Loblaws to Transform Waste Into Energy

October 20th, 2009

Loblaws recently signed a 5 year partnership agreement with Toronto based biofuel company StormFisher Biogas in an effort to create energy that will be fed into the grid under Ontario’s Green Energy Act.

Globe and Mail – Digest this: organic waste to go in a giant stomach

The agreement involves taking 15,000 tonnes a year of discarded food and other organics from stores around southwestern Ontario, or 75,000 tonnes over five years, for processing at StormFisher’s soon-to-be-built plant near London. The facility will generate 2.8 MW of continuous power once it opens in late 2010.

Biogas is created when organic waste is placed in a “biodigester”, a machine designed to capture methane gas released by decomposing material.

When properly treated, biogas can be used to generate power or fed into the grid and used as a clean, renewable energy source for homes and businesses in place of some fossil fuels. Currently, biogas can be produced only in limited quantities but hopefully, one day will become a viable renewable energy source for Ontario.

Source: jcwinnie.biz

Source: jcwinnie.biz

1st Annual Community Power Conference 2009

October 16th, 2009

Join Conference Honourary Chair Dr. David Suzuki, industry leaders, government officials, local community groups and many others at the 1st Annual OSEA Community Power Conference November 15-16, 2009.

Come and celebrate the success of the Green Energy and Green Economy Act; discuss the hottest topics from Micro-FIT and Feed-in Tariffs, to financing models, the latest technology and local and international case studies. Community Power – It’s everybody’s business now.

Online registration & Exhibitor info
Schedule
Workshop & tours
Contact

Community Power Conference 2009

The Ontario Sustainable Energy Association has championed Community Power since its inception. Most recently, OSEA played a major role in the creation of the Green Energy Act, working closely with the government to ensure the legislation was the most progressive in North America.

OSEA will be presenting, in cooperation with the Association of Power Producers of Ontario at the 2009 Power Networking Centre (November 16-18) followed by APPrO2009 (November 17-18), will truly provide sustainable energy players of all kinds the one annual event not to be missed.

Conference topics will include:

  • Community Power project models
  • Project management
  • Community Power policy and programs
  • Financing models and opportunities
  • Grid infrastructure
  • Opportunities for First Nations, municipalities, farmers, LDCs, landowners, educational institutions and local citizens
  • Capacity building
  • Social friction, effective consultation and partnerships
  • Planning and permitting
  • Feed-in tariffs
  • All community power technologies

Who should attend:

  • Homeowners, landowners and building owners
  • First Nations
  • Farmers
  • Land investors and developers
  • Existing and future Community Power groups
  • Municipalities and local economic development organizations
  • Policymakers, regulators and government officials
  • Commercial power developers
  • Researchers and academics
  • Utilities and local distribution companies
  • Manufacturers and suppliers
  • Environmentally conscious financial institutions
  • Planners
  • Engineers

300 New Solar Tech Jobs for Ontario

October 15th, 2009

Toronto Star – Ontario a Magnet for Solar Tech Firm

Sustainable Energy Technologies Ltd. is negotiating a deal that could create up to 300 new energy jobs in Ontario. By re-visiting their original plan to outsource it’s manufacturing to China and move operations to Southern Ontario, Sustainable Energy Technologies “could begin churning out product as early as the first quarter of 2010″

“It’s the latest sign that the province’s strategy of attracting “green-collar” jobs may be starting to work. Beyond high-profile wins, such as Samsung Group’s plan to locate manufacturing in Ontario to support its own wind and solar projects, a number of smaller players are beginning to emerge.”

OSEA – Ontario Sustainable Energy Association

October 14th, 2009

The Ontario Sustainable Energy Association more commonly known as “OSEA” is a member-based, non-profit organization actively engaged in or supporting Community Power projects and renewable energy in Ontario.

As one of the policy driving forces behind the successful development of North America’s first Green Energy Act OSEA continues to initiate, facilitate and support the work of local sustainable energy organizations through it’s membership services, province-wide capacity building and non-partisan policy work.

Join ecofox and hundreds of other fans on the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association – OSEA Facebook Page.
OSEA Facebook Page

Seeds are Fundamental to Food Security

October 7th, 2009

Artan Gardens is an arts and horticultural organization.  We are committed to growing more nutritious food and rejuvenating the environment.  Together, with friends, colleagues, schools, business ambassadors, Government and local food groups we can Cultivate Creative Culture within urban centers. Join and support our nation-wide program to grow and propagate heirloom seeds: Seed Your City to Feed Your City.  This unique program blends the Arts with Horticultural education.  We provide heirloom seeds and step-by-step guides on how to grow them with an interactive planting and growing curriculum. Seed Your City gives everyone the opportunity to grow their own produce, feed their city, and create stunning edible landscapes.
People need to grow to eat. There is a huge need for more food banks and soup kitchens; local food security is a pressing issue within our urban centers.
“Seed Your City” will play a unique role in creating Seed Bank systems to Feed people within the community. We will ensure a continuous supply of healthy, non-genetically modified produce to feed our fellow Canadians.
Raised funds and seeds gathered from the program are traded within schools and community parks for planting and creating Art & Garden Spaces. There are various methods for growing ecologically sound food, which compared to industrial methods, can be more sustainable, nutritious and tasty. “Seed Your City” creates vital systems for people who actively grow their community. Everyone can be part of the movement.
Join Artan Gardens on Facebook or follow Seed Your City on Twitter for more information about our programs.

Artan Gardens is an arts and horticultural organization in Toronto committed to growing more nutritious food and rejuvenating the environment.  Together, with friends, colleagues, schools, business ambassadors, Government and local food groups they aim to Cultivate Creative Culture within urban centers.

Join and support the nation-wide program to grow and propagate heirloom seeds: Seed Your City to Feed Your City. This unique program blends the Arts with Horticultural education.  Artan Gardens provides heirloom seeds and step-by-step guides on how to grow them with an interactive planting and growing curriculum. Seed Your City gives everyone the opportunity to grow their own produce, feed their city, and create stunning edible landscapes.

People need to grow to eat. There is a huge need for more food banks and soup kitchens; local food security is a pressing issue within our urban centers.

Seed Your City will play a unique role in creating Seed Bank systems to Feed people within the community to ensure a continuous supply of healthy, non-genetically modified produce to feed our fellow Canadians.

Raised funds and seeds gathered from the program are traded within schools and community parks for planting and creating Art & Garden Spaces. There are various methods for growing ecologically sound food, which compared to industrial methods, can be more sustainable, nutritious and tasty. Seed Your City creates vital systems for people who actively grow their community. Everyone can be part of the movement.

Join Artan Gardens on Facebook or follow Seed Your City on Twitter for more information about their programs.

The Reverse Graffiti Artist

September 30th, 2009

A friend of mine reminded me of a YouTube link this morning that is slightly outdated or maybe just ahead of it’s time. Either way, it’s an inspiring video of reverse graffiti artist Paul “Moose” Curtis, a DJ and commercial artist currently running Symbollix who’s worked with some major brands (Smirnoff, Xbox & Clorox) creating zero impact advertising campaigns.

Other groups such as CURB have flawlessly executed a variety of eco-tagging & environmental advertising methods around the world. As a really affordable means of communicating a sustainable message, we offer similar and equally innovative earth friendly marketing/advertising opportunities to our clients and hope to see more and more examples of this approach in the future.

Recycled Beauty

September 17th, 2009

As an extreme minimalist I view recycling as an alternative but not a solution. I’ve never felt comfortable dragging a blue bin full of materials out the front door and all kinds of new stuff back in. It just doesn’t sit well with me. Although, on the same note, I’m not the crafty type so I tend to re-use as much as I can the old fashioned way while I continually find new ways to curb my consumption of anything packaged. And I never stop exploring a variety of very chic ways to re-use our trash in hopes that inspiration one day sets in.

I came across this stunning collection of Paul Villinski’s “beer can butterflies” and wanted to share. This New York born artist transforms what would otherwise be trash into gorgeous and very natural looking flocks of butterflies. Each butterfly is handcrafted (cut & filed) and no two are the same. Paul Villinski elegantly describes his process of collecting and transforming discarded beer cans from the streets of New York & New Orleans;

beer can butterflies

“A kind of conceptual unity develops between materials, process and imagery: my practice in the studio mimics the act of transformation that butterflies symbolize everywhere, in all cultures.”  - Paul Villinksi
beer can butterflies

Sustainable Homes

September 9th, 2009

The following is a list of 10 of the most unique natural and very tiny homes I have ever seen. The building process is extremely environmentally responsible and affordable for those who have a few months worth of labour to invest and some truly amazing friends.

Bend Twist

August 24th, 2009