THE PROTECTION OF BURLINGTON'S TREES & FORESTS

After participating in stakeholder workshops and offering input to the development of a proposed Urban Forest Management Plan by the City of Burlington, BurlingtonGreen presented to the Mayor and members of Council at their Community Services Committee meeting on June 23. To read our presentation, click here. We encourage you to review the UFMP document on the city website.

"The purpose of the Plan is to increase urban forest management effectiveness and efficiency, improve tree health and diversity, minimize risks to the pubic, and maximize the benefits provided by a healthy and sustainable urban forest.

The Draft Plan includes a vision and identifies opportunities on both public and private lands, in urban and rural Burlington focusing on five key areas: (1) Management and Implementation, (2) Community Engagement and Stewardship, (3) Protection and Preservation, (4) Replenishment and Enhancement, and (5) Tree Health and Risk Management. Recommendations for each of these areas have been developed and assigned priorities within the Plan’s 20-year framework, with many targeted for completion during the first five-year period." (City of Burlington)

For more information on the Urban Forest Management Plan Study and how you can share your input contact Rick Lipsitt, City Forester, at 905-333-6145 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

On February 9, 2010 at City Hall, BurlingtonGreen volunteer and zero waste advocate Barbara Frensch delegated to members of Council at their Budget and Corporate Services Meeting in support of City Staff's report recommending the restriction of selling bottled water at city facilities. We are pleased to report that all members of this Committee voted unanimously to support these recommendations to respect the health of Burlington's environment!

Delegates who presented to Committee in opposition to the recommendations included a representative from Nestles as well as the President of Refreshments Canada. However, Barbara Frensch who has spoken on this issue and other zero waste advancements in the past, reminded members of Committee about the various environmental and health implications associated with bottled water and commended staff for their proactive recommendations to restrict their  local availability. Feb 9 presentation here. To see the City staff report click here.


Commercial bottled water is not the "healthy alternative" for you or the planet because....


• commercial water bottling plants are generally only inspected every 3 years and maintain their own unregulated quality control process 

• there have been 29 recalls of 49 bottled water products since 2000 although only 5 were made public; the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CIFA) found bacteria and chemical contaminants in these products.

• the bottled water companies charge 250 to 2000 times the cost of cold, clean tap water.

• there is a huge environmental footprint associated with commercial, bottled water: the bottle itself is made with a non-renewable resource: oil. Fill that bottle1/4 full with oil and that is how much oil is used to make and transport the bottle itself. It takes 3-5 bottles' worth of water throughout the production process to produce that one bottle of water as well.

• North American cities are banning the use of bottled water including Burlington which will no longer make it available at public facilities.

• transporting the bottles and making the plastic consumes shrinking oil supplies and creates yet more green house gases.


- commercial water plants are drying up river beds with upstream water hoarding of a life-essential common resource.

Municipal water straight from the tap is:

• highly regulated

• tested 4 times a day

• already in your tap

• very cheap

• easily transported in a reusable container

• in short, the healthy choice for you and the planet

For more information see "13 Reasons to Ban Bottled Water" written by BurlingtonGreen volunteer, Barbara Frensch. Want more? Visit: http://www.insidethebottle.org/  

Here are some ACTION steps you can take to pledge your committment to eliminating bottled water from your home, Burlington's municipal facilities, events, parks and from schools.

• Stop purchasing bottled water and encourage your friends, family and co-workers to do the same (use an alternative such as a reusable stainless steel canteen);
• Encourage coaches and event organizers to stop purchasing bottled water that often end up littering our parks and communities;
• Write, phone, email or meet with your local school Board Trustee to let them know you support the ban of botted water in Halton schools -see Elected Representatives contact info here.
• Share what you have learned about this issue with others and direct them to www.burlingtongreen.org & http://www.insidethebottle.org/

 How to choose a safe reuseable water bottle.

Pick a day and see if you can count how many idling vehicles there are in the neighbourhood or while running your errands.  In 1 hour, you can typically count 50! Did you know an idling vehicle emits several times more pollution than a car driving 30km/hr.  Did you know that a car built before 1995 creates almost 20 times more pollution than a modern vehicle? Did you know there were over 1800 unnecessary deaths in Ontario caused by air pollution and smog?

Idling vehicles in adriveways  and  parking lots create unnecessary noise pollution and air pollution that have a direct effect on local air quality and health issues.  It is  estimated that over $10 million of fuel is idled away and in Burlington from vehicles sitting idling in driveways, parking lots and parks.  It is  also estimated that $50-100,000 in fuel is burned by idling vehicles from city fleets alone including buses at GO stations.

To combat this problem, on June 1, 2009 an idling control by-law (27-2009) came into effect that would make it an offence if drivers  leave a parked car idling for more than 1 minute, year round. The city by-law officers and Regional Police officers could ticket an idling  vehicle much like a parking ticket, even if the vehicle is unoccupied but left running.

This is and was a good move and IF ENFORCED would have a positive impact on the local quality of life, air quality, impact on health ( elderly and children) and enjoyment of the outdoors.

YOUR TURN: Burlington promotes itself as a green community but is it really working? Have your say.  Is the idling by-law working? How can it be better  enforced? What do you think should be done to stop unnecessary idling in our community? Offer your comments below. 

WHAT IS BEING  DONE ABOUT THE PROBLEM? DADA ( Dads Against Dirty Air), is helping to promote clean air initiatives in the community focusing on no idling in school zones, parks ,driveways and more.

DADA, a group of citizens concerned for the environment and our kid’s health and safety, provides an outreach program and FREE pledge cards to residents who want to ask others to pledge not to idle, for the kids sake and the planet.   Schools who want to engage parents and school buses to stop idling can get free banners and materials  as well as signage for the parking lots...all FREE to parent council groups who ask for it.  To learn more and get involved, visit http://www.dadacanada.com/ 
Steve  Rieck /Founder  of DADA

Did you know that under the Provincial Government's "Places to Grow" mandate, Halton can expect to almost double it's current population from 380,000 in 2001 to a projected 780,000 in 2031!  The Region must present a growth plan to the province by June 2009 on how it plans to accomodate this.

BurlingtonGreen believes the Region's Growth Plan titled "Sustainable Halton" to be one of the most significant guiding documents, designed to shape the future of our region with irreovacable implications if not designed based on authentic sustainable principles and practices.  A critical component that appears to be missing is a Carrying Capacity Study. A carrying capacity "refers to the number of individuals who can be supported in a given area within natural resource limits, and without degrading the natural, social, cultural and economic environment for present and future generations"

As we are becoming more aware of issues that include eating locally produced foods; the crisis in fuel supplies; the climate change impacts and more.....carrying capacity becomes more meaningful and significant.

What can you do? find out more about the Region's plans for growth by visiting the Halton Region webpage on this issue. BurlingtonGreen has attended all Burlington public meetings on this and will continue to make efforts to have a voice on this issue.  We welcome your input and encourage your involvement on this very significant growth plan. We encourage you to learn more about this issue and forward your valued comments to Halton Region and to Burlington's elected officials -click here for contact listing. For a great example of local citizen input on this topic, please see the comments submitted by Roger Goulet - the Executive Director of PERL(Protecting Escarpment Rural Land) here.

                                             
Protecting Escarpment Rural Land (PERL) co-founded by singer/song writer Sarah Harmer has introduced a declaration which calls on governments to establish a sustainable natural heritage system across Mount Nemo to redesignate it to ensure its protection.

Along with about 20 other environmental organizations, including Greenpeace and the David Suzuki Foundation, BurlingtonGreen has signed the Declaration to support this important vision. See declaration here.
   
For more information about the issue of the quarry industry and environmental protection, see these links: Green Gravel - Ontario Greenbelt Alliance,  PERL, Gravel Watch.

AND....

Adopt a Jefferson Salamander to support local Niagara Escarpment Protection

The OMB (Ontario Municipal Board) could overrule the City of Burlington, Region of Halton as well as The Niagara Escarpment Commission's decisions that said "NO" to a new quarry in the Mount Nemo area.

Mount Nemo is Burlington's backyard. Don't let open pit mining destroy this UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve that's home to threatened species, valuable woodlands and wetlands.
Help to protect the home of the threatened Jefferson Salamanders : Don't let the OMB overrule your local government's decision to reject open pit mining on Mount Nemo.

By adopting a salamander you can help PERL (Protecting Escarpment Rural Lands) hire experts to prove to the Province that Mount Nemo is worth protecting. Learn more here.