Green Calgary's Blog

Tonight at our Earth Day Event, we launched our "Restore YYC's Urban Forest Project".  Last September, a snowstorm destroyed or damaged over 1.5 million trees in Calgary. So we're calling on Calgarians to help restore our urban forest. Trees play an invaluable role in the health of our planet, and have a key role in our cities; cleaning our air, mitigating flood impacts, cooling our pavements, and beautifying our neighbourhoods. How can you help? Consider purchasing a tree to be donated to #yyc's urban forests.  We've teamed up with Blue Grass Nursery and Garden Centre to source trees native to our region (Spruce, Poplar, and Aspen).  By buying a tree for #yyc, you not only help restore our urban forests; you create a lasting legacy for generations to come while also getting a charitable tax receipt for your commitment to #yyc! A $75 donation will buy 1 tree which will be planted this summer.  We hope to plant over 500 trees this summer with the help ...

Have you heard about our new Green Tea initiative? This is where you bring together 5-6 of your friends in your home, and are joined by one of our in-home facilitators. Below are 5 reasons to host your very own Green Tea: 1. We answer all your questions. Ask your Green Tea Facilitator your burning questions about creating and maintaining a greener household! How to save money on your utility bills? Choose less toxic cleaning and personal care products for your family? How to test for & fix toliet leaks? 2. It's a non-judgey kinda thing. In your own home, surrounded by friends and family, feel free to share your challenges with being greener. Chances are, you are not alone! Green Teas are a safe place to learn amongst those closest to you. 3. Everyone leaves with something! Your guests will leave with resources and tips to continue on their green journeys while every host receives more than $50 worth of green cleaners, water saving fixtures and personalized solutions for ...

On April 22nd, Green Calgary will be hosting our Earth Day Celebration and AGM. The event will be a space where you can gain support and inspiration from your fellow green Calgarians to continue upon your own environmental journey. Our sponsors for the event, BluPlanet Recycling and Good Company, have embarked on their own journeys by using their talents to make the world a better place. BluPlanet is a recycling company that goes well beyond their main mission of reducing landfill waste from Calgary businesses and condos. They are not only members of Green Calgary, they are a Certified Benefit Corporation, Living wage leader, and a REAP member. Good Company provides branding, printed and digital communications services specifically to people and organizations doing good things. Offering their creative skills to environmentally and socially conscious companies helps more good things happen. Our prize donors also have their own stories to share: Ox and Angela is a local restau...

Every year, we look to celebrate Earth Day in #yyc in a meaningful way. This year, we are pleased to present a screening of the award winning documentary “Revolution” at the John Dutton Theatre (Central Library) Wednesday April 22nd in conjunction with our AGM. This year's event will start at 5:30pm with a reception where attendees will get to enjoy refreshments from local vendors and show their support for environmental sustainability in our city. After the reception, you can attend our AGM, which will be followed by a short awards presentation in recognition of our amazing volunteers.  At 7 pm, we'll screen Revolution - a documentary that depicts a journey of hope from the evolution of life to the revolution underway to save us. Green Calgary Members who attend the Annual General Meeting get free access to the entire event. Members not attending the AGM and nonmembers pay just $10. You can register and/or purchase your ticket here or contact Gabriela to learn more. Spe...

We know that protecting and preserving our environment is not the work of a single organization, person or even government. It requires that we all work together. We, at Green Calgary, are always looking for those opportunities to work collectively and we're delighted to be working with local organizations such as the Calgary Humane Society, Two Wheel View, REAP - all of us are doing good work, on our own and collectively. Of course, whenever we seek to collaborate, we need champions to understand how collaborations work, how we can leverage each other’s expertise and why they’re necessary to support. Thankfully, we've found some of those champions in Bentall Kennedy, a company that consistently demonstrates its commitment to sustainability, TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, and The City of Calgary Waste & Recycling Services. There are many other partnerships we’ve developed and are developing in our community because we know that collaboration is a powerful too...

As we welcome in a new year, we are often confronted with a sense of starting things anew and making resolutions. Every year, we, at Green Calgary, evaluate the ways we could be just a wee bit greener. Living greener is not just a new year's resolution - it's something we, as staff, demonstrate in a myriad of ways. We don't all do the same things and we often fall short of perfection. But we do have a commitment to all live a greener life and hope to inspire our loved ones, colleagues, and acquaintances to do the same. And that's a great resolution on its own. Do you want to be a bit greener this year? Our program offerings are designed to empower you to take a few small actions that will make a significant difference to the health of our city and ultimately our planet. Still not composting? Let us help - it doesn't take much to get started. Thinking about doing a little rain harvesting this growing season? Let us get you fitted with your own barrel and help you...