WHAT'S NEW?

One-year anniversary of City of Ottawa's Single-Use Plastics Ban

June 26, 2020 marks the one-year anniversary of Ottawa City Council's unanimous decision to eliminate single use plastics in all municipal buildings. OWSAG played a large role in bringing that motion to Council, and we continue pushing the City to implement that decision. We have been contacting our Councillors asking for updates on actions taken. 

We need you to do the same. Please contact your Councillor through email, phone or in person and ask them what they personally plan to do to help implement this very important motion.  It is only by keeping the topic out in front of council that they will know this issue is important to you, the citizens of Ottawa. 

A Successful Story of Plastic Screening! 

On April 22, we celebrated Earth Day by hosting a free screening of The Story of Plastic. More than 100 people signed up to see this seething expose uncovering the ugly truth behind the current global plastic pollution crisis. You can see segments of the film on YouTube. 

Supporters gave us thoughtful feedback and exciting ideas for action!
In the discussion that followed, we shared ideas for responding to the plastic crisis here at home. We also received great feedback and ideas via email. We’ve synthesized that information in the document below.

Where do we go from here?
OWSAG will draw on those comments and ideas to plan upcoming actions to address the plastics crisis in our own communities.
 
Let's work together! 
We invite you to stay connected to OWSAG, to hear about our plans and possibly get involved in our work. It’s easy, scroll down and sign up for our updates. We’ll let you know about our meetings and next steps.
 
And if you haven’t had a chance to send us your thoughts yet, we’d still like to hear from you! Please email us your ideas and thoughts or post a message on our Facebook page. 
feedback_the_story_of_plastics_v2.pdf
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Earth Day, April 22

Since a protest on April 22, 1970 against environmental exploitation, people around the world have celebrated this day to mark the need to protect Mother Earth. The WaterCare Allies of First United Church offered and coordinated A Time of Prayer for the Earth at 10:00 a.m. to celebrate Earth Day. Everyone was invited to join in this unifying experience of Sacred Activism.

A Time of Prayer for the Earth
We invite you to sit quietly and clear your mind of the news that swirls around you.
Slowly, take a few deep breaths....breathe in, breathe out....repeat five times. 

Listen for the call to action to heal the Earth. 
Listen for ways you can walk the talk. 

Listen for the ways Mother Earth is responding at this time of crisis,
as we are all isolating to keep ourselves and others safe.

Listen to the reduced noise levels with less traffic....
Listen to the songs of the birds, the babbling of the river rapids, the wind whispering in the trees. 
Listen to these natural sounds that were previously been drowned out in our busyness. 

Take a moment to be filled with gratitude
for the incredible sounds of nature as we sit together in silence.
Continue to breathe deeply and slowly. 

Bring to mind those things that come from the Earth that sustain us: 
The air we breathe
The water we drink 
The food we eat 
The materials that build our homes
The clothing that keeps us warm
All of these come from the life-giving planet we call home.

Take this moment to silently thank the Earth
for all that you appreciate in your life.

Thank you for sharing this time with us to honour Mother Earth. 

Sir John A. MacDonald Pub Signs on to blueW!

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It’s hard to deny how big a problem single-use plastic waste has become. Businesses in our community are helping address the issue by offering tap water to anyone who drops in asking to refill their water bottle. 

Peter Abraham, owner of the Sir John A. MacDonald Restaurant and Pub on Elgin Street, happily signed on to the program recently. Those needing a refill of their reusable water bottle will know by the blueW sticker on the the front window that they're welcome to come in for some high-quality Ottawa tap water. 

Ottawa Water Study/Action Group (OWSAG) volunteers have been approaching local businesses to get involved in the blueW campaign.  All participating businesses are marked on a map at blueW.com, so it’s easy to find your nearest source of drinking water as you go about your day. 

The program is a benefit not only to residents, but also to the more than 1 million tourists who visit Ottawa each year, especially during the summer months. Making it easy to find a place to refill a water bottle in the heat and humidity of summer will help visitors stay cool and comfortable while they enjoy all that the city has to offer.
​ 
If you’d like to learn more about the campaign and how to get involved, go to https://www.owsagottawa.org/bluew-campaign.html
Peter Abraham, owner of the Sir John A. MacDonald Restaurant
& Pub and Councillor Catherine McKenney (Somerset Ward)

blueW Campaign Reaches Sandy Hill!

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​Single-use plastics are a major environmental hazard. One way to tackle this is to address the use of water sold in plastic bottles. To counter this, the City of Ottawa has recently pledged to eliminate all single-use plastics in municipal buildings. 

Now OWSAG is supporting a new project – the blueW campaign. This project encourages the using reusable water containers for municipal tap water. OWSAG is asking local store owners to promote the use of municipal tap water. They do this by posting a blueW decal that says “Free water bottle refills/ Remplissage de bouteilles d’eau gratuit”. All stores posting this decal offer free municipal tap water refills.

The Working Title Café at the All Saints Centre at Laurier and Chapel streets has always promoted drinking municipal tap water. They were one the first of several stores in Sandy Hill to post a blueW decal.

Municipal Councillor for the Rideau-Vanier Ward, Mathieu Fleury, was one of the many Councillors who supported and passed the City Council resolution to eliminate single-use plastics in all municipal buildings.

All these efforts are part of a growing movement to create a more liveable environment for us all.

Right: Councillor Mathieu Fleury and OWSAG Founder Dr. Eric Schiller proudly point out the blueW sticker at the The Working Title Café



Bread and Roses Bakery Supports blueW!

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Chris Green, owner of Bread and Roses Bakery at 323 St. Laurent Blvd. was one of the first to sign on to the blueW program. He's enthusiastic about the concept and very willing to participate. 

Municipal Councillor Rawlson King (Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward) said “I’m committed to safe drinking water and the reduction
of plastics. I campaigned on this and I was very pleased to vote on not renewing the contract for bottled water in all municipal buildings soon after my election”. 

He added: “Ottawa’s water is one of the safest in Canada”.

Look for the blueW logo in the window of Bread and Roses Bakery and other businesses in the Manor Park community or check the blueW.com website for other participating stores, restaurants and shops.

If you’d like to learn more about the campaign and how to get involved, go to https://www.owsagottawa.org/bluew-campaign.html

Left: Bread and Roses Bakery owner Chris Green & Municipal Councillor Rawlson King​
"The bottled water industry promotes their product as a 'healthier' alternative to tap water.
But the fact is tap water in Canada is much more regulated than bottled water."
​~ Eric Schiller, OWSAG member
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