Evergreen Brick Works Grand Opening Sept 25 & 26

September 16, 2010


This has been a busy week!

Evergreen’s Toronto staff have been unpacking in their new office in the Centre for Green Cities at Evergreen Brick Works, our new community environmental centre. We are celebrating our Grand Opening on September 25 and 26. If you are in town, drop by and take a peek at the transformation of the historic Don Valley Brick Works into a place where we can all explore how to live, work and play more sustainably.

Catch up the latest news on the Evergreen Brick Works blog: ebw.evergreeen.ca/blog

We’ll be back to regular posting on this blog very soon!

Comments Off | Evergreen Brick Works, Toronto, Transformations | Permalink
Posted by Erin from Communications

Tree Yourself!

September 2, 2010

If you were a tree, what would you be?

Find out and help spread the word about bringing nature back to cities. Tree yourself (and your friends!) at evergreen.ca/treeme and post it to your profile pic! Visit us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/EvergreenCanada and let us know your name.

Comments Off | Transformations | Permalink
Posted by Erin from Communications

Our Mushrooms

June 17, 2010

Our new oyster mushrooms. (Photo: Rebekka Hutton)

Growing food in an apartment or small space isn’t always easy—especially without an outdoor deck or balcony. Here at our downtown Toronto office, we’re growing delicious oyster mushrooms on the top of our fridge, and they’ve just started to fruit after only two weeks.

Read the rest of this entry »

Comments Off | Food, Gardening, Toronto | Permalink
Posted by Erin from Communications

Doors Open at Evergreen Brick Works this Weekend

May 28, 2010


Hope to see you there!

Comments Off | Events, Evergreen Brick Works, Toronto | Permalink
Posted by Erin from Communications

Native Plant Profile:Trembling Aspen

May 10, 2010

Leaves of a trembling aspen. (Photo: ©J.S. Peterson. USDA @ USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database)

This fast-growing member of the willow family, Populus tremuloides, is a pioneer species, often used in the first phase of restoration projects.  Tolerant of a wide range of soil and moisture conditions and found in every province and territory of Canada, it appears to be trembling or quaking when the wind blows, hence it’s name.  Growing 12 to 25 m high, this native tree attracts insects, birds and browsing wildlife. It sends up suckers from spreading roots, producing groups of genetically identical trees that can include thousands of trees covering areas up to 80 ha. Because of this some consider it the world’s largest living organism.

Learn more about trembling aspen and other native trees in Evergreen’s Native Plant Database.

1 Comment | Gardening, Native Species | Permalink
Posted by Erin from Communications

Ryan Wheeler is Greening his City

May 10, 2010

Ryan Wheeler is a busy guy. He is is an environmental emergencies officer with Environment Canada and about to be a first-time dad. Despite his full plate he still finds time to make his city a greener place.

How it all began: A few years ago, a friend of mine in the environmental sector asked me, “Where do you volunteer?”  I didn’t have an answer. I realized I was missing something, so signed up to be a Farmers’ Market Assistant at Evergreen Brick Works  I’ve been hooked ever since.

Why volunteer? It is a wonderful escape from work.  I’m learning all the time and I especially like the people – my network has expanded, I’ve made new friends and feel like a real part of the team.

Inspiration: I loved helping out with the children’s garden in 2008 – harvesting vegetables and watching children learn where their food really comes from. I’m actually growing some purple beans I collected from the garden two years ago!

My other life: As an environmental emergencies officer I help research, prepare for and respond to incidents.  I love the outdoors and going up north, playing hockey and riding my bike.

Sound like fun? Join Ryan and volunteer to make your city more livable. Learn how you can get involved.

Comments Off | Evergreen Brick Works, Toronto, Volunteer | Permalink
Posted by Erin from Communications

Happy Earth Day!

April 22, 2010

Comments Off | Events, Stewardship and Planting | Permalink
Posted by Erin from Communications

Meet Akasha – Program Assistant, Common Grounds

March 31, 2010
Akasha

Akasha Allen, Common Grounds’ new Program Assistant

A recent graduate in Environmental Studies, with a minor in Technology, Society and Environment Studies, Akasha Allen joined the Common Grounds staff team in February.

What’s your passion? Inspiring young people to care for the environment and to make more sustainable choices. It’s exciting to see how they learn so quickly.

Inspiration: I love how one plus one equals knowledge – put environmentally-conscious people together and–just like in a blender–you whiz up a wonderful environmental explosion of knowledge and creativity that has no limits! At the end of the day, I always learn something new!

Memorable moment: Getting re-inspired and regaining a new perspective when I watched the story of Wangari Maathai at a Roots & Shoots event we participated in. I went home and told my mother all I had learned! Maathai is a Nobel Peace Prize winner who started the Greenbelt Movement to restore the devastated forests in Kenya. The documentary is called “Taking Root: The Vision of Wangari Maathai.”

Challenge so far: Keeping track of everything that’s going on at Evergreen!

About me: I’m a city girl who cares about the environment and loves people.  I love to travel and get as much sleep as possible!

What’s ahead: I’m the kind of person who takes every day as it comes. Some day I hope to go back to school for event planning so I’ll be able to help create large-scale events with a small carbon footprint.

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Posted by Erin from Communications

Meet Renato – Community Greening Volunteer Leader

March 2, 2010

Renato in action at Downsview Park (Photo: Evergreen)

There are many inspiring people working to make cities more livable across Canada. Meet Renato Gabaldon, a community greening volunteer leader.

When and where? I started volunteering with Evergreen in September 2009 at Parc Downsview Park. Before this, I worked for nearly a decade in Baguio City – the summer capital of the Philippines and a sister city of Vaughan, Ontario – to protect Camp John Hay watershed reserve, a 640-hectare watershed in the middle of the city.

What’s your inspiration? Seeing people enjoy and respect the green space inside a busy city is the greatest motivation for me.

What else do you do? I am a participant in M2P, the Mentoring for Placement for Environmental Professionals program at the Toronto Region Conservation Authority. I also make time to volunteer with other great organizations like the Institute of Canadian Citizenship – WILD Canada Project, an environment educational awareness program for new citizens of Canada.

What’s getting you through the winter? I’m looking forward to spring opening at Evergreen Brick Works!

Comments Off | Volunteer | Permalink
Posted by Erin from Communications

How to Love Winter: Colour

February 23, 2010

Colourful blooms can brighten up your February. (Photos: Erin Elliott)

This week, I asked Evergreen Learning Grounds’ Debby Morton how she is surviving the drab winter months without her garden. She takes her inspiration from colour, colour, colour!
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5 Comments | Gardening, Green Tips, How to Love Winter | Permalink
Posted by Erin from Communications

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