Spotlight on Volunteer James Boutiler

August 27, 2009
James Boutiler at Doors Open 2009. Photo: Kourosh Javidi

James embraces face painting at Doors Open 2009. (Photo: Kourosh Javidi)

On a warm Saturday morning at the Farmers’ Market, James Boutiler is standing behind three labeled waste bins, moving his gloved hands at lightning pace. He helps guide a plastic cup and lid into the compost.

The woman standing in front of him looks puzzled.

“They are actually made of compostable corn,” he says, simultaneously directing a paper coffee cup out of the recycling.

“It’s made of multiple layers of plastic on paper fibre,” he says to a man passing by. “But at most facilities they can’t be separated for either composting or recycling. It goes in the garbage.”

A third year environmental science and biology student at University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM), James is one of forty dedicated volunteers who donate their enthusiasm and energy to ensure the Evergreen Brick Works Farmers’ Market is the place to be each Saturday.

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Posted by Erin from Communications

Youth Take Back Their Neighbourhoods

August 13, 2009

Today at the Toronto Botanical Gardens youth, youth  leaders and adults  got together with Toronto Mayor David Miller, Toronto Community Housing Network and Evergreen staff to select the winners of  Take BAC-13, a Toronto-wide program that aims to beautify the City’s 13 priority neighbourhoods.

Groups of youth spent the whole spring and summer planning, planting and nurturing a greening project of their own design.  Each group presented compelling before and after shots of their projects all hoping to win the $500 grand prize, which goes towards continued stewardship of the new green space.

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A youth participant describes her group's project. (Photo: Robert Greatrix)

The scene was loud and jam-packed with eager participants. Mayor Miller shook hands with many of the youth, chatting with them and discussing their projects. Some projects included signs saying, “Welcome to Teasdale” or other creative ways of stalking their claim.

At the end, three votes were cast, and the three finalists were chosen. As a nice surprise, instead of awarding one project $500, the committee ensured that all three received $500!

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Posted by Nate from Public Relations

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