spring 2007 eco newsletter, ecosuperior

8/8/2019 Spring 2007 Eco Newsletter, EcoSuperior

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Are you planning some renovations that may include a new furnace or insulation? Before you call

a contractor or pick up a power tool, you should find out more about the new EcoEnergy Retrofitgrants available from the federal government. To qualify for any grants, you need to have a homeenergy evaluation completed by a certified energy advisor, before renovations are begun.EcoSuperiors Don Rutledge has helped hundreds of homeowners reduce their energy bills and accessthousands of dollars in federal grants. Plus, evaluation fees stay in our community and help supportlocal environmental programs.

At press time, we were still awaiting more details on the retrofit grant program, but we do knowthat the grant is based on the measures you take to increase energy efficiency in your home. The moreimprovements you make, the larger your grant will be. For example, upgrading to a high efficiencygas furnace could earn a grant of $300, an Energy Star oil or gas boiler $600. A ground- or water-source heat pump earns $3,500. Replace your wood-burning appliance with an EPA-approved unit and

receive $300. Installing an HRV earns a grant of $300.Adding insulation also brings significant grant

amounts up to $600 for attic insulation, up to $1,000for basement walls, up to $800 for crawlspace.

Your EcoEnergy Retrofit report will include recom-mendations for prioritizing work, and estimates of yourenergy savings as a result of each measure. You have 18months from the date of the pre-renovation evaluation tocomplete the work, which can be done by yourself or acontractor. Only homes that have had a pre- and post-retrofit evaluation from an NRCan-licensed energyadvisor are eligible for grants. Call EcoSuperior at 624-2140 to find out more today!

Heres a reason to look forward to laundry day the City of Thunder Bay is offering a $100rebate when you choose an energy-efficient washing machine. Choosing an energy efficient appli-ance will help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save money on your utility bills. And now,

when you purchase an Energy Star rated front-loading clothes washing machine, you can apply fora $100 rebate to your city water account.Rebates are available for appliances purchased after April 15,

2007. There are a limited number of rebates available that willbe awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis. Contact our

office first to make sure there are still rebates available, then just bring your receipt, the Energy Star label and your wateraccount number to EcoSuperior at 212 Miles Street East.

Energy Star qualified clothes washers help you save money onutility bills by using less water and energy while cleaning clothesthoroughly. Energy Star rated washing machines use approxi-mately 45% less water and approximately 65% less energy than

traditional models. They can easily save you $45 per year and useup to 2/3 less detergent. They are also much more gentle on your clothes, because they wash by tum-bling, rather than stirring, the garments.

These high-tech washers feature sensors that prevent energy waste by matching water needs tothe size of each load and advanced high-speed motors that reduce the length of spin cycles andremove more water from clothes, so less time and energy are needed for drying. Use cold water towash, and a clothesline to dry, and youll save even more energy!

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April 2007

Larry Thivierge of Perth Crescent found the energy hogs in his house-

hold and earned a cheque for $1332.89 from EcoSuperior. That representsthe total amount he paid to Thunder Bay Hydro in 2006. This years billsshould be considerably less as Larry and his wife Bernadine demonstrateda 24% reduction in their electricity consumption in February as comparedto the same month last year.

It was the huge old freezer we had, says Larry. You could fit threemoose and a deer in there, but it sure used a lot of power.

This winter, Larry started wondering why his bills were so much higherthan a neighbours, in spite of his smaller house and smaller family. He trad-ed in the freezer for a smaller, more efficient model, and signed up for aPower$avers home visit with EcoSuperior project coordinator Jane Oldale.

I really enjoyed the project, says Jane. It was nice to meet so many

folks who were truly interested in learning how to consume less.Sometimes the energy hogs were not easy to find, and in other householdsthey were quite obvious.

The Thivierge household also implemented other energy-saving initia-tives such a block heater timer and compact fluorescent bulbs. Larry andBernadine plan to use their winnings on a family trip to Korea this year toparticipate in their sons wedding.

The Thunder Bay Power$aver project was funded by the OntarioMinistry of Energys Community Conservation Initiative fund, with addi-tional assistance from Thunder Bay Hydro. One hundred and two localhouseholds participated in the project, which included a home visit,instruction on reading your meter and a checklist of recommended conser-vation actions.

Larry and Bernadine Thivierge of Perth Crescent were the winners of our ThunderBay Power$avers contest, reducing their electricity consumption by 24% and earninga $1332 refund of their 2006 Thunder Bay Hydro bills.

Inside Cycling to Bowater

Spring up to Clean up

Recycling at Apartments

Two Button Toilet rebates

Safe disposal of CFL bulbs

Low Income Energyassistance

Green Drinks anniversary

And the Winner Is...

Washing Machine RebatesNEW!

New Grants for Renovations


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2

CommunityPartners

ECO-NEWS EcoSuperior 2

EcoNews is produced by EcoSuperior Environmental Programs.Look for our regular editions in your Chronicle Journal everyApril and October. All the articles are written by EcoSuperiorstaff unless otherwise credited. We are a non-profit organization,providing public education in the areas of water and energy

conservation, waste reduction, pollution prevention and urbangreenspaces. Our program area includes the city of ThunderBay & the Lake Superior region. If you would like to comment on our programs, please contact us:212 Miles Street East, Thunder Bay, Ontario P7C 1J6 Telephone: 807-624-2140Facsimile: 807-622-0005 www.ecosuperior.org [email protected]

About Eco-News

2006 BowaterBike Riding Challenge

The many community programs and projects that you will readabout in this newsletter would not be possible without the efforts ofthose who finance and contribute to EcoSuperiors activities.Through contributions of ideas, connections, expertise and financial

support, the following organizations have played a major role in oursuccess. We extend our sincere gratitude to the individuals withinthese organizations that have helped us along the way.

City of Thunder Bay

Environment Canada

Thunder Bay District Health Unit

Thunder Bay Hydro

Fisheries & Oceans Canada

EarthWise Thunder Bay

Anishnabek of the Gitchi Gami

Northshore Steelheaders Association

Ontario Ministry of the Environment

Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources

Ontario Ministry of Energy

Lake Superior Binational Forum

Action for Neighbourhood Change

Ontario Power Authority

Ontario Power Generation

Green Communities Canada

Shell Environmental Fund

Union Gas

Bowater

Dougall Media

Tim Hortons

Zero Waste Action Team

Litterfree Thunder Bay

ReCool Canada

Superior Renewable Energy Co-op

Volunteer Thunder Bay

In addition to the list above, we must thank the many local busi-nesses who make it possible for people to make the right choices;the local media that help us spread the word, and many volunteer

and committee members who provide invaluable assistance.

Submitted by L. Duffield & C. WaltonBowater Canadian Forest Products Inc.

Employees at the Bowater Thunder BayOperation are asked annually to take up the chal-lenge of riding their bikes to work. Cycling towork is considered Active Transportation andthe mileage achieved at the Thunder Bay site isvery impressive. In 2006, employees who partici-pated in the Bike Riding Challenge logged121,483 kilometers.

The positive environmental impact from thisrepresents: Savings of over 16,000 litres of fuel,reduction of over 27,000 kg of greenhouse gases(carbon dioxide), and reduction of over 300 kg ofsmog causing compounds (hydrocarbons andnitrogen oxides).

Since weather is a deterrent for most riderslocally, it is an interesting fact that the three coun-tries of the world with the most bicycling partici-pation are Northern Holland, Denmark, andFinland. In the case of Finland mail is deliveredby bicycle except when the temperature is belowminus 20 degrees Celsius.

Bowater employees have shown by the amount

of cycling we do that we have integrated ActiveTransportation into our daily lives, and the healthand environmental benefits we will derive from itwill be well worth it. Bowater will challenge itsemployees again this year to take up this activeform of transportation and participate in the pro-gram.

Are you up for it?

EcoSuperior, Earthwise Thunder Bay and the

Thunder Bay District Health Unit would love tosee more workplaces encouraging cycling oractive transportation the way Bowater does. Ifyou arent quite ready to set up a year-round pro-gram, how about trying it for just one week?Canadian Environment Week is June 3 to 9 2007.You can register yourself or your workplace teamat www.commuterchallenge.ca. Help us putThunder Bay on the list of communities that istaking an active role in reducing greenhouse gasemissions by finding a better way to work. If youwould like posters or other resources to help setup a commuter challenge at your office, callEcoSuperior at 624-2140.

Lynn Duffield, of the Environment Affairs Division at Bowater, is one of many employees who regularly cycle to work

at Bowater. Heres Lynn on the Munger Trail.

It happens in Thunder Bay on the third Wednesday of every month.On April 18th, its also happening in Toronto, Vancouver, AnnArbour/Ypsilanti, Michigan; Brooklyn, New York and Newcastle,Australia. Its Green Drinks, a worldwide phenomenon with eventshappening in cities all over the world.

In Thunder Bay, we started Green Drinks last year, and Aprilmarks our one-year anniversary. The drinks can be of any colour its the people who are green! This informal, unstructured after-worksocial event is open to anyone who has an interest in environmentalissues. Its a great way to meet up with others who share your inter-est, find volunteers or volunteer opportunities, take part in a lively dis-cussion or run into folks you havent seen in a while. Each month, wechoose a different location, so that our local pubs can share the bene-fits of the gathering. Usually, the host pub provides a few platters ofmunchies for us to sample. Everyone is welcome.

April 18 will be at the Keg, and we may try to link up throughwireless internet with one of the other Green Drinks events in some

faraway placelike Brooklyn, New York! Join us, and bring a friend.If you have a door prize to donate, bring that along too! For updates,check www.greendrinks.org. If youd like to be added to the e-maillist, contact [email protected]

Green Drinks


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Do you want to know if your favorite stream is polluted?Become a Stream Monitor and learn about tiny but important steamorganisms that can tell us about the quality of water in their habi-tat. There is more to a stream than water. Benthic macroinverte-bratescreatures that live in streams, rivers, and pondsinclude

aquatic insects, mites, worms, snails, and crayfish. They can befound under stones, in sediment, on logs, aquatic plants, fallenleaves and other debris during some period in their life. Learn howto catch these creatures with a special net, then identify and pre-serve them.

Some benthic macroinvertebrates are more sensitive to pollutionthan others. Learn to identify mayflies, caddisflies and stonefliesthat need clean water with lots of dissolved oxygen to survive.

Learn to identify other creatures that live in streams, such asaquatic worms and midges, and discover how they can sur-vive in streams with lower amounts of oxygen. Youll also seehow these tiny critters are vitally important to other wildlifeincluding fish and birds.

If youd like further information about biomonitoring usingbenthic macroinvertebrates, or to register for a FREE Study OurStreams Training Session, contact Lucie Lavoie at 624-2143.

The Study Our Streams citizen monitoring program is sup-ported by MNR Upper Great Lakes Management Unit, LakeSuperior Binational Forum, Thunder Bay Field Naturalists,Fisheries & Oceans Canada, Deacon Bioconsulting, City ofThunder Bay and North Shore Steelhead Association.

Although many of us will look at the ingredient labelwhen deciding what sort of tinned food to buy, we dontstop to think what the container may be doing to thefood in the can. Perhaps we should. A toxic ingredientcalled bisphenol A (BPA) is leachingfrom the plastic and resin linersin food and pop cans. TheEnvironmental WorkingGroup (EWG) spear-headed independent labo-ratory tests of 97 cans of

name-brand fruit, vegeta-bles, pop, and other com-monly eaten canned goods.Test results found that over halfof the cans were leaching BPAinto the food. There are currentlyno government safety standards limit-ing the amount of BPA in canned food.

BPA is a heavily produced industrial compound inthe U.S., with annual production exceeding a billionpounds (EPA 2006). The chemical is an endocrine dis-ruptor-- it is able to mimic estrogen in the body at

extremely low doses. The health effects of endocrinedisruptors are many and varied, and limiting exposure isespecially important during early childhood and in thewomb. According to BPA toxicity studies published in

peer-reviewed literature, at some of the very lowestdoses the chemical can cause insulin resistance (a traitof Type II diabetes), changes to breast and prostate cellsthat precede cancer, and damage to chromosomes that

are linked to recurrent miscarriage anda wide range of birth defects

including defects of the maleand female reproductivesystems and Down's syn-drome.

According to laborato-

ry tests commissioned byEWG on canned goods,

BPA is found at unsafe levelsin one of every 10 servings of

canned foods (11%) and one ofevery 3 cans of infant formula

(33%), where a single serving con-tained enough BPA to expose a woman or

infant to BPA levels more than 200 times the US gov-ernment's traditional safe level of exposure for industri-al chemicals.

There are alternatives to lining food cans with a sub-

stance that contains BPA. Due to consumer concernabout the toxic effects of BPA, Japanese industries vol-untarily reduced the use of BPA dramatically by chang-ing the formulation of can liners.

How to Reduce BPA Exposure Eat more fresh foods and fewer from cans.

Consider replacing canned concentrated formula forinfants. Breast is best.

Find baby bottles made from glass or from the saferplastics polypropylene and polyethylene.

Never microwave plastics, especially food for kids.Prefer ceramic or glass containers.

Of all foods tested by EWG, chicken soup, infant for-mula, and ravioli had BPA levels of highest concern.Just one to three servings of foods with these concen-trations could expose a woman or child to BPA at lev-els that caused serious adverse effects in animal tests.

For more information on bisphenol A in food contain-ers, visit the Environmental Working Group website athttp://www.ewg.org/reports/bisphenola/

Bare Organics Inc. was founded out of concern for a lack of truly natural and organicpersonal care products on the Canadian market. They offer organic skin care products

for babies, children, expectant/nursing mothers, and adults with or without sensitivi-ties, plus organic cotton baby care products, linens & accessories. All products areproudly manufactured in Thunder Bay, Ontario. For more information, please [email protected], visit www.bareorganics.ca or call 683-6129.

A new residential and commercial cleaning service in Thunder Bay is promoting apersonalized cleaning service that uses environmentally friendly, biodegradeable,phosphate-free products. Natural Solutions Cleaning Services promises to clean upthe mess and leave the atmosphere intact. For more information or a service quote,contact Judith at 628-0887.

Natural Habit is a new Thunder Bay-based retail store, opening in May 2007. Locatedon Bay Street, it will provide environmentally friendly & sustainably produced mens& womens clothing, organic personal care products, mom & baby clothing, toys &baby care products, local & Canadian-made art. www.naturalhabit.ca

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New in Town!


Wanted: Citizen Stream Monitors

Our schoolTrading Card program &

new Citizen Monitoring program offerways for local residents to get involved in

protecting Thunder Bay waterways.

Whats in Your Soup?

To learn more about the effects of hormone mimics likebisphenol A, join EcoSuperior staff on Tuesday,April 24

at 5 p.m. for a viewing of the video Hormone Imposters. Admission is free, but phone our office at 624-2140 toconfirm your attendance. Well bring the popcorn!


4/8

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MOD SHOP(A recycling member of our community)

Your Donations Divert Tons of Reusable Items From Our Landfill Site and help us assist adults with disabilities in Thunder BayWE ARE DOING CURBSIDE - Just fill a clear or blue bag with clothing and put it at curbside on your regular recycling day.

Items we accept include:Furniture Quality Used Clothing,

Books, Toys, Housewares,

Small Working Appliances (TVs, VCRs, Stereos)

No Large Appliances

Our Bin Locations:237 Camelot Street

Kakabeka Esso

Behind the Brick

Drop Off Donations at:237 Camelot Street or at Mod Shop,

140 South Syndicate Avenue

For Fast Free Pickup of

Large Items, Please Call622-5281

Monday - Saturday

9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Flush & SaveHave you seen the new two-button toilets?

Originally from Australia, these toilets offer evengreater water savings by giving the user a choice of athree-litre or a six-litre flush. There are now a numberof companies offering this type of toilet, and they are

becoming widely accepted. Local hotels such as theNorwester Resort Hotel and the Victoria Inn haveinstalled the toilets to help reduce costs.

As with any type of toilet, it pays to do a little mar-ket research. Ask your plumber for advice when choos-ing a model, and be aware that some low-priced unitsmay not perform as well as the more recognized namebrands.

Because of the additional water savings afforded bythese toilets, the City of Thunder Bay has added themto the Water Conservation Rebate program. A limitednumber of $150 rebates are available to City of

Thunder Bay water customers who have the toiletinstalled by a participating plumber, and who have aWater Saver visit performed prior to the installation.Call our office for more details at 624-2140.

The Toilet Rebate Program is available to both resi-dential and commercial customers, and now includesrebates when old fixtures are replaced with 6-litre ULFtoilets, two-button toilets & waterless urinals. Pleasecontact EcoSuperior before any purchase or installationto ensure that rebates are still available, as they are inlimited quantities and provided on a first come, firstserved basis

Currently, homeowners in Thunder Bay can put out blue bags full of recyclables at the curb every second garbage day.For city residents who live in apartments and condominiums it has not been so easy to recycle. Keen apartment dwellers havebeen recycling at the depots on Mountdale Avenue, Front Street, and at the John Street Landfill Site. But we know it needsto be more convenient in order to increase participation and divert valuable resources from the landfill site.

Last fall the City of Thunder Bay launched a project to help apartment building managers and superintendents set upconvenient recycling programs for their tenants. The project includes a kit with a handbook full of ideas and tips for start-ing or improving a recycling program. We provide posters, fridge magnets, and other printed material for residents thatclearly lay out the whatsand hows of recy-cling. EcoSuperior provides a resource personto work one-on-one with the building managerto figure out the logistics of setting up andmaintaining an effective recycling program.

One feature of the program is the apartment

recycling basket, available for $3 each,designed to make recycling simple for theapartment dweller. This convenient blue heavyduty plastic basket fits conveniently in smallplaces, mounts neatly inside a cupboard or clos-et, is easy to rinse clean, and has a comfortablehandle so it can be carried with one hand to therecycling area.

One success story has been the LutheranCommunity Housing Corporation, a privatenon profit organization with four apartmentbuildings (120 units total) providing housing in

the city with rent geared to income. They havehad recycling facilities for some time.However, not all tenants were taking part andtoo much material was not being sorted cor-rectly. In March Kauko Ylinen, the LCHCmanager, set up meetings with tenants & JaneOldale, EcoSuperiors resource person, to pro-mote the program, explain the whats andhows of recycling, and hand out recyclingbaskets and fridge magnets. Since that time,participation has increased a great deal andmistakes have dropped off.

If you live in an apartment or condominiumand want recycling facilities in your building,have your property manager or building super-intendent call us to set up an appointment withour resource person. Well work on setting up asystem that will make recycling as easy as 1, 2,3 in your building.

Apartment residents now have access to assistance in setting up recycling pro-

grams for their buildings. Building supervisors can contact EcoSuperior to meet

with our program coordinator. The new recycling baskets can help make it easi-

er for residents to sort and carry recyclables to the designated area

The new two-button toilets offer a choice

of a 3-litre or a 6-litre flush.

Apartment Recycling...as easy as 1, 2, 3


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Celebrate Earth Day at the Thunder Bay Art Gallery! ItsFamily Day on Sunday April 22 from 1 4 p.m. with avariety of fun workshop stations for all ages. Make achemical-free photo from the sun, design a postcard orreusable art. Refreshments too, and admission just $1per person.

Participate in a Tree Planting event at Birch Point onBoulevard Lake meet in the parking lot near the ForestCapital of Canada monument April 22 at 1 p.m. Dress forthe weather, and bring a shovel! Everyone welcome!Presented by the City of Thunder Bay, Trees Thunder

Bay, the Forest Capital of Canada Association and Hill'sGreenhouses. For details contact Councillor AndrewFoulds 766-9914.

Come to the Annual General Meeting of EnvironmentNorth. Sunday, April 22 at the Oliver Road RecreationCentre, 563 Oliver Road. Lunch at 12:30, meeting begins

at 1:15. Members no charge,non-members $5. Takepart in a review of anexciting year, electionof board members,strategic planning anda special presentationby CPAWS WildlandsLeague: Caribou, theUntold Story.

28 words to live by from the

Conservation Council of Ontario:Live in an energy efficient home, with renewable power,in a compact and complete community, with lots of greenspaces. Drive less. Buy local. Eat local. Waste less.

For more details, visithttp://www.weconserve.ca/climatestrategy.html

5


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Spring Up to Clean Up is Back!This May marks the 11th annual Spring Up to Clean

Up event, during which thousands of dedicated citizenspitch in to clean up litter from parks and recreation trails,school grounds, waterways and neighbourhoods through-

out Thunder Bay.Litter is not only an eyesore, but it can also be haz-ardous to humans, waterways and other species who shareour city and our watershed. It may also lead to decreasedproperty values and tourism, and indicates a lack of pride.However, we know Thunder Bay is a city to be very proudof, which is why so many people have been organizingclean up events each spring.

Litter-Free Thunder Bay is a group that focuses onPREVENTION of litter in the first place, and is makingbig steps, including installing garbage and recycling binsin busy areas throughout the city, setting up a shopping

cart reporting system to help with their retrieval by retail-ers, and they have created a great activity book for schoolchildren to discourage littering in the first place. To findout more about this group and their efforts, check out theirwebsite at www.litterfree.ca.

There will ideally come a day when littering is a thingof the past, and there will be no need for clean-up events.However, until we reach that day, we can thank clean-up

participants for putting a tremendous dent in our litterproblem and helping Thunder Bay shine through as thebeautiful city it is. It is really inspiring to witness theenthusiasm of these individuals and groups who take such

pride in our cityand to all of you we would like toextend a big THANK YOU!!Interested in getting involved? You can join a clean-up

group in your neighbourhood or start your own.EcoSuperior will supply you with Spring Up to Clean Upgarbage bags, recycling bags, free disposal, draw ticketsand prizes, and public recognition. Clean-ups range froman individual or family working on an area in their neigh-bourhood, to large groups of students, to businesses thatmake it into a real event, including BBQs, sporting events,and guest speakers.

You can register your event on-line at www.ecosuperi-

or.org or by calling Karen at 624-2148. If you noticeareas that are in need of some love, please let us know sowe can direct people to those locations. So join up andhelp make Thunder Bay Clean and Green!

We would like to thank our sponsors for the 2007Spring Up to Clean Up event: The City of Thunder Bay,Ontario Power Generation, Litter Free Thunder Bay andTim Hortons.

Contests and Awards

Photo Contest

When theres a group activity like a neighbourhoodcleanup, theres sure to be some fun involved. Be sure tobring along a camera, and send us your best clean-upevent photos for a chance to win great prizes. The win-ners will be featured on our website! You can e-mail sub-missions to [email protected] or drop off a copy atour office.

Exceptional Citizen Award

Nominate an exceptional citizen who has gone above andbeyond to keep our city clean and beautiful. For moreinformation, contact Karen at 624-2148 or [email protected].

More Clean-Up Opportunities:

Adopt-a-Road: Contact Ken Sinclair(Transportation and Works) at 474-4834

Adopt-a-Park: Call the Parks Division at 625-2351

Careful withLawn Care

Submitted by Bryan EddingtonSpring is here! Soon children will be rolling on grassy

lawns and dogs will be chasing them. Are you having sec-ond thoughts about renewing your contract with a lawncare company? That's good. Most people know by now thechemicals they are using are a health hazard, particularly tochildren, pregnant women and pets. The CanadianAssociation of Physicians for the Environment has linked

these chemicals to Parkinson's Disease, cancer and birthdefects. For more information EcoSuperior has an excellentvideo Play With Poison that you can borrow. For alterna-tives to lawn and garden chemicals, contact CitizensConcerned About Pesticides (CCAP), a local group com-mitted to reducing the use of chemicals. You can e-mailCCAP at [email protected]

What to do on Earth Day?


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Small, spiral-shaped, compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are seeing a huge increase inuse due to their energy-saving qualities. Like all fluorescents, CFLs contain a small

amount of the toxic substance mercury. These light bulbs should not be thrown in thegarbage as mercury can enter the environment via the landfill. Instead, bring fluorescentlights to the recycling depot at EcoSuperior, 212 Miles St. E. (side door) between thehours of 8:30 and 4:30, Monday to Friday. We accept fluorescent lights up to 4ft. inlength from residential sources (with a maximum of 10 lights per drop-off). Light tubescan be bundled with elastic bands or brought to us in their original boxes; lights whichare taped together or broken cannot be accepted. The CFL or swirly bulbs do notrequire any packaging.

Glass, phosphor powder and metal end caps are all recycled. Most importantly themercury is removed and recycled for reuse, rather than being landfilled. The use of CFLscan also help reduce another source of mercury because of their significant power sav-ings, they help reduce the demand for electricity from coal-powered generating plants.

Unlike some other items such as aluminum pop cans, fluorescent lights are quiteexpensive to recycle. In fact, a 4-foot light tube costs approximately 50 cents to recycle,not including transportation to our recycler in southern Ontario. EcoSuperior acceptslights from residential sources only. Larger quantities of spent lights from commercialsources are accepted on a "pay-as-you-go" basis at MGM Electric, 724 McDonnell St.EcoSuperior's residential program is made possible through the support of the OntarioMinistry of the Environment, Ontario Power Generation and Environment Canada.

Coming Soon to Atikokan:EcoSuperior currently operates fluorescent light collection depots in Thunder Bay,

Red Rock, Wawa and Greenstone. Thanks to additional funding from Ontario PowerGeneration, we will be adding a collection depot in Atikokan this year. The location is

yet to be announced, but soon Atikokan residents will have a convenient place to recyclethose spent fluorescent tubes and CFL bulbs.

When Project Porchlight came to Thunder Bay in February, city residents really lit upthe town! The goal of distributing 10,000 lightbulbs was met in just a few weeks, withthe majority of bulbs delivered in a huge delivery blitz on Saturday, February 17. About130 volunteers picked up bags of bulbs from the River Street 55 Plus Centre and atWestgate High School and delivered them one by one to houses throughout theGrandview and Westfort neighbourhood. Everyone helped out, from seniors to highschool students to Moms and Dads with little tots in tow. Nearly 7,000 bulbs were hand-ed out in just one day!

It seemed like everyone wanted to participate. Many residents who did not receive abulb in the delivery blitz came to pick up their own at our office. LaVerendrye high schoolstudents delivered about 900 bulbs in their school area. Grade One student NicholasRandall asked his teacher Mrs. Stoot if he could bring a lightbulb to each of his class-mates. High school student Cody Glenna delivered 250 bulbs in her neighbourhood toadd to her volunteer hours. Algonquin School handed out bulbs at Parent/Teacher night.

Dawson Properties and Stein Properties gave a bulb to every one of their apartment units.Some seniors requested bags of bulbs to hand out at their apartments and condominiums.A youth group in Fort William First Nation distributed bulbs on the reserve.

EcoSuperior sends a huge THANK YOU to all those who helped make this pilot pro-gram a great success. Your efforts are already making a difference, providing $500,000in energy savings for city residents over the next 5 years, and eliminating 5000 tonnes ofgreenhouse gas emissions.

And theres more to come! If you havent received your Project Porchlight bulb yet,the next phase is coming in June. If you want to help out, be sure to register on-line atthunderbay.projectporchlight.com or call 1-866-585-6359. Thunder Bay Hydro, as theprimary project sponsor, is contributing another 30,000 lightbulbs so that ProjectPorchlight can reach every household in the city. This initiative is also supported by the

Ontario Ministry of Energy, Trillium Foundation of Ontario, and the City of Thunder Bay.

6


Safe Disposal forCFL Bulbs

Project Porchlight has delivered 10,000 energy-saving lightbulbs in Thunder Bay, with another

30,000 to come later this spring.

Project PorchlightUpdate:

Great Lakes Info SessionAre you concerned about Great Lakes issues such as water quality, pollution pre-

vention, water levels and water usage? You may want to participate in an upcominginformation sharing session on a Draft 2007 Canada-Ontario AgreementRespecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem (COA) organized by the Ministry ofthe Environment and Environment Canada.

It is open to the general public on Thursday, April 19 in the Fireside Room at the

Valhalla Inn, from 1 to 4 p.m. You may pre-register for a luncheon at noon. Formore details, please contact Paul Tripodo at [email protected] or at (416)314-7595.

If you wish to provide written comments (deadline is May 16), use the followinglink to the Environmental Registry website: www.ebr.gov.on.ca The EBR numberfor the Draft 2007 Canada-Ontario Agreement is 010-0063.


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SPECIALS50WATT........$499110WATT..........$799120WATT ..........$899

Whats forSale?

Drop into 212 Miles Street East topick up or order the following items.We are open weekdays from 8:30amto 4:30pm.

Blue BagsGet set for a years worth of recyclingwith rolls of 50 clear blue bags for just$10. No packagingready to use!

Aimers OrganicSeedsStart growing your own with a full line

of vegetable, herb and wildflower seeds,all from certified organic growers.While youre here, browse through ourlibrary for more information on organicgardening.

CompostersThe Earth Machine composter isavailable to city residents for just $20.

Cloth BagsReduce plastic! Use our cloth shopping

bags for just $2

Rain BarrelsPlastic rain barrels are in stock now,and available to Thunder Bay residentswith a current water account for $35.Deluxe oak rain barrels are also avail-able by special order for the subsidizedprice of $138. Call or visit our office tofind out more.

Kill-A-Watt MeterBorrow this device for a one-week termto test appliances and find out the oper-ating cost and electricity consumed. A$20 deposit is required, returned to youwhen you return the meter.

Youth Eco Teams

Central Natural Environment Gardens

Young people have a message for us,and it is that they are concerned abouttheir environment! What we have heardfrom countless interviews with youtharound the City is that they are scared

because they do not know what is happen-ing to the World and what their future willbe like. They notice people littering, wast-ing energy and not recycling, and theyhave been working with us on gettingtheir messages out to the public.Throughout the City, youth have beenmaking a huge difference this year: sever-al classes, schools, and communitygroups have signed up to do EcoTeamactivities. Youth EcoTeams is an init iativeto encourage the youth of Thunder Bay tobecome more involved in green communi-ty initiatives and to promote youth activi-ty in the City, funded by EnvironmentCanadas EcoAction, Action forNeighbourhood Change and Thunder BayHydro.

The Thunder Bay Boys & Girls Clubhas been hosting after school pro-grams including making art with recy-

clable materials such as glass, doingtire pressure checks, and making radioadvertisements about the environmen-tal issues that they feel are important.Listen for them on Magic 99.9 or

Rock 94 in the next few weeks! McKellar Park School will be hosting

a full week of fun environmentalactivities leading up to Earth Day,April 22nd. Events will include doinga waste audit of the school, a litterlesslunch day, a battery collection, ashowing of the film An InconvenientTruth, a seminar on vermicomposting,and selling CFL bulbs to the studentsto raise money for recycling facilitiesat the school.

Westgate High School will be holdingGreen Week April 16-20 full of manyinteresting activities including a bio-diesel fuel workshop and a tire pres-sure clinic. Students and their parentswill be invited to attend.

Algonquin School has given out CFL

bulbs to each family, created TV com-mercials and initiated vermicompost-ing and recycling.

Gorham and Ware Schools Grade 5class created TV commercials abouthow to save energy. Watch for themon TBTV!

A new youth environmental groupfrom Fort William First Nation(Anishnabek of the Gitchi Gami) hasalso made a media campaign featuringradio commercials with messages thatthey wrote about pollution, distributedCFL bulbs on the reserve, and are alsoairing their own podcasts.

Thunder Bay Hydro has generouslysponsored the light bulbs and televisioncampaigns, and Dougall Media andNewCap Broadcasting have also spon-sored the media opportunities for youth.

If your class, club or communitygroup would like to start your ownEcoTeam activities, please [email protected] .

Watch for new developments this sum-mer at our demonstration gardens atCentral Natural Environment park onCentral Avenue across from Amber Drive.With funding from the Shell EnvironmentFund as well as contributions from ourpartners at the City of Thunder Bay, wewill be adding new interpretive signage atthe solar-powered water pump and thecomposting area.

A new garden area will also be devel-oped, featuring plants of importance tolocal First Nations. The AnishnabekGarden will include a variety of ferns,sweetgrass, sage, cedar, blueberry andgooseberry among others. The establish-

ment of such a garden will hopefullyencourage area residents to use some ofthese traditional plants in their own gar-dens at home. In addition to supportingcultural activities, these plants grow wellunder local conditions, without the needfor pesticides, fertilizers or extra watering.Volunteers are invited to assist with thedevelopment of this garden.

The Shell Environmental Fund has

contributed $5,000 to the project. Createdin 1990, the Shell Environmental Fund is anational program intended to make a localdifference. A total of over $11 million hasbeen granted to more than 4,000 environ-mental projects across the country, includ-

ing habitat restoration, beach and roadcleanups, waste reduction and recyclingprograms, trail-building and more. Thefund accepts applications for projects thatare action-oriented, innovative and com-munity based, at www.shell.ca/sef.

Contact our office if you are interestedin assisting with planting, weeding, water-ing and other garden maintenancethroughout the season. We usually plan to

gather one morning a week at the gardenfrom May to early September.


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April 15 $100 Energy Star washing machinerebate starts 624-2140

April 17 - 18 Benthic Biomonitoring Training &Certification Workshop at ConfederationCollege. Registration: EcoSuperior 624-2143

April 18 Green Drinks at The Keg; 5:00pm to 7:00pmwww.greendrinks.org

April 19 Canada-Ontario Agreement Great LakesEcoSystem info session, 1:00pm to 4:00pm;Phone (416) 314-7595 to register.

April 19 7:00pm - Organic Lawn Care presentationat Waverley Library, Citizens ConcernedAbout Pesticides;[email protected]

April 22 Earth Day (see page 5 for activities)

April 24 5:00pm - Free Video presentation atEcoSuperior 212 Miles Street EastHormone Imposters

May 1 Spring Up to Clean Up Launch,Waterfront Clean Up

May 1 30 Spring Up to Clean Up month

May 6 13 Free Tipping Week at John Street Landfill

May 8 18 Leaf & Yard Waste curbside pickup on yourregular recycling day. 577-0411

May 10 Lifelong Ecological Consciousnesscommunity learning program withDr. Tom Puk begins. 623-6055 for detailsor to register.

May 11 - 13 Chamber of Commerce Trade showat the LU Hangar

May 26 Grand Opening Nolalu EcoCentre;www.nolaluecocentre.org

June 3 - 9 Canadian Environment Week &Commuter Challenge. Register yourworkplace at wwwcommuterchallenge.ca(see page 2 for details)

June 6 Clean Air Day

July 15 Lake Superior Day

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Had a bad water test? New to country life and won-dering what you need to know about your well? Havesome suspicions about your septic system? Help cancome right to your door thanks to EcoSuperiors WellAware program.

Our trained well water advisor will be providing a homevisit service starting May. The guided self-assessment pro-vides an opportunity to take a closer look at your well andseptic system, discuss issues specific to your property and

come up with a plan to protect your water supply.Millions of rural residents across Canada rely on drink-

ing water from private wells that are unregulated, oftenuntested for years and could be at risk for contamination.

Well Aware encourages Ontarios residential well

owners to protect their wells and our common groundwa-ter supplies. Well Aware is a project of GreenCommunities Canada and has received funding supportfrom the Ontario Ministry of the Environment.

The service takes about 2 hours, and all informationprovided during the visit remains confidential.EcoSuperior supplies water testing sample bottles fromthe Thunder Bay District Health Unit, a water conserva-tion kit for wells within the City of Thunder Bay, and a

set of Well Aware drinking glasses.To schedule an appointment or pick up an informationkit, please contact EcoSuperior at 624-2140. More infor-mation is also available at www.wellaware.ca

Upcoming

Worried about the Well?

Green Communities Canada (GCC) has beenretained by the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) tooperate an energy conservation program for low-income households in privately-owned single familyhouses. EcoSuperior has been contracted by GCC todeliver in this region. The program offers energyaudits in electrically-heated single family houses andcomprehensive retrofits on the building envelope andsome appliances, where cost-effective.

The pilot project will operate from March toSeptember 2007, and EcoSuperior will be able to

provide service to 90 households in the Thunder Bayarea. Eligible households will receive, free of charge:Home energy evaluation, Compact fluorescent lamps(CFLs), Low-flow showerheads and aerators, Waterheater insulation blanket, Water heater pipe wrap,Advice and education on reducing energy bills

Approximately 60% of homes where greaterneeds are identified, may also receive, free of charge:Refrigerator replacement, Hot water tank replace-ment (electric to gas), Draftproofing and insulation(attic, walls, basement, crawlspace, exposed floors)

The program is available to households meeting

specific income eligibility criteria, includingOntario Works, Ontario Disability Support,Guaranteed Income Supplement, among others.Our primary focus is on electricity savings, and

therefore, homes with electric heat, where thehousehold pays the electric bill.

Eligibility details and application forms are alsoaccessible on our website, at www.ecosuperior.org ,and at many social agencies throughout town. Ourgoal is to help those households most vulnerable torising fuel costs, and to increase their comfort andquality of life.

Energy Efficiency AssistanceProgram for Houses

Active & Safe Routes to SchoolSchools can Spring into Spring from Monday April 16 to Wednesday June 6. EcoSuperior and Green

Communities Canada is encouraging schools to pick a week to encourage students to get active and walksomewhere each day. Challenge students to walk, jog, skip or jump every day during the challenge period. Its

a great way to encourage daily physical activity while teaching environmental protection and safety skills. Organize a Walking School Bus along your route to school we can help your family to participate!

Schools can also register for the IWALK club to receive more incentives to encourage everyday walking

October 3rd, 2007 at 12:30 EST as we challenge the Guinness World Record for the most number of peo-ple walking one kilometer simultaneously. This record was set in 2006 by Western Australia at 100,915people. Visit www.worldrecordwalk.ca for more information and registration details. The WRW aims topromote active transportation and encourages safe, walkable communities. Be part of the walkolution.Join us October 3rd.

Call EcoSuperior for more information, or to request an Active & Safe Routes to School info kit. Allresources are provided to schools at no cost, and they are all linked to the Ontario curriculum and are avail-

able in both English and French.

NEW!

Income-eligible families in electrically heated homes can nowaccess free energy audits and retrofits to help cope with highenergy bills through EcoSuperior, Green CommunitiesCanada, and the Ontario Power Authority.

spring 2007 eco newsletter, ecosuperior

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