It’s the dog days of summer, and while most of us are thinking about the cottage, a cool swim on a hot night or what to barbeque for dinner, the Ontario government is thinking about what types of energy will power our homes into the future. It’s not exactly a light topic, but it’s an important one, especially when we consider what keeps our fans and air conditioners running all summer.
The government is asking for the public’s input. This is an important chance to have your say on Ontario’s energy future. Ask the province to lighten Ontario’s energy load by putting conservation first.
Depending on the outcome, Ontario’s long-term energy plan could prioritize energy conservation and renewable energy, which will help both our environment and our economy. Or the plan could lock the province into more risky and expensive forms of energy like nuclear.
The government needs to hear from you. The deadline to make your voice heard is September 16.
Summer’s not over yet. And neither is our photo contest!
Hey, photo loving friends! We’ve extended the contest deadline for our Life’s a Beach Photo Contest to August 30th. Make the most out of the last couple of weeks of summer by taking a few snapshots of you and your family and friends living it up at your favourite beach (is it a Blue Flag beach?) for a chance to win $500 of great camera gear.
To enter, simply upload your photo to our Flickr pool flickr.com/groups/beachphotocontest/and make sure to geo-tag your entry. Or, tag your photo #lifesabeachcontest and upload to Instagram. Check out blueflag.ca/beachphotocontest for more contest details.
Costs of Urban Sprawl Too High To Ignore
For several decades, urban sprawl has devoured farmland and green space in Ontario’s Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) region. Last week, we released a report, The High Costs of Sprawl: How Building Sustainable Communities Will Save Us Time and Money, which shows how sprawl costs us by worsening our air quality, damaging human health, weakening municipal finances, threatening our access to local food, and hurting our shared environment.
With measures like the Greenbelt Act and the Growth Plan for the GGH, Ontario has taken some first steps to turn back the tide of urban sprawl. But there’s more work ahead to stop the urban sprawl that is hurting our economy, our environment and our health. Read the report for what the province, local governments, residents and businesses can do to prevent more sprawl in the GGH.
It’s time to put an end to urban sprawl. It simply costs too much for us to ignore any longer.
School’s almost back in. Keep the toxics out
Do you have your back-to-school shopping list ready yet? Toxic chemicals with links to cancer and hormone-disruption can hide in things like clothes, school supplies, and some lunch items.
The good news is that you can help keep toxics out of your kid’s backpack, lunch box and pencil case this year. Check out our blog for some toxic free back-to-school shopping tips.
Hope in Healing – new video
On July 6, hundreds of people participated in the 2013 Healing Walk to raise awareness about the devastating impacts of the tar sands on human health and our environment. During the walk weekend, many of you shared messages of support. And we thank you so much.
We know many of you wanted to participate in the walk, but couldn’t travel to Alberta. So we made this video to give you a taste of the 2013 Healing Walk. Watch the video to see what the Healing Walk was all about. Share the video on Facebook and Twitter to raise awareness about the dangers of the reckless expansion of the tar sands. It’s time to stop the destruction and start the healing.
Outreach team heads to the Great Lakes
The Great Lakes really come to life in the summer – beaches are packed, harbours are crowded with boaters, and the docks are alive with anglers jockeying for the best fishing spot. Environmental Defence’s outreach team is taking advantage of the crowds to talk about what can be done to protect the Great Lakes, and everything we love about them. Keep an eye out for us in Owen Sound, Port Dover, Hamilton and Kingston. Learn more about the proposed Great Lakes Protection Act and make sure Ontario’s leaders know how important the Great Lakes are to you by signing our petition.
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