Winter 2009/10 — warmest ever. And, at the same time, one of the coolest on St. Simons Island, Georgia where this Canadian fled to avoid Canada’s winter.
Canada’s warmest winter ever ‘beyond shocking’ |
Season was balmiest, driest on record |
MARCH 8 - A man takes in the sun and warm weather at Toronto’s Cherry Beach Park. |
| From the balmy Arctic, to the open water of the St. Lawrence and snowless western fields, this winter has been the warmest and driest in Canadian record books. |
Environment Canada scientists report that winter 2009/10 was 4 C above normal, making it the warmest since nationwide records were first kept in 1948. It was also the driest winter on the 63-year record, with precipitation 22 per cent below normal nationally, and down 60 per cent in parts of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario. Read more at www.canada.com |
Speaking of consumerism and over consumption… This is consumerism on steroids! And, this is the ultimate “prize” to support a Children’s Hospital?
Maybe we should re think and recast our dreams.
A 4800 sq ft house… Dream of a Life Time? I don’t think so. What are we thinking when we dream like this? Fully Loaded Minto Dream Home & More! |
Prize Includes
| Minto Dream Home |
$1,474,000 |
| $100,000 Cash |
$100,000 |
2010 Buick Enclave
from Turpin |
$50,551* |
$5,000 in Groceries
from Farm Boy |
$5,000 |
House Cleaning for a Year
from The Maids Home Services |
$6,793 |
Moving & Legal Services
|
$4,785 |
*or $40,000 Cash
Read more at www.dreamofalifetime.ca |
Afghanistan Nauruz (Afghan New Year)
Azerbaijan Novruz Holiday
Iran Norooz (Persian New Year)
Iraq Noruz (Persian New Year) (Kurdistan) [Regional]
Japan Vernal Equinox
Kazakhstan Nauryz Meyramy Holiday
Kyrgyzstan People’s Holiday of Nooruz
Namibia Independence Day (celebration)
Nepal Public Holiday (funeral of former PM Girija Prasad Koirala)
South Africa Human Rights’ Day
Syria Mothers’ Day
Tajikistan Navruz (Persian New Year)
Tunisia Youth Day
Turkmenistan Spring Holiday (Novruz)
Uzbekistan Navruz (Persian New Year)
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Harmony Day (Australia) |
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Int’l Day for Elimination of Racial Discrimination (UN) |
The Organic Consumers Association on Annie Leonard’s book “The Story of Stuff”. Our Obsession With Stuff Is Trashing the Planet, Our Communities and Our Health |
| A new book questioning our consumerism says we spend more on shoes and jewelry than higher education; more on ocean cruises than providing drinking water for all. |
| So here we are. All sorts of stuff is lining the real or virtual shelves of stores, ready to slip into our shopping carts or be assembled and shipped according to our desires. Enter the consumer. Stage left, stage right, storming stores and online shopping portals, armed with credit cards and freshly cashed paychecks. This stage of the game is What It’s All For — at least that’s what we’re told. Read more at www.organicconsumers.org |
Get rid of them on St. Joseph’s (The Carpenter) Day!
This is a little idea generator we used on our local gifting groups (FullCircles / Freecycle) here in Eastern Ontario / Western Quebec this morning in the hope of generating a little philanthropical activity and maybe even a little fun. | In Christian religions/traditions, today, March 19th, is St. Joseph’s Day…. remember… Joseph the Carpenter.
As a bit of fun on this otherwise ordinary Friday, why not do a quick household audit to discover idle, surplus, unused, unwanted wooden things… Â Find them and then gift them on your local fullcircles, freecycle, reuseit group today… on St. Joseph’s Day. Â What a fun way to purge a bit of clutter from your living space / garage / basement. |
Here are some wooden things that come to mind (in no particular order): Â wooden furniture, toys, boxes, picture frames, lumber, firewood, toothpicks, skiis, toboggans, shelving, surplus construction materials. |
U of Western Ontario student team won $25k in the 2010 TD Friends of the Environment Foundation “Go Green” Challenge for this project.
TD FRIENDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT FOUNDATION
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Top students recognized for innovative concepts in environmental sustainability |
- Four university teams each awarded $25,000 in the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation $100,000 Go Green Challenge -
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| Sustainable Food and Energy Production: Closing the loop from farm field
waste - University of Western Ontario
- Currently, organic matter from municipal waste is often landfilled,
thereby wasting precious stored energy and nutrients. This team’s
plan involves proposed technology that will utilize organic waste
diversion systems to create renewable energies and organic
fertilizers. This would be done by anaerobically digesting separated
municipal organic waste to create methane gas, by taking the nutrient
rich liquid bi-product to grow algae for the production of biodiesel
and other bio-products, and by taking the nutrient rich solid
digestate from the anaerobic digesters to replenish lost nutrients in
farm fields.Read more at www.newswire.ca |
This is the third of four $25,000 awards in the 2010 TD Friends of the Environment Foundation “Go Green” Challenge. Top students recognized for innovative concepts in environmental sustainability |
| Softening our footprint-one step at a time - Université de Sherbrooke
- This project proposes an integrated multidimensional global approach
that supports initiatives designed to soften our carbon footprint.
The team proposed a model that could be applied to cities with a
population of 100,000 or more, where more than 65 per cent of the
Canadian population is concentrated. The model city integrates a
vertical farm to increase yield and promote local production, thereby
reducing emissions associated with agriculture and food
transportation. An intelligent electric network that will enable the
electric production to be delocalized and will promote renewable
energy is also a part of the model city, and a highly efficient
public transit system, combined with active transportation (cycling,
walking, etc.), allow the city to be without cars.Read more at www.newswire.ca |
This is one of four $25,000 awards in the 2010 TD Friends of the Environment “Go Green” Challenge. Top students recognized for innovative concepts in environmental sustainability |
- Four university teams each awarded $25,000 in the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation $100,000 Go Green Challenge -
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| Uncovering Water: Exposing the Stormwater System Through Sustainable
Design - University of Manitoba
- With no true beginning or end, water is constantly moving and
interacting with its surroundings. Through varying forms and states,
water alters every element it contacts, shaping both immediate and
distant environments. This team developed a plan that involves the
investigation of stormwater management issues in an urban context,
and provides design-based alternatives for creating a more
sustainable city. Contributing factors such as peak stormwater flow,
runoff, and pollution are examined and the principles of bioretention
are proposed as a method to mitigate these issues.
- Student members: Kathryn Voroney, Aileen Zubriski
- Faculty sponsor: Anna Thurmayr, Landscape ArchitecturesRead more at www.newswire.ca |
This project won University of BC students $25,000 in the recent TD Friends of the Environment 2010 “Go Green” Challenge | UBC Farm Sustainabili-Tea - University of British Columbia (UBC)
- While tea has become incorporated into the diet of many Canadians, it
is often overlooked as a food item. This team’s plan for the UBC Farm
Sustainabili-Tea project outlines how a local herbal tea enterprise
can contribute towards a more sustainable food system in the city of
Vancouver. Teaming up with the acclaimed Centre for Sustainable Food
Systems on UBC’s Farm, a 363 sq. ft. plot will be cultivated with
plants suitable to grow in the mild west coast climate. This proposal
consisted of a thorough analysis of the current tea industry, the
production process of a local herbal tea and addressing the
challenges and the advantages of a business plan.
- Student members: Queenie Bei, Jessica Cho
- Faculty sponsor: Brent Skura, Faculty of Land and Food Systems, Food
Nutrition and HealthRead more at www.newswire.ca |
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TD FRIENDS OF THE ENVIRONMENT FOUNDATION
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Top students recognized for innovative concepts in environmental sustainability |
- Four university teams each awarded $25,000 in the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation $100,000 Go Green Challenge -
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TORONTO, March 17 /CNW/ - Thinking green has paid off for four groups of Canadian post-secondary students. TD Friends of the Environment Foundation (TD FEF) today announced the winners of the third annual $100,000 Go Green Challenge, a national competition that invites university and college teams to share proposals and ideas that would have a positive environmental impact on communities.
Read more at www.newswire.ca |
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