The effects of single-use plastic on the environment
Discarded pastic bottle by the beach (Photo by Catherine Sheila,Pexels)
Did you know that an estimated 3.3 million tonnes per year of plastic waste is produced in Canada, but only nine per cent is returned for recycling? You might be surprised, but billions of items of plastic waste are entering our lands, oceans and...
Drawing attention: Putting a love for nature on paper
My nature journal entry on the plant life at Yamnuska Mountain, AB (Photo by Emma Dunlop/NCC)
Nature journaling; two words that I recently have noticed cropping up together, in everything from youth education curriculums to mindfulness and meditation workshops. My first encounter with nature journaling was during my reluctant participation...
Do you get enough Vitamin N?
Father and child by the lake (Photo by Laubenstein Karen, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/Wikimedia Commons)
You find yourself breathing more deeply, taking in the sharp scent of pine and the sweet mustiness of leaves returning to dust on the forest floor beneath your feet. For a moment, the quiet is broken only by birdsong — the notes that...
Lessons in winter wildlife photography
Male cardinal (Photo by Lorne)
Distant memories of my first film camera come to mind when I think about photography. Its silver colour and round dials looked impressive, everything was manual, all decisions were mine and feedback was non-existent, until the film was processed....
Heard it from a Scout: 5 ways to reuse your Halloween pumpkin
Jack-o-lanterns (Photo from Creative Commons)
During the Halloween season, a staggering number of pumpkins become jack-o-lanterns on October 31. But by the next morning, we're left wondering how to reuse them. From recipes to candles, here are five creative ways to find a second use for your...
The joys of capturing memories with watercolour painting
Nature was the balm we’d needed after months of physical distancing and pandemic-related uncertainties (Photo by Christine Beevis Trickett/NCC staff)
In the last few years, I’ve grown to love the joys of landscape watercolour painting as a way to capture time spent in nature, usually on annual canoe trips with my dad. Unfortunately, this year’s pandemic meant I couldn’t travel...
5 ways to celebrate a physically distanced Thanksgiving
A fall-themed pumpkin display (Photo by Anna Tukhfatullina, Pexels)
The global pandemic has undoubtedly changed the ways we go about our everyday activities, especially how to interact with family and friends. These unusual times call for creative tweaks to how we celebrate the special days, like Thanksgiving....
Pushing petals: Exploring Canadian botanical art
Illustration by Raymond Nakamura
Summer has turned to fall, as the pandemic blurs the days. If you are able, please stay at home. But remember that you can still go outside and enjoy some nature, while maintaining a safe distance from others. Plants can provide a nature-based...
A little help from my friends: How fallen leaves support biodiversity and climate
Leaf litter (Photo by Kaboompics.com via Pexels/Canva)
What’s your favourite part of autumn? Is it carving pumpkins for Halloween or going for long walks in the crisp air? Perhaps it’s spending time with loved ones over a hearty meal. But the main hallmark of autumn is the dramatic...
Terminarch: Making music out of birdsong
Sage thrasher (Photo by Dick Cannings)
One of the best things about composing music for the concert hall is that inspiration can come from just about anywhere. My latest work, Terminarch, is a 10-minute piece for a quartet of percussionists based on the birdsong of 12 endangered...
