Green Calgary's Blog

Green Calgary brings summer camps to your own backyard this summer! Green Calgary has developed a new summer program to help bridge the gap between a summer camp and online learning in the new Backyard Science Summer Program! The program has activities, guides, videos, and live sessions to give you a fun-filled week of having your very own summer camp. With hours of content each day and hands-on support from our experienced educators, your child will learn about the science of nature, while having fun outdoors! Green Calgary offers four camps in July and August. Each camp is geared towards a certain grade, though the content for each camp is different, so your child could attend multiple camps. The first camp is the Adventurer Camp for Grades 5-6 and is focused on Bees and Bugs. It runs from July 6 to 10. Find out more and register here... The second camp is the Explorer Camp for Grades 3-4 and is focused on Plants and Nature. It runs from July 20 to 24. Find out more an...

It's another Earth Week and while it's not a great time for many to celebrate, there are still some things that we are doing to mark the occasion. We wanted to share some of what Green Calgary's been working on for this Earth Week. Rain Barrel Sales - Green Calgary's annual rain barrel sale fundraiser has moved online and we're still selling rain barrels and delivering them to your door. We're pleased that for Earth Month we've dropped the cost of the barrel by $10, plus for the whole season, we're paying half the shipping! You can order yours HERE . Online Activities for Kids - Green Calgary's educators have adapted our programs into online activities to help parents and teachers deliver environmental education at home! Each week has a different theme and different activities to try - check the activity guides to find which part of the curriculum they fit into. You can find those HERE . For this Earth Week, we're also premiering our ...

Green Calgary’s annual rain barrel sales have been a major fundraiser and community event for over 20 years, a legacy which we intend to honour this year.  While the current public health crisis has kept many of us separate from one another, the possibility of holding rain barrel sales in a physical location has become an impossibility.  So, Green Calgary is taking the sales online instead! What you can expect: · The same great Green Calgary rain barrels in blue or white · Rain barrels at a special, bargain price of $75 barrel until May 1st when they go up to $85 · The same excellent rain barrel support through our help desk · Green Calgary pays half the delivery fee! A new, reduced price of $10 delivery for your first two barrels, $10 per barrel after that (in the same order) · Delivery to every quadrant of the city on select days (pick up from our offices might become available at a later date) We’re hoping this change will be a welcom...

Green Calgary is going to the Calgary Home + Garden Show this weekend to talk to folks about rain barrels, but the show also acts as a reminder that gardening season is just around the corner, if not now. Many gardeners, some in Green Calgary included, garden throughout the winter with things like sprouts, microgreens, and container plants that winter well. However, now tends to be when people planting their gardens from seed start planning their gardens and even starting their seeds. One of the advantages to starting this early is that you can design your garden to take advantage of the whole growing season, with things that bloom early, others that bloom late, and plants that protect your garden from pests while attracting pollinators. The City of Calgary's YardSmart program has some handy tools to get you started . Another reason to get ready early is to make sure you have your water usage laid out. Plants have various water needs, plus watering in shade and in sun is di...

When undertaking a renovation, there are a few things you can do to make your renovation more environmentally friendly! The best thing you can do is make conscious decisions – plan out the renovation and look for alternatives where they exist. Often, there are eco-friendly options out there, but we just don’t see them! Here are some more tips: Do research. Look into the products you’re getting and what kind of environmental programs the business has in place. You can check various certifications, too, such as Forest Stewardship Council for wood and Canada’s EcoLogo program for eco-friendly products. Paint. Painting is an easy way to brighten up a home and the biggest issue are the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in many paints. Look at labels and ask in the paint department for low-VOC paint, recycled latex paint, or natural paint. Repurpose & Reuse. Find new spots for old furniture, such as turning an old dresser into a new shelving unit. Check in thrift stores and onl...

It's that time of year again! If the snow last weekend was any indication, our water collection period is coming to an end and it's about time to winterize your rain barrel to avoid damage to the barrel. Here's how: If you have a Rain Barrel with an overflow hose: 1. Remove the overflow hose & store it for next spring. 2. Turn your barrel upside down & drain completely. 3. Store & secure your barrel for the winter. Ideally, move the barrel into a garage/shed if you can, but if you are leaving it outdoors, store it upside down and secure it to prevent damage & water accumulating. 4. Reconnect your downspout to allow melting snow to drain away from your foundation.   If you have a Rain Barrel with a diverter kit: 1. Turn your barrel upside down & drain completely. 2. Store & secure your barrel for the winter. Ideally, move the barrel into a garage/shed, but if you are leaving it outdoors, store it upside down & secure it to prevent damage ...

A whopping six million tonnes of organic wastes in Canada is produced annually, according to Waste Management World. Fortunately for the good of the earth, all of this waste can easily be converted to compostable fertiliser for your garden. With Earth Day not too far away, there are plenty of hacks to  turn your garden into an eco-friendly paradise . Help our city of Calgary  go green with these easy to implement  changes to your garden. These five simple tasks will leave you with a stunning backyard paradise, giving the nature around you the chance to grow happily. 1. Solar Lamps to Light The Way One easy eco-friendly swap is to implement solar-powered lights and lamps. No need to reach for an outdoor outlet with the  convenience of solar-powered lamps . With a variety of solar lamps, you can light your pathways, driveways, even your back porch sitting area. This eco-friendly hack not only saves electricity, but  uses sustainable power sources . ...