toronto

SWAP/DROP V2.0 — DID YOU SAY FREE??

On Saturday, AUGUST 8 the second ever SWAP/DROP will be taking over the southwest side of Bellevue Park!! (Kensington Market, fyi) It runs from 11:30am -6 :30pm We will have an ArtSpace set up for people of all ages to make crafts, hang out and get creative in whatever way you’d like plus of course, the Swap/Drop :]

Give/Get free stuff
Work on projects with some really creative people (maybe I can host a workshop or two)
Play music
Have FREE FUN

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1606189099624651/

OFFICIAL GROUP: SWAP/DROP (join to stay updated or volunteer for the next one) ++Share this event with your friends!

We had such a great time hearing your stories, painting pinecones and doing scavenger hunts with you! A big thanks to everyone who was so supportive of this idea. I hope to see you back again :] Keep in mind, the Swap/Drop wasn’t only created to have free fun and get free stuff. I created this to inspire others to think differently about unnecessary consumerism and the role we play in waste management. If we buy less, share more & think differently about what is considered junk, we can limit lots of waste ending up in the dump and make cool art/furniture at the same time. Who knows, maybe the best things in life really are free.

♥A.R.T.T.

A painting lots of people added paint to on June 6th, 2015 – the first Swap/Drop

A.R.T.T. Supports Mad Pride @ Metro Hall – Sat July 11

Visit my booth on July 11 from 11:00 am – 5:00 pm at Metro Hall, 55 John Street

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Reading List: June 2015

» June 27

Thrifty Gardening From the Ground Up by Marjorie Harris
Being cheap (& environmentally friendly) in your garden. This book is full of great info from large-scale gardens to balcony gardens. I learned a lot about propagation, watering, soil conditioning, composting, seed exchanges and DIY container gardening/design.

If you’re into gardening or being thrifty check out this book. Mine is now full of bookmarks to remind me of cool stuff I learned. I like how she had other people writing about different topics to give different perspectives.

She is also from Toronto! So this information is especially relevant if you live in the area.

*there is a free, fairly detailed preview available if you search for the e-book.

MORE FREE STUFF @ the SWAP/DROP

This Saturday I will be hosting an event called the SWAP/DROP where you can:

donate/get free stuff
work on projects with some really creative people
play music
hang out and have FREE FUN.

It runs from
11:30am -7 :30ish

@ BELLEVUE PARK (southwest side)

Facebook event: https://www.facebook.com/events/1606189099624651/

OFFICIAL 100in1dayTO: SWAP/DROP (more info)

Essentially I am trying to get the community together so we can think differently about consumerism and the role we play in waste management.

Buy less, share more & think differently about what trash means to YOU.

If you can, please share with your friends.

♥A.R.T.T.

March Against Monsanto – Toronto

No time to make a sign. No time to be a bee!

But I still marched. I made a difference. One voice among thousands. We shouted

“HEY, HEY! HO, HO! GMOS HAVE GOT TO GO!”

We let our city know what we want:

“SEED FREEDOM”

& when we wanted it

“NOW!”

— — — — — — — —

It was my first time going to MAMTO, yet it felt so natural to me.

All morning I stared at my breakfast, mulling over my food choices. Where they organic? No. Where did they come from? I don’t even want to think about it.
How many GMOs are snuck into the food I eat everyday?

Denial.
I’ll admit it, I know about all the awful pesticides killing our lovely pollinators.
I try to buy local, farm-friendly and organic when I can, but I am unemployed and trying to get to university.
It’s hard to vote with your money when you don’t have any!

— – — — –

Attending events like March Against Monsanto, going to local farmers markets and supporting programs such as Food Share, FarmTOFork, or the Toronto GMO Coalition can still make a difference — even if you can’t afford to buy 100% organic and fair trade products.

Volunteering is a free way to show your support.
*PRO TIP* sometimes you get free stuff!

At the end of the march, I got to hear a few bands play in Christie Pits along with many speakers. I wish I remembered their names. These are real people making change! Some sacrificed their jobs standing up for what they believe in.
It blew me away that one girl (16) started advocating for labeling GMOs when she was just 11 years old!
If she can do it, we all can.

Step up and fight for a world we are proud to be a part of.

♥ A.R.T.T. xx

Cherry Blossoms in High Park!

Good morning universe!

♥ Today I am off to High Park to see the lovely Sakura trees ♥

… Haven’t seen them and live in Toronto?!?

Take a day to bike, walk or fly!
Pack a picnic – don’t forget to take your trash with you –
+ spend the day breathing in some O(xygen) and hugging some trees.
I’d suggest going before Saturday, wind might blow the lovely flowers away.

UPDATE Toronto Hydroburgers

Results weren’t ideal for Toronto’s Hydro customers or environmental advocates.

18 out of 45 City Councillors voted in favour of ‘POLLUTER PAYS’

This would have gained the city of Toronto $1.6 million by charging hydro companies for their pollution instead of giving them discounts and allowing pollution fees to be passed down to hydro customers.

22 Councillors including the Mayor voted against full cost recovery.

They decided to allow corporate polluters to get discounts on the clean up costs associated with water treatment. This means hydro customers are still paying double for clean up fees.

See how your Councillor voted:

Interesting how BOTH burger brains voted against making corporations pay money to the City. Notice Rob Ford’s conflict of interest …

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This is not a test

This is not a test… it is a reminder.
A sticker to show you where your trash goes!

I try to stay conscious of what I buy; It limits what I send to landfills.
I often ask myself:

Do I need it?
How much packaging is there?
Will it break soon after I buy it?
Can I make this myself?
Can I acquire it pre-loved?

Spring Equinox! (Let’s fall in love)

It is spring equinox! There is also a full Solar Eclipse today.

Happy happy, beautiful spring :]

Take a walk outside, smell the earth and the rain. Can you hear birds?
Let the sun warm your face and see if you can see it’s color through your eyelids…

A new season of life, love, and rebirth!

I wish people in Canada could see the Solar Eclipse, but only Norway and the Faroe Islands will be lucky enough for this one.
If you’re in Europe, northern and eastern Asia or northern and western Africa, you’ll be able to spot a partial Eclipse –lucky!