Peter and Annette Kaldeway know what it's like to power their lives on at most five kilowatt hours a day.

For the past three years they've been living in an off-grid house they built on a rural property in the Mallorytown area. They use solar panels and wind power to generate their electricity; they collect rain water in cisterns, and cook and heat with a wood-burning cookstove. They have a large vegetable garden and from it put up preserves for winter consumption. They also forage the woods for some edibles.

Peter, a retired chemical plant operator, will describe in some detail the systems they use to generate their own electricity and provide water without using a well.

Annette will talk about the "lifestyle" of off-grid living and how they use the gifts of nature to their advantage in many ways for their everyday life. She cooks most meals in winter on the wood cookstove, which also (along with sunlight through south-facing windows) heats the house.

Many of the tasks that keep their lives running smoothly are shared, and that sense of working together with a common purpose is rewarding for them.

Following their talk, the Kaldeways will invite the audience to ask questions. Everyone is welcome at this free public presentation.

WHEN: Sunday, April 24, 2:00 pm
WHERE: Brockville Public Library, 23 Buell Street, Brockville

May 29: Feature documentary: This Changes Everything*
June 26: TBA

*Co-sponsored by the Brockville chapter of the Council of Canadians

Please let us know what you'd like to hear about, or to hear more about, through this online form.

The TBSL is open and operating seven days a week at Leeds County Books, 73 King Street West in Brockville. This collection offers 'big picture' analyses of the science behind climate change and resource depletion, thoughtful discussions on civilization, economics and ecology, and manuals for on-the-ground building of personal and community resilience. A complete catalogue and borrowing procedures are available on our website.

Think you might like to help out from time to time with TB projects or at events? Sign up here to our new TB-VOL mailing list to receive an occasional "call for volunteers".

• Our Steering Committee normally meets at 7:00 pm on the second Wednesday of the month at Bud's on the Bay, 17 Broad Street. Next month will be an exception, with the meeting to be held on Tuesday, May 10, at 10:00 am. Our SC meetings are open and anyone may attend.


• Members of the SC are available to speak to groups throughout the community, whether it be a lunch-and-learn at your place of business, a presentation to your board of directors or group members, or an informal neighbourhood discussion. Contact us at transitionbrockville@gmail.com.

Active transportation - Arctic ice - Biodiversity - Biofuels - Business - Canada - Community building - Community gardens - Community power - Cooking from scratch - Cooperatives - Coping - Cycling - Economic disruption - Emergency preparedness - Emissions control - Energy conservation - Extreme weather - FIT and MicroFIT - Flooding - Food security - Food storage - Frugal living - Global warming - Home gardens - Industrial agriculture - Local foods - Local government - Local investing - Local resilience - Nuclear power - Ontario - Peak oil - Pipelines - Recycle - Reduce - Regional - Resource depletion - Retrofitting - Schools - Social enterprise - Solar PV - Transition Towns - Urban agriculture - Walking - Water depletion - Water turbines - Wellness - Wind turbines - Youth

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WHEN: Tuesday, April 19, 12 noon - 1:30 pm
WHERE: Online

A 3-year study on the emergence of Transition Initiatives in Canada is coming to a close and we want to share what we've been learning in this webinar and offer a space for live discussion. This is about your experience of working with(in) the Transition movement. Whether you are a Transition Initiative co-founder, member, community partner, or curious citizen, you will come away with fresh insights gained by research with nearly 100 Transition Initiatives across the country!

The webinar will start with a presentation of highlights of the study by Dr. Blake Poland, lead investigator from the University of Toronto, followed by responses/comments from expert panellists, Rob Hopkins, founder of the Transition movement, and Transition trainer Michelle Colussi, from the Canadian Centre for Community Renewal. Questions from the audience will also be welcomed to contribute to the dialogue.

Registration: https://transitionmovement-in-canada-webinar.eventbrite.ca

WHEN: Tuesday, April 19, 7:00 pm
WHERE: Athens District High School, 21 Church Street, Athens

Are you having problems with Japanese beetles or other pesky bugs in your garden? Are you wondering how to control weeds without harming the environment? Please join us at the next meeting of the Athens Garden Club where Mary Sherman Reid of Green Thumb Garden Centre will discuss friendly ways to control bugs and weeds without using chemical pesticides and herbicides. Please bring your questions and worst offenders to the meeting for the discussion period. Everyone welcome!

More info: https://www.athensgardenclub.com

WHEN: Friday, April 22

Earth Day is the largest environmental event in the world. More than six million Canadians – including nearly every school-aged child – participate in an Earth Day activity in their communities. We partner with and support hundreds of organizations across the country, as they engage Canadians in annual celebrations of this special day.

More info: http://earthday.ca/

WHEN: Saturday, April 23, 11:00 am - 2:00 pm
WHERE: Solacity Inc., 825 Van Buren Street, Kemptville

Come and learn all about the construction of a straw bale warehouse/office. Join SMARTNet Alliance on Saturday, April 23, 2016 as we head over to Solacity to learn all about the features the owners implemented to build their straw bale warehouse/office. The owners will share their experience and knowledge of building the straw bale warehouse which includes:

• Straw bale walls
• Passive solar and geothermal and hydronic heating
• Daylighting with light-shelves to provide office lighting
• Designed for solar on the roof with carbon-neutral (net-zero) potential
• VERY energy efficient through high insulation, air-sealing etc.
• and many more features!

More info: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/smartenergy-tour-do-you-know-how-to-build-it-right-series-straw-baleconstruction- registration-21790886127

WHEN: Saturday, April 30, 9:00 am - noon
WHERE: City-wide

The Brockville Community Wide Clean-up organizing committee is comprised of volunteer community members and students. Each year, the committee coordinates with City of Brockville staff and with the financial support from environmentally conscious businesses, in an effort make our city clean.

The greatest efforts come directly from local volunteers and neighbours, who pitch-in armed with rakes and garbage bags. Each year this event draws a few hundred volunteers, removing tonnes of garbage and recyclable rubbish from our parks and green spaces.

Sign-up and more info: http://brockvillecleanup.ca

WHEN: Thursday, May 5, 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm
WHERE: Brockville Public Library, 23 Buell Street, Brockville

Culture Days invites everyone to explore, discover and participate in arts and culture in every community across the country. In 2015, more than 2 million people participated in 7,600 activities in nearly 900 cities and towns. Last year, more than 2000 activities were presented across Ontario.

This year's Culture Days weekend will take place on September 30, October 1 and 2, 2016. Once again, the event will feature free, hands-on, interactive activities that invite the public to participate "behind the scenes"—and to discover the world of artists, creators, historians, architects, curators, and designers at work in their community.

As a grassroots, collaborative movement, Culture Days relies on your participation. Whether as an arts or cultural organization, an artist, a municipality, a school, a citizen, a business person…everyone can play a role in shaping this event. So get involved!

More info: http://on.culturedays.ca/

WHEN: Thursday, May 5, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm
WHERE: Country Roads Community Health Centre, 4319 Cove Road, Portland

Organic pest control, watering, weeding and mulching, harvesting the early crops, and succession planting for a fall crop. OPEN TO EVERYONE - new and experienced vegetable gardeners

Registration: Contact Anne at 613-359-6000 or abishop@crchc.on.ca

WHEN: Saturday, May 7, 8:00 am
WHERE: Market Street West, Brockville

WHEN: Wednesday, May 11, 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm
WHERE: Herbert St. Entrance, Carveth Care, 375 James St., Gananoque

The May meeting of the Gananoque Horticultural Society features the topic of Butterflies in the Garden. Dave Cybulski of The Garden of Hope will suggest plants to bring butterflies into our gardens. Visitors welcome! We Are Green. Please bring a mug.

More info: http://www.gardenontario.org/site.php/gananoque

WHEN: Friday, May 13
WHERE: North Grenville Municipal Centre, 285 Cty Rd 44, Kemptville

Are you interested in living in a healthy active community? One that is safe for walking and cycling? Learning how towns are transforming themselves into a more livable place? Are you an engaged citizen interested in living in a town like this? Learn about these simple concepts that make towns healthier, more vibrant and stronger economically. Perhaps you're a downtown business person, discover the economic potential of pedestrian and cycle friendly communities? Or a town planner or staff person, learn best practice techniques of others building healthier towns. Maybe you're a resident that wants to be able to get around your community more easily and safely on foot or on a bike. Join us at the Eastern Ontario Active Transportation Summit.

More info and registration: http://www.healthyllg.org/active_transportation_summit.html
Deadline for registration is May 6th, 2016.

WHEN: Saturday, May 14, 8:30 am - 11:00 am
WHERE: Gananoque Recreation Centre, 100 King St. E., Gananoque

Dig up your extra plants to donate or just come and find something new for your garden. Free advice on "how to grow". All monies raised support local Horticultural Society projects.

More info: http://www. gardenontario.org/site.php/gananoque

WHEN: Tuesday, May 17, 7:00 pm - 8:30 pm
WHERE: Athens District High School, 21 Church Street, Athens

Donna White of Green Things will be discussing the many creative ways we can plant everything from flowers, to herbs, to vegetables in containers or raised beds. She will be doing a demo and providing ideas on putting together a container to enhance your patio or garden. Everyone welcome!