BYOBag
I’m happy to see that Kingston has been making efforts in the last year to encourage residents to get green with composters and rain barrels. So far it seems Kingstonians are up for it. Now, a new and interesting challenge has been presented by Tara Natural Foods owner Rudi Mogl. Read more
Weekly Photo
More magnificent signs of Fall can be found in our newest Flickr set. Enjoy!
There’s a Hole
How long has it been, one year or two? I honestly can’t remember, but it’s been a long time since I last saw construction equipment around the massive hole on the corner of Bagot and Queen. At last check this project was a $10 million, apartment building that was being developed by the local property holdings group known as Kincore . Kincore seems to know what they’re doing, as they’re behind some really amazing restoration projects including: the The British Whig building, Brock Street Common (Chien Noir, Atomica), and Gourdier Lofts. But when it comes to that massive hole, I can’t help but wonder what’s taking so long? Read more
A Windy Skyline
The last time I mentioned the Wolfe Island wind farm , I honestly hoped that the project would be delayed due to the growing concern from Island residents. It’s not as though I’m opposed to the idea of alternative energy, or wind turbines on the Island, but I certainly do not want the concerns of local residents cast aside without due process. Is this simply a case of David vs Goliath, or do the developers and Provincial Officials know something we don’t? I walk along the waterfront each and every day, and lately I’ve been noticing a large number of construction vehicles being ferried over on a private barge. This got me searching for answers, and I soon discovered that pieces of the wind turbines have already begun to arrive on the Island. It looks as though there’s no stopping Kingston’s windy skyline. Read more
Death of the Drive Thru
On my way walking to work this morning, I listened to a debate on CBC regarding whether or not cities should restrict, ban or do nothing about drive thru’s. For many people they are the ultimate convenience, while other health-minded folks see them as the scourge of the urban landscape. Although this debate is more prevalent in larger cities, it is still relevant in Kingston, and is one that I feel quite strongly about. I can appreciate the necessity of drive thru’s for disabled and elderly people, and even sympathize with parent’s who would rather not park their vehicles and unbuckle 3 kids just to get a double double, but something has to be done. Read more
How About This Heat?
Is it any surprise Kingstonist didn’t post anything yesterday? I can’t speak for the rest of the gang, but it was so hot, the last thing I wanted to do was sit at my desk and churn out something fancy for you to read. Sure I have a laptop and could have taken it outside into the comfortable shade of my backyard, but the idea of concentrating on creative endeavors was not appealing. From Friday to Tuesday, the temperature in Kingston steadily crept closer to 30 degrees, which resulted in a perma-haze that sat on top of the Limestone City. Some call it smog, others refer to it as soup, while new minds have dubbed the allergic variety “smollen“, consisting of smog and pollen. Whatever you call it, it’s hot and gross. But are we doing anything to stop it? Read more
The Windy City
A while back, I was fortunate enough to see Chris Brown perform at a special Apple Crisp event, which was recorded for CBC’s Bandwidth. In between songs, Chris gave a shout out to Wolfe Island Residents for the Environment (WIRE), whose mission is to ensure the lawful development of a proposed wind farm on the Island. Later, I spoke to Chris about recording a special podcast about WIRE, which never became a reality as a result of my busy schedule. This week, sustainable energy came to the forefront in Kingston as the 7th World Wind Energy Conference commenced at St. Lawrence College. As the world (minus federal Canadian representatives) comes to Kingston to promote and develop sustainable wind energy policy and projects, I couldn’t help but think about how the proposed Wolfe Island project could negatively impact the environment. Read more
Is Your Water Safe?
As June comes to a close, many are rejoicing over the fact that yet another school year is coming to a close, and family vacations will soon be here. For me, the last day of June signifies one of those coming of age milestones I used to hear so much about, but rarely paid any attention to. In that respect, the 30th of June is moving day for my fiancé and I, as we bid farewell to the world of renting, and take possession of our newly purchased, vintage home. It’s a very exciting time, and I honestly can’t wait to tackle the never ending list of projects around the house. At the top of the to-do list, is a problem identified by our home inspector, who discovered that we have a lead-based pipe connecting our house to the main water line. This is the sort of problem a Brita water filter can’t fix. Read more
Take the “Free Ride” Challenge
To celebrate Clean Air Day, and promote public transportation, the City of Kingston is offering free bus rides all day long on June the 4th. With the price of regular and diesel fuel skyrocketing throughout Canada, the convenience of owning a personal motor vehicle is becoming a severe financial burden for some. This has resulted in more and more people relying on public transportation, while others choose to take the bus for equally important environmental reasons. Whether your reasons are green, or to save your green, you can participate in Clean Air Day just by riding the bus tomorrow. Read more
What to do with your E-Waste?
I recently embarked on a massive Spring cleaning session at home and at the office, and I accumulated a large pile of stuff I no longer had use for. Being a big proponent of recycling, I ensured that all my scraps of paper made it into the grey box, while old clothing and useful household items were donated to the Good Will. After the dust bunnies settled, I was left with numerous boxes of old CDs, obsolete floppy disks and various electronic gadgets that were of use to no one. This type of material is commonly referred to as e-waste, and surprisingly, Kingston does not yet have a formal program to divert these toxic items from our landfill facilities. Read more
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Friends & Supporters
