By: Ash Lloyd, EcoHouse Green Gardening Volunteer Introduction Seed saving is an incredibly useful and important skill, even in modern times. In terms of basic survival skills, I believe it is on the same level as knowing how to start a fire or find clean water. Seed saving was common in many rural communities because…
By: Giuliana Casimirri, Green Venture Executive Director Thanks to the support of amazing volunteers, funders, community partners and people like you, Green Venture has been able to engage 5700+ youth in environmental education in 2019 and more than 7000 residents in environmental action and events. We’re proud of our new partnerships and programs. In 2019,…
2019 marked an excellent year for Fresh Air for Kids and we couldn’t be more proud! This fall, 147 students and 8 teaching staff across three schools in Hamilton participated in Fresh Air for Kids to learn all about air quality and what we can do to help #sparetheair! Together we gathered baseline idling…
By: Ash Lloyd, EcoHouse Green Gardening Volunteer The Pawpaw Incorporating native plants into our gardens is becoming more and more popular as the general public becomes more educated about helping ecological issues, like increasing biodiversity and ensuring food source for wildlife. With this in mind, I would like to draw your attention to a native…
Water has been the topic of many conversations in the City of Hamilton recently. How does our sewer system work? What happens to water during a storm event? Are there better ways to manage stormwater in the City of Hamilton? At Green Venture we work with the community to learn about stormwater, and how we…
By: Ash Lloyd, EcoHouse Green Gardening Volunteer The Mottled Duskywing The Mottled Duskywing (Erynnis martialis) could easily be mistaken for a moth due to its brown mottled colouring and wing profile, but it is actually a butterfly from the Hesperiidae family, commonly known as “Skippers”. They are relatively small, having an average wingspan of only…
On Giving Tuesday, we would like to take a moment to be thankful for what we have received. The City of Hamilton’s City Enrichment Fund generously provided us funds to run expanded energy education programs in 2019. We had a great time engaging with both homeowners and students around the idea of energy conservation and…
By: Danielle Magcalas, EcoHouse Garden Assistant December is almost here! As you begin to decorate your home or wrap gifts, consider using materials that are natural, local or reused! On November 26th, Green Venture had a Wreath Making Fundraiser at the Pale Blue Dot Shop. The event was a huge hit! Everyone learned how to make…
By: Ash Lloyd, EcoHouse Green Gardening Volunteer The Eastern Prickly Pear (Opuntia humifusa) When you think of Canadian plants, a cactus is probably not the first thing that comes to mind. Many people may be surprised to learn that Canada even has any native cacti given how far north we are, but we do! The…
By: Meghan Vidakovic, Green Venture Communications Volunteer The holidays are coming up fast, and it can be easy to slip into wasteful habits. Planning and thinking ahead can help beat avoidable waste, so read on to find some of our favourite holiday zero waste tips! Start saving your newspaper! Wrapping gifts in newspaper is a fun and creative way…