Saturday April 22 is Earth Day! Check out some of the events that are happening around the City.
As a city, Ottawa is fortunate to be surrounded by 4,500 kilometres of rivers and streams that produce some of the safest and most reliable drinking water in the world. We draw our water from the Ottawa River. It is our responsibility to help to protect this natural water source.
Here are some things you can do, not only on Earth Day, but every day, to protect our water system and monitor water use:
- Keep Ottawa’s rivers clean and free of waste.
- Only flush the 3 Ps – pee, poo and paper – down your toilet.
- Reminder: cleaning wipes, hygiene products and flushable wipes belong in the garbage – not the toilet.
- Dispose of kitchen grease in your green bin and not down the drain to avoid clogged pipes that could cause a sewer backup and create disgusting fatbergs in our system.
- Properly dispose of contaminants like paint, oil, pharmaceuticals and chemicals instead of putting them down the drain, in catch basins or ditches. The materials collected in our roadside catch basins and ditches go directly to the rivers and can be harmful to people and the environment.
- Redirect your downspout to a permeable area like a lawn or garden so that water runoff from your property doesn’t lead directly to the river.
- Choose drought resistant plants for your summer garden to lower maintenance and maximize water savings.
- Use a rain barrel or soaker hoses to water thirsty flowers in your garden and increase water efficiency.
- Set alerts on your Service Ottawa water bill account that notify you of sudden changes in water use.
- Drink tap water! Did you know that you can fill your 750 ml reusable water bottle 400 times from the tap for just $1?
One of the best ways to connect with the Earth is through cleanups. You can go on a walk in your neighbourhood with a trash bag and help to clean up any plastic that you find to bring home and put in your recycling bin, or you can organize a cleanup group and sign up for Cleaning the Capital here .
The City hosts Household Hazardous Waste events where residents can dispose of certain products. For more information visit here.
The City of Ottawa does not collect electronic waste (e-waste) as part of its curbside garbage collection. Much of this waste consists of steel, glass, copper, aluminum, plastics and precious metals that can be recycled and reused. Residents can drop these items off at participating retailers. Find out where you can return your electronics, by using the Waste Explorer, or you can bring your electronic waste to Trail Road Landfill at no charge.
Wishing everyone a Happy Earth Day! Let’s take this opportunity to remind ourselves of the importance of taking care of our planet and being responsible for our own actions. After the freezing rain storm and power outage over the Easter weekend we can see that climate change is factor. I appreciate that the City of Ottawa is looking at ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
