Hey plant lovers of Hamilton, Ontario! Get ready for an exciting event that will bring together fellow green thumbs and plant enthusiasts for a day of swapping, sharing, and celebrating our leafy companions. The Green Venture House Plant Swap is set to take place on May 11, 2024, promising a fun and vibrant gathering for…
Green Venture’s Hamilton Seed Library has expanded even further! This blog post will give you the latest updates on how to use the seed library, new locations and how you can contribute. What is a Seed Library? A seed library is a community resource for sharing seeds, just like a traditional library does so for…
Let’s talk about air quality at our annual Clean Air Day! Green Venture is discussing Air Quality and its importance within our community at our upcoming Clean Air Day event as part of Health Canada’s nationwide effort to celebrate and increase awareness about clean air. Good air quality might not be something you think of…
April showers bring May flowers … and stormwater runoff! Rainwater and melting snow flowing over solid surfaces in our city carries pollutants like chemicals, litter, and pet waste into our creeks and waterways. Stormwater runoff also contributes to an increased risk of flooding, erosion, water pollution and habitat degradation. When the amount of runoff exceeds…
While pressure-treated woods have been widely used for constructing garden beds due to their cost-effectiveness and availability, concerns regarding chemical leaching into the soil have led many gardeners to seek alternatives. Cedar and pine boards are popular options, with pine being more budget-friendly than cedar. However, untreated pine boards, being softer, often deteriorate or decay…
On April 8th, a rare cosmic event will take place which will plunge parts of Ontario into sudden darkness. The earth, moon and sun will line up in their orbits in a rare event known as syzygy. As the moon passes in front of the sun, it blocks the light and casts a dark shadow…
MacChangers Final Project Showcase Monday, April 1st, 2024 from 3:00-6:00pm MacChangers are dedicated to tackling real issues within the Hamilton community. Attend their final presentations on various community-enriching projects. Get Tickets Rain Barrel Sale Deadline Our Annual Green Venture Rain Barrel Sale closes on April 6th. Support Green Venture and begin harvesting rain water at…
Our rain barrel sale is on! We’ve partnered with Rainbarrel.ca to get more rain barrels to Hamilton and surrounding areas. With home delivery to any address in Hamilton, ON you can get affordable and sturdy rain barrels and downspout diverters and connection hoses for your home. ORDER NOW Buy a Barrel * Rain barrel purchase…
Adopt a Planter Barton Street in Hamilton, Ontario, has long been a hub of community activity, commerce, and culture. However, like many urban areas, it faces challenges related to environmental degradation, limited green spaces, and a disconnect between businesses and the natural world. The new “Adopt a Planter Box” program created by Green Venture, in…
Finding a suitable HVAC system for your house can be difficult. A conventional fossil gas furnace may be a popular choice, but did you know that a heat pump could better fit your home? In this blog post, we’re going to explore the similarities and differences between gas furnaces and heat pumps. This can help…
Ask the Experts – Mini Consultations for a Greener Home Join Green Venture for our upcoming “Ask the Experts” event! This unique and engaging event will provide you with the opportunity to connect with knowledgeable and experienced landscaping and home retrofit professionals. What to Expect: Meet and interact with a diverse group of landscaping,…
Every year, we see flyers, commercials, and social media posts circulating the latest clothing collections from our favourite brands. We admire new styles, cuts, colours, and materials; all designed to catch our interest and encourage a sale. With the online retail market at an all-time-high, buying clothing on a whim has never been easier. Even…
Why We Recycle Recycling is the last of the 3 R’s, and is an important part of cutting down on how much garbage we put in landfills. Recycling allows us to reuse some of the materials from our waste– whether it be in factories to make new products, or in our gardens to grow vegetables. …
On February 3, 2024, Green Venture, in collaboration with Hamilton Public Library, hosted the 13th annual Hamilton Seedy Saturday. We returned to the Hamilton Central Library Branch, and this year’s event reached new heights on the 4th floor. The open space and extra square footage allowed us to welcome almost 1,000 attendees to the day-long…
Interested in enhancing your home’s energy efficiency but not sure where to start? Curious about what energy efficiency entails? Join us on Wednesday, March 6th at 1 PM for a virtual learning session hosted by the Green Venture Energy Team, featuring special guest Dave Braden. Dave, a former Hamilton City Councillor and an expert in…
Energy Efficiency Webinar Wednesday, March 6th, 2024 at 1:00pm Register for this virtual learning session hosted by the Green Venture Energy Team, featuring special guest Dave Braden. They will provide guidance on practical renovations that can make your home more comfortable while saving on your monthly energy bills. Register for Webinar Urban Gardening Club Thursday,…
Cultivating a Greener and More Vibrant Ottawa Street Are you passionate about actively shaping the future of our neighborhoods? Do you want to see a more environmentally friendly Ottawa Street? Look no further and mark your calendars for the first Laidlaw Community Planning Workshop. Hosted by Green Venture, this dynamic event promises to be more…
What’s up with Waste? Waste plays a big part in our daily lives, and a huge role in city planning. Waste will pile up in landfills, pollute waterways, and contribute to climate change if not properly managed. In this blog post, we’re going to talk about how to cut back on the amount of waste…
Join Our Grass to Garden Design Workshop! Say goodbye to the endless cycle of mowing, watering, and fertilizing, and hello to a low-maintenance, eco-friendly garden oasis right outside your doorstep. Join us for our rain garden design workshop and take the first step towards transforming your lawn into a beautiful and sustainable landscape that you…
Green Venture began planting mini forests in Hamilton in 2021. Over the past few years, we have learned a great deal about the why, what, and how of mini forests and how to support their success. Why Mini Forests? The hallmarks of the mini forest planting technique include: soil preparation with deep digging and the…
The closure of the Canada Greener Homes Grant has taken a sudden and accelerated path. Originally expected to accept new applications until the end of February, recent developments have hastened its end, leaving homeowners and organizations that support energy-related upgrades scrambling to adapt to the new reality. On January 19th, just over a month before…
The snap of a twig beneath a rabbit, a rustling of branches and wings above as a bird takes flight, and the quiet crunching of a chipmunk snacking on seeds somewhere high in the tree canopy. These sounds are reminiscent of Canadian childhood, playing outdoors in forests and city green spaces. The sights, sounds, scents,…
Seedy Saturday Join us for the the 13th annual Seedy Saturday! Saturday, February 3, 2024 10am – 3pm at the Hamilton Central Library, 4th floor 55 York BLVD, Hamilton, ON Winter Commute Month The City of Hamilton is encouraging the use of alternative forms of commuting to reduce the number of vehicles on our city…
What Is Soil? Soil, often mistaken for mere dirt, is a complex and dynamic mixture of various components that form the foundation of terrestrial ecosystems. If you’re interested in gardening, it’s important to know your soil type because it can help you determine which plants are best suited for your garden, and how to care…
UPDATE: As of Jan 19th, registrations for qualifying audits under the Canada Greener Homes Grant are paused. Enbridge is initiating a reconciliation process to determine the program’s viability given the Federal government budget constraints. We are awaiting further information, and are committed to keeping you up to date. In a surprising turn of events, the Canada Greener…
The Spring Clothing Swap is set for March 19, 2024! From 4 – 7pm, join us at 22 Veevers Drive to take home some new outfits for FREE! Clothing swaps are an amazing way to reduce textile waste, cut back on water use needed for creating new clothes, and reduce the carbon emissions needed to…
Seedy Saturday Join us for the the 13th annual Seedy Saturday! Saturday, February 3, 2024 10 A.M. – 3 P.M. at the Hamilton Central Library, 4th floor 55 York BLVD, Hamilton, ON Urban Gardening Club January 18th 2024, 6-8pm Where: Pinch Bakery and Plant Shop, 183 Sherman Ave N Topic: Native Plants and Green Infrastructure…
3 Ways to Be More Eco-Friendly this Winter! We are sharing three ways to be more eco-friendly this winter. These are: Reducing the impact of road salt Leaving gardens be Considering how you travel Reducing the Impact of Road Salt: Road salt (especially in excess quantities) can contaminate water, harm wildlife, increase soil erosion,…
With New Years approaching, many of us find ourselves thinking about the future, new beginnings, and upcoming plans. You may be sitting down to write a list of resolutions or preparing for a big party. I find myself thinking of our planet and its future. The commercialization of holidays has led them all to be…
Thank you for a wonderful 2023! Green Venture worked with community members to: Complete three “depave” projects Plant over 2050 trees in Hamilton and 1334 native plants in the community Sell over 568 native plants Save over 53 seed varieties Destroy more than 4,425 spongy moth eggs Collect over 5.8k pieces of litter Swap over…
Just because it’s cold out, doesn’t mean that we can’t appreciate the beauty of our green spaces! On November 26th 2023, Green Venture launched the Urban Gardening Club. We had a great group come out to our first meeting where we enjoyed cookies, urban gardening trivia, and getting to know one another in the beautiful,…
In the face of increasing urbanization and unpredictable weather patterns, managing stormwater flooding has become a pressing concern for our municipality. Traditional solutions can only go so far. Enter green infrastructure- a sustainable approach that not only mitigates flooding but also transforms our urban landscape. The City of Hamilton is planning a Stormwater Incentive Program…
Join the Launch Party to learn how you can get involved with the Urban Gardening Club! Happening November 26th 2-4pm at Pinch, 183 Sherman Ave N. The gardens on Barton St are blooming – but who will take care of them? Gardens need maintenance such as weeding, pruning and litter clean up. Over the years,…
Hamilton, Ontario, is on the brink of a transformative journey, and we need your help to shape it! Green Venture, in collaboration with Green Communities Canada, is thrilled to introduce the Living Cities program. This initiative aims to convert at least 250 square metres (about half the size of a professional basketball court) of…
Join Green Venture staff and former Hamilton City Councilor, David Braden, to learn about energy conservation and climate action at home. The primary objective of this session is to provide a background on the biggest causes of building emissions, shedding light on critical concepts that can serve as long-term solutions for homeowners, thereby facilitating…
A massive thank you! As a not-for-profit organization, we rely on volunteers. With the 2023 planting season coming to an end, we want to thank all the volunteers who helped Green Venture accomplish our various projects. Green Venture is hosting a volunteer appreciation event for folks who helped with past “depave” projects, gardening, and litter…
What is NATURhoods? NATURhoods is a community program funded by Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) and the City Enrichment Fund to increase the amount of green infrastructure in Hamilton. The goal is to help reduce the amount of stormwater that flows into the municipal system by empowering local residents to improve their properties with nature-based solutions.…
Green Venture is proud to partner with Kahnekanoron to present a Living Land Acknowledgment language mural project. Mural artist Wolfaz of the Gayogohono Nation from Six Nations of the Grand River has created three beautiful new interactive murals on the grounds of EcoHouse. The murals are made possible through grant funding from the Government…
This fall, two Barton St locations are getting new garden spaces thanks to Government of Canada support, through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), the City of Hamilton and Ward 3 Office, Green Venture, Adele Pierre, the Barton St BIA, GALA, and other community partners. At 342 Barton St. E, Green…
The 2023 Native Plant Sale is sold out! Thank you for your continued support. Adding native plants in our gardens, balconies, yards, and parks – even small patches – helps to build a more resilient, sustainable, and healthy Hamilton. And it creates a pollinator-friendly garden to expand Hamilton’s ‘Bee City’ commitment. That’s why we’re…
The Fall Clothing Swap is Back! It’s here! This fall on October 20 2023 from 4pm – 7pm, join Green Venture and your local #HamOnt community and #shoptheswap! We will have tons of FREE clothing for you to choose from at EcoHouse, 22 Veevers Drive. Participation is on a pay what you can basis with…
Lessons learned from Stormwater Week 2023 Thank you for celebrating Stormwater Week with us! From guided walks and tours, to beach cleanups and picnics and with information provided by our partners and guest speakers, we learned a lot about the impacts of stormwater and how to better manage it. We are happy to share some…
Path Towards Energy Efficient Houses Join former City Councilor David Braden, Environment Hamilton and Green Venture staff to learn simple scientific facts, energy efficiency misconceptions and about “uncommon common sense” The primary objective of this session is to provide a background on the biggest causes of building emissions, shedding light on critical concepts that can…
Welcome to Communi-TREE Week In celebration of Canadian Institute of Forestry (CIF) National Forest Week, Green Venture is making September 17 to September 23, Urban Forest Week with Communi-TREE! This years theme will center around “Canada’s Forests: Supporting Biological Diversity”, with emphasis on urban forests. Connect with us throughout the week to learn more about…
In the spring of this year, we worked with a group of high school students on the theme of Fixing Fashion. Students were challenged to come up with projects to combat fast fashion. If that term is new to you, you’re not alone. The shroud of unfamiliarity and deceit which envelops the fast fashion industry…
![[Header ID: Parker, a young adult, visible from the chin down sewing a patch onto a pair of jean shorts.]](https://gvdevsite.wpenginepowered.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Parker-Header-768x512.png "Parker Header")
Hi I’m Parker Johnston, an intern with Green Venture. I love fashion and the environment – with the expectations of fast-fashion in our society these traits may seem to conflict, but for me they go hand in hand. I love thrifting, patchwork, and finding out how to make something new out of what I already…
Barton St is blooming! Explore the neighbourhood gardens using this self-guided tour guide. Green Venture has worked with community partners over the years to install four green spaces along Barton St and one large pollinator garden at Good Shepherd Venture Centre on Cannon St. Green spaces have various proven environmental and health benefits and have…
Join Green Venture for a rolling stewardship event along Barton St. E as we take care of our various sites here. Tasks include invasive species removal and general clean-up maintenance. This is a great opportunity for youth looking to gain extra community hours but everyone is welcome! Green Venture has worked with community partners…
Keeping Hamilton Waterways Clean and Communities Safe Green Venture is launching a new program to help keep our waterways clean and protect our communities from floods. Learn how more about catch basins and how to get your certificate today! Stay tuned for litter kits and community clean ups with Green Venture! Catch Basin Cleaning Guidelines: Steps…
Spongy moths are an invasive species that wreak havoc on our tree canopy each year, so we are excited that we are able to bring together our community to help keep them under control through collecting their egg sacs. This project is currently ACTIVE. We will be opening it back up in the fall. Whether…
A group of students in a SUSTAIN course at McMaster University have partnered with Stop Sprawl HamOnt to get more youth involved in the Stop Sprawl movement. They want youth to know that 5400 acres of valuable natural lands such as farmlands and biodiverse regions and 1900 acres of land already protected in the Greenbelt…
Welcome to Hamilton Stormwater Week Green Venture is hosting the second annual week-long campaign about stormwater in Hamilton! In March 2019, the City of Hamilton declared a climate emergency. Climate change is forcing us to adapt to extreme weather events, including urban flooding. There have been an increasing number of record setting storm events in…
Help us maintain the miniforest sites we planted. Stewardship events include: invasive species removal and general clean-up maintenance. Click the button for more details and to sign up. Stewardship at King and Pottruff Stewardship at Windermere Basin Park
Green Venture is pleased to announce a $35,000 grant from the Hamilton Community Foundation’s Community Health, Education and Research Fund to evaluate Hamilton’s first Mini Forest plantings. Green Venture established the City’s first Mini Forest at Windermere Basin Park in 2021. Since that time 3 other Mini Forests have been planted in Hamilton, including at…
We are gearing up for another great summer at Green Venture, and we’re excited to introduce the summer students for 2023 who will be supporting us along the way! Our team this year brings together a diverse set of academic backgrounds, interests in many areas of environmentalism, and skillsets. The team is so excited to…
What’s a Residential Energy Assessment? An energy audit encompasses an exhaustive inspection survey and a comprehensive analysis of energy flows within a house, with the overarching objective of conserving energy. Energy assessments play a pivotal role as the initial step in identifying and structuring opportunities to significantly diminish energy expenses and mitigate the associated carbon…
With the help of 30 volunteers, over 40 bags of weeds and invasive plant species across 10 different green spaces in Hamilton such as Windermere Basin Park Mini Forest and Good Shepherd Depave Planting locations were removed! Why is it important to be stewards of our land? Putting trees in the ground is a…
On Saturday June 17th the boulevards at the Hamilton Public Library Barton branch were transformed into a stunning new green space. The new gardens contain dozens of wonderful native species with fantastic names, including black eyed susan, hairy beardtongue and zigzag goldenrod. With the help of GALA community planning committee, Hamilton Public Library, Barton Village…
Our rain barrel sale is on! We’ve partnered with Rainbarrel.ca to get more rain barrels to Hamilton and surrounding areas. When: June 2023 Where: Home delivery to any address in Hamilton, ON (fee of $10 per barrel) What: Affordable and sturdy rain barrels and downspout diverters and connection hoses are available. Click here to…
Green Venture staff had the privilege of attending the annual Passive House Canada Conference, held this year in Hamilton, Ontario. The conference successfully showcased the latest advancements in technologies, policies, and collaborations that contribute not only to global recognition but also to a comprehensive understanding of the adaptable nature and proven efficacy of this holistic…
Grow a Row is back for the 2023 season! Join us, support urban food growing and provide means for the sharing of locally grown, quality food. By participating in Grow a Row, you can continue to help fight food insecurity and increase accessibility of healthy food among Hamiltonians. Donation Locations: To participate in Grow a…
On May 6th, 2023, our in-person seedling sale event returns on the weekend of Doors Open Hamilton . Join us at Green Ventures EcoHouse, 22 Veevers Drive, Hamilton, ON L8K5P5 for a fun-filled family friendly event from 10:00am-4:00pm. Shop a wide assortment of organic seedlings while taking in the rich history of EcoHouse and all…
This past February 4th, 2023, Green Venture, in collaboration with Hamilton Public Library, hosted the 12th annual Hamilton Seedy Saturday. With over 1,300 people attending, the day was a resounding success, once again demonstrating Hamilton gardeners’ commitment to growing a local food movement, seed swapping, and knowledge sharing. For our return to an in-person event…
*This blog post was written by Parker Johnston a grade 12 high school coop student* With the way our society is currently structured environmentalism, like everything else, is tied to and restricted by capitalism. In order to make meaningful change it is important to understand how anti-capitalism goes hand in hand with environmentalism. How…
My co-op term at Green Venture as told through Green Infrastructure Projects My name is Lucas and for the past 4 months, I have worked for Green Venture on the Green Infrastructure team as a program assistant. This is my last week here and as I reflect back on what I’ve worked on and learned…
Structuring Retrofits Between 2007 and 2020 almost 30,000 houses were rated using the EnerGuide Rating System in Hamilton. 90% of these houses also completed a post-retrofit energy evaluation to capture the savings from the energy conservation upgrades or renovations that were completed. From what we have seen, energy-efficient houses are increasing in numbers as more…
Fresh Air For Kids is Green Venture’s free, air quality themed education program. We have been running the program in partnership with Corr research since 2012 and are very excited to share some of the new things we have planned for 2023! Since the start of the year, we’ve been fortunate enough to offer…
With the Holidays around the corner, let’s take a moment to relax and enjoy some of these fun facts about Canada’s top 5 evergreens that can make a great Christmas tree: The provincial tree of Manitoba can be found all over Canada Known for its short, stiff bluish-green with white dots on…
Living Land Acknowledgement at EcoHouse – Request for Proposals Hamilton, Ont.—November 18, 2022— Green Venture invites submissions from Indigenous artists to develop a Living Land Acknowledgement (garden art/mural/structure etc.) that will be installed at the grounds of Glen Manor (EcoHouse), located in East Hamilton, Stoney Creek. Applications are due by January 21, 2023 To apply…
The tree planting season is coming to an end, and we are thrilled to announce that we have grown Hamilton’s urban forest in partnership with CityHousing Hamilton with 8 new native trees planted! Join us on a tour of our latest Hamilton Tree Equity project planting locations: Our first stop is at Sherwood Place, a…
Green Venture’s Catch Basin Ambassador program keeps our waterways clean and protects our communities from floods. Before we dive into the program – let’s talk catch basins! What is a Catch Basin? Catch basins are a kind of stormwater infrastructure that catches stormwater runoff and redirects it into our sewer systems. In Hamilton there are…
Draft proofing (air sealing) and insulation are crucial elements to incorporate when making a building more energy efficient. Installing a more efficient furnace or heat pump without dealing with the building envelope, for example, may not provide the savings you had initially planned for. Insulation prevents heat transfer from in and out of a home…
Welcome to Communi-TREE Week In celebration of National Forest Week, Green Venture is making September 18 to September 24, Urban Forest Week with Communi-TREE! Connect with us throughout the week to learn more about our urban forest, engage in stewardship activities, and grow our canopy! Trees are important to our daily lives from cleaning the…
Heat pump technology is real and it will save you thousands of dollars over time when compared to conventional heating and cooling equipment Resources To Review: The Ontario Clean Air Alliances’ Heat Pump Calculator Full economic analysis European adoption: which countries are adopting heat pump technology? Making the switch Guide to buying the best heat…
Adding native plants in our gardens, balconies, yards, and parks – even small patches – helps to build a more resilient, sustainable, and healthy Hamilton. That’s why we’re excited to share our collection of native wildflower plants, grown in the EcoHouse solarium, with you. Our 2022 Native Plant Sale order form is now open with…
Welcome to Hamilton Stormwater Week Green Venture is hosting a week-long campaign about stormwater in Hamilton! In March 2019, the City of Hamilton declared a climate emergency. Climate change is forcing us to adapt to extreme weather events, including urban flooding. There have been an increasing number of record setting storm events in Hamilton. Urban…
On Tuesday, August 8, 2022 City of Hamilton staff will be presenting Hamilton’s Climate Action Strategy Implementation Resources and Governance. This includes the Recharge Hamilton, a plan to help Hamilton achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 and Climate Change Impact Adaptation Plan to help create a more resilient Hamilton in the face of climate change.…
500 MacNab St NBook A Home Energy Evaluation The Energy team at Green Venture had the pleasure of touring the beautifully retrofitted 500 MacNab (also known as the Ken Soble Tower), in Hamilton earlier this month. From concept to reality, retrofitting an 18-storey apartment building constructed in 1967 is no easy feat. Contracted by…
The Role of Airtightness on Hamilton’s Path to Net-Zero by 2050Book A Home Energy Evaluation Green Venture’s energy team had the opportunity to attend the 5th annual Canada’s Innovation Corridor Summit, a leadership gathering focused on driving regional collaboration between Toronto, Kitchener-Waterloo, and Hamilton in business, government, and the associations’ sector. This year’s theme…
RECHARGE HAMILTON In response to the climate emergency, the City of Hamilton and SSG Technologies have created a draft plan for Hamilton to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. By focusing on 5 Low-Carbon Transformations, the City of Hamilton intends to embark on a journey to curb the impacts of climate change and reduce the…
Our high school co-op student Emily wrapped up placement at Green Venture early this week. During Emily’s time at Green Venture she worked with the gardening team growing seedlings and helping in the gardens. This photo essay was created by Emily to highlight some of her favorite vegetables that she grew and how gardening has…
The Education Team at Green Venture is excited to announce our summer session of our Youth Stewardship & Professional Skills Program (YSP)! Through the YSP Program, Hamilton high school students develop transferable professional skills, earn volunteer hours, and gain knowledge of environmental issues. Rethink! to Reduce Waste The theme from the most recent YSP…
Back in February, the Green Venture team prepared a variety of tree starting kits with native seeds/acorns, soil, growing pot, and simple step-by-step instructions. These kits were distributed to classes and community members. Over the past few months, we’ve been watching as these acorns grow up into beautiful saplings. Almost 200 acorns/seeds were distributed across…
As spring is slowly coming to an end and summer is just around the corner, Green Venture is wrapping up its first CityHousing Hamilton (CHH) tree planting initiative. Last year, we started off this project by conducting tree inventories using the Neighborwoods© assessment across 20 CHH properties across Hamilton. We were able to assess almost…
What comes to mind when visualizing a native plant garden? For many, it’s a somewhat wild garden space, filled with grasses and wildflowers. For some, this aesthetic is whimsical and right for them. For others, this type of garden feels unkempt and to be avoided. At Green Venture’s EcoHouse we decided to redesign a garden…
It is through social events that gardeners begin to know each other, connect with their community, share knowledge and seeds. On May 14th, 2022 Green Venture hosted our Spring Garden Festival and annual seedling sale and celebrated the community garden opening day. We were thrilled to have several local organizations, small businesses, and garden enthusiasts…
The Green Venture Seedling Sale is on again for 2022 and bigger than ever! It’s so big we’ve made a festival of it. Visitors will be able to join a live ‘Planting for Pollinators’ demonstration by BeeKissedSeeds, ask a Halton Master Gardener for advice, stop by Bird Friendly Hamilton Burlington’s booth to find out how…
Our Capacity is Growing We are gearing up for a busy season of home energy evaluations, and we’re excited to introduce our energy advisor trainees. Their role will consist of supporting homeowners that participate in the Greener Homes Grant & the Home Efficiency Rebate programs. Our latest trainees bring together building science and home inspection…
On March 3rd, we were joined by Adele Pierre, Landscape Architect, to talk about the use of permeable pavements as a way of supporting the natural water cycle in urbanized areas. In this blog, we will briefly recap some of the main topics and resources that were discussed. For a brief background on…
From 2019 to 2020 the biggest proportion of GTHA emissions came from our existing building stock, more than 90% of which was from on-site space- and water-heating requirements (TAF, 2020). At Green Venture, one of our core mandates is to help our community members make their day-to-day lives greener to reduce emissions. One way we…
On February 5th and 12th Green Venture hosted Hamilton’s Seedy Saturday virtual presentations to hear from garden experts about garden planning, connecting with the land, creating pockets of nature, restoring Canada’s ecosystems, individual actions, and so much more. On February 19th and 26th, Hamilton gardeners from all over the city joined us for our…
On February 8th, we were joined by City of Hamilton staff to talk about water management in Hamilton, and specific actions the City takes, and that we can take to improve the health of our communities and watersheds. In this blog, we will briefly recap some of the main topics and resources that were shared.…
“We are all stewards of the earth, not owners. By participating in this program, I am helping improve my tiny corner of the earth and spread awareness to others.” Serena, Fall 2021 alum This past fall students from across Hamilton came together to participate in Green Venture’s Youth Stewardship and Professional Skills Program. Previously, students…
The only constant in fashion is that it is always changing. The fashion industry is a multibillion-dollar worldwide sector dedicated to the production and sale of clothing. Fashion trends come in and out constantly, so retailers and the fashion industry are under constant pressure to produce trendy clothing. This leads to fast-fashion and overproduction…
Our Seedy Saturday 2022 planning has been a winding path of change! We are thankful to our community and all involved for their patience as we navigate the twists and turns and work to keep this great event on track. Here is the latest update on what is happening for Seedy Saturday 2022. Workshops…
Last year was busy for rain gardens in Hamilton! Green Venture launched Hamilton’s first rain garden rebate program. Participants learned from our RAIN Coach on best practices to manage rain where it falls. This is beneficial for our communities, reducing the stress on our grey stormwater systems, providing homes for pollinators, keeping basements dry and…
2021 was a year of growth and development at Green Venture. We saw our community rallying around local Climate Action in a myriad of ways. Eco-Education Province-wide shutdowns, school closures and climate fears and eco-anxiety hit youth in our community hard. During this difficult time, we saw demand grow for environmental education programs that could…
Written by: Helena Cousins, Green Infrastructure Programs Coordinator Over the past few months, I took part in the latest cohort of Community Water Leaders, an 8 to 12-week program offered by BARC (Bay Area Restoration Council). I wanted to take this opportunity to give a brief overview of my experience, why I signed up,…
In the wintertime, there’s almost nothing better than curling up with a good book or sipping a hot drink at home. Over the past two years we have been a delivery agent for Enbridge’s Winterproofing Program and we think our impact is worth sharing. By delivering this program, we have helped households with eligible income…
Green Venture is a partner of Giving Tuesday, the international day of generosity happening on November 30, 2021. Every Tuesday this month, we’ll be catching up with Green Venture staff to highlight some of our programs that would not be possible without the support of our donors and sponsors. Today we’re catching up…
On November 21, 2021 Green Venture hosted our 2nd Annual Wreath Making Workshop to raise funds for our education programs. Mary, the owner of The Pale Blue Dot Shop, guided participants in creating their very own eco-friendly natural holiday decor. About the Wreaths Grapevine wreaths were used as the base of our holiday decor.…
Across the globe, cities are experimenting with tiny forests or micro-forests as a way to connect people back to nature and to grow trees in dense urban areas. Traditional tree plantings that require a lot of space don’t always fit in cities, and urban tree planting has, up until recently, been dominated by non-native species.…
Green Venture is a partner of Giving Tuesday, the international day of generosity happening on November 30, 2021. Every Tuesday this month, we’ll be catching up with Green Venture staff to highlight some of our programs that would not be possible without the support of our donors and sponsors. Today we’re catching up…
As fall’s dazzling colours come and go, we know it’s time to prepare for shorter days and dropping temperatures. Below are some cost-free tips to help you worry less about your energy consumption at home and enjoy the beauty this season has to offer. Your home’s thermostat: Sweater weather is here! Running your heating system…
That’s a wrap on our 2021 Native Plant of the Month Fundraiser! If you’d like to be the first to know when 2022 orders open, sign up here to be notified. Since May, we have delivered nearly 300 native plants and 160+ local, sustainable goodies to our subscribers. This fundraiser has helped us raise funds…
November is here! With Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the holiday season around the corner, this month can often be a bit focused on consumption. Green Venture is a partner of Giving Tuesday, the international day of generosity happening on November 30, 2021. What is Giving Tuesday? Created in 2012, GivingTuesday is simply a…
As the leaves continue to fall, the fluffy, seed-carrying parachutes of the milkweed flower are hitting the air. Now is the perfect time and in some places, the last chance to gather seeds from our several native milkweed species. Not only is it a great time to collect these and other native wildflower seeds, it…
As businesses open up and store hours return to normal. More people will begin shopping for clothes. Going to the mall with friends or a weekend family trip shopping. As much as we love shopping, next time try your neighborhood thrift store. Keep reading and we’ll show you how it can be just as fun…
As part of our #OctoberRethink campaign to RETHINK our habits to reduce waste, let’s take a look at the bigger picture of waste reduction and management. Over the last few decades (and even more so in recent years) we have started recognizing the importance of waste reduction. Waste Production in Hamilton When the Master…
If we can convince Hamilton gardeners of one thing this fall it would be to keep and make better use of their fall leaves. In our “The Garden in Fall” workshop, we shared a number of reasons why keeping fall leaves in the yard is important. First, the leaves are a free, insulating blanket…
Halloween season is upon us! Many of us at Green Venture LOVE Halloween, but we don’t love the waste that comes with it. Here are our favourite easy tips for cutting down on the waste – but not the fun – of Halloween! Pumpkins In Canada, we grow roughly 80,000 tonnes of pumpkins each…
We have officially come to the end of our first tree inventory of CityHousing properties in Hamilton. Our team has completed a detailed Neighborwoods© assessment of close to 1000 trees at 20 properties across the city. This past summer has been filled with much joy and success for our tree inventory team and community volunteers.…
Green Venture has been running the Grow a Row project since August, 2020. As Hamilton entered a summer of recovery from the ongoing global pandemic, the Grow a Row project aimed to help local gardeners put their green thumbs to work to build a more resilient, connected community by growing a little extra to support…
The holiday season is fast approaching, and many of us are eager to socialize. With Thanksgiving only days away, it looks like public health restrictions will allow us to have moderately-sized gatherings. Like everything we do, these gatherings have an environmental footprint associated with them. We would like to share with you our favourite tips…
The first Miyawaki Forests in Hamilton will be planted at Windermere Basin this October! A collaboration between CanPlant and Green Venture, and in partnership with the City of Hamilton’s Forestry section, the microforest will be planted based upon the innovative Miyawaki method of reforestation. Community members will be helping to plant trees on October 2,…
As the growing season winds down, it’s common for gardeners to remove dead or dying plants, leaving a clear, empty garden bed for winter. In our “Garden in Fall” workshop a few weeks ago, we learned how there are several benefits to not clearing beds entirely. First, leaving annual and perennial plants, instead of cutting…
In Canada, National Tree Day takes place on the Wednesday of National Forest Week in September. Today, September 22 we are celebrating trees! Originally, we wanted to celebrate by giving back to the trees at EcoHouse but the rain has us indoors thanking the trees for all the hard work they do in rain! Depending…
Zero Waste (or Lower Waste) Parties for Kids As things begin to open back up and many kids return to school, we may start seeing an increase in an event that has been a distant memory for many of us: children’s birthday parties with other people present. As much as our Kindergartener loved his…
As the tomato bounty roles in, there are dozens of potential future tomatoes tucked into each delicious fruit. Often tomato seeds are eaten or scooped out and composted when they could be saved for future growing seasons. This is an opportunity to save the varieties you love, practice food sovereignty and to save money on…
The decrease of green space due to urbanization has many negative impacts on our cities. This includes increases in air and noise pollution, floods from extreme storms, increases in temperatures caused by the urban heat island effect, and removal of biodiversity. Trees play an important role in our lives! It’s important that we increase awareness…
Canada’s next federal election is quickly approaching. On September 20th we all have the opportunity to make our voices heard and vote for the people and parties that we believe will best represent us and our priorities. As an environmental non-profit the issues of climate change and biodiversity loss are particularly important to us this…
3-30-300 Rule: Can you see three trees from your home? If the answer is no, there’s work to be done. Urban Forestry professor and researcher Dr. Cecil Konijnendijk recently put forward a guiding rule for cities and their urban forests called the 3-30-300 Rule. Every resident should have three trees in view of their home,…
In celebration of National Forest Week Green Venture is making September urban forest month with Communi-TREE! Connect with us this month to learn more about our urban forest, engage in stewardship activities, and grow our canopy! Trees are important to our daily lives from cleaning the air we breathe, to cooling our cities, and helping…
Adding native plants in our gardens, balconies, yards, and parks – even small patches – helps to build a more resilient, sustainable, and healthy Hamilton. Adding native plants helps pollinators thrive, supports biodiversity to expand, and helps make our city greener. That’s why Green Venture is excited to announce our 2021 Plant Sale and Share.…
Introducing the Ecohouse Community Orchard Over the last three months, Ecohouse has become home to three new fruit trees and two fruit shrubs which we received from the wonderful team at TreeMobile. This non-profit, volunteer run team is passionate about providing food security through plant ownership and supplying community members with their own climate appropriate…
Grow a Row: Tomato Care and Seed Saving This time of year is one of abundance in the garden. Nothing illustrates this better than the huge, red tomatoes weighing down the tomato plants. At Green Venture, we have celebrated our tomatoes in several ways thus far this year: selling tomato seedlings at our seedling sale…
Update (August 16, 2021). Applications are open until September 20th, 2021 for the Youth Stewardship and Professional Skills Program. Apply today! Green Venture’s plant subscription box is almost half way through for 2021! We’ve delivered over 130 plants and 100+ local, sustainable goodies to our subscribers since May. This fundraiser has helped us raise funds…
Grow a Row: Tips for Harvesting & Drying Garlic Last week at EcoHouse, we harvested our garlic bulbs after our long wait! Garlic harvest season is here, and if you’re looking for a how-to guide to get you started, Green Venture’s garden team is here to help. Now is the perfect time to harvest your…
Do you have a broken household item? Don’t throw it away! Bring in your small electronics, basic wooden furniture, bicycles, clothes, and more, and our local community mendors and fixers will repair it for free! Find out more below. When and where is the Repair Cafe? On July 17, 2023 from 4:00 PM to…
DIY: EcoHouse Bean Tent for Kids To welcome back our EarlyON educators and little explorers from the BGC Hamilton Halton and their families, at EcoHouse this month we created a bean garden tent for them to enjoy. The EarlyON Woodland program utilizes Forest School methods to engage children in play and learning entirely outdoors. To…
Kicking Off Plastic Free July with Green Venture! Welcome to Plastic Free July with Green Venture! Over the course of the month, we’ll be learning all about what it means to move towards a world that’s plastic free – and we’ll be sharing tips, tricks, and local resources to help us along the way. Started…
Canopy for Community In 2020, Green Venture launched the Canopy for Community program to support youth climate action and education to help grow Hamilton’s urban forest. The program provides class presentations and stewardship projects to local highschool classes and native tree growing kits for schools and residents. Working with the City of Hamilton Forestry Department,…
We’re finally wrapping up our 2-year (but who’s counting?) pilot program that supported green infrastructure projects at homes and in communities. This program was a success, helping us secure funding to continue our green infrastructure programming, and even expanding it to more parts of Hamilton! We’re extremely grateful to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation…
What is it? Green Venture is very excited to be running Grow a Row in Hamilton again this year. In joining us as a Grower, you are helping to fight food insecurity and increasing access to healthy, sustainable, and local food within the Hamilton community. Green Venture and Grow A Row Growers commit to growing…
Demystifying Green Retrofits: Six Reasons to Make Your Home More Energy Efficient You may have heard the term “green retrofits” brought up recently in the news or at the dinner table. But what does ‘green retrofit’ mean, and why are they important? Unlike renovations or refurbishments, retrofits are features or systems that are added to…
The Importance of Cycling Infrastructure in Hamilton As we Cycle in the City this Bike Month, we’re learning all about what it means to partake in active transportation. Whether you’re cycling for exercise, recreation, or to commute, cycling infrastructure plays an integral role in supporting safe, healthy, and green communities. Active transportation infrastructure supports our…
It has certainly been an interesting year and a half for our Nature Kids program! Since we introduced our new after school, nature-based program, we’ve met in person, switched to online, welcomed virtual guests, and so much more. Nature Kids began as an in-person program way back in winter 2020, when we were able to…
It’s Bike Month in Hamilton, and we’re gearing up for a great month of cycling! From seasoned riders, to cycling commuters, to biking beginners, we invite all Hamiltonians to get out there and join in Cycling in the City with Green Venture. Did we mention that every ride counts as a chance to win some…
Green Venture’s EcoHouse is home to hundreds of native plants. Each year our crews care for our growing gardens and in turn, protect the ecosystem surrounding EcoHouse. Before you make a trip to a plant nursery or garden centre this weekend, consider planting native plants and gardening for nature as well as beauty and curb…
Did you know that more than 30% of food produced in Canada is wasted? That adds up to about $49 billion dollars worth of food. When we add the cost of resources, energy, and labour that went into producing this food, that cost rises to over $100 billion annually. Not only is this incredibly wasteful…
We are gearing up for another great summer at Green Venture, and we’re excited to introduce the summer students for 2021 who will be supporting us along the way! Our team this year brings together a diverse set of academic backgrounds, interests in many areas of environmentalism, and skillsets. The team is so excited to…
Green Venture sought out students from across Hamilton to join our first ever Youth Stewardship and Professional Skills Program. The first cohort focused on issues pertaining to urban forestry. Students came together twice a week for over a month to learn first-hand from members of the Green Venture team and professionals in the field of…
Green Venture is excited to announce that pre-orders for our 2021 Herb Planter & Seedling Sale are now open! This year, we have two offerings available for order. These include a mixed planter pot with herbs, greens, and edible flowers, perfect for a porch or balcony. We are also offering several heirloom varieties of tomatoes.…
Spring is finally here! Migratory birds and butterflies are returning, hibernating animals are waking up and emerging from their hiding places, birds and frogs call out to find their mates. The snow and ice have melted revealing hidden treasures that were hidden below: the first signs of spring flowers, soil ready to support another season…
Green Venture wants to help more homeowners in our region reduce their GHG emissions and their impact on the climate. We have received funding from the Investment Readiness Program to do this. We are looking for professional marketing and business consultants to help us. To assess the market for home energy retrofits and identify opportunities…
Hamilton’s Urban Forest Strategy Have you heard of the urban forest? It’s a fancy way of saying all the trees in our urban environment. From the tree you can see from your window, to the tree you walk by in the park, it’s every single tree in Hamilton’s urban boundary – and we want to…
How Many Earths Would it Take to Sustain Humanity? Let’s talk about “Earth Overshoot Day”. It is a very important day but not one to celebrate, unless it happens on December 31 (or not at all). It is the day on which we have used up all of the resources that the Earth can replenish…
In Ontario about 60% of our food waste is sent to landfills, even though we have over 90 municipal green bin programs in the province! This adds up to about 3.6 million tonnes of food waste per year. Not only is that incredibly wasteful, it also produces methane – a greenhouse gas that can hold…
In 2020, Green Venture introduced an all-new, FREE, high school program. Available completely remotely, Power to Change educates students about the importance of environmental accountability and activism, while teaching them about Canada’s current climate change policies, and how they can be more sustainable in their own lives and communities. So why should you register…
Dear friends, As we say goodbye to a very different year and welcome the light back and look forward to spring, I wanted to say thank you to all those who helped shore up our work and impact in 2020. I’m so proud of our team and thankful to our volunteers, community partners, and donors.…
All types of trees play an important role in our ecosystem but not all trees are the same. From their leaves to the bark trees have characteristics that set them apart. Here is a guide to walk you through key tree identification features and you can also watch Green Ventures Tree Identification IGTV with expert…
Trees are vital, without them we lose essential functions for life on Earth. Urban forests help turn our cities green and transform water, nutrients and carbon dioxide into clean air, oxygen, shade and habitat. Everyone is outside these days, taking long walks in the park or on hiking trails and creating new spaces in their…
Fresh Air for Kids is Green Venture’s air quality education program. Originally targeted to grade 5-8 students, we’re now thrilled to offer it to high school classes. So what is Fresh Air for Kids about? Overall, the program introduces students to the importance of air quality, and empowers them to make personal changes to…
Winter is coming, but we’re prepared for spring. The extension of warm summer weather into November (no matter how alarming it may be—see our blog on EcoAnxiety) has allowed us to get a few more green infrastructure projects in the ground before winter. These awesome rain gardens and rock swales will help absorb rain and…
I spy with my little eye, something that does not belong! Taking a look at the photo above, at first glance it looks like a healthy, luscious natural space full of tall grasses and flowering plants. Unfortunately, there is more to the story here. If you take a closer look, you may notice it is…
Choosing Ontario Native plants for your garden is highly beneficial for various reasons. Native plants tend to be generally well adapted to their environment, meaning it will require little maintenance once established. It is also beneficial to wildlife providing nutritionally appropriate food as well as shelter for our region’s wildlife. Native plants attract pollinators like…
Choosing Ontario Native plants for your garden is highly beneficial for various reasons. Native plants tend to be generally well adapted to their environment, meaning it will require little maintenance once established. It is also beneficial to wildlife providing nutritionally appropriate food as well as shelter for our region’s wildlife. Native plants attract pollinators like…
The role of youth in the environmental movement, and in leading rapid change, cannot be overstated. Through youth advocates like Canada’s Autumn Peltier, and Sweden’s Greta Thunberg, youth have been taking the lead all across the world. With the support of the City of Hamilton Enrichment Fund, Clean Air Hamilton, and the Ontario Trillium Foundation,…
The terms ecoanxiety or climate distress have been coming up a lot more lately, so we thought we’d delve in to the topic as part of our takeover week at EcoHamilton. Follow along here and on the EcoHamilton Collective’s Instagram account and have a read and watch some of these resources to learn more. Sara…
In the midst of uncertainty, Green Venture launched the Backyard Garden Project in late May as a part of our COVID-19 resilience project. We are inspired by the continued demonstration of support, connectedness, and resilience within our community. In keeping with our mission to support and empower Hamiltonians to build a greener, more sustainable,…
Choosing Ontario Native plants for your garden is highly beneficial for various reasons. Native plants tend to be generally well adapted to their environment, meaning it will require little maintenance once established. It is also beneficial to wildlife providing nutritionally appropriate food as well as shelter for our region’s wildlife. Native plants attract pollinators like…
Blog Post: Grow a Row resources, How to Grow Garlic By now, we hope that you’ve heard a little about Green Venture’s Grow a Row initiative — and may have even begun to harvest your sweet potato seedlings. Grow a Row encourages gardeners to grow an extra row of produce in their gardens to…
In a joint effort to enhance Hamilton’s urban forest to improve community health, Green Venture and Trees for Hamilton are partnering to deliver Canopy for Community. This collaborative project will engage and educate youth and local residents in Wards 4 and 5 on the importance of urban forest and allow residents to gain hands-on knowledge…
Is air quality important to you? It should be! We each take over 20,000 breaths every single day. And with each of those breaths, we’re breathing in pollutants. That’s why we’ve partnered with Corr Research and the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, to produce an air quality education program called Fresh Air for Kids. …
We hope you’ll get out and enjoy some fresh air, while helping Hamilton have stay clean and beautiful! Here are some tips to stay safe! You should always wear gloves when picking litter, latex gloves or even gardening gloves offer protection from contaminants. Garbage pickers can be used to avoid even picking up garbage with…
Hi Everyone! My name is Katherine and I’m super excited to be joining the Green Venture team as the Outreach and Restoration Intern this Fall season while I’m completing my post graduate studies at Niagara College in Environmental Management and Assessment. Starting off my education, I received my Bachelors of Science at Queen’s University…
In June of 2020, in response to the COVID-19 crisis, Green Venture launched the Backyard Garden Project. Inspired by the resilience, creativity, and innovation demonstrated by our community, the Backyard Garden Project’s goals were to foster the growing connections with nature and learning new skills being expressed by our community through making gardening as accessible…
These days, it can be confusing to know how and where to shop. With safe shopping practices constantly being updated and many businesses operating on reduced hours, it can often be useful to do some research and know before you go — but we know this can get overwhelming. However, we also know just how…
Green Venture is committed to educating Hamiltonians about sustainable living and reducing our city’s climate vulnerability. We have created this blogpost (and an exciting giveaway!) to cover some of the common mistakes made by residents when sorting their waste and highlight some potential solutions and strategies for improvement. While individual actions are not enough on…
Our rain barrel sale is on! We’ve partnered with Rainbarrel.ca to get more rain barrels to Hamilton and surrounding areas. When: August 14th, 2020 Where: EcoHouse or choose home delivery to any address from Niagara to Oshawa (fee of $10 per barrel) What: Affordable and sturdy rain barrels and downspout diverters and connection hoses are…
In March 2019, the City of Hamilton declared a Climate Change Emergency, and set a target of net-zero emissions by 2050. In order to meet this goal, the city is developing a Community Energy Plan that will help Hamilton meet its future energy needs, while at the same time improving energy efficiency, reducing greenhouse gas…
This week on the Summer RAIN Blog—rain barrels! Can you believe it’s almost August? Unfortunately, that means we’re nearing the end of this series—but not without some exciting news. If you’re new to the Summer RAIN Blog, you might want to rewind a bit for a refresher on the hydrologic cycle, wastewater management, and the…
Welcome back to the Summer RAIN Blog! If you made it this far, it means you’ve likely made it through the more content heavy blogs on the hydrologic cycle, wastewater management, and the importance of having green infrastructure in our watersheds. In this blog, we’re looking at why we love rain gardens, and going into…
The purpose of this blogpost is to show you that everyone has the ability to learn how to maintain a worm composter in their home. As a summer student at Green Venture I started this project – of having my own worm composter for the month of July – with no previous knowledge about vermicomposting…
As we get into the late summer, you might be asking what you could plant now. Is the season over? Did I miss it? The answer is no! There are still lots of vegetables you can plant that do well in a late summer to early fall harvest. That is why we’ve compiled a list…
So far in this series, we’ve discussed the hydrologic cycle and wastewater management in Hamilton. We’ve learned the importance of preventing untreated wastewater and surface pollutants from reaching our waterways by maintaining the natural water cycle as much as possible. But what does that mean for the average homeowner? As the mandatory outdoor water use ban…
In the first Summer RAIN Blog , we learned a little bit about the hydrologic cycle, and how it can change in urbanized areas. We explored some of the basic causes for an increased risk of flooding, and decreased water and habitat quality. This should have highlighted the need for stormwater management, which is one…
By now, we hope that you’ve heard a little about Green Venture’s Grow a Row initiative — and may have even received your sweet potato seedlings! Grow a Row encourages gardeners to grow an extra row of produce in their gardens to donate, helping to fight local food insecurity and bring fresh, healthy produce to…
As part of our Backyard Garden Project, Green Venture has expanded and updated the Hamilton Seed Library in order to provide free seeds to the Hamilton community. The seed library is part of our goal to maintain biodiversity and help our community to become self-reliant. Read through this post to find out more about where…
Green Venture is very excited to introduce our Summer Staff for 2020! You may have already seen some of the work put together by our new team members including social media and blog posts, website updates, and updates around EcoHouse. Our summer team brings together a diverse variety of skillsets, interests, and academic backgrounds. We…
If you’re reading this blog, there’s a good chance you’ve seen some of Green Venture’s ads for rain barrel sales, rain garden installations, and other Green Infrastructure initiatives (but if you haven’t, this is a great place to start). In this summer blog series, we’re going to take a brief journey into the processes that…
The term ‘zero waste’ is frequently thrown around as a buzzword online but what does it actually mean? Why is it important to think about? What does zero waste look like for the average person? We are hoping that through this blog post and our weekly #zerowasteswap series we can answer some of these questions. …
If you follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter, you may have seen us launch registration for the Grow a Row program for 2020! Whether you’re signed up and ready to go or just looking for a little more information, we’re here to tell you a little bit more about the program. Grow a Row…
We’re well into spring and we have rain in the forecast… that means it’s a good time to install your rain barrel! Rain barrels are a great way to conserve water and save on your water bill. You can attach one, two, or even three to a downspout to catch the rain from your roof…
Happy April, Spring is here! And if you’re anything like us you’ve been itching to get gardening! If you’re looking to freshen up your landscape this Spring, we suggest you consider installing a radiant rain garden! These gardens do more than just look pretty, they will absorb and filter rainwater runoff from your downspouts, improve…
With the spread of COVID-19, everything is happening at home at these days! Working, playing, and learning are now all centered in our homes. Typically during March and April, Green Venture’s EcoHouse would be welcoming hundreds of students through its doors. Students would participate in games,activities and demonstrations, all in the hopes of inspiring action…
By: Ash Lloyd, EcoHouse Green Gardening Volunteer About Keyhole Gardens Keyhole garden beds are raised so that someone working on the garden can lean against the walls for support and the total radius of the garden is kept small so that the entire bed can be reached easily. This makes it a great garden option…
Season one of Nature Ninjas, Wonders of Winter, was an absolute blast that started with learning about our new friends through our sharing circle at the beginning of each session with and ended with our tomato seed planting activity with Spring on the horizon. Unfortunately our final session that was meant to happen this week,…
By: Ash Lloyd, EcoHouse Green Gardening Volunteer Plant Description Often known as “blue false indigo” and “blue wild indigo”, Baptisia australis is a flowering legume native to North America. The plant is a herbaceous perennial that can grow up to 1.5 meters tall and up to a meter across. A mature plant will have a…
Green Venture’s Leading Role in 100 in 1 Day 2020 Green Venture is excited to be leading 100 in 1 Day Hamilton again in 2020! The festival is entering its 6th year in Hamilton, and its second year being led by GV. 100 in 1 Day was started in Bogota, Columbia in 2012 as a…
Secondary Students: Learn and take action to grow our urban forest! This Spring we are inviting Hamilton highschool students to join us to learn about trees and take action to improve our urban forest canopy! Green Venture and Trees for Hamilton want to engage your geography class to learn about our urban forest and…
Spring approaches, & soon the snow will be melting away for good! Here at Green Venture, no snow means it must be time to start ripping up impermeable surfaces with our Depave Paradise Program, but where should we begin? We’re currently on the hunt for new Depave sites, see the graphic at the bottom of…
This year’s Seedy Saturday was a great success! Our attendance was the highest ever recorded for a Hamilton Seedy Saturday with 832 people. That is almost 200 people more than last year! We had 30 vendors including seed vendors, environmental businesses and community groups. The workshops were very well attended with 95 guests enjoying them. …
Hello everyone! My name is Jacey Aikens and I’m currently filling the role of Environmental Outreach Assistant here at Green Venture. I’ve been here for just over a month now and I am thrilled about the amazing opportunity to learn, grow and build my communication skills with this organization. I’m working here on a…
No one likes slipping and falling on ice & we want to know that our roads and sidewalks are maintained effectively, so as to not result in an unnecessary accident. However, Green Venture believes that this desire for safety does not have to compromise our desire for a healthy environment, and more specifically, a healthy…
A new report from TAF outlines the carbon emissions and their sources for every city in the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA). Across the region, buildings made up the largest source of emissions at 42.8%. Hamilton has the highest per capita emissions in the GTHA – 19.1 tCO2eq per capita compared to an average of 6.9…
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…
By: Ash Lloyd, EcoHouse Green Gardening Volunteer If you have a garden, you are probably used to seeing all kinds of bugs on or around your plants during the warm parts of the year. Many people consider bugs they do not recognize to be “gross” or pests, and so when they see them they try…
Hamilton is home for many things – people, animals, waterfalls, steel, and vehicles too! Now more than ever, keeping our air clean of pollutants is of vital importance. As trucks and cars flow through our city streets, noxious gases from tailpipe exhaust and fine particulate matter from brakes and tire ware are thrown into the…
Seedy Saturday is in three short months – February 1st 2020! Here at Green Venture we are in the planning stages of this wonderful community event you all know and love. You can help too! Every year we get an overwhelming amount of seeds during the event that are need to be divided into smaller…
Catch the RAIN with a rain garden! We’ve installed our first rain garden as part of Catch the RAIN with a homeowner in Dundas. Each rain garden that has been designed by our RAIN Coach is a different shape and size because it is meant to work with the landscape. During the RAIN Coach visit…
Green Venture hosted its very first Fall Garden TuckIN event at the EcoHouse and it was a big success! On November 2nd, volunteers and GV staff united to remove goutweed, raspberry canes, clean our community garden, put in native plants and lay down some mulch! We had a total of 31 volunteers join us at…
On October 28th, Green Venture staff and volunteers came together to share a meal and celebrate the immense volunteer contributions of this past year. We enjoyed a delicious potluck dinner, with fabulous offerings from both staff and volunteers. Between April and October 2019, well over 800 hours of volunteer time were contributed! Our volunteers dedicated…
Climate change talk is everywhere! The city of Hamilton declared a climate emergency this past spring, and many Hamilton students have joined in climate strikes. Our “Power to Change” presentation links personal energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, to give students a broad picture of what climate change is, and what personal actions we can…
Reducing our personal energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions, can feel very difficult and overwhelming. As part of the “Power to Change” campaign, we have provided people of all ages with simple actions they can take to tackle climate change. These actions cover a range of lifestyle changes related to food, transportation, home heating, shopping…
“Do you offer any school programs in French?” We have heard this question many times at the Green Venture Education Department. We are so excited to now offer the “Power to Change” in-class activity kit for teachers, in the French language! Green Venture has had the privilege to host many students from french speaking classrooms,…
Green Venture is excited to announce that Catch the RAIN has three different green infrastructure projects happening in the final months of 2019! Read on about our first project: a new and improved rain barrel system that stores over 900L of rainwater for this garden loving Catch the RAIN homeowner! DID YOU KNOW: A 25mm…
Take Action on Energy Use & Climate ChangeIn Your School Learn & Take Action!In Your Home Keep Warm & Save Money!Our everyday actions are powered by energy. Energy is used to heat our homes, produce food and manufacture the goods we buy. Most sources of energy emit greenhouse gases and contribute to climate change. We…
By: Alison Feist, Green Venture Volunteer You may often hear us mention biodiversity and native plants, but why are they so important? Biodiversity is important because everything is connected – living things, ecosystems, and natural processes. This dynamic system of nature allows us to thrive, be resilient to disasters, and sustain earth processes that support…
In recent years, Hamilton has experienced serious problems related to stormwater and runoff including environmental and water quality degradation, threats to human health and safety, and millions of dollars in property damage. Many homeowners have experienced flooding in their homes and/or on their properties. As our city grows, there are fewer natural areas to absorb…
You may have seen them around EcoHouse when you stopped by, but now that summer is about halfway over (sorry, we know, we know!), we thought it was time to get to know our wonderful summer students a bit more! Check out their bios below. Anna- Environmental Programs Assistant I’m doing my second year as…
By: Nadine Nesbitt A tiger swallowtail flutters along the tops of the newly planted perennial plants now stretching towards the sky after a long winter’s sleep in the Depave Garden, while a sparrow bounces across the mulched ground searching for last years seeds. There are signs of Spring in the Depave Garden! This year much…
100in1Day Hamilton Turns 5 100in1Day first came to Hamilton in 2015. Each year the number of urban interventions and participants has grown. Over the past four years, 100in1 Day Hamilton has inspired more than 550 community-led projects and events, engaged tens of thousands of residents, and has facilitated lasting change in the form of new…
Announcing Green Venture’s new Executive Director, Giuliana Casimirri! Green Venture is excited to announce the appointment of incoming Executive Director Giuliana Casimirri, effective April 15th! Giuliana brings over 15 years of experience in environmental outreach, research, and nonprofit management. For the past 5 years, Giuliana was Executive Director of Oakvillegreen and previously coordinator of urban…
Yorkview Elementary School students, parents and members of the community, in partnership with Green Venture, removed 172m2 of old asphalt by hand on Saturday, September 29 as the first step in their schoolyard revitalization. Local MPP Sandy Shaw and Anne Tennier, an Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) volunteer, were on hand to see how a three-year,…
The end of summer is a bittersweet time for the students here at Green Venture. On the one hand, we are all moving on to another year of interesting studies, but are sad to see the summer end. We’ve all had such an incredible time here at Green Venture. The opportunity to gain work experience…
Creepy crawlers came to Eco House for a visit during week two of camp with Safari Science. The campers did better better than me, I could barely be in the same room with some of the crawlers. The campers however were brave and actually held them. We also had fun swimming at Sir Wilfred recreation’s…
Hello everyone! I’m Victoria or as the campers will know me Guppy, I’m one of the newest Environmental Program assistants hired for the summer of 2018. When I first came to the Green Venture’s Eco House for the seedling sale in May, I had no idea I would have such an awesome opportunity to work…
Introducing another of our 2018 EcoStars Summer Camp counsellors… “My name is Panda. As a current Environmental Sciences student at McMaster University I could not be more excited to be working at Green Venture this summer! I have had previous experience in environmental education for people of all ages and I am thrilled be able…
Green Venture is all about living sustainably, and exploring ways each of us can avoid making our mark – on the environment that is. From healthy soil, fresh air, to clean drinking water, what can we do, and what we can consider, when it comes to all the choices we make in our daily lives.…
Our EcoHouse living roof project is getting a bit of a fix this summer. 2015 – living roof modules In 2015 we installed the green roof modules on part of the pergola, but due to weight considerations, we opted instead not to add more modules. Instead, we tried our hand at growing some creeper vines.…
The Golden Horseshoe area is home to numerous orchards, farms, and vineyards, and all of these depend on pollinators. The Government of Ontario estimates that 13% of its annual crop revenues, or $978 million dollars, can be directly attributed to pollinators. The majority of pollination is done by commercially raised bees; these insects are not…
My name is Moira and I am one of the new staff members here at EcoHouse!! I am currently working as an education support staff member, and I am the coordinator for our Annual Fundraiser Uproot! While I am new with Green Venture, I am no stranger to education. I studied at the University of…
Green Venture welcomes our newest Education Program Support team member, Jamie MacLean… “I’ve had my eyes on Green Venture for quite some time, and I am thrilled to be working with education programs. I studied Environmental Sciences and Biology at Trent University and have since been involved in outdoor education and sustainable farm /garden practices. Working…
After working For the City of Hamilton for ten years helping engage our community and City staff in making Hamilton a little greener and more sustainable I have taken early retirement and now have the opportunity to get involved with Green Venture again. It feels like coming home! I was Executive Director of Green Venture…
Let’s get growing! Are you an avid backyard gardener or have a community garden plot that is waiting to be filled this year? Interested in experimenting with container gardening? Want to grow interesting and beautiful heirloom tomato varieties? Green Venture’s second annual veggie and herb seedling sale is at EcoHouse on the weekend of Doors…
It’s here! This fall on October 20, 2023 from 4pm – 7pm, join Green Venture and your local #HamOnt community and #shoptheswap! We will have tons of FREE clothing for you to choose from at EcoHouse, 22 Veevers Drive. There will also be local booths, and guest speakers presenting early in the event.
Participation is on a pay what you can basis with a suggested donation of $5.
If you have clothing to donate it can be dropped off at EcoHouse in the bin on the red porch from October 9 – 18. If your donation is larger (more than one large garbage bag) please email akira.ourique@greenventure.ca to arrange a drop off time. Donating clothing is completely optional, you do NOT need to donate clothing in order to come to the swap!
If you’re in need of new clothes, want to swap your Halloween costume, or just want an eco-friendly way to change up your wardrobe come by the swap on October 20th! Sign up here.