Filed under: Uncategorized
Help restore our forests – with seeds from your own backyard!
at our next meeting:
Guest Speaker Mark Emery
from the Elgin Stewardship Council
Thursday, January 15th
7:30 at the HUB
The “Trees for Life” program has volunteers collect seeds from native trees in participants’ yards every fall. Growing these seeds provides a hands-on learning experience for youth at area schools, with the saplings being made available for local habitat restoration projects.
Mark will be speaking about the forest restoration process, native and rare plants, the details of this project, and how you can volunteer your time or your trees for this worthwhile cause. If you would be willing to have seeds collected from trees on your property, or if you can volunteer to do a bit of raking yourself, come join us Thursday evening!
This is the first meeting at our new regular time: the 3rd Thursday of each month, 7:30 at the HUB. As always, everyone is welcome, both from the village and the surrounding area!
If you’d like any more details call 644-5186.
Elgin Stewardship Council Website:
http://www.ontariostewardship.org/ontarioStewardship/home/osESCIndex.asp
We’ve moved our meetings to the 3rd Thursday of every month, 7:30 @ the HUB.
Meetings & Topics:
Jan 15: “Trees for Life” Seed Collection Program
Feb 19: Green Baby Night
Mar 19: The Environment & Your Health
Apr 16: Your Next Big Green Event
Movie Nights:
Presented at Aylmer Old Town Hall by Grassroots, an Aylmer environmental group
Jan 27, 7:00: “Who Killed the Electric Car?”
Feb 24, 7:00: “The End of Suburbia”
Mar 31, 7:00: “Garbage”
Other Notes:
Registration begins in February for the “Greening Up at Grosvenor Lodge” summer day camp. Call 645-2845.
Join millions of people around the world in turning off your lights for “Earth Hour”, 8:30 to 9:30 pm, March 28th.
Watch for Pitch-In Community Clean-Up Day on a Saturday in April. This is a great volunteer opportunity for students.
Filed under: Events, Meetings | Tags: Elgin Stewardship Council, Guest Speaker, Native Trees
This Sunday, we have a guest speaker about a really exciting program that is helping to rebuild our Carolinian forest… from seeds in our own backyards!
Trees for Tomorrow is a great opportunity for families to learn about the types and importance of the trees growing on their own property, and a great volunteer opportunity for students and others looking to enhance area forests.
The details:
“Trees for Tomorrow”
Guest Speaker Mark Emery
from the Elgin Stewardship Council
Sunday, October 26th
7:30pm at the HUB
Followed by a screening of films from the
Short-Attention-Span Environmental
Film Festival, if time allows
Everyone is welcome, invite a friend!
What is Trees for Tomorrow?
1. Volunteers collect seed from native trees in participants’ yards each fall
2. Students at area highschools get hands-on experience growing the seeds
3. Saplings are planted as part of local habitat restoration projects
Filed under: Events
Join us for a local
ECO-TOUR
Sunday, Sept. 28
1:00 – 5:00 pm
Starts @ Belmont Arena
The Eco-Tour is a guided visit to a number of interesting spots in Elgin County, featuring things like:
-Renewable Power Generation
-Homemade Bio-Diesel
-Low-Impact Wine Making
… and more!
Come see what’s happening in your own backyard!
A more detailed schedule and map will be posted closer to the date. If you’d like more info, or are able to offer a ride that day, please call 644-5186.
Sustainable Belmont was fortunate to be nominated this year for a 2008 Central Elgin Communities In Bloom award in the Environmental Awareness category. Congratulations to everyone who has helped support our group, by participating in our meetings and events, helping with logistics and organizing, donating time, money, and expertise, and letting others know about our group and its goals. Being nominated so soon is a recognition of our hard work so far and reflects the expectations our community has for us as we strive for a greener town.
Congratulations to the winners of our category, McSmith Organics, who have built a beautiful home using straw-bale construction, and the Hawk Cliff Raptor Banders, who play a significant role in wildlife conservation. Both groups do phenomenal work, and have made substantial contributions to our environment in this municipality.
Filed under: Uncategorized
Hi everyone,
Thanks for those who came and supported us at our barbeque on the weekend – it was a great success!
As promised, for those interested in the worms that were on display, here is the contact information for the lady I purchased them from:
www.annelidcycle.com
I just started a vermi-composter, and will be posting updates on the experience as it unfolds.
TTFN
SUSTAINABLE BELMONT FUNDRAISING BBQ
Saturday, June 28
11am – 2pm
Belmont Foodland Parking Lot
Learn more about our group, see displays on vermi- or worm-comosting, and Ontario’s new “hang-to-dry” policy.
We’re looking for volunteer cooks, ticket-sellers, clean-up crew, and all-around friendly faces. Email sustainable.belmont.blog@hotmail.com to help out!
Filed under: Member Contributions, Website Resources | Tags: Batteries, Recycling
Batteries are pretty toxic. So toxic, in fact, it isn’t safe to toss them in the trash. So what should we do with them?
If they are RECHARGEABLE, a number of places will recycle them – generally, where you buy them… Just ask. Up on Wellington Road, you can return them to Lumberteria, the Bay, Canadian Tire or The Source. In Dorchester, try Home Hardware, and kudos to our neighbours: the Township of Malahide takes rechargeable batteries and OLD CELL PHONES at its office on John St in Aylmer. Use this site search for stores near you.
If they are NON-RECHARGEABLE, you’ll need to dispose of them as hazardous waste, in the same way you would with old paint, fluorescent light bulbs, or used oil. This probably means taking them to the Central Elgin Hazardous Waste Day next year (the ‘08 day was last weekend!). If you find another place to take them, please let us know by posting a comment below.
Finally, before you buy that next pack batteries, consider that it takes many, many times more energy to make a battery than the energy it provides. Something to chew on.
Blind Birders, Grumpy Badgers, Extreme Bikers,
Concerned Grandmothers And Flipper!!!
We’ve Got It All
Sustainable Belmont’s First Ever Movie Night
Featuring Short Films From The Earth Dance Short-Attention-Span Film Festival
Refreshments * Prize Draw
Bring Your Friends And Family
Sunday, June 1, 7:30 pm @ the HUB
For More Information Call 644-5186 Or Email
I’d like to thank Barbara Clark for sending in this series of pictures she took while on a recent walk around Belmont. Click on an image to see a larger version of each photo. It’s disturbing to think that our local landscape is being treated as a dumping ground for unwanted building materials, household goods, automotive parts, and other miscellaneous goods. Hopefully this is the type of behaviour our group will be able to advocate against. If you have suggestions or recommendations, please, add your comments.
