April 2016

Eco-NewsEco-NewsEco-NewsEco-NewsEco-NewsEco-NewsEco-NewsEco-NewsEco-News

The Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategy isleading a public consultation process to evaluatesupport for a bylaw that allows urban chickensin Thunder Bay. An on-line survey and recentpublic Open House on the topic at the CLE havegenerated a lot of public interest in this issue.There has been a lot of support expressed, andwhile there are also naysayers, many objectionscome from a lack of knowledge. Few peoplehave much experience with chicken keeping ona backyard scale. We’ve tried to address manyof the myths and fears on the TBFood Strategywebsite.

More than 465 people have completed thesurvey to date. Seventy eight percent are infavour of changing the bylaw to allow backyardchickens. The top three reasons for wanting tohave backyard chickens are to have fresh eggs,to have more control over the family’s food sup-ply, and to have a closer connection with ourfood.The survey at https://www.surveymon-key.com/r/BackYardChickens will remain openuntil the deputation to Thunder Bay CityCouncil takes place later this spring.

Several years ago, thousands of homeown-ers took advantage of a government programdesigned to encourage people to make theirhomes more energy-efficient. Now, a similarprogram is coming back to Ontario, with theprovince investing $100 million in energygrants for homeowners.

Full details on the program have not beenreleased at the time of printing, but we do knowthat the program will be operating throughUnion Gas, and it will eventually be open tonon-gas customers as well. Phase One of theprogram is currently available only to UnionGas customers, with grants up to $2500 perhousehold. Grant amounts may change in thenext phase of the program, but currentlyinclude furnace replacement, attic, basement or

wall installation, air-sealing, windows andmore. A home energy evaluation pre- and post-renovation will be required in order to accessthe grants. At least two energy-saving renosmust be completed to qualify for a grant.Details can be found at EcoSuperior’s website.

EcoSuperior is Thunder Bay’s largestprovider of home energy evaluations. DonRutledge, our NRcan Certified EnergyAdvisor, has been helping homeowners reduceenergy costs for more than a decade. If you areplanning renovations that may be eligible for agrant, we suggest starting to gather contractorquotes or estimates as soon as possible. Checkour website for details, then contact the officeat 624-2141 to schedule an appointment foryour home energy evaluation.

Inside• Rain Garden Rebates• Summer Day Camp Fun• New Drainage Rebates• Bike Valet Returns• All About Nanoparticles

Home Energy Grants Return!

Hens a Hot Topic

Katya Gordon and her family have owned and operated Amicus Adventure Sailing out ofKnife River, MN, since 2010, with a 40-ft. steel sailboat, Amicus II. Each spring, they take pas-sengers and crew (up to 8 total on the boat) on extended voyages around Lake Superior. In2014, feeling passionate and urgent about climate change and wanting to do more in engage-ment and solutions, they embarked upon a 3-year project called “Sea Change:” three month-long trips over three years (all in May-June), sailing to every manageable port on Lake Superiorover the 3 years, doing presentations to the public and to students about “Climate Change OnLake Superior” – what it looks like, what we are all experiencing, and what the solutions are.

This spring marks the third and final leg of the Sea Change Project, visiting the most remotesection of Lake Superior. In addition to Thunder Bay, other Canadian destinations include:Nipigon, Marathon, Rossport, Pic River First Nations, and Schreiber.

On Sunday, May 15, the Gordon family will be offering their Sea Change presentation inThunder Bay. Everyone is welcome at 3 pm at Mariners Hall at the waterfront. Prior to thepresentation, the Amicus II will be open for tours by the public from 10 to 2.

“The last two trips surpassed our highest expectations,” says Katya. “We’ve had it all – ice,snow, cold, fog, gales, climate skeptics. Needless to say, the trips have been both growthfuland life-changing for us as well as our crew. We are very excited about this final year andeverything is shaping up nicely – even the early spring!”

Sea ChangeComing Soon

For over a century, non-native species havebeen brought to Ontario for an array of uses,including agriculture, recreation, horticulture,the pet industry and even the food industry.What people don’t always understand, is thatmoving a species from its native (home) envi-ronment to a new environment where it hasnever existed before, can have detrimentaleffects on the economy, the environment andsociety, including human health.

When a species is accidentally, or intention-ally, released into an environment where it maynot otherwise exist the species is called non-native. If that species develops to out-competenative species for food, habitat, and mates wecall these invasive species. Invasive species arethe second largest threat to biodiversity.

There are over 184 aquatic invasive species inthe Great Lakes Basin, and an estimated 200invasive plants in Ontario. How does ThunderBay fit into this picture? According to the LakeSuperior Aquatic Invasive Species Guide (avail-able here: www.invadingspecies.com/resources/lake-superior-aquatic-invasive-species-guide/),there are an estimated 42 aquatic invasive fish,invertebrates and plant species in Lake Superior.

EcoSuperior is partnering with the InvasiveSpecies Centre (ISC) in Sault St Marie, and theOntario Invasive Plant Council (OIPC) inPeterborough to help identify, track, and eradi-

cate invasive species in Thunder Bay. This is thebeginning of a pilot project developed by boththe ISC and the OIPC.

We need your help! EcoSuperior is nowhome to an invasive plant eradication tool kit.Community groups, schools, businesses andindividuals can borrow a variety of specializedtools to help remove and dispose of invasiveplants that may be present on their property or intheir neighbourhoods. Currently, the tool kitallows users to remove common invasive plantsincluding; Japanese Knotweed, CommonBuckthorn, Garlic Mustard and HimalayanBalsam. To borrow the kit for a day or a week-end, contact our office.

If you are concerned that an invasive plantmay be on your property or in your neighbour-hood check out this website, http://www.invad-ingspecies.com/invaders/plants-terrestrial/, tohelp you indentify the species.

In addition to helping with eradication, resi-dents of Thunder Bay can help reduce the threatof invasive species by following these simpleguidelines;

• Do not purchase any invasive plants fromnurseries and greenhouses. Check out theGrow Me Instead Guide for Northern Ontario.Copies are available at EcoSuperior. or can bedownloaded at ontarioinvasiveplants.ca

• Check your equipment regularly! Invasivespecies, especially plants, are great hitchhik-ers and can be easily spread. If you cycle, usean ATV or even hike, check your equipment(and boots!) and brush or wash off any soil atthe trail you are using before venturing toanother location.

• Buy and use bait in the same area. Neverdump unused bait from one location intoanother body of water.

• Wash your boat off when you are done fish-ing for the day – especially if you plan to visita different lake the next time you head out.

• Don’t move firewood! Purchase and burn allwood onsite. Firewood can carry invasiveinsects, such as Emerald Ash Borer, that canhave rapid detrimental effects on tree species.

If you think there may be an invasive specieson your property or in your neighbourhood,you can report it here: www.eddmaps.org/.Not sure if you have the correct identification?This website can also help citizens to identifyinvasive species. Watch for EcoSuperior’s inva-sive species removal events this summer forsome rewarding volunteer opportunities.

Boardof DirectorsA big thank you to the individuals whogenerously provide time and expertise toguide the operation of EcoSuperior:President: Colin KellyConfederation College

Vice-President: Jane ToddRetired

Treasurer: Tim MatthewsStam Law

Secretary: Ken AllanThunder Bay District Health Unit

Director: Dr. Anthony GilliesLakehead University

Director: Bryan HepplerRetired

Director: Pat JohansenRetired

Director: Deneen BrighamOntario First Nations Technical Services

Director: Chris WaltonArbora Management Services Inc.

Director: Sara ChowThunder Bay Regional Health Sciences

Director: Lee SieswerdaThunder Bay District Health Unit

Director: James HeighColliers Project Leaders

ECO-NEWS • EcoSuperior • 2

Community PartnersThe many community programs and projects that you will read about in this newsletter would not bepossible without the efforts of those who finance and contribute to EcoSuperior’s activities. We extendour sincere gratitude to the individuals within these organizations who have helped us along the way.

• Acadia Broadcasting• CBC Radio• City of Thunder Bay• Cole Engineering• Confederation College• DST Consulting Engineers• Dougall Media• EarthCare Thunder Bay• Environment Canada• Form Architecture Engineering• Green Communities Canada

• Habitat for Humanity• Health Canada• Landale Gardens• MNP• Ministry of Transportation• Northern Ontario School

of Medicine• OLG Casino• Ontario Ministry of the

Environment & Climate Change• Ontario Power Generation

• Ontario Trillium Foundation• Pack Pros Plus• ReCool Canada• Resolute Forest Products• The Chronicle-Journal• T.B. District Health Unit• Tim Hortons• Township of Terrace Bay• Township of Marathon• Township of Nipigon• Union Gas

In addition to the list above, we must thank the many local businesses who make it possible for peo-ple to make the right choices; the local media that help us spread the word, and many volunteer andcommittee members who provide invaluable assistance.

EcoNews is produced by EcoSuperior Environmental Programs. Look for our regular editions inyour Chronicle Journal every April and October. All the articles are written by EcoSuperior staffunless otherwise credited. We are a non-profit organization, providing public educationprograms and encouraging environmental stewardship in the Lake Superior basin and beyond. Ifyou would like to comment on our programs, please contact us: 562 Red River Road, ThunderBay, Ont. P7B 1H3 Telephone 807-624-2140 • Fax 807-622-0005 • www.ecosuperior.orginfo@ecosuperior.org

One of These Things Just Doesn’t Belong

About Eco-News

Our Staff

Lucie LavoieAshley PriemAdam KrupperErin MoirJamie Saunders

Julia PrinselaarAynsley KlassenShannon CostiganKendal DonahueCaroline Cox

Bookkeeper: Kathy Deley

Intern: Chris Servais

Executive Director: Ellen Mortfield

Operations Supervisor: Jay Eingold

Program Coordinators:

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Himalayan Balsam

ECO-NEWS • EcoSuperior • 3

Does it matter where you buy seeds to plant inyour garden? They are widely available, not only atgarden centres but even hardware and grocery stores.With so many choices, how do you know what tolook for? Here are a few tips:

Organic Seeds have been grown under certifiedorganic conditions and come from plants that have

never been treated with chem-ical pesticides. If you areplanning to garden organical-ly, you might want to ensurethat all your seeds are organ-ic also. Some non-organicseeds come pre-treated withfungicides or other sub-stances – you must be sureto read the label and handlethese seeds with appropri-ate protection.

Heirloom or HeritageSeeds come from plants

that have been grown formany, many years, andhave a documented history.Seed companies that carryheirloom varieties often haveinteresting stories about thepeople and places associatedwith the documented historyof these seeds. If you save theseeds from any of these plants,you can be sure that the seedswill result in exactly the sameplants the next time you sow

them. All heirloom seeds must be open-pollinated,but not all open-pollinated seeds are heirloom seeds.

Open Pollinated Seeds are produced by plantsthat are pollinated naturally, that is by bees, birds,other insects or wind. You can save seeds from theseplants and be reasonably certain of getting the samecrop, unless you grow several varieties near eachother that may cross pollinate themselves.

Hybrid Seeds are from plants that have beencarefully cross-pollinated by humans from two ormore varieties to result in a plant that produces spe-cific characteristics such as the size, shape or colourof the fruit, vegetable or flower. If you save theseseeds, you may end up growing a plant that moreclosely resembles one of the parent varieties, notwhat you originally grew.

At EcoSuperior, we are pleased to offer a greatselection of seeds, including locally grown, open-pollinated heirloom varieties from Superior Seeds.We also carry vegetable, herb and wildflower seedsfrom Aimers, Cottage Gardener and Hawthorne,including unique varieties you won’t find anywhereelse in town.

The paper you are reading is manufactured by your friends & neighbourswho work at Resolute Forest Products – Thunder Bay Operations

ChoosingSeeds for

Your Garden

There are a whole lot of puddles out there thistime of year. As the snow melts, it flows alongcurbs into storm drains and directly into ourrivers and streams. Unfortunately, spring melt-water carries all sorts of debris and contami-nants that have accumulated in the snow intoour local streams as well. There is somethingthat we can all do to help—we can create raingardens in our yards to capture spring meltwa-ter as well as the rain runoff from our homes,garages, paved driveways and other hard sur-faces.

A rain garden is a landscaped depression thatwill soak up rain and snowmelt. The water isabsorbed into the soil, helping to rechargegroundwater while protecting local streams andproviding habitat for birds and butterflies.

The Rain Garden Rebate Program, funded bythe City of Thunder Bay’s Infrastructure &Operations Department and administered byEcoSuperior, will help you to install a rain gar-

den in your yard. EcoSuperior is offering a freeRain Garden Workshop that will showcasesome of the rain gardens that have been installedin the city, and teach you to create your own raingarden. The Rain Garden Workshop will beheld on Tuesday April 21st from 7-9pm at theThunder Bay Art Gallery workroom. Spacesare limited and on a first-come first-servedbasis. You must register in advance through ourwebsite at ecosuperior.org, or by calling theoffice at 624-2140. A second workshop will beheld in early May if the first workshop fills up.

In order to be eligible for the Rain GardenRebate program, you must have a current City ofThunder Bay water account and you must attendone of our rain garden workshops. Join us onApril 21st to learn how to install a rain garden,and find out if you are eligible for a Rain GardenRebate up to $500 for plants and supplies.

Capture rainwater and help protect ourstreams as well as our neighbourhoods!

potable water is avail-able and of course thepolicy allows for bot-tled water in emer-gency situations. Thenew resolution extendsthe ban to city-runevents but it doesn’tcover major events,such as Canada Daycelebrations or private-ly-run events at cityfacilities.

So how will theCity continue to meetthe public’s need toaccess potable water?Many city facilitiesalready have waterfountains or water bot-tle refilling stations like the one inside Mariner’sHall at Marina Park. In 2011 the City'sEnvironment Division created and launched theWater Bar, a portable water station that can beset up at events to provide the citizens ofThunder Bay with refreshing municipal water.The goal is to promote municipal water as thepreferred drinking water at outdoor events in

Thunder Bay. Organizations in Thunder Baycan book the Water Bar free of charge for eventsinvolving 500 or more participants andEcoSuperior handles the promotion, staffing andthe placement of the Water Bars. ContactEcoSuperior for more information or visit ourwebpage, where you will also find an onlineform for reserving the Water Bar.

Rain GardenRebates are back!

A Blue CommunityHow lucky are we to be living on the

shores of the world’s largest FreshwaterLake? Our tap water is safe, affordable,tested and delivered to our homes, andevery drop is Superior! And did you knowthat Thunder Bay is a Blue Communitytoo?

Last year on June 17th, Council ofCanadians Chair Maude Barlow presentedThunder Bay’s Mayor and City Councilwith a Blue Community certificate. Thiswas a proud moment for Thunder Bay andrecognized the City as a leader in provid-ing superior tap water and confirmed itscommitment to public water and wastewater services.

So what does this mean for city resi-dents? In addition to recognizing water asa human right and promoting publiclyfinanced, owned and operated water andwastewater services, the commitment callsfor the sale of single use bottled water inour City’s facilities and at its events to bephased out where tap water is available byMarch, 2016.

Thunder Bay already had a policy inplace that limited the distribution of bot-tled water at city facilities where safe,

The City of Thunder Bay offers up to $500towards the cost of installing a rain garden.A limited number of rebates are available ona first come, first served basis.

ECO-NEWS • EcoSuperior • 4

Keeping It SimpleSafe Cycling Thunder Baykicks off season with

Little Free Library Bike TourNatural! Organic! Plant-based! Have you

ever been confused by these marketing phrasesclaiming to be a greener alternative to so manyhouse-hold cleaning and personal care prod-ucts?

Many products we purchase everyday have along list of often unrecognizable ingredients –many of which we are learning can be harmfulto both human and environmental health.Household cleaning product labels are notrequired by law to list the ingredients. So aslong as it cleans well most of us don’t thinktwice about what might be in the product. Onthe other hand, personal care products arerequired by law to list the ingredients in theproduct, with the exception of the ‘trade secret’fragrance, perfume or parfum additives. Theseadded scents have been known to be developedfrom, in some cases, over 3,000 unique chemi-cal ingredients! Although commonly found incosmetic products, fragrances can also befound in house-hold cleaning products such aslaundry detergents, fabric softeners, and all-purpose cleaners.

Synthetic scents are becoming outlawed bymany workplace environments with scent-freepolicies. Many individuals have sensitivities tothese fragrances which can result in headaches,asthma triggers, and eye and skin irritation.Additionally, in laboratory tests, individual fra-grance ingredients have been associated with

cancer and neurotoxicity. Environment Canadahas categorized several synthetic musks asbioaccumulative.

From an ecological perspective, musk com-pounds are persistent in the environment andbuild up in fatty tissues of aquatic organisms.According to the Canadian Environmental LawAssociation, measurable levels of syntheticingredients can be found in fish all over theGreat Lakes.

So what’s a consumer to do? First read labelswhen purchasing house-hold cleaning productsand personal care products. If the list is longand you don’t understand many of the ingredi-ents, it may be a good idea to move on. Next,choose a product that is truly unscented. Takecare and watch out for product labels that are‘unscented’ and then list a fragrance-maskingagent on the ingredients list. These products arenot actually unscented. Third, if you are reallyhung up on scent, choose a product that is usesnatural, light, essential oils. Last, considermaking your own products! Thanks to the ageof technology the internet is loaded withresources for making effective house-holdcleaning and personal care products, includingEcoSuperior’s own Pinterest page!

Interesting in learning more about makingsafer choices? Book a lunch and learn presen-tation for your business or organization. Checkecosuperior.org/presentations for more details!

On May 14, Safe Cycling Thunder Bay’s publiccycling tours will kick off with a tour of the Little FreeLibraries of Port Arthur. Led by Little Free Library afi-cionados Ken and Ghislaine Shields – whose library isamong those featured – the tour teaches participantsabout Thunder Bay’s growing community of freelibraries. “Take a book, return a book” is the tagline ofthe Little Free Libraries movement, and participants areencouraged to bring a book from home and exchange itfor one they find at one of the street-side libraries.

The free eight-kilometer bike ride takes place onMay 14 from 1-3 pm, starting from the Thunder Bay55+ Centre. The leisurely pace is suitable for 55+ rid-ers, children aged 9+, and parents pulling trailers.Professional cycling instructors will join the ride andwill cover bike and helmet safety checks and an on-road skills review.

If you’d rather be in a garden than in a book, join theInvasive Species Tour on June 18. Led by staff from theInvasive Species Centre in Sault Ste. Marie – as well asprofessional cycling instructors – the tour will teach participants to identify and eradicate invasivespecies such as garlic mustard and Japanese knotweed. Participants will leave with knowledge thathelps them combat invasive species at home, at camp, and in the community.

Other rides include a family tour of Big Boreal Adventure sites on July 9 and a tour of ThunderBay’s coffee shops in August. Check EcoSuperior.eventbrite.ca for registration details about thesetours and additional offerings this summer. A bike and helmet in good working order are required.Most rides are free!

EXXpedition Great Lakes 2016On the 20th August 2016, people from all over the Great

Lakes region will take to our waterways to sail, paddle, wadeand walk in order to conduct the world’s largest simultane-ous sampling for microplastics in history. Leading the wayon this world-first event is a set of all-female crews sailingon the Great Lakes, Lake St Clair and the St Lawrence River,conducting science, raising awareness and standing up for ahealthier future. These boats will sail from key marinasthroughout the Great Lakes region – and will be hostinglaunch events in these villages, towns and cities.

EcoSuperior is acting as the local lead for Lake Superioractivities, and we are planning a shoreline clean up event aswell as opportunities for people to get involved on the water.Everyone is welcome to participate. For the lead sampling

boat, we are looking for a boat with a female crew to conductsome sampling – if you are interested, please contact Ellen atEcoSuperior at 624-2145.

The women in these crews represent a diverse cross-sec-tion of Great Lakes society – from scientists to artists, film-makers to farmers, teachers to lawyers but also mothers, sis-ters, daughters and friends. But above all, they are humanbeings willing to stand up and speak out for the future healthof our backyard – they are changemakers.

Alongside these lead boats, we are also inviting anyoneand everyone – male or female, adult or child, groups or soloadventurers – to get involved in whatever way they can.Whether people are joining the effort by sail, canoe, kayak,SUP or by foot – their contribution is absolutely vital to the

success of this mission to be a world first event! People willbe able to sign-up online to take part by: 1) Conducting watersamples for the Adventurers & Scientists for Conservation’sWorldwide Microplastics Project run by Dr Abby Barrows atthe Marine & Environmental Research Institute. They will beinvited to collect water samples by sail, canoe, kayak, SUP oreven wading in to the water. 2) Conducting shoreline cleanups combined with data collection for the Great CanadianShoreline Cleanup (Canada) and the Alliance for the GreatLake’s Adopt-A-Beach Program (USA). Anyone can sign-upto do both water sampling and shoreline clean-ups by visitingwww.eXXpedition.com/greatlakes2016. There is a link onthe website to the registration survey and more informationon next steps. Hope to see you on the lake in August!

ECO-NEWS • EcoSuperior • 5

Garden tomatoes in October. Cyclingin December. Melting skating rinks inJanuary. How do you picture climatechange in Northwestern Ontario?

If you’re noticing differences in biodi-versity, your lifestyle, local services orcommunity safety because of changingweather patterns, take a shot in the MyChanging Climate photo contest for achance to win monthly prizes and haveyour picture published in the ChronicleJournal! Shoot from your phone or a procamera – no experience required.

These photos are selected entriesfrom the My Changing Climate contest,which has been running for the last sixmonths and continues to October 2016.

Contest is open to Canadian resi-dents within the Lake Superior Basin(Thunder Bay to Sault Ste Marie). Forfull eligibility guidelines and details,visit www.ecosuperior.org. Thisphoto contest is delivered in partner-ship with EarthCare Thunder Bay.

Contest captures climate change

John Halet –Eastern Towhee

On Dec. 6 of this year, thisfemale eastern towhee arrived at

our feeder. This is a first eversighting/recording of a female

eastern towhee in NorthwesternOntario. Her winter habitatshould be in the Southern

United States.

Sharon Petrash –Lakeside View

“Take the sprinkle of whitestuff away and it would look like

any day in summer,” saysSharon Petrash, who

took this shot onJan. 9, 2016.

ConnieHartviksen –Winter Robin

This American Robin has beena daily visitor to my feeders since

Dec. 22, 2015. It was even thetop story on CTV news on

Jan. 1st, 2016!

Ken Shields –Thermometer

+6C on my deckJan. 30th in T. Bay?

That’s just notright.

BrendaTozer –

Pansy with Snowin Background Taken Dec. 8, 2015

in KakabekaFalls.

Northern Nature TradingMary J.L. Black LibraryTuesday ..................6 pm - 9 pmWednesday .............2 pm - 5 pmSaturday .................2 pm - 4 pm

Northern Nature Trading is funded in part by:

345-8275www.tbpl.ca

Northern Nature Trading is a special kind of swap shop! You can bring in the natural things you’ve found in nature - like rocks, shells, fossils and pine cones and trade for things in our collection.

Visit www.tbpl.ca/northernnaturetrading for more information.

NOTE: Summer hours may vary.

The arrival of springuncovers a menace to ourcommunity that has beenhidden underneath thewinter’s snow. Litter! Asmonths of snow meltaway, a staggering amount

of litter is revealed on our city streets and in our parks. Luckily,with spring comes another yearly event – Spring Up to CleanUp!

This May marks the 20th anniversary of Spring Up to CleanUp, the City of Thunder Bay’s city-wide community clean-up

program. The first campaign in 1997 saw sixty-five areas of thecity cleaned up by almost 5,000 participants. . These numbershave increased over the years to over 10, 000 dedicated volun-teers cleaning up over 250 areas of the community each year.

Help fight the battle against litter in our community! Joinforces this spring with these community superheroes that dongloves and safety vests and rid our city of litter during SpringUp to Clean Up.

This year’s campaign is going to be bigger and better thanever! There is a growing swell of pride in our community andcitizens are stepping up and answering the call for actionagainst the litter that plagues our city streets. Participate by

joining one of our community clean-up events or plan and reg-ister a clean-up in your neighbourhood. Anyone can take part!

Individuals, community groups, schools and workplaces canall register to receive free garbage and recycling bags, safetytips, gloves, great prizes and more! Thank you to those whohave taken part in this amazing community effort, and welcometo everyone who’s planning to participate this year. Together,we can keep Thunder Bay clean, green and beautiful.

Spring Up to Clean Up is funded by the City of Thunder BayInfrastructure & Operations Department and delivered byEcoSuperior Environmental Programs.

ECO-NEWS • EcoSuperior • 6

It’s Time to Springinto Action

Take a look at all the waysyou can be a Spring Up super hero!

Thunder BayThunder BayThunder BayThunder BayThunder BayThunder BayThunder BayThunder BayThunder Bay

For more information on any of the Spring Up to Clean Up events and to register an individual,workplace, or group clean-up, visit www.ecosuperior.org/springup or call Shannon at 624-2142.

20-Minute Makeover for Workplaces presented byOntario Power GenerationFriday, May 6, 10:00am

On Friday, May 6, many employees throughout the city will be taking 20 minutes off the job.They’ll be out on the streets giving the City of Thunder Bay a spring makeover! Mark your cal-endars, rally up your co-workers and participate by giving your workplace property a quickspring cleaning! Registered workplaces receive clean-up supplies, public recognition and a giftcourtesy of event sponsors (while supplies last).

Stash the Trash Thunder Bay presented bySleeping Giant Brewing CompanySaturday, May 14 10:00am

On Saturday, May 14, join in Thunder Bay’s new community clean-up event! Register a teamto Stash the Trash in your neighbourhood and help eliminate litter from our streets! Take pic-tures! Dress up! Show us that you love your city and you can win great prizes! Registered teamswill receive clean-up supplies, public recognition and a gift courtesy of event sponsors.

Hit Litter Out of the Park with the Thunder Bay Border CatsSaturday, June 11, 10:00am

On Saturday, June 11, join the Thunder Bay Border Cats for a playfield pick-up event. Takesome time to give your neighbourhood playfields and parks a spring cleaning with the help ofsome of your favourite Thunder Bay Border Cat players. Then join us at Port Arthur Stadium at6 p.m. for the Border Cats game to celebrate all the efforts of the Spring Up to Clean Up vol-unteers. You could participate in on-field promotions and win great prizes!

Neighbourhood and School Yard Clean-upsMonth of May

Can’t participate in the above events? That’sok! We invite individuals, families, communitygroups, workplaces, and schools to plan and reg-ister their own litter clean-up anytime during themonth of May. You’ll receive clean-up supplies,a public pat on the back on our website and inlocal media and a gift courtesy of event sponsors.

ECO-NEWS • EcoSuperior • 7

Junior Category Poster

Contest Winner: Andra – Grade 2

Senior Category PosterContest Winner: Julia. – Grade 5

Putting electronic waste in its place

Watch for our nextE-Waste Collectionevent at OLG CasinoSaturday May 7!

Recycling your e-waste using an approved collection site or special event registered withthe Ontario Electronics Stewardship will help protect our environment. The materials col-lected are sent to an approved processor in Ontario where most of the components, includingsteel, plastics, aluminum, gold, and platinum are recovered and reused to make new products.The hazardous materials are separated and sent for further processing and safe disposal.

The City of Thunder Bay’s Solid Waste and Recycling Facility has a drop-off depot whereresidents can recycle their electronics free of charge. Last year, 288 tonnes of e-waste wascollected at the depot. Use the City of Thunder Bay’s Green Guide to find other registeredcollectors near you or watch EcoSuperior’s website for special collection events. Our nextcollection event is on May 7, 2016!

E-Waste CollectionFundraising Event –May 7, 2016

EcoSuperior Environmental Programs,OLG Casino Thunder Bay and Pack ProsPlus are hosting a free e-waste collectionevent! Bring your old electronics to theOLG Casino Cumberland Street parking loton Saturday, May 7 from 10 a.m. until 3p.m. and we’ll make sure they get recycledproperly and stays out of our landfill. TheOntario Electronics Stewardship will make adonation to EcoSuperior for the volume of mate-rials collected so that we can continue to providehands-on programs to help build environmentallyhealthy communities in the Lake Superior basin. Help usinspire environmental stewardship in Northwestern Ontario!

For more information, visit www.ecosuperior.org/collectionevent or call 624-2142.

Put your artistic skills to the test and enterthese contests to win great prizes courtesyof our event sponsors!

Spring Up to Clean UpPhoto Contest

What better way to share your clean-upexperience than to capture it on camera?Take a photo of your clean-up crew inaction and email, tweet (#springuptbay) orpost your photo to the Spring Up to CleanUp Facebook page to enter. Qualifyingentries received by May 31st. Photoentries will be used to help promote theSpring Up to Clean Up campaign in thefuture!

Poster Contest for Elementary Students:Hey kids! Help get the word out about why people should stop littering! Submit a poster with

your anti-litter message for a chance to win great prizes! The winning posters in the junior(Grades K – 3) and senior (Grades 4-8) categories will have their posters distributed aroundThunder Bay. Qualifying entries received by May 31st.

GrandPrize Winner2015 - FORMArchitectureEngineering

Spring Up to Clean Up

Contests

We would like to thank our sponsors for helping make Spring Up to Clean Up possible. PresentingSponsors: The City of Thunder Bay, EcoSuperior, Sleeping Giant Brewing Company, Ontario PowerGeneration, Thunder Bay Border Cats. Contributing Sponsors: Bay Meats Butcher Shop, Boston Pizza,SPI Health and Safety, Tim Hortons

ECO-NEWS • EcoSuperior • 8

Since 2014, EcoSuperior’s Bike Valet has been helping ThunderBay residents cycle to and from summer events. Cycling is good foryour health and the environment, and Bike Valet users get the addedbenefit of having the closest parking spot at events!

The Bike Valet is temporary parking designed to accommodate alarge number of bicycles. The Valet consists of transportable rackssurrounded by flagging and monitored full-time by EcoSuperior staffand volunteers. Permanent bike parking is often insufficient to sup-port the number of people attending a large event, and the goal of theBike Valet is to increase the number of people cycling.

Watch for the Bike Valet at Summer in the Parks, the June 10 TEDX Talk at the Community Auditorium, and other events. If you’d liketo have the Bike Valet at your event, contact EcoSuperior at 624-2141.

Are you bored with your morning drive to work? Need abetter way to start the work day?

Why not switch it up a bit? Step out of your old routineand rethink your ride with the Commuter Challenge. It’s afriendly, national competition that encourages daily com-muters to choose greener modes of transportation for thebenefit of their health, and the environment. Last year,Thunder Bay lost its top position to Kingston—let’s makesure we show our Giant pride and top the list for employeeparticipation in 2016!

If you drive to work, try a different way of getting there.Leaving your vehicle at home and opting for sustainabletransportation is a great way to save cash, reduce green-house gas emissions, and boost your physical and emotion-al wellbeing. Walking is one of the easiest ways to get towork or ride your bike if you are in a rush. Ditch the carand take the bus (one bus replaces 45 cars!), share the rideand car pool, or work from home in your jammies if youhave that option.

From June 5 to June 11, workplaces and their employeesacross the country are being challenged to use alternativesto driving alone for at least one day of the CommuterChallenge week. The goal is to make at least one trip towork by walking, cycling, taking public transit, carpooling,or telecommuting, then tracking your commute on the

national website commuterchallenge.ca. You can trackother carless commutes that you make during the weekwhether it’s to the store or library or other errand.

Participate and you could win prizes along the way!We’ll have active gear, sporting goods, food, and enter-tainment prizes for participants with the highest achieve-ment, workplaces that conserve the most CO2, early reg-istration, most epic commute, and several raffles simplyfor joining in.

Last year, more than 700 people registered locally for theevent, collectively tracking more than 4,300 kilometres,saving 2,700 litres of fuel, burning nearly 500,000 calories,and avoiding 6,253 kg of greenhouse gases. Thunder Bayachieved amazing results as the number two participatingcity in the 100,000 population range across the country. Sowhether you ride transit on a regular basis or try cycling towork for the first time ever, you qualify as a CommuterChallenge participant. So register for the Challenge and becounted—the more of us that participate, the better ourchances of winning!

If you would like to participate as an individual – or, evenbetter, coordinate something at your workplace – contactAshley Priem through EcoSuperior at 624-2142 or emailashley@ecosuperior.org.

Your Ride in 2016!Come Work with Us!

Bike Valet

RethinkRethinkRethinkRethinkRethinkRethinkRethinkRethinkRethinkEcoSuperior has several job openings for summer students,including opportunities to run our Bike Valet program.Application details are on our website. Safe Cycling ThunderBay is also offering training opportunities for cyclists interestedin joining our team of certified Safe Cycling Instructors.Application details are at safecyclingthunder bay.ca/getinvolved.

ECO-NEWS • EcoSuperior • 9

Radon gas exposure is the second leadingcause of lung cancer in Canada, and manyhomes in the Thunder Bay area have highradon levels.

That’s been the message behind publicawareness efforts delivered by EcoSuperiorwith support from Health Canada over thepast two years. Members of the businesscommunity, including TBT Engineering andTrue Grit Consulting, have also helpedincrease community awareness about radonand have recently trained staff in radon test-ing and mitigation.

Radon is a radioactive gas that is createdwhen uranium decomposes in soil. All homes

have some level of radon. The question is:how much? You can’t see, smell or tasteradon, so the only way to know if your homehas high levels is to test. Fortunately, testingis easy and inexpensive. A long-term radontest kit that lasts 3 months to 1 year returnsaccurate results. The kits are available atEcoSuperior for just $35. The only addition-al expense is the postage required to ship thetest unit to the lab.

While 6.9% of homes nationally have highradon, a 2015 Radon Prevalence Study foundmuch higher results in some City of ThunderBay wards. MacIntyre and Neebing had thehighest results, with 43% and 30% of homes

testing above recommended levels, respec-tively. Red River (15%) and Current River(13%) also had results above the nationalaverage.

Regardless of where you live, EcoSuperiorencourages you to test for radon, since twoside-by-side homes can have drastically dif-ferent results. More than 1,100 Thunder Bay

residences have tested for radon over the pasttwo years. Some workplaces, schools, anddaycares have also been tested.

Although it’s hard to identify the reasonthat radon levels are higher here, soil content,foundation condition, home constructiontype, and home ventilation rates are somefactors that determine radon levels.

Radon in Thunder Bay

For the past two years, EcoSuperior has been working withConfederation College staff and students to address stormwa-ter issues and protect the on-campus portion of the McIntyreRiver. Most recently, the project included snow sampling; aUnified Stream Assessment; ongoing water quality monitor-ing; streambank rehabilitation; and exploring potential Low-Impact Development sites for Confederation College property.

In late February and early March 2016 Geordi Komar, theConfederation College intern responsible for many aspects ofthe project completed taking 150 snow column samples toassess the types and levels of contaminants that could reachthe McIntyre River during the spring snow melt and run-off.One contaminant of particular concern is chloride from roadsalt. As development around urban streams increases, chlo-ride levels in waterways have the potential to increase enoughto cause chronic impacts on freshwater organisms.

Efforts continue on the McIntyre River to promote stew-ardship efforts and work to maintain and improve the nat-ural stream corridor and riparian zone. The NorthshoreSteelhead Association, Lakehead University RAP office,Confederation College, City of Thunder Bay, Thunder BayCountry Club, Thunder Bay District Stewardship Counciland EcoSuperior have all been working very diligently toinsure that one of the most popular recreational waterwayswithin the City of Thunder Bay is maintained and evenimproved.

The final component of this project that is currentlyunderway involves working with Confederation CollegeCivil Engineering Technology students to develop LowImpact Development alternatives to stormwater challengesfaced on the Confederation College campus. Low-impactdevelopment (LID) is a term used to describe an on-site

approach to managing stormwater runoff. LID emphasizesconservation and use of on-site natural features to pro-tect water quality. This approach implements engineeredcontrols aimed at matching the pre-development conditionson the site through infiltrating, filtering, storing, evaporat-ing, and detaining runoff close to its source. LID solutionsto stormwater issues on the Confederation College site willbe implemented later this year. Funding for theConfederation College/EcoSuperior McIntyre RiverStormwater Project has been provided by EnvironmentCanada Great Lakes Sustainability Fund and the MOECCLakewide Management Planning Fund. Many thanks to allthe faculty, staff and students at Confederation Collegewhose ongoing participation and cooperation have beenparamount to the continued success of the project.

The Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategywas piloted as a three year initiative funded bythe Ontario Trillium Foundation to create ahealthier, more just, sustainable, and economi-cally robust food system in the area.

2015 was a groundbreaking year for the FoodStrategy as we worked with the City on a num-ber of local food procurement objectives. One ofthe more notable projects was to undertake afood waste audit with one of the Homes for theAged to measure food waste – such as stock,cooking, and plate waste – so that waste reduc-tions could be reinvested back into buying localfood. Procurement work continues with the Cityas it continues to reform food buying practices,menus, and engage staff and residents.

Many departments within the City havebecome active supporters and leaders in dri-ving change, innovation, and civic engagementaround food. Thunder Bay Tourism has adopt-ed food tourism as a greater part of its mandate

and was a key player in bringing an incrediblysuccessful Food Tourism event to Thunder Baythis past January. Thunder Bay Transit workedwith the Food Strategy and EcoSuperior lastsummer to pilot the city’s first edible bus stop.Last fall, the Culture & Events Division creat-ed the fun and inspiring Food Frenzy event toget more youth interested in learning aboutwhere food comes from and how to cook andenjoy it in all its forms.

Earlier this year the Food Strategy releasedthe first ever Community Food Security ReportCard. Unfortunately, one of the major findingsof the report card is that a significant number ofpeople in our city are struggling to affordhealthy food.

Another aspect highlighted by the ReportCard is that the Thunder Bay area is a truly richand diverse part of Canada when it comes tofood. Our region features a variety of farms,producing dairy products, beef cattle, sheep,

pork, and many kinds of grains, grasses, veg-etables and fruit. Vegetable farming in particu-lar is experiencing an upswing in the area, dueto customer demand at the retail level. A num-ber of existing farms in the area have or will beexpanding to meet the growing demand for localfood.

There are significant opportunities for estab-lished farms to grow and for new farms to startup and fill gaps in the market. For this reason,the Food Strategy is part of a partnership thatwill be carrying out a market study to betterunderstand demand and supply of local food.

It’s important that as a city we continue toadvance all seven pillars of the Food Strategyin order to build sustainability in Thunder Bayand its neighbouring communities. InSeptember, the three years of Ontario TrilliumFoundation funding that helped create the localFood Strategy comes to an end, and our currentpriority is to find ways to continue this work.

Stormwater Project with Confederation College

Homeowners whoare interested inlearning more abouttesting and mitiga-tion options canvisit the RadonDemonstration Area,located in basementof our office at thecorner of Red RiverRoad and Hill Street.

Food Strategy Continuing Good Work

The Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategy is helpingpeople build closer connections to local food throughthe development of new procurement and productioninitiatives, as well as farming and urban agriculture.

Rebates Help Prevent Water DamageSigns of spring are showing up all around

Thunder Bay. One of the less desirablesigns of spring is the damage and messcaused by spring melt-water and runoffaround your house. This water can find itsway into your basement and cause signifi-cant damage to your house and belongings.If you do have problems with water gettinginto your house the City of Thunder Bay andEcoSuperior have a program that may helpyou out.

Financial assistance is available to home-owners who take measures to protect theirproperty. New higher rebates are now avail-able for the installation of new sump pits,sump pumps and drywells, the installationof residential backwater valves to prevent

against sewer back-up and disconnection ofyour existing weeping tile from the City ofThunder Bay sewer system. By taking thesemeasures homeowners help protect theirproperty and City of Thunder Bay infra-structure as well.

For 2016, some rebates have beenincreased. In addition, drainage rebates willbe available to non-profit organizations,such as churches or co-op housing. Alsonew for 2016, homeowners who qualify forthe City of Thunder Bay Property Tax andWater Credit Programs for Low-IncomeSeniors and Low-Income Persons withDisabilities are eligible for additionalrebates up to 80% of the invoiced cost of thework, subject to the maximums below.

Residential rebates now available:Sump Pump – 50% of the invoiced cost up

to a maximum of $1500 including labour,materials, permit and taxes.

Backflow Prevention Valve – 50% of theinvoiced cost up to a maximum of $1750including labour, materials, permit and taxes.

Disconnect Weeping Tile – 100% up to amaximum of $500 including labour, materi-als, permit and taxes.

In order to qualify for a drainage rebate allhousehold downspouts must be disconnectedfrom the City of Thunder Bay sewer system.Building inspections and permits must beobtained where required.

Since 2013, the City of Thunder Bay hasprovided over 460 homeowners with rebatesfor their drainage improvements totallingmore than $600,000. This means that localresidents have made over 1.2 million dollarsin home drainage improvements since 2013.It’s an important part of our community’sadaptation to climate change.

Please contact Jamie Saunders atEcoSuperior (Jamie@ecosuperior.org, 807-624-2658) for more information on theResidential Drainage Rebate program.Applications are accepted until November 30,2016. Be sure to pick up a free copy of ourhelpful booklet, Understanding & ImprovingYour Residential Drainage, available atEcoSuperior & most participating plumbers.

City of Thunder Bayresidents with proof of amunicipal water bill cansave $20 on the purchase ofrain barrel at EcoSuperiorwhile supplies last.The regular price is $65.

Rain Barrels 101Before planting the garden or even raking the yard, there is one task that homeowners can do as soon as winter’s frost

is gone for good: setting up the rain barrel. Every time it rains, water runs off of roofs, driveways and streets, and much of it goes directly into Lake Superior.

Instead of letting this precious resource flow straight into storm drains, residents can capture and store water in rain bar-rels. They save money on the water bill, and can allow rain water to slowly seep into the ground when it is used in thegarden or on the lawn.

Rain barrels can be installed at each downspout, and setting them up is simple. EcoSuperior sells 220L food-gradeplastic rain barrels that have been recycled from olive barrels. Each barrel comes with a filter basket that fits into thesix-inch hole in the lid, a t-shaped overflow adaptor with hose, a male-to-male adaptor and spigot to control water flow.

First, ensure the ground beneath the rain barrel is firm and level. It is recommended to elevate the barrel by at leastsix inches to allow for good gravity-fed water pressure—a combination of concrete blocks and a patio stone can do thejob. Fit the filter basket onto the top of the barrel lid, attach the overflow adaptor and hose, and screw the male-to-maleadaptor and spigot into the small hole near the bottom of the barrel. Cut the downspout four to six inches above the topof the barrel, and install a shot flexible pipe or a downspout elbow onto the cut downspout to direct water into the topof the barrel. Keep the remaining portion of the downspout so it can be reconnected when the rain barrel is removedfor winter.

The overflow hose can be run back into the drain, a nearby garden, or channeled to a second barrel. And that’s it!Simply wait for the next rain and watch your barrel conserve water. After a hot, sunny day your plants will thank youfor a much-needed drink of non-chlorinated soft rainwater at just the right temperature. It’s guilt-free watering: eco-nomical and environmentally friendly.

Summer 2016 is shaping up to be a mem-orable season, especially for the kids thatjoin us for EcoSuperior’s Summer DayCamp. With many plans in the works, wewouldn’t want to give away all the juicysecrets, but here are a few highlights to lookforward to.

Safe Cycling Thunder Bay will once againprovide participants with a 2hr safe cyclingcourse during each week of camp. After thecourse, we will use our new skills to exploresome of the great recreational trails ThunderBay has to offer.

Since we love being outside why not takea hike... to the tropics! This year day camp

participants will have a great opportunityto hike to, and explore the Thunder BayConservatory. Here, campers will be intro-duced to many new plants that we wouldnever be able to see at the Central NaturalEnvironment Gardens.

Other fun highlights include demonstra-tions from the OPP Canine Unit, Let’s TalkScience and many more special guests.

EcoSuperior’s Summer Day Camp wel-comes campers ages 8-12. Participants mustbe 8 years old by December 31, 2016. Checkout our website for dates, times and details.Register early as spaces fill up quickly, anddon’t miss out on the Buddy Discount!

Summer Day Camp AdventuresECO-NEWS • EcoSuperior • 10

New Partnerships Bloomfrom Annual Fundraiser

560 Boundary Drive at Hwy 61 | 807.475.5190 email: ben@tbcoop.com | www.tbcoop.com

Thunder Bay Co-operative Farm Supplies was established over 61 yearsago when a group of Thunder Bay area farmers agreed to combinetheir buying power to receive better pricing. Since then, the

Co-op has been opened to the public and begun expansions in order to better serve farmers, home-owners and summer

campers in Northwestern Ontario.

Today Thunder Bay Co-op Farm Supplies offers an amazing variety of tested-and-true products for homes, summer camps and farms, at pricing approved by cost-conscious farmers.

See us for a variety of products including...• The Largest Stock of Metal Roofing

• Lawn Seed & Fertilizer

• Fencing and Gates

• Supplies for Pellet Burning Stoves

• Plus many, many more products too numberous to list

Awesome Service • Great PricesGive us a call at

577-5575 or email: ben@tbcoop.com

ECO-NEWS • EcoSuperior • 11

In the spirit of community collaboration, anew partnership has formed to provide plantsfor EcoSuperior’s annual fundraiser.

In January 2016, hundreds of wildflowersand native perennials were seeded in thegreenhouses at the city-run CentennialBotanical Conservatory. The sprouted pots ofapproximately two dozen native species,which include wild bergamot, blue flax,evening primrose, sweetgrass, purple cone-flower (Echinacea) and other popular varietieswill soon be transferred to Paulusma’sGreenhouses for finishing.

“This annual fundraiser has really devel-oped into a team effort,” says program coordi-nator Julia Prinselaar. In the past, EcoSuperiorhas partnered with Belluz Farms to seed andgrow the plants. With the farm now focussingprimarily on growing vegetables and edibles,new collaborations were formed with otherorganizations.

Approximately 1,000 plants are expected tobe for sale at EcoSuperior’s annual plant saleon Saturday, May 28 from 9a.m. to 1 p.m. atour office location, 562 Red River Rd.

• EcoSuperior sells composters for just $25. The cost is subsidized by the City ofThunder Bay for city residents only.

• We have volunteer opportunities! Ask about reserving a volunteer kit for a LitterSurvey, Storm Drain Marking, or Invasive Plant Species.

• Safe Cycling programs are available through our office, with courses for allages and abilities, including Women Only, 55+, Learn to Ride,Commuting and Workplace group programs. Check outSafeCyclingThunderBay.ca for a list of upcomingcourse offerings.

• We love to talk about our work! Checkour website for a wide range of guestspeaker presentations and book us foryour next community group meetingor workplace lunch ‘n learn.

• Our expansion plans areunderway! We’re develop-ing a Regional Centre forSustainable Communitiesat our Red River Roadproperty. Stay tuned forways you can get involvedand sponsorship opportunities!

Lupine plants are just one of the many speciesavailable at our Wildflower Plant Sale on May 28.It’s a great opportunity to grow wild in yourbackyard!

Did you know...

Nanoparticles:Small size – big impact

Coming Events

Nanotechnology is a new area of sciencethat promises all sorts of benefits, from bio-medical and electronic advances to improvedconsumer products. However, the effect ofnanoparticles on human health and environ-mental systems has not been thoroughlyresearched. Yet more and more nanoparticlesare being engineered and incorporated intoconsumer products every day in spite of thelack of information about the safety of manyof these particles.

Nanoparticles are extremely small parti-cles, as small as 1 nanometer (between 2 and10 atoms wide) or as large as 100 nm insize. By comparison, a sheet of paper is100,000nm thick and a typical human hair is80,000nm wide. We are all exposed to manytypes of natural nanoparticles every day, frombiological organisms such as viruses and bac-teria, to exhaust from vehicles and smokefrom cooking food. However, scientists arenow creating nanoparticles from many kindsof materials, from metals to carbon to silicon.These nanoparticles are so small that they cansneak through barriers to get inside livingcells.

Many, many products that we use everyday are now made using nano-sized materi-als. Your favorite sports shirt may be treatedwith nano-sized silica to repel stains andwater, or nanoparticles of titanium dioxide orzinc oxide to block the sun. Shoes or socksmay contain nanosilver to kill bacteria andfungi. Your bath towel or bed linen, foodcontainers or food packaging might also con-tain nanosilver. Cosmetics might containnanoparticles of titanium dioxide and/or zincoxide. Even our food might contain nanopar-ticles of titanium dioxide to boost the ‘white-

ness’ of products such as powdered sugarcoating.

Are these substances bad for us and theenvironment? Our bodies will do their best toprotect us by limiting our exposure to harm-ful substances; however some nanoparticlescan still be hazardous, whether they are nat-ural or man-made. We don’t understandcompletely how nanoparticles are absorbedby our bodies or what happens once they getthere, nor do we understand the ultimatefate of nanoparticles in the environment.However, we do know that nano-sizedaerosols, powders and coatings used in per-sonal care products may be inhaled or ingest-ed. Nanoparticles may be eaten when theyare added to foods or transferred from foodpackaging. These incredibly small particlescan pass through the blood-brain barrier, socan enter our brain cells. They can also alsopass through the placental barrier into thefetus, and can be transferred through breastmilk. However, we don’t know how long ittakes for our bodies to get rid of nanoparti-cles, once they are absorbed. Nor do weknow if they are safe in the long term.

More and more engineered nanoparticlesare finding their way into the planet’s atmos-phere, soil and water through industrial andmunicipal waste. We don’t know nearlyenough about the impact that nanoparticleswill ultimately have on the environment or onhuman health, yet we are releasing more andmore consumer products containing nanopar-ticles each day. If you would like to learnmore about the impact of nanoparticles onour lives, join EcoSuperior at a presentationat Waverley Resource Library Auditorium onTuesday May 3 at 7pm.

This month marks a milestone forEcoSuperior and our longtime friend andemployee, Lucie Lavoie. At the end of thismonth, Lucie will be officially retiring fromher position as program coordinator. Lastyear, Lucie was given a well-deservedLifetime Achievement award from GreenCommunities Canada, and below is text sub-mitted for the nomination.

Lucie deserves several Lifetime AchievementAwards as she has done more in her lifetime tobenefit the environment than many people willever accomplish. She was a member of thegroup who created EcoSuperior 20 years ago,and has been on staff on a regular part-timebasis since the beginning. Her range of workfor the organization has gone from organiclawn care and greening schoolyards to streamassessment and benthic biomonitoring to raingardens and now she spends much of her timeon outreach about toxic chemicals in con-sumer products. Lucie developed the PesticideFree Naturally program that was one of GreenCommunities’ first national programs, leadingthe way back when municipal pesticide bylawswere only in our dreams. Twenty years latershe is continuing to help our organizationwork at the forefront of environmental issuesas she is currently taking on the developmentof a campaign on nanoparticles with a groupof Northern Ontario Medical School students.

Outside of the office, Lucie is in demand asa mentor and valued volunteer for a widerange of community groups including a localseed savers venture. She and her partner Kenare often in the local media exemplifying sus-tainable lifestyles with their urban food pro-duction expertise and outstanding commit-ment to minimizing use of our resources. Herknowledge and experience provide a tremen-dous resource to our staff and I consider

myself very fortunate to have enjoyed 20 yearswith Lucie as not only an amazing employeebut also a dear and supportive friend.

- Ellen Mortfield

Lucie was the catalyst behind the beautifulCentral Natural Environment Gardens offCentral Avenue, a place that has continued toblossom and grow as an amazing legacy to hercommitment to wild spaces in the city. Shealso developed the current City of ThunderBay Rain Garden program and you will haveone more chance to absorb her knowledge atour Rain Garden workshop later this month(details on page 3)

Our staff and board are very grateful forLucie’s commitment and contributions to thisorganization and wish her the very best in along and happy retirement!

This photo shows neuron-like cells exposed to silver nanoparticles in a lab. The green dots are nanoparticlesof silver that have been absorbed into the cell. (from biomedcentral.com)

Over the years, Lucie has taught thousands of peopleabout the joys and responsibilities of caring for ourecosystems. If you’ve benefited from her sharing,consider dropping a line to luciel@ecosuperior.org towish her much happiness and sunshine in her well-earned retirement, or make a donation in her honorto the Thunder Bay Tree Stewardship Program.

I’ll Be in the Garden...

April 12thBike Expo atSuperior High School

April 20thRain Barrel Sales begin!

April 21stRain Garden Workshopat TB Art Gallery

April 22ndCommuter ChallengeLeaders Luncheon

April 25thRain Garden Workshopfor Landscape Contractors

May 1st to 31stSpring Up to Clean Up

May 3rdNanoparticle Presentationat Waverley Library

May 6th20-Minute Makeover Event

May 7thE-Waste Collectionat OLG Casino

May 14thStash the Trash Event

Discovery Ride –Little Free Libraries

May 15thSea Change Presentationat Mariners Hall

May 28thWildflower Plant Sale

June 6th to 10thCommuter Challenge

June 11thHit Litter Out of the Parkwith BorderCats

June 18thDiscovery Ride –Invasive Plant Species