Caine's Arcade

Here is a little inspiration and motivation for the rest of your week...


Caine's Arcade is a fully functional cardboard arcade built by 9-year old Caine Monroy in his father's small auto-part shop.


Check out the video below to see how far a little creativity, many recycled boxes, and a 9-year old boy's dream can go. 

For more information on Caine and his arcade visit Caine's Website


Happy Tuesday!


- M

Green Your Camping

With spring finally here, and the warm weather approaching, I along with my boyfriend and family have been getting camping fever. There's nothing more relaxing then waking up early morning with the fresh summer breeze flowing through your tent, the scent of the dew-filled forest around you, and the sound of the chirping birds or gentle coo's of a loon in the background. Yupp... I reeeeeeally am getting the itch to go camping.

Algonquin 2011

Being Canadian and having such a vast amount of untouched beautiful land to explore, camping is a great way to experience the Great Canadian Outdoors... but it is important to remember that all of this untouched land is only untouched by humans... it is the home to millions of species - both animals and vegetation.


Below I have listed a few tips on how to be more of a green camper...


Tip # 1
       Eliminate Garbage - try your best to pack items that do not have plastic or metal packaging - aim for items that are either packaged in cardboard and re-pack items into reusable containers. If you do bring plastic or metal garbage - take it home with you and recycle/dispose it accordingly.


Tip # 2
       Do not burn Plastic - only burn paper, cardboard, leaves, or wood - and do not just cut any branch off to burn, be sure to ask the park supervisors where you're staying about fire wood - some may allow you to use wood from the forest that is already dry and dead. Also, be sure your fire is in a designated fire pit or if there is no pit, in a dry, grass-less and vegetation-less area.


Tip # 3
       Do not Feed the Animals - trust me... I know they are super cute, and you think you're just helping them out but realistically you are harming them. When animals are constantly fed by campers, they become dependent on being fed rather than finding their own food making it more difficult for them to find food when there are no campers around. It also attracts more animals to your campsite which can be both bothersome and dangerous. Also, burn leftover scraps of food rather than burying them. This will keep animals from coming to your campsite at night and digging up the leftovers. 

Alogonquin 2011

Tip # 4
      Use Biodegradable Soaps - Especially if there are no bathroom facilities - but also know how to use biodegradable soaps, as they can still cause pollution in our water systems because they need soil and rocks to help break it down. When camping with no running water system be sure to rinse your hair, body and any dirty dish water at least 200 feet away from any body of water - this allows the soap to be filtered out of the water through the soil and rocks before it reaches the stream, river, or lake. Dig a hole at least a foot deep and try to dump most of the soapy water in the hole... not on vegetation. Again - this is for biodegradable soap, do not use regular brand-name soaps that are full of toxins and pollutants. 


Tip # 5
      Shop Locally - As you're driving to your campground you may pass a bunch of local farmer stands with fresh fruit and veggies. Not to mention the little towns that most likely have small local bakeries and delis. Try to purchase most of your food supplies from these vendors. See my Shop Local blog post for the benefits of supporting local vendors. 


Tip # 6
      Pick A Clear Spot - for setting up camp that is. Most campgrounds will have designated campsites, even in the backcountry of Algonquin National Park. Whether you have a designated site or not, be sure that you pick a clear, flat spot away from large hills for your tent. This will not only protect you from the lumpy ground or from rainwater running off the hill and building up under your tent... it will also help keep vegetation from being destroyed and flattened by your tent. 

Alongonquin 2011

Tip # 7
      The Classic - Take only memories, leave nothing but footprints 


For more tips from friendly staff on camping and great green camping products visit your nearest Mountain Equipment Co-op!!!


What are some of your favourite camping memories/tips/experiences?


- M
 

Green Bin Pilot Project

Hey Friends, 


Sorry for the delay in a blog post, I have been busy finishing up exams and now getting back into my work schedule for the summer.


This past weekend I was in Toronto with my boyfriend, and as we were walking around we noticed that many of the residences had Green Bins. For those of you who may not know what Green Bins are, well they are composting bins!! So the residents of Toronto can compost all of their household food waste (coffee grinds, eggshells, waste from produce and even things such as newspaper, leaves, brown bags, etc...). This compost can then be used as a fertilizer in gardens and parks as it puts nutrients and moisture back into the soil and helps feed microorganisms and insects that benefit the growth of gardens.


Russel (my boyfriend) and I have always talked about how we would compost if we had the proper outdoor space, but being in an apartment, and having no backyard makes composting impossible..... that is unless the city came out with a Green Bin program (just like our recycling/garbage pick up programs).


I thought I would look into what options London has for composting, and even thought about starting a campaign of some kind to get something started... but to my discovery (and liking) London has already implemented a test-run for composting called the Green Bin Pilot Project. They have approximately 750 households in the Pond Mills and Glen Cairn area participating in the Green Bin Pilot Project, and based on feedback they may end up implementing it all throughout London. 

via http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/Garbage/greenbin.htm

To me it only makes sense that London would start to collect compost from it's residents. Think of all the money that could be saved from London if it used the compost in it's many parks rather than spending money on fertilizer. Not to mention, it is one step closer towards a greener London.


For more information the Green Bin Pilot Project and composting in general, check out the City of London's Website. 


What are your thoughts on the Green Bin Pilot Project? Do you think it will be implemented throughout London in the near future?


- M