Energy Alliance and the Community Power Fund.

Main objectives of the proposed GEA legislation are:

1) to expedite growth of clean, renewable sources of energy, like wind, solar, hydro, biomass and biogas, helping Ontario become North America’s leader in renewable energy.
2) to build a stronger, greener economy (an estimated 50,000 jobs for Ontarians in its first three years)
3) to create the potential for savings and better managed household energy expenditures through a series of conservation measures

"There exists today a global race to establish the policies, attract the investment and build the foundation for the green economy that is sure to sustain future prosperity and progress," said George Smitherman, Deputy Premier and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure. "It is a race Ontario is determined to win. This proposed legislation would help Ontario become the preferred destination for green jobs, green investment and green energy."

Links:

Environmental Registry

Green Energy Act Alliance

You're invited! To the next exciting evening in our environmental speakers series (on Feb. 12, 2009)

Toronto’s JO COOMBE is an accomplished classical pianist, an equestrian and a happily married mother of two. She also happens to be Vice President of Strategic Accounts at Bullfrog Power. Jo will tell us how this leading Canadian provider of 100% green electricity makes it easy and convenient for us to choose green, carbon-free power, such as wind power and low-impact water power, so we can help fight climate change and create a healthier environment for future generations.

Alton’s ANDREW WELCH wears many hats, from actor to mountain climber to software creator to management consultant and more. However, he is most widely known for WattPlot, a software product sold around the globe for monitoring renewable energy systems. Andrew will talk about his experience with creating power for his own home using a wind turbine. With no special background in electricity or engineering, Andrew approaches his topic from a layperson’s perspective, making the content accessible to all, while his reputation as a professional actor promises to make it an engaging presentation.

Palgrave’s BARB IMRIE is an Environmentalist with a capital “E”. A key player in the Palgrave Environmental Watch and the Palgrave United Church’s Turkey Task Force this outdoor educator for the Toronto District School Board is also proprietor of Buckstown Beans, the perfect local supplier for your fair trade coffee and……chocolate!
With Valentine’s Day right on the heels of this particular speakers night Barb is sure to have some of the yummy stuff available for sale following her talk about everyone’s favourite mouth-watering confection.

LOCATION: Caledon Community Complex, 6215 Old Church Road, Caledon EastRoom: Lower Level “The Lions Den”

DATE and TIME: Thursday February 12, 2009 Doors open: 6:30 p.m.; Registration; Music by Michelle Woodhouse, 2008 Caledon IdolSpeakers Presentations: 7:00 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.
Coffee, tea and refreshments served, BYOM (Bring Your Own Mug)

ADMISSION: $4.00 per person; seniors and students 18 and under admitted free.Green T members are admitted free. For Green T membership information go to http://www.greentcaledon.ca/

We hope you'll join us! RSVP to reserve your seat (905) 951-0625 or patti@greentcaledon.ca