20-Year Anniversary of Hudson's Pesticide Bylaw Drawing Contest for Kids!

In 1991 the Town of Hudson passed a bylaw banning the use of pesticides. Hudson was the first community in all of North America to do so, and it was thanks to the work of Dr. June Irwin.

Dr. Irwin noticed a connection between some of her patients’ skin problems and pesticides, and she convinced Hudson’s town councillors that pesticides should be banned.

Pesticides are chemicals that kill insects, fungi, or weeds on lawns and gardens. Pesticides seep into the soil and our waterways, and are harmful to butterflies, bees, animals, birds, and humans.

Our town led the way for more than 170 Canadian towns and cities that have since outlawed the use of pesticides, making our backyards and parks safer for all the creatures that enjoy them.

Go Green Hudson is inviting all kids to make a drawing/poster to celebrate the 20-year anniversary of the pesticide bylaw.

Posters should be submitted to the Mount Pleasant or St-Thomas school secretary, or dropped off at the Hudson Gazette office (397 Main Road) by Tuesday, April 26. Children (or parents) should write their name, age, and phone number on the back of the poster to be eligible to win a prize for participation.

The poster that best celebrates Hudson being pesticide free for 20 years shall be chosen from all the entries. The winning poster will be printed in the Hudson Gazette in May.

We’ll display as many drawings as we can at the Hudson Earth Day Fair, May 1, from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Hudson Community Centre.

Our bylaw made our town a leader in protecting the environment. Let’s keep up the good work and do our best to keep Hudson green!


En 1991 la ville de Hudson passait une loi interdisant l’utilisation de pesticides. Hudson fut la première communauté de toute l’Amérique du Nord à bannir l’usage de pesticides et c’est grâce au travail remarquable de Dr. June Irwin.

Dr. Irwin remarquait un lien entre les problèmes de peau de certains de ses patients et les pesticides. Elle a convaincu les conseillers de la ville de Hudson que les pesticides devraient être interdits.

Les pesticides sont des produits chimiques qui tuent les insectes, la moisissure et les mauvaises herbes sur les pelouses et dans les jardins. Les pesticides s’infiltrent dans le sol et dans nos cours d’eau et sont nocifs aux papillons, aux abeilles, aux animaux, aux oiseaux et aux humains.

Depuis que cette loi a été approuvée dans notre ville, plus de 170 autres villes Canadiennes ont aussi banni l’utilisation de pesticides, ce qui assure la sécurité de nos parcs et de nos jardins pour toutes les créatures qui y vivent et y jouent.

Feu Vert/Go Green Hudson invite tous les enfants à faire un dessin/affiche afin de célébrer le 20ième anniversaire de cette loi anti-pesticides.

Les dessins devront être apportés à la secrétaire de l’école St-Thomas ou Mount-Pleasant ou au bureau du journal Hudson Gazette (397, rue Main) au plus tard le mardi 26 avril. Les enfants (ou parents) devront écrire le nom, l’âge et le numéro de téléphone de l’enfant à l’endos du dessin afin qu’il puisse participer au tirage d’un prix de participation.

Le dessin qui représentera le mieux comment Hudson est sans pesticides depuis 20 ans sera choisi parmi les dessins reçus. Le dessin gagnant sera publié dans le journal Hudson Gazette pendant le mois de mai.

Nous afficherons autant de dessins que possible lors de la foire du Jour de la Terre qui aura lieu le 1er mai de 12h à 16h au Centre communautaire de Hudson.

Notre loi a fait de notre ville un ‘leader’ en termes de protection de l’environnement. Continuons notre bon travail et gardons Hudson ‘vert’!

Green Renovations Seminar

Saturday February 19, 2011
10am to 1pm at the Hudson Community Centre, 394 Main Road, Hudson

The Green Renovations for your Home seminar is less concerned with selling products, more concerned with public education. The speakers will discuss different building materials, propose sustainable solutions, and examine the cost of different renovation options on our environment and the pocketbook. Admission is free.

10:00 Ana Caiado from Ecobuildingstore.ca will look at American Clay and Natural Lime Plasters as an alternative to paint.

10:15 Architect Sevag Pogharian will talk about building homes that are ?net zero energy? and take advantage of solar power.

10:30 Roger Simpson will explain the installation, efficiency and economic benefits of geothermal heating.

10:45 Local green homeowner Bart Pleszewski will share the ups and downs of building green and what he would do differently if he did it all again.

11:00 Pierre Tournay will provide tips and suggestions for better lighting both inside and outside our homes.

11:15 Francois Nsenga will speak about the surprising potential of the lowly waterweed, which can be used for thatched roofs, pellet heating, wastewater filtration, paneling and fences.

11:30 Alexandra Vincent will talk about using ecological interior design to create healthy living spaces.

11:45 Paul Grizenko will discuss the sustainable, long-lasting, low maintenance benefits of a metal roof.

12:00 to 1pm Open House: Visit with the experts

* 'Les Pages Vertes' Edition 2011, the annual guide to eco-resources will be available free of charge to all who attend.

** Muffins, coffee and tea available on-site.

Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie

Feu Vert/Go Green Hudson presents Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie on Wednesday, January 12. In this recently released film, David Suzuki, the iconic Canadian scientist, educator, broadcaster and activist, delivers a 'last lecture' — what he describes as "a distillation of my life and thoughts, my legacy, what I want to say before I die". The film interweaves the lecture with scenes from the places and events in Suzuki's life.

Please join us on Wednesday, January 12, 7:30 p.m. at the Hudson Community Centre, 394 Main Rd. The film’s award-winning director Sturla Gunnarsson will join us via Skype for a chat after the film. Admission is free.

Feu Vert/Go Green Hudson présente Force of Nature: The David Suzuki Movie (v.o. anglaise) le mercredi 12 janvier. Dans ce film, récemment sorti en salle, David Suzuki, l'iconique scientiste canadien, éducateur, personnalité de la radio et de la télévision, et activiste, nous présente son "dernier discours" — qu'il décrit comme une "distillation de ma vie et de mes pensées, mon héritage, ce que je veux dire avant de mourir." Le film entremêle son discours avec des scènes des endroits et des évènements de la vie de Suzuki.

Veuillez vous joindre à nous le mercredi 12 janvier à 19h30 au Centre Communautaire de Hudson, au 394, rue Main. Le directeur reconnu Sturla Gunnarsson se joindra à nous via Skype pour une discussion suite à la présentation du film. L'entrée est gratuite.

Recycle that tree!

The town of Hudson has started a Christmas tree recycling program. Trees can be dropped off up until January 15 at the municipal snow dump at 26 Wharf Road where they will be chipped and used for landscaping or composting. For more info call 450-458-0222.

Canadian Cancer Society to sell A Chemical Reaction

If you're looking for a copy of A Chemical Reaction, the film about Hudson's fight to ban the cosmetic use of pesticides, you can now purchase one online at www.ifightcancer.ca for $15.

The Canadian Cancer Society has signed on with the film's producer to be the Canadian distributor. We're glad that more people will have the opportunity to see it.