They have made a clear and accessible video about our Pacific Northeast Ocean health.Sierra Club on YouTube

Victoria, BC and the CRD (Capital Regional District) are gradually leading us toward curbside collection of green waste.  We are running out of room for landfill, (after all we are an island) and landfill leachate contaminates our water supply…see the latest studies at the CRD website.

Ontario cities are taking lessons learned from Europe and building (since 2003) successful solid waste recycling programs.  Solid Waste & Recycling Magazine has some fascinating (remember, the nerd enthusiasm is at work here) videos.

So hurry up Victoria and get on board.

Bus travel can be travelling theatre:

- A young guy telling his friend and consequently the entire bus, the difficulties and successes in his lovelife at college - thankfully without the addition of procreative descriptors.

- Man gets  up and offers his seat to woman, she refuses - yowzers!

- Bus driver calling out the name of a stop and every uni student saying “thank you” as they alight.  I wonder if the drivers get bored with saying “you’re welcome, every time”?

There are people going to work, shopping, travelling (suitcase in hand to transfer to the Ferry/ Airport buses); everyone transported in every way for the cost of a cup of coffee.

We have a  great resource for composting information and supplies right here in Victoria: The Compost Education Centre.  Every Spring they host a plant sale, with many unusual herbs and vegetables - organically and locally grown.

When I need a car (especially for transporting Recycle2shop’s ’stuff’ to market) I walk 3 blocks to pick up my Victoria Carshare Coop truck or car.

Took the bus to town the other day (raining the proverbial) and the bus driver was amazing - yes, he actually waited for the less able to sit down before he took off and he slowly braked when coming up to a stop - sometimes we look like a bunch of drunks waiting to get off,  a tad unsteady on the feet as some drivers like to think they are on a rally course.  I feel like a ‘grumpy old woman’ some days when a passenger who obviously needs to sit is left standing by some lumpen’ youth (see what I mean about ‘grumpy’).  However, on that same bus trip one young man after another stood up with alacrity when the need arose-astonishing.  Obviously our bus driver’s considerate ‘aura’ was leaking out to the rest of us.

Try out the bus system, leave your car at home and take part in a really interesting bus ride.

So the first bit of  good news rumour is that the UK environment minister, Tony Benn (the last of the socialist ministers to survive in the labour party) has announced that there are plans to divert food waste from landfill.  Lead the way Tony. 

Stay tuned for [re]jeanius.  All will be revealed in the next installment.

OK that’s my one and only political rant for the year!

Let’s just keep on recycling and making our local environment a whole lot cleaner.

I love explaining that plastic bottles turn into soft, durable fleece and nylon  (made into the baby rug pictured - overlooking the ocean in this view from a Victoria clifftop).  We sold out of these great little gifts so it’s back to the sewing machine for me.

Victoria CRD (waste recycle) are looking into wood recycling - the UK has been working on a similar project and LetsRecycle has the latest news.

Anyway, back to the vases - they are made with coloured plastic bags which are cut up or torn into their cool designs.  A glass jam jar fits inside to hold the flowers.  If the jam jar is tall enough this can become a T light cover…the light flickers through the plastic cover.

If you are a designer, artisan, small business and you use recycled materials, please contact us so we can show your products and a link to your website or location.