Earth Day - Going Green in Campbell River

EarthDay

GOING GREEN

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DOING YOUR PART TO HELP THE PLANET

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ThinkLOCAL

THINKING GREEN

Live Green Live Green Tips:Tips: The City The has Citycoordinated has coordinated a number a number of exciting of exciting initiatives initiatives that that can help can help you make you make greengreen choices, choices, support support the local the local economy, economy, reduce reduce your your environmental environmental impact impact and improve and improve the quality the quality of lifeofinlife Campbell in Campbell River.River.

Do you Do have you have ideasideas of your of your own?own?

ShareShare themthem on the onSustainable the Sustainable Campbell Campbell RiverRiver Facebook Facebook PagePage with with the hashtags the hashtags #LiveGreen #LiveGreen and #CampbellRiver. and #CampbellRiver.

We would We would love love to hear to hear fromfrom you. you.

LIVE GREEN TIPS:

The City has coordinated a number of exciting initiatives that can help you make green choices, support the local economy, reduce your environmental impact and improve the quality of life in Campbell River.

Do you have ideas of your own? Share them on the Sustainable Campbell River Facebook page.

We would love to hear from you!

Power Power Down Down Challenge: Challenge: SmallSmall actions actions can result can result in noticeable in noticeable changes changes to your to your energy energy bill and bill reduce and reduce your your impact impact on the on the environment. environment.

For example, For example, washing washing your your clothes clothes in cold in cold waterwater can save can save you up youtoup $27 to per $27year. per year.

Watch Watch the Power the Power DownDown Campbell Campbell RiverRiver videos videos online online for tips for on tipsreducing on reducing youryour homehome energy energy consumption consumption at at www.youtube.com/user/CityofCampbellRiver www.youtube.com/user/CityofCampbellRiver

Composting: Composting: Tossing Tossing organic organic waste waste in theingarbage the garbage increases increases volumes volumes in local in local landfills landfills and produces and produces greengreen house house gas gas emissions. emissions.

Nearly Nearly 35 per 35cent per cent of the ofmaterial the material dumped dumped into our into our landfill landfill is biodegradable. is biodegradable.

Home Home composting composting can easily can easily divertdivert organic organic waste waste and repurpose and repurpose it as fertilizer it as fertilizer and soil andfor soilyour for your garden! garden!

ThereThere are many are many convenient convenient composting composting options options available available including including wormworm bins,bins, backyard backyard composters composters and and mechanical mechanical composters. composters.

The Compost The Compost Education Education Centre Centre at 228 at 228 SouthSouth Dogwood Dogwood Street Street also provides also provides workshops workshops and tips. and tips.

YardYard Waste Waste The City The also City operates also operates a Yard a Yard Waste Waste Drop-Off Drop-Off Centre Centre year-round, year-round, Friday Friday to Tuesday to Tuesday fromfrom 8:30 8:30 to 4:30. to 4:30.

It is free It is for free for residents residents participating participating in theincurbside the curbside collection collection program. program.

The The Yard Yard Waste Waste Drop-Off Drop-Off Centre Centre is located is located westwest of the ofInland the Inland Highway Highway off Willis off Willis Road,Road, past past the Shell the Shell Station.

Station.

Energy: Energy: If you’re If you’re a BC aHydro BC Hydro account account holder holder with with at least at least a year a year of consumption of consumption history history at your at your current current address address you can youearn can earn rewards rewards for saving for saving electricity electricity and reduce and reduce your your energy energy bill! Sign bill! Sign Illegal Illegal Dumps: Dumps: Dumping Dumping organics, organics, yard yard waste waste or other or other material material in in up with up with Power Smart Smart and track andyear, track yourbut your consumption on your on your DOWN CHALLENGE: Small actions can result in noticeable RECYCLING: Did you know that the average household discards 340kg ofPower garbage each asconsumption POWER natural natural areasareas is notisan notoption. an option.

IllegalIllegal dumps dumps posepose affectaffect the the MyHydro MyHydro Profile Profile online online at www.bchydro.com at www.bchydro.com sensitive sensitive allwe depend all depend on. on. Report illegalillegal dumps dumps at at much as 90% of it can be diverted from the landfill? changes to your energy bill ecosystems andecosystems reduceweyour impact onReport the environment.

For www.trashout.me www.trashout.me example, washing your clothes in cold water can save you up to $27 per year.

TOOLS: www.campbellriverrecycles.ca is a local directory that identifies which materials and appliances are recyclable and where to take them for recycling. The BC Recyclepedia Smart Phone App can also help you find recycling locations and connect you to programs and resources www.rcbc.ca/ services/recyclepedia-app. Where possible, try to reduce consumption and reuse or repurpose your items!

MORE IN YOUR BLUE BIN: Starting May 19, you will be able to recycle even more items in your curbside blue bin such as aerosol cans, plastic plant pots, and hot and cold drink containers. Visit www.campbellriver.ca for details or call Emterra at 250-286-0211

Watch the Power Down Campbell River videos online for tips on reducing your home energy consumption at www.youtube.com/user/CityofCampbellRiver

ENERGY: If you’re a BC Hydro account holder with at least a year of consumption history at your current address, you can earn rewards for saving electricity and reduce your energy bill! Sign up with Power Smart and track your consumption on your MyHydro Profile online at www.bchydro.com

Buy Local: Buy Local: According According to LOCO, to LOCO, a BC anon-profit BC non-profit locallocal business business alliance, alliance, a 1%aincrease 1% increase in BCinconsumer BC consumer spending spending on local on local products products can create can create 3,1003,100 new new jobs jobs and circulate and circulate moremore revenue revenue backback into the intoeconomy! the economy!

In addition In addition to economic to economic benefits, benefits, buying buying fresh,fresh, healthy healthy locallocal foodsfoods can reduce can reduce your your environmental environmental footprint footprint and isand good is good your your health. health.

Recycling: Recycling: Did you Did know you know that that the average the average household household discards discards

www.foodmap.campbellriver.ca340kg340kg of garbage of garbage eacheach year,year, but as but much as much as 90% as 90% of it can of itbe can be

LocalLocal FoodFood Events: Events: Consider Consider hosting hosting locallocal foodfood potlucks potlucks with with friends friends or committing or committing to eating to eating locallocal two nights two nights of the ofweek the week for afor a year.year.

The Campbell The Campbell RiverRiver FoodFood Map Map will be willonline be online AprilApril 16 and 16 and will identify will identify locallocal purchasing purchasing options! options! www.foodmap.campbellriver.ca www.foodmap.campbellriver.ca

BUY LOCAL:

According to LOCO, a BC non-profit local business alliance, a 1% increase in BC consumer spending on local products can create 3,100 new jobs and circulate more revenue back into the economy! In addition to economic benefits, buying fresh, healthy local foods can reduce your environmental footprint and is good your health.

FoodFood Gardens: Gardens: Gardening Gardening can improve can improve bothboth your your mental mental and and physical physical health health whilewhile producing producing healthy, healthy, freshfresh produce. produce.

If youIf you LOCAL FOODdon’t EVENTS: FOOD GARDENS: don’t havehave spacespace to garden, to garden, visit the visitGreen the Green City section City section of of www.campbellriver.ca for information about about Community Community Consider hostingwww.campbellriver.ca local food potlucks for information Gardening is good for you both Gardens.

Gardens. with friends or committi ng to eating mentally and physically. It also

diverted diverted fromfrom the landfill? the landfill?

Tools: Tools: www.campbellriverrecycles.ca www.campbellriverrecycles.ca is a local is a local directory directory that that identifies identifies which which materials materials and appliances and appliances are recyclable are recyclable and and where where to take to take themthem for recycling. for recycling.

The BC TheRecyclepedia BC Recyclepedia Smart Smart Phone Phone App can Appalso can help also help you find you recycling find recycling locations locations and connect and connect you to you programs to programs and resources and resources www.rcbc.ca/services/ www.rcbc.ca/services/ recyclepedia-app. recyclepedia-app.

Where possible, possible, try totry reduce to reduce consumption consumption NATIVE PLANTWhere GARDENS: andbenefi reuse and reuse or of repurpose orgardening repurpose youraren’t your items! items!

The ts just experienced by people.

Gardening can give local ecosystems a boost as well. Create MoreMore in Your in Your Blue Blue Bin: Starting Bin: Starting May May 19, you 19, will yoube willable be able to local two nights of the week for produces healthy fresh produce. habitat for nati ve pollinators, such as mason bees, bytolimiti ng recycle recycle eveneven moremore itemsitems in your in your curbside curbside blue blue bin such bin such as aerosol as aerosol Native Native PlantPlant Gardens: Gardens: The benefits The benefits of gardening of gardening aren’t aren’t just just a year. The Campbell River Food If you don’t have space to garden, your use of pesti cides, gardening with nati ve plants, removing cans,cans, plastic plastic plantplant pots,pots, and hot andand hot cold and cold drinkdrink containers. containers.

Visit Visit experienced experienced by people. by people.

Gardening Gardening can give can local give local ecosystems ecosystems a a Map will be online April 16 will visit thenative Green City sectiason invasive species and establishing gardens. know www.campbellriver.ca www.campbellriver.ca for details for details orrain call orEmterra call Emterra atDid 250-286-0211 atyou 250-286-0211 boost boost as well. as and well.

Create Create habitat habitat for native for pollinators, pollinators, such such as identify local purchasing opti www.campbellriver.ca mason mason bees, bees, byons! limiting by limiting yourof your use of use pesticides, of pesticides, gardening gardening withfor with that two mason bees have the pollination power of 20,000 native native plants, plants, removing removing invasive invasive species species establishing and establishing rain rain www.foodmap.campbellriver.ca informati onandabout community honeybees? Pollinators are essential for wildflower plants, and gardens. gardens.

Did you Did know you know that gardens. that two mason two mason beesbees havehave the pollination the pollination provide 80% of the pollination required by food crops. power power of 20,000 of 20,000 honeybees? honeybees?

Pollinators Pollinators are essential are essential for wildfor wildflower flower plants, plants, and provide and provide 80% 80% of the ofpollination the pollination required required by by foodfood crops. crops.

CAMPBELL RIVER COMPOSTS!

COMPOSTING: Tossing organic waste in the garbage increases volumes in local landfills and produces greenhouse gas emissions. Nearly 35 per cent of the material dumped into our landfill is biodegradable. Home composting can easily divert organic waste and repurpose it as fertilizer and soil for your garden!

There are many convenient composting options available including worm bins, backyard composters and mechanical composters. The Compost Education Centre at 228 South Dogwood Street also provides workshops and tips.

YARD WASTE: The City also operates a Yard Waste Drop-Off Centre yearround, Friday to Tuesday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. It is free for residents participating in the curbside collection program. The Yard Waste Drop-Off Centre is located west of the Inland Highway off Willis Road, past the Shell Station.

ILLEGAL DUMPS: Dumping organics, yard waste or other material in natural areas is not an option. Illegal dumps affect the sensitive ecosystems we all depend on. Report illegal dumps at www.trashout.me and to the City of Campbell River bylaw office at 250-286-5776.

The Bains The Bains Family Family Participating Participating in in Filming Filming Food Waste FoodFood Waste at the Waste at Campbell the Campbell The Bains Family Filming the 2012 the Compost 2012 Compost Challenge Challenge River River Landfill Landfill

Participating in the 2012 at the Campbell River Compost Landfill Watch Watch the Video theChallenge Video at www.youtube.com/user/CityofCampbellRiver at www.youtube.com/user/CityofCampbellRiver Watch the Video at www.youtube.com/user/CityofCampbellRiver

ThinkEARTH DAY Earth Day Canada strives to make every day Earth day!

I

t’s almost our favourite time of the year – Earth Day is just around the corner on April 22! Each year, we organize an April campaign to help educate and engage people of all ages and backgrounds to lessen their impact on the Earth. A great way to start is integrating easy environmental actions into your day-to-day life – those small changes add up to a larger cumulative impact over time. And not only are these changes good for the environment, they’re often good for your health and can

even help you save money!

Over the course of a busy week or month, it’s easy to lose track of our environmental efforts. So this year we’re asking you to join us, as we Make It Count for Earth Day! Learning about nature: We’re focusing on 4 action categories – EAT, GROW, TRANSFORM and SHARE. Set a goal for the number of actions you want to complete in each category throughout the month, and count them up using our printable calendar.

Share your results using the #MIC4ED hashtag to compare

your totals with friends, classmates, colleagues or perfect strangers across the country.

When you register to participate, you’ll also be automatically entered to win great prizes. More importantly, you’ll join others around the country who are making their Earth Month count! They say it takes 21 repetitions to form a habit – after a month of counting your actions, we hope these easy actions will become a part of your daily routine and last all year long. Get started today and make every day Earth Day!

Earth Day!

RECYCLE

yard waste into valuable compost

C

omposting may be a person’s first foray into an eco-friendly lifestyle.

Compost is a nutrient-rich natural fertilizer that some people refer to as “black gold.” It can be made from most types of lawn and garden waste as well as some discarded items from the kitchen.

Many people have renewed interest in composting because they understand the environmental ramifications of overreliance on chemical fertilizers. Ground water may become contaminated and certain fertilizers may have adverse effects on wildlife. Compost, a living organism of sorts, comprised of beneficial bacteria, insect life and nutrients for plants, is on the other side of the plant food spectrum. Because it can be generated for little to no cost, compost is not only environmentally responsible but economical as well.

A home landscape can provide a wealth of material to use in a compost heap or bin. Rather than putting fallen leaves or lawn clippings to the curb or in the trash, they can be turned into beneficial material to help keep your garden self-sustained.

To begin, you will first need to determine the composting method that will work for you. Compost can be generated from a pile of material placed in an out-of-theway corner of the yard or be created in a specially designed, expensive compost bin. Many homeowners fall in between these two methods with their compost systems. Most create their own bins from wood and chicken wire or even use a trash container to contain the compost.

Once the container or pile location is established, it is time to start the compost recipe. In order to function optimally, compost should have an abundance of aerobic bacteria, which will compost the waste quickly. Composters frequently

TUESDAY APRIL 22 2014

Celebrate the earth: There are many ways to celebrate Earth Day

E

ver wondered how Earth Day started?

This observance arose from an interest in gathering national support for environmental issues. In 1970, activist John McConnell and Gaylord Nelson separately asked people to join in a grassroots demonstration. Millions of people participated, and today Earth Day continues to be widely celebrated with events on both dates. The most common practice of

celebration is to plant new trees for Earth Day. Earth Day Canada (EDC), a national environmental charity founded in 1990, provides Canadians with the practical knowledge and tools they need to lessen their impact on the environment. In 2004, it was recognized as the top environmental education organization in North America for its innovative year-round programs and educational resources

by the Washington-based North American Association for Environmental Education, the world’s largest association of environmental educators. In 2008, it was chosen as Canada’s “Outstanding Non-profit Organization” by the Canadian Network for Environmental Education and Communication. EDC regularly partners with thousands of organizations in all parts of Canada.

Visit www.earthday.ca

refer to “greens” and “browns” in a compost mix. Greens are fresh leaves and grass clippings and kitchen scraps.

These materials will have an abundance of moisture as well as nitrogen. Browns are older, dried out plant material and wood. The browns help create air cushions in the compost that facilitate aeration and also contain carbon. Without aeration, the compost will compact down too quickly, which could slow down the decomposition process. This may result in a foul odor. Avoid the use of bones, meat or cheese, pet waste or any lawn trimmings that have been treated with pesticides.

Turning the compost will help keep it aerated and will also distribute the bacteria. This can help speed along the composting process. Avoid adding weeds to juvenile compost because it may not be hot enough to kill the seeds and then you’ll be stuck with weeds in the compost — and wherever you place that compost.

Moisture is essential to the compost.

Each time you add new material to the compost bin, dampen it. It should be moist but not dripping. Remember, during warmer months, the compost may dry out more, so you will need to be on top of the moisture levels.

The composting process works best at temperatures between 120 and 150 F. The compost will generate its own heat as matter is broken down. However, the heat of warm months can speed up the process. Novice composters may want to begin their composting in the summer as a first attempt.

Hot composting piles can be turned into soil fertilizer in as little as 8 to 10 weeks. Therefore, plan your composting start date accordingly. Soon after you may have a naturally sustainable garden that produces material enough to continually feed your existing compost pile.

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ThinkWATER How to conserve water and benefit the environment

E

co-conscious men and women have many options at their disposal when it comes to protecting the environment. One such way is to conserve water.

Conserving water can be done in a variety of ways, many of which won’t require much effort at all. The following are a handful of ways men and women can conserve water to benefit the environment.

Upgrade your home’s water features.

According to the

Environmental Protection Agency, toilets, showers and faucets account for two-thirds of all indoor water use. If you haven’t upgraded these items in recent years, chances are they’re not very eco-friendly. In the past, toilets used between 3.5 to 5 gallons of water per flush. But today’s low-flush toilets use 1.6 gallons of water or less per flush, significantly reducing the average home’s water consumption.

Older showerheads may also be unnecessarily wasting water. EPA

Strategically watering a lawn and garden to reduce evaporation is one way homeowners can conserve water around the house.

DON’T DUMP.

estimates suggest that showers account for roughly 20 percent of total indoor water use.

Older showerheads typically consume about 4.5 gallons of water per minute, while newer, low-flow showerheads consume just 2.5 gallons of water per minute.

Such showerheads are inexpensive and can drastically reduce your monthly water consumption, helping the environment while saving you money.

Change your landscaping practices.

Homeowners with a green thumb can employ a more eco-friendly approach to tending to their lawns and gardens without sacrificing aesthetic appeal. One way to do so is by watering in the early morning hours or during the evening, especially during the hot summer months. Doing so means less water will be lost to evaporation, which means you won’t have to over-water to

make up for the water lost to evaporation that’s common when a lawn or garden is watered during the hot and humid daylight hours.

How often you cut the grass can also contribute to excessive water consumption. Allowing the grass to grow taller will provide more shade for the lawn’s roots.

This makes for stronger roots and more water retention in the soil, which translates to less watering.

Another way to conserve water when landscaping to strategically locate plants based on their water needs. Group plants with similar water needs next to one another and, if planting a garden for the first time, look for plants that do not need lots of water to survive. This is especially important for those people who live in regions where temperatures are particularly high during the spring and summer.

Become more conscious of your water consumption and usage.

One of the easiest ways to conserve water is to become more conscious of the various ways in which you waste water on a daily basis. Nearly everyone wastes water, be it running the dishwasher when it’s not full or using a washing machine without a variable load control or

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letting the faucet run continuously while brushing your teeth. When you resolve to conserve more water, take note of the ways you might be wasting water throughout a typical day, and then alter those behaviors to be less wasteful.

Conserving water is essential to protecting the environment. Adhering to a few simple and efficient strategies is all it takes to reduce your daily water consumption, do your part to protect the environment and maybe even save a little money along the way.

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RECYCLE.

ThinkLOCAL City’s next target?

Knotweed

M

ost people are familiar with the alien plant Scotch broom, but fewer know about the much more threatening species knotweed.

These aggressive plants grow better in their new habitat due to the absence of native predators and diseases that limit their growth at home. Japanese knotweed is a tall shrub with bamboo-like stems.

Knotweed grows in many habitats, but is of most concern next to streams and rivers.

“We are most concerned with the health of the Campbell River estuary, which is such an important salmon habitat,” says Sandra Milligan, Greenways vicepresident who spearheaded the first knotweed treatments along Myrt Thompson Trail last year.

Knotweed’s incredibly extensive root system and sprouting ability makes it extremely difficult to control.

Digging or hand-pulling causes plants to send more roots underground and actually increases the infestation size. Herbicide treatments are the only

known effective means of removal.

Ernie Sellentin, invasive plant specialist from the Coastal Invasive Plant committee, says, “We retreated over half of last year’s 10 small knotweed infestations.

First time treatments were applied to infestations along Homewood Road that threaten Nunn’s Creek and to infestations on Simms Creek and the Campbell River. We are very fortunate to have been able to attack these small infestations before they become much more costly to eradicate.”

Milligan adds, “Other estuaries have been significantly impacted by knotweed, which erodes banks and damages salmon habitat.”

This year, Greenways volunteers made a fantastic impact by removing Scotch broom and yellow flag iris from our stream corridors, but when it comes to knotweed, professionals are required.

Some of the project funding was provided by BC Hydro ($5,000) and Fisheries and

Oceans Canada ($1,000).

Knotweed was treated in Nunns Creek Park and Simms Creek watersheds, the Seawalk and along the Myrt Thompson Trail.

Greenways also plans to eradicate knotweed from streamside habitats.

“The most important piece of this work, however, is public education,” says Milligan. “Most infestations result from land owners illegally dumping yard waste in our natural places. One inadvertent wheelbarrow full of knotweed can mean years of costly treatments to regain the environmental health of our salmon habitats.

Prevention is absolutely the most important action to avoid this “biological pollution.” To report an infestation, visit www.reportaweed.ca or call Greenways at 250-2873785. E-mail greenways@ greenwaystrust.ca

The many benefits of

buying locally B uying locally is a great way for consumers to find the products and services they’re looking for and help their local economy along the way. The small businesses in your community may be owned by your next door neighbor, who relies on his or her fellow townspeople to keep the business going strong.

Buying locally is not only beneficial for local business owners, but buying locally benefits consumers and members of the community in a number of ways.

Buying locally creates jobs. The number of unemployed men and women has gradually declined in recent years, but those figures are still high in many communities.

Buying locally creates jobs in your community, potentially creating a job for you or a friend or family member.

Buying locally helps the environment.

Buying within your community reduces the amount of fuel you’re likely to use for a weekend shopping trip while also reducing pollution. In addition, many local store owners use local materials

and ingredients, reducing the amount of fuel consumed to get products into the store.

Buying locally creates a more closely knit community.

Juggling a career and a family can make it hard for men and women to get to know their neighbors and other members of their community. Buying locally is an opportunity to strengthen that bond with your neighbors, creating a close knit community in which residents may feel safer and

more comfortable.

Buying locally is more convenient. Convenience is paramount to many consumers, and buying locally saves both time and money. Driving to a mall or shopping center or paying costly online shipping fees is not nearly as quick or convenient as shopping within your community, where you can purchase and take home items on the same day without using a full tank of gas or paying for shipping.

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ThinkTRAVEL

Eco-friendly hotels M any hotels endeavor to do what they can to reduce their carbon footprint.

These programs include a recycling program for bottles, paper, cardboard, electronics and ink cartridges. In addition they offer a towel and beding program where their guests can opt out of daily linen changes. They use energy efficient lighting, toilets that minimize water consumption and refillable, wall mounted dispensing units for shampoo, conditioner and body wash.

These are cost efficient and easy changes to implement. So it is shocking when hotels offer only a few, if any of these amenities.

Most hotels continue to provide guests with small

single use size bottles of shampoo, conditioner and lotion. All of this plastic eventually ends up in the landfill. It is not recycled or reused. It is also important to note that a 150-room hotel contributes 1,000 tons of greenhouse gas to the environment per year. This is the equivalent of taking 5,000 airplane flights, driving 200 cars or heating 100 homes.

It is not unusual for guests to leave their room without turning off lights, TV’s, heat

and/or air conditioning. It is estimated that 25% to 45% of energy hotels use, is consumed in unoccupied, but sold rooms.

There are a variety of programs that hotels can initiate to reduce their environmental impact. They include, but are not limited to: • Optional linen change program and associated supports to facilitate this including adequate towel bars and hooks to hang towels to dry.

• Use refillable dispensing units for shampoo, conditioner and lotion • Newspaper service on request only • Well marked recycling containers in rooms and in public areas • Reduced water pressure, water temperature and efficient toilets • Use washable cups and dishes for continental breakfast and coffee/tea service • Idle free zone in hotel foyer As consumers of hotels, it is incumbent on us to encourage the hospitality industry to participation in these and other programs.

So how do we do this?

There are a couple of programs in existence in Canada to help you do this.

The first is the Green Key Eco-Rating Program. This program is a graduated rating system that assigns one-five keys to hotels based on their fiscal and environmental performance.

Hotels undergo a comprehensive audit, rating their current performance and identifying opportunities for improvement. More information is available at http://www.greenkeyglobal. com.

A second program available to the hotel industry is the Ecostay Program. Hoteliers become carbon neutral by offsetting

their greenhouse gas emissions and at the same time generate revenue to fund their own conservation projects.

The hotel charges $2.00 per room night to its guests. Seventy-five percent of these funds go to support emissionreducing projects that may include: renewable energy, sustainable farming, energy efficiency programs and composting/recycling programs. This investment offsets the hotel’s carbon footprint. The other twentyfive percent is invested the their own conservation efforts. More information is available at http://www.ecostay. ca.

When we frequent hotels that participate in these two programs, we are consciously supporting their conservation efforts. But what if your favourite hotel is not currently

participating? Your dollar has power as a consumer, as does your voice.

Hoteliers are anxious to meet your needs. They want to ensure that your stay is comfortable, and they know that you are comfortable when the service reflects your values. Ask for what you want. Make sure the hotel is aware that you like their recycling program, but are concerned about what they are not doing. Finally ensure that you are being a responsible consumer.

Turn off the lights when you leave the room, opt to skip the daily fresh towels and bedding, and support the other environmental programs the hotel has in place.

Cherry Robertson, House Keeping Manager at Ocean Resort

ThinkGMOs

debate over foods containing GMOs continues The

T

he foods people eat and how those foods are grown and manufactured has long been a topic of contention. Recently, the subject of genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, has garnered its share of attention.

GMOs are organisms that have been altered via genetic engineering. Foods that contain GMOs have been produced in part in a laboratory by foreign genes from plants and animals.

While there are some people who say that foods containing GMOs are safe for consumption, others argue that that may not be the case, saying such foods create new, unintended toxic substances that could exacerbate allergies and increase cancer risk.

Foods containing GMOs are largely crops that are modified using the latest molecular biology techniques. In the laboratory, certain traits, such as increased resistance to herbi-

cides or improved nutritional content, are enhanced. By modifying plant genetics, a scientist can isolate a particular gene that makes a crop drought-tolerant and increase its potency to make that crop thrive better in drought-stricken areas.

Genes from one plant can also be transferred to another plant to create desired traits. If a particular gene is unsavory to certain insects, this gene can be put into other crops to deter those insects.

In the past, crops were bred to feature specific, desired traits with the hope that breeding two different

flowering plants to form a hybrid would bring out the best features in both species. However, the process is time-consuming and genetic modification in the laboratory generally produces faster, less expensive results.

Proponents of foods containing GMOs say that desired traits can be produced in these foods more readily, which is advantageous to the agriculture industry by creating larger, more tolerant crops. In addition, GMOs may help

crops become more resistant to disease, reducing reliance on herbicides and pesticides needed to fight disease. GMOs also may help certain crops grow better in colder climates and where soil conditions are salty.

But some environmental activists, public interest groups and even religious organizations argue tampering with foods is not proper. In addition, such opponents say the potentially harmful environmental and medical impact of laboratory-built crops warrants concern.

In 2000, a study published in the journal Nature found that pollen from a genetically modified corn crop called B.t. corn caused

high mortality rates in monarch butterfly caterpillars.

Unintented harm to other organisms living in close proximity to GMOs is a significant concern.

In addition, there is concern that foods that contain GMOs and those that do not may cross-breed and create super-plants. Such plants may become disease- and herbicide-resistant, thusly choking out the intended crops.

In June 2013, Monsanto Co., the world’s largest seed company, was sued by an environmental group and a Washington farm over claims it failed to take steps to prevent genetically altered wheat from contaminating regular wheat after Monsanto field-tested the modified wheat in 16 states.

Another area of concern

is the health implications of introducing foreign genes into foods. The effect of such practices on the human body are largely unknown. Unexpected allergic reactions or even physical changes in the body may occur. Evidence as to the safety of GMOs is insufficient.

Many European nations have backed away from growing crops containing GMOs. Things in North America aren’t as cut and dry.

Efforts are ongoing to have GMO ingredients listed on the labels of packaged foods produced in the United States, but no such labeling is presently required. That’s disconcerting to some, as there is a high likelihood that many of the packaged foods sold in Canada contain some GMOs. The debate about foods containing GMOs figures to continue. Shoppers must determine whether they want to consume foods that contain genetically modified ingredients or they prefer natural alternatives.

HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW? DO YOU WANT TO GROW TOMATOES AS BEAUTIFUL AS THESE? Come in for tips and see our new display of our 100% locally made plant food.

Lodavico Fruscalzo of Campbell River grew these fantastic non GMO Heritage Tomatoes last year.

Hygro Gardening Supplies Inc. | 1791 Tamarac Street, Campbell River | 250-286-0424

ThinkHEALTH

SUSTAINABLE ORGANIC LOCAL

EARTH DAY

Tuesday, April 22nd

STOREWIDE SALE 10% OFF Grocery ~~~ 15% OFF Supplements (some exclusions apply)

~~~ Gift Basket Raffle

DEMOS Greenways Land Trust Fundraiser A portion of days overall sales are donated to this local environmental group.

10:30 AM - 1:30 PM Gerry Pattison of Pattison Farms Black Creek

Tree Island Gourmet Yogurt Courtenay

in season. Gerry is always happy to talk about local & organic and why it is important.

cooking to make real yoghurt that is true to its roots- fresh local & cultured. - Scott & Merissa

That Extra Touch Qualicum

World Community Coffee Courtenay

Min & Gene operate a small independent business in Qualicum, creating gourmet sauces, jellies and vinegars. The Island has been able to offer them many of their organic ingredients and a chance to work closely with the farmers that grow the products. Come on down to sample one of many clean products that they make.

World Community is not just a coffee company, they are actually a community of advocates working to foster a greater awareness of the social, economic and environmental consequences of human activity at both the local and global levels. They also make a great cup of coffee!

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Yarrow & Angela Willard Harmonic Arts Come on down to meet your local We use whole milk from grass- Herbal Dispensary organic grower and check out what’s fed cows, and traditional kettle Cumberland We are a small company of Herbalists based in the Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. Our mission is to share the healing powers of plant medicine with our community, both near and far. In doing so, we provide the finest high quality herbs, and herbal product. We avidly search out the best possible sustainable organic and wildharvested herbs in our local farm community, wild lands, and on the world market.

Lovena & Ryan Harvey Gathering Place Trading Company Campbell River Specializing in organic and fairly traded products from family or cooperative farms in developing countries, The Gathering Place gives back 13% of its profits to improve the lives of children in need.

1270 Dogwood Street, Campbell River Elmwood Park Plaza 250-286-6011