Tales on Trails: Weather
We have trapped on this line for over 25 years, but this year was the worst for unpredictability, hands-down. Trapping season starts Nov. 1…
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Really – Don’t Be A Litterbug!
Every May, as soon as the roadside snow is gone and the mud has mostly dried, my husband and I clean up the sides of the road on our route.
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From Pennies to Purpose: 35 years of Raven
From a penny-a-can collection in Whitehorse’s old arena to a territory-wide force for environmental stewardship, Raven’s journey
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A Meditation on Waste and Numbers
This will hang a small painting or drawing on canvas board or on light particleboard or plywood I love the vision of bending our take-make-waste
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EV – Achievement Unlocked Part 3
Whitehorse – Vancouver and back Electric Vehicle adventure. Scenic drives, battery mishaps, Northern Lights, the highs and lows of EV travel.
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EV – Achievement Unlocked Part 2
An EV speed run from Whitehorse to Vancouver: Part 2 After a relaxing soak in Liard Hot Springs while my Mustang Mach-E recharged, I pushed
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EV – Achievement Unlocked Part 1
The biggest disadvantage to driving an EV in the Yukon? There has been a near 900-km gap between the last Yukon L3 in Watson Lake
EV – Achievement Unlocked Part 1 Read More »
Material ReCulturing: On showing up to sort the waste
“There is a system. Please use the system.” Finding ways to say that without words is often more effective, and as it becomes more normalized
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Sentimentality And Our Relationship To Materials
I got some emails back from you! I am so happy and grateful for them. I have gathered them up here and put them to use.
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Learning To Slow Down
For this installment of Material ReCulturing, I thought I would write about some of the contradictions of camping…
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Who Do You Think Should Wear This Cloak?
Thanks for tuning in again to the “Material Reculturing” column! As I mentioned in the first column, I’m planning to alternate…
Who Do You Think Should Wear This Cloak? Read More »
Carbon-Neutral Ham And Other Stories
I have had the good fortune to be selected as an Artist in Residence at Raven ReCentre for two summers now. My work with Zero Waste…
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Yukon Plastics
Janna Swales wants to make plastic “something” to treasure. But to make a real difference, she has her sights set on working…
The Real Heroes Of The Environment
A recent audit by the Federal Environment Commissioner, Jerry DeMarco, showed that Canada is falling short of its commitment…
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Nine Simple Ideas For Earth Day
Annual events are a wonderful way to bring awareness to certain issues but, unfortunately, long-lasting change doesn’t come…
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Is It A Dump Or A Resource Centre?
Last fall, I moved into a new place that didn’t have a good set-up for storing wood. I like to have some chopped wood close to the door…
Is It A Dump Or A Resource Centre? Read More »
Gifts From Mother Nature
Earth Day is approaching. The annual event is held every year on April 22 and is celebrated by over one billion people…
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The Path To Bettering Your Soil
Gardening in the Yukon can sometimes feel like a perennial struggle when in other parts of the country it might appear almost effortless.
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More Than Just Waste
Let’s be honest, for most of us, poop is normally seen as something to be quickly flushed down the toilet. We call it “waste…”
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Lichens
Endless forests stand as the majestic backdrop to much of the Yukon, but by looking down, you can see a much more…
Freeze-Proof Animals
Each winter, our furry neighbours don an extra-thick coat of fur and fat to make it through the winter. But a coat isn’t the only strategy…
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Environmental reading isn’t all doom and gloom
It’s a new year. Many of us are gleefully planning must-read books for this year, even if every year our ambition leads to a stack
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Trash Talk with Zero Waste Yukon
Its a day to celebrate recycling: Waste Reduction Week is happening October 18 to 24! Spray champagne, just remember to recycle the bottle.
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Confessions of a canny can collector
In 2 weeks I collected 260 refundable cans. $6.50/week, more than $300/year. I had visions of dogs helping, the dogs did not share my vision.
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Recycling your wreck
Some old trucks are a source of antique reverence to the past, but too many abandoned cars are an unfortunate part of Yukon’s landscape.
Recycling your wreck Read More »
Plastic-free July has started
This month is “Plastic-Free July,” a worldwide effort to reduce each of our consumption of single-use plastic products for one month.
Plastic-free July has started Read More »
Reconnecting with natural places
People who contemplate the beauty of nature do it in many different ways, some by exploring places that are new to them, others via the familiar rhythms of where they can go from their doorstep.
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Fashion Forward
Progressive designs, by Scott Dudiak Scott Dudiak is the program coordinator for Zero Waste Yukon Milan, Paris, New York … Whitehorse? That’s right, for another
Bye-bye baggies
Keeping It Green Single-use plastic bags are out and reusables are in! Congratulations, Yukon! After 10 years of painstaking discussion, single-use shopping bags will be
Taking water for granted
In the Yukon, we are spoiled with our abundance of water. Sadly, here and throughout most of North America, we use it (read “waste it”) as if the supply is infinite.
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The Gwich’in’s journey to protect the Arctic Refuge
Which land mammal migrates farther than any other? It’s not the wildebeest on the savannas of Africa, or the antelope on the Tibetan steppe. It is the Porcupine caribou herd, right here in the Yukon.
The Gwich’in’s journey to protect the Arctic Refuge Read More »
Conservation Photography
I have a confession. I work for CPAWS Yukon and I’ve never been into the Peel Watershed. (The small exception is the time I canoed
Conservation Photography Read More »
Are beaver ponds wetlands?
Since writing a column on wetlands, a question has come up for me—is a beaver pond considered a wetland?
Are beaver ponds wetlands? Read More »
Avoiding a “grizzly” situation
Wildlife viewing is a favourite Yukon pastime. How does the Species at Risk Act & better understanding Canada’s biodiversity protect that?
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Heart your green cart
An axe. A wig. A bone. These are the three things people searched for most frequently on the City of Whitehorse’s What Goes Where waste app.
Heart your green cart Read More »
Read the land
As long as I remember, I’ve travelled throughout the Mackenzie Delta and Beaufort Coast with my dad. We travelled all over during different seasons hunting or trapping different animals.
Turning seventy
I turned 70 this year. I’m pondering what this means. At 55 and 60, various senior discounts kicked in and it seemed kind of fun.
Much ado about nothing
Zero may be nothing in the world of math, but in weather the significance of this integer is amazing. October is a good time to
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A perfect storm
We can’t ignore the human factors that lead to extreme weather events I attended David Phillips’ (Senior Climatologist with Environment and Climate Change Canada) March
Kiss your ash goodbye
Yukon Innovation Prize finalist Michael Gerasimoff wants to help transition heating in the Yukon from fossil fuels to biomass (wood) while maintaining the excellent air
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Venting for need, intelligent indeed
Like another project, Yukon Innovation Prize finalists Cody Reaume and Thomas Jacquin are focused on improving the energy efficiency of Heat Recovery Ventilators (HRVs.) The
Venting for need, intelligent indeed Read More »
Food security in the North
Local food production and sourcing has become an important component of our food supply, like the potatoes harvested here at the Yukon Grain Farm in
Food security in the North Read More »
What is the jet stream?
I attended David Phillip’s lecture on weather and climate change in early March and was inspired to write a series of articles with the goal
What is the jet stream? Read More »
Not like the dinosaurs
Each year, Earth Day focuses on a specific theme to raise awareness of a particular environmental issue we are currently facing. (Last year’s theme encouraged
Not like the dinosaurs Read More »
Earth Day reflections
The first Earth Day was held on April 22, 1970 as a series of peaceful demonstrations against growing air and water pollution. Almost 50 years
Earth Day reflections Read More »
Are you prepared for a forest fire?
First and foremost … I have the greatest respect for all firefighters when they fight a fire—be it a house fire or a forest fire.
Are you prepared for a forest fire? Read More »
A Clutterless Christmas
This year, commit to giving presents that will be useful, meaningful and appreciated. There are many (so many!) options for Yukoners to consider if you just think a little creatively.
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Evoking kintsugi
Whitehorse artist Leslie Leong applied for a residency at the Ted Harrison Artists Retreat to work towards a large show at the Yukon Arts Centre
It’s ‘snowing’ at Sima!
Every October, Mount Sima starts snow production and welcomes hundreds of athletes from all over Canada for pre-season training in November. Whitehorse, Yukon, is the
It’s ‘snowing’ at Sima! Read More »
Knowing our strengths and weaknesses helps weather climate change
An expert panel on how Canadians cope with the day-to-day realities of climate change was released last week, and the Yukon has a place at the table.
Knowing our strengths and weaknesses helps weather climate change Read More »
Inspired by Place
Kristin Link is a visual artist based in McCarthy, Alaska, who works in natural history and science art. She creates interpretive signs and educational material about nature.
Yukon Montessori School battles plastic pollution
When discussing the global plastic pollution, things can often seem bleak. That is not the case at Yukon Montessori School, where, in Kelly Scott’s Lower Elementary class, the future looks bright. Very bright.
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Sun, water and wind
Researchers explore how renewable energy can fuel the North in the future.
Sun, water and wind Read More »
From the California gold rush to the history of the Yukon
Josh Winkler combines traditional media with print media and sculpture. Reaching for the Sun is the title of his recent project. It references natural growth, but also the growth of humanity, the accumulation of products, and the fragility of the planet.
From the California gold rush to the history of the Yukon Read More »
Stream of Dreams
A team of facilitators from the Stream of Dreams program was in Dawson this week to promote environmental stewardship and facilitate a community art project.
Locally grown, raised, harvested, crafted …
The long-running Fireweed community farmers market has grown over the years into a destination event each week, as a multitude of local farmers, vendors and crafters gather to share their products.
Locally grown, raised, harvested, crafted … Read More »
Going green never looked so good
Fahrenheit Hair originally offered only hair services, but have recently expanded into further beauty services that include body sugaring, massage, threading, organic skincare and lash extensions.
Going green never looked so good Read More »
Do you remember when January was always cold?
-40 all month? Are you sure?
Do you remember when January was always cold? Read More »
Let’s end plastic pollution
To end plastic pollution, we need to shift our attitudes and behaviours. Plastic pollution affects our health and the health of the animals and plants we share our planet with.
Let’s end plastic pollution Read More »
Low impact on the land
The sites you choose look good to you or you wouldn’t set up there. Make your best effort to leave them as you found them.
Low impact on the land Read More »
What do we do to the natural world?
Two art shows at the Yukon Arts Centre Gallery explore the tension between the human and the natural world.
What do we do to the natural world? Read More »
Canada’s first superheroine saved from obscurity
There’s no need to be a closet comic nerd anymore. The genre has exploded into accepted popularity over the last 10 years and it’s definitely
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Celebrating 10 years at Climate Clothing
From pizzerias, to cell service providers, to gyms and cheese shops, the landscape at Horwoods Mall has changed a lot over the past decade. Amidst
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Plastic, plastic, everywhere
It is 2017 and plastic is all around us — in our toothbrushes, phones, and children’s toys. We use it to store our food and
Plastic, plastic, everywhere Read More »
A friend indeed
Dorothy Bradley leaves her vehicle at Eagle Bay Park, where Whistle Bend Way and Range Road meet, and walks to the bench overlooking McIntyre Creek.
TIAY Picks Dawson to Showcase Sustainable Tourism
Every few years the Tourism Industry Association of the Yukon brings either its spring or fall conference to Dawson City. TIA Yukon Executive Director Blake
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Cohousing Communities
Cohousing is a concept that has been around for a long time, but in the Yukon it’s starting to gain interest as an alternative living
Cohousing Communities Read More »
New Ideas on What to do with Old Stuff
The recent closures of the Salvation Army and free stores at Raven Recycling and the Whitehorse Waste Management Facility have made it difficult to source
New Ideas on What to do with Old Stuff Read More »
What Do You Have to Do to Eat Local?
The benefits of eating local are well known and documented; it’s better for the environment, it’s better for your health, and it’s better for the
What Do You Have to Do to Eat Local? Read More »
Dare to Reuse & Repair?
The need for opportunities to reuse and repair have become more important than ever before, and Zero Waste Yukon…
Dare to Reuse & Repair? Read More »
The Super Bowl of Ethics
It might be called a “bowl,” but in this competition, you won’t see any kickoffs, quarterbacks, punted balls or wide receivers. You will, however, see
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Benefits of Boxed Wine
If you drink wine in the Yukon, certainly you have had a glass of Copper Moon wine. Maybe out of a glass bottle, but probably
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Hold Onto that Heat
Woodstoves are still a very traditional heat source for our homes and cabins. Firewood and stoves have always been messy with chips and bark in
Hold Onto that Heat Read More »
The Streetlight Blues
“I used to stand at my son’s bedroom window, when he was two or three, and look northward to see stars,” says Forest Pearson, a
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A Change in the Climate
Yukon College is expanding their offerings in one the hottest (pardon the pun) arenas today: climate change. Often described as one of the greatest challenges
A Change in the Climate Read More »
The Lure of the Aurora Borealis
Tourists visit the Yukon to see the aurora; it’s the heart of the winter tourism industry. Visitors who have done their research will also have
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Haiti after Hurricane Matthew
The eye of Hurricane Matthew hit the Tiburon Peninsula, the southwest tip of Haiti, on October 4th. With winds that blew 230 kilometres an hour
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Thinking Outside the Box in Carcross
In the mid-70s, Michael Reynolds, an American architect, was working very hard in a sand dune of New Mexico. Fed up with what he saw
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Diggin’ It Old School
The first thing that people know about me is that I am a city girl. It’s not that I do not have an appreciation for
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Deep Ecology within Architecture and Design
The Living Building Challenge is an international sustainable building certificate program to foster the conscious development and design of eco-friendly architecture. It was launched
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Yes we wood!
The first biomass heating project to use waste wood in the North has been up and running for a month. The project was initiated by
On a Wing and a Prayer
Monarch butterflies appear fragile, but it is extraordinarily hardy. Every year they migrate thousands of miles to overwinter in Mexico.
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Winter: A Season for Change
“The more things change the more they stay the same” and “The only constant in life is change” are both very cliche and very true.
Winter: A Season for Change Read More »
Repurpose, Recycle, Reintegrate
Reducing our solid waste is not an easily digested subject. An upcoming conference in Whitehorse hopes to break down solutions into manageable bites. The Working
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Showing Torontonians What’s Happening in Old Crow
photos from Old Crow, Yukon Territory, and Inuvik, Northwest Territories from youth workshops held by BYTE
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Musings on Ice: A Changing Yukon Winter Story
Ice is important. It allows people and wildlife to use or cross lakes, ponds and rivers. Ice also provides access to what’s below: fish, muskrats
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West Dawson Time
I’m not sure where the second week of freeze up has gone. After the protracted nature of my preparations, the flurry of activity upon arrival,
A natural way to look good (and feel good)
Standing in the hallway of the Horwood’s Mall, looking into Climate Clothing, you don’t immediately see the First Nation influence in the neat rows of
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Global response to climate change
The systems of the Earth are inextricably interwoven – be they environmental, social, or economic. Naomi Klein, bestselling author of This Changes Everything, The Shock
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Harvesting Porcupine Caribou Near Old Crow
In the past two years the herd of Porcupine Caribou in Old Crow herd has gradually changed its natural migration route.
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Deep Ecology
The year was 1971. Three Dog Nights’ “Joy to the World” became RPM’s top chart hit alongside The Stampeders’ “Sweet City Woman”. Pierre Trudeau was
Discounting Trash
What would you consider to be valuable about Whitehorse? The nearby mountains? The vibrant community? Being able to fish and hunt close to town? Having
Your Garbage is Better than Mine
“Wow, you found a gold mine!” This was a recent Wednesday, around 11:37 a.m. My co-workers and I answered the call from the City of
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What’s In This Library
Spring is approaching — it’s time for all those with a green thumb to enjoy the warm weather. The garden season in the Yukon poses
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Potatoes Grow Anywhere
Formerly the Ramada, now the Days Inn, sits at the edge of the Whitehorse industrial area. It’s parking lot and big-box-store land, the concrete jungle
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Whitehorse Has Gas
If you’re unsure whether you consider Whitehorse a progressive city, here’s some fodder for the thought that it is: we’re one of a (growing) handful
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A New Market?
I was having dinner with a neighbour the other day and she asked me if I needed any dried greens. She was referring to turnip
A Tale of Two Boxes
I had to do my first major snow clearance of the season on Hallowe’en. It wasn’t bad — took about half an hour. The snow
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Recycling Made Easy
In the beginning it was available only to the people of Riverdale. But now — two years later — the Yukon Blue Bin Recycling Society has
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