 Dear Friends of Kingston Inner HarbourThanks so much Hllbert for your magical Inner Harbour pictures. Always wonderful.Also, another magical picture from Debbie O’Grady has been included at the end. Thanks to you both for your daily contributions to Facebook! LOCAL ISSUES AND EVENTS 1. Inner Harbour Turtles at Risk 2. Queen City Oil Company at 9 North St. Update 3. Turtle Awareness Public Event June 3 4. North Kings Town Secondary Plan Update 5. The Famine Irish In Kingston – Public Event June 3 6. Pow Wow Workout – Public Event June 3 7. Joe’s Mill Musical Instrument Lending Library – Public Event June 7 8. KCAT Update: Cycling Week, Commuter Challenge, Downtown Bike Racks, Mayor’s Ride 9. Green Light for Green Burial – Public Event June 6 10. Skeleton Park Arts Festival – June 21 – 25 11. Kingston to Plant over 40,000 trees + Trees in Trust Program 12. New Kingston Baby Wellness Clinic to Support Infants Without Doctors. 13. ‘Pay What You Can’ Markets Set to Return to Kingston Community 14. Utilities Kingston: Good Idea to Plan your Improvements to Fit in with their Plans 15. Kingston Police Share Details on Recent Home Repair Scam 16. City of Kingston staff respond to Bill 97 and proposed new provincial planning statement INTERESTING STUFF FROM NEAR AND FAR 17. House of Commons passes Bill S-5 updating the Canadian Environmental Protection Act for the first time in 20+ Years. 18. Any Point to No Mow May: Experts Weigh In 19. The Big Picture: Coffee in the Era of Climate Change 20. Magnets Help Treatment-Resistant Depression 21. Why Do Great Lakes Ships have Round Bows? 22. Filipino Mariners Can Now Sail on Canadian Merchant Ships 23. What Microplastics are doing to Seabirds could tell us about their Effect on Humans 24. Edible Wild Leaves? Strawberry Leaf Tea? 25. Nature Inspired Summer Activities for Kids LOCAL ISSUES AND EVENTS 1. Inner Harbour Turtles at Risk So sad we always have to fight for the turtles. As you know, members of the Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour have been involved for 8 years with up to 50 community volunteers each year monitoring and caring for Inner Harbour turtles by filling out observation sheets mornings and evenings, documenting basking, laying and hatching behaviours, and covering nests with nest protectors. In addition, we received grants for a capture/release study documenting that we have a minimum of 136 Northern Map turtles in Kingston’s Inner Harbour and a grant to attach antennae to six turtles to document range and hibernation patterns. This had importance for the Third Crossing work. Recognition of our efforts has been far reaching. We received a “Freshwater Hero” award from the Michigan-based organization Freshwater Future. For the last 2 years our work has been taken over by Lesley Rudy who completed her MSc on Inner Harbour Northern Map turtles with Dr. Stephen Lougheed of Queen’s University. She now works for Ontario Nature and is carrying on the Inner Harbour turtle work with local volunteers. A sister organization, Turtles Kingston, was created by Mabyn Armstrong. She dealt very successfully with creating public awareness about the need for turtle fencing, problems with inappropriate spraying of roadsides where turtles lay, creating sources for turtle nest covers, and organizing drivers to take wounded turtles to Sandy Pines Wildlife Centre for rehabilitation. Turtles Kingston is currently led by Tara Bauer. Lesley Rudy and Tara Bauer have been very concerned recently. Despite repeated requests, the Doornekamp team had not expressed interest in meeting with them to ameliorate the situation for the at-risk turtles. Nesting season could start tomorrow and the Inner Harbour Map Turtles are seriously at risk with the current set-up at 9 North St, the old Queen City Oil Company. Both Lesley and Tara feel that slight changes to the arrangement of fences could make a huge difference to the at-risk turtle population. They were so concerned they felt they had to write to the mayor, council, and city staff to express their serious concerns. Thankfully, Luke Folwell, Director of Engineering for the city, has now arranged a meeting with Engineering Services, Turtles Kingston, and Doornekamp Construction that will happen this coming Thursday morning to try and solve this problem. We will keep you posted in the mid-June update. 2. Queen City Oil Company at 9 North St. Update Received from the Doornekamp Newsletter, May 18, 2023 “The Doornekamp Team is excited to be back on site at 9 North St. in downtown Kingston. The Team is installing trusses this month. Our skilled stone mason is putting finishing touches on the limestone walls, inside and out. Future tenants will enjoy their park-side location overlooking the Cataraqui River.” 3.Turtle Awareness Public Event, June 3 What: Learn all about Ontario turtles through activities, demos, music, stories and more! Who: Turtles Kingston in collaboration with the Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour When: Sat, June 3, 2023, 9:00 am – 4:00 pm Where: Confederation Park, 216 Ontario St. Events Schedule: Moving a Turtle off the Road Demonstration: 10am, 12pm, 3pm Story Time: 10:30am, 12:30am, 3:30pm Musical Performance: 11am Turtle Trials Activity: 1pm (space is limited) Turtle Nest Protection Demonstration: 2:30pm https://www.facebook.com/events/1593170874421791?acontext=%7B%22event_action_history%22%3A[%7B%22mechanism%22%3A%22search_results%22%2C%22surface%22%3A%22bookmark_search%22%7D]%2C%22ref_notif_type%22%3Anull%7D More about Turtles Kingston? https://www.turtleskingston.com/ 4. North Kings Town Secondary Plan Update Received from Niall Oddie, Senior Planner, City of Kingston, May 30, 2023 “Phase 1 of NKT was completed in late 2017 and included the preparation of a Visioning Report and Preliminary Market Analysis. In consultation with the community, a series of planning principles and design directions were established as part of the visioning process to help guide the preparation of the Secondary Plan. Phase 2 of NKT was initiated in 2018 and consists of the preparation of a number of technical studies (Land Use Plan, Cultural Heritage Study, Transportation Master Plan, Servicing Plan, and Financial and Implementation Plan) which will inform the secondary plan. Phase 2 of NKT was active through 2018 and into 2019 before the project was placed on hold due to Staff’s focus on the Williamsville Main Street Study update and then to focus on the COVID-19 pandemic response. Phase 2 was reinitiated in 2022 and Staff have been working with the project consultants to review and update the Phase 2 technical reports. The purpose of this email is to provide you with the following updates:Open House and WorkshopYou are invited to attend an Open House and Workshop where staff and the project consultants will provide a presentation to refresh residents on the project, provide status updates on the various technical studies, description of current areas of work and a tentative project timeline. An opportunity to ask questions will be provided following the presentation before transitioning into a workshop with smaller group discussions focused on land use, built form and cultural heritage. There are two opportunities to participate in the Open House and Workshop: Virtual Session: Monday, June 12, 2023 from 6-8pm (Zoom) Please use the below link to register:Zoom Registration In-Person Session: Tues, June 13, 6-8pm at the Broom Factory at 305 Rideau St.We request that you register for this event to ensure that the venue has been arranged to accommodate interested participants. Space will be limited to 80 participants. In-Person Registration NKT Project Website and Get Involved Kingston UpdatesIn the past there has been an NKT project website and a separate Get Involved Kingston page associated with NKT. We have recently updated both pages to offer the same information to help avoid confusion. Moving forward, we will be using the Get Involved Kingston page for consultation opportunities. Unfortunately, some of the previous consultation material that was posted to the NKT website no longer satisfies current accessibility standards and had to be removed but remains available by request. We apologize for any inconvenience. NKT Project Website: https://www.cityofkingston.ca/city-hall/projects-construction/north-kings-town Get Involved Kingston – NKT: https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/north-kings-town SurveyWe will be utilizing the Get Involved Kingston NKT page for additional engagement throughout the summer and fall where we will be posting survey questions and draft materials for review and comment. We will send out an update email when new topics become available and look forward to your feedback. We recognize that there may have been changes within the community since mid-2019 when the project was placed on hold, and we have initiated a survey seeking your feedback on what changes should be taken into account in Phase 2 of NKT. The survey will be open until June 19. The survey is available on Get Involved Kingston – NKT: https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/north-kings-town Should you have any questions, difficulty registering for one of the Open House sessions or wish to be removed from this mailing list, please feel free to contact Sukriti Agarwal, Manager Policy Planning (copied) or the undersigned. Thanks, Niall Oddie, Senior Planner, Planning Services, City of Kingston noddie@cityofkingston.ca” 5. The Famine Irish in Kingston – Public Event June 3 Have you ever wondered about the significance of the Celtic cross in Doug Fluhrer Park. Here’s your chance to find out. What: In 1847 shiploads of Irish immigrants escaping the Great Famine arrived in Kingston, many of them dying of typhus. In 2021 archeological firm ASI began to unearth and relocate those buried at KGH. Dr. Katherine Hull will talk about the 19th century Irish immigration to Ontario as a result of the Great Famine of 1847. She will be discussing the work archeological firm ASI has undertaken to exhume, identify, and rebury those who contracted typhus, died, and were buried at the Kingston General Hospital. Where: Isabel Turner Branch of the Kingston Frontenac Public Library When: Sat, June 3, 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm More info: https://calendar.kfpl.ca/event/8076241#branch 6. Joe’s Mill Musical Instrument Lending Library – Public Event June 7 Who: This program is offered in partnership with the Joe Chithalen Musical Instrument Lending Library, with the support of the Ontario Trillium Foundation. What: Amp Your Appetite Kickoff Event Where: Rideau Heights Community Centre When: Wed, June 7, 2023, 4:00 pm -6:00 pm NOTES: Have you ever wanted to play the guitar, the ukulele or even a mandolin? With professional supervision, aspiring musicians will love this fully interactive, hands-on program! No experience is necessary. After the program, all instruments can be borrowed to play in the comfort of your own home. Snacks will be provided after the hands-on instrument experience. All ages welcome. Drop in. 7. Pow Wow Workout – Public Event June 3 What: As part of Indigenous History Month, a chance to learn how to do powwow dance. Who: Amanda Fox Where: Central Branch, Kingston Frontenac Public Library, Johnson St. Kingston When: Sat, June 3: 1:00 – 1:45 and Sat, June 3, 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm NOTES: Bring some comfy shoes and start celebrating Indigenous History Month on the right foot. Suitable for Teens, New Adults, Adults, Seniors Registration required: https://calendar.kfpl.ca/events?r=days&n=30&term=powwow for first session. https://calendar.kfpl.ca/events?r=days&n=30&term=powwow for second session. Library card needed to register. To register for a free library card go to https://register.kfpl.ca/ 8. KCAT Update: Cycling Week, Commuter Challenge, Downtown Bike Racks, Mayor’s Ride, etc. Received from the Kingston Coalition for Active Transportation, May 16, 2021KCAT turned 15 this year! To all our longtime followers, thank you for joining us on this journey. To the newcomers, we’re also very glad to have you. Over the past fifteen years, we have grown a lot and we’re excited for what’s to come! Have a look at what we’ve been up to since the winter and what’s up ahead. Cycling Week is June 3 – 10 Follow Cycle Kingston for events and opportunities to get involved. http://www.cyclekingston.ca/cycling-week-in-kingston.html Gear Up! for Cycling Week and the Commuter Challenge: Tune-ups and Check-ups (10 a.m – 4 p.m.) Recycled Bikes will be doing bicycle tune-ups and safety checks on Saturday June 3rd at their shop location, 559 Bagot Street, parking lot in the back of the building. Drop ins are welcome but sign up in advance to guarantee a time slot www.gearupkingston.ca/events. This service is free, but with a suggested donation of $30 per bike. Commuter Challenge June 4-10 Sustainable Kingston is leading the Commuter Challenge in Kingston again! The Commuter Challenge is an annual national campaign designed to encourage Canadians to walk, cycle, carpool/ride-share, take transit and telecommute. It coincides with Kingston Cycling Week. Register at commuterchallenge.ca! New bike racks Have you been down Princess lately? The DBIA recently installed new secure bike locking stations, in line with our goals to encourage active transportation and reduce bike theft. Shout out to KCAT members and partners whose advocacy helped make this happen! These new bike stations are on Princess Street between Ontario and King. They’re free to use with the app Bikeep. Try it out, and let us know what you think 🙂 2023 Commuter ChallengeSunday, June 4, 20239:00 AM Saturday, June 10, 20235:00 PMSustainable Kingston, 310 Bagot St, Kingston, ON Sustainable Kingston, with support from community and institutional partners, is thrilled to announce the Commuter Challenge is returning to Kingston this June. Held June 4-10, the Commuter Challenge is an annual, national campaign designed to encourage Canadians to walk, cycle, carpool/ride-share, take transit and telecommute. It coincides with Kingston Cycling Week, an event Sustainable Kingston is also supports. Sustainable Kingston wants to challenge people in Kingston who currently commute by car to ‘test drive’ active transportation or transit for one week. To sign up your workplace: 1. Choose a workplace ambassador. 2. Register your workplace at commuterchallenge.ca. 3. Encourage your colleagues to register under your workplace/organization profile on commuterchallenge.ca. 4. From June 4 to 10, log your sustainable commute on commuterchallenge.ca. Your colleagues do the same on their own. “There are so many great reasons to bike, walk or take transit to school or work.” explains Geoff Hendry, COO of Sustainable Kingston. “In addition to being one of the most impactful things you can do to address the climate crisis, you’ll save money and feel healthier.” In 2022, Kingston Commuter Challenge’s 288 participants logged 152,039 KM of sustainable commuting. This avoided 8,929 KG’s of C02 emissions, saved 4,072 litres of fuel, and burned 673,682 calories. For more information about how your organization can participate, please contact Geoff Hendry, COO of Sustainable Kingston, at geoff@sustainablekingston.com. Ride with the Mayor – June 9 Ride to City Hall on the K&P Trail with Mayor Paterson. Start at the iNVISTA Centre beside the CaraCo Field at 7:05 am on Friday, June 9 arriving around 8:00 am behind City Hall at Springer Market Square. There will be two other “join in” locations on-route. Check out this map for more info: http://www.cyclekingston.ca/uploads/6/6/5/8/66580117/2023_mayors_ride_map_v1.pdf NOTE: For more info including a map showing vehicle collisions that injured or killed pedestrians and cyclist collision data visit – https://mailchi.mp/c946dd548a2d/kcat-february-2023-newsletter-20200332?e=[UNIQID] 9. Green Light for Green Burial – Public Event June 6 What: In the relaxed café atmosphere, where drinks and delicious snacks will be available for purchase, you’ll have a chance to hear a brief talk and then ask those questions you’ve been puzzling over. Why bury shallow? What about winter burial? Should we press the City for an expansion of Pine Grove Cemetery? Who else is working towards green burial in Ontario? Where does cremation fit in? Where: Tula Café in the Old Broom Factory near the Woolen Mill at 305 Rideau St., Kingston Who: Mark Richardson, Manager of Cemeteries Services, City of Niagara will speak. NOTE: RSVP by e-mail to greenburialkingston@gmail.com. 10. Skeleton Park Arts Festival June 21 – 25 Tons of wonderful and amazing stuff happening. Check it out! https://skeletonparkartsfest.ca/2023festival/ 11. Kingston to Plant over 40,000 trees + Trees in Trust Program Received from the Kingstonist, May 1, 2023 – Tori Stafford “According to the City of Kingston, the trees being planted at both sites — the former Kingston East Landfill site at 3706 4th Concession Road, and the Butternut Creek site situated on the south side of Butternut Creek Road between municipal addressess 1324 and 1334 — are a mix of white pine, Norway spruce, white cedar, and larch trees. The third managed forest site, to be planted in 2024, will be located on Pine Grove Road, also in the east end of the city.” Full article? https://www.kingstonist.com/news/city-of-kingston-announces-planting-of-over-40000-trees-under-way/ NOTE: Yes, this is an important initiative. Our major concern is that preserving old trees matters even more. Young saplings are not equivalent. Trees in Trust Program Received from the Kingstonist May 5, – Jessica Foley “The City of Kingston is launching a new pilot program to help grow canopy cover and improve tree equity by supporting community-led tree-planting events. According to a release from the City, the Community Trees in Trust Program will provide trees, training and support to community-based groups that organize and host planting events within designated areas of the City of Kingston that have low tree equity. Trees must be planted on privately owned land and not on City-owned or managed land. “Through the Community Trees in Trust Program, we hope to encourage community groups to join us in tree stewardship across the city. Each tree we plant contributes significantly to our health and wellbeing, our environment, and our sense of community. Importantly, not everyone has the same access to trees and the benefits they provide, so improving tree equity is a major element of this program,” said Karen Santucci, Director of Public Works and Solid Waste.” Full article? https://www.kingstonist.com/news/new-pilot-program-aims-to-grow-tree-canopy-and-tree-equity-in-kingston/ Also see https://www.cityofkingston.ca/resident/trees-nature/community-trees 12. New Kingston Baby Wellness Clinic to Support Infants Without Doctors. Received from the Kingstonist, May 10, 2023 – Jessica Foley “A newborn and early childhood clinic will soon be available for infants without a primary care physician in the Kingston area. The Partnership for Well Baby Care Clinic is a result of the collaboration of the Frontenac, Lennox & Addington Ontario Health Team, Queen’s School of Nursing, Kingston Community Health Centres (KCHC) and KFL&A Public Health.” Full article? https://www.kingstonist.com/news/new-kingston-area-baby-wellness-clinic-to-support-infants-without-doctors/ 13. ‘Pay What You Can’ Markets Set to Return to Kingston Community Received from the Kingstonist May 4, 2023 – Owen Fullerton “The running dates for 2023 Community Harvest Markets have been announced, with the first of many markets throughout the season slated for Tuesday, Jun. 13, 2023. The markets, running since 2013, provide an option for affordable, locally-grown produce at three different locations in Kingston. This year will see the debut of a third market behind Centre 70 on Days Road. Community Harvest Markets reportedly chose to add a location on the west end after hearing that that part of the city is a bit underserved and that there are not a lot of food access programs in the area. These markets adopt a “Pay What You Can” model — with a sliding scale from $0 to $5 — trying to ensure that anyone who wants access to locally grown produce isn’t restricted by the cost. Community Harvest Coordinator Marie Bencze said that while this market has always been a great asset for the community, it is especially needed with rapidly rising costs. “You see endless news articles about the cost of everything right now and especially food,” Bencze said. “We think this is an especially important time for people. That disparity between wealthy and poor people is ever growing.” The markets are run by Loving Spoonful and the majority of the food available comes from Loving Spoonful gardens, which are often right near the site of the markets. Bencze said all the gardens use agroecological principles, nearing organic without official organic certification. “ Full article? https://www.kingstonist.com/news/pay-what-you-can-markets-set-to-return-to-kingston-community/ More info? https://communityharvestkingston.com/ 14. Utilities Kingston: Good Idea to Plan Your Improvements to Fit in with Their Plans Received from the Kingstonist, May 4, 2023 – Jessica Foley “Plan ahead to take advantage of the constructionHave plans to make improvements to your property? Utilities Kingston advises scheduling them to coincide with planned construction work in your area to reduce disruption to your property and services… Utilities Kingston provided a summary of work planned for the spring, summer, and fall of 2023” Full article? https://www.kingstonist.com/news/utilities-kingston-shares-details-on-upcoming-infrastructure-projects/ 15. Kingston Police Share Details on Recent Home Repair Scam Received from the Kingstonist May 23, 3023 – Jessica Foley “According to a release from police, two male suspects attended a complainant’s residence in Kingston and advised the complainant that their roof and chimney were in need of repairs. The suspects reportedly provided an estimate for a significant amount of money and convinced the complainant to provide a large down payment the following day. The suspects then proceeded to rip the walls of the complainant’s house, at which point they advised that more work would be necessary or the walls would collapse, police noted. The complainant then advised they were backing out of the project and asked for their deposit back – which was never returned. “The suspects purport to be with a company called ‘Fineline Roofing’ out of Halifax,” Kingston Police stated. “There is a Fineline Roofing and Masonry in Halifax, but they do not work outside of Nova Scotia, and do not make unsolicited calls.” Full article? https://www.kingstonist.com/news/kingston-police-share-details-on-recent-home-repair-scam/ 16. City of Kingston staff respond to Bill 97 and proposed new provincial planning statement Received from the Kingstonist, May 17, 2023 – Dylan Chenier “Kingston City staff have spoken out about the provincial government’s new Bill 97, the Helping Homebuyers, Protecting Tenants Act, 2023, as well as a proposed new Provincial PlanningStatement, both of which could significantly impact future land use and planning decisions by the City. At a meeting of Kingston City Council on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, councillors were presented with a 24-page report from staff, outlining how the two pieces of legislation may impact the City moving forward. According to staff, Bill 97 was introduced in support of the province’s Housing Supply Action Plan and “focuses on reducing barriers to housing development by strengthening homebuyer protections, supporting tenants, and streamlining the rules around land-use planning.” The staff report noted a number of existing provincial acts which are set to be impacted by the new legislation, including the Building Code Act, the Development Charges Act, and, most notably, the Planning Act. In terms of the impact Bill 97 will have on the Planning Act, the legislation establishes a new “regulation-making authority” that can “prescribe specific circumstances where site plan control could be used for residential developments of 10 units or less.” Site plan control is a tool afforded to municipalities to manage community development. Bill 97 also gives the province’s Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing the ability to force landowners to enter into “development agreements in relation to lands that have been referred to the Provincial Land and Development Facilitator,” noted the staff report.” Full article? https://www.kingstonist.com/news/city-of-kingston-staff-respond-to-bill-97-and-proposed-new-provincial-planning-statement/ INTERESTING STUFF FROM NEAR AND FAR 17. House of Commons passes Bill S-5 which updates the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) for the first time in 20+ Years. Received from ecojustice, May 30, 2023 – Elaine MacDonald Today, the House of Commons passed Bill S-5, which updates the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) for the first time in 20+ years. This crucial legislation now returns to the Senate for a final review before it becomes law. As Canada’s cornerstone environmental law, CEPA is meant to protect the public from dangerous chemicals and toxic pollution, but it was languishing in the past. Meanwhile, the day-to-day threats to people’s health — for instance, in the form of ‘forever chemicals’ linked to cancer — worsened. While Bill S-5 is not a cure-all, it does introduce some important changes such as strengthened control of toxic substances. It also recognizes the right to a healthy environment for the first time ever in federal law. More than 31,000 Ecojustice supporters lent their voice to this campaign, calling on political leaders and keeping CEPA reform alive — even after the 2021 federal election almost saw it off. This important moment is a testament to all of us. 18. Any Point to No Mow May: Experts Weigh In https://www.kingstonist.com/news/any-point-to-no-mow-may-experts-weigh-in/ 19. The Big Picture: Coffee in the Era of Climate Change Coffee production is fragile, and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports indicate that climate change (CC) will reduce worldwide yields on average and decrease coffee-suitable land by 2050 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9824350/#:~:text=Coffee%20production%20is%20fragile%2C%20and,coffee%2Dsuitable%20land%20by%202050. 20. Magnets Treating Treatment-Resistant Depression Received from Freethink, May 21, 2023 – Kristin Houser Stanford researchers have discovered that certain brain signals actually flow the wrong way in people with treatment-resistant depression — and that magnets can correct the misdirection and help patients feel better. https://www.freethink.com/health/tms-treatment-resistant-depression?utm_campaign=freethinkweekly&utm_source=rejoiner&utm_medium=email&utm_content=05%2F30%2F23+F%2A+Weekly&rjnrid=gvoRYKw 21. Why do Great Lakes ships have round bows?, Boating World, May 15, 2023. Great Lakes ships are a common sight on the vast expanses of the Great Lakes waterway, and as one might notice, most of these ships possess one characteristic feature, and that is their round bows. https://www.boatingworld.com/question-answer/why-do-great-lakes-ships-have-round-bows/ 22. Great Lakes Labor: Filipino Mariners Can Now Sail On Canadian Merchant Ships, World Ports Org., May 13, 2023 (also appeared in The Seafarer Times, at gCaptain, at Maritime-Network and at iMariners). In a move to tackle an acute mariner shortage accentuated by the rapid retirement of boomers, Canada has signed an unprecedented agreement with the Philippines, allowing Filipino merchant mariners to serve on Canadian-flagged vessels. This marks a significant shift in international labor arrangements, opening new doors for the robust Filipino seafarer population, but causing worry among Canadian Merchant Mariners that wages could fall. Bruce Burrows, CEO of the Chamber of Marine Commerce, which primarily represents shipping interests in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway, shed light on the need for this initiative. 23. What Microplastics are doing to seabirds could tell us about their effect on humans Received from CBC.CA What on Earth, May 25, 2023 – Lauren Pelley “Some researchers estimate that humans ingest tens of thousands of microplastic particles every year by breathing in indoor air and drinking out of plastic containers. (That works out to around five grams every week, about the same weight as a handful of thumbtacks.) These plastic fragments are showing up in digestive systems, blood, breast milk, possibly even the brain. So what are all those tiny plastic bits actually doing to our health? Scientists still aren’t sure, although a new study on seabirds, led by a team of international scientists, raises some questions about potential ripple effects on the gut that could apply to humans, too. Full article? https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/what-on-earth-microplastics-birds-humans-1.6854607 24. Edible Wild Leaves? Strawberry Leaf Tea? Received from Ashley at Practical Self Reliance, May 25, 2023 https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Febd315ad-3753-45a6-ae4b-add23298eb4d_1600x1067.jpeg?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email 25. Nature Inspired Summer Activities for Kids Received from Little Pine Learners https://littlepinelearners.com/25-nature-inspired-summer-activities-for-kids/ Wishing you all a wonderful June, Cheers, Mary Farrar, President, Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour www.friendsofinnerharbour.com |
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