Earth Day 2021 Presents “Take Care of the Planet”
Kawartha Lakes – Residents are encouraged to take a moment this week to learn about this year’s Earth Day theme, “Take care of the Planet”. With the stay-at-home order still in effect, Earth Day is being recognized across Canada through a variety of virtual programs and initiatives, including educational sessions and live panel discussions.
The municipality recognizes the support and encouragement from our residents to help keep Kawartha Lakes green and wants to thank all of those who have reached out regarding our annual clean up program hosted over Earth Week. Due to the pandemic, our normal programs are on hold this year, however we encourage everyone to take advantage of the extra bag limit still in place for curbside collection and clean up where it is safe to do so.
To help further encourage healthy environmental habits, we want to remind everyone of the diversion programs in place at our landfill locations. Launched just last week was a new Textile Recycling Pilot – a program focused on helping re-use and re-purpose clothing and fabric materials to help continue to save space at our landfills.
There are a variety of different programs in place that offer the opportunity to divert items from entering our landfills. From mattresses to electronics, scrap metal to construction materials, all of these items and more can be recycled instead of tossed away.
Since the start of 2021, Waste Management has managed to divert the following from the landfill:
Over 300 tonnes of construction and demolition materials
Over 1000 mattresses
3.6 tonnes of batteries (collected through the spring curbside battery collection event)
Other ways to get involved this week:
2021 Bee Hero Garden Challenge
Scientists are ringing the alarm bells that our native pollinators are disappearing at an unprecedented rate. You can “Bee A Hero” and help these essential critters by creating a pollinator habitat in your own backyard, farm or balcony. One-third of all the food we eat is thanks to their amazing pollination services. See what simple additions you can make to your outdoor space to help build the Kawartha Pollinator Pathway and you could create a prize-winning pollinator habitat! Submissions are open until August 2021.
2021 Environmental Hero Awards
Each year the City of Kawartha Lakes Environmental Advisory Committee (CKLEAC) names Environmental Heroes to individuals or businesses who have made outstanding contributions to our community within the past year.
CKLEAC also accepts submissions for the Environmental Hero Youth Award, a special designation presented to students living in Kawartha Lakes who have shown a commitment to improving the wellness of the environment.
More information on the Environmental Heroes will be made available this week.
Reduce, Reuse and Recognize
Check out our interactive platform on Jump In where residents and businesses are encouraged to share ideas and experiences of creative waste reduction across Kawartha Lakes. Know of a business that is doing something unique to help reduce waste? Give them a shout out on the platform. Come up with a creative way to repurpose items at home? Share your story so others can be inspired by your hard work.
Healthy Environment Plan In 2018, Council adopted the Kawartha Lakes Healthy Environment Plan. Students at the University of Waterloo are conducting a survey to understand attitudes around climate change in Kawartha Lakes. Findings will help us formulate strategies to implement the Healthy Environment Plan. Take the survey.
Save the date!
Don't miss the City of Kawartha Lakes Environmental Advisory Committee's (CKLEAC) Environmental Summit happening next month.
When: May 17, 2021, from 2pm to 4pm.
Where: The meeting will be available to watch on the municipality's YouTube.
