|
.jpg)
Newsletter
143, May 20, 2019
Newsletter
comments and suggestions are welcome at info@transitionbrockville.com
Meet
an organic distiller and an organic creamery owner at Transition
Brockville’s next Green Drinks event
Transition
Brockville’s Green Drinks series this month features an outing
to an area craft distiller to learn how he and a neighbouring dairy
farmer work cooperatively to make sustainably-produced organic
spirits, cheese and yogurt.
Our
second Green Drinks event takes place Sunday, May 26, 1:30 p.m., at
the King’s Lock Craft Distillery, 5 Newport Drive, Johnstown,
just east of Prescott, on County Road 2.
The
afternoon begins with socializing and sampling of the various spirits
made at the distillery. Also available will be $5 cocktails and
samples of cheeses made at the Upper Canada Creamery.
Rob
Heuvel, owner of the distillery, and Josh Biemond,, co-owner of Upper
Canada Creamery and NewCare Farm, Iroquois, will give presentations
about how they cooperate, with Biemond producing organic grains for
the distillery and Heuvel returning spent materials to the dairy farm
for producing organic milk, yogurt and cheese.
Following
their presentations, Heuvel will give a tour of the distillery. For
more information about these two businesses, visit
www.klcraftdistillery.ca
and www.uppercanadacreamery.com.
Green
Drinks are informal events where people share their interest in
resilient living and learn about a topic relevant to living green.
Our first Green Drinks was held at the Isaac Brock Pub in Brockville
and featured discussion of the federal carbon fee and rebate, as well
as practical “life hacks” for resilient living.
This
event is open to the public; however, as space is limited and our
hosts need to plan for food, interested people are asked to contact
info@transitionbrockville.com
to reserve a seat by Friday, May 24.
COMING
EVENTS
Living
a “Zero Waste” Lifestyle,
June 23, 2 p.m., Brockville Public Library, 23 Buell St. Michelle
Dunford, who gave a lively talk at the North Grenville Sustainability
Fair in Kemptville on April 14, will explain how using the 5 R’s
(Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot) has enabled her family to
achieve a ‘Zero Waste’ lifestyle. A good educational
opportunity for your whole family!
A
Look at All-Electric, Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid Cars,
July 28, 2 pm, Brockville Public Library, 23 Buell St. Frank Ahern,
owner of a Hyundai Ionic plug-in hybrid, will discuss the merits of
each car type, followed by a look at actual cars in the parking lot
across from the library. The cars’ owners will be on hand to
answer questions.
Culture
Day in Brockville,
Sat., Sept. 28, 10 am – 3 pm, King St. West. Transition
Brockville will have a booth and will be signing people up for its
next workshop (beeswax wraps and homemade laundry soap).
EARLIER
THIS MONTH
Transition
Brockville’s Booth at BDHS Plant Sale,
May 18, took in nearly $400 to be used to support TB events and
projects. Ashley Stewart, Rob Wright and Chris and Bob Stesky set up
and manned the booth. Plants were donated by Hugh Campbell’s
sister, Karen Carriere, of Transition Cornwall; by Annette Kaldeway
of Mallorytown, and by the Steskys. There were unusual dahlias, herbs
such as chamomile, comfrey, chives and tarragon, and veggie
seedlings, as well as a special rose fertilizer. Thanks to all who
participated, and thanks to Brockville and District Horticultural
Society for including TB in their event
LAST MONTH’S PRESENTATION
Following
a short video on the history of plastic (see the link below), Michael
Wiggin introduced Dave Bohn, general manager of BBL Energy, who
described the business being set up in Johnstown to divert
non-recyclable waste plastic from landfills and instead convert it,
through pyrolysis, into light diesel fuel, natural gas and carbon
ash.
Bohn
told an audience of 60 people at the Brockville Public Library, that
BBL Energy hopes to complete the approvals process so that in nine
months they can “push the button” on the machinery and
begin processing shredded plastics into fuel. He fielded a lot of
questions about emissions, saying the conversion process would be a
very low generator of emissions.
The
plant would take plastics from a wide area, not just locally,
expecting 25 tons of plastic a day. However, the Johnstown operation
would serve mainly as a showpiece for the machinery. The company
owners, Brett and Brad Lawson, aim to sell the equipment all over
North America and the world, once people realize what it can do and
how this pyrolysis system can keep waste plastic from landfills,
waterways and oceans. The system is working already in India and some
European countries.
When
asked why big companies in Canada are not trying to do what BBL
Energy is doing, he replied there is not enough incentive to do this
here yet.
Those
interested in learning
more about pyrolysis can check out the following links,
including this report recommended by Bohn:
OTHER NEWS
Repair
Café The
steering committee is looking into the feasibility of running a trial
repair café (see
https://repaircafe.org/en/about/).
We will keep you updated on progress. If you would be willing to
serve as a volunteer repair person for something you’re very
good at (electronics, appliances, sewing, knitting, furniture repair,
book binding – whatever), we’d like to hear from you.
Write to info@transitionbrockville.com.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Restoring
Ecological Function
-- Virginia Glover attended the Kingston Green Group’s event
April 25 on soil restoration and provides links for some
organizations that were among the exhibitors:
Cornwall’s
Annual Incredible Edible Plant Festival
–
On
Saturday, May 25, grab your gardening gloves and head down to
Cornwall’s Lamoureux Park, 10:30 am – 2:00 pm for the 7th
Annual Incredible Edible Plant Festival. Hosted by Transition
Cornwall + Food Action Group in partnership with Edible Cities
Project, this year’s festival will offer some exciting
additions to the famous edible plant give-away.
More details at
https://transitioncornwall.com/.
REAL
at Paddlefest,
Sat. June 1, Lower Reach Park,
Smiths Falls – REAL
(Rideau Environmental Action League) will
be at the Rideau Roundtables’ Paddlefest, at Lower Reach Park.
They will have a display on alternatives to single use plastics, and
they’ve booked the “smoothie bike.” Put your
ingredients in a blender container on the stationary bike and pedal
to blend your healthy smoothie. For more information, visit
https://www.realaction.ca.
SustainablyEco
is
a program of Sustainable Kingston that
connects people who
care with businesses that are making a measurable difference in
sustainability. See https://www.sustainablekingston.com
for more details.
Transition
Brockville Steering Committee meeting, Wed., June 12,
7-9 pm, at the Royal Brock Retirement Living, 100 Stewart Blvd.,
Brockville. Anyone interested in becoming more involved with
Transition initiatives is warmly invited to attend this meeting. Call
613-345-4020 for more information.
Join
our Facebook group for news on sustainable living.
Members
of Transition Brockville’s Facebook group are invited to join
our steering committee in posting items to the TB Facebook page. If
you are on Facebook but haven’t joined the group, have a look
at our page, and consider joining and then posting relevant items you
come across.
transitionbrockville.com • info@transitionbrockville.com • Facebook
Group
|