Archive for the ‘Green roof’ Category

Cord-wood home reduces carbon footprint

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

Mike Pillon writes:

I am building a new home and am trying to do my part for saving the planet. It is a cord-wood home that would have been used for firewood. It has an earth roof that I made myself with the top soil from my own property, the cord-wood harvested from standing dead or dying trees, that will be off grid with windmill and solar power.

I own 10 acres and grow fresh fruit and veggies with no pesticides or herbicides. I am not certified organic, but for us as a family I know that the water I give to my plants is from my well that I drink, so it’s all good and healthy food! I’m trying to reduce my carbon footprint as much as possible by going green!

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Posted in Consumer Issues, Food, Green Living, Green roof, Human Health, climate change, conservation, gardening, off the grid | 1 Comment »

Apartment composting

Wednesday, March 25th, 2009

Sylvain from Vancouver writes:

I’m new in Vancouver and I have a question about composting in my apartment. My apartment is not huge, but I think I have enough space to compost. But my concern is where can I empty my compost bin? I live on Burrard Inlet and there is a community garden on the corner of Burrard and Davie. Is there any compost facility there?

Lindsay responds:

One of your best resources for information will be Metro Vancouver’s "Regional Compost Hotline." You can reach them at 604-736-2250. They will be able to help you with all of your questions, including how to worm compost for apartment dwellers and how to get involved in a local community garden. You can find their factsheet/brochure about composting in Vancouver at www.metrovancouver.org .

We have tips for composting in our newsletter .

And another great resource for BC is the Master Gardener Association . They too have a Plant Information hotline and other workshops, events and plant sales that they advertise on their website. The hotline number is 604-257-8662

And if that isn’t enough info to get you going, another small, non-profit group here in Vancouver called City Farmer will help you with worm composting and really anything related to urban agriculture!

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Posted in Consumer Issues, Green Living, Green roof, Human Health, Lindsay, agriculture, garbage, gardening | 1 Comment »

Vote here for your favourite gnome photo caption

Monday, July 7th, 2008

Readers of David Suzuki’s Nature Challenge newsletters are gifted caption-writers and punsters! Here are three gnomic conversations for you to vote on:

From Janice Miller-Young of Calgary Alberta:

I don't gnome but he looks familiar

From Diane Stout of Victoria BC:

George Clooney

From Laurie M of Winnipeg, Manitoba:

Gnome it all!

Vote here or paste this link in your browser: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=m32auwwMY4rf21N8swPYMw_3d_3d%22%3EClick

 

Here are a selection of our favourite puns:

“Collecting gnome puns, eh? Wouldn’t that be gnomenclature?”

Suzanne Joyce, Regina Saskatchewan

 

“Gnome is where the heart is”. “

We are stardust, we are golden. And we’ve got to get our gnome back to the garden.”

Kathy Penner, Winnipeg Manitoba “

 

My garden and front flower bed has been gnome to be the prettiest in the neighbourhood!”

Mike Lahey, London Ontario

 

Punspired? Let’s hear ‘em!

Posted in Digs My Garden, Green roof, Uncategorized, forests and wild Lands, marine, recycling, species | 9 Comments »

Roof query

Monday, June 9th, 2008

Bev Sawyer of Tobermory, Ontario has a roofing question:

"I’m having a rough time choosing what to reroof my home with. I live in a very cold climate, so fibreglass shingles are not wise. or clay tiles, etc. - they can’t take the cold. It looks like I have little choice and it will have to be a steel roof."

I suggested that Bev consider a green roof - plants growing on a building’s roof. Depending on the slope, strength and size of your roof, you can have a roof covered with grass, flowers or even shrubs. Besides aesthetics, green roofing can add an extra layer of insulation to your home, reduce storm runoff and provide a buffer against temperature extremes. For more information: www.greenroofs.org .

Readers, have you got any other suggestions? Or experience with green roofing to help Bev?

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Posted in Consumer Issues, David Suzuki's Nature Challenge, Green roof, energy | No Comments »