Celebrating Earthfest in New Tecumseth
Despite the stormy political times we are in, there are lots of things to celebrate–including The Town of New Tecumseth’s Earthfest event!
This year’s Earthfest kicks off on Wednesday, April 30th at 6:30 p.m. at the Circle Theatre in Alliston with a free screening of the award-winning feature documentary, Plastic People. This will be followed by a panel discussion with environmental health experts from Environmental Defence, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, and the Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health and Environment.
At the Town Hall on Saturday, May 3rd (11:00 am – 2:00 pm.), events will include a Repair Café to mend clothing, fix small household items (register through the library who are organizing the Repair Cafe), Bike Repair, EV Demo, fun activities for the kids and more. Hear from experts on a variety of topics and meet some local community groups. Greys for Green will be discussing how to ditch plastic in your life; we will be helping in the Repair Cafe, and we look forward to meeting you at our table.
Earthfest is a demonstration of the Town’s commitment to a healthy environment. The Mayor’s Forward of the Community Climate Action Plan states that “Climate change is one of the most significant issues the Town is currently facing. We have already felt the impacts firsthand here as we have experienced flooding, storms and extreme heat and cold conditions in recent years. Damage to our homes, businesses, forests, roads, and other infrastructure is costing us all a lot of money in cleanup, repairs, rising heating and cooling costs and higher insurance premiums. Climate change is also impacting the health and prosperity of our residents and businesses. New Tecumseth Council is committed to addressing and fighting to mitigate the impacts of climate change. This is the reason behind a Community Climate Action approach where everyone in the community can play their part. The Community Climate Action Plan helps to achieve our goal of a future where our communities are climate-resilient and carbon neutral; where urban areas are compact and walkable; where the natural environment is protected and preserved; where walking paths and bicycle routes are accessible in our neighbourhoods; and where health and wellbeing is improved.”
You can find the plan on the Town’s website.
We all have a role to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions, whether it’s by driving less, reducing food waste or installing heat pumps. For our part, Greys for Green’s goal is to help our neighbours understand how our everyday choices affect the environment, and to offer practical and proven solutions to inspire positive change in our lifestyles moving forward.
Louise Montague
Louise is a member of Greys for Green in New Tecumseth. She is interested in helping others learn how to make sustainable living the norm. Contact Greys for Green at contactus@greysforgreen.org or follow on social media.