Lookahead ’21: Finding funds during pandemic poses key challenge for Rouge River protection group
The Rouge Valley Conservation Centre’s focus for 2021 is to shore up much-needed funding and restarting projects put on hold by the pandemic. The Toronto-area RVCC is a registered not-for-profit charity funded by grants and public donations. The organization, which promotes protection of the Rouge River Valley on its course from the Oak Ridges Moraine in Richmond Hill to Lake...
Lookahead ’21: Organization seeks volunteers to help foster cycling culture, improve infrastructure in GTA suburb
Markham Cycles is searching for volunteers to help expand cycling culture in the Greater Toronto Area community of Markham.
Lookahead ’21: Niagara conservation group aims to revitalize region’s tree cover
Growing up in the Niagara Region, Barry Porter has watched as the land he has lived on over the years has seen increased commercial and residential development, which in turn has caused a lot of deforestation. Porter is today the stewardship director for Land Care Niagara. This year he has a goal to identify and revitalize those areas in the...
Lookahead ’21: Carp corridor wants to tap into city’s water supply and spur more business on urban edge
The Carp corridor is thirsty for city water. The City of Ottawa has yet to extend the service to the stretch of road between Stittsville and Carp that’s home to Ottawa’s largest light industry park. Roddy Bolivar is the executive director of the area’s business improvement group and wants municipal water pipes in the corridor starting this year. “Municipal water...
Community service grant program helps young Canadians give back
#RisingYouth Community Service Grants are helping people ages 15-30 across the country give back to their communities.
Here are six simple ways to have a green pandemic
It ain't easy being green during a pandemic. But here are some ways you can.
Ottawa organizations turn food waste into meals for those in need
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to consume 2020, local organizations are trying to manage what appears to be an increasing amount of food waste.
Hailed as a ‘huge step forward,’ $232M sewage tunnel protects Ottawa River from damaging overflows
Ottawa's $232.3 million dollar sewage tunnel system is ready to significantly reduce the amount of sewage flowing into the Ottawa River during heavy rainfalls.
Ottawa food stores balance low-waste mission with customer safety during COVID-19
Low waste grocery stores change protocols to try to produce less waste through single use plastic while containers are banned from some stores due to COVID-19.
For the love of Ontario Parks, pick up your garbage
As more people discover a love for camping during the pandemic, Capital Current's Samantha Pope writes let's all remember the basics of helping preserve nature: leaving no trace.
New U.K. High Commission overlooking Ottawa River aims to reach sustainability ‘gold standard’
The new British High Commission building in Ottawa will be one of the greenest such buildings anywhere.
Air-quality project discovers no ‘hot spots’ in Ottawa – so far
The Breathe Easy campaign from Ecology Ottawa is a community-level project allowing volunteers to test and track the air quality in Ottawa.
Ottawa’s ambitious energy plan faces potential hurdles, limits to municipal reach
Ottawa’s “Energy Evolution” plan outlines ambitious targets for emission reductions, calling for a 100 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions in the city by 2050. However, the plan also notes the potential for significant hurdles in meeting that target on time.
Ottawa organizations keeping hard-to-recycle items out of landfills
Local organization Earthub is helping Ottawans find new homes for hard-to-recycle items that would otherwise end up in the trash.
Paper bags just as environmentally damaging as plastic bags, experts say
With Canada getting ready to ban plastic bags by the end of 2021, experts are warning its most popular alternative has environmentally damaging consequences of its own.
The way we roll: E-scooter pilot project ready to wrap – for now
How the e-scooter pilot project has been received so far in Ottawa
Halloween’s pumpkin problem: Anti-waste advocates urge end to doorstep-to-landfill horror show
Although pumpkins are grown as a food source, most will be thrown away this Halloween. Several organizations are working to tackle this pumpkin problem.
Scientists warn of more pandemics as the buffers between humans and animal break down
Discarded masks are just the beginning of the environmental consequences of COVID-19. The intersection of humans and the environment — at a time when the disappearing buffer between people and animals is being blamed for this and expected future pandemics — is challenging sustainability in the context of this global public health emergency.
COVID consequences: Ottawa-area animal sanctuaries short staff, funds
Limited funding for sanctuaries during COVID-19 means a lack of access to volunteers and staff, as well as food, medicine and supply shortages.
Carleton grows wings: Pushed by COVID-19, the 21st butterfly show adapted well to life online
A closer look at Carleton University's 21st annual butterfly show, and how the event transitioned to virtual platforms for the first time.
Gatineau’s ‘Butterfly Girl’ nominated for 2020 Nature Inspiration Award
A young Gatineau girl who is trying to save the endangered monarch butterfly is among the finalists for the Canadian Museum of Nature's Inspiration awards.
Museum of Nature unveils new interactive exhibit emphasizing the importance of ice
The Canadian Museum of Nature’s new exhibit, Planet Ice: Mysteries of the Ice Age emphasizes the importance and need for preservation of ice with its use of new multimedia interactive technology.
In climbing, a push to change derogatory route names is underway
For the voice of each man pretending offensive climbing route names are not a problem, there are plenty of others that buoy the need for a widespread effort to change the names of climbing routes across North America. After a broader reckoning with how we name monuments to problematic historical figures, change is coming to both online and physical guidebooks...
Governments ‘not doing enough’ to control Canada’s worst invasive plant, experts say
Experts say Ottawa is not doing enough to control the spread of Canada's worst invasive species, despite economic incentives
COVID-19 consequences: Reduced air pollution, less waste, fresh insights
More than 20 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported globally to date. There is no overstating of the scope of the pandemic tragedy for humanity. However, it is also important to recognize that it has resulted in some unexpected environmental benefits — especially when it comes to air pollution and waste management. The World Health Organization estimates that there...
Ottawa finally considers bird-friendly building guidelines 15 years after Toronto, Vancouver
Ottawa City Council is set to approve guidelines for protecting birds, almost 15 years after Toronto and Vancouver adopted their own. This move comes one year after a 2019 report by the U.S. North American Bird Conservation Initiative showed a 30 per cent decline in populations across North America. It’s estimated that 1 billion birds die per year as a...
Insect watching during the pandemic: In a standstill world, nature’s transformations offer soulful reassurance
For many Canadians, this summer has been low key and quieter than most. Since travel during the pandemic isn’t really encouraged, many of us are staying closer to home – and that change may present the opportunity to observe things we don’t usually pay attention to.
New air-quality monitoring project aims to help Ottawa residents Breathe Easy
Ecology Ottawa and Sierra Club will follow in the footsteps of the INHALE project in Hamilton and Toronto which aimed to foster air quality awareness.
Farmers across hot, dry Ottawa pray for a weekend of rain to save summer crops
Ottawa is experiencing higher temperatures and lesser rainy days than usual, meaning local farmers are struggling to mantain their crop poduction.
New nuclear waste guidelines could lead to ‘massive dump’ upstream from Ottawa if approved
New regulation documents for Canada’s disposal of nuclear waste have come under fire from activists and the NDP, and could impact the Chalk River nuclear facility if passed.
City beautification projects one key to saving habitat for native bees
The city is reviewing their plans on how to best help pollinators. Experts are calling for a focus on native bee species and preserving their habitat.
Canada’s Borer War: Ottawa on front line in fight against ash-killing beetle that has wiped out 50,000 trees
Ottawa's war on the Emerald Ash Borer enters a new phase.
Climate change creating unpredictable future of ‘extremes’ for people living in Ontario floodplains
Climate change is fuelling extreme weather events such as flooding and governments are acting slowly in helping people adapt to this new reality.
Councillor grilled over donut joke, gaping holes in report on ‘Scott’s Excellent Adventure to Tennessee’
City Coun. Scott Moffatt visited waste-processing plant in Tennessee and talked about Krispy Kreme donuts in his minimalist report.
Get ready for more heatwaves, floods and ice storms, report on Ottawa’s changing climate says
Ottawa councillors looked beyond the pandemic this week to another looming crisis. They were combing through a massive, two-volume report presented to the city’s environment committee that revealed some worrisome projections about climate change in the national capital over the next 30 years. The key findings: Ottawa should expect a warmer, wetter and — on average — more disaster-filled future....
Q & A: Clare Stone brings the message of ocean conservation home to Ottawa
Clare Stone discusses being selected for the 2020 Ocean Bridge program and what ocean conservation looks like in Ottawa.
Farmers say they need alternatives if herbicide glyphosate is weeded out
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) labelled glyphosate as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” More than 50 million kilograms of glyphosate were sold in Canada in 2017.
Greening the Official Plan: activists push city to add environmental values
Activists are determined to push City Council to ensure that green values are part of the Official Plan that will govern development for the next 25 years.
Hold-the-Line campaign pushes to stop Ottawa’s urban expansion
Since 1980 Ottawa farmer John Vandenberg has been growing and selling produce — onions, berries, garlic and more at Rideau Pines Farm in North Gower. He supplies 25 local restaurants and households in developing suburbs nearby. But for more than 40 years, Vanderburg has watched local farm land, which he describes as some of the best in Canada, disappear. “There...
Ottawa drafting 30-year waste plan as Trail Road landfill fills up
The COVID-19 crisis has locked us down and one result of the confinement is that citizens are putting out more garbage than ever before, according to media reports. The crisis has also delayed public consultation on Ottawa’s new Solid Waste Master Plan, a 30-year strategy to be completed by the end of 2021 that would provide a framework for waste...
Troubled waters: Road salt increasing in Ottawa waterways, new study shows
Ottawa waterways are increasingly tainted by road salt, a new study by the Riverkeeper shows.
Escape from Canada: A stranded international student describes the journey home in a time of COVID-19
Diary of an international student from Australia who is forced to leave Canada early on an emergency flight, due to COVID-19.
Ottawa groups fight plan to expand urban boundary
Ottawa city council will vote in May on whether to expand the urban boundary as part of the city's new official plan.
Study underlines that air pollution a leading cause of premature death worldwide
While Ottawa air quality is considered low risk, a new study shows that long term exposure to air pollution is a major health threat worldwide.
Rolling up the rim cups poses dilemma for popular Tim Hortons contest in a time of COVID-19
After 35 years of rolling up a paper rim, Tim Hortons has rolled out a digital model for this year’s contest. In light of COVID-19 concerns, the chain has scrapped Roll Up the Rim paper cups and is declining to fill reusable mugs.
25th Hour: Climate Crusaders
Carleton's 25th Hour examines the many things young people are doing to combat climate change.
Trees get the chop as construction of Stage 2 of LRT proceeds through Carleton campus
Some Ottawa residents are upset about trees are being cut down in preparation for construction of Stage 2 of LRT. Will the LRT do its part in reducing greenhouses gases in Ottawa?
Green advocates welcome focus on sustainability in newest LeBreton Flats plan
The NCC's most recent plan for the now empty 55-acre lot of LeBreton Flats has a focus on the environment and sustainability with a zero-carbon goal.
Wet’suwet’en pipeline protests extend across Canada to Ottawa
More than 200 supporters of the Wet’suwet’en nation marched through downtown Ottawa recently.
Poor weather causing delays for outdoor rinks, operator says
This winter has been a nightmare for outdoor rinks in Ottawa, says one rink operator. Now he's worried the ice won't be ready for the local winter carnival.