Christmas Volunteers NEEDED

Volunteers are needed to represent Adopt-A-Block in this year’s Candle Light Parade. The society is looking for volunteers to come out and wear their yellow vests and Santa hats. Together we will walk carrying Adopt-A-Block banners to spread awareness and holiday cheer. Everyone is welcome to attend. If you are not a registered volunteer and wish to participate in the event, we will happily dress you in our fashionable yellow vest. All interested volunteers are asked to call Adopt-A-Block to RSVP and for the event details.

2011 Youth Video Contest

GRAND PRIZE $500

To create awareness about litter in the environment and to engage youth to participate in positive environmental action including litter control, Mission Adopt-A-Block is challenging youth to participate in a videowebcast contest in 2011. The contest is an opportunity for youth to reach out to their peers and to influence them in taking care of the environment by offering a message of hope and environmental stewardship.

Youth are asked to submit a video a minimum of 20 seconds to no more than three minutes, depicting a message about how we can all contribute to creating a litter free environment and why this is important. Following the contest deadline, March 15, submissions will be posted on YOUTUBE for a community judging period of a month. During this time, youth will be encouraged to market their video to gain voting support. Top scoring videos by community votes will then be judged by a judges committee who will select the winning entries based on originality, creativity, content, clarity, quality, and adherence to contest rules. The top three videos will be posted on Adopt-A-Block’s website.

The Adopt-A-Block 2011 video–webcast challenge has gained the support of several Mission businesses who have donated prizes in-kind for several great prize packages which will be awarded in April. These businesses include Fraser Valley Building Supplies, Save-On- Foods, Grabba Java, Embers, Mackie Naturals, Brighton Beach Salon, Tim Hortons, Boston Pizza, Fraser River Safari, The Great Escape, Sue’s Copy and the District of Mission Parks & Recreation.

All information about the contest including entrant forms, official contest rules and all necessary releases, can be obtained from the Adopt-A-Block website or by contacting the coordinator. Paper copies can also be picked up at Sue’s Copy in Mission by request. Adopt-A-Block looks forward to seeing the creativity and ingenuity of Mission’s youth and hopes that this competition will empower youth to be proactive in their roles as ecological citizens.

Another Successful Annual Fall Community Litter Clean-Up

Hatzic Secondary Students participate in this year's Fall Clean-Up.

Communities in Bloom collect litter in the industrial area, London Ave. and surrounding streets during this year's Fall Clean-Up.

Mission Adopt-A-Block would like to thank all the volunteers who participated in this year's succesful Fall Community Litter Clean-Up event. This year, a total of 1325 kg of litter was collected from the environment and properly disposed of. The litter consisted of 990kg garbage litter and 335 kg of scrap metal, not including recyclables collected including paper, cans, plastics and aluminum cans. Thanks to all those that joined Adopt-A-Block for this significant community event and for contributing to a cleaner, healthier, and beautiful environment for all to enjoy. See you next spring!

Mission Adopt-A-Block Takes it to the Streams

Local volunteers joined Mission Adopt-A-Block on Saturday, September 25, 2010 and helped remove garbage, including an old car seat, metal scraps, and assorted trash from D'Herbomez stream. Adopt-A-Block volunteers as well as those from S.A.I.N.T.S and Mission Rotary attended the event, greeted by the Tim Horton’s cruiser with fresh donuts and coffee to start the day.

Adopt-A-Block organized their new stream clean-up initiative to address rising concerns about the litter in the environment, in particular, sensitive aquatic habitats. All litter eventually reaches our waterways, by wind or water, and this is where litter has the most detrimental impact on our environment. Thanks to a grant from Van City, Adopt-A-Block was able to purchase the equipment needed to organize the clean-up including purchasing hip waders, garbage bags, gloves and funding the services of a truck and driver to haul the bagged litter.

Volunteer efforts in the large community stream clean-up and surrounding green space area benefit the community in numerous ways. Volunteer efforts help to raise awareness about the detriments of litter in the environment as well as show an example of stewardship in the environment that others may follow. The clean-up also helped to reduce the amount of litter to cause distress to wildlife in the area, and all litter collected was properly disposed of. As litter begets litter, this also means less litter tossed in the natural environment. Thanks to all those that joined Adopt-A-Block for this significant community event and for contributing to a cleaner, healthier, and beautiful environment for all to enjoy.

Volunteer Meet & Greet

Join us for a Volunteer & Friends, Meet & Greet on September 25th from 830am-930am in Heritage Park (under the picnic shelter). Tim Horton's cruiser will be on the scene with fresh donuts and coffee. Learn about Adopt-A-Block's new stream clean-up initiative and precautions and guidelines when undertaking a stream clean-up. SAINTS and ROTARY will be conducting a stream-clean-up from 930am-1130am. All other volunteers joining us for the event, are encourage to clean other areas of the park. For more information call 604-826-9423 or email missionadoptablock@gmail.com

Hope Spring -ing into Action!

If you see yellow on the horizon, it’s probably Adopt-A-Block’s spring litter clean-up volunteers busy at work. Eight Mission non-profit groups will be participating in large community litter clean-ups in April and May for the remuneration of $250. Benefits of participating in a spring clean-up reach far beyond the financial award. By participating in community litter clean-ups volunteers help to spread awareness, show civic pride and demonstrate environmental responsibility. Volunteer efforts in large community clean-ups help to protect our children and animals from otherwise harmful litter encounters and litter collection adds to the aesthetic appearance of the community. This spring several heavily littered areas in Mission are targeted for clean-ups including Keystone, Tyler, London, Rai Ave., Cedar St. and more. So if you spot someone wearing an Adopt-A-Block yellow vest this spring, make sure you give them a friendly wave or say thank-you to let them know their volunteer litter control effort is appreciated.

Hope from Volunteers Moving Mountains

Adopt-A-Block volunteers are moving mountains, of litter that is. Litter is an on-going environmental problem and sometimes it may seem that for every bag of litter an Adopt-A-Block volunteer collects, there are two waiting for them the next day. It can be disheartening to see litter returned to a route that was just cleaned. And sometimes volunteers may feel that they are the only ones out there cleaning the mess, while many neighbors and community members are putting it there. While it may seem that there is no end in sight to the litter problem, there is a significant amount of work being done by Adopt-A-Block volunteers to greatly reduce it. In a recently 2010 survey, Adopt-A-Block asked their volunteers, “On average how much litter do you collect each month?” 59 Adopt-A-Block volunteers [out of 183 surveyed] reported to collect approximately 57 [114 AAB blue nylon bags] garbage bags of litter each month, totaling 684 garbage bags each year.


The amount of litter and time spent on adopted routes differ from person to person; yet, pulling in the numbers all together makes for a significant amount of litter no longer an eyesore in the community and no longer degrading the environment, such as entering into our waterways and disrupting aquatic habitats.

683 garbage bags of litter, however, seems like a whole lot of trash! While on one hand, this number of bags is impressive to report having been cleaned up by a small number of volunteers — it is on the other hand, a tremendous amount of litter to enter the environment in the first place. Considering that the average household puts out only one bag of garbage on the curb each week, making for 48 bags a year– 683 bags of litter accounts for a large amount of litterbugs in our community. This reveals the need to increase awareness to the problems of litter in the environment and the need for many to practice ecological citizenship. How do we reach the unconverted? It starts with being an example—working from your corner. Adopt-A-block would like to thank all their hard working volunteers for being an example to others in the community—demonstrating that litter is everyone’s responsibility and that we can all ‘pitch-in’ and make a difference towards the health and beauty of our environment.

Typical litter collected by volunteers on their adopted routes. [Picture taken by AAB Coordinator 2008].

Taking Hope to the Streams...

Adopt-A-Block has expanded its litter control program this year to include two stream clean-ups as a part of the society’s annual Fall Litter Clean-Up. While litter is first of all unsightly and unpleasant to find in the environment, it also has negative consequences for animals and aquatic life. Most litter is carried off by wind or rain into nearby waterways, degrading sensitive aquatic habitats by; obstructing waterways, adding bacteria and other toxins into the water and by contributing to the depletion of oxygen aquatic life depend on. To address this environmental concern, two stream clean-ups will be conducted in stream areas spoiled by litter. The summer time up until the end of September is the appropriate time of year to tackle stream-side litter when stream water levels are low. Yet, due to the sensitivity of stream habitats, certain precautions and guidelines must be followed. When you undertake a large-scale cleanup of a stream area, you want to be sure you do more good than harm. For example, you can damage stream habitats by removing all large material from the stream. Only human produced materials will be removed that do not disturb natural materials, such as logs and stumps that provide cover for fish.

Applicants that apply for this year’s fall clean-up will be able to choose between a stream clean-up or a regular street-side clean-up during the event. However, volunteers participating in a stream clean-up will need to be aware of appropriate dress wear for the weather and stream conditions. If waders are available, they should bring them along. Rubber boots and other appropriate foot wear will also be mandatory. Safety is also a concern for stream areas, such as slipping hazards (on wet rocks) and water flow causing persons to lose balance. Nonetheless, Adopt-A-Block feels that by expanding the fall clean-up fundraiser to include stream areas, the society will address the larger negative consequences litter has on the environment.
Applications for the Fall Litter Clean-Up are now being accepted until June 30th and are available on the society’s website. All interested Mission non-profits are welcome to apply. Groups selected to participate in a clean-up will be rewarded $250 for their effort.

Litter in Lane Creek, in the industrial area portion of the stream. Picture taken in February 2010.

Hope for Mission's Big Backyard

The 8th Annual Stave Lake Area Clean-Up is coming up on June 05. The Four Wheel Drive Association of B.C. is looking for volunteers to help contribute to the clean-up of the Burma Rd. area in Mission. Last year, 65 individuals volunteered in the clean-up and throughout the course of the day collected 2,540 kilograms of garbage and a 30 foot bin full of metal scrap from the area. To find out more information about last year’s Stave Lake Clean-up visit: http://news.4wdabc.ca/?m=200906
Those interested in volunteering at this year’s event are asked to contact, Carolann Van de Ligt at (604) 826–5333 or email her at cvdligt@shaw.ca

Unsung Hereos Spread Hope in Litter Control

There are countless volunteers out there in the community making a difference, working their magic silently and unnoticed. From time to time, Adopt-A-Block hears wind of some of these dedicated volunteers and wants to sing a song for them.

Adopt-Block has a song to sing for Ed Hansen who joined the team in January 2010. Ed adopted the stretch on Nelson Ave. downhill from the Mission Golf and Country Club and within two weeks collected 39 bags of garbage from his adopted area. His efforts haven’t stopped there—Ed has gone on to clean several other random rural areas across town. Ed simply tells those who wonder what he is doing collecting litter in areas far from his home residence, that he just doesn’t like seeing the litter and its needs to be cleaned up.

Adopt-A-Block also has a song to sing for Heidi Smith and Howard Noa who volunteered an impromptu clean-up of the wild green space between Fruits & Greens east towards downtown. Several bags of litter were collected and properly disposed from this area. These two volunteers are some of several volunteers asking about getting together an impromptu litter hotspot clean-up team. There are several heavily litter places around town that have not been adopted—and need special attention from time to time. If there are others Adopt-A-Block volunteer willing to participate in such random clean-ups from time to time, please let Adopt-A-Block know and we will connect you to likewise dedicated volunteers.

Adopt-A-Block would also like to sing a melody or two for Cindy Kelly, Margaret Clifton, Jean Kask and Julie Hartland. These ladies will all receive an award from the District of Mission this June for their volunteer service in the community, each with special mention given to their volunteer efforts with Mission Adopt-A-Block.

Hope is in the Air

There is something about this time of year that inspires people to 'make a difference'. It's the time of year when the season changes from the dark frost of the winter to the warming light of the spring - (bulb) flowers begin to appear, trees begin to bud and 'new beginnings' and possibilities abound.

It is also the time of year when volunteers dust off their litter pickers and take to the streets- no longer needing to fend off the snow, the dark afternoons or the chill. It is also the time of year when we begin to welcome our first new volunteers (of the year) to our litter control program. In the last two weeks we have welcomed 8 new volunteers to our program! Adopt-A-Block is off to a great start this 2010!

Hope in Reversing Our Thinking and Doing

This video reads the exact opposite backwards as forwards. Not only does it read the opposite, the meaning is the exact opposite. This is only a minute and 44 seconds video and it is brilliant!

This video was submitted in a contest by a 20 year old. The contest was titled 'u @ 50' by AARP. This video won second place. Take a minute to watch it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42E2fAWM6rA


Here is my attempt at applying this brilliant idea to the problem of litter in the environment:


We will sucuumb to life on a planet devastated by waste pollution.
I do not believe that
I can do something about mismanaged waste in the environment.
This may come as a shock but
litter is a considerable problem in the enviornment
is a lie, and
litter is an acceptable and desirable behaviour.
One day community members alike will know that
waste pollution is not an important environmental issue.
No longer will the general public feel that
we have our priorities mixed up.
The pursuit of happiness
is more important than
engendering ecological stewardship.
I tell you this
in the future environmental degradation like litter pollution will be tolerated
No longer can it be said that
community members care about the state of the environment.
It will be apparent that
litter pollution in the environment will continue to multiply
It is foolish to presume that
there is hope.

This may turn out to be true, unless we reverse this thinking and doing...

There is hope.
It is foolish to presume that
litter pollution in the environment will continue to multiply.
It will be apparent that
community members care about the state of the environment.
No longer can it be said that
in the future enviornmental degradation like litter pollution will be tolerated.
I tell you this
engendering ecological stewardship
is more important than
the pursuit of happiness
We have our priorities mixed up.
No longer will the general public feel
that waste pollution is not an important environmental issue
One day community members alike will know that
littering is an acceptable and desirable behaviour
is a lie, and
litter is a considerable problem in the enviornment.
This might come as a shock but
I can do something about mismanaged waste in the environment
I do not believe that
we will succumb to a life on a planet devastated by waste pollution.

Green Pages of Hope

Happy New Year! And what better to start off the New Year, than with your home-delivered new Yellow pages - but yellow isn't the only color in these pages - for the first time ever, there is a narrow band of green pages introducing the ones to follow. Yellow pages, Ecoguide!

The Ecoguide provides an easy way to know how you can responsibly discard over 400 items in your community - hundreds of items have been classified in alphabetical order which correspond to appropriate solutions, which are either drop-off areas, munnicipal recycling programs, or businesses that take your used products. In addition to this helpful green guide, there is information on prominent certification organizations, so that we can all be more informed about what is meant by all that fancy 'green' labelling jargon. Finally, there is an easy to follow 15-step challenge that we can take to make a significant difference in reducing our impact on the environment. How many steps have you taken already? How many more are you brave enough to take?

The yellow pages reaches everyone's home, that means the information to reduce, reuse and recycle is available to all, no matter one's income, status, or access to the internet - then also, we can no longer use the excuse "I don't know how" to justify inappropriate waste management decisions. How much more of a silver plate does this information need to be served on before each one of us does our homework to do our part as ecological citizens?

Kudos to the Yellow Pages Group publication company for making 'living green' a priority to 'communicate' to the masses!

P.S. Don't forget to RECYCLE your outdated phone book :)