Reduce your plastic footprint
Gull with balloon ribbon wrapped around its feet (Photo by Jason Read)
On World Environment day this past June 5, the United Nations (UN) called for the end of single-use plastic. Using the #beatplasticpollution hashtag, there were all kinds of conversations on Twitter about how to minimize your plastic use. Plastic...
Rediscovering food from our own backyards
Me holding a beaked hazelnut (Photo by NCC)
Another week has gone by, and the time has come where I look at my empty cupboards and realize that I cannot put off grocery shopping any longer. Grudgingly, I pack up my reusable bags and head across the street to the grocery store. I browse...
Back to school: How to incorporate nature into a busy school schedule
Taking a walk in the park (Photo by Garry Knight, CC BY-SA 2.0)
One of the greatest challenges as a student is managing your time. Speaking from experience, it is all too easy to get caught up in a sea of busyness without realizing it. With demanding class schedules, tight assignment deadlines, extracurricular...
Bringing nature to you: The power of houseplants
Office plants (Photo by J. Pilsack, Wikimedia Commons)
I’ve always loved plants. I like their colour, their smell and the feeling I get when I’m surrounded by them, both inside and outside the house. Last year, I started covering the entire windowsill of my bedroom with plants and...
Producing Nature Talks, the podcast (Audio blog)
Voicing the podcast in my home recording studio (Photo courtesy of Tiffany Cassidy/NCC staff)
This is the story of Tiffany Cassidy, the Nature Conservancy of Canada's (NCC's) national media relations manager, and the lessons she learned while producing a podcast series called Nature Talks. Listen to the audio blog and view the transcript...
Conservation 101 for urbanites
Garbage clean up at Percival River, PEI (Photo by Sean Landsman)
As a born and raised city dweller, I tend to jump at opportunities that allow me to experience the great outdoors — in all its glory. Connecting with nature has always been an important part of my life, from simple walks in the park to...
How to build a bug hotel
Bee homes come in all shapes and sizes. (Photo by NCC)
Looking for a fun gardening project to help the pollinators in your yard? Why not build a bug hotel? What is a bug hotel? Designed to attract and shelter garden insects, bug hotels are home-made structures constructed from plant material and...
Why I'm getting rid of my hostas
Hostas at my cottage (Photo by Dan Kraus/NCC staff)
I love going to the cottage. We have a little cabin nestled between a hill and a lake near Algonquin Park, in the heart of Ontario’s cottage country. There are so many things I love about this place. Water, moose and amazing autumn colours....
Shopping local: A berry beneficial choice
Farmers' market (Photo by Erik Scheel, Pexels)
‘Tis the season You wake up on a lazy Saturday morning. The sun is shining, the grass is green and fresh produce is in season. It's time to make your way over to your nearest farmers' market to stock up on locally made and grown...
Something old, something new
Tending a community garden (Photo by Bob Nichols/US Department of Agriculture, Wikimedia commons)
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been enchanted with the magic of gardening. The way I see it, gardening has the power to give life and mark new beginnings, turning something old into something new. Better yet, there’s nothing like...
