The Official Website & Blog of Paxton Allewell. Communications Specialist, Educator, Writer and Designer.
Nature
Podcast Interview Feat. Melanie Mullen, Green Activist & Entrepreneur
Mar 4th
Talking all things ‘Green’ with Melanie Mullen
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Melanie Mullen
Ever wonder what really happens at the UN Climate Change Conferences? Would you like to know the definition of “green” from someone who even has the word green in their email address? Ever thought about retrofitting your home or apartment? Curious about the Green Party? Looking for some Green tips? If so, then this podcast is for you!
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In this podcast I have a chat with Melanie Mullen, ‘green warrior’ extraordinaire. Melanie currently runs her own eco-imagineering consulting company (re)cover inc., and has had significant involvement in the green movement over the years (since the age of 10!) where she has established a strong profile for herself.
In recent years she has attended three global UN Climate Change Conferences, worked in Ottawa as an Innovation and Development Co-ordinator for the United Nations Association of Canada, and on the political front, in 2008 she was nominated and voted in as the Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Ontario and a Candidate in the Provincial elections….and she’s not yet 30 years of age!
I hope you enjoy this 2 part, approx. 30 minute interview with the ever-fascinating and inspiring Melanie Mullen. I have a feeling you’ll want to be more green after listening, which would make her happy.
In PART 1 Melanie talks about what she’s up to in San Diego (hint Grammy Awards!), she defines “green” for us, talks about attending the recent Cancun, Mexico Climage Change Conference, ‘Hopenhagan’ and Bali conferences, and she discusses Canada’s involvement and (lack of) leadership…
In PART 2 Melanie discusses her reasons for running for the Green Party in 2008, she tells us about her company (re)cover inc. where she uniquely combines her Environmental Engineering degree and green passions, and she ends off the interview with some green tips…leaving us wanting to learn more.
Special THANKS to Melanie for taking the time to chat with me! If you have any comments or questions please post them below, or contact myself or Melanie directly.
Enjoy!
Podcast (part-1): Download (Duration: 18:29 — 7.4MB)
Podcast (part-2): Download (Duration: 18:41 — 7.5MB)
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For more information on Melanie please visit her website:
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Getting Ready for Algonquin Park…
Sep 23rd
At McMicheal Gallery's Cemetery - Lauren & Bess Harris' Headstone
A few weeks ago I went with a friend to the renowned McMichael Art Gallery in the village of Kleinburg just north of Toronto for the first time. It’s a gem of a place. I noticed a picture in the gallery near the cafe of Pierre Trudeau and his son from way back at the gallery having fun. I felt very Canadian at that point, but yet very international too, and proud of it. I was in the right place. And I was grateful to be there.
I went specifically this time to see an exhibit called Following in the Footsteps of the Group of 7. This unique exhibit “trace[d] the work of Jim and Sue Waddington who have a passion for locating the actual sketching sites for artworks by members of the Group of Seven… Juxtaposing the original artworks with photographs taken by the Waddingtons in the La Cloche Hills in Killarney where these Group members camped, canoed, portaged and sketched, the show allow[ed] visitors to examine iconic images of the northern Ontario landscape and discover the real inspiration behind them.”
It was a very insightful exhibit and to top it off Jim and Sue were there that day too, the last day of the exhibit. Jim and Sue were at the exhibit often I was told. And they kindly answered questions and shared their stories. They told us to check out www.groupofseven.ca more more info and an interactive website featuring their work etc. Do check it out, you’ll get a feel for the concept.
I’ve been a Lauren Harris fan for quite some time now and also have certainly grown to appreciate the rest of the Group of 7 as well, including Tom Thomson (especially this time at the gallery) and Emily Carr.
The visit at McMichael was inspiring in many ways, but after that visit I knew I wanted and needed to get into the great outdoors and explore like the Group of 7 did, in the place(s) they explored. I’ve done some outdoorsy stuff in the past, but it has been awhile and it’s about time to renew that part of my life. Algonquin Park came to mind and was an obvious first step as I have never been.
Many of the paintings at the gallery were in the fall (with their beautiful fall colours) and since it was the end of summer when I visited McMichael I figured it was nearing prime time to go…so why not this Fall!
I suggested the idea to a outdoorsy friend of mine, and almost miraculously, it turned out he was thinking of the same thing – going to Algonquin Park! I’m pleased to say that I’m going this weekend just a few short weeks since visiting Algonquin, and three of us plan to hike one day and do a canoe portage one day. We won’t be staying on the camp grounds this time around, but at a nearby motel.
In preparation for this trip I went on YouTube for some insights and came across a couple songs that I really enjoyed. I thought I would share them here. Enjoy!
Hawkwatching in Grimsby
Apr 14th
overlooking 40 mile creek
It’s been on my ‘to do’ list for awhile now and I finally did it this past Saturday. Hawkwatching at Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in Grimbsy, Niagara.
I’d never heard of anything like it until I moved back to Niagara. Hawkwatching is not only an activity for locals to enjoy, it’s also a unique nature experience for tourists, or for people in surrounding areas to enjoy too. I went with my mom and we met a friendly (first-timers) couple along the trail from Burlington, which is just up the highway from Grimsby.
From early March until mid-May you can enjoy ‘Hawkwatching’ as hawks, eagles, falcons, and vultures migrate through the Niagara Peninsula on their way to nest further up North. They come along the Niagara escarpment because it allows for strong updrafts of wind, which the birds gladly glide on to conserve energy.
Hawkwatching is not just a sight to see, it’s also a serious hobby for the Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch (NPC), which has members stationed daily throughout the migration to identify and record migrating birds.There’s a special Hawkwatching lookout station (which the public can go up as well), and volunteers have binoculars to spot and track the birds.They even have an hourly tally board – like a score board at a golf tournament.
We met one of the trackers – who was a character – and he was happy to give us some insights into Hawkwatching. One thing he told us about Hawk Cliff on Lake Erie, another Hawkwatching hot spot, which is supposed to be even more spectacular than Beamer in the Fall during the winter migration – as Hawk Cliff is the ideal route for birds to travel south.
But Beamer Conservation Area is not just about Hawkwatching. It also has a ‘Lookout Trail’ which features three lookout points that overlook the town of Grimsby and Lake Ontario, and you can even see Niagara Falls hotels off in the distance. Off of one side of the trail is the 40 mile creek, a nice little valley area which is where you’ll also find the Upper and Lower Beamer Falls.
It was really cool to see all the hawks overhead during our walk and we even saw one really close along the cliff just above us. The hawks wings were spectacular and for a few moments I felt the fear of being its prey, as you could imagine the hawk sweeping down and snapping you up – just like the ‘birds’ in Avatar.
So now I can officially say that Hawkwatching is a great weekend activity. It’s like any hobby or past time. If you make a little effort you can learn something new and see the world in a different way, and you can usually get deeper and deeper into it and gain even more appreciation – i.e. Hawk Cliff.
So not only do you get to go for a little walk or hike and enjoy some beautiful views, you also get to do some hawkwatching, and you can also get right up close to Beamer Falls. You could bring a picnic along and easily make an afternoon out of it.
Happy Hawkwatching!
More info:
Niagara Peninsula Hawkwatch >>
Beamer Memorial Conservation Area >>
town of grimsby below with niagara falls off in the distance
A Nostalgic Morning (My 1st Podcast)
Mar 6th
Podcast: Download (Duration: 2:07 — 2.9MB)
Hope you enjoy my first podcast just above…please press play!
I went for a nice hike today at St. Johns Conservation Area just a few minutes from where I live in Fonthill.
All morning I had a wonderful energy and deep sense of nostalgia. It forced me into a corner and made me confront my desire to want to reconnect with my past and my old friends. I found myself flipping through an old photo album and reflecting on distant memories.
My 10 year High School reunion is coming up in July – which I’m very excited about – but I don’t want to surpress this renewed desire to reconnect with my childhood friends from Ottawa, and the place itself.
Here’s a few photos from my hike below.
Video: Starbucks’ New Green Stores
Feb 27th
Starbucks “aim[s] to achieve LEED® certification for all new company-operated stores beginning in 2010.”
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As someone who worked at Starbucks for three weeks because I liked their coffee and business values (at least at the time), and as someone who takes advantage of the Starbucks environment to do work online, and as someone who prefers Starbucks to Tim Hortons, I was pleased to see the new and green concept stores – they look pretty cool. I just hope that they also find a way to better deal with excessive noise and traffic “pollution” to enhance the experience as well.
So far three new stores “showcase” the new approach. Two stores are in Seattle and one in Paris. For more info about the new stores and a virtual tour of these stores see Starbucks’ new website>>
What do you think of the new stores? Are you a fan of Starbucks? Is LEED certification enough? Please comment here>>
Tweeting in Welland
Jan 17th
Feeding little birds on Merritt Island, Welland
This weekend I went on a nice walk with my mom on Merritt Island in downtown Welland. On our walk we saw an older man with a handful of seeds feeding the nearby birds. I didn’t realize you could do that!
We wanted to take a picture of him doing it, but instead he offered us some seeds so I was able to give it a try for myself. I was thrilled to have this unexpected opportunity. I tried briefly on the same spot where he was just moments ago, but with no luck so we carried on and I kept the seeds in the palm of my hand to try a little later on down the trail.
We made a stop a little further down the trail where we heard and saw some birds – including a Cardinal. It took a little patience, and some arm strength holding out my hand, however slowly but surely the birds started to make their way to me jumping and flying down the trees. It was really cute and so cool when they would jump up on my hand and grab their treat. I recommend you try doing it sometime.
