"Metamorphosis" - inspirational tips here

We were fortunate to feature Virginia Jamieson, a local photographer who captures the beauty of nature in her shots. Check out her website here at Nature's Soul Photography. 
Here are some tips from the film & discussion with the audience: 

- Connect with Nature. The beauty of this film reminded us of how lucky we are - take some time outside everyday and simply observe the systems all around us. 
- Save the Pollinator Population. Forget about the perfect green lawn and focus on the perfect environment for butterflies and bees with native plants and shrubs. 
- Acknowledge your impact. Every action we take has an impact - becoming more mindful of our purchases, diet, transportation, and everyday choices can help us live lightly on the earth
- Spread the Word. Connect with your community to have a greater impact. The audience was full of advocates who already had rain barrels, and shopped at local farmer markets. Next steps? Invite your neighbours or co-workers to join you. Create collective impact through your own networks. 

 

"Living the Change" - inspirational tips here

If you missed it, here's the link to watch Living the Change in the comfort of your own home! 
Here are some tips to how you can take direct action inspired by the film! 

- Get Creative. This film was based across New Zealand, focusing on different families of different ages and lifestyles just to show that ANYONE can make a change but it has to be suited to your life. 
- Compost. The importance of diverting foodwaste and creating healthy soil for future food production was greatly emphasized here. Do your favourite restaurants compost? What about your workplace? 
- Reduce your waste. Best place to start is by looking in your rubbish bin to see what materials you are throwing away. What can you REDUCE? What can you REFUSE? 
- Live out of the ordinary. We saw an alternative way of living with True North Tiny Homes - have you considered downsizing or looking to alternative housing options?
- Plant trees. Look for native trees to plant, including a variety of fruits to encourage edible food forests and a stronger tree canopy in Burlington! 

"How We Grow" - food impact tips here

We had a change of plans and decided to watch How We Grow instead of Urban Roots as it seemed to be more relevant to what residents in Burlington can do to support local agriculture. If you missed it, or would like to stream Urban Roots, you can use your Burlington Public Library card to access both movies here.

Here are some ways that you can help reduce the impact of your food and support our local farmers: 

- Just eat it. In Halton, we throw out 50% of our food  - eat your leftovers and create a "Eat Me First" bin to place produce & food that needs to be eaten first
- Shop smaller & more frequent. Avoid impulse purchases and shop smart for the foods that you need. 
- Support a CSA. Find a local delivery system to support young farmers by investing at the beginning of the growing season.  Use this website to find out more. 
- Shop seasonally and local. We grow delicious and nutritious produce year-long - find out what grows best throughout the year with this planner! 
- Reduce your meat intake. Check out this great resource to get inspired with recipes! 

"War on Waste" - Waste Reduction & Diversion tips here

If you missed it, use your Burlington Public Library card to access War On Waste here. 

Here are some ways that you can help reduce & divert as much waste from landfill! 

- Take a peek in your rubbish bin. Start by checking out what you are throwing out - is it food packaging? Personal care products? Clothing or textiles? 
- Find replacements for the simple stuff. Replace your single-use disposables (coffee cups, cutlery, plastic bags) and refuse the stuff that's simply destined for landfill. 
- Check out this most Ultimate List of Zero Waste Swaps. Don't worry - it's a slow and learned process. Take it one step at a time! 
- Experiment with making your own. Try making your own personal care products, cleaning products, and cooking from scratch to reduce food waste! 

Cigarette butts are the most polluted item in the world. If you are stuck with this stinky habit, make sure your butts go into a proper receptacle to ensure they stay out of our natural environment. 

For more tips and tricks, check out these inspirations for Zero-Waste Living: 
- Trash is for Tossers
- Zero- Waste Home
- Beginners Guide to Zero Waste

"Watershed Guardians of the Fraser River" - Water conservation tips here

Here are some ways that you can help to protect and conserve water:

- Plant native plants in your garden (or on any land). This is a great way to help with water overflow and drainage, as well these plants are more drought-tolerant, low maintenance and can reduce gardening efforts! 
- Connect a rain barrel. Collect excess stormwater and use for gardens or to simply help manage the amount of water flowing into our storm sewers. 
- Look out for toxins in your personal care products & cleaning products. Be mindful of the chemicals that are going down your drain and always refer to the hazardous materials before disposal. 
- Reduce your plastic use! Single-use plastics are polluting our Great Lakes - refuse plastic bags, cutlery, straws, and other disposable items that can end up in our water. 

To learn more, visit these websites: 
Conservation Halton's Watershed Report
The Greatness Project 
Wellington Water Watchers