More Nature
In the fight against climate change, we need to reduce our emissions and build up our carbon sinks. Nature has been doing this forever. Wetlands and Rain forests are the most productive carbon sinks. As more of these get destroyed by development and agriculture, we need to protect as much as possible and add more nature to our urban settings. Did you know that planting trees in the city can reduce the ambient temperature in the summer? Trees need to be planted today as they absorb more carbon as they mature - another reason to protect our old-growth forests. Learn more
What Is One Thing You Can Do?
What are you passionate about? Where do you think change needs to happen most? Find something you are inspired by and make it a habit. Come back in a month and choose something else. You will be part of the wave of change that will make a difference. Everyone has something they can do.
-
Pollinator Gardens
Add some native plants to your garden and watch the butterflies and bees visit. Don’t have a garden? A balcony garden will work too!
As more land is taken up for housing developments, pollinators need us to offset this loss by creating urban pollinator-friendly habitats.
-
Connect With Nature
One of my favorites conservation area in London is Springwater Conservation.
Take some time to connect with nature - it helps our mental health and helps nature as it deepens our desire to protect it.
-
Protect Local Forests
Did you know that there is an organization in London that is protecting Carolinian forests in and around London? You can volunteer with them to help steward one of the 20 properties under their protection, or donate to help protect more.
-
Plant a (Native) Tree
ReForest London hosts tree depots in the Spring/Fall, providing free trees for Londoners. You can also join them for community tree planting events in the Spring/Fall. London Hydro sponsors low-cost native trees through UTRCA. Watch your hydro bill for details each Spring.
-
Make Your Soil Richer
from CBC - What on Earth July 8, 2021
“Insect poop — also known as "frass" — contains all the regular nutrients you’d expect from a good manure, including nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and just a tiny bit of it goes a long way when compared to conventional fertilizers.”
Buy local: Worm casings are sold at the Western Fair Farmers Market (office) for $10/bag
-
Less Asphalt
Hard surfaces like asphalt both absorb heat and restrict groundwater absorption. Join the movement to “de-pave” paradise.
Volunteer in London to rip out unneeded asphalt and replace it with native, storm water retentive plants and pollinator gardens.
-
99 Climate Actions
See our full list of climate actions here:
or visit the Dave Suzuki Foundation Top 10 Actions:
or the United Nations ACT NOW Top 10 Actions:
London has highest quality “Environment” in Canada.
London was ranked the #1 city for the Quality of its Environment in a report published in Environment International Journal in Dec 2022.
See how your neighbourhood compares. Notice which neighbourhoods score the poorest. This is what environmental justice is about. How can we improve the scores in London's less wealthy neighbourhoods?
Abundance of tree cover and distance from pollutants such as high traffic volume and industry were key indicators as well as access to nature (land and water).
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412022005608?via%3Dihub#s0155
Need a Little More Inspiration?
What difference can one person make? Have you heard the starfish story? Every action makes an impact. Tell us what you are doing and share your story. We can all use a little inspiration.
-
Catherine McKenna former Minister of the Environment
Excerpt from exit interview with The Narwhal https://thenarwhal.ca/catherine-mckenna-climate-change
“I had become the face [of the climate portfolio] in a negative way, in a way that just focused on the politics with premiers. It became distracting. But I also saw an opportunity in infrastructure because we have to build the future we want. Every single dollar we spend on infrastructure has to be through a climate lens. I’ve totally transformed, I think, the thinking on infrastructure including the Canada Infrastructure Bank being really focused on getting private sector support for clean infrastructure. I’ve also tried to build this idea that you either increase emissions or reduce emissions when you build things. We brought in natural infrastructure; no one really thought about nature as infrastructure. “
-
Redbud Trees
I have a redbud tree in my garden that every year results in lots of seedlings. Letting them grow in size and potting them, I donate them to ReForest London’s TreeCycle event where they are used in their tree planting events.
This year I was excited to see a hummingbird moth in my native plant garden. I never knew such an insect existed! It is exciting to see so many birds and butterflies enjoy the food and habitat my native garden provides.
I am particularly motivated by the work of Douglas Tallamy:
http://www.ecosystemgardening.com/doug-tallamy-native-plants-support-local-food-webs.html
Mary Ann H.
Contribute To Systems Change
Individual action can only get us so far. Systems change is needed if we are to meet our climate targets.
-
Limit Urban Sprawl
Listen to this webinar about urban development in London and consider writing your local City of London councillor to urge them to more aggressively adopt the London Plan and stop urban sprawl in London.
See what they are doing in the GTA and send a letter through Toronto Environmental Alliance to protect farms and forests in the Greenbelt.
-
Supporting London ESAs
London’s ESAs (Environmentally Significant Areas) are protected by legislation. The proposed development near the Meadowlily ESA in 2020 has brought up discussion about the buffers between development and ESAs.
We need to see these as city-wide issues, not neighborhood fights. Keep informed. Write to your politician and tell them you support ESAs.
-
Support Conservation Authorities
The Provincial Government removed the authority of the Conservation Authority to limit development on sensitive lands. In 2020, this was reflected in the Duffin’s Creek potential development by Amazon, which was stopped by public outcry, not regulation.
Advocate to the Provincial government to restore authority to the Conservation Authority.