By Fiona McMurran
This is Earth Week — not to be confused with Earth Hour, back in March, when we all turned off our lights for an hour. I don’t know about you, but I found it very restful to sit in the dark. I’d like to try it more often.
Celebrate Earth Week at a special Eco Fair on one of Niagara, Ontario's great beaches. Call Friends of Fort Erie's Creeks at 905 871-3050 for additional information.
Kudos to Councillor Paul Grenier of Welland, Ontario and the Welland Conservation Committee, including our own Gary King, for their hard work organizing the Earth Day event held on Merritt Island on Saturday, April 17. Good for all the student participants, and for those who turned out, despite the unseasonable cold.
And a special vote of thanks to Welland council for passing Barry Sharpe’s resolution (see below) on the Region of Niagara’s billing for Welland’s wastewater treatment.
What’s your opinion on the proposal to pick up garbage every other week?
We’re finding that using the green bin and recycling our plastic and tin containers means we have far less actual garbage. How about you?
The South Niagara Chapter of the Council of Canadians participated in the highly successful Niagara EcoFest organized by Jane Hanlon and Climate Action Niagara, held at the Glendale Campus of Niagara College on Sunday, April 18.
This Saturday, April 24, some of us from the chapter will be down at Waverley Beach in Fort Erie, as part of the EcoFair hosted by the Friends of Fort Erie’s Creeks. It runs from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., rain or shine, and includes a Walkathon.
Do join us at this special Eart Week event and we as you a few favours.
Favour #1: We’re providing activities for the kids as part of the EcoFair — making percussion instruments from recyclable and “found” objects. If you have anything in the way of empty tin cans (coffee cans are GREAT) and margarine tubs, etc., please let us know asap at 905-788-0756, or by email.
Favour #2: I’ve been impressed by how many local residents bring reusable bags for their groceries these days, and I’d like to do a little informal survey. Are our local grocery stores, drugstores, etc. seeing a decrease in the use of plastic bags? So, when you go shopping, could you ask if the store (or the vendor at your farmers’ market) is seeing less demand for plastic bags, and let me know?
Happy Earth Week, all!
(Fiona McMurran is a Welland resident and member of the South Niagara Chapter of Council of Canadians, a national, not-for-profit organization dedicated to fighting for social justice for ordinary citizens.)
(Visit Friends of Fort Erie’s Creeks wesbsite at http://www.friendsofforteriescreeks.com/)
(Click on www.niagaraatlarge.com for Niagara At Large and more news and commentary on issues of interest and concern to our greater binational Niagara region.)
Niagara At Large 
I’m at a loss why people are so upset with garbage collection every other week and 3 bag limit. Wrap up all smelly stuff in newpaper and put in green containor. Cardboard in grey box and plastic and cans in blue box. There leaves mostly paper with no smell. If there is an odor wash it before you put it in the garbage. However this should lead to cheaper garbage collection….or no deal.
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