Happy Earth Day, 2012!

It is estimated that I am responsible for 28 tons of carbon each year because I am an average Canadian. For 2011, my carbon includes: electricity, the purchase of my car and then the use of the car, flying, food (20 -30%), the stuff I have, the stuff I will buy and of course, my trash bin. I need to find a way to shrink my footprint. I believe that my carbon emissions contribute to global warming but I am locked into a pattern of convenience, desire and pure economics. Basically, what’s cheap and fast? So far, 2011 is a year of appreciation, reflection and compassion. I am inspired to learn as much as I can about realistic ways that I can make a difference.

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NEW POST: WIND

Today is the 1 year mark of the BP oil spill and I am reflective of the first US president to question the use of fossil fuels. Jimmy Carter asked his country to reduce their thermostat, wear a sweater and drive 55 mph to save fuel on the highway. President Carter spoke of two paths – the hard path of coal burning or the soft path of renewable resources which have less impact on the environment. This month President Obama unveiled his Green Fleet Initiative: “ensures that by 2015, every new vehicle purchased for America’s federal agencies will be electric, gas-electric hybrid, or alternatively fuelled.” America is one place where the people understand that every vote does count and in this case the vote was another step in favour of the planet.

The Canadian Wind Energy Association believes that Canada has the potential to produce 20% of the country’s electrical needs. This power could be harnessed through a variety of large and small turbines. Turbines are versatile and require a good wind source paired with an acre of land. Wind speeds are best on top of a hill or mountain, offshore, empty fields or tall buildings.

~WATER~

Washing hands with soap for at least 20 seconds costs pennies – and when done properly, slashes the rates of infections, such as pneumonia and diarrheal diseases, that kill more than 3.5 million kids under age five worldwide every year.

Did you know? In Toyko the focus on same-day repair of leaky pipes is a big water saver. Its leakage rate is an impressively low 3.6%. In Montreal, where water is drawn from the St. Lawrence River, aging infrastructure causes about 40% to be lost to leakage before reaching customers.

What am I grateful for as a resident of Toronto? I am grateful for the clean water that flows from my tap anytime I turn it on. I am grateful that it doesn’t smell or have an odd murky colour; that I feel clean when I’m out of the shower and that my daughter laughs when she plays in it at the local pool or in the tub. I never buy bottled water becuse I don’t have to – besides a few of the more popular brands are actually bottled right next door with Mississauga tap water.

I love to swim! It is one of my passions especially in the summer when I can literally jump in a lake. As a kid, I spent my summers swimming off the secluded shores of Lake Erie with our neighbours, the Ursuline Sisters. The water could change from a dead calm in the morning to big waves in the afternoon and evening. I craved both. When the water was calm I could see every pebble that buried my feet. When the water was rough I’d bob on the crest of the giant brown waves until they ultimately tossed me onto the shore and into the loving circle of the Sisters. They laughed as I dove back in – never intimidated by Lake Erie.

~Posts~

trash, farming, building

the ground we walk on

Ellie has just learned the word, “yuck.” She says it when she sees the garbage and I know she’s learned it from me. It is the one chore in the house I do not want to smell, touch or think about. Garbage in the city of Toronto and everywhere else on the planet is encroaching. It drifts, floats, blows and travels right back at us.

I like my space clear, my water clean and my air light. I think this is what we all deserve; however, I love to shop with my girlfriends too. So, what does a girl do? Well, investigate where my stuff ultimately goes and be conscious that my desire for things eventually becomes somebody else’s trash.

My dear friends, the Ursuline Sisters of Chatham, may be traditional in many ways but they are forward thinking when it comes to the building of their home. These incredible selfless women have spent several years retro-fitting to meet LEED standards and utilize their space to achieve maximum benefits for their daily needs. It looks great and I look forward to spending some time with them in this new home!

Matt Long grew up in Toronto but now farms in Hastings County, Ontario, after having lived in South America. I wanted to highlight Matt because he is not your typical farmer. First he is in his mid-thirties and does not have a background in farming. The average Canadian farmer is 57 and inherited the business through generations of farming. So I was curious about Matt and needed to know:

What do you produce? Hot peppers, chicken, pork, turkey, duck, and pheasant.

How did you learn about farming? I learned about farming by trial and error, other farmers, tons of research and back breaking labor.

What could I most easily grow? Anyone can easily grow (in a small space): greens, sprouts, herbs, tomato, squash, cucumbers, radishes, garlic, carrots, turnips.

What’s your philosophy? My philosophy is simple. Making a life is much more rewarding than making a living.

Check out Matt further: http://www.punklesfarm.com/nasty_free.html

I have great appreciation for the farmers in southern Ontario. I grew up knowing their fields as my own even though I am a city girl. The rural area surrounding the towns of Blenheim and Chatham provided me with much comfort through my life. The July and August months in southern Ontario will cause your senses to vibrate because the farmlands are so rich and plentiful. I am proud to highlight these farmers for the essential work they do providing us with our daily meals and now they have also found ways to incorporate wind turbines into their scenery. Well done Chatham -Kent for the Talbot Wind Farm!

I’m starting with the ground we walk on. My Grandmother taught me how to get my hands dirty in her garden, thus, the title of this Blog, Greenbean. I loved her beans but even more than the beans I loved sitting on her back porch snapping off the ends and listening to nature. In our first week of April, I will look into agriculture, food, development and of course, stuff.

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Every morning I see a beautiful tiger face because my neighbour is a printer and his car is wrapped in an impressive shot of a wide-mouthed Siberian tiger. The Siberian (Amur) tiger is the largest of the wild cat. During the 20th Century, they were almost driven to extinction as a result of expanding human development and poaching. Today, in 2011, approximately 400 such tigers, the rarest of the subspecies, actually survive in the wild that once extended across a large portion of northern China, the Korean peninsula, and the southernmost regions of eastern Russia. Today, they mostly exist within a 150,000 sq km in Russia’s Far East birch forest. Their habitat serves as conservation because it provides shelter from humans and a complete ecosystem. When a tiger crosses through a village they will generally attack a domestic animal rather than a human – mostly cows and dogs. However, although it is reported that their current population is stable, a Siberian tiger’s biggest threat continues to be poaching. The Siberian tiger is hunted for their coat and body parts. These parts are sold on the black market and are used in traditional Chinese medicine. To learn more about the Siberian tiger or to help protect them contact: http://www.wcsrussia.org/Projects/SiberianTigerProject/tabid/1222/language/en-US/Default.aspx

Not Just Jiggy

Published 2010

As a new mother, I am excited to discover where my daughter’s feet will lead her. Fortunately, the neighbourhood offers a wide variety of positive activities including the Gilchrist-Canavan School of Irish Dancing which is available to boys and girls starting at age 4. When I think of Irish dancing an image of Riverdance springs to mind: a line of men and women who combine stiff upper body with quick intricate movements of the feet. I believe this may be the style many of us commonly associate with the sport – and it is indeed a vigorous sport. However, I have recently discovered that the commercialized success of Michael Flatley does not truly represent the traditional dance.

Irish Dancing is characterized by the reel, slip jig, jig and the hornpipe. Dancers wear a soft shoe or a hard shoe which taps like a drum on the floor. The steps are challenging and unique to each school. While the pattern of steps may vary, the upper body always remains straight with fists generally clenched at the side. Rumour has it that this stiffness honours the brutal years of Irish oppression while others believe that it represents a conservative Catholic heritage. The male costume is long pant, long-sleeved collar shirt and a tie. The female costume showcases expensive one-of-a-kind dresses while a curly wig and tiara add flare. And let’s not forget those socks! Presentation is very important to judges and must be appropriate to the show. Each dress is unique as is the style of the dancer. Hand-embroidered and sent direct from Ireland, the top dancers invest time and money to look their best to compete in “Majors.” They dance in a series of “Sets” which is where they shine as an individual.

Lyden McMurrary is a thirteen year old girl who has had several opportunities to perform at the Worlds. She found a passion for the dance at the tender age of five. She chose this style over ballet and various other sports because she loves to learn the combination of steps which are always fresh and new. Lyden currently studies five days a week with sisters, Patricia and Sinead and partner, Cathy Canavan. The sisters originally opened the Gilchrist School in 2002 and operated out of the Legion at Woodbine and Kingston Rd. Patricia believed the school was a perfect fit for the community. Soon, Cathy Canavan would join them and they became Glichrist-Canavan which now operates out of their studio at 1301 Queen St. East. Together, Patricia, Sinead and Cathy have cleverly combined their lessons of dance with essential life skills such as self-discipline, setting and reaching goals, respecting others and teamwork. Lyden’s mother, Alison agrees: “Good sportsmanship is key to making this activity so important to us. I have met a great group of women and Lyden has made some wonderful friends through her classes and international competitions.”

In order to compete, the dancers must raise their own money to pay for both costumes and for the travel expenses. Patricia is proud to see what the participants are able to achieve. “It teaches them the value of money through hard work and determination. They love to go to competitions because they are able to showcase their dance and make new friends. While it is a competitive sport, there is a lot of fun and commrodery. It is wonderful to see them work together toward a common goal.” There certainly is a level of commitment by the dancers who follow through over many years. As the founding sisters prove, “I started quite young because my mother also danced and so naturally my sister, Sinead also learned.” The reward of individual and team success gives the dancers such satisfaction. “It’s so much fun dancing in a team,” says Stephanie Quance. “You always push yourself to do well because you don’t want to let your team down.” Stephanie works hard to impress judges who have very precise rules, however innovation and variety is encouraged too. Judges at times may look away from the dancers and listen only to the taps of individual or synchronized feet. “Travelling to competitions is great because we meet new people and get to see what others are doing with the steps.” Along with the competitions, the Gilchrist-Canavan school can be booked for private functions or seen publicly at the CNE, St. Patrick’s Day and of course our very own annual Easter Parade. An audience gives the dancers a great platform to demonstrate their style, express talent and of course, have a blast.

Gilchrist-Canavan is open to teach all levels and ages. They perform regularly at the new Ceili Cottage Irish Pub which shares space with the studio. Check the Ceili website: http://www.ceilicottage.com/events to find out when you can enjoy a top night out in Irish style.