feb 1, 2012 community green scene

greenCommunity

sceneSpecial advertiSing Feature to Victoria News bull Oak Bay News bull Saanich News bull Goldstream News Gazette bull Peninsula News Review

Winter 2012 edition

Celebrating Victoriarsquos commitment to green living

2 bull COMMUNITY GREEN SCENE bull FEBRUARY 2012

Published by

818 Broughton StVictoria BC Canada V8W 1E4

250-381-3484wwwblackpressca

greenCommunity

scene

Cover image Jennifer Blyth

Practice Makes Perfect 3

Real World Studies at Royal Roads 4

ICC Local Food Fest 6

Little House on the Landfill 7

Green Reads 8

Sustainable Solutions from BC Communities 9

Newspaper Tales 10

Checked Your Pipes Lately11

Sustainability Partnerships at Royal Roads 12

Aliens Among Us 14

Water Efficiency Saves Money amp the Environment 15

Green Gardens16

Wild Hills amp Beaches 17

Wastewater Management 18

DVBA Puts the Cycle in Recycle 19

Calendar of Green Events 20

The Slogan Master Challenge 21

Kidsrsquo Page 23

Wersquove got a course for you

Visit our Community Calendarat wwwHCPcacourses

Free drop-in QampA Saturdays at 1PM(with membership or $11 admission)

Tel 2504796162 bull wwwHCPca

From Pruningto PollinationFrom Pruningto Pollinationand Seed to Harvest

Connecting people to plants

Dinner Belltrade Feeder Embedded into Tray

ON SALE

20OFF

Wild Birds UnlimitedregWWYour Backyard Birdfeeding Specialistreg

3631 ShelbournePlaza

250-595-3595wwwwbucom GrouP PuBliShEr

Penny Sakamoto

SECtion Editor Jennifer Blyth

lAYout amp dESiGn lily Chan

dirECtor AdVErtiSinG SAlES oliver Sommer

CirCulAtion dirECtor Bruce hogarth

PRUNING FERTILIZATION PEST amp DISEASE MANAGEMENT REMOVAL

CALL 877 BARTLETT 8772278538 OR VISIT BARTLETTCOM

DISCOVER WHY WErsquoRE CALLED TREE EXPERTSWersquore Bartlett Tree Experts and wersquove been exceeding our customersrsquo expectations

for over 100 years No matter the size or scope of your tree and shrub needs our expertsbring a rare mix of local service global resources and innovative tree care practices

that makes your landscape thrive Trees add value to our homes and our lives And Bartlett adds value to your trees

For the life of your trees

ENERGY EFFICIENTHEAT PUMP SYSTEMS

bull Radiant Floor Heat Pumpsbull Domestic Hot Water

Heat Pumps

2508934530wwwenvirotemprefrigerationcom

W i n t e r 2 0 1 2 e d i t i o n

The next Community Green Scene will be published Summer 2012 Reserve your space - contact

Oliver Sommer Director Advertising Sales Black Press

250-381-3633 ext 236 or email osommerblackpressca

COMMUNITY GREEN SCENE bull FEBRUARY 2012 bull 3

Capital Regional District

Practice Makes Perfect

If you live in a house within the capital region the CRD Curb-side Recycling Program picks up recyclables right at your curb An unlimited amount of recyclables from your home can be placed at the curb in CRD blue boxes or blue bags Please ensure you use the permitted containers that are less than 47 liters in volume oth-erwise your materials will be left behind Current curbside recycling schedules are good until April 30 2012 New schedules will be mailed out in April 2012 so keep an eye out When preparing your recyclables remember these simple tips

CRD Blue Bagsbull Includecleanpaperproductsonlybull Placematerialslooselyinthebagbull Shredpaperscontainingpersonaliden-

tity information and place within a paper bag cereal box or other non-corrugated box and then place in your blue bag

CRD Blue Boxesbull Cleancontainersandrigidplasticpack-

aging before placing within boxbull Flattenmetalandplasticcontainers

whenever possiblebull Placematerialslooselynosortingis

requiredbull PlasticbagsandStyrofoamarenot

accepted

Cardboard Maximum bundle size is 90 cm x 45 cm x 20 cmbull Flattenandbundlepizzaboxesand

cardboardbull Onlycleanitemsacceptedbull Tiebundleswithstringortwine

(no tape or wire) or cut and place within CRD Blue Bag

If your recyclables were left behind check the ldquotagrdquo left by the driver to find out why Materials that are contaminated items not accepted or materials in non-conforming containers will not be collected Formoreinformation on materials accepted or to find

out more about the CRD Curbside Recy-cling Program please visit Myrecyclopediaca ndash an online resource for residents of the Capital Region to identify how to reduce reuse and recycle TheCRDintroducedanapartmentrecy-

cling program in 2000 that provides fund-ing to apartment owners and managers to help pay for private collection services for recyclables Since 2006 37000 free reus-able recycling tote bags were distributed to apartment and condominium units in the region to help increase recycling participa-tion Donrsquot have a reusable recycling tote bag within your unit Reusable recycling tote bags are available to all apartment and condominium buildings in the region with five ormore units The bag is intended toremain within each unit thus ensuring the next occupant has access to the same ser-vice Additional tote bags are available for a nominalfeeattheCRDofficelocatedat625FisgardStreet

When it comes to recycling donrsquot forget about the Hartland Landfill recycling facil-ity This full-service depot which acceptsmore than 80 different material types is intended for residential quantities only and accepts loads up to a maximum Gross Vehi-cle Weight (GVW) of 5500 kg The costfor entering the recycling facility is $6 pervehicle and the facility has recently launched several new pilot projects including Styro-foam and film plastics recycling Please visit wwwcrdbccahartland for more informa-tion including rates hours and accepted materials

Every year residents in our region generate hundreds of tonnes of waste including many objects that could have been recycled By practicing the 3Rs of reduce reuse and recycle we can significantly cut-down the amount of waste

entering our landfill Whether you live in a house or apartment there is a Capital Regional District (CRD) program to help you reduce your waste and impact on the environment

Go blueItrsquos the right thing to doWersquore happy to see so many people taking to recycling Itrsquos the right thing to do Lifting recyclables in oversized containers has become an occupational health and safety concern for the people who pick them up Thatrsquos why only CRD approved blue boxes and blue bags are emptied at the curb

This way we can all care for the environment and the people who work every day to make it better Find CRD Blue Box sales locations at wwwcrdbccabluebox or contact the CRD Hotline at 2503603030

wwwcrdbccawwwcrdbcca


StuDentS finD SolutionSto Real woRlD enviRonMental ChallengeS

From the financial realities of electric cars and solarenergy to dynamic tourism and education plans students are offering up the facts and solutions so eco-conscious consumers and organizations can make better informed decisions

Royal Roads students recently earned top prize in Ready Set Solve a CRD Climate Action Program and goBE-YOND Campus Climate Network initiative that issuedchallenges to local post-secondary students from munici-palities non-profit organizations and institutionsUndertheirchallengefromtheTownofSidneyRoyal

RoadsrsquoBachelorofScienceinEnvironmentalSciencestu-dentsMarnieLorimerGiovannaHeronandSteveBarrettcreated an Excel-based greenhouse gas inventory tool to calculateSidneyrsquoscorporateemissions

ldquoWe get to take stuff we learn in school and use it on a real situation in the communityrdquo Lorimer says ldquoBeing part of the solution is the greatest thing Irsquom going to take away from all of thisrdquoSidneyneedstocalculateitsgreenhousegasemissions

to report to BC as part of the provincersquos climate action plan but as a small municipality doesnrsquot have a depart-mentthatmanagesclimateactioncommitmentsSidneyis now using the tool created by the students

ldquoWe feel pretty lucky to have had the opportunity to workwithsuchagreatgroupofstudentsrdquosaysShariHol-mes-SaltzmanSidneymunicipalplannerwhodescribesReadySetSolveasaldquowin-winsituationrdquo

ldquoIt was a great opportunity for the town to team up with a group of students to create a comprehensive mea-surement and reporting tool and I think this was also a great project for the students to be able to apply what theyrsquove been learning in school to a real world problemrdquoAsgoBEYONDrsquoscommunityco-ordinator2011Bache-

lorofScienceinEnvironmentalSciencegradJordanKum-merfieldwasinstrumentalinorganizingReadySetSolvejust one of several projects hersquos tackled for the university As a studentKummerfield participated in SolarCol-

wood a federally funded clean energy project that aims to bring solar hot water heating technology into 1000 homes and businesses over three years among other ini-

The worldrsquos environmental challenges will not wait for theoretical discus-sion so at Royal Roads University the focus is on practical solutions And

that philosophy is generating success not only for students and the university but also for the community

(From left) Susan Kerr Jordan Kummerfield and Nancy Wilkin from Royal Roadsrsquo Office of Sustainability hold a meeting outside

tiativesThework stems froma2009memorandumofunderstanding that allows students to work on city proj-ects as the basis of their major research projectsldquoWithoutourpartnershipwithSolarColwoodandthe

City of Colwood none of these projects would be hap-pening and the students wouldnrsquot be experiencing such a ground-breaking program with a local governmentrdquo says NancyWilkin director of Royal Roadsrsquo Office ofSustainabilityKummerfieldrsquos class project involved reviewing pro-

vincial data to determine average energy consumption by Colwood residents and the resulting greenhouse gas emissions At the same time a second Royal Roads team analyzed the lifecycle of solar thermal technologyThissemester there are three more student projects focusing onSolarColwoodinadditiontoresearchontheprojectbeing done by faculty Since graduating KummerfieldhascontinuedworkingwithSolarColwoodhelpingsetup a database allowing participating homeowners to see their savings generated by using solar energy WhileKummerfieldenteredtheRoyalRoadsprogram

expecting it would help him focus his career options in fact it had the opposite result

ldquoItrsquos the range of study that impressed me the most I

thought the program would help me narrow it down but instead it opened up so many possibilitiesrdquo he saysWhile those possibilities mean Kummerfieldrsquos plans

are still evolving for the time being hersquos enjoying the opportunity to continue his work at the university and withSolarColwoodOther interesting projects for the university include

the current electric vehicles project jointly sponsored by Royal Roads and the New Car Dealers Association also apartner in SolarColwoodThe studentswill producea consumer-friendly report bringing together science research and consumer education so the public can bet-ter understand the benefits of electric vehiclesldquoThevalueforthecommunityishavingthisinforma-

tion available to help them make decisionsrdquo Wilkin says ldquoIt is very confusing right now for the consumer with respect to wanting to do the right thing environmen-tally but not knowing which is the best environmental choice for a vehicle and the pay back considerations with respect to costsrdquo

Much needed answers to more real word questions courtesy of Royal Roads students

Working on environmental challenges isnrsquot reserved for students of environmental studies Learners from a

Royal Roads University

By Jennifer Blyth

Amy Dove photoRoyal Roads


variety of programs ndash from communication and business to hospitality and tourism ndash are colouring the campus and communities greenRyanStaleyisoneofagroupofstudents

fromtheSchoolofTourismandHospitalityManagement who was in Quebecrsquos Foril-lonNationalParkinJanuarycontractedbyParks Canada to study visitor use and expe-rienceFollowingon-site fieldresearch thestudents returned to Victoria to analyze the data and prepare a report of their findings for Parks Canada

ldquoItrsquos a great way to put all of our learning at RRU into practicerdquo says Staley earninghisMasterofArtsinTourismManagementldquoThis project is allowing us to utilize thislearning to help improve the visitor expe-rience and hopefully increase visitation at ForillonNationalParkrdquo

Understanding visitor experience will help Parks Canada in its management of the countryrsquosnaturalspacesldquoTourismisawayto educate people to the importance of the environmentrdquo explains Geoffrey Bird asso-ciateprofessorintheSchoolofTourismandHospitality Management

In her final research paper for Royal RoadsrsquoMasterofArts inTourismManage-ment Cathy Thicke explored diversifyingand sustaining Tofinorsquos tourism economyDuring its 100-day tourism season when the town of 1800 sees an influx of up to one million visitors services ndash from trans-portation and accommodation to water and police ndash are stretched to the maximum

ldquoMy research led me to consider the pos-sibilities of developing resilience and sus-tainability in the mono-economy of tour-ismFromtheseideascametheconceptofahigher education centre as a means of diver-sifying the tourism economy in TofinordquoThicke explainsldquoWith the possibility of ahigherlearningcentreinClayoquotSoundusing a blended learning approach such as I experienced at Royal Roads the Unesco Biosphere Reserve could become alive to research and higher education over the entire year possibly eliminating the 100-day intense and unsustainable tourism economy that Tofino now experiences Thanks toRoyal Roads for stimulating green research that relates to real-life economic situations in tourism communities in CanadardquoThickersquos concept is gaining momentum

with support from various community mem-bers If her research is implemented it will be another example of Royal Roads students contributing innovative and viable sustain-ability solutions that make a difference

ldquoMany of the students who study at Royal Roads are not from Victoria but there is an underlying community service value that is operating here that may not often be found in regular research projectsrdquo Wilkin says ldquoThisvaluesetsRoyalRoadsstudentsapartand their real world projects done here lead them to continue to be valued citizens in their own communities when they return home Our alumni are a reflection of thislearning through the work they are doing throughout the worldrdquo

Royal Roads University students put theory into practice tackling real world environmental challenges through class projects

You are ethical fiscally responsible and demand sustainable solutions

Your industry should share your values At Royal Roads Universityrsquos School

of Tourism and Hospitality Management you can drive the change

Gain specialized knowledge while enhancing your leadership skills through

an MA in Tourism Management a BA in International Hotel Management or

one of our intensive graduate certifi cate programs Destination Development

Sustainable Tourism Hospitality Management and Tourism Leadership

Our flexible learning model lets you choose a learning style to fit your

schedule Study online or on-campus Going back to school doesnrsquot

mean giving up your life

Learn more at wwwroyalroadsca or contact our Enrolment Advisors

learnmoreroyalroadsca or 1-877-778-6227

V I C TO R I A B C C A N A DA

SEETOURISM IN A WHOLE NEW WAY

12-00027-1129_MINOR_Green Scene Winter 2011_B2indd 1 12-01-12 855 AM

Photo courtesy Royal Roads


By Jennifer Blyth

Foodies and advocates for the local food industry are eagerly awaiting this yearrsquos Island Chefs Collaborative FoodFestldquoDefendingourBackyardrdquolaterthisspringattheFortRoddHillNationalHistoricSite

ThefestivalreturnsSundayJune10totheFortRoddHillNationalHis-toricSitewhichwillbefilledwithboothsfromlocalgrowersandproducerschefs vintners and more Thisyearrsquoseventwill focusonhigh-endstreet foodusingthebest local

seasonal ingredients with three to four dozen top local chefs turning sim-pleaffordable localmeatandproduce intodeliciouscreationssaysJasonFoundfromtheIslandChefsrsquoCollaborativewhichorganizesthefestival

In addition this yearrsquos festival will feature more childrenrsquos components to reach out to those junior palates ldquomore hands on deck and more food to satisfy the crowds along with the best beverages from the Island and great entertainmentrdquoFoundsaysldquoItwillbeagreatdayrdquo

In addition to being a great opportunity to celebrate the abundance pro-duced by local growers and producers the event is also a successful commu-nityfundraiserFundsraisedhaveallowedtheChefsrsquoCollaborativetolauncha zero-interest micro loan fund for farmers and processors on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands focussed on increasing local production Formoreinformationvisit wwwiccbcca

loCal fooD feSt haS ChefSlsquoDefending our Backyardrsquo

Jennifer Blyth photo

The Island Chefsrsquo Collaborativersquos local food festival highlights all that is available ndash and

delicious ndash close to home

Geothermal heating air conditioning amp hot water Built Green rated Gold Energuide rated +80 EnergyStar appliance package 10 Beautiful Plans Steps to Schools Parks amp Shopping From $384900 net HST included

BuiltGreen TM Geothermal New Homes In Beautiful Sooke BC

Silver CARE Award for Best Spec Home under 2500 Sq ft

Itrsquos FREE to list right now wwwtictocca(In fact at the moment itrsquos totally free for everything)

A Whole New Way to Buy amp Sell Online

Click it

Watch itStop itTrack it

Buy itSell it

200 2826 Bryn Maur Road Victoria BC V9B 3T4 250-405-3550wwwstephenwhippcom

Annette QuanFMA FCSI bull Financial Advisor bull Life Representative

ldquoMatching your money to your valuesrdquo



the little house on the landfill officially opens its Doors

Things look a little different at Hartland Landfill since the Hartland Learning Centre officially opened in November 2011KnownasldquoTheLittleHouseontheLandfillrdquothelearning centre offers onsite learning for the 3Rs reduce

reuse and recycle as well as sustainable practices

The Little House on the Landfill is now open The Capital Regional Districtrsquos 3R School Outreach program now offers workshops at Hartland Learning Centre in the Little House on the Landfill The program motivates and challenges students and teachers to explore new attitudes and habits to reduce waste reuse items and recycle more

For more information on our 3R school program and the newly opened Hartland Learning Centre visit wwwcrdbccahartlandlearningcentre or contact our CRD Recycling Hotline at hotlinecrdbcca or 2503603030 to book a workshop

wwwcrdbcca

ldquoThe Little House onthe Landfillrdquo takes sus-tainability to the next level The building is arecycled residential cot-tagefromLangfordTherooms were transformed into a state-of-the-art classroom for children to learn the importance of waste reduction and proper disposal within the capital region All the materials used to remodel the house from windows to insulation were reused from recy-cled materials and all the furniture was donated TheLittleHouse even features sun tubesfor lighting rainwater collection methods and beautiful native plant gardens Offeringplace-based learning the cen-

tre will capture studentsrsquo imaginations and increase their understanding of how pre-cious our local environment is Studentsin kindergarten to Grade 12 can learn the benefits of recycling and waste reduction environmental impacts of product pack-aging facts about Hartland landfill and even how to calculate their ecological foot-print

ldquoAs you step into the Little House on the Landfillrdquo explains Geoff Young Capi-tal Regional District (CRD) Board Chair ldquoyou will be asked where am I what is the natural and social history of this beauti-ful place and how does this place fit into the largerworldTheseare all importantquestions to truly understand how little changes can make big differences to our region and worldrdquoThe Capital Regional District is com-

mitted to educating and promoting sus-

tainability in the region The HartlandLearning Centre offers the next step in this process by delivering top notch education in a fun and interactive way By offering six interactive workshops and interpre-tive tours that support the BC Ministry of Educationrsquos learning outcomes for social studies personal planning language arts science and math there is something for every age group at the learning centre

Actively promoting waste reduction and recycling education to students and edu-cators for more than two decades the 3R program is one of many initiatives in place to reduce the amount of waste generated and disposed of in the capital region Tobookaworkshoportourpleasecon-

tact theCRDHotlineat250-360-3030or1-800-663-4425 local3030orbyemailathotlinecrdbcca Presentations continue to be offered at individual schools on the CRD 3R program for those who cannot visit the centre for logistical reasons Book your school program today and help teach our future leaders the importance of envi-ronmental stewardship

Students participating in the Digging Deeper program at the Hartland Learning Centre

wwwcrdbcca


gReen ReaDS

titles Packed with inspiration for Your home amp garden

The Permaculture Handbookby Peter Bane New Society

PublishersScheduled for release this

May The Permaculture Hand-book Garden Farming for Town and Country is a step-by-step beautifully illustrated guide to creating resilient and prosper-ous households and neigh-bourhoods Author Peter Bane shows readers how to create an abundance of fresh nour-ishing local produce reduce dependence on expensive polluting fossil fuels drought-proof our cities and countryside and convert waste into wealth

Solar Home Heating Basics a Green Energy Guide by Dan Chiras New Society Publishers

Coming up this April from author and edu-cator Dan Chiras this new Green Energy Guide fromNewSocietyPublishersfocusesonrenewableenergy strategies to heat new and existing homes and small businesses Helping readers navigate the sometimes-confusing maze of options Chiras explores areas such as energy efficiency weather-ization and insulation solar hot air heating solar thermal systems passive solar heating and backup heating systems

ldquoWhile most solar home heating resources are geared primarily towards new buildings this prac-tical and easy-to-understand guide also addresses

ways of retrofitting existing buildingsrdquo for greater acces-sibility

Sow Simple 100+ Green and Easy Projects to Make Your Garden Awesome by Christina Symons amp John Gillespie Harbour PublishingScheduledtobereleasedthiscomingMarchthe208-

page paperback Sow Simple is a ldquogorgeous collection of tips tricks and projects that are sure to increase enjoy-ment of outdoor spaces save money and sustain the environmentrdquo

Edible Landscaping Urban Food Gardens That Look Great by Senga Lindsay Harbour Publishing

Available to gardeners this coming April author and landscapearchitectSengaLindsayrsquos128-pageEdible Land-scaping explores one of the most prevalent garden trends in recent years Learn how simple growing fruits veg-etables fruits and herbs can be while creating a beautiful green space

CoMing uP

Home Sweet Zero Energy Homeby Barry Rehfeld

NewSocietyPublishers

SubtitledldquoWhatittakestodevelopgreathomesthat wonrsquot cost anything to heat cool or light up without going broke or crazyrdquo Home Sweet Zero Energy Home is a practical 208-page guidebook that shows ldquohow zero energy homes can be good livable affordable homesrdquoFocusing on real costs and savings Rehfeld a

journalist for more than 30 years and the founder of zeroenergyintelligencecom explores site selection and passive design insulation windows doors and building materials heating and cool-ing appliances and electronics and more

By Jennifer Blyth

Whether in our homes our cars our gardens or in the food we eat choices we make every day affect theenvironmentaroundusSomeofthelatestbooks on the environmental front tackle just these

subjectsndashandmoreFromsolarretrofitsforexistinghousestofood security at the local level these hot-off-the-press titles from NewSocietyPublishersandHarbourPublishingwillkeepyouinformed and inspired

The Urban Food Revolution Changing the Way We Feed Citiesby Peter Ladner NewSocietyPublishers

Creating ldquoa recipe for community food security based on leading innovations across North Amer-icardquo Peter Ladner a two-term Vancouver City councillor and journalist explores citiesrsquo efforts to return food production to local communities through neighbourhood gardening cooking and composting programs investing in farmersrsquo mar-kets and community-supported agriculture and other initiatives

Housing Reclaimed Sustainable Homes for Next to Nothing byJessicaKellnerNewSocietyPublishers

Housing Reclaimed ldquois a call to arms for non-conventional home buildersrdquo examining how technological advances design and resource-ful thinking about materials and efficiency can help meet the challenge of building affordable sustainable and beautiful homes


Publication Green Scene - Winter 2011 File created by RRU Media Technologies AT

Booked by Marketing Cossette Production Contact kentgaskillroyalroadsca

Size 5x1025 Send fi nal artwork to debgoldstreamgazettecomt

Colour Colour signed off by Charlene Kerr

Material deadline 01172012

For more information visit our blog athttpnaturekindergartensd62bcca

or contact Frances Krusekopffkrusekopfsd62bcca 250-474-9831

or Dr Enid Ellioteelliotuvicca

Aboriginal EducationSD62

NATUREKINDERGARTEN

12-00027-1130_Green Scene-Winter-NatureKindergarten_Final2indd 1 12-01-19 146 PM

When it comes to sustainability we can learn a lot from our neighboursThatrsquos the premise behind Meeting the

Climate Change Challenge (MC3) Com-munity Responses to BC Climate Policy a research project led by Ann Dale Canada Research Chair in sustainable development at Royal Roads University

ldquoMy ultimate goal is to speed the exploi-tation of knowledge as rapidly as possible between the communities that are leaders with the ones that are smaller and donrsquot have access to the same resourcesrdquo says Dale who is working on the project with col-leagues from University of British Columbia andSimonFraserUniversityTheMC3teamseesBCasaldquolivinglabo-

ratoryrdquo says Dale adding that the province is on the leading edge of what is likely to be a major wave of local government innovation to address climate change adaptation and mitigation in Canada BC has introduced innovative policies such as a carbon tax on fossil fuels and a requirement that all pub-lic sector organizations be carbon-neutral which they have just achieved

Dale and her colleagues see a major oppor-tunity to learn from the varied efforts of communities to undertake climate change adaptationandmitigationTheresearchersaim to identify best practices and contrib-ute to a process of social learning among municipalities

Dale is in the midst of identifying and investigating innovative municipal approaches to provincial climate policy and documenting best practices through 11 detailed case studies Since the projectstartedinJuly2011shehasseenanumberof themes emerge from the communities

ldquoMost of these places are trying to transi-tion Theyrsquore attempting to reduce green-house gas emissions many through opti-mizing energy efficiencyrdquo Dale says link-ing two top themes transition and dis-trict energy systemsldquoSome of the leadingcommunities have district energy systems

in place Revelstoke for example has re-oriented their community plan around energy and an expansion of their district energy programrdquo

Another theme is partnership Dale says pointing to Dawson Creekrsquos collaboration with the Pembina Institute on a community energy planning project Most of the munic-ipalities have forged partnerships with orga-nizations such as the Federation ofCana-dian Municipalities and the Fraser BasinCouncil to help them fill gaps in exper-tise and work towards integration another important theme

ldquoIntegration is what wersquore fundamentally talkingabouthererdquoDalesaysldquoFormesus-tainable development is at its core a process of reconciliation of the ecological the social and the economic imperatives We think wersquore very good at integration but itrsquos very hard to do when we are so used to solitudes silos and stovepipesrdquo

North Vancouver is one of the only com-munities Dale has seen integrate its official community plan with sustainability Munic-ipalities are required to have anOCP andthe federal government says if they want access to their gas-tax rebate they must put in place an integrated community sustain-ability plan ldquoNorth Vancouver has inte-grated those two plansrdquo Dale says ldquoYou know someonersquos serious when they take their existing plan and integraterdquo

After identifying leaders and late adopt-ers the next step in the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions-funded research projectis to share the information as widely as pos-sible

ldquoWersquore in these communities and wersquore going to find out whatrsquos working and what isnrsquot working and then wersquore going to pro-duce a strategic policy paper saying lsquoHerersquos what your legislation says herersquos whatrsquos actually happening on the ground herersquos the gaprsquo Dale explains ldquoWersquore hoping to mobi-lize all of this wonderful vibrant energy and innovation and get it out thererdquo


RRu Research looks to BC Communities for Climate Solutions

Whistler has a limit to population growth Vancouver is aiming to be the greenest city

intheworldby2020AndTrsquosou-keNation is BCrsquos most solar-powered community

Ann Dale Canada Research Chair in sustainable development at Royal Roads University is exploring what BC communities are doing to mitigate climate change

Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads


newSPaPeR taleSBy Jennifer Blyth

Sylvia Walsh loves her community newspaper After first poring over it for local news and thumbing through the grocery ads and flyers the Cadboro Bay resident turns her attention to the many other uses she finds for her twice-weekly paper

insoles as thin or as thick as needed (and theyrsquore) easy to dispose of and recyclerdquo

A laid-out newspaper can make a great impromptu boot tray for outdoor foot-wear or use it to catch drips when paint-ingbutoneofSylviarsquos favouriteuses forher already well-read newspaper is as an additive to her compost especially during the winter when there isnrsquot a lot of dry material to balance the vegetable scraps and other additions ldquoThe earthwormslove the newspaper bits In the extreme cold weather the composter works full-steam ahead It is probably the insulating

ize it to the size you like and ldquoitrsquos a very versatilelittleitemrdquoWalshsaysldquoFlexiblepliable ndash it can even be used as a cushion on lawn furniture or as a ground-seat around the barbecue or campfirerdquo

In their Cadboro Bay location Walsh and her husband often have to defend their garden from the voracious deer so a favourite item is definitely Walshrsquos ldquoCall of the Wild Megaphonerdquo a home-made newspaper deer-chaser

If itrsquos pests of the six-legged variety yoursquore fighting loosely roll up your news-paper and secure with a band of light cardboard for the perfect trap for earwigs and sowbugs (and even a slug or two)

Walsh also makes her garden shoes and boots more comfortable with self-designednewspaperinsolesldquoThebeautyis that you can make the newspaper

qualities that keep the earthworms cozy and happyrdquoNeed more ideas The firmer colour-

ful advertising inserts make great instant bookmarks and if yoursquore ever in need of an environmentally friendly way to pro-tect your hands from hot or cold drinks ndash not to mention a great craft idea for the kids ndash try a newspaper drink cozy Theinsulation factor keeps cold drinks cold in the summer and hot drinks hot in the cooler weather Walsh says Even better ldquousing flyers from the weekly newspaper adds extra colour and pizzazzrdquo

ThelistisseeminglyendlessA stack of newspaper wrapped in a gar-

bage bag and sealed with black duct tape makes a terrific kneeling pad for chores around the house or in the garden Custom-

Jennifer Blyth photos

Sylvia Walsh uses ldquothe Call of the Wildrdquo to scare off deer from her Saanich garden

250-658-5621 bull wwwrobpca4673 Falaise Drive

Green BurialA New Choice for Victoria

Royal Oak Burial Park is the first cemetery in Canada to offer green burial

Natural or green burial is a statement of personal values for those who just as they lived their lives seek to minimize their impact on the local and global environment at their death

Human remains are prepared for green burial without embalming and are buried directly in the ground in a fully biodegradable casket or alternative container

Natural burial is available exclusively at Royal Oak Burial Park in an area called the Woodlands

We welcome your visit to the Burial Park to see the Woodlands or visit us online



Checked Your Pipes lately

The capital region receives more than its fair share of rain each year which provides many benefits creates a few chal-lengesandoffersseveralopportunitiesThebenefitscanbeseen all around us from lush forests to beautiful gardens

andhigh-qualitydrinkingwaterSomeopportunitiesincluderainwa-ter harvesting and putting that water to use for irrigation car wash-ingandotherhouseholdneedsOneofthechallengesofincreasingrainfall is a corresponding increase of inflow and infiltration (IampI)

What is inflow and infiltration you ask Inflow is the rainwater that enters the sani-tary sewer through improper plumbing con-nections infiltration is the groundwater that seeps into the sanitary sewer through cracks in the sewer pipe Both can be a particu-lar problem especially in areas with older sewer infrastructure due to outdated piping materials and the construction practices of the day Ultimately IampI increases the waste-water flows in the sanitary sewer system during storms While sewers are designed to accommodate some IampI too much can cause overflows and other significant prob-lems

IampI related overflows can cause various outcomes including back-ups into homes and businesses which can damage personal belongings spills onto roads creeks and beaches which result in health hazards for residents and the environment increased operational costs from increasing wastewa-ter pumping and treatment and potential costly upsizing of the sanitary systems to accommodate the IampI

What can you do to help issues from occurring Studiesshowthatapproximately50 per cent of IampI comes from private prop-ertiesSourcesof thisIampI includeroofandfoundation drains that are mistakenly con-nected to the sanitary sewer leaky pipes or improper plumbing connections between your house and the sewer system

ldquoWhat homeowners may not know is that they are responsible for maintain-ing the sewer lateral (pipe) that connects their house to the sanitary sewer systemldquo explains Malcolm Cowley Manager Engi-neering Design Services ldquoTo help preventincidents from occurring homeowners can take some simple actions like checking gut-ters and drains to ensure they are not con-nected to the sanitary sewer avoiding plant-ing trees and shrubs over the sewer lateral and always replacing any known broken or leaky sections of their propertyrsquos sewer lat-eral A plumber can inspect a sewer lateral with a camera to confirm that it is in good condition and not contributing to IampIrdquo

How are municipalities helping prevent IampI overflows from occurring Municipali-ties work closely with the Capital Regional District (CRD) to find the sources of IampI In order to identify problem areas municipali-ties take to the streets and inspect problem-atic pipes through camera inspections dye testing smoke testing and even monitoring the sewer flow levels By analyzing the data it is possible to determine which pipes are damaged and if there is the potential to cause sanitary sewer overflows

How can rainwater harvesting help pre-vent IampI In addition to reducing IampI and potential sewer back-ups and overflows homeowners can even harvest rainwater and put it to good use A basic rain harvest-ing system captures water from a roof and directs it to barrel or tank where it can be stored and re-usedwhen it is needed Thestored rainwater may require some filtering and cleaning depending on its intended end use Ultimately rainwater harvesting helps prevent this valuable resource from going down the drain

Homeowners are encouraged to take the necessary steps to help stop overflows at the source As well they are advised to contact the CRD or their local municipality regard-ing any questions or concerns they may have regarding their sewer laterals Protecting our region from sanitary sewer overflows is everyonersquos responsibility Now thatrsquos a win-win for everyoneFormore informationonIampIvisitwww

crdbccaini and for rainwater management check out wwwcrdbccawatershedslid

Everyone needs a back-up planOf course itrsquos even better to plan for prevention by knowing where the water goes and where it shouldnrsquot Ensure that your plumbing connections are correct and the pipes are free of cracks That way yoursquoll avoid damage to personal belongings and costly clean-ups caused by the inflow and infiltration of rainwater into our sanitary sewer system

To learn more about the causes of inflow and infiltration and what you can do to prevent it visit wwwcrdbccaini



the future of post-secondary education and the gaps in programming ldquoOnethemethatemergedfromallof

those discussions was the importance of sustainability and sustainable devel-opmentrdquo recalls Grundy who worked as an environmental scientist and a chemist ldquoIt was interesting to hear peo-ple say that this was going to be a big deal in the future because I thought it already was but I didnrsquot think anybody else didrdquo

It was from those meetings that Royal Roads decided to ingrain sustainability in all programs ndash from conflict manage-ment to tourism and communication ndash and recruit faculty who understood the concept something Grundy said was extremely difficult at the time ldquoSustainability was a relatively new

term so it wasnrsquot surprising that there

wasnrsquot a broad understandingrdquo says Grundy who started at Royal Roads as a professor in the School of Environ-mentandSustainabilitybeforebecom-ing dean of the Faculty of Social andApplied Sciences ldquoWe were ahead ofthe time talking about sustainability and making sure it was embedded in all of our programs including the Bach-elor of Commerce and the MBA pro-gramsThatwasprettyradicalrdquoOneof themanybenefits of having

sustainability rooted as a theme across the university Grundy says is the end product well-rounded students with a strong understanding of the environ-mental challenges of today The factthat Royal Roads is primarily targeted to working professionals means many of the students are in leadership roles

ldquoYou take decision makers and you

Partnerships are the future of environmental educationUniversity has been a leader in teaching sustainability since its inception


When Royal Roads University VP Academic andProvostSteveGrundywasresearchinglong-range transport of contaminants to the Arctic in the late 1980s and early 1990s it

became evident to him that our environment was in peril

ldquoIt was very clear from the research that we were doing that this pristine environment of which Canadians were so proud was not quite so pristine and it had nothing to do with what anyone was doing there It was being trans-ported to the Arctic from other placesrdquoTheresearchuncoveredforexample

high concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Inuit mothersrsquo milk polar bear flesh and seal blubber ndash and these Arctic residents were not

the source of the problem ldquoThat was a bit of a wakeup callrdquo

Grundy saysldquoTherersquos only one planethererdquo

It was clear to Grundy that more edu-cation was needed and his opportu-nity to make that happen came in 1995 as a member of the small team that developed the initial education plan at Royal Roads Over the course of fourmonths many people were invited to speak to the planning committee about

ldquoThe Professional Approach to Real Estaterdquo

INEZ LOUDEN FRIAssociate Broker250-812-7710

WEST COAST REALTY

The residential real estate market is a diverse and ever-changing component of both our economy and our day-to-day life

The increase in consumer awareness of environmental issues and concern over rising energy costs is moving us towards a

ldquogreenerrdquo society Homes that are more energy effi cient are not only more comfortable but also may command more money

than their less energy-effi cient counterparts

I received my Accreditation as a Greenbrokertrade in 2009 and would appreciate the opportunity to work with you in

fi nding your next energy-effi cient home

250-544-6769 2189-B Keating X-Road

Mon-Fri 9am-430pm amp Sat 10am-400pm

PACIFIC FIREPLACEYOUR ELECTRIC FIREPLACE STORE amp MORE

9 B Keating X Road

NEW

The Green Alternative


Publication Green Scene File created by RRU Media Technologies AT


Size 5x1025 Send fi nal artwork to debgoldstreamgazettecom

Colour Colour Contact Theresa Wittstock 2503912600 x 4813

Material deadline 01182012 Approved By Theresa Wittstock

You donrsquot have to leave Victoria to move forward on your career path

At Royal Roads University we off er options you canrsquot fi nd anywhere else

in the country Tourism and Hospitality Environment and Sustainability

or Business Communications Education Leadership or Confl ict and

Disaster Management ndash wersquove got a program for whatever interests

you so you can get ahead while staying close to home

Our fl exible admissions process allows us to add your real world

experience to your formal education so you can follow your passion

in our blended face-to-face and online programs without sacrifi cing

your work or family life

Check us out at wwwroyalroadsca then chat with an Enrolment

Advisor to learnmoreroyalroadsca or call 250-391-2528


SO CLOSEAND GO SO FAR


Royal Roads University VP Academic and Provost Steve Grundy has been working on environmental programming at the university since its inception in 1995

bring them into this environment where theyrsquore removed from their decision-making exposed to new ideas and rejuvenated with respect to sustainability and environmentrdquo GrundyexplainsldquoThenyouputthembackinto their decision-making jobs and if that works well you should get fairly significant change occurring thatrsquos the whole strategyrdquoSimilarlyundergraduateprogramssetup

students with less professional experience to be the green leaders of tomorrow

ldquoAll the feedback I get from employ-ers who have taken our students is very positiverdquoGrundy saysldquoTheyrsquorenot super- specialized but very applied and they can hit thegroundrunningTheycanseethebiggerpictureTheyunderstandsustainabilityrdquo

Looking to the future of environmental education at Royal Roads Grundy says there will be added emphasis on carbon manage-mentTheuniversityhasbeenexperiment-

ing with some short courses in carbon trad-ing and management with a view to seeing if therersquos potential for a specialization in a grad program in that area

But the main focus moving forward Grundy says will be on developing partner-ships with other institutions Already Royal Roads is leading the way with its joint Mas-ter of Arts in Environmental Management in partnership with Tianjin University ofTechnologywhichlaunchesthisyearItwillbe Chinarsquos first environmental management program at the graduate level ldquoSustainability is theNo 1 challenge for

humanityrdquo Grundy says ldquoWe canrsquot stop We have to do more and more and more in terms of education The more we can doand the more global we can be in that edu-cation the better We have to international-ize sustainability and as a country we have to practise what we preachrdquo

ldquoSustainability is the No 1 challenge for humanity We canrsquot stop We have to do more and more and more in terms of educationWe have to internationalize sustainability and as a country we have to practise what we preachrdquo ndash Steve Grundy

Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads


lsquoPlaYing PoSSoMrsquo on hoRnBY iSlanD

Many Victorians have fol-lowed the problems posed by the invasive American Bullfrog and

its impact on local species Purple loos-estrife is a familiar challenge in the battle to protect local plant species And the aggressive behaviour of the HouseSparrowhasbeenimplicatedinthe declining numbers of some other native birds

ButanOpossumlsquoFraidsoOneof the species highlightedon theRoyal

BC Museumrsquos new invasive species app Aliens Among Us is the North American Opossum(Didelphis virginiana)

Roughly the size of a cat the opossum sports a pointed snout long scaly tail long dense fur and naked black ears with white or pink tips Its face is white while its body fur is white or grey and it has five finger-like toes on each paw as a marsupial females also have a pouchWhilemostNorthAmericanOpossums liv-

ing in BC are in the lower Fraser River Val-ley ndash likely cross-border immigrants following an introduction to Washington State in 1925ndash their appearance on Hornby Island was more recent the Museum notes in Aliens Among Us Theopossumldquomakesitsdeninunderground

burrows rock crevices old stumps hollow trees or woodpiles and is seen in forests farmlands and urban areas They are adaptable and livewherever they can find food water and shelter TheNorthAmericanOpossumhuntsduringthenight and eat fruits insects and small animals If you scare an opossum it might lsquoplay possumrsquo pretending to be dead or injured with its mouth and eyes open and tongue hanging outrdquo

In their overall impact opossums are seen as more of a nuisance than a threat ndash they can get into attics and basements and transmit disease such as rabies but generally donrsquot seem to harm habitat or native species other than those they happen to eat

In a smaller self-contained environment such as Hornby Island however the story can be dif-ferentldquoIn1986acoupleofopossumswerereleased

on Hornby Island and without competition or predators their numbers expanded rapidlyrdquo Aliens Among UsnotesldquoOver600weretrappedin 1988 but there is still a large population They eat substantial amounts of fruits plantssmall mammals birds and eggs and there is fear they will devastate native speciesrdquo

alien-Spotting Garlic Mustard Praying Mantis

BrownTroutorperhapsyourveryownWildTurkeySeenanyoftheseinyourlocal travelsFindoutwithanew fea-ture from the Royal BC MuseumThe museum has launched its first

iPhoneiPad app Aliens Among Us available as a free download from the iTunesstoreThe app a first of its kind from a

North American museum allows users to monitor and track the spread of inva-sive species in British Columbia

BC has more than 4000 alien spe-cies and detailed information ndash images sound recordings descriptions ndash for 47 of these is now available via the app or website Listening to an American Bullfrog or seeing invasive ldquorock snotrdquo helps users identify these species and report them

Not sure if you have a Large Yellow UnderwingoraWidemouthorSmall-

mouthBassThewebsiteincludesvideodemonstrating thedifferencesOrldquoAskan Expertrdquo by sending your question to one of the Royal BC Museumrsquos natu-ralhistorycuratorsStillnotsurewhatyoursquovegotSpotterscantakeaphotoofthe suspected alien pin it to their loca-tion on the interactive Google map and send their field notes to the museum Each upload will be reviewed the spot-ter will be notified by email and the alienrsquos image will be posted to the web-siteThewebsitealsoincludesactivitiesto

bring aliens into the classroom The Classroom has a collection of

five learning objects each with images video an interactive map and class-room activities about introduced plant andanimalspeciesinBCThelearningobject collection is linked to grades 4 7 10 11 and 12 curriculum but can be adapted to other grades and for infor-

mal learning outside the classroomldquoMobile applications are appealing to

museums it is a way to open a collec-tion extend an exhibition to a much wider audience ndash or in this case help us chart the spread of alien speciesrdquo saysTimWillisDirectorofExhibitionsand the Visitor Experience Royal BC MuseumThetwonewdigitalpiecesarepartof

a multi-faceted project reaching across the province that includes taking the Aliens Among Us exhibition to nine communities and offering presenta-tions by RBCM curators To explore the website and partici-

pate in the project visit httpalienspe-ciesroyalbcmuseumbcca

Download the free Aliens Among Us apptoaniPhoneoriPadattheiTunesstore httpitunesapplecomomappaliens-among-us-royal-britishid479083111mt=8

Therersquos an App for that



water efficiency Saves You Money Protects our environment and Builds healthy Communities

As the rain falls from the sky and our reservoir level rises questions begin to surface about the summer watering sched-uleandwaterratesTheCapitalRegionalDistrictrsquos(CRD)IntegratedWaterServicesdivisionmanagesthesupplytreat-

ment and delivery of bulk (wholesale) drinking water to its municipal customersintheGreaterVictoriaDrinkingWaterSystemEveryglassofrefreshingtapwateryoupourcomesfromthelocalSookeReservoir

In 2007 the CRD acquired the Leech RiverWatershedThisessentialinvestmentwas made to ensure that as our commu-nity continues to grow we can continue to have access to fresh clean water With this $65million investment in infrastructurean increase in water rates was required Thisincreasenowensuresthatthefuturesupply of water for our region will be pro-vided cost effectively

Currently the average annual house-hold water use charge is just over $11 per month This charge covers the expensesassociated with disinfecting delivering and protecting the water supply as well as ensuring funds are available for renewing our infrastructure as it reaches the ends ofitsusefullifeTheCRDdoesnotprofitfrom the sale of water you may notice a different water rate on your water bill than noted above due to municipal infra-structure and operations delivery and administration costs

Even with the additional water supply water conservation remains important not only for reducing water bills but also for protecting the supply of some of the best drinking water in the world Water conservation isnrsquot just about using less itrsquos about using water as efficiently as pos-sible Sooke Reservoir is fed by a pris-tine protected watershed which means our water is naturally clean and clear and requires little treatment By actively reducing your water consumption you are helping to keep our current SookeReservoir water supply secure ensuring

quality water delivered to your tap year round In the hot summer months the reservoir is affected by lower water levels With these reduced water levels a greater amount of land area is exposed increas-ing the likelihood of exposed sediments Stabilizing water levels through efficientwater use helps contribute to reliable water quality

Another benefit of reducing water con-sumption is keeping demand levels within the available supply of the Sooke Reser-voir Over the past 10 years consump-tion has lessened enough to result in a delay in opening the Leech River Water-shed from 2012 to past 2050 The costsavings for residents has been huge as get-ting this watershed system operating will cost $100+ million for a water treatment plant and an estimated $3 million per year to operate In addition due to the suc-cess of our conservation efforts the esti-mated capital cost of the core area waste-water treatment plant has been reduced by $185 million Water efficiency practices have demonstrated a significant return on investment for residents in the region Without these reductions in water use we all would likely be paying substantially more for the high quality drinking water that we enjoy today

Using water efficiently saves money protects our environment and helps build healthy communities To find out moreabout the true value of our local water and more tips on water conservation visit wwwcrdbccawater

wwwcrdbcca

By simply turning on the tap CRD residents enjoy some of the freshest cleanest and most delicious drinking water found anywhere in the world At a wholesale rate of just 57 cents for 1000 litres the CRD protects disinfects and provides drinking water safely and efficiently to those connected to the Greater Victoria Drinking Water System

Donrsquot let that amazingly good value go to waste though Our local water is still a priceless resource that we all need to use wisely

For tips on water use efficiency visit wwwcrdbccawater and watch for the Tap Into Sustainability campaign this spring

Still amazingly affordable and as always priceless

wwwcrdbcca


gReen gaRDenS

By Jennifer BlythVictoriarsquos annual harbinger of spring

Seedy Saturday will fill the VictoriaConference Centre in a few short weeks with the promise of another successful growing seasonHostedbytheJamesBayMarketSoci-

etyFeb18thepopulareventisaterrificresource for gardeners but also raises awareness of the need to preserve and diversify our seed sources And while SeedySaturdayhasbeenawinningfor-mula since its inception co-ordinator Pat McGuire has a few new ideas grow-ing for this yearTheIslandChefsCollaborativendashhosts

oftheannualLocalFoodFestivalatFortRodd Hill ndash will present short cook-ing demonstrations this year and kidsrsquo activities will be more visible located with the exhibits and coordinated by Lifecyles and the Compost Education Centre McGuire saysThe retail front will welcome new

vendors of plants garden products and food and therersquos a host of entertain-ing and informative new speakers along with a few familiar faces The CR-FAIR (Capital Region Food

and Agriculture Initiatives Roundtable) will host three presentations including a showcaseofthisyearrsquoslocalFoodSecu-rity Heroes Other areas of discussioninclude developing food security sys-tems in the region how policy is made to address agricultural issues such as the overabundance of deer and what sev-eral neighbourhood groups are doing to produce food on urban lands

Other topics this year include a his-tory of native bees effectively growing food despite climate changes whatrsquos new in ornamentals and plant hunting in China And back by popular demand will be growing mushrooms and raising chickens McGuire notesOfcourseoneof the focalpointsof

the event is the Seed Exchange wheregardeners can purchase seeds donated byotherbackyardgardenersForthosewho would like to donate or exchange seeds simply ensure they are cleaned and packaged labelled with the variety and year

Admission to this yearrsquos event is $7 with those under 12 free For moreinformation visit www jamesbaymar-ketcom

Seedy Saturday gets gardens growing

FirstuponthespringgardeningcalendaristheseasonrsquosfirstbigeventSeedySaturdayHostedbytheJamesBayMarketSocietythe annual celebration fills the Victoria Conference Centre with tips and trends plants and potted shrubs and all manner ofseeds(Seerelatedstory)The Swan Lake Christmas Hill Nature

SanctuarywelcomesitsannualSpringNativePlant Sale from 9 am to 3 pmApril 21and22Theannualsaleprovidesgardenerswith an opportunity to select their favou-rites ndash and soon-to-be-favourites ndash from a list of about 120 species of native plants from fawn lilies to sword ferns

Plants are sorted according to growing conditions from sun to shade dry to wet allowing home gardeners to choose the right plant for their location

In addition to the great deals on local plants visitors can enjoy workshops presen-tations demonstrations and displays on gar-dening with drought-tolerant native plants and developing wildlife habitat in urban set-tings ndash all included in the admission price Proceeds support the Nature Sanctuaryrsquoseducation programs

Complementing the plant sale is a series of Native Plant Gardening Workshops held in conjunction with the Capital Regional District A number of three-hour introduc-tory workshops on gardening with drought-resistant native plants are planned through-out the spring covering such topics as iden-tifying native plants their benefits how and where to grow them tips for reducing or eliminating lawns and moreForthosealreadyexperiencedingrowing

these local treasures The Next Steps in Native Plant Gardening is scheduled for March 31 Seewwwswanlakebccafordetails

Looking to gain a little green gardening knowedge for the coming growing season StartwithComposting 101 from the West-

shore Centre for Learning hosted by Can-dace Thompson Feb 6 from 630 to 830pm Explore different methods for creat-ing humus for the garden including sheet mulching trenching and hot composting composter design and construction and the DOsandDONrsquoTsforbackyardbinsFor details or registration call 250-391-

9002In town the Greater Victoria Compost

Education Centre is an excellent resource for anyone with questions about turning their kitchen and garden waste into food for the garden

In addition to the centrersquos free Compost-ing BasicsworkshopsheldoneSaturdaypermonth from 10 am to noon an Advanced Composting workshop has been added for those who have completed a Composting

BasicsworkshopThenextsessionisplannedfor March 24 A more specialized free pro-gram on Worm Composting is also scheduled for March 17 Complementing the centrersquos composting programs is its Sustainable Home and Garden SeriesSaturdayafternoonwork-shops that cover everything from mason bees to weed management plus a number of com-munityprogramsFormoreinformationvisitwwwcompostbccaSaanichrsquosHorticultureCentreofthePacific

is another excellent resource for green garden-ing ideas with everything from Native Plant Propagation Feb 25 to Build a Mason Bee Condo March 31 Need help with the pollina-tion of your fruit trees or veggies Check out Pollination 101 April 29 while those concerned about how the worldrsquos changing climate may affect local growing can check out Resilient Gardens for a Changing Coastal Climate also April 29 Learn more at wwwhcpca

1015 am Resilient Food Gardens for a Changing Coastal bullClimate Linda GilkesonThe Magic of MushroomsHome Scott Henderson bullthe Mushroom ManRoses to Grow ndash A Thorny Subject David Elliott bull

1130 am Keynote address ndash Hot New Plants Cutting Edge bullGarden Plants for Cutting Edge Gardens Gary Lewis Phoenix PerennialsTomatoes Challenges and Treasures Tina Baynes bullCorner FarmBackyard Chickens ndash Urban Hens Marilyn Soames bullSaanich Fair Poultry Show

1245 pmThe Edible Revolution Ingredients for Retooling bullRegional Food Systems Jon Steinman Deconstructing Dinner and Linda Geggie CR-FAIRTales of Plant Hunting in SW China Kelly Dodson bulland Sue Milliken Far Reaches FarmGrowing Citrus in South Coastal BC Bob Duncan bullFruit Trees and More

2 pm Backyard Berries amp Winter Preserves Carolyn Herriot bullThe Garden Path NurseryWhatrsquos the Current Hot Potato Making Food Policy bullin the Capital Region Pat Reichert ModeratorMore Than One Native How Various Bee Pollinators bullWork With Flower Designs To Make Your Garden More Bountiful Gord Hutchings Hutchings Bee Service

3 pm Food from the Hood Backyards Boulevards and bullMore Gabe Epstein Moderator

Seedy Saturday Speaker Schedule

Whether your passions lean to native plants or organic growing the local gardening com-munity has plenty on offer this spring to keep you inspired

By Jennifer Blyth

Jenn

ifer B

lyth

pho

to

Phot

o co

ntrib

uted


TLC is working to protect local spaces like Sandcut Beach and the Sooke Hills Heath Moffatt photos

tlC SeekS PuBliCrsquoS helP to PRoteCt iSlanD lanDS

TLCandCRDParkshaveworkedtogetherfor more than a decade in a visionary part-nership to create a world-class parks and pro-tected areas system for the Capital Region Through thisunique campaignmore than7400 acres of spectacular new parklands have been purchased and protectedTLCandCRDParksarenowmovingfor-

ward with this vision through the Wild Hills and Beaches Campaign to purchase 5800 acres of lands in the Jordan River Sand-cut Beach and Sooke Hills area With thefirst two phases of three acquisitions already completed in August 2010 and August 2011 TLCrequiresapproximately$275milliontofulfillthereminderofitscommitmentTheamount might be reduced through carbon credits and the CRDrsquos sale of the lands with lesser valueldquoSandcut Beach Jordan River and the

SookeHillsarethedefinitionofWestCoastparadise We must protect our wild hills and beaches for current and future generations to enjoyrdquo says Bill Turner TLCrsquos ExecutiveDirector ldquoEverything is interconnected and their protection will impact the nature and quality of life on the Island forever Help enhance the world-class parks legacy in the Capital Region by contributing to TLCrsquosWild Hills and Beaches Campaignrdquo

During phase one the CRD took over managementoflandsadjacenttoSookePot-holes parcels surrounding Weeks Lake in the Leech watershed and Sandcut BeachThesecondparceloflandatSandcutBeachtransferred to the CRD ownership in August 2011ParcelsinJordanRiverandremaininglandintheSookeHillswillbetransferredinAugust 2012

ldquoMany individuals families and univer-sity classes have come to enjoy the trail the forest and the spectacu-larbeachSandcutBeachisindeedoneofBritishColumbiarsquoslsquoSpecialPlacesrsquo with amazing beauty and infinite educational value It would be a tragedy indeed if it were lost to developmentrdquo says Nancy JTurner Distinguished ProfessorUniversity of Victoria School ofEnvironmentalStudiesTo help TLC and CRD Parks

protect the wild hills and beaches by donating or to find more infor-mation visit wwwconservancybcca or call 1-877-485-2422

Photo courtesy Royal Roads University

Sandcut Beach photo Sylvan Mably

Donate today at conservancybcca or 1-877-485-2422

Too beautiful for words

too important to lose

Help Create a World Class Parks Legacy for the Capital Region

TLC requires $275 million to complete our Wild Hills and Beaches Campaign that will protect 5800 acres of land in the Jordan River

Sandcut Beach and Sooke Hills area

Sooke Hills wilderness photo John Hasell

The Land Conservancy of BC is committed to protecting the wild hillsandbeacheswithintheJordanRiverSandcutBeachandSookeHillsareasonVancouverIslandforfuturepublicaccessTosavethesepropertiesfortheirsignificantenvironmentaland

recreationalvalueTLCisaskingforthepublicrsquossupport


Onsite Wastewater Management The Ecological Imperative

Curt Kerns MS RPBio CFS WetlandsPacific Corp

The consensus of atmospheric scientists is that we are altering the earths climate by releasing vast quantities of dilute concentrations of greenhouse gasses into the commons ndash the earths atmosphere While global climate change is often reported on less commonly spoken about is the degradation of surface and subsurface waters by the discharge of wastewaters Instead we have long hidden behind the euphemism ldquodisposalrdquo as if it were true simply because we labelled it such While domestic wastewater was once akin to a dilute manure solution since the industrial revolution it has increasingly become a devils brew of endocrine disruptors pharmaceuticals and personal care products (EDCPPCPs) Even advanced municipal secondary wastewater treatment does little to remove contaminants which have harmful ecological effects at parts per million parts per billion and even parts per trillion levels Overly enriched lakes gender alterations and mutations of fish and wildlife in fresh water and harmful algae blooms or ldquored tidesrdquo in coastal waters are but a few direct results The University of British Columbia Okanagan Estrogens Project research has verified 1 part per trillion of estrogen can result in eggs being formed in male fish Five parts per trillion can extirpate (locally drive an organism extinct) fish populations by interfering with reproduction Treated municipal wastewater can contain 88 ppt of estrogen Decentralized treatment and dispersal is the ecological imperative Properly designed installed and managed onsite systems are sustainable on into the future Wastewaters belong on land in soil wetlands or forests not in our surface and subsurface waters Constructed wetlands are a particularly advantageous technique to reclaim wastewaters and can have many ancellary benefits which studies have shown be greater than the value of contaminant removal Constructed wetlands not only remove the substances commonly monitored but also heavy metals trace contaminants and even persistent organic pollutants such as DDT They cost about as much as a community park to build and not only provide contaminant removal but can also provide recreation be a wildlife refuge and are used for public education With proper design and consideration they are also an excellent way to preserve natural wetlands

A constructed wetland at the Lighthouse Pub in Port Renfrew photo by Curt Kerns

While much is reported about global climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions less commonly

discussed is the degradation of surface and subsurface waters by the discharge of wastewaters

ldquoInstead we have long hidden behind the euphemism lsquodisposalrdquo as if it were truesimplybecausewelabelleditsuchrdquosaysCurtKernsMSRPBioCFSWetlandsScientistwithWetlandsPacificCorp

ldquoWhile domestic wastewater was once akin to a dilute manure solution since the industrial revolution it has increasingly become a devilrsquos brew of endocrine disruptors pharmaceuticals and personal care products Even advanced munici-pal secondary wastewater treatment does little to remove contaminants which have harmful ecological effects at parts per million parts per billion and even parts per trillion levelsrdquo saysKerns noting that overly enriched lakes genderalterations and mutations of fish and wildlife in fresh water and harmful algae blooms or ldquored tidesrdquo in coastal waters are just a few direct results

University of British Colum-bia Okanagan Estrogens Proj-ect research found that ldquoone part per trillion of estrogen can result in eggs being formed in malefishFivepartspertrillioncan extirpate (locally drive an organism extinct) fish popula-tions by interfering with repro-duction Treated municipalwastewater can contain 88 ppt of estrogenrdquo

What this means is that decentralized treatment and dispersal is the ecological imperative Kerns says Prop-erly designed installed and managed onsite systems are sustainable on into the future ldquoWastewaters belong on land in soil wetlands or forests not in our surface and subsurface watersrdquo

Constructed wetlands are a particularly beneficial way to reclaim wastewaters and can have many ancillary benefits which studies have shown be greater than the value of contaminant removal

ldquoConstructed wetlands not only remove the substances commonly monitored but also heavy metals trace contaminants and even persistent organic pollut-antssuchasDDTrdquoKernssaysldquoTheycostaboutasmuchasacommunityparkto build and not only provide contaminant removal but can also provide recre-ation be a wildlife refuge and are used for public education With proper design and consideration they are also an excellent way to preserve natural wetlandsrdquo

onsite wastewater Management an ecological imperative

A constructed wetland at the Lighthouse Pub in Port Renfrew

Curt Kerns

Curt Kerns photo

Wetlands - Naturersquos WayConstructed Wetlands - Our Way

(800)617-9972 or (250)722-7117 wwwwetpacca

Environmentally Responsible WastewaterTreatment SolutionsWetlandsPacific Corp is an innovative onsite wastewater design construction

management and service company We provide ecologically intelligent

environmentally sensitive economically considerate wastewater treatment

and reclamation solutions which typically exceed all regulatory standards

Products and services from WetlandsPacific Corp are designed with

ldquobest practicerdquo in mind

Patented Award Winning Dispersal Fields

Nayadic amp Multi-Flo Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plants

Comprehensive Maintenance Services

Vegetative Tertiary Filter (VTF)

Economical attractive space saving solutions

Landscaped located on Vancouver IslandVegetative Tertiary Filters

Award winning dispersal fieldVegetative Tertiary Filter

Challenging sites are our specialty

Consultation PlanningDesign Installation amp Maintenance

Victoria TankServices Ltd

Serving the Victoria Area since 1958

250-385-8221250-883-8422

Oil Tanks bull Licensed to transport special waste Removal amp installation of above-ground tanks

Underground tank abandoning amp removing Confi ned space certifi cation

Double walled tanks available

Insurance Liability

OIL TANKSbull Fish Compost bull Manure bull Compost bull Mulch bull Drain Rock bull Topsoil bull Sand

bull Aggregate bull Slate bull Fertilizer bull Grass Seed bull Pond Supplies bull Delivery

hh CC CCCCbullbull FiF shsh CC CComomomomommommmomomommmmmmmmmmmmmompoppopopopoppp stttts bullbullbullbull MMMMMMMM MMM MMMaaaanannnnananaaanaaannaanaaannannaaannuuururruuuruuuuuururuururuure eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee bullbullbullbull bullbull bullbull CoCoCoCoCoCoCCoooooCooompmpmmpmpppmmpppmpmpmppppppoososososososososstt ttttttMuM lcchh DrD aaaaiiin RoRoR cckkkkkkkkkkkkk TTTTTTTTTTTopopopoopsssssoosoosoiiiilillliiilililiii SSSSSSSanana ddddd

We retail bulk landscape materials as well as small amounts such as pails or bags

We off er delivery for large and small loads

2078 Henry Ave West 2506566719wwwgravelmartnet

Garry250-885-9487

Bathrooms | Flooring | Tiling Fences Decks | Kitchens

Start With Trust

RENO MEN


DvBa PutS the CYCle in ReCYCle





Your source for eco friendly energy star appliances

Serving Victoria for over 25 years

Lansdowne Appliance 2517 Douglas St (Corner Douglas amp Bay) bull 250 383 1275

LANSDOWNE APPLIANCE

We service all makes of major appliances in your home with certifi ed trained technicians

Located across from Douglas Street Canadian Tire

All BathroomVanity Fixtures

Located across from Douglas Street Canad

All BathVanity F

Starting At

20 OFFON IN-STOCK ITEMS ONLY

790 Spruce Ave Victoria (250) 475-0105

PINE LIGHTINGYOUR AFFORDABLE LIGHTING STORE

Photos courtesy DVBA

By Jennifer Blyth

most importantly reCYCLISTSoffersa recyclingprogramotherwise unavailable to businesses in the downtown core and is providing an important link in the waste reduction process in the CRDrsquos main urban centrerdquoTheDVBAwashonouredwith the recognitionldquoItwas

absolutelywonderfulrdquoKelly saysldquoWersquove created an awfullot of programs for the downtown and it was great to have that recognizedrdquoWhatdoclients like about the reCYCLISTSexperience

ldquoItrsquos a very personalized service and we go into places and make that one-on-one contact with the business owners and staffrdquo says reCYCLISTS co-owner Aaron Bichard notingtherersquos also an education component to the program

ldquoPeople are taking the time to do their part recycling and redirecting their wasteand doing it by pedal power they understand it makes senserdquoToday the DVBA is offering any business within its

boundaries a two-month trial with the reCYCLISTS pro-gram as a way to encourage more businesses to get involved call250-386-2111fordetails

Pedal power carries a lot of weight in downtown Victoria ndash literally

In 2010 the Downtown Victoria Business Association formed a partnership with reFuse

Resource Recovery to bring zero-emission composting pick-uptodowntownVictoriabusinessesTheresultwasreCY-CLISTS an initiative and business founded in Cowichanfour years agoAboard an industrial-strength trikeDVBAGreenTeam

member Darren Douglas rides a circuit around downtown picking up organics for composting and more recently recy-clables from participating businesses Thebikecarriessix48-litretubscapableofcarryingclose

to 200 kilograms of compost and recycling per load When fullDouglas drops the buckets at reFuse onGovernmentStreetwherethematerialsarerecycledorcompostedThecost for the easy green program starts at just $10 for the weekly removal of a 48-litre tub for businesses

ldquoWe felt that there was an opportunity with the down-town business community to show leadership in the realm of sustainability and how we could do morerdquo says DVBA generalmanagerKenKelly

After a successful start ldquothe board decided it was going so wellletrsquostakethenextsteprdquoKellysaysandthecompostablepick-up was expanded to recyclables too ldquoItrsquos steady and I canrsquot speak highly enough about those who made that (com-mitment)rdquoSuccessstorieshavecomefromcompaniesliketheDutch

Bakery which had taken a number of steps to be more sustainable but hadnrsquot yet addressed its organicwaste Tohelp the long-time Victoria bakery see what a difference the program might make the DVBA offered a two-month trial opportunity and now therersquos upwards of a half-tonne of organic waste diverted from Hartland landfill each month KellysaysTheprogramwasrecognizedinlastyearrsquosCapitalRegional

DistrictEcoStarAwards ldquoSince its launch theDVBAhassigned up a wide variety of businesses for the collection pro-gram including banks garden centres retail shops a post-secondaryinstitutionand65storescontainedwithinMarketSquarerdquo theCRDsaid inannouncing theawardldquoPerhaps


CalenDaRgreenCommunity

scene

See more events page 22

To aprIl 9 ndash Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibit at the Royal BC Museum

JaN 28 ndash 930 am to 1230 pm ndash Native Plant Gardening WorkshopfromtheSwanLakeNature Sanctuary andCRDLearn about theidentification and benefits of native plants how and where to grow them tips for reduc-ing or eliminating lawns and more Classes fill quickly ndash pre-register at 250-479-0211 FMIwwwswanlakebcca

JaN 30 ndashInfoSessionforGrowing Food 630pm at Royal Roads University 2005 SookeRdFindouthowtogrowanabundantharvestof diverse food crops without toxic chemicals andrightinyourowngardenFMIwwwgaia-collegecagrowing-foodhtml

Feb 4 ndash Downtown Winter Market 11 am to3pminMarketSquarersquosInnerCourtyardFMIvictoriapublicmarketcom

Feb 4 ndash Creating a Carbon Footprint Strategy a continuing education class from Royal Roads University 9 am to 5 pm Fee $125 FMIwwwroyalroadscacontinuing-studies

Feb 8 ndash Native Plant Gardening Workshop from the Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary andCRD 1 to 4 pm Learn about the identifica-tion and benefits of native plants how and where to grow them tips for reducing or elim-inating lawns and more Classes fill quickly ndash pre-register at 250-479-0211 FMI wwwswanlakebcca

Feb 9 ndash Solar Colwood Community Infor-mationSession7to830pmatColwoodCityHall3300WishartRdThisisafamilyfriendlyenvironment and refreshments will be served FMIwwwsolarcolwoodca


Feb 11 ndash The Ecological Crisis and a New Cosmology a continuing education class from RoyalRoadsUniversity9am to5pmFee$75 wwwroyalroadscacontinuing-studies

Feb 13 To marCh 2 ndash Accelerating Organi-zational Leadership in Climate Action a three-

week online continuing education class from RoyalRoadsUniversityFee$295FMIwwwroyalroadscacontinuing-studies

Feb 14 ndash Green Drinks Victoria meets 5 to 7 pm-ish on the secondTuesday of eachmonth at theOffice Restaurant and Loungenext door to the DaltonHotel 759Yates StCanrsquot make the gathering Visit GreenDrinks-Victorianingcom

Feb 18 ndash SeedySaturdayattheVictoriaCon-ference Centre plus the Downtown Winter Market FMI wwwjamesbaymarketsocietycom

Feb 19 ndash Spring Check List 1 to 4 pm at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific Review general maintenance techniques and pruning basics including hydrangeas roses and spring-flowering shrubs HCP members $25 non-members $35 FMI 250-479-6162 or wwwhcpca


Feb 23 ndash Info Session for the course Plant

Knowledge for Organic Gardeners630pmatRoyal Roads University 2005 Sooke Rd Forinformation about the course visit the Gaia College website at httpwwwgaiacollegecaplant-knowledge-for-organic-gardenershtml

Feb 24 ndash Developing or Buying Carbon Cred-its a continuing education class from Royal RoadsUniversity 9 am to 5pmFee $225FMIwwwroyalroadscacontinuing-studies

Feb 25 ndash Native Plant Propagation 1 to 4 pm at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific Brenda Costanzo co-author of Native Plants in the Coastal Garden begins in the classroom with an introduction to the best plants for the home garden and how to propagate these species followed by a hands-on session Bring gardening gloves secateurs and a box or bag to carry home new treasures HCP members $35 non-members $49 FMI 250-479-6162or wwwhcpca

Feb 26 ndash Hummingbird Day at Swan LakeNature Sanctuary noon to 3 pm Learn allabout the hummingbirds in your neighbour-hood through crafts stories hands-on explo-ration and hummingbird watching Admis-sion by donation FMI wwwswanlakebccaor 250-479-0211

marCh 3 amp 17 ndash Downtown Winter Market 11 am to 3 pm in Market Squarersquos InnerCourtyardFMIvictoriapublicmarketcom

marCh 4 ndash Bring Wildlife to your Backyard 1 to 4 pm at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific Learn about naturescaping a way of gardening to provide animals with habitat for resting nesting and food as they travel across the landscape that requires less water amp gen-eral maintenance HCP members $25 non-members $35 FMI 250-479-6162 or wwwhcpca

marCh 7 ndash 930 am to 1230 pm ndash Native Plant Gardening workshop from the SwanLakeNatureSanctuaryandCRDLearnaboutthe identification and benefits of native plants how and where to grow them tips for reduc-ing or eliminating lawns and more Classes fill quickly ndash pre-register at 250-479-0211 FMIwwwswanlakebcca

marCh 12 amp 13 from 630 to 9 pm March 17 from 9 am to noon ndash Pruning Techniques provides an understanding of pruning and help to get the results you want in your garden Twoin-classsessionsattheHorticultureCen-tre of the Pacific will cover the theory while the third will be a practicum in the Gardens at HCP HCP members $90 non-members $125 FMI250-479-6162orwwwhcpca

marCh 13 ndash Green Drinks Victoria meets 5 to 7 pm-ish on the secondTuesday of eachmonth at theOffice Restaurant and Loungenext door to the DaltonHotel 759Yates StCanrsquot make the gathering Visit GreenDrinks-Victorianingcom

marCh 13 ndashInfoSessionfortheOrganic Mas-ter Gardener Course630pmatRoyalRoadsUniversity2005SookeRdFMIwwwgaiacol-legecaorganic-master-gardener-coursehtml

marCh 18 ndash Native Plant Gardening Work-shop from the Swan Lake Nature Sanctuaryand CRD 1 to 4 pm Learn about the iden-tification and benefits of native plants how and where to grow them tips for reducing or eliminating lawns and more Classes fill quickly ndash pre-register at 250-479-0211 FMIwwwswanlakebcca

marCh 18 ndash Getting Ready for the 2012 Gar-den 1 to 4 pm at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific Bring your questions to this trou-bleshooting workshop with Linda Gilkeson Ask questions find out how to solve problems for this year or better yet avoid them alto-gether HCP members $25 non-members $35 FMI250-479-6162orwwwhcpca



CalenDaRI

nFall2011theCapitalRegionalDistrict(CRD)heldatwittercampaign called the Slogan Master Challenge in an effort to increase awareness that what goes down the drain can impact not only the environment but also wastewater treatment processes

infrastructure and ultimately human health


Jason finnerty took the Challenge ndash Did You

Thecampaignaskedresidentstousetheircreative minds to come up with catchy slo-gans Residents quickly started posting their slogans on twitter and the campaign took offTheCRDworkedinpartnershipwiththePostConsumerPharmaceuticalStewardshipAssociation and the British Columbia Phar-macy Association on this campaign to help educate residents on proper disposal meth-ods for expired and leftover medications Ultimately all unused or expired medica-tions found in your medicine cabinet bath-room or home should be returned to your local pharmacy for safe disposal When you are doing your spring cleaning remember to return all those unwanted medications Thecampaignranforatwomonthperiod

withnumerousslogansreceivedThejudgesthen reviewed and deliberated choosing the following slogan submitted by JasonFinnerty(brandscaping)asthewinner

ldquoFish canrsquot say no to drugs Bring old meds to your pharmacistrdquo

ldquoLike most Victorians I am interested in keeping this beautiful island safe and healthy so I thought this contest was a great opportunity to apply my wit (or what passes for it) and do a good deed I reviewed the CRD site to learn more about the right mes-sage came up with a few ideas and then submitted them I was quite ecstatic to be selected as the winner Good luck to the participantsintheSpring2012contestandthank you to the CRD for holding this con-testrdquosaidJasonFinnerty(brandscaping)OverthepastfiveyearstheCRDhasseen

a significant amount of medication properly disposed of at local pharmacies one of the highest return of disposal rates per capita in BC In 2010 over 8000 kilograms were prop-erly returned ndash that is equivalent to almost half of a garbage truck full It is campaigns like the SloganMasterChallenge that helpget the word out on proper disposal Sus-tainableUca holds various challenges year round to help engage and educate residents of the capital region on various environ-mental programs and behaviours

For the month of February residentscan register to participate in the Phat King Challenge Different from previous chal-lenges this one requires a little love of greasy foodshelliplike bacon And if you collect the largest amount of fats oils and grease within the one month period ndash you could win an XBox360withKinectbundleContestregis-tration and details are available at wwwsus-tainableucafat Normally we would ask you not to pour that nasty grease down the drain but to place all forms of fats oils and grease in sealable containers refrigerate them until they become solid and discard them with your household garbage However for this special contest wersquore asking you to collect that grease and register for the Phat KingChallenge ndash so you can win Formoreinformationonproperlyreturn-

ing expired or unused medications or reg-isteringforthePhatKingChallengepleasevisit wwwsustainableuca Entries are being accepteduntilFebruary26IfcollectingfatisnotupyouralleywatchforSloganMas-terroundtwocomingthisspringTakethechallenge and you could win

Scan to connect with SustainableUca instantly

That name again is Phat KingWersquod like you to consider what you shouldnrsquot be putting down a drain Like fats oils and grease for instance Connect with Sustainable U on Facebook Take the Phat King Challenge and you could win an Xbox 360 with Kinect bundle The winner of this challenge will be selected by a panel of judges not by random draw

KINECT WITH SUSTAINABILITY

Jason Finnerty winner of the Slogan Master Challenge


marCh 24 ndash CRD All Efficient Irrigation System Workshop 2 to 5 pm at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific for those con-sidering the purchase installation or upgrade of an irrigation systemPre-registerat250-474-9684

marCh 19 To 23 ndash Eco-Camp1to4pmThroughoutdoorgames and activities spring breakers will learn about the flora and fauna of the West Coast environment at Mt Douglas Park Fee$90FMIwwwsaanichca

marCh 31 ndash The Next Steps in Native Plant Gardening from SwanLakeNatureSanctuaryandCRDEnvironmentalSustain-ability 930 am to 1230 pm A free workshop is for people who have completed the introductory Native Plant Gardening WorkshopPre-registerearlyasthisclasswillfillquicklyFMI250-470-0211FMIwwwswanlakebcca

marCh 31 ndash Build a Mason Bee Condo1to4pmThedesignencourages periodic viewing of the bees within and has two styles of channel widths to attract a range of species through-out the summer season No prior carpentry experience is nec-essary materials and tools provided HCP members $40 non-members$55FMI250-479-6162orwwwhcpca

aprIl 10 ndash Green Drinks Victoria meets 5 to 7 pm-ish on thesecondTuesdayofeachmonthattheOfficeRestaurantandLoungenextdoortotheDaltonHotel759YatesStCanrsquotmakethe gathering Visit GreenDrinksVictorianingcom

aprIl 11 ndash 930 am to 1230 pm ndash Native Plant Gardening Workshop from the Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary and CRDLearn about the identification and benefits of native plants how and where to grow them tips for reducing or eliminating lawns and more Classes fill quickly ndash pre-register at 250-479-

0211FMIwwwswanlakebcca

aprIl 14 ndash Planting a Chefsrsquo Garden 9 to 1130 am at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific Lynda Dowling will explore how to grow harvest and use a wonderful selection of herbs Go home with new recipes a selection of six herbs amp the con-fidence to use them HCP members $35 non-members $49 FMI250-479-6162orwwwhcpca

aprIl 14 ndash 930 am to 1230 pm ndash Native Plant Gardening Workshop from the Swan Lake Nature Sanctuary and CRDLearn about the identification and benefits of native plants how and where to grow them tips for reducing or eliminating lawns and more Classes fill quickly ndash pre-register at 250-479-0211FMIwwwswanlakebcca

aprIl 14 ndash Ethnobotany of Southern Vancouver Island 1 to 4 pm at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific Learn how local First Nations have used the different species of plants in allaspects of life incl the history of food gathering and related technologies A short classroom session will be followed by a tour of HCPrsquos Ethnobotany Trail HCP members $25 non-members$35FMI250-479-6162orwwwhcpca


scene

Head to Fort Rodd Hill for the Defending Our Back Yard Local Food FestJennifer Blyth photos

Send your Green Events to jblythtelusnet

aprIl 14 ndash CRD MicroDrip Irrigation Workshop 130 to 430 pmatSwanLakeNatureSanctuaryforthoseconsideringthepurchase installation or upgrade of an irrigation system Pre-

registerat250-474-9684

aprIl 14 amp 21 ndash Connecting the Environment Local Food Security and Citizenship a continuing education class from Royal Roads University 9 am to 5 pm April 14 plus after-noonfield trip from1 to430pmApril21Fee$125FMIwwwroyalroadscacontinuing-studies

aprIl 29 ndash Wildflower Weekend atSwanLakeNatureHouse12 to 3 pm Celebrate the wonderful world of wildflowers with guided tours of the native plant garden hikes to Christmas HillcraftsforthekidsandwildflowerrevueFMIwwwswan-lakebcca or 250-479-0211

aprIl 21 amp 22 ndash SwanLakeNatureSanctuarySpringNativePlantSale9amto3pmFMIwwwswanlakebccaor250-479-0211

aprIl 29 ndash Resilient Gardens for a Changing Coastal Climate 11 am to 1 pm at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific What do changing local condi-tions mean to food gardens and food security Learn how to design adaptable fruit and vegetable gardens and how to become a resilient gardener HCP mem-bers$25non-members$35FMI250-479-6162orwwwhcpca

aprIl 29 ndash Pollination 101 2 to 4 pm at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific Learn about pollination and factors that can affect fertilization how to attract pollinators how to hand-pollinate and avoid cross-pollination HCP members $25non-members$35FMI250-479-6162orwwwhcpca

may 8 ndash Green Drinks Victoria meets 5 to7pm-ishonthesecondTuesdayof

may 26 amp 27 ndash Bottles for Greenspace bottledrive fundraiser forTheLandConservancyDropreturnablebottlesandcansatElk Lake Regional Park parking lot on Brookleigh Road from 9

amto2pmFMIhttpblogconservancybcca

may 27 ndash Bee Daynoonto3pmatSwanLakeNatureHouseBee amazed bee enchanted and bee happy Bee there or bee squareAdmissionbydonationFMIwwwswanlakebccaor

250-479-0211

JuNe 3 ndash Rivers Oceans Day Festival at Esquimalt GorgePark

JuNe 9 ndash Native Bees of the Gardens at HCP 1 to 3 pm at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific Learn about the many vari-eties of local bees what plants they visit their biology habitat requirements and visit some of their forage areas in the HCP Gardens HCPmembers $25 non-members $35 FMI 250-479-6162orwwwhcpca

eachmonthattheOfficeRestaurantandLoungenextdoortotheDaltonHotel759YatesStCanrsquotmakethegatheringVisitGreenDrinksVictorianingcom

may 12 ndash Container Vegetable Gardening 1 to 3 pm at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific Learn how to grow veg-etables in containers and how to utilize vertical gardening to savespaceandmaximizeyieldTakehomesomeveggiestartsand start your own container garden HCP members $30 non-members$42FMI250-479-6162orwwwhcpca

may 26 ndash CRD All Efficient Irrigation System Workshop 2 to 5pm atVancouver IslandPublicLibrary Sidney for thoseconsidering the purchase installation or upgrade of an irriga-tionsystemPre-registerat250-474-9684

JuNe 10 ndash IslandChefsCollaborative FoodFestldquoDefendingour Backyardrdquo at the Fort Rodd Hill National Historic SiteFMIwwwiccbcca

JuNe 12 ndash Green Drinks Victoria meets 5 to 7 pm-ish on the second Tuesday of eachmonth at the Office Restaurant andLoungenextdoortotheDaltonHotel759YatesStCanrsquotmakethe gathering Visit GreenDrinksVictorianingcom

JuNe 23 ndash CRD MicroDrip Irrigation Workshop 2 to 5 pm at at the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific for those considering the purchase installation or upgrade of an irrigation system Pre-registerat250-474-9684


fun activity page

How are Dana Dylan and Sprinkle saving water in thebathroom

AnswerBy turning off the tap while they brush their teeth using a 6-litre toilet and having 5-minute showers

Compliments of

Courtesy of the Capital Regional District


EVOLVETOWARD A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE


Booked by Marketing Production Contact kentgaskillroyalroadsca

Size 10rdquo x 105 Send fi nal artwork to debgoldstreamgazettecom

Colour 4c Contact Theresa Wittstock 2503912600 x 4813


Itrsquos our only choice We know it you know it Environmental

change and sustainable growth locally to globally is deeply

aff ected by the awareness and practices of the business and

public sectors

The environment meets those two sectors at the nexus of

Royal Roads University We off er a variety of certifi cates and

undergraduate or graduate programs in environment and

management environmental practice sustainable community

development sustainable tourism environmental education

or environmental science

Through Royal Roadsrsquo blended-learning model working

professionals combine online courses with short on-campus

residencies so you can further your education work and

maintain your personal life

We welcome any questions you might have Please visit us

at wwwroyalroadsca or contact our Enrolment Advisors


V IC TO R IA BC C ANADA


Published by

818 Broughton StVictoria BC Canada V8W 1E4

250-381-3484wwwblackpressca

greenCommunity

scene

Cover image Jennifer Blyth

Practice Makes Perfect 3

Real World Studies at Royal Roads 4

ICC Local Food Fest 6

Little House on the Landfill 7

Green Reads 8

Sustainable Solutions from BC Communities 9

Newspaper Tales 10

Checked Your Pipes Lately11

Sustainability Partnerships at Royal Roads 12

Aliens Among Us 14

Water Efficiency Saves Money amp the Environment 15

Green Gardens16

Wild Hills amp Beaches 17

Wastewater Management 18

DVBA Puts the Cycle in Recycle 19

Calendar of Green Events 20

The Slogan Master Challenge 21

Kidsrsquo 3

Wersquove got a course for you

Visit our Community Calendarat wwwHCPcacourses

Free drop-in QampA Saturdays at 1PM(with membership or $11 admission)

Tel 2504796162 bull wwwHCPca

From Pruningto PollinationFrom Pruningto Pollinationand Seed to Harvest

Connecting people to plants

Dinner Belltrade Feeder Embedded into Tray

ON SALE

20OFF

Wild Birds UnlimitedregWWYour Backyard Birdfeeding Specialistreg

3631 ShelbournePlaza

250-595-3595wwwwbucom GrouP PuBliShEr

Penny Sakamoto

SECtion Editor Jennifer Blyth

lAYout amp dESiGn lily Chan

dirECtor AdVErtiSinG SAlES oliver Sommer

CirCulAtion dirECtor Bruce hogarth

PRUNING FERTILIZATION PEST amp DISEASE MANAGEMENT REMOVAL

CALL 877 BARTLETT 8772278538 OR VISIT BARTLETTCOM

DISCOVER WHY WErsquoRE CALLED TREE EXPERTSWersquore Bartlett Tree Experts and wersquove been exceeding our customersrsquo expectations

for over 100 years No matter the size or scope of your tree and shrub needs our expertsbring a rare mix of local service global resources and innovative tree care practices

that makes your landscape thrive Trees add value to our homes and our lives And Bartlett adds value to your trees

For the life of your trees

ENERGY EFFICIENTHEAT PUMP SYSTEMS

bull Radiant Floor Heat Pumpsbull Domestic Hot Water

Heat Pumps

2508934530wwwenvirotemprefrigerationcom

W i n t e r 2 0 1 2 e d i t i o n

The next Community Green Scene will be published Summer 2012 Reserve your space - contact

Oliver Sommer Director Advertising Sales Black Press

250-381-3633 ext 236 or email osommerblackpressca











accepted







































By Jennifer Blyth





























By Jennifer Blyth















Click it


Buy itSell it











wwwcrdbcca









wwwcrdbcca


gReen ReaDS













CoMing uP





By Jennifer Blyth

















NATUREKINDERGARTEN




















Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads


























































WEST COAST REALTY







250-544-6769 2189-B Keating X-Road



9 B Keating X Road

NEW
































Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads







































wwwcrdbcca





wwwcrdbcca


gReen gaRDenS































By Jennifer Blyth

Jenn

ifer B

lyth

pho

to

Phot

o co

ntrib

uted




































Curt Kerns

Curt Kerns photo


(800)617-9972 or (250)722-7117 wwwwetpacca


















250-385-8221250-883-8422




Insurance Liability







Garry250-885-9487


Start With Trust

RENO MEN










LANSDOWNE APPLIANCE





All BathVanity F

Starting At





By Jennifer Blyth

















scene
































CalenDaRI




























scene














250-479-0211










fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors

























accepted







































By Jennifer Blyth





























By Jennifer Blyth















Click it


Buy itSell it











wwwcrdbcca









wwwcrdbcca


gReen ReaDS













CoMing uP





By Jennifer Blyth

















NATUREKINDERGARTEN




















Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads


























































WEST COAST REALTY







250-544-6769 2189-B Keating X-Road



9 B Keating X Road

NEW
































Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads







































wwwcrdbcca





wwwcrdbcca


gReen gaRDenS































By Jennifer Blyth

Jenn

ifer B

lyth

pho

to

Phot

o co

ntrib

uted




































Curt Kerns

Curt Kerns photo


(800)617-9972 or (250)722-7117 wwwwetpacca


















250-385-8221250-883-8422




Insurance Liability







Garry250-885-9487


Start With Trust

RENO MEN










LANSDOWNE APPLIANCE





All BathVanity F

Starting At





By Jennifer Blyth

















scene
































CalenDaRI




























scene














250-479-0211










fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors









































By Jennifer Blyth





























By Jennifer Blyth















Click it


Buy itSell it











wwwcrdbcca









wwwcrdbcca


gReen ReaDS













CoMing uP





By Jennifer Blyth

















NATUREKINDERGARTEN




















Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads


























































WEST COAST REALTY







250-544-6769 2189-B Keating X-Road



9 B Keating X Road

NEW
































Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads







































wwwcrdbcca





wwwcrdbcca


gReen gaRDenS































By Jennifer Blyth

Jenn

ifer B

lyth

pho

to

Phot

o co

ntrib

uted




































Curt Kerns

Curt Kerns photo


(800)617-9972 or (250)722-7117 wwwwetpacca


















250-385-8221250-883-8422




Insurance Liability







Garry250-885-9487


Start With Trust

RENO MEN










LANSDOWNE APPLIANCE





All BathVanity F

Starting At





By Jennifer Blyth

















scene
































CalenDaRI




























scene














250-479-0211










fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors










































By Jennifer Blyth















Click it


Buy itSell it











wwwcrdbcca









wwwcrdbcca


gReen ReaDS













CoMing uP





By Jennifer Blyth

















NATUREKINDERGARTEN




















Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads


























































WEST COAST REALTY







250-544-6769 2189-B Keating X-Road



9 B Keating X Road

NEW
































Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads







































wwwcrdbcca





wwwcrdbcca


gReen gaRDenS































By Jennifer Blyth

Jenn

ifer B

lyth

pho

to

Phot

o co

ntrib

uted




































Curt Kerns

Curt Kerns photo


(800)617-9972 or (250)722-7117 wwwwetpacca


















250-385-8221250-883-8422




Insurance Liability







Garry250-885-9487


Start With Trust

RENO MEN










LANSDOWNE APPLIANCE





All BathVanity F

Starting At





By Jennifer Blyth

















scene
































CalenDaRI




























scene














250-479-0211










fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors






















wwwcrdbcca









wwwcrdbcca


gReen ReaDS













CoMing uP





By Jennifer Blyth

















NATUREKINDERGARTEN




















Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads


























































WEST COAST REALTY







250-544-6769 2189-B Keating X-Road



9 B Keating X Road

NEW
































Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads







































wwwcrdbcca





wwwcrdbcca


gReen gaRDenS































By Jennifer Blyth

Jenn

ifer B

lyth

pho

to

Phot

o co

ntrib

uted




































Curt Kerns

Curt Kerns photo


(800)617-9972 or (250)722-7117 wwwwetpacca


















250-385-8221250-883-8422




Insurance Liability







Garry250-885-9487


Start With Trust

RENO MEN










LANSDOWNE APPLIANCE





All BathVanity F

Starting At





By Jennifer Blyth

















scene
































CalenDaRI




























scene














250-479-0211










fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors
















gReen ReaDS













CoMing uP





By Jennifer Blyth

















NATUREKINDERGARTEN




















Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads


























































WEST COAST REALTY







250-544-6769 2189-B Keating X-Road



9 B Keating X Road

NEW
































Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads







































wwwcrdbcca





wwwcrdbcca


gReen gaRDenS































By Jennifer Blyth

Jenn

ifer B

lyth

pho

to

Phot

o co

ntrib

uted




































Curt Kerns

Curt Kerns photo


(800)617-9972 or (250)722-7117 wwwwetpacca


















250-385-8221250-883-8422




Insurance Liability







Garry250-885-9487


Start With Trust

RENO MEN










LANSDOWNE APPLIANCE





All BathVanity F

Starting At





By Jennifer Blyth

















scene
































CalenDaRI




























scene














250-479-0211










fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors

























NATUREKINDERGARTEN




















Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads


























































WEST COAST REALTY







250-544-6769 2189-B Keating X-Road



9 B Keating X Road

NEW
































Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads







































wwwcrdbcca





wwwcrdbcca


gReen gaRDenS































By Jennifer Blyth

Jenn

ifer B

lyth

pho

to

Phot

o co

ntrib

uted




































Curt Kerns

Curt Kerns photo


(800)617-9972 or (250)722-7117 wwwwetpacca


















250-385-8221250-883-8422




Insurance Liability







Garry250-885-9487


Start With Trust

RENO MEN










LANSDOWNE APPLIANCE





All BathVanity F

Starting At





By Jennifer Blyth

















scene
































CalenDaRI




























scene














250-479-0211










fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors








































































WEST COAST REALTY







250-544-6769 2189-B Keating X-Road



9 B Keating X Road

NEW
































Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads







































wwwcrdbcca





wwwcrdbcca


gReen gaRDenS































By Jennifer Blyth

Jenn

ifer B

lyth

pho

to

Phot

o co

ntrib

uted




































Curt Kerns

Curt Kerns photo


(800)617-9972 or (250)722-7117 wwwwetpacca


















250-385-8221250-883-8422




Insurance Liability







Garry250-885-9487


Start With Trust

RENO MEN










LANSDOWNE APPLIANCE





All BathVanity F

Starting At





By Jennifer Blyth

















scene
































CalenDaRI




























scene














250-479-0211










fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors













































Dan

Anth

on p

hoto

Roy

al R

oads







































wwwcrdbcca





wwwcrdbcca


gReen gaRDenS































By Jennifer Blyth

Jenn

ifer B

lyth

pho

to

Phot

o co

ntrib

uted




































Curt Kerns

Curt Kerns photo


(800)617-9972 or (250)722-7117 wwwwetpacca


















250-385-8221250-883-8422




Insurance Liability







Garry250-885-9487


Start With Trust

RENO MEN










LANSDOWNE APPLIANCE





All BathVanity F

Starting At





By Jennifer Blyth

















scene
































CalenDaRI




























scene














250-479-0211










fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors





















































wwwcrdbcca





wwwcrdbcca


gReen gaRDenS































By Jennifer Blyth

Jenn

ifer B

lyth

pho

to

Phot

o co

ntrib

uted




































Curt Kerns

Curt Kerns photo


(800)617-9972 or (250)722-7117 wwwwetpacca


















250-385-8221250-883-8422




Insurance Liability







Garry250-885-9487


Start With Trust

RENO MEN










LANSDOWNE APPLIANCE





All BathVanity F

Starting At





By Jennifer Blyth

















scene
































CalenDaRI




























scene














250-479-0211










fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors
















gReen gaRDenS































By Jennifer Blyth

Jenn

ifer B

lyth

pho

to

Phot

o co

ntrib

uted




































Curt Kerns

Curt Kerns photo


(800)617-9972 or (250)722-7117 wwwwetpacca


















250-385-8221250-883-8422




Insurance Liability







Garry250-885-9487


Start With Trust

RENO MEN










LANSDOWNE APPLIANCE





All BathVanity F

Starting At





By Jennifer Blyth

















scene
































CalenDaRI




























scene














250-479-0211










fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors


















































Curt Kerns

Curt Kerns photo


(800)617-9972 or (250)722-7117 wwwwetpacca


















250-385-8221250-883-8422




Insurance Liability







Garry250-885-9487


Start With Trust

RENO MEN










LANSDOWNE APPLIANCE





All BathVanity F

Starting At





By Jennifer Blyth

















scene
































CalenDaRI




























scene














250-479-0211










fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors
























LANSDOWNE APPLIANCE





All BathVanity F

Starting At





By Jennifer Blyth

















scene
































CalenDaRI




























scene














250-479-0211










fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors

















scene
































CalenDaRI




























scene














250-479-0211










fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors
















CalenDaRI




























scene














250-479-0211










fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors



























scene














250-479-0211










fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors
















fun activity page



Compliments of












public sectors

























public sectors















feb 1, 2012 community green scene

Documents