Back to School Tips, Stay Eco Conscious

It’s that time of year again when many of us head back to school. Even though you may be exploring the outdoors in a different way or a little less, lets keep nature in mind!

Here are four quick ideas to start:

1. Back to School Clothes. Go to a second hand store to look for clothes. The 'Fast Fashion' which fills many retail stores is a huge cost to the environment. Take on the Reuse principle instead with second hand stores!

2. Consider the school supplies you have. Do they actually need to be replaced? Do they still work? Is there a non plastic alternative? For example, many plastic school supplies contain chemicals like PVC. Look for bamboo, hemp, wood, and other alternatives.

3. Think about litter-free lunches. When you pack your lunch for school think about what’s going inside it.

• Are there individually wrapped snacks?
• Do you have a sandwich in a plastic bag?
• Are you using a reusable water bottle?

4. Visit the bulk food store as part of back to school shopping. Buy in bulk with your family, instead of having many individual wrapped snacks. You and your family can make (and even freeze!) your own granola bars and other snacks. y gummies from bulk food stores, buy juice in larger cartons and put it in reusable cups.

Have a happy and eco conscious school year!

Alien Invaders

Stop!

Look

What do you see?

Maybe a plant that should not be?

We call them invasive, now we’ll be persuasive, on why you should stop them from being pervasive.

Invasive species don’t live in an ecosystem naturally but were brought in through human activity. These species are essentially bullies – they push out native species (ones that live there naturally) from the ecosystem by taking over their habitat and food!

Here are a few examples of invasive species that can be found in the biosphere – have you seen any of them!?

Japanese Knotweed

Japanese knotweed came to the biosphere from eastern Asia and is often mistaken for bamboo. Japanese knotweed has a tall, hollow stem, its leaves are shaped like a shovel or heart, and will have creamy white flowers on it in the summer. Its roots can even break through concrete and asphalt!

London Japanese Knotweed Removal

Round Goby

The round goby came from Europe’s Caspian and Black Sea. They are a concern for many reasons: they can spawn (produce more fish) multiple times a year, eat the food that native species rely on to survive, and will even eat the eggs of native fish!

Ontario's Invading Species Awareness Program

Zebra Mussels

Zebra Mussels also came from Europe’s Caspian and Black Sea. They are triangular and are black or brown with a white to yellow zig-zag pattern. These invaders consume a lot of the algae and zooplankton (a microscopic water animal) found in Georgian Bay, stealing it from young fish and other native species. Beware, their sharp shells can even cut swimmers feet!

Ontario's Invading Species Awareness Program

If you think you have found an invasive species you can report it to the invasive species hotline at 1-800-563-7711 and learn more online: www.invadingspecies.com/invading-species-reporting

Three cheers for the plants and animals who call the biosphere home!