Celebrating Earth Day: Calgary Climate Symposium and five climate-smart actions

At The City of Calgary, Earth Day is an opportunity to show our commitment to environmental protection. Addressing climate change is one way that we are demonstrating that commitment by investing in cycling and pedestrian infrastructure, expanding public transit, capitalizing on renewable energy, retrofitting streetlights to LED, managing our waste as a resource, supporting innovative community design and much more. Today, we are sharing some of the highlights from our recent Climate Symposium and we’ve compiled a top-five list of climate smart actions citizens can take to celebrate Earth Day with us.

Last month The City of Calgary hosted the Calgary Climate Symposium, bringing together community leaders, entrepreneurs, prominent climate experts and City of Calgary staff for a series of unique networking and learning opportunities.

This was the first symposium of its kind The City has hosted and all five public events sold out. With so much interest and many requests to hear what was talked about, a playlist of videos is now available on the program website at calgary.ca/climateprogram with all of the presentations as well as feature interviews with many of the speakers.

The symposium aimed to open up a Calgary-specific conversation about how a changing climate will impact our city, and explore opportunities for innovation and economic growth.

“Climate change acts as a risk multiplier,” says Tom Sampson, Chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency, referring to large-scale events he has responded to such as the 2013 Southern Alberta flood and the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfires.

“Alberta has become the hotbed of severe weather events,” Bill Adams, Vice President, Western Region, Insurance Bureau of Canada, explains with a bar chart showing seven of the top 10 weather-related insured loss events in Canada have been in Alberta. “Understand that you are vulnerable, understand what your specific risks are at your home and at your business, and then take steps to address those risks.”

And while a changing climate poses risks and vulnerabilities for Calgarians, there are also opportunities.

“Climate change should be seen as a huge opportunity rather than a threat,” says Andy Gouldson, Professor of Environmental Policy and Dean of Interdisciplinary Research, University of Leeds. “All of our work shows really clearly that addressing climate change can create jobs, improve public health, lead to better, more vibrant cities and enhance the quality of life.”

Gouldson is part of a team at the University of Leeds who recently published the Economics of Low Carbon Development Report for Calgary, evaluating and prioritizing a list of actions in the residential, commercial, transport, industrial and waste sectors that will provide the largest impact on the local economy and global climate. This study will inform the Climate Program’s upcoming Climate Resilience Plan to be presented to Council in June 2018.

Presenters from the symposium also outlined simple steps citizens can take today to be climate smart. These are outlined in their video interviews, and we’ve compiled the top five:

1. Install an energy efficient furnace and/or windows – Guy Huntingford, BILD Calgary 
2. Use the My Energy IQ tool to understand your energy usage – Jeff Hilton, ENMAX 
3. Use alternative transportation options (bike, walk, public transit) – Caroline Saunders, British Consul General 
4. Be active in your community: participate in community gardens, car share programs and more – Anika Terton, International Institute for Sustainable Development 
5. Be aware of your risks and prepare a 72-hour emergency preparedness kit – Tom Sampson, Calgary Emergency Management Agency

Becoming the city we imagined

This month marks 10 years of work towards a shared view of Calgary's future through the imagineCALGARY Urban Sustainability Plan.

The plan includes a 100 year vision along with numerous long-term goals and targets, with a vision of making Calgary a great place to make a living, a great place to make a life.

10 Years ago, over 18,000 Calgarians contributed to the goals and aspirations of imagineCALGARY. The resulting award-winning plan envisioned a community in which Calgarians would:

• be connected to each other, our communities, and beyond;
• have a lighter footprint on the earth; and
• sense a vibrant, healthy, and strong community fabric.

Fast forward to today and the vision and core principles of imagineCALGARY have become deeply rooted in much of what we do as The City of Calgary and as a community.

As a community-owned plan, many people, organizations and businesses continue to work towards, or in the spirit of, the imagineCALGARY goals that are now embedded throughout The City's plans (such as the Municipal Development Plan, the Calgary Transportation Plan, the 2020 Sustainability Direction), and long-term sustainability goals for City business units such as Waste and Recycling, Water Resources, and Parks, to name a few. In addition, community efforts such as the Calgary Economic Development Strategy, Calgary Arts Development Strategy, Calgary’s community driven poverty reduction strategy (a.k.a. the Enough 4 All Strategy), and the Calgary Board of Education’s Sustainability Framework.

As our city evolves, emerging efforts continue to contribute towards our long-term vision. Initiatives related to innovation, community and economic resiliency, as well as initiatives that address climate change, all contribute to the imagineCALGARY vision and core principles.

To highlight people, places, projects, and movement being made towards the goals and aspirations of the imagineCALGARY plan, we'll be sharing 10 stories via the imagineCALGARY Twitter account and website. Watch for the storyboard display in the City Hall atrium from September 19-23!

We're excited to continue working with Calgarians and community partners every day to help ensure Calgary remains a great city to make a living, and a great city to make a life.

As you’re collecting your leaves this fall, watch out for bronze leaf disease

Do you have poplar or aspen trees in your yard? When you are picking up your leaves, be on the lookout for bronze leaf disease.

What to look for

Symptoms of bronze leaf disease typically appear in late summer or early fall and may only be on a few branches or leaves.

• Symptoms may spread around the tree and dieback may occur on infected branches.
• Infected leaves turn orange-brown to reddish-brown and typically colouration starts at the edges of the leaf and moves inward toward the base.
• The colour of infected leaves varies from very bronze to chocolate brown to dull brown.
• A defining characteristic of the disease is the way that the leaf veins often remain a bright green in stark contrast to the rest of the leaf.

How to stop it


Good sanitation is the best method of controlling the disease.

• Pick up leaf litter from under the trees as soon as they drop.
• Prune out affected branches 20-30 cm (8-12 in.) into healthy wood while still attempting to maintain the tree's shape. Often, this is back to the trunk. Removal of dead and or dying trees is important as they will infect nearby trees as well.
• Fallen leaves and pruned wood should be bagged and disposed of in the garbage only.
• Do not compost or burn any infected wood or leaves.
• Do not bring infected leaves and wood to Leaf and Pumpkin Composting drop-off locations. Instead, dispose of it in the garbage or take directly to the landfill.
• If you are unsure about how/where to prune, we recommend hiring an International Society of Arboriculture-certified arborist.
• Equipment used to prune trees should be sanitized between cuts to avoid transferring the disease.
• If you suspect bronze leaf disease in a City-owned tree, contact 311.

As with all tree diseases, the best defence is a healthy tree. Visit calgary.ca/trees for healthy tree care tips.

As you prepare for winter, remember your trees need help too!

As the weather gets cooler there are a few easy ways you can help care for and prepare your trees for winter.

1) Water your trees
Continue watering your trees until the leaves have all fallen off and the ground freezes. This will provide your trees with extra moisture to help maintain it through Calgary’s harsh winter. This is especially important to evergreens, such as members of the pine family. Although these trees don't actively grow during the cold months, they do lose moisture, and the cold, dry winds of winter can dry them out.

NOTE: You can also water your trees during Chinooks throughout the winter to keep them hydrated as extreme temperature changes can steal moisture.

2) Assess the health of your trees
Once the leaves have fallen off, take a look for any damage. It will be easier to see broken or hanging branches with the leaves gone. If you notice your tree has damage, we recommend hiring an International Society of Arboriculture certified arborist.

3) Mulch your trees
Put mulch around the base of your trees. This will help keep moisture in and protect the tree’s roots from extreme temperature changes by insulating. Check out our Mulching: Do’s and Don’ts resource for more mulching tips.

4) Prune your trees
Fall is a great time to prune many varieties of trees including elm trees as the elm pruning ban is lifted from October 1 until the end of March. If you are unsure about how to properly prune, consult a local arborist.

For more information on how to prepare your trees for winter, make sure to watch our How to prepare your trees for winter video and visit calgary.ca/trees for more tree care tips.

Zoo Flood Mitigation Project – Upcoming information sessions

Calgarians are invited to an open house on Thursday, October 8, to learn more about the Zoo Flood Mitigation project.

The project will protect the zoo against future flooding, preserving one of Calgary’s greatest assets, and ensuring that the zoo will be able to teach and delight Calgarians and visitors for generations to come.

The project includes flood protection measures such as below-ground steel sheets, above-ground berms, and a pumping system.

Construction on the project is anticipated to begin in December, 2015, and will require closing Zoo Road over the next two winters (approx. December 2015 – June 2016 and September 2016 – June 2017). Zoo Road will re-open during the summer months, and the Calgary Zoo will be open and operating as usual throughout construction.

About the Open House
Date: Thursday, October 8
Time: 5-8 p.m.
Location: The Alexandra Centre (922 9 Ave S.E.)
Parking: Street parking and bike racks available

At the open house, citizens will be provided with project details, including:

• Renderings of the planned barriers
• Anticipated construction timelines
• Impacts to traffic and associated detours
• Project alignment with 12 Street S.E. bridge replacement 

Staff from The City of Calgary and the Calgary Zoo will be in attendance to answer questions and address concerns.

For more details on the project or the information session, please visit calgary.ca/ZooFloodProject

Down the drain no more - practical reuse leads water conservation efforts

Reusing waste water instead of sending it down the drain is one way The City demonstrates leadership in water conservation and sustainability. The City is leading not only by example, but also at the regulatory level.

example of a rainwater housing system

Inspections & Permit Services is a group that has always helped businesses, builders and homeowners navigate the world of green building and sustainable design practices. However, one thing that was missing was the provincial Plumbing Code was the allowance of reclaimed water* usage. That was until August of this year when Municipal Affairs issued a variance to the Plumbing Code – a result of The City of Calgary and other municipalities working towards a change.


“It is important to lead conservation discussions, while at the same time, thinking about the health aspect,” explains Richard Burk, Operational Supervisor, Inspection and Permit Services. In addition to helping enact this change, Richard chaired the task group that created the guidelines all municipalities must follow to work to regulate acceptable reclaimed waste water systems.

“On a day-to-day basis, we enforce the rules set down by the province. We work with home owners, plumbers and engineers to advise on provincial and national codes and standards to ensure [the] correct plans for the implementation of green technologies are being used,” says Richard.

water distribution system

If a business or homeowner wants to install a reclaimed water system, Inspections & Permit Services reviews the plans submitted under the application for a plumbing permit. Once the plans are approved, an inspection is completed upon installation to make sure the system is good to go.

Businesses are jumping on board to save money and water. The new Calgary Airport terminal has included reclaimed water systems in their design and the Calgary South Hospital is using water from water softening equipment to flush toilets and urinals. The new Telus Sky tower is also looking at incorporating reclaimed water into its design. And The City? We’re now able to start using reclaimed water to wash garbage trucks.

“Solutions like this help alleviate stress and add years of service to City facilities. It is important to be able to use our sustainable design practices in order to benefit the environment and reduce demand on infrastructure,” says Richard.

Permit requirements for installing sustainable technology
Depending on the construction processes involved and Land Use Bylaw rules, the installation of a sustainable technology system may require a development permit, building permit and/or trade permits (electrical, heating, plumbing). For more information, please contact the Planning Services Support Centre at 403-268-5311.

Other information regarding water reuse
Check out The City commitment to reduce water consumption (in 2002) by 30 per cent over 30 years.
Check out the Rainwater Harvesting Guide which outlines the best practices for rainwater harvesting systems in the City of Calgary.

*Reclaimed water is the practice of treating wastewater to remove all impurities to meet commercial and industrial water needs, such as toilet and urinal flushing and car washes. Reclaimed water is water that is used more than one time before it passes back into the natural water cycle promoting water conservation and sustainability.

Planning healthy communities: If you are what you eat, then you are also where you live

The link between health and lifestyle choices such as diet and exercise is well documented. So too is the relationship between health and the built environment. The way we design our cities has real health impacts.

click to enlarge

I’m part of a team planning a new community in northeast Calgary (we’re calling the area Nose Creek), and we’re planning it with the health of its future residents, workers and visitors in mind.

In the early 1800s, communicable diseases posed a serious problem in part because of the lack of sanitary systems, tight living quarters without access to sunlight, air quality issues from nearby heavy industrialization and a shortage of green space. Planning urban areas differently helped to curb related health problems.

Since Nose Creek is in the early stages of planning, we have the opportunity to plan for health. We've come up with an area structure plan, which outlines the provision of essential services and facilities, land uses, transportation systems, population, jobs and the timing of development. Health is the vision and focus for the plan.

The foundation of this health-focused and inclusively-planned community originates from a set of planning principles outlined in a Health Impact Assessment developed by the Urban Land Institute’s Building Healthy Places Initiative. Once fully built, this area will provide residents the amenities and opportunities to make healthy choices.

Nose Creek's Healthy Planning Principles
Our plan will locate 20,000 office, light industrial, commercial and retail jobs in the community. This gives residents the option to work close to home; thereby increasing work-life balance by reducing time spent commuting and encouraging a healthier lifestyle.

In fact, we’re doing something that’s never been done before in Calgary by creating what’s called an industrial hub – an area suitable for smaller warehouses ideal for contractors and artisans. This industrial area will be unlike most, featuring a plaza with shops and services for those who work in the area, pathways and sidewalks, green space and landscaping, and parking situated behind, not in front of buildings. Picture an enjoyable, healthy place to work. The connected pathway system through Nose Creek’s employment centre will support access by way of public transit, bike or foot in a safe environment.

We're also planning for a range of housing types, building forms, gathering spaces, employment opportunities and complimentary retail uses in Nose Creek that promote a healthy, active and safe lifestyle for all.

All Calgarians are invited to meet the Nose Creek Area Structure Plan project team and learn more about this new community at a public open house. Drop by between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. on Thursday, September 3 at the community kiosk (nearest entry 2) in CrossIron Mills.

This blog was written by Joyce Tang, a City Planner and development team lead for the Nose Creek Area Structure Plan. Learn more at www.calgary.ca/nosecreek. 

Calgary safety codes officers lend a hand after flood waters hit Chestermere

For City of Calgary safety codes officers Michael Kennelly and Vernon Durkee, a typical day at work means inspecting construction projects to ensure safety and compliance with the Alberta Building Code.

But last month, they used their skills and knowledge in a different way to help residents in Chestermere after torrential rain and hail flooded hundreds of homes.

City of Calgary Safety Codes Officer Michael Kennelly

The City of Chestermere offered free safety inspections to residents, and Kennelly and Durkee volunteered to assist - visiting an estimated 40 homes over the course of two days. They were checking the extent of flood damage and offering advice to homeowners, including structural issues, mould, wet drywall and more.

“It felt great to help out a fellow municipality in a time of need,” says Kennelly. “The flooding in Chestermere was traumatic for everyone involved. People were at their most vulnerable point; emotions and fear were running high. It was wonderful to be able to be there and to reassure people about what comes next, and that maybe the damage to their home wasn’t as bad as they feared.”

Durkee and Kennelly said that most of the damage to the homes they inspected was minimal, and their advice included ripping out drenched carpet and replacing drywall.

“We used what others at The City of Calgary learned during our flood and applied it to help people in Chestermere,” says Durkee.

The Safety Codes Council of Alberta granted Kennelly and Durkee temporary designation to assist Chestermere, as normally they are only certified to complete inspections in Calgary. Funding for The City of Calgary to help during an event of this magnitude is typically covered by the Disaster Recovery Program through the province of Alberta.

“Working with The City of Chestermere was fantastic,” says Kennelly. “The gratitude we experienced was immense. It was also amazing for training purposes. I’m a fairly new safety codes officer, and it was great to learn about how other municipalities do things.”

Chestermere Deputy Mayor Christopher Steeves says the storms experienced in July had a massive impact on many residents.

“Our community is very resilient,” Steeves says. “We have been working hard to do everything we can to help our citizens get back on their feet after the flooding. We appreciate the support we received from our neighbours and partners at The City of Calgary during this challenging time and would like to pass on our thanks for their assistance.”

In addition to sending safety inspectors to Chestermere, The City of Calgary also allowed Chestermere to use Calgary landfills for flood-damaged items at a reduced rate through Chestermere’s collection bins.

In the past, The City of Calgary has assisted in many ways with emergency operations during disasters in Slave Lake and High River.

More information about flood recovery:
Calgary: calgary.ca/floodrecovery
Chestermere: chestermere.ca/floodsupport

CTrain wash is a green, clean machine

As part of reducing The City’s environmental footprint and to help reach our 30-in-30 Water Efficiency Plan, Calgary Transit makes water re-use a part of its operations.

A tunnel-style carwash uses about 150 litres of water to clean your average car. Now imagine washing a vehicle that weighs 120 tons, is 3.8 metres high and 81 metres long. That’s the size of a Calgary Transit CTrain, and it takes about 1,800 litres of water to clean it.

The good news is that Calgary Transit has a CTrain wash that recycles 90-95% of the water that’s used by collecting it into two reclaim water tanks and three settling pits that remove dirt, debris, sediment and soap.

We’re also cautious to only wash CTrains when necessary. During stretches of warm sunny days, trains remain fairly clean on the outside. However, the biggest contributing factor to a dirty train exterior may surprise you. “Carbon builds up where the CTrain makes contact with the overhead (centenary) wires, and that actually causes the train to get dirty more than the weather does,” says Wayne Edwards, Coordinator of Transit Fleet. “We get a carbon film building up on the train, and without the right type of soap and brushes, the train won’t get clean.”

At the end of each day, every CTrain car is cleaned on the inside, and if the exterior needs a wash it’s sent through the tunnel. It takes about four minutes to wash a 3-car CTrain and the brushes sweep along the front, back and sides of the train.

When breakdowns happen at the train wash, Calgary Transit’s maintenance staff are trained to repair it, replace brushes and other parts. “The most common break down is the brushes – they get bent if the train moves too quickly through the wash,” says Edwards. Maintenance staff have even made some of their own modifications to parts to help lessen the breakage and repairs.

This unique train wash is located in the Oliver Bowen Maintenance Facility (OBMF), one of two Calgary Transit garages where CTrains are repaired, maintained and cleaned. OBMF was awarded the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold rating. LEED is a third-party internationally accepted benchmark for the design, construction and operation of high performance green buildings.

Fire, Water, Earth: Coming full circle with water conservation in fire training

In experiencing some warmer temperatures of late, it serves as a good reminder of our access to fresh, clean water and the importance it plays in our everyday lives. In helping to preserve this precious resource, The City of Calgary looks for opportunities to implement water conservation practices throughout its operations and facilities. The Calgary Fire Department (CFD) is ensuring this, and other environmental considerations are at the forefront of its training efforts.

Recognizing an opportunity to reduce its environmental footprint and to participate in The City’s 30-in-30 Water Efficiency Plan (to reduce Calgary’s per capita water consumption by 30 per cent from 2003 volumes by the year 2033), the Calgary Fire Department developed a system to capture and reuse the 150 million litres of water used during every year in training.

In essence, the Training Academy has ceased consumption and waste of potable water for its training. This first-of-its-kind system utilizes water from a man-made wetland and pond filtration system. Instead of spraying potable water all over the

facility’s grounds and watching it ice up, run down drains, or evaporate, contaminated fire run-off is retreated and reused.

The innovative nature of this project has even won a national environmental award in 2010 and was nominated for several other awards, including the Globe Awards for Excellence in Urban Sustainability and the Emerald Awards. Other organizations, like the Edmonton Fire Department, have also requested information about this system to see if they may be able to do something similar.

Improving overall environmental performance is rewarding, but an added benefit is when services to the citizens of Calgary are improved as a result.

“In addition to the Training Facility, we expanded our pump training program for crews by allowing them to train in selected remote locations,” said Patrick Choukalos, Calgary Fire Department environmental consultant. Pump training ensures that firefighters to learn how to control the amount of water that enters the fire hose from the hydrant to enable the them to put the fire out in the most effective and efficient way.

Last year, the CFD and the City of Calgary Parks worked on a cooperative effort that now sees firefighters pump water onto certain areas within specific City parks – essentially watering the trees, plants and grass as a by product of hydrant testing and running response drills.

Battalion Chief John Cherweniuk - a 29 year member of the Calgary Fire Department, championed the idea. “I knew this type of partnership could benefit our crews by allowing them to conduct their pump training in a more realistic setting, and in areas conveniently located in their response district,” said Chief Cherweniuk.

During hot, dry summer weather, some of the training practices like the one mentioned, allows water on areas that doesn't usually receive it and helps to reduce the risk of grass or bush fire.

“This training is good for parks and saves time, gas and emissions by letting crews stay closer to their stations to train. It also lessens our environmental footprint," adds Choukalos.

“This training is good for parks, and lessens our environmental footprint while allowing us to contribute directly to the communities we serve,” said Choukalos.


Related Calgary City News Blog posts:
Fire Department's Water Re-use Project wins national environmental award
Calgary Fire Department boasts new training facility, water reclamation project

City of Calgary goes even greener and safer: latest Environment, Health & Safety annual report shows innovative leadership

With over 15,000 employees and complex operations in both field and office environments, The City of Calgary can have a big impact with the way it conducts its operations.

The City, in its 2014 Corporate Environment, Health and Safety annual report, highlights innovative ways it is reducing its environmental impact and ensuring the health and safety of employees. 

“As a municipality, we are proving you can still be passionate about protecting our natural resources while providing quality public service,” says Sharon Young, Director of Environmental and Safety Management. “It involves constantly looking for new ways to reduce the impact of our operations and making sure we are investing in the health and safety of employees who provide that service every day.”

“I’m proud to work for a city that solves problems and provides services for citizens in as responsible a manner as possible,” adds Young. “We have more work to do but we are making that investment every day.”

 

Some of the highlights from 2014 include:

• The City’s Green Driver program teaches City employees to lower their emissions through simple driving techniques such as accelerating slowly, reducing idling, and maintaining optimal tire pressure. With over 4,000 vehicles in its fleet, these small actions add up to big impacts.
• Through leak detection, The City replaced nearly 4,000 metres of leaky water mains, saving up to 16 million litres of water per day – the equivalent of the daily water use for over 41,000 citizens.
• Weeds are kept in check using specially selected beetles that feed on the foliage and roots, providing a natural and non-chemical form of pest control.

Visit Calgary.ca/Environment to learn more about what The City is doing and how you can do your part to reduce your environmental impact.

You can view The City of Calgary's full 2014 Annual Report on Calgary.ca.

Seven actions you can take to help the environment

Spring is here and it is a great time to help protect our precious land, air and water. Together we can make a difference. Here are seven actions that can make a big difference.


1. Attend a community tree fair

This spring, we will be hosting tree fairs at community parks all around Calgary, with free resources and demonstrations showing you how to care for your trees and plant new trees. There will also be lots of fun activities for kids, entertainment and food options. Together we can recover our trees that were damaged in the September 2014 snowstorm and help our trees grow to what they once were. For locations and dates, visit the "Events" tab of calgary.ca/trees.


2. Reduce idling

When vehicles are left running while parked, they continue to produce emissions that contribute to air pollution and climate change. Turning off the engine is a great way to reduce emissions and save money. Ten seconds of idling uses more fuel than turning your engine off and restarting it. If you want to start an idle free zone at your school or workplace visit calgary.ca for idle free posters that can be downloaded and printed.


3. Plant some smarty plants

This summer enjoy a beautiful yard that is easy to maintain. Smarty plants are part of The City of Calgary’s YardSmart program and are plants that don’t require a lot of water and still thrive in Calgary’s unique climate. Since summer water usage can increase by 50 per cent, becoming water and YardSmart can reduce your summer watering bill and this means more savings for you. Visit calgary.ca/yardsmart to find a list of smarty plants and other YardSmart actions.


4. Use a rain barrel

A good rain shower can quickly fill a rain barrel and provide a free source of water for your yard. Your plants will love the rain water and will flourish. Green Calgary is hosting a number of rain barrel sales this spring and summer, to see the dates and locations of the sales go to greencalgary.org.


5. Reduce/Reuse/Recycle

Reducing the amount of material that gets sent to the landfill is important to everyone. Thanks to the efforts of all Calgarians, we’ve recycled more than 350,000,000 kilograms of material in the last five years. By reducing, reusing and recycling, we are doing more with less – and that is great for the environment. The City of Calgary has created a searchable online tool called What Goes Where and it has helped thousands of Calgarians find out how to give a second life to materials. Check it out at calgary.ca/whatgoeswhere the next time you are wondering where something goes.


6. Just compost it

At this time of year, nearly a third of our residential garbage is yard waste. Rather than putting your old leaves, branches, and plants in the garbage, give these materials a second life by turning them into compost. Bring your yard waste for composting to any City landfill for free until the end of May. Visit calgary.ca/springcleaning for more information on the program and landfill hours.


7. Eat local

Local food is miles better. The average meal travels 2500 kilometres to reach your plate – that’s a lot of fuel, energy and carbon emissions. Growing your own food or eating food that is produced locally is a great way to save energy and help protect the environment. The added bonus is that local food is fresher and taste great! If you're looking for more information on local food or are interested in joining a community garden, visit calgary.ca/localfood.

Please visit calgary.ca/spring to find out more information on spring in Calgary.

Venture into your yard & check the health of trees

As temperatures warm up, it’s time to venture into your backyard and check your trees for damage that may still be there from the September snow storm last fall. Right now we estimate three quarters of the tree damage is located on private property.



Here are a few things to look for when caring for your trees:

• Comply with the Alberta elm pruning ban between March 31 and September 30. Alberta is one of the last geographic areas in North America to be free of Dutch elm disease. Elm trees are also one of the few types of shade trees that grow in Calgary so it is important to protect them.
• Consider all options before removing your trees. Tree have many benefits such as providing shade and cooling, slowing down storm water runoff, increasing property values and helping to keep people healthy and happy.
• Removing entire trees or large limbs can change the wind dynamics in a location or within the tree.
• Do not take the drastic step of “topping” your tree in an effort to control its size. Topping is the drastic cutting back of major branches. Topping may destroy the natural form of the tree and encourages the tree to put our weakly attached shoots which are more prone to damage.
• Practice safety first. Start with issues that will lead to major problems if ignored. Look for potential hazards such as major limbs that are still hanging in the canopy of the tree and/or trunks of trees that are split. These issues should be addressed as soon as possible, especially if there is a risk to injure people or damage property.
• Know your skill level. Consult with an International Society Arborist (ISA) certified arborist or a tree care company that employs ISA certified arborists. This could apply if trees need work in their canopy, large limbs need to be removed or specialized equipment is needed.

It’s important to look out for our trees not only for safety purposes but because they contribute many environmental, social, and economical benefits. Trees are one of a few assets that appreciate in value over time.

For more information on supporting your trees and recovering from the September 2014 Snow Storm, visit calgary.ca/trees.

Unplug for Earth Hour on March 28

Participate in Earth Hour with The City of Calgary by turning off your lights and electronics and attending Calgary Unplugged, a free family event at Olympic Plaza. The event runs from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. and features kid-friendly activities, free hot chocolate in compostable cups, an LED lantern parade, and music and lighting generated by pedal-power bikes.

Earth Hour is a global initiative to raise awareness about how energy use contributes to climate change and ways we can all take action to reduce our impact.

Each year The City participates by shutting off non-essential and feature lighting in various buildings and bridges. On March 28, lights will turn off at 8:30 p.m. for one hour at:

• The Municipal Building and old City Hall
• Calgary Public Building
• Manchester Centre Building E
• Ad Valorem Place
• Whitehorn Multi-Services Centre
• all fire stations
• Centre Street Bridge
• the 4th Street S.E. underpass
• the Riverwalk area near Prince’s Island Park
• Langevin Bridge

The City’s commitment to reducing energy use in its operations goes far beyond Earth Hour. Some of the work underway includes converting over 80,000 community streetlights to more energy efficient LED bulbs. Additionally, The City is conducting a pilot to automatically power down desktop computers during non-work hours. If the pilot proves successful, a corporate-wide program could save enough electricity to power over 340 households per year.

Join The City and go beyond the hour by taking action to reduce your energy use every day. Visit Calgary.ca for simple energy saving tips.

Visit whatgoeswhere.ca – your best source for disposal information

If you've bought a new TV or received a new kitchen appliance for Christmas, there’s no need to scratch your head wondering what you to do with your old gadgets. We have the answers that’ll make it a snap to do the right thing.


Visit whatgoeswhere.ca and type in your item to find all the best options for disposing of your old stuff. With responsible disposal information on more than 200 items, in many cases you’ll find alternatives other than dumping them in our landfills.


What Goes Where? will tell you which cart to use at home, or if the item is still useable it’ll link you to nearby charities where it can be donated. For other items that need to be disposed of safely or recycled elsewhere it’ll point you to locations across the city.


Help clear out the Christmas clutter and make your Christmas a little greener using the What Goes Where? tool this holiday season.

Recycling advice to keep you on Santa’s “Nice” list

We’re making a list, and checking it twice... on which materials are naughty and nice. Okay, okay that’s not how the song goes, but it’s a good reminder that while your blue cart can help you deal with a lot of the extra packaging you have around the house, not everything can be recycled.

To stay on the “Nice” list, here’s a quick guide to help with the holiday clean up.

Always Nice – put these items in your blue cart	Always Naughty – keep these items out of your blue cart
Wrapping paper (crumpled into balls) Bubble wrap (bundled inside a plastic bag) Boxes Christmas cards and envelopes Gift bags (handles removed) Tissue paper	Foam packaging Ribbons and bows Decorations and ornaments Christmas lights Plastic moulded packaging Bagged recyclables

Top three holiday recycling reminders

1. Recyclables need to be loose in your blue cart, not in bags.
If you use bags to collect all the wrapping paper and boxes, remember to empty the contents of the bags into the blue cart. Recyclables need to be loose so they can be sorted by the machines at the recycling facility.

2. Not sure if an item can be recycled? Check out whatgoeswhere.ca
What Goes Where? is an online search tool that provides donation, recycling and disposal options for your holiday items.

3. Is your blue cart full? Your options for extra recyclables:

• Break down boxes to make the best use of every square inch of space inside your cart.
• Consider hanging on to your extra recyclables for next week’s collection when you have more space in your cart.
• Bring them to a nearby community recycling depot. Keep in mind that our depots fill up quickly during the holiday season, so it’s best to take note of a couple locations in case one is full.

Seven tips for a greener Christmas

The City of Calgary is encouraging all Calgarians to “green their Christmas” this year with some simple holiday behaviours that lighten our environmental impact.

Every holiday season, residential electricity use in Calgary peaks. Claire Beckstead, Corporate Environmental Specialist for The City of Calgary says it doesn’t have to be complicated to green your holiday plans. “There are many simple green actions Calgarians can take that reduce our impact on the environment while keeping the fun and excitement of the season.”

• Choose efficient holiday lights: Consider cutting back on the number of holiday lights or switching to LED lights, which can use 90 per cent less energy than regular holiday lights. Get even more savings and convenience by putting your exterior lights or tree on a simple and inexpensive timer, allowing you to automatically control the length of time your lights are on.
• Lower the thermostat: Home temperatures will warm up naturally while cooking, and while hosting family and friends. Also, consider a programmable thermostat that will automatically lower the temperatures while you are away from the house for holiday events or travel plans.
• Consider travel choices: Much of the holiday season’s impact on the environment comes from travelling and fuel consumption. Take transit or walk to shopping destinations and avoid congested store parking lots. If you must drive, carpool and travel during off-peak times to limit idling.
• Give green: Consume less stuff and instead give more quality time by volunteering together or giving gifts of passes to local sites or events. Or, do your shopping at a local craft fair to find unique gifts made of up-cycled, natural materials; make your own special gift; or, give gifts that give back in energy savings, like LED nightlights, programmable thermostats or solar chargers for phones and tablets.
• Choose food that’s local and organic: Food that travels a long distance has a large carbon footprint and many of the staples of a holiday feast can be found locally. Consider shopping for your dinner at markets or stores that supply local and organic products.
• Decorate naturally: Deck the halls with non-toxic, long-lasting decorations made from wood, ceramics and felt. Plastic and single-use decorations can contain BPA- or PVC-laden plastics. An artificial tree cannot be composted and has three times more impact on climate change and resource depletion than a natural tree.
• Wrap creatively: Forgo the wrapping paper – wrap instead with this years’ calendar, newspaper comics or part of the gift itself, like clothes or dish towels. If you do buy wrapping paper, pick a kind that isn’t metallic or foil, as these cannot be recycled.

The City of Calgary has an environmental target to reduce corporate and community greenhouse gas emissions to 20 per cent below 2005 levels by 2020. For more information on ways to help save energy every day, visit calgary.ca/saveenergy.

Final weekend for Leaf and Pumpkin drop-off locations

We’re heading into the final weekend for the annual Leaf & Pumpkin Composting Program and the last opportunity for Calgarians to make use of the convenient seasonal drop-off locations for their leaves, pumpkins and storm-damaged tree debris.

Tree debris mulching at Spyhill Landfill 

The seasonal drop-off locations across the city opened earlier than usual this year to accommodate tree debris from the snow storm in September. The last day those locations will accept leaves, pumpkins and tree debris is Sunday, November 9.

“We’re grateful to our depot hosts for helping Calgarians clean up after the storm by allowing us to open early and accept huge amounts of branches in addition to the leaves and pumpkins but now they need their space back for their community activities,” said Dave Griffiths, Director of Waste & Recycling Services.

City landfills will continue to waive fees for storm-damaged tree debris until the end of December 2014 as long as loads are not mixed with garbage and other materials. City landfills will be closed on Sundays starting November 16.

If you are unable to get to the drop-off locations or landfills, you can put small branches (no thicker than three inches and cut into three-foot lengths) inside black carts, or tie them together and set the bundle next to your cart for pick up if your bin is full. However, branches put out with the garbage will not be mulched.

Aerial view of tree debris at Shepard Landfill 

As of November 3, City landfills had received almost 23 million kg (23,000 tonnes) of tree debris from the storm cleanup. That’s more material in two months than the typical amount of yard waste received in a year for mulching and about 10 times the amount of leaves and pumpkins that are collected for composting every fall. All of the tree debris will be mulched and some will be used in City parks and trails. Waste & Recycling Services will develop a broader plan over the winter for other possible uses.

Visit calgary.ca/waste or contact 311 for landfill and drop-off locations.

Curbside tree debris pick up in Calgary communities wraps up

After September’s snowstorm, The City of Calgary visited all 227 Calgary communities to help remove tree debris. This work has now been completed three weeks ahead of schedule, in part due to good weather.

“We are extremely proud to have completed this work in just four weeks,” says Nico Bernard, manager of The City’s Tactical Operations Centre. “We can now focus our attention on removing tree debris from parks and some major roads, as well as continuing to cut down branches that pose a public safety threat.”

The work entailed a systematic pass through all residential areas to pick up tree debris piled by citizens at the edge of their properties, as well as debris found along roadsides, alleys, and high-traffic pathways. More than 19 million kilograms (or 19,000 tonnes) of debris from 25,000 loads have been taken to City landfills for mulching.

If you still have tree debris, please take advantage of the following disposal options:

• City landfills: Fees are waived for all tree debris not mixed with garbage until Nov. 9.
• Leaf & Pumpkin drop-offs: 32 temporary collection sites open until Nov. 9 for tree debris, leaves and pumpkins.
• Small branches (no thicker than three inches) cut into three-foot lengths can be tied together and left inside black carts, or set next to carts for pick up if bins are full.
• Citizens are asked not to create dump sites in parks or other areas of Calgary. Illegal dumping is subject to a $250 fine.

While the systematic neighbourhood pick-up is over, there is still significant work to do to recover from the early snow and restore the urban forest.

“There are over 500,000 public trees in Calgary, and preliminary assessments indicate that about 50% have been damaged,” says Bernard. “Some trees will require corrective pruning, which Parks will begin right away and continue until the end of next year. Others will need to be replanted, which we will start in the spring and may take up to two years to complete.”

Pruning work is prioritized according to the impact on the tree. Public safety hazards are dealt with first and are removed immediately to prevent injury or damage to property.

Citizens are asked not to remove ribbons placed on trees, as they indicate a tree has received a preliminary assessment and requires pruning to build resiliency into the tree. Trees that likely won’t survive, but are not yet hazards, will have signs posted to indicate removal at a later date.

More information can be found on Calgary.ca.

Infographic: 2014 September Snow Storm & Tree Debris Clean Up

High-resolution version here.

For more information visit calgary.ca