Media Releases

City Climate Target Only Half of Province's

In May of 2014 the City of Ottawa released it's new Air Quality and Climate Change Plan.

At the time Ecology Ottawa welcomed the plan after a decade of neglect of the previous version of the plan, although we noted that the greenhouse gas reduction targets were not very ambitious.

In May of 2015 the Ontario government announced its 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target.

Thank You Ottawa for Another GREAT Great GREEN Glebe Garage Sale

Thanks to Ecology Ottawa volunteers and especially to all of the people of Ottawa who visited the Great GREEN Glebe Garage Sale last weekend. It was the greatest ever.

Here's why:

We raised money and are sharing it with the Ottawa Food Bank
We collected unwanted items from at least 175 donors across the city, by far the most ever for the event
We had the dedicated support of more than 125 volunteers, without whom the event would not have been possible

City's Term of Council Priorities Released

Late today on the city's website the City of Ottawa's Proposed 2015-2018 Term of Council Priorities document was made public.

Ecology Ottawa will review these 178 pages and report back based on how the document satisfies the parameters listed here.

The document will be reviewed for approval by various standing committees of the city starting next week before moving on to be considered for approval by full city council likely on July 8, 2015.

What Ecology Ottawa will be watching for in today's Term of Council Priorities report.

In October Ottawa elected a new city council. At the time Ecology Ottawa approached councillors across the city and met with many of them. We told them clearly what our priorities were and offered to work with them.

Today the public gets its first look at the official document that defines the City of Ottawa’s priorities for the next four years. Will they reflect a priority for a city that’s healthy for citizens and the environment?

ANALYSIS Greenhouse gas emissions: How can Canada cut 30% by 2030? Eliminating all cars for a year would only put a dent in carbon emissions

Shutting down the entire oilsands wouldn't be enough to get to the 2030 greenhouse gas reduction target set earlier this month by the federal government. (Mark Ralson/AFP/Getty Images)

When the federal government announced its plan to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 30 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030, it gave little indication how it planned to do it, exactly.

Emotional Connections to Water

The unnamed candidate had a problem.

Though not against the idea of clean water—who would be?—he didn’t want to make it a priority in his election campaign.

But on the day before the 2014 Ottawa municipal election, he was frantically calling the Ecology Ottawa offices, trying to convince the organization to post his environmental positions on its website.

Depave Paradise 2015

Depave Greening Project

Depave Paradise is back!

Last year, we removed more than 100 square meters of asphalt from the Kitchissippi Church parking lot.

This year, with the help of the community, we're going to do the same for St. Anthony Catholic School.

Depave Paradise addresses the proliferation of hard surfaces in modern urban environments through the primal act of ripping up unused pavement and replacing it with soil and vegetation. Volunteers “liberate the soil,” using hand tools to pry up the pavement. Native plants, bushes and trees are then planted to act as filters and sponges for polluted stormwater runoff. The events attract media and political attention, and raise awareness of the issues surrounding the urban water cycle, while making measurable environmental impacts, reducing runoff and contamination and increasing green space.

Ecology Ottawa Hiring Outreach Organizer - Three Month Contract

Ecology Ottawa is looking for an Outreach Organizer to join a dynamic team on a three month contract. The Outreach Organizer will run a canvass in the City of Ottawa designed to raise awareness about the threats associated with the proposed Energy East oil pipeline. The goal is to educate people about the proposed pipeline, support a growing volunteer base, and help build a movement of people in the City of Ottawa that are active around the proposed Energy East pipeline. This position involves immersion in the tools and techniques of grassroots organizing, canvassing, volunteer management, data management and communications. This position involves substantial evening and weekend work.

Ottawa author details the healing power of walking

Dan Rubinstein has walked in northern Quebec, in inner-city Philadelphia, in the British Isles, and more, to research his just-released book Born to Walk. But it was right around the corner from his house that the Ottawa author encountered a pedestrian’s worst nightmare.

Rubinstein was walking his twin daughters, Maggie and Daisy, to school in their Alta Vista neighbourhood, as he does most mornings. Maggie was ahead of him on her bike. Daisy was behind. As he watched, a car turned directly into Maggie, crushing her bike. The car then swerved and ran over Rubinstein’s legs.

Two Book Events - David Suzuki and Jeff Rubin

Octopus Books is hosting two book events of interest in the coming weeks.

On Thursday June 4th Jeff Rubin will be at Centretown United Church at 507 Bank Street at 7pm to talk about his new book The Carbon Bubble.

For more information and tickets for the Jeff Rubin event please visit the event page at Octopus Books.

On Friday June 19th David Suzuki will be at Centretown United Church at 507 Bank Street at 7pm to talk about his new book Letters to My Grandchildren.

Terry Fox Park Planting - Come Plant Trees!

Terry Fox Park was once a park filled with luscious trees, but unfortunately the city was forced to clear cut trees due to the Emerald Ash Borer. This is why we need your help! Come out to the Terry Fox Planting on June 13th from 9am-12pm and help plant 2000 trees!

The trees will be provided along with water, snacks, and coffee. So bring clothes that you don't mind getting dirty and a shovel and let's work together to help make this park filled with beautiful trees like it once was! We can do it!

Promising Practice - Barbara Long

Barbara Long, a local real estate agent with Your Choice Realty Corp. and Accredited Green Agent, has developed her own energy retrofit program. The program will help her clients save money, reduce greenhouse gases, stimulate the local economy and make good on her promise to herself about making a meaningful contribution to reducing climate change.