2009 February The Art of Being Green

Workshop – Solar & Wind Power & Grants for Homeowners

Join us for this interactive workshop and learn about solar power, wind power, Net Metering and EcoEnergy grants for homeowners.

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Top 100 Ontario Festivals Celebrated

The “Top 100 Ontario Festivals” for April 2008 – March 2009 were unveiled recently at Festivals & Events Ontario’s annual conference during the prestigious President’s Gala in London, ON (refer to following list). A program created by Festivals & Events Ontario (FEO) and sponsored by VIA Rail Canada, the Top 100 Ontario Festivals represent excellence for the province’s festivals and events industry, with events vying annually for inclusion in the “Top 100″. The festivals were selected through a nomination process that included a pre-determined set of criteria.

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Conservation Authorities Salute the Community!

RIDEAU VALLEY, October 23, 2008 — The inaugural Tri-Valley Conservation Awards Gala Committee pulled out all the stops to thank and spotlight thirteen community volunteers and groups as vital parts of the conservation team in Eastern Ontario. More than 100 people from the Mississippi, Rideau and South Nation watersheds were on hand last night in the Rideau Valley Conservation Centre in Manotick to hear and see the work of these community groups and to congratulate them on their environmental achievements.

First and second place winners in the following categories were recognized:

Primary Schools:

Meadowview Public School, Addison
Drummond Central School, Perth

Intermediate/High Schools

St Michael Catholic High School, Kemptville
Fisher Park Public School, Ottawa

College/University:

Dr Frances Pick, University of Ottawa

Agriculture:

Tom Manley, Berwick

Community Groups:

Otty Lake Association, Perth
Dundas Environmental Awareness Group, South Mountain

Individuals:

Gaston Patenaude, Berwick
Michael Walters, Ottawa

Business:

Ottawa Region Media Group
Long Island Marine, Kars

Municipalities:

Township of Lanark Highlands

The winning projects of all the finalists are described on the Gala Program which is available for viewing on the RVCA website at www.rvca.ca. Look for the Conservation Awards Gala symbol.

The Gala was MCed by Katfish and Kornicky, the Start Up! team on LIVE88.5 radio. The ceremony was followed by a reception including catered buffet, live music, cash bar and lots of interesting conversations till well into the evening.

Mary Bryden, Chair of the Gala Organizing Committee, said “We are aware of many hundreds of small voluntary projects going on all the time like planting trees, teaching kids the value of water, removing hazardous household waste or chemicals from homes, and fencing livestock away from streams that are treated as everyday things that never receive one minute of thanks. This was our chance to shine a little light on the public benefits that these people bring to all of us and to tell folks that we appreciate it.”

Prize winners received personalized canoe paddles with a message of thanks from the people of the Mississippi, Rideau and South Nation watersheds or framed certificates. Both are suitable for display on a school, club house or boardroom wall.

The Conservation Authorities had much help and gala support from many community-minded partners including LIVE88.5 radio, ROGERS TV, Ottawa Region Media Group, Mountain Equipment Coop, GOLDER ASSOCIATES, Monterey Inn Resort and Conference Centre and the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.

The next Tri-Valley Conservation Awards are scheduled for the fall of 2010 and everyone will be welcome to nominate their best and favourite environmental volunteers once again.

‘Friends of the Tay’ Announce 2008 Environmental Awards

To Rideau Canal, ‘Art of Being Green’ and Rideau Valley Field Naturalists

With their choice of recipients for their annual environmental awards this year, the ‘Friends of the Tay Watershed’ have recognized three very successful and popular initiatives in this region. At their annual ‘Watershed Discovery Evening’ in Perth on November 4, the ‘Friends’ presented awards to Parks Canada’s Rideau Canal Office, to the ‘Art of Being Green Festival’ in Lanark, and to the Rideau Valley Field Naturalists.

In his opening comments to the award ceremony, Board member David Crowley noted that this is the seventh year that the association awards have been presented. Their objective is to recognize organisations or individuals, and their activities, that provide significant benefit to the Tay watershed and the environment. The awards are for “Contribution to the Tay Watershed”, “Contribution to the General Environment”, and “Contribution to Water Resources, at the Provincial, National or International Levels”.

The award for “Contribution to the Tay Watershed” went this year to the Rideau Valley Field Naturalists for their many activities in promoting awareness and understanding of nature and the environment in the Rideau watershed, including the Tay. In particular, their initiative in developing the butterfly garden at the Perth Wildlife Reserve has made a unique contribution to local awareness of the need to provide such habitat and protection.

The award for “Contribution to Water Resources, at the Provincial, National or International Levels” recognizes the contribution of the Rideau Canal Office of Parks Canada to the natural and historic protection of our area water resources through a number of initiatives, including achieving World Heritage designation, by UNESCO, of the Rideau system. The international recognition and prestige developed from this designation has provided a foundation on which regional governments, companies and non-profit organizations alike may build increased environmental, economic, and social benefit. This award also recognizes the exemplary leadership displayed by the Canal Office in the development of the Rideau Corridor concept, their cooperation with and support of communities along the corridor, and in their wake reduction, waterway protection, and education programs. The foregoing is particularly appropriate considering the upcoming Tay Canal 175th Anniversary in 2009.

This year’s award for “Contribution to the General Environment” went to the very successful ‘Art of Being Green’ (AOBG) festival in Lanark, for its substantial contribution in popularizing the environment message and carrying it to a wide geographic area. More than 7,200 people from far and near found their way to the fifth annual AOBG festival this past summer. AOBG has been recognized by Festivals & Events Ontario as one of the 100 best festivals in Ontario out of more than 3,000 festivals of all types. Participating exhibitors have enthusiastically endorsed the festival as one of the very best environmental festivals around and an excellent venue for spreading the environmental message.

The ‘Friends of the Tay Watershed’ Environmental Awards are presented annually to individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions to the Tay watershed and/or to the environment.

The Friends of the Tay Watershed is a registered charitable organization that involves landowners, communities, government agencies, business and other interested parties in programs aimed at preserving and improving the health of the Tay River watershed. The Association carries out activities to maintain wildlife habitat, recreation, water quality, water quantity and related resources in the Watershed.

Released by The Friends of the Tay Watershed Association
For information: (613) 264 0094 or info@tayriver.org

Masonry – Heritage & Traditional at Algonquin College, Perth

What exactly is the Heritage Masonry program all about?

This is a diploma program offered over a 45 week period. Students will demonstrate knowledge, through in-shop projects as they master the requisite trowel skills. Typical projects include items such as: brick veneer, reinforced masonry, stone walling, stone carving, fireplace construction, cladding and man made stone applications.

The program also focuses on the principles of architectural conservation, the history of building technology, drafting and recording, the Ontario Building Code, structural analysis of masonry, mathematics, and communication skills.

Is the program all “hands-on”?

Despite this common misconception for trades training courses, this program has a balance of theory and practical courses. Lectures, note-taking, math, communications skills, drafting, research and report writing, and oral presentations comprise a significant part of the program. The “hands-on” activities are designed to provide students with an opportunity to put the “theory” into practice. Successful students spend as much time on their practical projects as completing assignments for their theory-based courses.

Elite Soapstone Stoves by Tulikivi

These stoves bristle with efficiency — they are soapstone stoves from the Finish company Tulikivi. They use radiant heat to warm up your house, which is a highly desirable type of heat — it’s even and non-drying. It passes through the air in the room, and warms all of the solid surfaces in the room that it “shines” on. Soapstone is used to build these stoves because holds heat very well, and releases it gradually. Unlike wood-burning stoves, the Tulikivi is not finicky. Any seasoned wood will burn well. In Finland these fireplaces are burned with soft woods like pine and birch.

The stoves are also very effective at burning wood. Because the fire burns so hot, the wood is totally vaporized. There are no ash, creosote, smoke, or charcoal byproducts left behind, only mineral content from the wood. The fumes emitted by the Tulikivi fireplaces are below the requirements of the German DIN 18891 norm (also Washington state and Colorado state), but the efficiency level is higher than stipulated. The nitrogen content of wood is approx. 0.05%. The smoke gases therefore only contain tiny quantities of nitrogen oxide. The sulfur content of wood is also minimal.

In terms of price, you’re looking at a range of $4000 to $15000. Distributors can be found on the Tulikivi web site.

Art of Being Green is a success story from the Ontario Ministry of Tourism

Art of Being Green

The Art of Being Green is a free, weekend festival in eastern Ontario that offers a fun way to learn more about the environment. This includes helpful information about the latest in fuel efficient vehicles and technology and energy efficient household products. With help from Celebrate Ontario, this year’s attendance increased from 4,500 to 7,000 people, filling every B&B within a 30 minute drive.