This week is Environment Week, as Environment Lethbridge and the City of Lethbridge invite you to learn about and celebrate our natural environment with a suite of activities.
“Every year, we try to showcase the diversity of our local environment,” says Kathleen Sheppard, executive director of Environment Lethbridge.
Last week, volunteers planted a new drought-resistant garden at Tartan Park, located in west Lethbridge.
The City’s Sustainability Engineer Raene Barber says this week there will be plenty of events and activities for residents of all ages to be involved.
“This year’s initiative is full of great activities to help residents learn about the environment and contribute to a more environmentally-friendly community.”
Barber says the City always encourages people to take part in environmental stewardship around the community. “Environment Week is a good opportunity to get out there and participate in community events.”
Some of the community events include tree planting on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings this week in Redwood, Lakeview and Columbia Parks.
“We’ll be launching some resources on how to build your own rain barrel, as well as how to complete a home efficiency audit. With that, we’re launching a home efficiency audit kit, that will be available to rent through the Lethbridge Public Library,” notes Barber.
This Saturday is the City’s Beyond-the-Bin Recycling Roundup at Park Place Mall. “That’s where you can take your old paint or your used oil, electronics and other household hazardous items to be properly disposed of,” Barber adds.
Barber encourages residents to consider environmentalism in their every day life. “Whether that’s reducing your water consumption or maybe turning off appliances not in use. All those little things make a big difference when it comes to the environment.”
“Everything matters when it comes to the environment. Even if it is something small you’re doing in your home, it absolutely makes a difference. We want to encourage everybody to do that.”
Community events are great, Barber explains, because they help diversify our natural environment, which will be resistant to climate changes into the future.
“The tree planting events are aimed at increasing the tree diversity within our urban parks. By doing so, if there are invasive pests that may come to Lethbridge that are unexpected, having a diverse planting can be resilient to those types of changes,” says Barber.
For drought-resistant planting, that is something being absolutely considered in City facilities, “whether that be throughout our urban forests,” notes Barber.
“We do have a large list of trees that are resilient to the changing climate, so those are being implemented in different urban parks. Our Parks Department is doing naturalization within urban parks – instead of planting turf grass, planting native species,” says Barber.
Barber believes the City can be a leader in demonstrating what works well or what might require different maintenance. “And just demonstrating to City residents, it doesn’t have to be difficult.”
Check out environmentlethbridge.ca/environmentweek for more information or a list of activities and events.
