Congratulations to BurlingtonGreen Environmental Association on their 10th anniversary. BurlingtonGreen is a local, citizen-led, nonpartisan, not-for-profit environmental agency with a continued focus on awareness, action and advocacy. Their grassroots work began in 2007 around a kitchen table where local citizens gathered with an aim to make a difference to help the planet locally. Since then they have done just that in many significant ways.
Community Clean Up and Eco-Fair Celebration
Over the past six years, 63,000 residents have helped to clean up Burlington, the best mid-sized ranked city in Canada. Last year, 88 groups registered including 32 schools. Together, 11,000 people cleaned up over 145 locations.
Let’s all take action to help BurlingtonGreen reach this year’s goal of 15,000 people, in recognition of Canada 150, by registering for this year’s clean up on Earth Day, April 22. How appropriate! After your clean-up event, don’t forget to visit the outdoor Eco-Fair Celebration at Central Library’s bandshell for a BBQ (while quantities last), musical entertainment, eco-exhibitors and activities for kids.
Clean up and Green up events took place at Beachway Park between 2013 and 2016 thanks to The Great Lakes Guardian Community Fund. More than 20,000 native trees, shrubs and grasses were planted and 230 bags of invasive herbaceous plants, such garlic mustard, and over 25 piles of woody species, such as non native Buckthorn, were removed along with many bags of garbage.
In 2017, BurlingtonGreen will not host their own green up event but their volunteers will help out at six tree planting events led by the City of Burlington. Stay tuned to the next Take Action Burlington blog for more details.
BurlingtonGreen volunteers have established, planted, maintained and harvested a Grow to Give garden in the Central Park community garden. Over the past five growing seasons, they have donated an incredible 2,072 kg (4,500 lbs) of fresh, local food to Halton food banks and community agencies.
More than 7,000 students have participated in this fun, interactive, educational workshop for students aged four to 12 that involves a presentation, games, making a pledge button and taking action by completing the Go Green Challenge.
BurlingtonGreen volunteers have helped green 45 events since 2009, diverting almost 61 tonnes of waste from the landfill.
Youth 15 to 24 years who are interested in improving the local environment are encouraged to join the network. The network meets monthly and has helped inspire 3,400 youth and residents over five Youth Summits. Past guest speakers included Robert Bateman, Jane Goodall, Severn Cullis-Suzuki and Rob Stewart.
Five award-winning documentaries about broad environmental issues are presented at Burlington Central Library every year. This year will include a bonus film on April 22, screened at Halton Hive in Burlington. Since 2010, there have been 39 films included in the festival.
Come out to the event using a sustainable or active form of transportation, watch a film, have some refreshments in your reusable water bottle and enjoy a lively discussion after the documentary. The 2017 Eco-Film Festival is dedicated in memory of Rob Stewart who passed away earlier this year in a diving accident while filming his upcoming documentary.
Over the years, BurlingtonGreen Environmental Association and its members have been recognized for a variety of awards:
- The City of Burlington’s Civic Award for Environmental Achievements,
- Burlington’s Best – Environmental Award,
- Conservation Halton’s Conservation Award of Excellence,
- The Starfish Top 25 Environmentalist Under 25,
- Mayor’s Community Service Award,
- Terra Greenhouse Purple Pepper Best Edible Garden people’s choice award, and
- Earth Day Canada’s “Hometown Heroes” environmental award.
Congratulations again BurlingtonGreen on your past accomplishments. We can’t wait to see what you have planned for the next 10 years.
Take Action Burlington! Collectively we can make our local environment a better place to live.
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