Every time the seasons change, I say it’s my favourite time of year. I love transitions, I suppose, but the shift from winter to spring is so appealing that it is, therefore, 'my favourite'. Some people don’t like the wet streets, the muddy snow and the end of powder days; I like seeing snow pits with lawn chairs, smelling resurrected barbeque’s and feeling the warmth along the side of a building in direct sunlight.
I also like spring cleaning and expect this will be a time I’ll organize something major, for example, my office. Once a place for well thought out chaos, it’s now a place where I open the door, throw something in and then close the door. This is how I clean my house when people come over. Literally, I throw things in there. Sometimes I hear something break, which I haven't discovered to be a problem yet. A lot goes into that room, but not much comes out. It’s very satisfying to have a room like this – everyone should have one. My friend Debbie came over once and asked me if I knew my office had been broken into.
I’m also particularly ecstatic about spring this year because for most of the winter, I lay wide-eyed awake at night worrying about another cold spell that would put me again into a most disturbing place in my home: The Crawl Space. This is a place I said I’d never go. A place for which there should be numbers invented like 1-800-RENT-A-MAN. A place in which claustrophobics like me could totally lose it, die, and not be found for several days.
I had to go under there after the first cold spell froze my sewage pipes and I had no toilet or shower facilities for over two weeks. The Crawl Space is a two-foot high cavern I became intimate with over many days while attempting to thaw ‘stuff’ out. I had special clothes for The Crawl Space and would emerge from under my house looking like a miner caught in an explosion. It’s tight under there. I built a tarp-tent to trap in heat that would triumphantly thaw things out enough to flow again. I thought this was ingenious and started saying clever things like, “I don’t need a plumber”, until I needed a plumber and paid him $85 to tell me I had a leaky toilet flapper. Such a simple repair after all my under-dwelling mining irritated me enough to start a blog called How To Be a Man When You’re a Woman where there are tips like how to fix your own damn toilet flapper.
In the last issue, we asked readers to send in words they wanted to see used in this issue’s front page editorial. I've used six of those words on this page so if you’re feeling sporty, go ahead and guess which ones. Answers are posted at the bottom of the page. This was so much fun, we're doing it again, so send us a word: editor@reved.net.
I’ll give you a freebie to start: one of the words sent in was chivalry; a word that sparked assorted conversations ranging from how chivalry is alive and well to how chivalry is lacking in appearances. One friend told me a story about getting her vehicle stuck in the snow in the middle of the road. She was pushing her own car when a guy drove up and over a snowbank to avoid helping her and kept going. A fine example of Lack of Chivalry.
Another story started with a woman whose husband immediately jumped in and said, “But we’re scared! With all this woman’s lib stuff, we’re scared to be chivalrous!” A justified statement when there are women out there fixing their own damn toilet flappers. But I have to say, once I started watching people, I saw chivalry happening all over the place.
On any given day, men of any given age will take their lives into their hands and open a door for a woman. Maybe there should have been a disclaimer in the women’s lib declaration, like: “From this day forth, every woman shall be considered as strong and as smart as every man and shall be able to work while breastfeeding in any and all forms of occupations. Disclaimer: However, if men still want to be chivalrous, we’re cool with that.” Otherwise, what‘s to become of the post-modern Cinderella?
Of course, I wouldn’t be doing chivalry justice if I didn’t mention my neighbours. I am nestled
between four of the most accommodating surrogate grandparents who always, always help me when I’m in distress. Which is often (refer to plumbing story). I hope my neighbours never change. They are old-school Revelstokian's and part of an invaluable synergy to our town.
Now there’s a good segue into the next topic: what you hope never changes in Revelstoke. The results of our online Reader’s Questionnaire are below.
Reader's Questionnaire Results:
"Things I Hope Never Change in Revelstoke."
You said:
That there will always be snow on Mount Begbie/that people always remain courteous and nice/the size of the town stays below 10,000 people/that the downtown heritage feeling is never compromised/that we keep our green spaces green and keep Revelstoke walkable and bike friendly/that bank tellers and grocery store clerks always know my name/that we keep the farmer's market and the plans to enlarge Grizzly Plaza/that we always have a snowy winter/that we continue to value our large hardwood trees in the downtown area and that cut trees are replaced/that we are able to easily find places to hike/that we are not overrun by tourists/ that we have no lack of personal, friendly people in businesses and around the town in general/that our town is not run by a bunch of strangers/ that we keep the small town atmosphere/I always want coffee at the Modern, the Farmer's Market and the Wetlands/Joe's happy smile of greeting at the Video Store/The Nomad's awesome burgers/the ability to feel like a local, even if you have just recently moved here.......
Kids said:
I always want the roads to be plowed in winter
I don't want the Columbia River to ever stop flowing
I never want the skateboard park to be removed
I never want Holly to move away
I don't want to ever move away
I don't want the swimming pool to ever change
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The Accidental Mummies
LOCAL PHOTOGRAPHER HANDS OVER A CHEQUE TO THE FOOD BANK
EVENTS
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2009-03-01
A REVED TECH TIP!
A Reved Tech-Tip!
by John Simms
Where did my pictures go?
So you're travelling and you've just fired off a whole bunch of highly bloggable and flickr-friendly photos. Later, you sit down, coffee in hand to create your next online masterpiece and voila! A hard digital reality slaps you in the face. They're gone. This can happen any time to a memory card full of photos: on the way back to base camp or at the top of a kazbah during prayer call.
Without going into any techy reasons why this happens, I'll just give the first rule of "losing photos", and that is "Don't Panic". Cursing in the Sistine Chapel or ranting to a tribe of Amazon head hunters will NOT get your pictures back. Next, remove the card, slip the tiny write-protect tab to the 'lock' position and stash the card somewhere safe (if you re-use the card you run the risk of losing your pics). When you're back at home, slip the card into a card reader and install the free version of Easus Deleted File Recovery found at http://www.easeus-deletedrecovery.com/.
When the program runs, you're presented with a list of drives. Click the drive that is associated with your memory card and press 'next'. You can then browse and select the deleted files (you can check all at the same time) and press 'next' again. Then specify where to save them, click 'next', and Bob's your uncle.
If using the software seems confusing, resort again to rules 1 and 2...don't panic and stash the card. Then enlist the services of a geek upon your return.
by John Simms
Where did my pictures go?
So you're travelling and you've just fired off a whole bunch of highly bloggable and flickr-friendly photos. Later, you sit down, coffee in hand to create your next online masterpiece and voila! A hard digital reality slaps you in the face. They're gone. This can happen any time to a memory card full of photos: on the way back to base camp or at the top of a kazbah during prayer call.
Without going into any techy reasons why this happens, I'll just give the first rule of "losing photos", and that is "Don't Panic". Cursing in the Sistine Chapel or ranting to a tribe of Amazon head hunters will NOT get your pictures back. Next, remove the card, slip the tiny write-protect tab to the 'lock' position and stash the card somewhere safe (if you re-use the card you run the risk of losing your pics). When you're back at home, slip the card into a card reader and install the free version of Easus Deleted File Recovery found at http://www.easeus-deletedrecovery.com/.
When the program runs, you're presented with a list of drives. Click the drive that is associated with your memory card and press 'next'. You can then browse and select the deleted files (you can check all at the same time) and press 'next' again. Then specify where to save them, click 'next', and Bob's your uncle.
If using the software seems confusing, resort again to rules 1 and 2...don't panic and stash the card. Then enlist the services of a geek upon your return.
ARTIST IN PROFILE
Tom Scott Makes the Cut
by Heather Lea
A visit to Tom Scott’s home at the base of Mount Mackenzie and it’s clear - this man loves wood. A large covered driveway shelters timber of all shapes and species while the inside of his home is beautifully finished in post and beam.
But the most convincing piece of
Tom’s passion is the chainsaw mill he has built in his backyard. Mounted onto a steel highbeam frame is a seven foot chainsaw blade, which Tom manually pushes through trees wide enough to hide a grizzly bear.A resourceful man and former logger, Tom uses his contacts in forestry to ensure he gets the right cuts at the right time. Boom trucks regularly deliver trees onto Tom’s property, which he then mills and supplies to local woodworkers, carpenters, and homeowners. The wood is purchased from forestry operations in the area and can include all varieties of trees from spruce, fir and hemlock to cedar and white pine.
“My father started his livelihood milling," says Tom. "I learned everything I needed to know from him.”
A resident of 36 years, Tom has captured a niche in Revelstoke. “I don’t think anyone else is milling cuts like this in town.”
One particular type of cut that Tom is branching into is called “bookmatching” or “the butterfly technique”. Bookmatching shows off an interesting design after the tree has been cut into two slabs and matched together like an open book. Any knots and other ‘features’ in the tree will show up as a sort of mirror image. This also allows a cut slab to become twice as wide.
Tom’s mill can cut slabs as wide as 44 inches and as long as 28 feet. Each slab that Tom has to lift and maneuver around can weigh over 300 pounds. How does he move it off the mill? “A lot of grunt work. I guess I just learned how to sling these things around with my father. I was about 12 when I started moving wood slabs that weighed more than I did.”
After a slab is cut, T
om pulls his truck up alongside the mill and slides them onto the flatbed, then he’ll walk the ends in. “I do love the milling aspect of it. Every time I cut, there is something different to see in the wood.”Tom’s appreciation of wood doesn’t stop at cutting. Along with what is stored in his garage, Tom also keeps a collection of wood in a large shed beside the mill; all the makings for custom door stock, bookmatch sets, end tables, shelving stock, mantels and countertops.
“Spruce beetle damage has actually become sort of trendy in countertops; it is, after all, part of the natural process.”
It seems word of mouth is keeping Tom and his self-described “grass-roots milling” going strong. Though he’s not interested in “running the mill twenty four hours a day”, Tom is definitely looking to develop a keen clientele of local craftsmen and homeowners in the market for indigenous and low-impact milled wood.
“I use bio-degradable oil for the mill. On a big cutting day, I could use up to 4 litres, but that’s unlikely; more average would be 2 litres.”
Most of his scrap wood, shavings and sawdust will be used for the future addition of a steam room which will be used to heat and bend wood for landscaping accessories.
Tom’s wood work is seen in such locations as The Nomad, The Cabin and coming soon, The Village Idiot. Tom and
John Townley worked together on a striking cedar top harvest-style table, which now sits prominently inside The Regent’s 112 Lounge. He has also done many pieces in local homes.Tom Scott can be reached at 837-2472.
GET OUTTA HERE
The Kettle Valley Railway
by Alison Lapshinoff
As winter loosens its icy grip and the long, dark nights mellow into refreshingly cool and sunny evenings, many will mourn the imminent passing of yet another ski season. There are those, however, who await the spring thaw with eager anticipation of other pursuits. Many are dusting off their mountain bikes and pulling out their hiking boots, looking for their tent and that big, old backpack, perfect for long excursions into the mountains.
Revelstoke has notoriously short summers and avid bikers and hikers must exercise extreme patience while awaiting the spring thaw in the mountains. However, for those looking for summer sooner, the Okanagan beckons. When Revelstoke is wet with spring rain, the Okanagan offers plenty of sunny destinations. One such adventure might include grabbing your bike and heading for a ride along the Okanagan's Kettle Valley Railway.
In the year 1887, silver ore was discovered in the Kootenays, instigating a flurry of mining in the area. This remote, southern pocket of BC was not easily accessible and Canadians watched in despair as much of their wealth was shipped south on America’s Great Northern Railway.
Recognizing the need for access to the mines, as well as a burgeoning fruit growing industry in the Okanagan, the West Coast to Kootenay line of the Canadian Pacific Railway was born; otherwise known as the Kettle Valley Railway.
The railway ran from Hope through the Coquihalla River Gorge, to Princeton, Summerland and Penticton, along the south side of Okanagan Lake to Kelowna and continuing to Midway. Traversing over three mountain ranges was 525km of steel ribbon, alternately entering the mountains via long winding tunnels and soaring above them on lofty wood frame trestles. From 1916 to 1964, the Kettle Valley Railway provided passenger service from this once remote area of BC to the West Coast. Freight service continued until 1989 when trucking companies, vehicles and the construction of highways made rail travel less popular. The Kettle Valley Railway was abandoned and the track was torn up.
What remains is a scenic recreational trail through the mountains of southern BC. Head to Kelowna and Myra Canyon for one of the most dramatic sections of the route. Although hardcore mountain bikers may scoff at the gentle grades, there is no denying the thrill of riding across the valley’s deep gorges on narrow wooden trestles. Descents into cool, dark tunnels, lush orchard greens and the valley vineyards contrast nicely against the sparkling backdrop of Okanagan Lake.
From here you can pedal south to Penticton where wineries abound and the lake beckons for a refreshing swim. Then on to the small town of Summerland where the only preserved section of track still exists, complete with 90 minute rides on a historic 1912 steam locomotive crossing the 238 foot high Trout Creek Trestle Bridge.
Now, if you will excuse me, I think I have talked myself into a short holiday. After all, this sounds infinitely better than sitting around and waiting for the snow to melt! If only I could find that old backpack….
THE SCENE
RMR's Got Plans for the Spring
by Karilyn Kempton
Revelstoke Mountain Resort's 'Spring Meltdown' has given two Ski Resort Operations and Management co-op students an opportunity for first-hand experience in developing events. Katie Naylor, 20, and Eric Zimmer, 23, are both at Revelstoke Mountain Resort (RMR) for the 2008/2009 winter season on a work co-op from Selkirk College in Nelson. Spring Meltdown includes St. Patrick's Day celebrations on March 17, the Slush Cup on April 4, a Dummy Downhill on April 11 and an Easter Egg hunt on April 12. The Stoke to Spoke ski/bike race will be on April 13, the last day of the ski season. The scope of responsibility was a welcome surprise to Naylor and Zimmer: "Helping out with spring events turned into taking charge of spring events," he laughs.
Zimmer and Naylor entered the first Spring Meltdown planning meeting with a "Let's do it all!" attitude, but quickly learned to narrow their focus. Naylor acknowledges they're trying to “decide what's a good idea and what you can actually do.” Zimmer says one of the most challenging aspects of organizing Spring Meltdown is "probably trying to figure out the logistics for the event as a whole, and for each one individually." A big part of the logistics remains up in the air until right before the events take place. "The biggest thing will come down to weather," says Steve Bailey, Director of Skier Services and Base Area Operations. "It's not until the week before that you'll have an idea what the weather's going to do, and you can actually, at that point in the week, put all the logistics in."
Riders skied or snowboarded right until April 27 last season, and while the snowfall has been significantly lower than the 2007/2008 season, Bailey is confident that the snow will last until the end of Spring Meltdown.
Last year's Dummy Downhill was RMR's first major event, followed by the always-popular Slush Cup. "We didn't' have much of a spring last year," says Bailey, but the weather cooperated and the Slush Cup was held on a warm, sunny afternoon. "I think the Slush Cup is just going to keep growing," Bailey adds, and hopes to reach the 50 participant mark this year. The entry fee for the Slush
Cup on Saturday, April 4 is a donation to the Revelstoke Food Bank: "We want to do something to help out the community as well," Bailey acknowledges. He also confirms that on top of donations garnered by the Slush Cup entrants, RMR will offer all those who drop off food for the food bank a coupon for 50% off lift tickets for that day. "We're hoping to give the food bank a boost for the Easter Weekend. The Stoke to Spoke kicked off last year with just under sixty riders competing. Sixty people all at once was “almost like a Chinese downhill,” says Bailey, so riders had to search for their skis in a big pile in order to space competitors out a little bit. "Ideally it's the Stoke to Spoke," Bailey says, "so we'd love to run it from the top of the Stoke to the bottom," and then set the bike course "wherever we've got dirt exposed. Last year we spent a couple hours pushing snow just to find dirt," he laughs, which led to a slippery bike race. “Guys were going around the corners using their feet as wings to keep upright."
Prizes for the events include ski & stay packages with partner hotels, logo wear, and ski gear. Coca Cola is a key sponsor of the Spring Meltdown, and Bailey acknowledges that corporate sponsorship is key to letting these events happen. During the Spring Meltdown promotion, visitors to Revelstoke can also take advantage of two other deals: a '3 for 2' stay and ski deal running from Sunday night to Thursday night through RMR's partner hotels in town, and a '4 for 3' stay and ski deal running seven days per week. The hotels are running the ski & stay packages on their own, so tickets must be purchased from the hotels.
Registration happens in the week leading up to the event at Guest Services in the Day Lodge, and some of the events will have limited registration. "Every event last year was bigger than the event previous, and I think we're going to keep that trend continuing on," says Bailey.
For inquiries on where to sign up, or logistical concerns, email Katie at knaylor@revelstokemountainresort.com or Eric at ezimmer@revelstokemountainresort.
by Karilyn Kempton
Revelstoke Mountain Resort's 'Spring Meltdown' has given two Ski Resort Operations and Management co-op students an opportunity for first-hand experience in developing events. Katie Naylor, 20, and Eric Zimmer, 23, are both at Revelstoke Mountain Resort (RMR) for the 2008/2009 winter season on a work co-op from Selkirk College in Nelson. Spring Meltdown includes St. Patrick's Day celebrations on March 17, the Slush Cup on April 4, a Dummy Downhill on April 11 and an Easter Egg hunt on April 12. The Stoke to Spoke ski/bike race will be on April 13, the last day of the ski season. The scope of responsibility was a welcome surprise to Naylor and Zimmer: "Helping out with spring events turned into taking charge of spring events," he laughs.
Zimmer and Naylor entered the first Spring Meltdown planning meeting with a "Let's do it all!" attitude, but quickly learned to narrow their focus. Naylor acknowledges they're trying to “decide what's a good idea and what you can actually do.” Zimmer says one of the most challenging aspects of organizing Spring Meltdown is "probably trying to figure out the logistics for the event as a whole, and for each one individually." A big part of the logistics remains up in the air until right before the events take place. "The biggest thing will come down to weather," says Steve Bailey, Director of Skier Services and Base Area Operations. "It's not until the week before that you'll have an idea what the weather's going to do, and you can actually, at that point in the week, put all the logistics in."
Riders skied or snowboarded right until April 27 last season, and while the snowfall has been significantly lower than the 2007/2008 season, Bailey is confident that the snow will last until the end of Spring Meltdown.
Last year's Dummy Downhill was RMR's first major event, followed by the always-popular Slush Cup. "We didn't' have much of a spring last year," says Bailey, but the weather cooperated and the Slush Cup was held on a warm, sunny afternoon. "I think the Slush Cup is just going to keep growing," Bailey adds, and hopes to reach the 50 participant mark this year. The entry fee for the Slush
Cup on Saturday, April 4 is a donation to the Revelstoke Food Bank: "We want to do something to help out the community as well," Bailey acknowledges. He also confirms that on top of donations garnered by the Slush Cup entrants, RMR will offer all those who drop off food for the food bank a coupon for 50% off lift tickets for that day. "We're hoping to give the food bank a boost for the Easter Weekend. The Stoke to Spoke kicked off last year with just under sixty riders competing. Sixty people all at once was “almost like a Chinese downhill,” says Bailey, so riders had to search for their skis in a big pile in order to space competitors out a little bit. "Ideally it's the Stoke to Spoke," Bailey says, "so we'd love to run it from the top of the Stoke to the bottom," and then set the bike course "wherever we've got dirt exposed. Last year we spent a couple hours pushing snow just to find dirt," he laughs, which led to a slippery bike race. “Guys were going around the corners using their feet as wings to keep upright."
Prizes for the events include ski & stay packages with partner hotels, logo wear, and ski gear. Coca Cola is a key sponsor of the Spring Meltdown, and Bailey acknowledges that corporate sponsorship is key to letting these events happen. During the Spring Meltdown promotion, visitors to Revelstoke can also take advantage of two other deals: a '3 for 2' stay and ski deal running from Sunday night to Thursday night through RMR's partner hotels in town, and a '4 for 3' stay and ski deal running seven days per week. The hotels are running the ski & stay packages on their own, so tickets must be purchased from the hotels.
Registration happens in the week leading up to the event at Guest Services in the Day Lodge, and some of the events will have limited registration. "Every event last year was bigger than the event previous, and I think we're going to keep that trend continuing on," says Bailey.
For inquiries on where to sign up, or logistical concerns, email Katie at knaylor@revelstokemountainresort.com or Eric at ezimmer@revelstokemountainresort.
WHAT MATTERS
A Smelly Compost will Attract Bears
by Penny Page-Brittin
Revelstoke Bear Aware Coordinator
Spring is here! Tulips are blooming and it’s time to put the snow blowers away and bring the lawn mower out of hibernation.
At this time of the year I am often asked whether it is possible to compost in Revelstoke without attracting bears. Yes, you can compost in bear country, but there are a number of precautions that must be taken. Compost that smells will attract bears, but a properly maintained compost will not smell.
Firstly, what is compost? Understanding what compost is and how it works, helps us to understand how to make changes to our compost to ensure it is working properly.
Composting is a natural process through which organic material is converted into a soil-like product called compost or humus. The process works with the help of mico-organisms such as bacteria and fungi, combined with air and moisture.
When getting started, place your compost in a well drained area where it is convenient to use. It is not wise to place a composter near your door or in a hidden place in your garden. If a bear does come to visit, you do not want to walk out a door or around a corner and surprise
a feeding bear. It is also important to not place a compost at a forest edge or along a wildlife travel way.
Never add meat, fish, dairy products, oil or cooked food to your composter. If you want to add egg shells, ensure you have rinsed them first. It is also important not to add large amounts of fruit. These items will attract bears and other animals long before the fruit can decompose.
Always layer the waste you are adding. It is best to layer kitchen scraps between a dry layer of leaves or grass clippings. I find if I allow grass clippings to dry in the sun for a few days, I can use them as a dry layer and they prevent the compost from smelling. The compost mixture should be moist, like a wrung-out sponge. If the contents are too dry, it will take overly long to decompose and if too wet, the contents may begin to smell. Ash or lime can be used if a compost does start to smell.
Composting is aerobic - the micro organisms and fungi at work require oxygen to break down the organic material. To ensure the mixture is well aerated, mix or turn your compost every couple of weeks or each time you add new material.
Compost with extra care during the fall months, when bears are most actively searching for food. Avoid adding a large amount of kitchen scraps at this time.
If a bear has visited in the past and been rewarded with easy food, they will likely revisit. There have been cases where bears have learned to identify the black dome composters as a food source and have even gone after new empty composters. If this is the case, even a properly maintained, odour free compost will not keep the bear out.
Composting is a very important way to recycle and can reduce the amount of household garbage by about a third. So when composting correctly, not only are you preventing garbage from going to the landfill, you are creating a rich humus like product to put on your flower beds and garden.
Along with gardening and yard care there are other home maintenance items that need to be taken into consideration at this time when the bears are awake. It’s time to survey our yards for potential bear attractants. Garbage should be stored in a secure place until garbage day, and pet food needs to be stored inside. With warm evenings, many are enjoying dinner on the barbeque, but please ensure you take the time to burn of any excess food that remains when finished. Lastly, please bring in your bird feeders. There is plenty of natural food for birds at this time.
If you have any further questions regarding composting or would like more information on how to manage bear attractants, please call Revelstoke Bear Aware at 837-8624 or visit our website at revelstokebearaware.org.
by Penny Page-Brittin
Revelstoke Bear Aware Coordinator
Spring is here! Tulips are blooming and it’s time to put the snow blowers away and bring the lawn mower out of hibernation.
At this time of the year I am often asked whether it is possible to compost in Revelstoke without attracting bears. Yes, you can compost in bear country, but there are a number of precautions that must be taken. Compost that smells will attract bears, but a properly maintained compost will not smell.
Firstly, what is compost? Understanding what compost is and how it works, helps us to understand how to make changes to our compost to ensure it is working properly.
Composting is a natural process through which organic material is converted into a soil-like product called compost or humus. The process works with the help of mico-organisms such as bacteria and fungi, combined with air and moisture.
When getting started, place your compost in a well drained area where it is convenient to use. It is not wise to place a composter near your door or in a hidden place in your garden. If a bear does come to visit, you do not want to walk out a door or around a corner and surprise
a feeding bear. It is also important to not place a compost at a forest edge or along a wildlife travel way.
Never add meat, fish, dairy products, oil or cooked food to your composter. If you want to add egg shells, ensure you have rinsed them first. It is also important not to add large amounts of fruit. These items will attract bears and other animals long before the fruit can decompose.
Always layer the waste you are adding. It is best to layer kitchen scraps between a dry layer of leaves or grass clippings. I find if I allow grass clippings to dry in the sun for a few days, I can use them as a dry layer and they prevent the compost from smelling. The compost mixture should be moist, like a wrung-out sponge. If the contents are too dry, it will take overly long to decompose and if too wet, the contents may begin to smell. Ash or lime can be used if a compost does start to smell.
Composting is aerobic - the micro organisms and fungi at work require oxygen to break down the organic material. To ensure the mixture is well aerated, mix or turn your compost every couple of weeks or each time you add new material.
Compost with extra care during the fall months, when bears are most actively searching for food. Avoid adding a large amount of kitchen scraps at this time.
If a bear has visited in the past and been rewarded with easy food, they will likely revisit. There have been cases where bears have learned to identify the black dome composters as a food source and have even gone after new empty composters. If this is the case, even a properly maintained, odour free compost will not keep the bear out.
Composting is a very important way to recycle and can reduce the amount of household garbage by about a third. So when composting correctly, not only are you preventing garbage from going to the landfill, you are creating a rich humus like product to put on your flower beds and garden.
Along with gardening and yard care there are other home maintenance items that need to be taken into consideration at this time when the bears are awake. It’s time to survey our yards for potential bear attractants. Garbage should be stored in a secure place until garbage day, and pet food needs to be stored inside. With warm evenings, many are enjoying dinner on the barbeque, but please ensure you take the time to burn of any excess food that remains when finished. Lastly, please bring in your bird feeders. There is plenty of natural food for birds at this time.
If you have any further questions regarding composting or would like more information on how to manage bear attractants, please call Revelstoke Bear Aware at 837-8624 or visit our website at revelstokebearaware.org.
Beyond the Dumpster
Trash Doesn’t Disappear When It Leaves Your Hands
by Butch Kibosh
The roar of the garbage truck’s diesel engine was deafening as it pulled up to the Revelstoke dumpster. With a motion that had been rehearsed countless times, the driver gently eased the hydraulic forks into the dumpster and effortlessly lifted the giant steel box above the truck. For a moment, I expected to see a body come rolling out of the dumpster and cascade into the guts of the truck. But this was no mob movie and the only carcasses that fell into the belly of the beast were those of aluminum cans and household waste concealed in the black veil of a trash bag.
Modern conveniences such as garbage trucks smooth out the jagged edge of trash, but the sword’s blade is still a rusty one. Humanity is faced with the omnipresent question of what to do with our trash. Here in North America, we feel as though our trash removal system is far superior to that of poorer countries; however we have not gone beyond digging holes in the ground and burying our trash. Have a look for yourself and check out Revelstoke’s landfill on the western shore of the Columbia River.
While the Flux Capacitor and other trash-powered machines still loom far beyond the horizon, we can embrace simple measures to reduce the amount of trash produced by daily life here in Revelstoke.
Recycle
Establish a simple system that separates your trash into several bins, such as Paper, Plastics, Glass, Metals and non-recyclables. By organizing your waste, you can significantly reduce the amount of trash you send to the other side of the river.
Get a Bag
And reuse it. Plastic bags are the bane of the planet’s existence; they wind up everywhere, stuck in trees, at the bottom of lakes and rivers and never go away— at least not for thousands of years. Reusable grocery bags could be the easiest way you can green up you life.
Bring Your Own Mug
Single use cups are so passé. In fact, local businesses such as The Modern Café and Bakeshop have begun charging 25 cents for paper cups in order to encourage customers to bring their own mug. Each month the money collected for the “to go” cups is donated to an environmental cause.
Compost
Organic waste, like vegetable stalks, leftover food scraps (excluding flesh), coffee grounds, and orange peels can all be safely composted in your backyard. Composting, when coupled with effective recycling practice, will cut the fat out of your weekly trash output, and leave your garbage can smelling a lot better.
Revelstoke's next Recycling Fair is Sunday, May 3rd from 10-3pm at the Public Works Yard located at 1200 East Victoria Road.
by Butch Kibosh
The roar of the garbage truck’s diesel engine was deafening as it pulled up to the Revelstoke dumpster. With a motion that had been rehearsed countless times, the driver gently eased the hydraulic forks into the dumpster and effortlessly lifted the giant steel box above the truck. For a moment, I expected to see a body come rolling out of the dumpster and cascade into the guts of the truck. But this was no mob movie and the only carcasses that fell into the belly of the beast were those of aluminum cans and household waste concealed in the black veil of a trash bag.
Modern conveniences such as garbage trucks smooth out the jagged edge of trash, but the sword’s blade is still a rusty one. Humanity is faced with the omnipresent question of what to do with our trash. Here in North America, we feel as though our trash removal system is far superior to that of poorer countries; however we have not gone beyond digging holes in the ground and burying our trash. Have a look for yourself and check out Revelstoke’s landfill on the western shore of the Columbia River.
While the Flux Capacitor and other trash-powered machines still loom far beyond the horizon, we can embrace simple measures to reduce the amount of trash produced by daily life here in Revelstoke.
Recycle
Establish a simple system that separates your trash into several bins, such as Paper, Plastics, Glass, Metals and non-recyclables. By organizing your waste, you can significantly reduce the amount of trash you send to the other side of the river.
Get a Bag
And reuse it. Plastic bags are the bane of the planet’s existence; they wind up everywhere, stuck in trees, at the bottom of lakes and rivers and never go away— at least not for thousands of years. Reusable grocery bags could be the easiest way you can green up you life.
Bring Your Own Mug
Single use cups are so passé. In fact, local businesses such as The Modern Café and Bakeshop have begun charging 25 cents for paper cups in order to encourage customers to bring their own mug. Each month the money collected for the “to go” cups is donated to an environmental cause.
Compost
Organic waste, like vegetable stalks, leftover food scraps (excluding flesh), coffee grounds, and orange peels can all be safely composted in your backyard. Composting, when coupled with effective recycling practice, will cut the fat out of your weekly trash output, and leave your garbage can smelling a lot better.
Revelstoke's next Recycling Fair is Sunday, May 3rd from 10-3pm at the Public Works Yard located at 1200 East Victoria Road.
North Columbia Environmental Society promotes Earth Hour
NCES is taking part in Earth Hour.
posted by Reved Quarterly
For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.
This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.
Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.
In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you’re from, but instead, what planet you’re from. VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.
We all have a vote, and every single vote counts. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.
VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour.
posted by Reved Quarterly
For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, race and background have the opportunity to use their light switch as their vote – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. WWF are urging the world to VOTE EARTH and reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.
This meeting will determine official government policies to take action against global warming, which will replace the Kyoto Protocol. It is the chance for the people of the world to make their voice heard.
Earth Hour began in Sydney in 2007, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability movement, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Global landmarks such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Rome’s Colosseum, the Sydney Opera House and the Coca Cola billboard in Times Square all stood in darkness.
In 2009, Earth Hour is being taken to the next level, with the goal of 1 billion people switching off their lights as part of a global vote. Unlike any election in history, it is not about what country you’re from, but instead, what planet you’re from. VOTE EARTH is a global call to action for every individual, every business, and every community. A call to stand up and take control over the future of our planet. Over 74 countries and territories have pledged their support to VOTE EARTH during Earth Hour 2009, and this number is growing everyday.
We all have a vote, and every single vote counts. Together we can take control of the future of our planet, for future generations.
VOTE EARTH by simply switching off your lights for one hour, and join the world for Earth Hour.
HEALTH & YOU
The Pros and Cons of a Vegetarian Diet
by Sarah Newton
When looking at the pros and cons of a vegetarian diet there are four issues; environmental, health, social and ethical. One infamous report lives on with the persistence of Sasquatch legends. The report states that veganism leads to poor health because of the impossibility of getting enough essential amino acids. This well funded article has lived on despite the exposure of the sponsor, the largest pharmaceutical company in Europe. Pharmaceutical companies have a great deal to gain by supplying dairy and meat producers with chemicals for their animals.
We have evolved to eat meat, just check out your pointy incisor teeth, they weren’t created to tear at corn husks! Sadly today’s meat comes with all kinds of environmental, health, and ethical strings attached. Perhaps the most common reason that people adopt a vegetarian diet relates to concerns over animal cruelty. Fifty-five billion farmed animals are raised each year in factory farms where they are subjected to cruelties.
On the health front a strong case can be made that an appropriately planned vegetarian diet is at least as healthy as any other diet. Vegetarian foods contain no cholesterol and tend to be lower in both total fat and saturated fat than animal products. And while animal products contain no fiber whatsoever, most whole vegetarian foods are loaded with fiber. Given that most vegetarian foods are lower in calories than their animal-derived counterparts, it’s hardly surprising that vegetarians tend to have healthier body weights than the general population. Additionally, numerous doctors have experienced great success using a vegetarian diet to reverse diabetes and heart disease.
Eating at the top of the food chain entails a huge drain on resources at the expense of the environment. Water, land, and energy consumption are astronomical in a meat diet compared to a vegetarian one. This is especially true where beef and fish are concerned, the production of which are clear-cut environmental menaces. On top of that, beef cattle spend the final months of their lives at feedlots, where they are fed a notoriously inefficient and resource-intensive corn-based diet. As well, cattle emit huge amounts of methane – one of the worst gases involved with global warming. The United Nations estimates that animal agriculture is responsible for 18 percent of the total global warming effect. The environmental case against eating fish is, if anything, even stronger than it is for beef. Worldwide, large numbers of formerly abundant fisheries are in collapse as a result of overfishing.
The reality for most of us is that a vegetarian diet takes more time, more energy, and well, we like the taste of meat. Another issue is the social context. As a vegetarian it can be a real spoiler to go to a friend’s house and as you sit down say; “Oh sorry I don’t eat meat.” It is so unbearably lame to insult the cook and sound like a pompous ninny.
Another interesting viewpoint is that a long-term sustainable agricultural paradigm depends - as it has for millennia - on mixed farming: there’s a cycle on the land that involves animals. We need to remember that so much of the world’s surface isn’t really suitable for agriculture - but it’s great pasture land. Goats and sheep can thrive on land that you wouldn’t think could support anything. Cattle can graze on land that’s suitable for grasses, but would be ruined if cultivated; animals can graze amongst trees and orchards.
This vision does not support the current models of industrial livestock raising, which has little to do with natural cycles and eco-systems. In the same way that industrial agriculture debases plant crops, so it does with livestock. Do we need to eat as much meat as we do? Certainly not. To eat meat, find sustainably raised products and then follow bestselling vegetarian author, Michael Pollan’s line: "Eat Food, not too much. Mainly plants."
by Sarah Newton
When looking at the pros and cons of a vegetarian diet there are four issues; environmental, health, social and ethical. One infamous report lives on with the persistence of Sasquatch legends. The report states that veganism leads to poor health because of the impossibility of getting enough essential amino acids. This well funded article has lived on despite the exposure of the sponsor, the largest pharmaceutical company in Europe. Pharmaceutical companies have a great deal to gain by supplying dairy and meat producers with chemicals for their animals.
We have evolved to eat meat, just check out your pointy incisor teeth, they weren’t created to tear at corn husks! Sadly today’s meat comes with all kinds of environmental, health, and ethical strings attached. Perhaps the most common reason that people adopt a vegetarian diet relates to concerns over animal cruelty. Fifty-five billion farmed animals are raised each year in factory farms where they are subjected to cruelties.
On the health front a strong case can be made that an appropriately planned vegetarian diet is at least as healthy as any other diet. Vegetarian foods contain no cholesterol and tend to be lower in both total fat and saturated fat than animal products. And while animal products contain no fiber whatsoever, most whole vegetarian foods are loaded with fiber. Given that most vegetarian foods are lower in calories than their animal-derived counterparts, it’s hardly surprising that vegetarians tend to have healthier body weights than the general population. Additionally, numerous doctors have experienced great success using a vegetarian diet to reverse diabetes and heart disease.
Eating at the top of the food chain entails a huge drain on resources at the expense of the environment. Water, land, and energy consumption are astronomical in a meat diet compared to a vegetarian one. This is especially true where beef and fish are concerned, the production of which are clear-cut environmental menaces. On top of that, beef cattle spend the final months of their lives at feedlots, where they are fed a notoriously inefficient and resource-intensive corn-based diet. As well, cattle emit huge amounts of methane – one of the worst gases involved with global warming. The United Nations estimates that animal agriculture is responsible for 18 percent of the total global warming effect. The environmental case against eating fish is, if anything, even stronger than it is for beef. Worldwide, large numbers of formerly abundant fisheries are in collapse as a result of overfishing.
The reality for most of us is that a vegetarian diet takes more time, more energy, and well, we like the taste of meat. Another issue is the social context. As a vegetarian it can be a real spoiler to go to a friend’s house and as you sit down say; “Oh sorry I don’t eat meat.” It is so unbearably lame to insult the cook and sound like a pompous ninny.
Another interesting viewpoint is that a long-term sustainable agricultural paradigm depends - as it has for millennia - on mixed farming: there’s a cycle on the land that involves animals. We need to remember that so much of the world’s surface isn’t really suitable for agriculture - but it’s great pasture land. Goats and sheep can thrive on land that you wouldn’t think could support anything. Cattle can graze on land that’s suitable for grasses, but would be ruined if cultivated; animals can graze amongst trees and orchards.
This vision does not support the current models of industrial livestock raising, which has little to do with natural cycles and eco-systems. In the same way that industrial agriculture debases plant crops, so it does with livestock. Do we need to eat as much meat as we do? Certainly not. To eat meat, find sustainably raised products and then follow bestselling vegetarian author, Michael Pollan’s line: "Eat Food, not too much. Mainly plants."
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