April 10, 2014 l Kitchener Citizen -West Edition l Page 13

Earth Day 2014

ALBRECHTHarold

Member of Parliament, Kitchener-Conestoga

“The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing that stands in the way.

Some see nature all ridicule and deformity... and some scarce see nature at all.

But to the eyes of the man of imagination, nature is imagination itself.”

— William Blake

www.HaroldAlbrechtMP.ca@Albrecht4KitCon

519.578.3777

Living with Urban WildlifeWednesday April 9, 7-8:30pm.Stanley Park Community Centre

Come out to the Stanley Park Community Centre and learn about turkeys, deer and coyotes as well as other common wildlife that is found living in Kitchener. We will discuss the ecology of these adaptable species and share tips and strategies on how to better coexist and prevent conflicts.

Registration required – Call the Stanley Park Community Centre – (519) 741-2504.

* * *KNAP Earth Day EventSaturday April 26, 1-4pm (Rain date – April 27)Huron Natural Area, 801 Trillium Drive, Kitchener.

Free activities for the whole family! Live animals, bird box building, kids’ activities, crafts and tree planting.

All Ages Welcome!* * *

Celebrate Spring - An Evening with AmphibiansSaturday May 10, 7:30-9:30pmHuron Natural Area, 801 Trillium Drive, Kitchener.Meet at the School Portable Building

Discover the wet and wild world of amphibians! Frogs, toads and salamanders will be the focus during this event. We will begin with a short indoor presentation about amphibians and then head outside to the nearby wetlands and ponds to listen for and learn about these amazing animals. Free – All Ages Welcome!

Limited space – Registration Required!Summer events are being planned. Please watch for updated

information and don’t forget to check our website – www.kitchener.ca/knap.

Spring events in natural areas

CASH4CANS ‘N STUFF

Raising money through recyclingBy Helen Hall

Cash4Cans ‘n Stuff helps the environment and those less fortunate at the same time.

Started over two years ago by Reg Sargent, the metal and electronic recycling initiative donates all the money it raises to the Community Cupboard program at Historic St. Paul’s Lutheran Church on Queen Street in Kitchener.

St. Paul’s Community Cupboard provides food and clothing for those who need it.

In an interview, Sargent said he previously provided the same fundraising service for a church in Hamilton. When he moved to Kitchener and joined St. Paul’s, he offered to raise money the same way here.

Sargent said he collects anything with metal in it that can be recycled for cash, as well as batteries. In the spring and fall they host an ewaste collection at the church.

Since October 2011, he has raised over $4,000 for the Community Cupboard program and diverted over 16,000 pounds of trash.

Community Cupboard Co-ordinator Tony Marchand said that before Sargent arrived at the church, they tried many ways to raise money for the Community Cupboard, including concerts and car washes.

The Community Cupboard is open Mondays from 10am and noon between November and April. The program was established in response to increased visits from downtown neighbours seeking help with the basic needs of food and clothing.

Non-perishable and sometimes fresh food is available as well as winter clothing. There is also coffee, juice, snacks and a warm welcome to all those who wish to stop by.

Sargent is confined to a wheelchair because

of an accident many years ago. In addition to running Cash4Cans ‘n Stuff, he takes care of all of its communication including a website, a blog, facebook page, twitter account, and its Instagram and Tumblr feeds.

To learn more about how you can donate to Cash4Cans ‘n Stuff, visit its website at www.cash4cans.net. To read about Sargent’s recycling efforts, go to his blog at c4c-kitchener.blogspot.ca.

St. Paul’s Church is located at 137 Queen Street South in Kitchener. To learn more about the Community Cupboard, go to its website www.historicstpauls.ca.

Page 14 l Kitchener Citizen - West Edition l April 10, 2014

EARTH DAY CELEBRATION

Saturday, April 26 from 1 to 4 p.m.Huron Natural Area, 801 Trillium Drive - RAIN DATE: Sunday, April 27

This family celebration includes building a KNAP bird box (available to the first 100 families),

kids’ KNAP bird silhouettes, planting a tree, nature walks and displays.

Featuring the Canadian Raptor Conservancy with live birds of prey shows at 1, 2 & 3 p.m.

For more information:Call: 519-741-2600 ext 4177 Email: knap@kitchener.ca

Visit: www.kitchener.ca/earthday

Kitchener Natural Areas Program (KNAP)

Reading the newspaper is a greener choice than you might think.We in the newspaper industry are committed to reducing our impact on the environment. We take our responsibility seriously, and our production processes are now more energy-efficient and environmentally friendly.

We recognize the importance of preserving and protecting Canada’s forests, and we only use newsprint from responsible producers that embrace 5 widely accepted sustainability principles in their forestry operations. For Canadians, this means that the forest industry plants more trees than it takes and it has successfully reduced gas emissions by 10 times what is required under Kyoto!

And then, of course, there are your efforts. You’ve helped make newspapers a recycling success story by recycling over 80% of all newsprint in Canada. Thank you for your waste reduction efforts. We will continue to do our part to reduce our carbon footprint. There is more to do, and together, we can work toward sustainability.

Because sustainability isn’t just another story to us. It’s how we’re shaping our future.

Kitchener CitizenKitchener’s original community newspaperServing Kitchener for over 18 years

By Harold alBrecHt

It’s now been over a year that I’ve served as Chair of the Stand-ing Committee on the Environment & Sustainable Develop-

ment. Earth Day provides an ideal opportunity to share what our committee and our government have accomplished.

In my April 3rd speech on the Budget Implementation Act, I noted that our government has invested well over $17 billion in green initiatives. From energy efficiency to green energy, from renewable fuels to clean air, from public transportation to our oceans and lakes, we have made great progress!

This most recent budget builds on this legacy. We expand tax relief for green energy generation, improving its competitive position in the market. We’re making it easier for families and businesses to donate ecologically sensitive lands they hold to organizations that will preserve them. We’re investing new money in Canada’s parks and in family-oriented conservation activities. And that was just Budget 2014.

I think our proudest accomplishment would be the establishment of Rouge Park – Canada’s first national park within an urban setting. It’s great to set aside parks in parts of Canada untouched by human activity, but parks in Nunavut don’t generally help kids in Vancouver or Toronto learn to appreciate nature.

The Rouge National Urban Park spans 47 square kilometers in the eastern sector of the Greater Toronto Area, allowing 20% of Canada’s population to enjoy easy access to a national park with a very rare Carolinian forest; numerous species at risk; a national historic site; geological outcrops from the interglacial age that are internationally significant; and, in-situ evidence of human history dating back over 10,000 years, including some of Canada’s oldest known Aboriginal historic sites and villages.

I’m excited about this “people’s park” which allows Canadians to enjoy all of the things our country has to offer right in the heart of Ontario. Initiatives like Rouge National Urban Park provide an excellent opportunity to engage current and future generations of stewards towards ensuring that our rich natural and cultural heritage is protected for the benefit, education and enjoyment of all Canadians.

The Committee on the Environment & Sustainable Development is currently undertaking a study on the Water Quality of the Great Lakes Basin. We have had experts from a variety of fields come in to report on the improved quality they are now seeing, and what actions they are taking to keep moving forward; identifying and addressing new challenges.

Our government is already investing $16 million in the Great Lakes Nutrient Initiative to address some of the current concerns in the Great Lakes, and through this study, we are hoping to learn more about what can be done to ensure that the Great Lakes continue to be drinkable, swimmable, fishable, and there for all Canadians to enjoy.

Canada is blessed with a stunning variety of landscapes, seascapes, flora and fauna -- a source of great pleasure and pride for all Canadians. Earth Day is a timely reminder that the environment that surrounds us is there to both enjoy and protect, so that future generations will enjoy all it has to offer.

KITCHENER-CONESTOGA MP HAROLD ALBRECHT

Toronto’s Rouge Park – Canada’s first national park within an urban setting

Trees and shrubs have recently been removed from from the dike that runs through the Bridgeport Sportsfield to help

maintain its structural integrity.Trees and shrubs are being removed from the face of the dike.

The trail on top of the dike was closed during the work and signs were posted near the dike to notify users.

Trees pose a threat to the integrity of the dike. The root balls can weaken the structure of the dike. In addition, if a tree were to fall over it could leave a hole in the dike that could be eroded by heavy rain or high water, potentially leading to a failure.

Maintenance of this sort is carried out regularly on the dikes. They were built in the 1980s to provide protection to low-lying sections of Bridgeport.

The first phase of the project took place in early 2013 when trees and shrubs were removed from the section of the dike upstream of Bridge Street East.

Trees and shrubs are removedalong section of Bridgeport dike

April 10, 2014 l Kitchener Citizen - West Edition l Page 15

Energy-saving kits are available in limited quantities and will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis to Kitchener Utilities customers with valid ID.

Subject to additional terms and conditions found at saveonenergy.ca. Funded by the Ontario Power Authority and offered by Kitchener Wilmot Hydro. OMOfficial Mark of the Ontario Power Authority. Used under license.

Save Instantly onEnergy-Efficient Products for Your Home

April 12th & 13th Swanson’s Home Hardware 166 Park Street

April 26th & 27th Kitchener Home Hardware 1014 Victoria Street N.

April 26th & 27th Swanson’s Home Hardware 166 Park Street

Kitchener Utilities will be available on the following dates to distribute energy-savings kits:April 26th - Home Hardware - 166 Park StreetApril 27th - Home Hardware - 1014 Victoria St. N.Available to Kitchener residents ONLY with valid ID

WIN a $250 Energy-Efficient Shopping Spree Join Kitchener-Wilmot Hydro for FREE coupons, prizes and a chance to

REDUCE YOUR WASTELINEBe an “equal opportunity” recycler: green bin that!

By Kim Kidd KitagawaCan you remember a time when you didn’t

recycle a pop can or piece of paper? Not in recent history, I hope!

The Blue Box program started in Kitchener in 1983 to collect these materials, and over the years, even more different types of packaging. Now, if we’re travelling and find recycling bins are not available, some of us even bring recyclables home to put in our blue boxes.

We are knowledgeable and experienced when it comes to blue box recycling. It’s more than a habit. We value these items as resources and do not want to waste them.

Food scraps, pet waste, facial tissues, paper towels, paper napkins and other types of organic products are resources too. Really? Yes! When you place these in your green bin, they are processed into rich, earthy compost, some of which is used on local farmers’ fields to grow more food.

Recycling your organics through the Green Bin program can have more impact on your “wasteline” than just using your blue box. It’s a local, sustainable recycling cycle that can reduce your garbage by at least 50 per cent.

This saves space in our one-and-only landfill for the actual garbage that we don’t have any other options for.

To be an “equal opportunity” recycler, use your green bin as much as you use your blue box. When you are green binning, you are recycling, and saving resources from being lost in the garbage. It’s a different material, but it can

drastically reduce the amount of garbage you set out, and has more of an impact. And just like using your blue box, you will feel good about resources you are recycling.

The Region has lots of tips to make it easy to sort and set out. Here are some of them:

• Concerned about smell? Sprinkle baking soda on top, or use a bit of white vinegar in the bottom of your kitchen container.

• Don’t want to buy liner bags? You don’t have to. There are other ways to absorb liquids and make sure your bin gets fully emptied out, like layering food waste between used paper products. If you want to use liners, there’s the DIY option of making a liner out of newspaper, or you can buy the paper or certified compostable liner bags available at most hardware and grocery stores.

• Not sure what “organic” means? We have a very detailed list to help guide you, available on our website at www.regionofwaterloo.ca/waste .

• Worried that the raccoons in your neighbourhood are going to be a nuisance? The Region has a special lock for that!

If you don’t know how to get started or need some more information, check out the Region’s “Green Bin program” page at www.regionofwaterloo.ca/waste, or chat with our friendly customer service staff 519-575-4400. Green bins are available for no charge, staff are happy to help, and you will be boosting the already proud tradition of recycling in our community by green binning that!

* * * Kim Kidd Kitagawa is a Waste Management

Coordinator at the Region Of Waterloo.

NATURE IN THE CITYA Great Blue Heron at Kitchener’s Victoria Park.

Photo by Helen Hall

Page 16 l Kitchener Citizen - West Edition l April 10, 2014

Local community groups are doing their part for the environment by holding the 2nd An-

nual Waterloo Region Rain Barrel Blitz. Residents of Waterloo Region are very familiar with using rain barrels. A 12-year subsidized program saw thou-sands of residents lining up for a rain barrel at the often sold-out sales. In 2012, the Region ended the program, after selling nearly 50,000 barrels.

Picking up where the Region left off, local community groups now host an annual Rain Barrel Blitz. This April, the Victoria Park Neighbourhood Association, Century 21 Home Realty, Forest Hill’s TreeGeneration, the Central Frederick Community Garden, Eastwood Collegiate, the 136 Kiowa Royal Air Cadet Squadron, and the Waterloo Co-operative Preschool are working together to host fundraising truckload rain barrel sales in the community. Proceeds from the sales will benefit these organizations as they work to add art to a maintenance shed, send Easter Seals kids to camp, build an outdoor classroom, enhance community gardens, improve school recycling programs, or enrich children’s educational and recreational programs. Joining together keeps the costs down, so the groups raise more money together than apart. Residents pay only $50 per barrel and the groups keep $10 for each one sold. And this blitz is just the beginning! Further sales are planned in the region throughout the spring and early summer.

To avoid the long lineups, residents choose the group that they want to support and order a rain barrel in advance at www.RainBarrel.ca/waterlooblitz. Then, on Saturday, April 26, they pick up their barrels at the group’s sale location. A selection of colours is available, as are additional accessories, such as stands, downspout diverters, and planters. Each barrel is equipped with the parts needed to put it together, so it can be collecting water in no time at all.

Water conservation is an important priority in the region, with stormwater management credits and watering restrictions each summer. Rain barrels capture and store chlorine-free and fluoride-free rain water from a building’s downspouts, making it ideal for watering flowers, vegetables, lawns, and trees when those water restrictions are in place. Collected water can also be used to wash cars and clean floors. These many uses provide cost savings to every resident, especially those who pay to have water trucked in, use a well, or have a water meter installed. And, with the stormwater management credit, residents of Kitchener or Waterloo have an extra incentive to collect water and reduce runoff. These environmentally friendly rain barrels were once used to transport fruits and vegetables, but now they have been repurposed to offer years of reliable service as rain barrels. Using a rain barrel

helps conserve water, save money, and protect water quality in local creeks and rivers. And buying one at this Rain Barrel Blitz raises funds for local groups that are doing great work in the community.

• The Victoria Park Neighbourhood Association focuses on community building and giving residents a voice in local government. Visit www.victoriaparkna.com for more information. Place orders at www.RainBarrel.ca/vpna and pick up barrels between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. in the Joseph Schneider Haus parking lot.

• Century 21 Home Realty has been partnering with Easter Seals for a number of years to send children with disabilities to summer camp. Visit www.century21.ca/homerealty for more information. Place orders at www.RainBarrel.ca/c21kidstocamp and pick up barrels between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at 4169 King Street East.

• Forest Hill’s TreeGeneration aims to increase the shaded areas on the playground of Forest Hill Public School. Visit foresthillstreegeneration.org for more information. Place orders at www.RainBarrel.ca/fhtreegen and pick up barrels between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Forest Hill Public School.

• Members of the Central Frederick Community Garden hope to connect with their community through gardening. Visit their Facebook page at CentralFrederickGarden for more information. Place orders at www.RainBarrel.ca/centralfrederick and pick up barrels between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. in Weber Park.

• Eastwood Collegiate is dedicated to excellent academics and a variety of extra-curricular opportunities. Visit eci.wrdsb.ca for more information. Place orders at www.RainBarrel.ca/Eastwood and pick up barrels between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. at the school.

• The 136 Kiowa Royal Air Cadet Squadron promotes leadership, good citizenship, and physical fitness for youth ages 12 to 18. For more information, visit their Facebook page at 136KiowaRoyalCanadianAirCadets. Place orders at www.RainBarrel.ca/136Kiowa and pick up barrels between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. at North Dumfries Community Complex.

• The structured program at Waterloo Co-operative Preschool enriches children in all areas of their lives. Visit www.waterloopreschool.org for more information. Place orders at www.RainBarrel.ca/waterloopreschool and pick up barrels between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. at Waterloo North Mennonite Church.

RainBarrel.ca reclaims food grade barrels and repurposes them as rain barrels. For more information, please visit www.RainBarrel.ca. Visit www.RainBarrel.ca/pressreleases for photos from previous sales and the available products.

NATURE IN THE CITYTwo inquisitive deer keep an eye on people walking

the trails at the Huron Natural Area in Kitchener. Photo by Mark Hall

It’s Raining Barrels! Waterloo Region Rain Barrel Blitz

11am-9pm April 26th D O W N T O W N @ K I T C H E N E R C I T Y H A L L

Bloominearth .wordpress .com facebook.com/remakeable @remakeable on twit ter

JOIN US

For Kitchener’s Largest

Earth Day Festival

Make recycled art at our

craft stations

Shop the market of

handmade and organic goods

Trade old clothing for

something new

$2/bag in Swap tent

At 7pm VOTE for the best

design in the recycled fashion

contest

Listen to live music

all day

11am-9pm April 26th D O W N T O W N @ K I T C H E N E R C I T Y H A L L

Bloominearth .wordpress .com facebook.com/remakeable @remakeable on twit ter

JOIN US

For Kitchener’s Largest

Earth Day Festival

Make recycled art at our

craft stations

Shop the market of

handmade and organic goods

Trade old clothing for

something new

$2/bag in Swap tent

At 7pm VOTE for the best

design in the recycled fashion

contest

Listen to live music

all day