Sustainable Severn Sound

Student Research Helps Municipal Greening Efforts

admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 17:00:55 +0000

February 14, 2012

Twenty Lakehead students have completed research intended to help local municipalities with various greening initiatives. Five groups of students enrolled in the university’s General Science 1000 course working under the supervision of Prof. Christopher Murray were working with partners from the towns of Midland and Penetanguishene, and the Townships of Tiny and Tay on a variety of topics such as green roofs, brownfield redevelopment, and urban trees. The course provided an opportunity for students to become involved in the research of best practices regarding important issues facing municipalities while providing relevant background research for busy municipal staff in the form of a report and a poster summarizing their findings.

The posters will are on display as part of Lakehead Orillia’s Research and Innovation Week taking place February 13-16, 2012. The students will be doing poster presentations on Wednesday, February 15th, from 11:30 to 1:00 at the Learning Commons in the OA Building. The posters can be viewed online, please see links below.

Green Roofs - Brownfields Sites - Urban Trees - Green Parking

Students researching green roofs present findings to the public at a poster fair at Lakehead’s Orillia campus Feb. 15 2012

Communications and Engagement Strategy Released

admin — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 16:53:51 +0000

Sustainable Severn Sound has just released its Communications and Engagement Strategy. This document will guide how we will communicate and how we will involve partners, other organizations, and local residents. Read the plan, and let us know if you have any comments.

June 2011

admin — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 13:55:18 +0000

June 4th:

Doors Open Huronia – Midland, Penetanguishene, Tay, and Tiny

June 5th:

Doors Open Huronia – Midland, Penetanguishene, Tay, and Tiny

June 9:

Seniors Information Day – Penetanguishene

June 11th:

Bike Rodeo – Penetanguishene
Huronia Municipal Airport Family Day and Fly-In - Tiny

June 12th:

Huronia Municipal Airport Family Day and Fly-In - Tiny

June 17th:

Party on the Dock – Midland

June 24th:

Victoria Harbour 100th Anniversary and Canada Day Celebration – Tay

June 25th:

Coldwater and Area Studio Tour – Severn
Victoria Harbour 100th Anniversary and Canada Day Celebration – Tay

June 26th:

Coldwater and Area Studio Tour – Severn
Victoria Harbour 100th Anniversary and Canada Day Celebration – Tay

May 2011

admin — Sun, 01 May 2011 08:00:32 +0000

May 14:

Treasure Hunt Day- Midland

May 18:

National Museum Day - Penetanguishene
Renewable Energy Speaker Series: Water Heating Options – Midland

May 20:

Bike to Work Day – Midland
27th Annual Portarama – Township of Tay

May 21:

27th Annual Portarama – Township of Tay

May 22:

27th Annual Portarama – Township of Tay

May 28:

Renewable Energy Spring Home Tour – Various locations

Using a Rain Barrel

admin — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 20:21:18 +0000

A rain barrel is a container above ground that receives and stores rain water to allow for sustainable landscaping. By using a rain barrel, you can:

reduce the risk of erosion, storm water flow, pollution and flooding
decrease the amount of water going to the water treatment plant and storm sewers and minimize the amount of water that could be polluted by collecting oil, grease, and sediment on the roads before entering the storm sewers
decrease residential water consumption, which often increases 40-50% in the summer season due to increased demand for outdoor water
lower your water bills and save money!

A typical rain barrel is 55 gallons, and includes a down spout connection, a mosquito filter, an overflow spout for excess water, and a tap. A rain barrel can collect nearly 1,300 gallons of water during the peak summer months, depending where you live. The rain collected in the barrel is not considered drinkable water, but it is safe to use on flowers, the lawn, and non edible plants.

Maintenance
To maintain your rain barrel, you should clean it every now and again by adding a tablespoon of dish soap to the water inside your barrel to kill mosquito larvae (this also provides nutrients for your lawn and garden), and ensuring the screen on top of the barrel is clean so that it collects water properly.

Preparing your Rain Barrel for Winter
Before the winter season, you will need to drain and disconnect the rain barrel from the downspout. Store the barrel in a dry and covered spot like a garage or shed, and store the overflow hose indoors to prevent cracking. If you have to store the barrel outside, place it upside down and leave the water valve open.

April is Earth Month

admin — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 09:00:15 +0000

Ideas to celebrate!

April 1st: With the snow melting and spring blossoming, aim to spend a minimum 5 minutes outside to pick-up trash that settled over the winter months.

April 18-24: Pitch In Week! This year marks the 45th Annual Pitch-In Week in Canada! Contact your local municipality to get involved in cleaning up the community! Severn Sound watershed municipalities with more information: