Tired of constantly hearing about environmental issues and feeling helpless to do anything about it? Here is a constructive way to direct your energy!

We’re a group of people from all over the Lower Mainland who get together once a month (sometimes more) to help an environmental group, non-profit organization, charity or city tackle an environmental issue that needs co-operation and teamwork to get done. Gloves and tools will be supplied as well as refreshments! If you care about the environment, this is the group for you! All ages welcome!! Some activities will include:

• Pulling invasive plants that are overtaking our native flora
• Planting of native plants/trees
• Restoring areas along a stream, river, marsh or shoreline
• Beach/River/lake clean up
• Harvesting organic fruits/veggies
• Trail building/maintenance
• Restoration of wildlife sites

What will you get out of it? Here are a few things we think you’ll get. You’ll..

• Meet like-minded people
• Feel good getting your hands dirty and being active in something you believe in
• Educate yourself about natural spaces and the environmental problems they face
• Learn first-hand about work being done in the lower mainland by different environmental groups
• Get the experience of a variety of stewardship activities
• Restore a natural space from a damaged state
• Be trained in stewardship practices
• Explore a nature space you may have never been to before
• Realise the benefits of working together with others
• Learn about environmental activities other group members are involved in
• Get physical exercise
• Have fun!

go to http://www.meetup.com/the-lower-mainland-green-team

Compassion and Kindness is my passion. As an artist, I often come in touch with a lot of perspectives that heightens my awareness of my surroundings, society, people and other living beings. I like to help create a more compassionate and kinder community locally and internationally that is self-sustainable.

The Strathcona BIA wants to create community gardens throughout Strathcona to promote local food production, beautify the area, reduce crime, create green jobs for inner city youth and people facing multiple barriers to employment, and instill pride in the community.

We've applied for an Aviva Community Fund grant to create a Micro-Gardening program in Strathcona. The grants are given to the winners of an online voting contest, so if you are interested in the idea, please give us your vote!

Here's what the Micro-Gardening program is all about:

We propose to create 20 to 30 community micro-gardens throughout Strathcona. The gardens would be installed on private properties adjacent to public spaces in highly visible, underutilized areas.Depending on the nature and size of each location, the gardeners and the property owners would decide whether the plot should be a community garden, single-owner garden, or a living wall. Vegetation would consist of native perennials and edible plants.

The gardens would be installed by qualified landscapers of Mission Possible Enterprises, a local non-profit (and BIA member) that provides employment opportunities for individuals with job readiness barriers and assists in breaking the cycles of poverty, homelessness, and addiction. Local youth would also be employed as partners with the landscapers to learn valuable food production and community development skills.

Please help us make it happen by voting today: http://www.avivacommunityfund.org/ideas/acf5454

Sustainability is about more than simply recycling and reducing energy consumption. It's also about how we interact with our community and how we work with other organizations to become stronger businesses.