To celebrate Canada’s Organic Week, September 21st-28th, 2013, the Organic Food Council of Manitoba is hosting the Manitoba Premiere of the movie: “Symphony of the Soil”.
Join me at the Park Theatre, Wednesday, September 24th at 7 p.m.
Click to watch the Trailer.
Click to purchase your ticket.
Yahoo! On June 28, 2013 the Manitoba Government decided to take a big step forward in helping create better health for all of us, particularly Manitoba Children by banning synthetic cosmetic lawn pesticides! This will not take effect until December 2014, so there are still 2 summer seasons of pesticides. Too bad it is not earlier but I guess this is to ease current lawn pesticide users into a new routine. We are closer to breathing cleaner air all summer long!
Click here for more details in their press release.
Go to the Manitoba Eco-Network Contact info above if you want a Pesticide Free Zone sign too!
Signs of Spring are here! I loved the warmth of that sun yesterday!
This Spring, I also would love to see a Manitoba Cosmetic Pesticide Ban too!
Why is the Provincial Government stalling on this one when 6 other Provinces already have a ban?
Why are they considering a “Phased In Approach” only with “newer biological or organic lawn treatments coming onto the marketplace.”?
Does that mean all existing cosmetic pesticides are still fine to use and available and it will only be the new ones in the pipeline trying to enter store shelves that will be halted? What about all the current chemicals that are harming our children?
Get our Manitoba nature off drugs!!! So far as I understand, dandelions are not poisonous. They should be considered or “re-branded” a “yellow flower” instead. I have not seen any studies stating links between dandelions and the major potential illnesses listed below that have been linked to pesticide and herbicide exposure. The science is there, not just the precautionary principle! As per the article: “Some research has shown links between pesticide and herbicide exposure and childhood cancer, birth defects, neurological problems and respiratory illness.
– Click here to see Winnipeg Free Press Article quoting the Manitoba Minister of Conservation and Water Stewardship.
Yes finally Manitoba may join most of the rest of Canada and breathe a bit easier during future “yellow flower” seasons.
Check out last week’s CBC news clip: “Plans are underway to prohibit the use of noxious chemicals for killing lawn weeds”, Mychalo Prystupa reports. Apparently, consultations are to begin this Spring with legislation possible in 2013.
(Big thank you to one of our customers for all her hard work following up with this issue! It only takes one person to make a huge difference for everyone’s better health sake!)
Post your inspirational story with us right here and be entered to win fabulous green products monthly!!
Check out this weekend’s Winnipeg Free Press Article “Spray Ban May Be Coming“. Hopefully, for our health sake, Manitoba will soon ban toxic cosmetic sprays for lawns.
Our lawn is a wild one! For our health sake, we don’t apply anything to the yard, not even water. It just grows, wild Pairie style! I am grateful that in our part of Charleswood, unlike the newer developer-owned areas of the city, we don’t have yard requirements/restrictions. I think the dandelion needs a new name or some re-branding…maybe the Yellow Flower (as my son calls them!)
Want to get your lawn off chemicals?
1) Attend a Free Organic Lawn Care Workshop: “Learn how to maintain a lush, green lawn without toxic pesticides and harmful synthetic fertilizers”. There is one running May 30, 31, June 7, June 14 and June 22. Check out the Manitoba EcoNetwork Website for more details.
2) Lawn Care Tips: If you can’t make it to a workshop, then check out the Lawn Care Resource section of the Mb. EcoNetwork Website. It is filled with awesome eco solutions for your yard/garden!
3) All-purpose Eco weed killer: Right now, my “yellow flowers” are quite hardy in my garden. After needing elbow surgery last summer, the garden weeding was a lost cause. I have tried digging the weeds out by hand, but it is amazing how deep those roots go!! I think they may choke out the other planted flowers. So, I will be trying this recipe this week:
– Boil a quart of water, add 2 tablespoons of salt and 5 tablespoons of vinegar. Pour directly on weeds on sidewalks, driveways, etc. while still hot. (Courtesy of Manitoba EcoNetwork)
Want to take action to help Ban Cosmetic Lawn Pesticides in Manitoba?
I had a few customers ask me how they could take more action to help reduce toxic sprays in our air and lungs this Spring/Summer. I phoned the Manitoba Manitoba EcoNetwork for their tips. I was told it can be very easy for people to take action! Here are their suggestions:
1) Phone or Email (http://www.winnipeg.ca/council/) your City Councillor or the Mayor’s Office and simply tell them “I support a provincial ban on cosmetic pesticides”. It’s as simple as that!
2) Phone or Email (http://www.gov.mb.ca/legislature/members/alphabetical.html) your MLA, the Conservation Minister, Bill Blaikie and the leader of the Provincial opposition, Hugh McFadyen.
3) Send a “Letter to the Editor” of the Winnipeg Free Press, Winnipeg Sun, and the community newspapers.
Greenplease Inc. is proud to be a supporter of the Eco-Conscious 3rd Annual Run with Porter!
A Celebration of Love, Life, and Nature
The Third annual Eco-conscious Run With Porter Fundraising Event is scheduled for Sunday, June 5th, 2011. This event will be held in beautiful Bird’s Hill Park on the Pine Ridge Trail and will be a celebration of love, nature and life. The day starts off with a wonderful Sunrise Yoga stretch, followed by a kid’s fun dash and then your choice of a 3km nature walk, 5 km run/walk, 10 KM Asics Grand Prix Series Race. The event ends with great eco-friendly prizes, and a hearty Organic breakfast sponsored by Tall Grass Prairie and Fresh Option Organic Delivery. RWP takes pride in organizing a large scale event that is environmentally conscious, all media print is on recylcled paper and printed with vegetable-based inks, t-shirts are made from recycled fibres, and on-site dishes are all compostable. RWP will also have on-site composting and recycling adhereing to their goal of creating a garbage-less event!!!
The proceeds from the event will benefit the Donwood School Community Greenspace and Jubilee Mennonite Church Nature Playspace and Garden paths both organizations are working hard at creating beautiful landscapes that will connect children/youth and their environment. Check out the website, www.runwithporter.com, for more event information including registration details!
Register early as we are capping registrations this year at 750!
You won’t want to miss this great day that connects family, physical activity and the outdoors together!!
For more information visit the website http://www.runwithporter.com, phone Eugenia at 887-4572 or email genilehmann@gmail.com.
“Trees for Tomorrow” program is looking for land!
You provide the land and Manitoba Conservation and Manitoba Forestry Association provide free seedlings*!!!
Yahoo! These additional millions of trees (another 3,000,000 in the next 3 years!), will help:
1) Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
2) Reduce Soil erosion
3) Create wildlife habitat
4) Enhance the beauty of Manitoba properties
5) Create HEALTH BENEFITS FOR HUMANS too!!
Go Get Your Trees!
Click here for the application form. (Don’t worry, it is a short one!) I just hope the Charleswood deer don’t feast on my seedlings. The deer actually ate my juniper tree this winter!!
Or
Go Visit the Bird’s Hill Tree Nursery between 8 am to 4 pm these dates: May 13, 20,27th, June 3, 10, 17, 24 They are giving a handful of FREE tree seedlings to visitors. (Tip: I was told if you want more than a handful of trees and want to skip the application process above, then phone the nursery directly at 945-7159 and ask how many you could pick up for free one of those days!)
*Depending upon your parcel of land, they may even provide a free site inspection, free planting, free tree tending and follow-up/survival assessments.
I just read this article in the Financial Times about a new study that puts the price tag at $4,500 Billion annually for all the damage we do to the environment. Wow! I knew the amount would be big but this is huge! This was a report compiled by the UN about “natural capital”, titled “Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity”.
The article speaks about how neither countries nor companies consider these costs when they compile Gross Domestic Product (GDP) or accounts.
So true that the “value of nature’s services”, like trees cleaning the air of carbon dioxide and providing oxygen has got be made visible or tangible! How long can humans live or survive without clean air? Or how long can we live without clean water or healthy food?
To read more, check out the Financial Times article.
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