Messages of Hope:Towards a Litter Free Environment

Environment Saved From 1980 kg of Litter, and over 210lbs of metal.

2011-10-31T23:41:00.001-07:00

Have you noticed groups of volunteers wearing yellow vests around town, with litter pickers and garbage bags in hand, dutifully collecting the litter off Mission’s streets and green spaces this fall?

Saturday, October 22, marked the conclusion of Mission Adopt-A-Block’s Annual Fall Litter Clean-Up Event, where approximately 135 volunteers, from 8 non-profit organizations participated in a large community litter clean-up over four Saturdays, in September and October.

A total of 1980 kg of litter was collected from Mission’s green spaces, ditches, streams and roadsides, NOT including the recyclables collected, including glass, 210lbs of metal, cans, dry paper and bottles.

Everything from fast food litter items to 6 old tires was collected and properly disposed of. A many thanks to those individuals who came out this fall to improve the aesthetic beauty and environmental health of the community of Mission for us all to benefit.

A reminder to all non-profit groups that applications are now being accepted for Mission Adopt-A-Block’s Annual Spring Clean-Up that takes place in April & May. The Spring Clean-Up entails the acceptance of 8 Mission non-profit groups to participate in a large litter clean-up for the remuneration for $250. Application deadline is January 31, 2012. For more information and application forms visit www.missionadoptablock.com or contact (604) 826-9423.

Here's What's Happening this Fall 2011!

2011-09-15T17:54:00.000-07:00

If you see yellow on the horizon, it’s probably the Mission Adopt-A-Block Society’s fall litter clean-up volunteers busy at work. Adopt-A-Block is a non-profit organization that has been administering a litter control program in the community since 1998 to increase awareness of and participation in litter control.

This year Adopt-A-Block kicks off the fall events with the Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-Up in partnership with the Mission Clubhouse on September 21. This clean-up is open to the public, all interested parties can call Paul @ (604) 302-9403. Next, Adopt-A-Block is pleased to announce their Second Annual Stream Clean-up on September 24th. Two mission non-profit groups will be tending to portions of Windebank, Lane and Gaudin streams. This will be followed by another stream clean-up on World Rivers Day, September 25^th, in partnership with volunteers from Cedarbrooke Chateau. This event is also open to the public, all interested parties are invited to meet at the front of Cedarbrooke Chateau at the Adopt-A-Block tent at 9am.

The society’s Annual Fall Litter Clean-Up takes place starting October 1, and ending October 22. This clean-up will cover several areas around town including centennial park, the industrial and harbor area, London Ave., Shook Rd. and Hatzic area, and portions of 11th, 7th, 14th, 9th, Stave Lake Rd., Cedar St. and more. Each year the society welcomes eight non-profit groups to participate in the fall clean-up for the remuneration of $250 to go towards their special programs and events. Benefits of participating in a clean-up reach far beyond the financial award including: demonstrating environmental awareness and responsibility, team-building, volunteer experience, contributing to the aesthetic appearance and civic pride in the community, among other.

Those interested to know more about the fall clean-up or any of these events can contact the Adopt-A-Block coordinator at (604) 826-9423.

Finally, all Mission non-profit groups are invited to submit their application for the Spring Litter Clean-Up Fundraiser starting in November until January 30^th.

Earth Day Clean-Up

2011-04-05T22:14:00.000-07:00

Hello Adopt-A-Blockers!

In honor of Earth Day, Adopt-A-Block is hosting a community litter clean-up. This year we have decided to support the Hatzic Elementary centennial celebration and open house taking place on April 16^th. Adopt-A-Block will set up a tent in the park across from the elementary and those interested in participating are asked to meet us there.

The events of the day include:

1:00pm-2:00pm Centennial Ceremony

2:30pm Tree Planting Ceremony with Communities in Bloom

2:00pm - 4:00pm Open House (which includes all sorts of activities, special guests, and other).

We will be hosting our clean-up during this time (2-4pm). And of course, you are welcome to come out at any time and participate in the other events happening during the day, especially the tree planting ceremony. Maps will be provided of the area (identifying litter routes) and those participating in the clean-up will be asked to return to base camp no later than 4pm to identify where bagged litter should be picked up.

This event is open to the public. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Youth Video Contest Update

2011-03-23T20:38:00.000-07:00

The 2011 youth video-webcast contest is now closed.

Thanks to Jillian and Jaylene in Mission who sent in an amazing video. You can check it out at: http://www.youtube.com/user/missionadoptablock?feature=mhum

For the reason that we did not receive more than one video entry we were forced to forfeit the contest as originally designed. These girls, however, will receive a gift basket full of selected prizes.

Come Out One & All...

2011-02-24T13:01:00.000-08:00

Everyone is welcome to join us at our...

Annual General Meeting
Wednesday, March 16th @ 6:30pm

Held at: Cedarbrooke Chateau, 32331- 7th Ave. Mission, B.C

JOIN US for special guest presentations on:

“What’s your story beautifying Mission?”

Bert Pulles
Communities in Bloom

Sherry Edmunds-Flett
L.I.N.C. Society (Community Gardens)

And slide show presentation of ‘our story’ by Adopt-A-Block.

RSVP (by March 10) (604) 826-9423 or by email:
missionadoptablock@gmail.com

Quote for the Day...

2011-01-24T15:26:00.000-08:00

“And we have reason to hope... The forces of destruction seem great, but against them we have our power to choose, our human will and imagination, our courage, our passion, our willingness to act and to love. And we are not, in truth, strangers to this world. We are a part of the circle. When we plant, when we weave, when we write, when we give birth, when we organize, when we heal, when we run through the park while the redwoods sweat mist, when we do what we're aftraid to do, we are not separate. We are of the world and of each other, and the power within us is a great, if not an invincible power. Though we can be hurt, we can heal; though each one of us can be destroyed, within us is the power of renewal. And there is still time to choose that power."

(In Starhawk's (1997) Dreaming in the Dark, p.14).

What's New in 2011

2011-01-17T10:51:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year Adopt-A-Blockers!

Here’s what’s happening this 2011!

Spring Clean-Up FUNDRAISER

Don’t forget to fill out your application to our annual Spring Community Litter Clean-Up! Application deadline is January 30^th All non-profit groups (clubs, teams, schools, organizations, etc.) are welcome to apply! Groups selected will be awarded $250 for their participation. Event to take place in April & May. See attached forms for more details & application form.

2011 Youth Video-Webcast CONTEST

Adopt-A-Block challenges all Mission youth to participate in a video-webcast contest beginning January 01, 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 and no more than three minutes in length, depicting a message about how we can all contribute to creating a litter free environment and why this is important.

Following the contest submission deadline, March 15, entrants will post their submissions on YOUTUBE for a community judging period of a month (until April 15). 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 Youth Video 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.

First place prize is $500 cash.

Second to fifth place prizes will also be awarded including gift cards for laser tag, a rafting adventure on the Fraser River, local restaurants and coffee shops, and large retail store gift cards. See Contest Poster for full prize package details.

All necessary forms and release can be retrieved from the Adopt-A-Block website. (under the 'resource' tab)

www.missionadoptablock.com

Please spread the word to youth about this opportunity!

Expressing Your Concerns about Litter in the Environment

2011-01-17T10:48:00.000-08:00

Sometimes when we try to express concerns about litter in the environment, the conversation can become a negatively emotionally charged. Sometimes those with whom we are talking with get defensive or self-righteous about the issue or find someone or something to blame for it. Perhaps we don’t know all the facts and so we keep quiet about what matter to us, meanwhile bottling inside our frustration. There may be several reasons as to why expressing our concerns about creating a healthier environment in which to live, play and work – just simply don’t pan out. Joanna Macy (1998) in her book, Coming Back to Life: Practices to Reconnect our Lives, our World, offers guidelines for communicating our concerns about the environment (whatever the issue) (p. 176-177). She suggests:

1.Beware of labeling or pigeonholing the other person, assuming they are automatically going to agree or disagree with you because they are a certain age, dressed in a certain way, come from a particular region or class, or hold a particular job.

2.Acknowledge the limits of your knowledge. People will see you as more trustworthy if you admit you don’t know everything and will feel more willing to share their perspectives, which are also based on partial information. We all must make decisions in political life without knowing the whole story; if we put our knowledge and ideas together we create a more complete picture.

3.Find common ground before examining differences. If you begin by ascertaining areas of agreement (e.g. “Nuclear war is possible” or “We need clean air and water for our children”), both parties can trust each other more and proceed to see where their views diverge. Then offering the information that has led to your view can fill a gap in the other’s knowledge, and lead to reappraisal of old assumptions…

4.Share feelings as well as facts. Facts are debatable; feelings are not. Feelings are ‘givens’; we can report them with varying degrees of accuracy and honesty, but they are not debatable. Sharing your feelings invites other people to share theirs as well, moving the conversation away from argument and towards mutual listening.

5.Share your personal experience. The facts and figures we cite take on more reality for people when we describe what led us to the views we hold. Personal experience, like feelings, is not open to debate.

6.Trust the other person’s ability to learn and change over time. Even if the person seems entrenched in a contrary position, change may be stirring within. And you may never know if change has occurred as a result of you discussion or what other input the person may receive from other to add to yours….

7.See yourself and the other within the larger context: your shared humanity, the stresses of the Industrial Growth Society, the long uneven journey to sustainable civilization. This breeds patience and goodwill.

8.Remember to hold the other person with compassion, even when you seem to find no common ground. You can ‘agree to disagree’ with goodwill and mutual respect. We can never know what suffering and hardship might underlie another’s seemingly intractable position.

Christmas Volunteers NEEDED

2010-11-14T12:13:00.000-08:00

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

2010-11-14T12:02:00.000-08:00

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

2010-10-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

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

2010-10-21T12:32:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-04-30T12:11:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-30T12:06:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-04-30T11:58:00.001-07:00

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

2010-04-30T11:57:00.001-07:00

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

2010-04-30T11:55:00.001-07:00

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

2010-02-11T14:09:00.001-08:00

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

2010-02-11T13:54:00.000-08:00

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

2010-01-13T14:22:00.001-08:00

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 :)

Hope is a Community Thing

2009-10-14T10:03:00.000-07:00

The start of another community litter free craze has begun! The annual fall litter community clean-up has taken off with the first two groups, The Mission Farmer's Market and Communities in Bloom (photo), tackling the first two litter routes of the year (including the Cedar Valley Connector, Logan Ave, Rai Ave.). A great start to the season including sunny weather and a great show of volunteers participating to make Mission a cleaner place to live, work and play. The fall clean-up continues through the month of October.

Interested Mission non-profit groups are invited to join Adopt-A-Block for next year's Spring Clean-Up already! For more information, check out our website www.missionadoptablock.com Selected groups receive $250 for their participation in our annual fundraiser events - spring and fall clean-up(s).

Hope in "Secured Loads"

2009-10-06T13:30:00.000-07:00

Today, as I was driving to work I found myself following behind a pick-up truck full of garbage bags and as I began to wonder about what could possibly be disposed of in all these garbage bags and where the driver was headed with all of it, one rolled off the pile, crashed down onto the road in front of me and scattered its 'inners'. What a mess! The garbage now spread across both lanes of traffic, the pick-up truck driver still heading down the highway, and all the cars behind playing 'dodgeball' on their way to work.

That's where news like the following bring a message of hope to these common day mishaps:

In February, The District of Mission implemented a surcharge of $5 on unsecured loads, an effort to reduce the amount of litter found on access roads to the Mission landfill. This surcharge resultued in the percentage of unsecured loads dropping from approximately 55% to 31% within two months, and to 11% over the following three months. In October 2009, the surchage will rise to $10 to futher reduce the % of uncovered loads to the landfill (funds collected from the surcharge are used to support clean-up (litter) activities).

Article in The Mission Record - October 01, 2009

Hopeful News

2009-09-15T21:33:00.000-07:00

Heading, "Disastrous Sockeye Run Flops to a Finish". The news, "The run size of the sockeye salmon is at 1.37 million, the worst on record and significantly below the last two dismal years". It continues, "And there is little hope more of the forecasted run of the 10.5 million sockeye will materialize".

Environmental degradation and stories of hopelessness are everywhere. Where is the hope?

The unfortunate news came today that our small non-profit organization was denied the BC Gaming grant for 2010. This funding has been suppporting nearly 50% of the society's litter control program budget costs for eleven years now. Adopt-A-Block is just one of the many environmental non-profit organizations that will receive this unfortunate news over the next couple of months before the year ends; as 'environmental' non-profit programs/causes did not make the priority list to whom to disburse funding this year in the shadow of the 2010 Olympics and other BC governmental happenings I don't really understand. I fear Adopt-A-Block will have its branches cut off next year after expanding its growth beautifully over the last couple of years. I feel as if something has been ripped out from my being and stomped on; but I am not exactly sure what it is. Could it have something to do with my hope that the environment would be perceived as more valuable and irreplaceable than it is by some?

Is it the same out there today for everyone? The sockeye salmon collapse is a huge blow to environmental 'hopefuls' and the implications of this environmental disaster is far-reaching than most can imagine. Mission's Fraser Valley Bald Eagle festival is only months away, I wonder how the small non-profit that runs this program is reacting to the salmon run collapse news? The festival is held annually to educate people about bald eagles and to preserve their habitats; the salmon run is crucial to this species' health and survival. But so few of us think beyond our bellies it seems.

Where is the hope?

Speaking of bellies. Sometimes it takes that extra work to prepare a good meal. When you put in a full day at work, spend more than your fair share of time driving to get home to manage household chores, to pick up your kids from their extra curriculum activities or maybe your own, etc.; the last thing you want to do, sometimes, is to make that 'meal'. You know the one that requires a bit of chopping, measuring, cooking time, what have you - but taking that extra time always makes the meal taste so much better in the end. It makes the eating experience more enjoyable than simply another means to fill your belly so that you can continue to fill your daylight hours before you must say goodnight.

Where is the hope?

So, today I needed to take the extra time to find the hope in the midst of the hopelessness in the news and in my letter inbox. "Inspired by Hero's Effort" the headline of the local paper tells of a young man diagnosed with cancer at the age of four but in remission for 12 years, he is running the 5 km Terry Fox run this fall. Next, the "Hike for Hospice" will take place on Saturday where volunteers will hike 4km to raise money for individuals and families living with terminal illness, death and grief. "Playground Rebuilt and Community Hall Repaired", a project only just one of many, a number of Mission volunteers completed during a recent trip to Skatin Reserve. "Housing Market showing some signs of rebound", "Natural gas bills to drop" and "Helping Habitat" tells of a golf team that were part of a tournament to raise $5,000 for an annual Habitat for Humanity trip undertaken by Hatzic secondary school students. Finally, there are countless of volunteer opportunites, fundraisers and community events; all for the good of the community and well-being of its residents. Hopeful news is everywhere. And hope, no matter where it comes from, what cause or from who; contributes to everyone's cause.

My favorite stories of hope are in the community pages, "Fast Food Litter Second Most Common Item Found" and "Adopt Voluntary Code of Practices". Mission Adopt-A-Block's litter control program has made the papers! The society has provide a few facts about litter and what people can do to prevent and reduce it. There is also a call to businesses to adopt the society's Voluntary Code of Practices to help tackle the problem of litter in the community. While Adopt-A-Block may have had its branch snipped off in one area from what seems 'hopeless news', another branch is growing, Adopt-A-Block's visibility in the community, the 'spreading the word' of its litter control program.

Sometimes it just takes that 'extra bit' to see things from a different perspective. Have you put on your spectacles of hope lately?

Articles quoted from The Mission Record - Thursday, September 10, 2009.

Hope in 'Doing'

2009-09-10T12:43:00.000-07:00

A successful litter control activity that I adminster through Mission Adopt-A-Block is the School Litter Audit where students learn first hand about litter in the environment. First, we discuss what type of litter can be found in the environment, where it originates from, what excuses people might use when they litter and other points to ponder. Then we take time to collect litter around the school yard and analyze it before discussing what can be done to prevent and reduce litter around the school yard, home and the community. The school litter audit, in a sense, introduces the 'science of litter'and at the same time empowers the children to be active agents in finding solutions to arising environmental crisis. And in today's world where a new vocabulary of terms such as ecophobia, ecoanxiety and nature deficiency disorder can be found, basic environmental action is vital. Faced with doom and gloom messages in our newspapers and television sets, how do children interpret, digest, and deal with the state of the earth? Teaching children about litter and the environment is one way to confront these terms first hand and to connect students to their immediate outdoor surroundings and empower them to be active ecological citizens. Being involved in litter awareness education has taught me a great deal about the environment and community, and through it I have come to understand how education is key for fostering environmental stewardship and how being involved in simple environmental actions like school litter audits builds character and empowers individuals/groups to be a part of building of healthy communities.

Hope Starts at Home, Inside You.

2009-09-01T14:46:00.000-07:00

When environmental degradation begins to overwhelm you - when the bombardment of doom and gloom messages in the papers, on TV, and right in front of your face begin to weigh you down... remember, if you just begin to take care of things from your tiny corner, that's all you need to do to make a difference.

A Conversation of Hope

2009-08-26T15:28:00.000-07:00

I stumbled upon the following question and answer conversation online. It's worth sharing.

Zag asks, "Is it sensible to give up hope for the environment?" and continues, "I care passionately about our natural world, but watching its steady and relentless demise over the decades is depressing. Is it sensible to give up on it now, or is there still time and is it still possible, considering the nature of humanity, to save the natural world from total destruction? Does the human race have the capacity to save large areas of the natural environment? It doesn't look like it to me..."

Andy responds with the following quotes and advise:

We may be fighting a losing battle, but we are having a lot of fun trying to win (old folk song).

If we all give up on trying to save the environment, that pretty much guarantees a negative result. But if we keep on trying, we have some chance that we will win.

If you dedicate your life to fighting and working to make human civilization sustainable, you've given your life a framework around which you can build knowledge, courage, intellectual integrity, curiosity, generosity, and a passion for teamwork - - - all of them admirable character traits.

You are going to spend your whole life doing SOMETHING, in any case.

* * * * * *

Likewise, "Is it sensible to just give up on cleaning the litter that is dumped in the environment?" Seeing the litter that ends up back on the street sides & green spaces in our community days, hours and sometimes moments after you have cleaned up the litter and properly disposed of it, can be, well, depressing!

One of the first things I say to volunteers who come out to community litter clean-ups is don't be discouraged when you see litter back in the environment where you just spent hours cleaning it up - because it WILL happen! And don't think that you aren't making a difference - because you are - even if for a day that area is litter free - you are reducing the amount of garbage in the environment - all of which eventually ends up in our waterways. Also, litter begets litter - so if a section of the city is cleaned from time to time - people will think twice about throwing their litter in a tidy section as opposed to a section that already consists of garbage debris. But more importantly, getting out there and cleaning the streets shows leadership in litter control - and most people learn by watching what other people do. If motorists and pedestrians witness a group of volunteers busy cleaning up litter - they are more likely to think about the problem of litter in the community - what is more - that cleaning it up is a community affair. Participating in litter control also adds to the safety and well-being of our children and animals - that otherwise might hurt themselves on dangerous/hazardous litter items. Finally, getting out there and being active in litter control promotes positive environmental awareness, it sends a strong message to the community about ecological citizenship and fosters civic pride among community members alike.

So then, the answer is NO - it is definitely not sensible to 'give up' on litter control or any other environmental activity because environmental integrity at times seems unattainable. We make a difference in every effort; even though it may seem small and insignificant, we are changing the world one water ripple outward at a time.

Yellow Vested Volunteers Active in Mission

2009-08-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

This year's Celebration of Community theme is "Active Mission" and what better way to show how active Mission is than to show up to the event wearing your yellow volunteer vest! This year, Mission Adopt-A-Block invites all volunteers and litter control supporters to meet at the Bell Tower at 1:30PM (in Mission Heritage Park) during the Celebration of Community for a landmark group photograph. It is the society's hope to show the community just how 'active' Adopt-A-Block is, in litter control that is. Come out and support the society and show your colours in a large group photo!

P.S. Vests will also be supplied at event.

We are active in litter control in Mission, B.C. Volunteers at the Spring 2009 Clean-Up.

Mission is Moving Mountains!

2009-08-25T14:04:00.000-07:00

Mission is moving mountains...of litter, that is!

June 01, 2009, the District of Mission made it mandatory that residential curb side garbage be secured in litter bins, and to be no longer left on the curb side in plastic bags. The purpose of this change is to reduce the amount of litter caused by animals (crows, dogs, racoons, etc.) that rummage through curb side garbage! The implication of this change is incredible, as much of the litter in Mission's residential neighbourhoods is caused by the poor handling of and disposal of curb side garbage - and plastic bags make it all to easy for animals to rip apart to get their tasty 'midnight snack'. A round of applause and a standing ovation to the District of Mission for initiating this significant change in curb side garbage collection 'behavior' - another great step towards reducing litter in the environment.

Saying good-bye hasn't been this much fun!

Businesses Building Hope

2009-08-20T13:32:00.000-07:00

It's heartening when businesses think of 'litter control' as a volunteer opportunity and as a means to contribute to the good of the community. Businesses can play a big role in modeling ecological citizenship to others!

Mission's Royal Bank chose to participate in a clean-up of Railway Ave. and the West Coast Express station area as a part of their bank's National Community Week (June 22-26) agenda. Two by two, bank employees all took turns tidying up neighbouring areas, collecting bags of litter and properly disposing of it. Adopt-A-Block's colorful vests, pickers and blue bags were proudly used in this successful community contribution. Imagine spending an hour of your work day volunteering, getting outside, contributing to the health and well-being of the community, being a role model in environmental action... Can anyone say, team building and employee moral booster?

Adopt-A-Block is pleased to recognize Starbucks (Mission Junction) as the Society's first formally registered volunteer 'business' in litter control. In June 2009, the Starbucks team adopted the heavily littered route of London Ave., the main access road that takes all traffic coming and going from the Junction. This street is not only a hotpsot due to its location to 'food on the go' retailers and its function as a joining street between the main highway, commercial areas and the industrial area nearby; but Lane Creek, a sensitvie salmon habitat runs in the same neighbourhood. All litter tossed into the ditches along this street ends up in this sensitve waterway to some degree at some point. The Starbucks team engages in litter clean up of this significant litter route once a month. Every contribution helps! Now just think of the implications if each business in the Junction followed suit and joined this litter collection action!

This litter is headed for one destination and one destination only, the sensitive salmon habitat of Lane Creek! What's wrong with this picture? (Picture: Ditch along London Ave. 2007) Thanks to volunteers like the Starbucks team cleaning up messes like this - you are making a difference!

A System of Hope

2009-08-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

It is easy to let hopelessness wash over you when you take a closer look at the green spaces in our community where flora is decorated with litter items including fast food wrappings, cigarette butts and numerous decaying garbage articles.

If I had a nickel for every time I heard comments along the lines of, "the litter shouldn't be there in the first place, people should know better, our leaders should do something to make people think twice about littering like slap litterbugs with tougher penalties" and so on. I could ramble on at this point about why people litter, this would include a long list of psychological, socioeconomic, and other reasons as to why litter is a problem we face today. But all I will tell you is that, you don't know what you got until you don't have it or rather, you don't know what you got, until you compare it to what others have or do not have.

And what I have found is that we can truly be thankful for the systems in place to manage our garbage. These systems make it possible for us to dispose our garbage in the first place! I'm talking about the fact that we can put our garbage out on the curb and have it properly disposed of at a landfill site; and the cherry on top, we have curb side recycling and composting in Mission, B.C. We have it so good, we don't even know it. What would our green spaces look like if this system was not in place? I can imagine. When I travelled to Nigeria in 2007 I witnessed this predicament.

Shel Silverstein's "Sarah Stout" who would not take the garbage out would find Nigeria a most desirable home. There, no one takes the garbage out. Garbage lines the streets, the ditches, the corn fields, the markets, the hillsides, the street embankments; it is simply everywhere. Imagine the stink. Imagine the unsightly landscape. In Nigeria, there is no waste management system in place; there is no landfill for that matter. There is litter everywhere because there is no litter bins to toss garbage into in the first place, and no designated place to take the garbage even if it were put in the trash. (Notwithstanding obvious reasons for Nigeria's impoverished landscapes such as poverty, corrupt governments, etc.) On one hand, witnessing the environmental degradation of litter in places like Nigeria generates further hopelessness; on the other hand, it carries a message of hope. The message of hope is obvious, we live in a country where our government invests in a system to manage our waste. It may not be perfect, but it exists. Perhaps, when we can see 'what we have' here in Mission, B.C. and seeing what it would look like if we 'did not have' - we can not only feel hope again about the state of the environment and the problem of litter - but we may also be able to help developing countries to develop workable and affordable waste management systems.

Litter in the waterways... (Jos, Nigeria)

Litter forms road embankments... (Jos, Nigeria)

Litter fills urban spaces... (Jos, Nigeria)