Stop by Farmer's Market for Eat Local Day!

Clean & Green Week begins this Saturday! Stop by the Farmer's Market and help launch the week by buying local produce. The Clean & Green Team will be there with a variety of tools to help you green your life. We will be giving away a limited supply of free energy savings kits for Union Gas customers. Katie Alward will be selling composters and blue boxes. Bring a container and take home some compost. Stop by and talk to Festival Hydro staff about ways to reduce your energy consumption.

Clean & Green Week Begins Saturday!

Stratford's third Clean and Green Week is set to begin Saturday October 15th.

Clean & Green Week is a community-based project asking everyone to “Clean & Green” - remove litter from the city’s neighbourhoods and undertake an environmental project to improve the condition of Planet Earth. The project runs from October 15th to the 22nd and welcomes any individuals and groups who want to make a difference.

"Each of us can make a positive change to affect all of us. The first step begins with doing something and that is what this week is all about. Making our community Clean and Green is up to each one of us ," said Mimi Price, planning committee member.

Beyond asking individuals to clean their neighbourhoods, the campaign encourages everyone to do a green project. Participants are asked to share their green projects on the Clean and Green event page on Facebook.

Themes for Each Day:

Saturday, October 15 Eat Local

Sunday, October 16 Dig It Preparation Day

Monday, October 17 Unplugged Day

Tuesday, October 18 Hike, Bike or Bus Day

Wed., October 19 Water Reduction Day

Thursday, October 20 Pitch-In Day

Friday, October 21 Treasure Hunt Weekend

Not far from the tree - an idea for Stratford?

Anyone interested in helping start a similar program in Stratford?

not far from the tree » About

www.notfarfromthetree.org

The core of our programming is our residential fruit-picking program, where we pick fruit from trees that would otherwise go to waste. We help fruit tree owners make use of the abundance of fruit that their trees offer by dispatching teams of volunteers to harvest it for them.

Stratford Urban Farms

Check out what this group is doing in Stratford:

http://www.stratfordurbanfarms.blogspot.com/

International Walk to School Month

October is International Walk to School Month

By simply walking or biking to school, you can join families and children from 40 different countries in this annual celebration of active transportation. The aim is to increase daily physical activity, improve safety, reduce traffic congestion, and decrease air pollution, while developing community cohesion and social interaction.

Our transportation choices have global implications. When families choose active transportation to get to school and other local destinations, they are supporting healthy sustainable living and saving money in fuel costs too!

Visit www.saferoutestoschool.ca or www.iwalktoschool.org for more information.

Green Communities | Active & Safe Routes to School (ASRTS)

www.saferoutestoschool.ca

Green Communities | Active & Safe Routes to School (ASRTS) promotes safety, physical activity and environmentally sustainable transportation to and from school.

Clean & Green Returning to Stratford

This year's Clean & Green Week will be held October 16th - 23rd. Everyone is asked to spend 20 minutes cleaning up where they live, work or play and choose a green project to undertake.

Last year's Clean & Green Week saw many individuals and groups roll up their sleeves to make Stratford tidier and more sustainable. Watch for more details on this year's events.

Thank You to Dragon Boat Volunteers

How wonderful to see bins full of recyclables at the end of the Dragon Boat Festival this year. Many commented on the cleanliness of the site. Congratulations Volunteers!!

OTF/Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival Hosted by Stratford Central

Stratford Central's Eco-Club is eager to announce that it will host an OTF/Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival this spring.

Community members are invited to join in the following screenings:

Thursday April 8th 7 p.m.
Digital Cemeteries
The Man Who Planted Trees

Friday 9 a.m.
Two and Two
Garbage: The Revolution Starts at Home

Friday 12:30 p.m.
Digital Cemeteries
The Man Who Planted Trees

To register, please contact Kerry McManus at carestratford@gmail.com

Digital Cemeteries
Run time: 55 min. Greece
What happens to our computers or electronic devices when we’re done with them? They cannot simply be tossed in the garbage with the rest of our waste, seeing as computer parts contain toxic and highly carcinogenic components. This dangerous waste needs to be carefully recycled, following strict specifications. Developed countries, however, find it easier and cheaper to export their electronic waste to poorer countries instead of managing it themselves. Entire villages in China have turned into recycling plants, where the population has no choice but to work in this highly toxic environment in order to provide for their families. The health costs are incalculable. Digital Cemeteries illuminates the giant footprint our waste leaves behind.

Garbage: The Revolution Starts at Home

With his first son just born, filmmaker Andrew Nisker is very concernedwith the state of our planet. As the average household level of consumption rises, so does the astronomical amount of waste we collectively create. Are we turning the earth into one giant garbage can?Determined to understand the damage we are doing, Nisker enlists the average urban family, the McDonald's, to keep every scrap of garbage that they produce for three months in their increasingly smelly garage. From organic waste to dirty diapers, from plastic bottles to Christmas wrapping, the McDonald's discover that for every action there is a reaction that affects them and the entire planet. At turns hilarious, provocative, and alarming, Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home will change the way you think about the garbage sitting out on your curb and will make you think twice before you eat on paper plates. Directed by Andrew Nisker, Canada, 76 min. Visit the web site: http://www.garbagerevolution.com/

The Man Who Planted Trees

Based on the allegorical tale The Man Who Planted Trees by French writer and pacifist Jean Giono (1953) and set against the background of two world wars, this simple animation by Frédéric Back reveals the efforts of a humble shepherd to transform his barren landscape into a living forest of green. His actions have far reaching consequences leaving a legacy for generations to come. Narrated by renowned actor Christopher Plummer, this beautiful Oscar winning short blends the poetics of cinema and literature into a classic environmental artistic work.

Two and Two

Two and Two measures our modern lifestyle in trees and garbage. Filmmaker Abraham Côté intercuts our world in black and white with its effect on nature, in colour. There’s no dialogue, just a guitar track and a great twist at the end. In this elegant film, the images say it all.

Turn on the Tap 2009

Julia Wilkinson Encourages Citizens to Turn on the Tap

C.A.R.E. Stratford's fourth annual Turn on the Tap Campaign will be held on Friday, November 27th this year. Stratford Central's Swim Team and Eco Club join C.A.R.E. Stratford in encouraging everyone to register and to help spread the word about choosing tap water as the first choice for drinking water.

"Why wouldn't you want to drink Stratford's tap water? It isn't hard to fill up a reusable waterbottle before you leave your house in the morning. I have been all over the world and whenever I come home from school, I can't wait to drink Stratford's water. I don't think people realize how good our tap water is in Southwestern Ontario," commented Julia Wilkinson, Olympic Athlete.

The campaign asks participants to pledge to drink tap water only on November 27 th and to make tap water their regular choice for drinking water. The spirit of the campaign fosters an appreciation for our municipal water supply.

Locally, participants are encouraged to donate money saved by drinking tap water to Rotary’s Aquabox program. Participants from outside of Stratford are encouraged to donate to local water initiatives. Donations can be sent to Stratford Central Secondary School at 60 St. Andrew Street, Stratford, N5A 1A3.

Beyond the one day campaign, participants agree to make tap water their regular choice for drinking water. Stratford's tap water is our least expensive option for drinking water and is not a burden on our recycling operations or on our landfill. Our example in drinking tap water affirms the work of our city staff who diligently monitor our water supply to ensure its health and safety.
"I drank Stratford tap water out of my waterbottle every morning and night while I was training with SKYAC. Why would you want to miss out on the water that fuels Olympians?" asked Julia Wilkinson.

Please join Central's Eco Club and Swim Team, along with C.A.R.E. Stratford, as we turn on the tap to remind ourselves that we are fortunate to enjoy safe municipal water and to help provide safe drinking water to others. Donations to the Aquabox program, will help provide potable water to others around the world.

Participants are asked to register either by joining the Facebook event found on the C.A.R.E. Stratford group or by contacting Kerry McManus. For more information please contact Kerry McManus at (519) 271-4500 or by emailing carestratford@gmail.com.

Dare to DeClutter

Complete List of Items Being Collected:

The following items must be in good condition:

absorbent rags
aluminum pie/tart shells
books (no textbooks)
flat plastic foam trays (no containers)
glass jars with lids
margarine flats
magazines
metal juice disks (not sharp)
clothing patterns
plastic berry baskets
plastic film containers
pill bottles

musical instruments

sheet music
sports equipment

cds
costumes

If you bring in the following items they do not need to be in working order:
eyeglasses and cases, hearing aids
jewelry

sewing machines
small household appliances, radios
used bicycles, tricycles, parts and accessories
watches, watch parts

Items accepted for specified local, community groups and agencies:
pop can tabs

Campbell's soup labels

cancelled stamps

canned food and non-perishable items for local food banks
cell phones
clothing, bedding, towels, bathmats
coats
crayons and markers
egg cartons
foam chips
Heinz baby food labels
ink cartridges
kitchen items, cutlery, dishes, pots
ladies' dress shoes

medals and trophies
pencils and pens
pennies
plastic grocery shopping bags
plastic pails
sports cards
toys, games, puzzles
wigs
wine corks

Local elementary and secondary schools are partnering up to reduce waste, recycle useful items, and help others in need during Clean and Green Week. Dare to DeClutter is a free environmentally-friendly community event held to collect household items for reuse by individuals and local groups such as daycares, schools and churches, as well as city-wide agencies.

Items that are currently cluttering up your home may be dropped off at Stratford Central Secondary School’s cafeteria on Wednesday, October 21 between 4:00 and 5:30 p.m. This includes the following items in good condition: school supplies, coats, magazines, books, toys, games, towels and linens, costumes, reusable sports equipment, musical instruments, sheet music, craft supplies (beads, buttons, crayons, markers, shells, spools, yarn, fabric, etc), and tricycles, bicycles, parts or accessories. Items collected to support specific groups include pop cans, pop can tabs, eyeglasses and cases, ink cartridges, used cell phones, grocery receipts, corks, Campbell’s Soup labels, Heinz baby food labels and cancelled stamps. Donations of non-perishable food items will also be collected for local food banks.

The community is encouraged to attend this free trade party on Oct. 21st from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.at Stratford Central. Although no money will be changing hands, any monetary contributions will be donated to the Stephen Lewis Foundation which provides aid and care to those suffering from AIDS in Africa.

Emelie Taylor, Grade 5/6 teacher at Avon Public School, encourages people to come out to this free, worthwhile environmental event. "Rethink your garbage habits," she says. "If you are willing to help reduce the waste going to our city’s landfill, enjoy searching for unexpected treasures and have an interest in helping others, then this event is for you."
For a complete listing of requested items, visit www.carestratford.org or for more information or to get involved, contact Emelie Taylor at 271-2905 or Kerry McManus at 271-4500 or carestratford@cyg.net.