Green Orillia had a busy Earth Day Weekend hosting two events to jump into spring!
Seedy Saturday
On Saturday April 20th, we hosted the 11th annual Orillia Seedy Saturday at the Orillia Public Library.
Seedy Saturday is an event where local farmers and gardeners connect to trade and share open pollinated, organic, heritage seeds. We also promote the Orillia Seed Library, located on the second floor of the OPL.
The event coincided with the farmers market, and we were also joined by Cliffy’s Waste Station, and the Mariposa Pollinators who shared native plant information and seeds.
About the Orillia Seed Library: Orillia Community Gardens and the Orillia Public Library partnered in the spring of 2013 to launch this ever growing public collection of seeds integrated within the public library system, schools and community gardens. An effort to gather, organize and freely share seeds and knowledge to realize seed and food sovereignty and promote diversity.
Garbage Cleanup
On Sunday April 21st, we hosted our 4th annual spring garbage cleanup.
As the snow melts, alarming amounts of garbage and debris are uncovered, posing risks to ecosystems, waterways, and wildlife. Join us for a morning of community connection and environmental stewardship.
We met at Couchiching Beach Park in the Terry Fox Circle, where we had a community discussion, identified high-priority clean up areas, and then split off into groups to clean up while some folks stay back to help sort the waste as it comes in!
we totalled over 30 bags of garbage, over 10 bags of recycling, and a whole pile of larger items.
While we hold these events for community building and to show that it’s ordinary people who come together to keep our communities clean & safe, we must keep our focus on the root of the issue: big polluting corporations and lack of government regulation. Litter should be tackled at the source, and the real solution is a zero-waste society and holding corporations responsible.
Thank you to all of the volunteers who helped with these events!