Map of Where to Recycle EVERYTHING in Kawartha Lakes

Locations, descriptions of what is accepted, and hours of operation for every place that recycles

Textiles, Scrap Metal, Markers, Ink Cartridges, Bale and boat Wrap, Batteries, Car Batteries, Hazardous Waste, and Electronic Waste

In The City of Kawartha Lakes

Double click on a marker for details

If anything is missing, incorrect, comments, or any input on the usability 

of this map please email me at juliataylor@live.ca 

Map of Places to Donate and Re-sell Used Goods in Kawartha Lakes

Double click on a marker for info about what the organization accepts, does not accept, hours of operation, and what their cause is.

As always, only good condition, re-sell able items are accepted at all locations.

Earth Day 2016 in Kawartha Lakes

Rivera Park in Lindsay hosts more homes for wildlife and a water protecting shoreline thanks to Earth Day 2016 celebrations.

Thank you to all who came and helped get the work done!

2 classes of students from Queen Victoria Public School,  LCVI's Eco Committee, people from the neighbourhood, and volunteers from the community. We could not have got this project done with out you, and our local lakes, air, and animals thank you also!!

Together we planted 18 large trees! Once mature, those trees will absorb 864 pounds of Co2 per year- that is equivalent to driving 690 miles!! They will also provide homes for countless birds, shade to cool, and can absorb up to 1000 litres of rain water preventing it from entering the sewer system or river un treated with sediment.

We also naturalized approximately 75 feet of shoreline by planting native shrubs and grasses , which have a capacity to absorb and filter 35% more water than a mowed grass shoreline, and protecting our most cherished asset- our water bodies (or lakes and rivers)!

This project was made possible by The City of Kawartha Lakes Environmental Advisory Committee  and The City of Kawartha Lakes Parks and Recreation department who maintains our many green spaces and parks in this city. Thanks goes out to Ryan Smith who worked on this project with us and will ensure everything planted here today will be cared for, for years to come.

Kawartha Conservation is also a partner on this project. Kawartha Conservation manages natural resource features that are essential for sustaining water quality and quantity, through watershed planning, stewardship, environmental monitoring and research, and management of conservation and natural areas. Big thanks to Holly and Becky who put allot of time into planning this event, and Kawartha Conservation also purchased the potted grasses and shrubs for the shoreline.

HydroOne purchased all of the large trees. Hydro One works with communities every year to plant trees to offset the pruning and cutting they do that ensures we have uninterrupted power services. Thanks to Evan Wharram who worked on this project. See the full story here.

The LandBetween, a non profit organization dedicated to protecting and preserving natural landscapes- in the land between,  which is an area of unique bio diversity between the Canadian Shield, the St Lawrence Lowlands, and the Boreal Forest. Thank you goes to Leora at The Land Between and RBC's Blue Water Project for purchasing the shrubs for the river’s edge and educational signage,  and for working closely with us on this initiative. 

Organizers from the left- Evan Wharram Hydro One, Julia Taylor Environmental Advisory Committee, Ryan Smith Parks and Rec CKL, Richard Holly Manager of Planning CKL, Becky Parker Kawartha Conservation, my daughter Danika and the top of my son Roscoe's head, and missing is Leora Berman from The Land Between and Holly Shipclark from Kawartha Conservation.

There she is- organizer Holly Shipclark from Kawartha Conservation

Big thanks also goes out to Lucas at Pine Needle Farms- a family run farm in Ponty Pool that specializes in native species, and for the past three or four years has always been able to pull together an order for me quickly for Earth Day events. They supplied the large trees and the bare root stock.

Richardson's Pine Needle Farm and city staff

Thanks to Grow Wild Nurseries from Omemee who supplied the perennials and potted grasses. Paul and his staff provide biological consulting, ecological restoration, ELC surveying and contract growing for native tree and plant restoration projects.

Grow Wild Native Plant Nursery 

Thank you to all of our partners! This event would not have been possible if it was not for all of them!

So why plant trees?

Why are trees so important? 

Trees are vital. As the biggest plants on the planet they give us oxygen, store carbon, stabilize soil, and give life to the world's wildlife. They also provide us with the material for tools and shelter. In some cases they even give us food.

Increasing tree cover is a priority on Kawartha Conservation’s Lake Management plans and the City of Kawartha Lakes Integrated CommunitySustainability plan.

Also on those plans is naturalizing shorelines.  Shorelines are often called the "ribbon of life." That's because they are critical to the ecological health of lakes and rivers. How you manage your shoreline can make a big difference, and a natural shoreline can provide many benefits, such as

·         Protecting water quality by reducing the amount of nutrients, bacteria, contaminants, and sediments that reach your lake or river

·         Reducing erosion and sedimentation that can impact fish spawning beds

·         Provide wildlife habitat for native species such as wild flowers, shrubs, birds, dragon flies, pollinators, and butterflies, as well as frogs and fish

·         And deter nuisance Canada Geese that can make a mess and contribute to elevated E.coli in the water.

So that is why, and how this event came to be, and we are very thankful to have the help of the community for this project-please come back to this park often and enjoy watching the plants and trees grow!

Thank you!

Julia Taylor

@soGreenithurts

on Facebook

Hydro One, Kawartha Conservation, and The Land Between Sponsor Cities Earth Day Event

Why are trees so important? 

Trees are vital. As the biggest plants on the planet they give us oxygen, store carbon, stabilize soil, and give life to the world's wildlife. They also provide us with the material for tools and shelter. 

In some cases they even give us food.

Last year Hydro One was pruning trees in our neighbourhood; Great! Our service will not be disrupted by tree limbs falling on the lines...but pruning really was a nice way of putting it, they really were cutting down allot of trees, it really changed the whole landscape on our street and we were losing valuable tree cover that takes allot of time to replace and does allot of hard work for our clean country air and beautiful lakes.

So I tweeted.

I tweeted at Hydro One thanking them for protecting our service from interruptions and asked them if they would be replacing the lost tree cover.

They tweeted back.

They said that they worked with communities every year to replant trees. Excellent answer. I followed up with an email- after all we are a community, how could we help re plant those trees?

Well what do you know; they purchased us more than 200 trees seedlings! My children and I, along with anybody and everybody I could get spent a good part of the spring and summer planting those seedlings at Gamiing Nature Centre. Hydro One told me that if I could have a plan in place by next year we could do more- well turns out I like to plan and plant trees!

So this year thanks to The Cityof Kawartha Lakes, Kawartha Conservation, The Land Between, and Hydro One we invite you to join us at Rivera Park on Friday April 22cnd (Earth Day) to help us plant some trees and complete a shoreline restoration project. You can come at 930am until lunch or at 1pm until 3pm, dress for the weather and bring your refillable water bottle. 

Celebrate Earth Day this year by loving your lake!

Thanks to Richardson Pine Needle Farm for pulling together our order!

Some more information at the City's website

Please register!

Thanks for reading my blog and column.
Julia Taylor
@sogreenithurts
on Facebook

Gather The Women in Kawartha Lakes

Calling All Pleasant Point/Kennedy Bay/Snug Harbour Area Residents (Kawartha Lakes)

2016's Pleasant Point Community Clean Up will focus on the 1/4 mile of Snug Harbour Road between Pleasant Point Road and Kennedy Bay Road. 

Anybody that has travelled that stretch knows how badly it needs it. There is allot of wet, deep, and steep areas and ALLOT of garbage so we sure could use all of the help we can get!

Many Hands Make Lighter Work

Please  help us!

Sunday April 24th 2016

Meet at the corner of Snug Harbour/Pleasant Point Road at 10am

Wear rubber boots or hip waders and gloves, bring your refillable water battle and snacks if needed.

 Rain or shine.

See you there!

Julia Taylor
juliataylor@live.ca
705-201-1120

Litter is Coming Out Of Hibernation in Kawartha Lakes

Aaah winter. So pretty. It covers up all of the garbage.





Unfortunately, now that the snow is melting away, all of that litter is re emerging. There just seems to be so much of it this time of year.

I got so sick of it one spring a few years ago that I did what the average engaged citizen would do. I complained. I wrote a letter to express my distaste over the amount of trash that was trashing up my neighbourhood.

And you know what that accomplished?

Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

Hmmph! Well, I never!



What I did next might shock you (reader discretion advised)



I cleaned it up myself!


Yup, garbage all garbagy, neighbourhood all cleany.


The thing is, I cared enough about it that I wanted to change it. So I figured I might as well do it myself because complaining wasn't doing anything except littering people's ears with garbage talk.

At first I remember hiding my garbage bag when people drove by. What would they think of me picking up garbage?

But I realized I wouldn't think twice about picking up garbage on my lawn. And this community is our collective lawn.

Being a steward to our community and our environment is a good deed, and adds value to everyone's lives.

So if the trash is bugging you, grab a bag and be proud to be a steward. You could even host a community clean up.

Did you know you can adopt your road, and the city will help you with supplies and landfill fee's? Check out your local service centre for details, or right here. You even get a fancy sign!

My daughter found 5 bucks picking up litter one day!  Stewardship pays!

"Be the change you want to see"-Mahatma Gandhi


As printed in the Kawartha Promoter as my column "It' Easy Being Green."


Thanks for reading my blog/column.
Julia Taylor
Like my blog on Facebook here
or never miss a post by following me on twitter here

The sign I made for our clean up in 2015.

The litter collected at the 2015 clean up.