[getsmart-l] FW: CAN newsletter Mar 08

[Janet May]

-----Original Message-----
From: Jane Hanlon [mailto:janehanlon at cogeco.ca] 
Sent: February 26, 2008 12:59 PM
To: Climate Action Now Members and Friends
Subject: CAN newsletter Mar 08

Contents:

Meeting Rescheduled
The Garbage Revolution film screening
1st Annual ECOFest Niagara
Trade Show
Earth Hour
Pesticides Revisited
Speaking of Water



St Catharines CLIMATE ACTION NOW
	Newsletter March 08

Hello all,
It's been a month of preparations and presentations.  We're taking CAN to
the next level with additional Board Members, our application for an
Administrative Assistant through the OJCP program AND we're hiring an
Executive Assistant.  I've resigned as Chair this past month to enable my
application to be considered with the others.  Hopefully, the next time that
I write these updates it'll be from the Exec Directors stance.  We trust
that these changes will enable CAN to develop and implement programs for the
next 200 members and to be able to roll out programs further afield.  Isn't
February supposed to be a quiet month?  It's been quite a ride!

Notices:

Brian Wright, Conservation Authority Source Protection Coordinator, who had
been scheduled to speak on our Water Protection panel for our March 4
meeting, has been called away to attend the Ontario Wastewater Association
conference at Deerhurst.  Brian is an integral part of the panel discussion
and we'll await his return to reschedule his participation.
The Recycling Council of Ontario and Regional Niagara are sponsoring 'The
Garbage Revolution', with details below, on the same evening at Brock
University.  Rather than have members split, we've discussed it with the
other panel members and decided to reschedule our meeting, date TBD.

MEETING CANCELLATION and FILM SCREENING

Therefore, there will be no meeting March 4 and members are encouraged to
attend the film screening at Brock in the David S. Howes theatre. Doors will
open at 7:15pm and the film will start at 7:30pm.  The screening is being
offered free, however, attendees are asked to bring a donation of
non-perishable food items that will be provided to local food banks. Tickets
for this free event may be reserved by calling 905-688-5550 ext. 3257 or
1-866-617-3257. They can be picked up before, or on the evening of, the
event at the Brock University Box Office (open Monday to Friday 11am to 6pm)
or at Rodman Hall (Brock's express Box Office open Saturdays from noon to
5pm).
The film is a documentary of how the family household's garbage has become
one of the worst environmental predators of our time.  An average family
from Toronto agreed to keep every scrap of garbage for three months.
Filmmaker, writer and director, Andrew Nisker, takes the family on a journey
to discover where the waste goes and the repercussions for the world. Andrew
will be at the March 4 screening.


ECOFEST and EARTH HOUR

In lieu of our CAN March 4 meeting, members are welcome to attend a working
meeting this Thursday, Feb 28 at 696 Lake Street where we'll be continuing
to work on the upcoming 1st Annual Eco Fest scheduled for Mar 30 and the
anticipated Earth Hour for March 29 between 8 and 9.  There are plenty of
tasks for all, from addressing envelopes, making calls for participation for
both events, or being part of the crew that displays posters.  Please
schedule March 29 and March 30 on your calendars and come out to assist
bringing these events to St Catharines and Niagara.


TRADE SHOW

EcoFest Niagara highlights what we are achieving and offers locally sourced
or supplied products, and/or services and companies that deserve recognition
for furthering ecological awareness and practices.  Event Speakers will be
announced in the weeks to come. We are now accepting reservations from
vendors for a table.  For further info, or to book your table, refer to
contact information posted at the end of this newsletter.
Let's celebrate and advertise businesses of service, retail, and industry
that make an ecological effort and offer them a table to advertise and
connect with residents.
Eco Fest Niagara and Earth Hour are both fun and enlightening opportunities
to raise awareness, learn something, and assist the planet.

PESTICIDES RESURFACE:

We've received notification that City Council will address the pesticide
issue yet again on March 3 at the St Catharines City Hall 3rd floor.
Discussions will focus on what the Province intends to do, with a comparison
between our policies, exemptions and timelines and whether we as a
municipality will bring in a better, stronger by-law or continue to wait for
others. Speaking of exemptions, Hydro 1 has requested an exemption for
themselves.  It seems they have no intention of applying alternative
solutions to pesticides and herbicides.   For shame, it lowers the bar for
corporate credibility and participation.  We've been advocating that
exemptions only be allowed to protect public health.

SPEAKING OF WATER

The Government of Canada will consider (?) the replacement of watermains in
St. Catharines as eligible for funding.  The conditional federal
contribution would be up to one-third of total eligible costs. The total
estimated cost of this project is $5.17 million.  The project involves
replacing existing watermains to coincide with efforts to widen the QEW.
Replacing this aging cast iron infrastructure with modern alternatives will
improve water quality and capabilities of the water supply system.

If you have received this email in error, please accept our apologies and
let us know.  We'll promptly remove you from our mailing list.

St. Catharines 	CLIMATE ACTION NOW
janehanlon at cogeco.ca
905-938-8882

'We can do no great thing, only small things with great love.'
Mother Teresa