Remember your reusable bags this week.

The Défi Survivre Sans Emballage asks you to join the challenge to live without plastic bags and other packaging. The week-long challenge organised by Les Éditions le Mémento, a non-profit organisation that promotes citizen action in Quebec, starts today and continues through October 26. The idea is to bring your own bags when you go shopping and your own coffee mug to the café, thereby reducing the amount of garbage generated by packaging.

The goal is to have 10,000 fewer packaging items used this week. Participants can register all the bags and disposable cups they did not use on the organisation's website at www.sansemballage.org.

Two important events coming up in Hudson.

Pesticide seminar:

The town of Hudson's Environment Committee is pleased to present a special seminar titled "From the Ground Up: Pesticides and the power of local communities", by Dr. Pralle, a professor of political science at Syracuse University.

Dr. Pralle studies environmental advocacy in Canada and the United States, with a particular interest in pesticides use, including Hudson's groundbreaking by-law. The seminar will take place on Sunday 28 September at 7:30 PM, at the Stephen F. Shaar Community Centre 394 Main Rd, Hudson. Admission is free. Contact Chris Buddle for more information at 514-449-7559.

Hazardous waste drop-off:

The Vaudreuil-Soulanges MRC has set up several locations in Saint-Lazare and Hudson where you can drop off old paint cans, oils, paint thinners, insecticides, pesticides, batteries, tires, computers, printers and microwave ovens. These things should never be put out with the regular trash as they can harm sanitation workers and leach toxic chemicals into the groundwater.

The MRC says that more than 90% of collected items will be reused and recycled. Please bring ID that proves you are a Vaudreuil-Soulanges resident. Only hazardous waste from domestic use will be accepted.

September 27, 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.:

Hudson: 525, rue Main (Municipal garage)
Saint-Lazare: 1301, rue du Bois (Community centre)

First environmental seminar a success.

Go Green Hudson invited Jack Layton and Thomas Mulcair to speak at the first of our series of environmental seminars on June 16. The event was a great success. Layton and Mulcair shared their ideas on sustainability and CanadaÕs role in reducing global warming, and the enthusiastic crowd had pertinent questions for the politicians. We are encouraged by the success of this first seminar, and look forward to our next event which will focus on growing and eating local food.

Idling vehicles

Chris Ives sent us this note regarding pollution due to idling vehicles.

A lot of big diesel trucks/diggers/contractor-vehicles in Hudson these days, installing our expensive new water/sewage systems. Do these guys ever think of not idling their stinky engines when they really don't need to? Yesterday and today I myself approached two crews and asked them why not cut the engine if you are waiting. They looked at me as if (A) I came from another planet, and (B) I was nuts to dare ask them.

In Europe you get fined for non-compliance - plain and simple. The Japanese get serious too. At red traffic lights people turn their engines off - until the lights go from red to amber (before green). At stop signs and intersections there are sometimes signs with a pictures of a cyclist or pedestrians enveloped in a cloud of exhaust. There are good scientific, economic, and commonsense reasons - never mind plain old caring for our fellow-citizens and creatures.

Plant/Tree sale at the Morgan Arboretum.

Planting a native tree or plant is a great gesture for the environment and for the beauty of your property. Native varieties do well in our growing conditions without the need for constant watering and fertilising.

You might want to check out the sale at the Morgan Arboretum in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue this week. It's open every day from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. They've got trees, plants, and shrubs of many kinds for sale, including rare varieties, rose bushes, fruit trees, and flowering trees.

Arborist John Watson, the arboretum's Forest Operations Manager, is on site throughout the sale to answer all your tree-related questions.

The sale continues until Sunday, May 4th when everything that's left over gets sold by auction. Head there soon for the best selection, or on Sunday for the best bargains. The plant sale is located at the corner of chemin Ste-Marie and chemin des Pins, just north of the 40.

For more information, call 514-398-7811.

Ice your old fridge.

Have you been thinking about replacing your refrigerator? Well, now’s a great time to ditch it. All it takes is a phone call to Hydro-Québec, who will send a transport company to pick up your old energy-hog, and if you don’t think that’s cool, Hydro-Québec will also mail you a cheque for $60.

What about that old “beer fridge” in the garage or basement? Perhaps it contains a few bottles of pop and beer, but mostly it just guzzles energy. According to Hydro-Québec, a fridge that is over 10 years old generally consumes three times more energy than a newer model and an old freezer consumes twice as much as a newer one.

The Recyc-Frigo program aims to recover and recycle up to 230,000 fridges and freezers by 2010, generating energy savings of approximately 180 million Kwh. Recuperated appliances will be dismantled and recycled.

In order to qualify for the program, your fridge or freezer must be more than 10 years old, have a volume of 10 to 25 cubic feet, and be in working order (plugged in and producing cold.) There is a two-appliance maximum per household. If you replace your appliance with an Energy Star rated one, you can receive another cheque for $50 (for a fridge) or $25 (for a freezer.)

To have your old energy-guzzler(s) picked up call 1-877-493-7446 or go to www.recyc-frigo.com.

For more information about the Energy Star rebate program go to www.hydroquebec.com/residential/energystar/index.html.

Tips for greener living.

Wildlife biologist Kirsten Bowser compiled a list of great suggestions for going green and her dad Bryan shared them with us. We chose a few of our favourites for our first blog post.

-Compost if you can. Why let the garbage truck cart away your awesome fertilizer?
- Plant native trees and flowers to help out the local wildlife, and don't put chemicals on your lawn.
-Protect wild lands and the stuff that lives in them. If you live in a rural-ish area, remember that you moved there to be closer to nature, so don't take steps to remove it from your yard or town.
-Keep farmers in business! Buy local, and make sure the people who sell you food care as much about the environment as you do.
-Carpool.
-Drive a more fuel efficient car, or walk.
-Buy phosphate-free soap.
-Don't put all your fruit or veg in those clear plastic bags, put them in your cart, then in your cloth bags/plastic grocery bins.
-Don't buy bottled water.
-Be O.K. with not having absolutely everything.

The last one is my personal favourite. So many environmental issues could be resolved or at least ameliorated if we chose to live well with less. A couple I know who have made living sustainably their mission use an expression that I find inspiring: “Less life stuff…more life style.” We need not sacrifice our well being or comfort to make a big difference, but every time we consider making a purchase, we should ask ourselves “do I really need this?”