The Greening of the Mariposa Folk Festival
How much does the Mariposa Folk Festival contribute to climate change? Not as much as it used to, and not as much as one might think. While organizers want participants to feel comfortable, they also want them to leave a much smaller environmental footprint than in past festivals. The Mariposa Folk Festival Greening Initiative began […]
Tip of the Week: The economic benefits of trees
The evidence is clear. Ensuring a healthy tree canopy across a community or city is key to improved health for citizens, reductions in certain types of crime, and, if the trees are on school properties, improved school achievement in young students. What more can an increase in the number of trees in Orillia do for […]
Biodiversity: Variety is the Spice – and the Source – of Sustainable Life
The study of genetics originated almost 200 years ago when an Augustine Friar, Gregor Johann Mendel, began studying the inherited characteristics of the Abbey’s garden plants. Following the publication of Darwin’s theory of biological evolution in 1859, the study gained momentum; plant and animal life were classified into groups, or species, based on their shared […]
Tip of the Week: More trees = less crime?
Recent Sustainable Orillia articles and “Tips of the Week” have examined, on the one hand, the relationship between student achievement and the presence of mature trees on school grounds and, on the other, the relationship between human health and the presence of trees in community neighbourhoods. One article described the goal of Orillia’s Environmental Advisory […]
Tip of the Week: Urban forests improve the health of citizens
A recent Sustainable Orillia article on “Orillia’s Urban Forest” noted the efforts being made by Orillia’s Environmental Advisory Committee (EAC) and Councillor Lauer to preserve and expand the tree canopy in our city. Recent scientific research indicates that doing so is more than a matter of maintaining the nice look of mature trees. The SO […]
Orillia’s Urban Forest – A close-up look at Orillia’s tree canopy
Orillia has a long and beneficial relationship with the trees that shade our streets, line our waterfronts, and populate our parks. These magnificent trees are one of the most frequently mentioned attributes of our city. Orillia’s tree canopy, including our parks, when last measured in 2015 was determined to be 32%. Not bad overall, but […]
If you Want a Forest – Start Planting Trees!
Somerville Seedlings — Growing forests for the future – Gord Ball, for Sustainable Orillia Every year, Somerville Seedlings tree farm grows about 3 million trees to sell. At any given time they have about 23 million individual trees on their property. Brent Forbes’ job is to grow them. “I’ve got a lot of trees to […]
Orillia’s Community Climate Change Action Plan Underway!
Earlier this year, the City of Orillia embarked on the development of a long-term Community Climate Change Action Plan or ‘CCCAP’. This important initiative will benefit everyone in Orillia, present and future. Balancing longer-term vision with ‘here and now’ action, the CCCAP’s overall objective is to chart a course for the municipality to reduce its […]
Sustainable Orillia’s second art contest winner, MJ Pollak
MJ Pollak, an Orillia artist, is the winner of Sustainable Orillia’s second art contest of 2021! The contest, introduced in late May with a deadline of June 30, asked local artists to submit a piece of work that expressed the theme of “trees,” Sustainable Orillia’s communications theme in the third quarter of 2021. Eight artists […]
Sustainable Orillia Month Coming Soon – September, 2021!
We are happy to announce that this SEPTEMBER will be Sustainable Orillia Month! Sustainability and reducing greenhouse gas emissions are a year-long effort, but we like to give you extra motivation each year during a designated Sustainable Orillia Month. This year, if possible, we are eager to connect with you in person for events that […]