Dear Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour,
First of all, thanks so much Carol MacDonnell for being on the scene for the picture when one of the tour boats locked in the Inner Harbour made it through with some lowering of its top!
On another note, a lot of people have been asking about what’s happening at the Woolen Mil with the big area screened off. It is the environmental assessment for a proposed new development. CityFlats are the local developers. Here is a picture of what is proposed.https://cityflats.ca/projects/inner-harbour-development
The sides and back are bright red – evidently a riff off the Woolen Mill.
Approval for a development here was given by council years ago.
What concerns us most in the picture is the completely changed shoreline. What about the turties?
Sadly, their habitat is being taken away bit by bit. This, and the Queen City Oil Company at 9 North St. and the Tannery.
Thanks to Lesley Rudy of Ontario Nature and Tara Bauer of Turtles Kingston for doing what they can to preserve what has been the turtles’ amazingly extensive habitat along the shoreline of Kingston’s Inner Harbour. The Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour will continue advocating for a natural shoreline in our discussions with the federal government about their proposed 70 million dollar “clean-up” that involves dredging and capping habitat.
LOCAL NEWS, ISSUES AND EVENTS
1. LaSalle Causeway Now Open for Pedestrians and Cyclists
2. Cataraqui Conservation & Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network Announce new “Protected Areas”
3. Utilities Kingston’s Advice on Potential Flooding Issues in your Home
4. Local Fluoridation Issue
5. Update fromm the Kingston Coalition for Active Transportation – Willliamsville Cycle Lanes!
6. Three New Scams – Kingston Police Warnings + New Facebook Scam.
7. Invitation from Seniors for Climate Action Now – June 7
8. Vicki’s Substack Post on the Downtown Tragedy
9. Update on Kingston’s New Green Burial Site and How You Can Help
10. Sustainable Kingston’s Commuter Challenge – June 2-8
FROM FARTHER AFIELD
11. LaFarge Canada and Geocycle Canada Announce Pilot Completion for Clean Cement Clinker
12. Mayors Promise Blue-Green Corridor along Great Lakes-St. Lawrence
13. ‘Forever Chemicals’ Are Coming into Great Lakes through Air, Rainfall, New Study Shows
14. 12 Facts About the Great Lakes You Might Not Know
15. Winged Cargo Shop with Revolutionary Tech Features Completes Trial at Sea
16. Biggest Annual Gathering of Great Lakes Researchers Has Begun
FOR FUN AND GENERAL INTEREST
17. Fun in the City by Bike
18. What’s the Climate-friendly Way to Get Rid of Worn-out Clothes and Linens?
19. Ocean Mud is Mighty When it Comes to Tackling Climate Change
20. Theatre Kingston’s Fun 70s – themed Annual Garden Party
21. Springtime Dandelion Crafts for Kids
LOCAL NEWS, ISSUES AND EVENTS
1. LaSalle Causeway Now Open for Pedestrians and Cyclists.
Received from Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC), May 15, 2024
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) (https://www.canada.ca/en/public-services-procurement.html) would like to provide an update on the LaSalle Causeway closure, following the public notices issued on April 2, April 4, April 12, April 22, May 3 and May 10.
PSPC wishes to advise the public that pedestrians now have access to the LaSalle Causeway. Cyclists may also access the sidewalk by dismounting and walking their bicycles. Users may experience short delays in crossing the bridge and are requested to follow any signage on site during ongoing construction and repair work.
As repair work progresses, future sidewalk closures will likely be necessary for safety reasons.
The health and safety of the travelling public on the LaSalle Causeway is of paramount importance to the department.
A bit of background information as to the cause of the shutdown:
The element of the bridge that was compromised during construction is a diagonal steel truss element supporting the counterweight on the bridge. On March 30, the diagonal element was damaged while carrying out work to strengthen it. PSPC moved quickly to close the bridge and surrounding area immediately following the incident. No one was injured or harmed as a result of this incident.
https://www.canada.ca/en/public-services-procurement/news/2024/04/lasalle-causeway-longer-term-closure.html
2. Cataraqui Conservation & Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network Announce new ‘Protected Areas’
Received from the Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority, May 2024
Cataraqui Conservation and the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network (FABN) are pleased to announce that eight properties representing 1,982 hectares of environmentally significant lands owned by Cataraqui Conservation and located throughout the Cataraqui watershed on the traditional lands of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinabek peoples, were recently found to meet the pan-Canadian standards as Protected Areas.
The newly recognized Protected Areas include publicly accessible areas: Gould Lake Conservation Area, Lyn Valley Conservation Area, and Mac Johnson Wildlife Area, and five ecological properties that are not publicly accessible. All eight locations are located within the UNESCO Frontenac Arch Biosphere Region, which is recognized globally for its exceptional natural and cultural value.
Cataraqui Conservation is pleased to see its valued and long-standing partnership with the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Network come to such an important result. “The recognition of these properties as Protected Areas is the result of hard work and co-operation from both organizations, municipalities and community stakeholders” said Tom Beaubiah, Manager, Conservation Lands for Cataraqui Conservation. Earning Protected Status recognizes these lands are important habitats for plant and animal life.
Protected Area status was made possible through an ongoing collaboration between Cataraqui Conservation and FABN, as well as generous funding support from Kawartha Credit Union and the City of Brockville. In 2022, FABN received funds from Environment and Climate Change Canada to work with local conservation groups to assess and report areas meeting the pan-Canadian standards – https://www.canada.ca/en/services/environment/wildlife-plants-species/species-risk/pan-canadian-approach.html – to count towards Canada’s biodiversity targets. The most recent targets include the international commitment to protect 30% of land and water by 2030 in Canada, or “30×30” – https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/news/2022/12/government-of-canada-recognizing-federal-land-and-water-to-contribute-to-30-by-30-nature-conservation-goals.html
Protected Areas within the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Region provide critical support to a variety of species at risk of extinction. This is vital habitat for Snapping Turtles (Chelydra serpentine), Blanding’s Turtles (Emydoidea blandingii), Wood Thrush (Hylocichla mustelina), Bald Eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), Black Ash (Fraxinus nigra), Eastern Pondmussel (Ligumia nasuta), and many others.
“For decades, Cataraqui Conservation has been doing critical work to protect waters and vulnerable habitats in the Frontenac Arch Biosphere Region. We are very pleased that these contributions to biodiversity conservation have now achieved the international recognition they deserve,” says Christine Grossutti, Conservation Project Manager at FABN.
https://cataraquiconservation.ca/blogs/news/nearly-2-000-hectares-of-cataraqui-conservation-properties-are-now-protected-areas?_pos=1&_sid=3b4182b0a&_ss=r
3. Utilities Kingston’s Advice on Potential Flooding Issues in your Home
https://utilitieskingston.com/Wastewater/BasementFlooding/FloodFacts
4. Local Fluoridation Issue
Editor’s Note: Personally I am in favour of fluoridation as it has been shown to prevent cavities and it is advocated by many health authorities when used appropriately. I include the following correspondence from Eric Walton, May 14, 2024, for your information. It is important to look at all sides in discussions like this.
As you probably know the City of Kingston has re-started the process of investigating municipal fluoridation after a three year pause. I have an attached below a letter I recently sent to the Mayor and Councillors alerting them to further new evidence of neurotoxic risk from municipal fluoridation and the need to apply the Precautionary Principle on this matter as the science rapidly evolves. The current U.S. Federal trial on Fluoridation is a real eye-opener – especially the testimony of experts in the field – and the kind of delaying and suppressing tactics of proponents of fluoridation. There are also impacts on the local environment beyond humans.
https://iaomt.org/resources/fluoride-facts/fluoride-pollution-environment/#:~:text=Fluoride%20naturally%20exists%20in%20the,products%2C%20and%20other%20consumer%20items.
From: Eric Walton <ewalton@cogeco.ca>
Date: May 12, 2024 at 2:28:52 PM EDT
Subject: Re: Letter to Mayor and Councillors May 12/2024
Dear Mayor Paterson and City Councillors,
I understand that Council has re-started the process of evaluating the case for municipal fluoridation. In an earlier letter to the previous Council I suggested that there are now sufficient scientific “red flag” studies around this practice to consider the application of “The Precautionary Principle” and that it would be unwise to proceed with municipal fluoridation until the water clears – pardon the pun. Since then a new scientific debate has emerged around the neurotoxicity of fluoridation especially for pregnant woman and individuals suffering for kidney issues which makes it more difficult to excrete fluoride and leads to a build-up in their bodies. I was particularly struck by some of the information emerging from the current U.S. Federal trial on the neurotoxicity of fluoridation. https://fluoridealert.org/articles/fluoride-on-trial/
There are alternative strategies that are lower risk until we fully understand the impact of municipal fluoridation on all human body system and which would simultaneously address the valid equity issue raised in the recent Whig Standard article about the fluoridation question. In the Comments section I wrote:
Matt – The free dental care that Israel implemented is not what I am proposing as a pro-active treatment and education strategy for Kingston. As you know a program for free dental care has finally arrived in Canada and once fully implemented will no doubt make a difference for many families. What I am suggesting is a much more substantial local public health engagement at the school level utilizing the significant capital investment and operating expenses that would otherwise be spent on municipal fluoridation and with additional new funding from the Canada Dental Program. For example Kingston could pilot a mobile fully-equipped dental clinic that would spend a week each year – more or less depending on circumstances – outside of each Elementary and Middle school beginning with the ones with greatest need. In conjunction with diagnosis/treatment the mobile clinic would run a number of programs inside the school identifying a range of relevant issues connected to dental health needing problem-solving effort as well as providing age appropriate preventative education. Since this would be done on repetitive annual visiting program the results would be assessed for effectiveness and changes made as necessary. During summer break the mobile dental clinic could serve seniors who for a number of reasons are unable to access adequate dental care and thus also provide an essential outreach and feedback public health function.
Regards, Eric Walton
More Info? Eric Walton – 613-888-5558
5. Update from the Kingston Coalition for Active Transportation
Received from KCAT, May 16, 2024
https://mailchi.mp/945ffa4461c9/kcat-may-2024?e=704744be18
Here are some highlights:
| Williamsvile Update We are pleased to report that your voices and support have been heard. As a result of significant public pushback to retain and improve the cycling lanes on Princess St a new Option 2B has been developed that includes raised cycle tracks in the redesign for the entire length of the study area from Division to Drayton on the north and Division to Regent on the south. Thank you for all you have done to help make this happen! The design currently considers that the cycle track will be constructed a minumum of -.15m higher than the adjacent vehicular lanes, and 0.15m lower than the adjacent sidewalk. The cycle tracks will be physically separated from the vehicle lanes by a 0.6 wide mountable curb and gutter, except at intersections. |
| Released by the City on May 13th, “a technical memo has been prepared to provide the rationale for examining a third alternative design for Princess Street in more detail. It also explores the details of this new alternative, including design elements, design challenges and opportunities, and anticipated operational changes relative to the previously considered design alternatives.” View the technical memo on Get Involved Kingston. – https://getinvolved.cityofkingston.ca/williamsville-transportation-study/news_feed/williamsville-transportation-study-alternative-design-memo Your support is needed now more than ever to help ensure this option is approved by City Council. Staff will present the new Option 2B at a special meeting of the Engineering, Infrastructure and Transportation Policy (EITP) Committee, for their recommendation, on May 28th 6 pm, City Council Chambers, Kingston City Hall. To learn more about the meeting, see – https://www.cityofkingston.ca/city-%20hall/committees-boards/environment-infrastructure-transportation-policies-committee/ How you can help:Attend the EITP meeting. If you are unable to attend in-person, a link for Zoom registration will be posted on the meeting’s webpage. If you wish to speak to the EITP committee. Email Allison Hannah, Committee Clerk (ahannah1@cityofkingston.ca) 48 hours prior to the meeting to register to make a delegation (5 minute maximum). Or ask one of the councillors involved if you can be added at the last minute.Email City Councillor members of EITP with comments. Send comments to Allison Hannah, Committee Clerk (ahannah1@cityofkingston.ca) who will forward to Committee Members: Councillors Cinanni (Chair), Stephen (Vice-Chair), Amos, Chaves, Hassan, and Tozzo. |
6. Police Warn of Two Scams + Facebook Scam
6.1 Update: Police warn of paving scam in Kingston neighbourhoods (kingstonist.com)
Do consider subscribing to the Kingstonist for first-hand accounts. I can no longer copy and paste.
The gist of this article is that suspects offer to repave the victim’s driveway at a steeply discounted cash rate. Work is either left incomplete or the paving is of poor quality. Beware!
6.2 Police Advise Public to not be fooled by Scam Based Spear Phishing Attempts
Received from Kingston Police, May 23, 2024
In a recent scam, cybercriminals are trying to scam members of the public by sending text messages from an unknown number claiming to be from your boss. The texts contain a lot of detailed information about your workplace, making them seem legitimate. They seem legitimate because the scammers research your organization and manager/boss before texting you. They use the information they find in their research to try and trick you into believing that you are actually speaking with your manager/boss. This scam is a type of personalized phishing attack known as spear phishing.
The scammers send casual messages about your organization to put you at ease before moving to what they really want, which is money. They tell you that they have a business expense that they urgently need to pay for. Then, they ask you to send them money using a cryptocurrency such as Bitcoin. If you send it to them, the money will go directly to the cybercriminals. You may then end up needing to speak to your real manager/boss to explain what happened!
Follow these tips to avoid falling victim to a spear phishing scam:
– Be skeptical if you receive a message from an unknown number, especially if you are being asked to act urgently.
– Any unexpected financial request should be treated very cautiously. It is highly unlikely that your actual manager/boss would ask you to send them money using cryptocurrency.
– If you receive an unusual message, follow your business or organization’s reporting policy. Others in your organization may be receiving similar messages. By reporting the message quickly, you can help prevent other attacks from being successful.
Anyone who believes they may have been contacted by these suspects is asked to contact the Kingston Police at 613-549-4660 ext. 0. You can also provide tips anonymously by calling the Kingston Police general number 613-549-4660 ext. 0 and asking to remain anonymous.
6.3 A Facebook Scam.
Editor’s Note: I heard on the news this morning of a Facebook Scam where a clone of a person is made and there is an announcement that they are downsizing and selling off a lot of their stuff. People send money and do not receive anything. A lot of money has been lost. Facebook doesn’t seem to be doing anything about this.
7. Invitation from Seniors for Climate Action Now – June 7
Who: Members of SCAN! – Seniors for Climate Action NOW! Kingston
What: Second annual BBQ to which are invited youth climate activists, SCAN! members and those who have shown an interest in SCAN!
Where: 15 Redan St., Kingston
When: June 7, 5-7 pm
Details: Bring friends, appetite, and enthusiasm. Vegies options available, BYOB
RSVP: Jamie Swift – swiftjamie46@gmail.com
8. Vicki’s Substack Post on the Downtown Tragedy – Kingston’s Tallest Tower Emerges
Received from vickischmolka@substack.com, May 21, 2024
The under-construction Homestead building on Queen Street between Ontario and King Streets was at nine storeys last week. This is the height that the late George Baird recommended as a reasonable and compatible height for its downtown location. Mr. Baird taught at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Design and was the Dean of the University of Toronto School of Architecture.
He was one of the witnesses at the second Ontario Land Tribunal hearing, the one that approved the 23-storey building. Homestead was denied permission for this building height at the first Tribunal hearing.
This 8-minute video – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB_cIujIQeM made before the second Tribunal hearing presents George Baird’s 9-storey proposal, which provided almost the same number of units (“product”). Note that at the 3 minute mark there is music. The video starts again at 3:45.
Next to go up, the 17-storey Homestead tower on Queen Street between King and Wellington Streets.
For reference, Anna Lane at the corner of Bagot and Queen Streets is 9 storeys. The under-construction Crown Condos, opposite the Grand Theatre, between Montreal and Sydenham Streets is also 9 storeys.
9. Update in Kingston’s New Green Burial Site and How You Can Help
| Received from Green Burials Kingston, May 19, 2024 |
| Understandably, many people are asking about when exactly the promised plots for natural burial at Pine Grove will be available. Sue and I are among those eager to hear when we can purchase a plot, so we understand any impatience. Well, the wheels seem to grind slowly but they are still grinding. What we experience as delays are due mainly to the fact, as expressed by Derek Ochej at City Hall, that the City of Kingston simply has no experience in this field. Since the City became responsible for Pine Grove Cemetery in 1998, only a handful of conventional burials have occurred, and handling them was a matter of simple on-demand outsourcing. Now that 83 green burial plots have been promised at Pine Grove—to great interest in the community—correct procedures must be followed, to ensure that the growing demand for earth-friendly alternatives are appropriately met. The Bereavement Authority of Ontario, that oversees law and policy, must be satisfied that the new areas in the burial ground are appropriate, and that legal requirements will be met. From speaking with these powers-that-be, I have the strong impression that one, they are indeed trying to move things along and two, that some resolution will be found for currently outstanding queries in the very near future. So watch this space! We’ll certainly pass on the good news as soon as it is released! I’ve mentioned that 83 plots have been promised. Expressions of interest have come from 85 people. It would be even better if there were more names. If you haven’t yet contacted Derek Ochej, Acting Deputy City Clerk (Kingston), saying that you’d be interested in the possibility of a green burial plot (no commitment!), it would be grand if we grew that list of 85 to closer to 200! Indeed, while repurposing part of an existing cemetery is a good start, other possibilities exist. Green Burial Kingston has always held to the idea that more than one initiative is worth following. Pine Grove Cemetery will open for natural burial soon, but within the GBK Working Group we’re always on the lookout for possible sites for a standalone, independent green burial cemetery. This is a priority that we’ll discuss in the next Newsletter. However, if anyone reading this knows of potential sites that would be worth exploring, please be in touch. Such sites could be part of an existing farm property, for instance, or some other suitable land. As long as they’re easily accessible—say within 30 minutes’ drive of downtown Kingston—they’re worth considering. Of course, questions of ownership, the suitability of the terrain, including proximity to watercourses and so on, will all be significant factors to be addressed. |
10. Sustainable Kingston’s Commuter Challenge – June 2 – 8
Received from Sustainable Kingston, May 24, 2024
| Still time to register your workplace for Commuter Challenge 2024! |
| What, When & Why: June 2-8, 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 Canadian Environment Week. 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 2-8, log your sustainable commute on commuterchallenge.ca. (Your colleagues do the same on their own!) AND if you are on the east side of the river, Roll into KFPL Public Library on June 6 between 7:30 and 9:00 am to grab a muffin, fill up your coffee mug and check out their alternative transportation calculator! |
Editor’s Note: You can also just enroll on your own. You may be amazed at how much you save.
FROM FARTHER AFIELD
11.Lafarge Canada and Geocycle Canada announce pilot completion for clean cement clinker, Canadian Manufacturing, May 14, 2024. Lafarge Canada and Geocycle Canada, members Holcim Group, announce the completion of a pilot at the Lafarge Brookfield Cement Plant (Nova Scotia) to produce clinker made of recycled minerals recovered from waste sources, which can potentially reduce CO2 level by 60% per tonne of clinker. Clinker is the main ingredient in cement, which in turn, is the active ingredient in concrete. David Redfern, president and CEO, Lafarge Canada (East) and Andrew Stewart, Vice President, Cement, Lafarge Canada (East), are quoted.
12. Mayors promise ‘blue-green corridor’ along Great Lakes-St. Lawrence, Montreal Gazette, May 15, 2024. Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson signed a declaration Wednesday supported by more than 260 mayors, which aims to transform the Great Lakes—St. Laurence Lowlands into a “blue-green economic corridor of the 21st century.”
13. ‘Forever chemicals’ are coming into Great Lakes through air, rainfall, new study shows, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, My 16, 2024. A considerable amount of “forever chemicals” are making their way into the Great Lakes via the air and rain, a new study says. In fact, the findings published in Environmental Science and Technology, show that it is the primary way PFAS end up in Lake Superior, offering a stark reminder that even the lake that’s considered the most pristine isn’t safe from the toxic chemicals.
14. 12 facts about the Great Lakes that you might not know, Classic City News, May 17, 2024. The Great Lakes – Erie, Huron, Michigan, Ontario, and Superior – hold one-fifth of all the fresh water on the Earth’s surface. Their combined coastline extends for over 10,000 miles. But those facts are pretty basic. Whether it’s pirates, shipwrecks, or Babe Ruth’s first official home run, these fascinating tidbits are a bit less straightforward.
15. Winged cargo ship with revolutionary tech features completes impressive trial at sea, The Cool Down, May 22, 2024. One cargo ship is proving that the future of shipping can be both cheaper and cleaner by harnessing a powerful natural resource: the wind. The Pyxis Ocean, a 47,000-ton bulk freighter chartered by Cargill, recently completed a groundbreaking six-month sea trial using a combination of diesel engines and high-tech sails, according to New Atlas. During its trial run across the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans, the Pyxis Ocean saved a whopping 3.3 tons (over 6,000 pounds) of fuel per day. That means this innovative transport vessel kept about 24,000 pounds of toxic carbon dioxide out of our atmosphere daily – which, over the course of the six months, is equivalent to keeping around 480 cars off the road, based on a calculator from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
16.Biggest annual gathering of Great Lakes researchers has begun, Toledo Blade, May 21, 2024. The largest annual gathering of Great Lakes scientists began Tuesday and will continue through the end of the week in Windsor, Ontario. More than 700 freshwater researchers and practitioners are attending the 67th annual conference hosted by the International Association for Great Lakes Research. The event is at Caesars Windsor. Topics include western Lake Erie algal blooms, Great Lakes climate change, the emergence of PFAS chemicals, also known as “forever chemicals,” and pollution cause by microplastics.
FOR FUN AND GENERAL INTEREST
17. Fun in the City by Bike
Steve Lawrence runs Kingston by Bike and leads really interesting three hour guided city tours by bike. Even if you live here, you will discover new things about Kingston. The city tour includes many cultural and natural points of interest including, parks, trails, harbours, prisons etc. The route is suitable for beginners and is at a leisurely pace. If you have guests, they can rent bikes at ahoyrentals.com, 21 Ontario St. Kingston, ON, 613-549-4277. Steve will also custom create a tour to suit your specific interests. He is a certifified can-bike instructor.
Information, prices and to book: ahoyrentals.com/Kingston-bike-tours or contact him directly @fractalsteve or fractals@kingston.net
18. What’s the Climate-friendly Way to Get Rid of Worn-out Clothes and Linens?
Received from CBC What on Earth, May 2, 2024
| Lindsay Zalot gets as much wear out of her clothes as she can. She’s passed along outfits to friends at clothing swaps, and she donates things she’s finished with to thrift stores. But she wonders what to do with clothing that doesn’t seem to be re-sellable. Like old PJs, for example. “Pajamas seem to be the thing that gets to the end of the line,” she told the podcast and radio show What On Earth. Zalot, who lives in Burlington, Ont., is concerned about her personal carbon footprint, and wants to make sure she’s taking a climate-friendly approach to old clothing and linens that seem worn out or beyond repair. “What do we do with those? Hopefully the answer’s not landfill,” she said. According to Sabine Weber, professor of sustainable fashion at Seneca Polytechnic in Toronto, it’s definitely not. Weber has researched textile waste and found that 65 per cent of textiles in Ontario’s residential waste stream were good enough to be reused. “Twenty-five per cent was really good enough, it could go directly into a store,” she said. “And about 40 per cent would require some kind of a repair.” Producing textiles has climate and environmental impacts. The United Nations estimates that clothing and footwear manufacturing make up between two and eight per cent of global carbon emissions. Textile waste in the landfill releases methane, a powerful greenhouse gas, as it decomposes. Weber said when re-usable textiles go in the garbage, there’s also a lost economic opportunity. The market for second-hand goods in Canada is growing. She said there’s also a market for Canada’s used textiles in other countries, and that even damaged clothing and linens could find a second life. “The problem is we, as consumers, don’t know what is valuable or what is not valuable,” she said. “[So], I usually advise people that they should donate everything if it is dry, clean and odourless.” |
| Weber explained that items dropped in charity donation bins are sold by the pound to second-hand stores. Anything that doesn’t sell after it’s been in a store for a few weeks, as well as anything that’s not sellable at all – such as worn-out bed sheets – is sold to a textile broker, who sorts it into categories. The best clothing can end up in markets in other countries, such as one that Weber visited in Tanzania last year, where she saw clothes with stains and holes being cleaned and repaired. “There was a lot of upcycling,” she said. Fabric items that are very worn out, such as old sheets or clothes that can’t be repaired, might be cut up for cleaning rags, or shredded and turned into a product called shoddy, which can be used to make insulation or carpet underpadding. “So there is a big demand.” But advocates say the lowest category of textiles — fabric that’s very poor quality, such as thin synthetic fabric used by fast fashion brands, or extremely soiled — should not be sent to other countries. “That’s the stuff that they don’t want and we shouldn’t be dumping it there. That really is waste colonialism,” said Kelly Drennan, founding executive director of the advocacy group Fashion Takes Action. Drennan said true recycling of textiles is not happening on a large scale. While there are small businesses that make new clothes out of recycled natural fibres like wool and cotton, Drennan said it’s expensive to pay people to sort, shred and process fabric so that it can be made into new products — especially when it’s clothing. “Bed sheets are easy, clothing is complicated,” she said. “It’s got buttons and zippers and sequins and three or four different fibres blended together.” According to the European Parliament, less than one per cent of all textiles worldwide is currently recycled into new products. The EU is working on regulations to address that problem. Drennan said Canada needs to either start recycling textiles or support fabric recycling in other countries. She said that work could be funded by forcing manufacturers to pay for the costs of recycling their products — a policy known as “extended producer responsibility.” In the meantime, Drennan said, the best way for Canadians to reduce their textile waste is by buying only what they need, investing in good quality, durable goods and taking care of clothing and linens to make them last as long as possible. – Rachel Sanders 19. Ocean Mud is Mighty When it Comes to Tackling Climate Change Received from the National Observer, May 17 – Rochelle Baker |
#71 of 71 articles from the Special Report:Oceans, Waterways & Coastlines
Mud is what matters for the ocean’s natural ability to store massive amounts of carbon and buffer global warming.
Oceans absorb an enormous amount of human-caused emissions, sinking as much as 48 per cent of the carbon produced by burning fossil fuels. And sea floor sediments, in particular, are estimated to hold more of these “blue carbon” stores than all the soil on land.
“Muddy sediment is where you often have really high carbon,” said Graham Epstein, a member of Canada’s Blue Carbon project, a collective scientific effort to assess the country’s coastal carbon reservoirs.
It’s often a hard sell to tell people that thick, gloopy mud – which often doesn’t look that prettyBoasting the longest coast in the world, Canada potentially has numerous seabed reserves, but needs a better understanding of where carbon hot spots are to preserve them, said Epstein, a researcher at University of Victoria.
Fortunately, he and other university researchers and ocean conservation groups involved in the blue carbon initiative have produced the first national map predicting the location of Canada’s richest ocean carbon deposits.
Canada is estimated to hold 10.9 billion tonnes (10 gigatons) of carbon within the top 30 centimetres of its ocean sediment, according to the study.
Across the Pacific, Atlantic and Arctic oceans, the highest carbon density was determined in small areas near shore, particularly in B.C.’s deep, winding inlets and fiords and sections of the Salish Sea, along with sheltered near-shore areas of the Atlantic east coast.
Relatively high carbon densities were also predicted to occur further offshore in deeper channels or troughs within the Gulf of St Lawrence, the central Scotian Shelf and at the edge of the continental slope west of Vancouver Island.
“It’s often a hard sell to tell people that thick, gloopy mud is the really good stuff that we need to think about protecting,” says Graham Epstein with the Canada Blue Carbon project.
A new study as part of the Canada Blue Carbon project with Oceans North and University of Victoria has mapped the country’s ocean carbon hotspots.
Carbon is best stored in deeper sites where there isn’t typically a lot of wave action or disturbance from strong currents, Epstein noted.
“Fjords are a really good example of this because you have these really steep, steep topographies going to quite deep depths at the bottom,” he said.
“You can have a lot of delivery of carbon to the sea floor in sheltered, enclosed environments where the sediment and organic matter can accumulate.”
Atmospheric carbon is stored in the ocean in two ways, either through a “physical” or “biological” pump. In the first instance, carbon dioxide diffuses or mixes into seawater at the ocean’s surface as part of a chemical process before being transferred to the deep ocean in regions where cold, denser surface water sinks and remains trapped for long periods of time.
However, organic carbon finds its way to the sea floor when phytoplankton absorb carbon dioxide during photosynthesis to generate energy when they also release oxygen. The carbon stored in the small organisms may be “captured” again as larger marine animals eat them.
However, dead phytoplankton or other dead marine animals or waste can sink to the sea floor as “marine snow,” where they form thick layers of carbon-rich matter in sediment that can remain trapped for millennia, as long as they remain undisturbed.
These blue carbon stores are often overlooked as potential nature-based solutions in the fight against climate change. More attention is paid to land-based efforts to protect forests, tundra or soil, Epstein said.
However, estimates suggest Canada’s ocean sediments potentially store 100 times more carbon than all coastal seagrass beds and salt marshes combined and about half of all the carbon in forests.
Blue carbon storage is vulnerable to human activities, including bottom trawl fishing, shipping, energy generation, telecommunication construction, deep-sea mining and pollution from land-based activity, Epstein added.
But knowing where the best carbon storage sites are can help inform fisheries plans, or sites for marine-protected areas, or help prioritize locations for further research on the ground, he added.
The new ocean carbon map, which relied on limited existing data about ocean carbon storage in Canada and employs a predictive model to determine the estimates around carbon storage, is a good tool but needs to be followed up with more effort and scientific data, he suggested.
“The map is still a guide and the best guess based on the data we have,” Epstein said.
“It’s a first step to start directing research or management to start thinking about which areas are most important and what sort of activities or conservation or management actions we might want to consider.”
Editor’s Note: Perhaps this is worth considering – in opposition to the proposed dredging in Kingston’s Inner Harbour?
20. Theatre Kingston’s Fun 70s Costumed Garden Party All Welcome!
What: Celebrating 32 years of Theatre Kingston + Announcement of ‘24/25 season
Join in for an evening of the groovy vibes of yesteryear to support thought-provoking performances that push boundaries and redefine storytelling. Our diverse lineup of performances and educational activities ensures there’s something for everyone throughout the year, making this event a must-attend for those who crave unique and enriching cultural experiences. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to immerse yourself in a world where creativity knows no bounds and community spirit thrives!
Where: Broom Factory, 305 Rideau St.
When: Wed, June 12, 2024, 7 pm
Tickets?https://www.theatrekingston.com/garden-party.html
More info? Rosemary Doyle, 416-845-9411, or rosemary@theatrekingston.com
21. Fun Springtime Dandelion Crafts for Kids
https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/42854633942807748/
https://littlepinelearners.com/a-classic-dandelion-activity-to-try-today/#:~:text=We%20tried%20the%20classic%20way,Simple%20as%20that!
https://www.google.com/search?q=kids+crafts+ideas+with+dandelions&oq=kids+crafts+ideas+with+dandelions&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCTEwODcyajBqN6gCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#vhid=DOjPDntlFVus2M&vssid=l
So that’s it for now.
Cheers,
Mary Farrar, President, Friends of Kingston Inner Harbour