As published in The Erin Advocate
It seems like everywhere you turn these days, someone is cranking the alarm, telling us that life as we know it will be ending sooner instead of later. In this era of instant news and short attention spans, it is hard to maintain a focus on complex disasters like climate change. They say it's happening fast, but it seems so slow.
Depressing news seems to trigger either a hope reflex or a total tune-out. People will seek a quick bite of "It's not going to be that bad", or settle for a forkful of "Why the heck should I care?"
I went looking for some good news on climate change, but the pickin's were slim. I heard climate change expert Don MacIver speak in Alton, at an evening sponsored by Caledon's Green T Environmental Awareness and Credit Valley Conservation (CVC).
MacIver has the ultimate credentials. He is a farmer, the mayor of Amaranth Township (near Shelburne) and a climate change scientist with Environment Canada. As a researcher with the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, he shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore.
"The atmosphere is unforgiving," he said. "It doesn't even know we exist. But we have tickled it. We need to find out how we're going to adapt to these changes. Damaging storms will be more common and more severe."
We will need stronger buildings, bridges, roads and drainage systems, and they will have to be replaced more often. Municipalities will need plans to deal with more frequent flooding and heat waves, and be prepared for more freezing rain instead of snow.
Most municipalities are not even able to maintain existing infrastructure, so the situation seems bleak. Can we accept the idea that our standard of living has been unsustainably high, and that sacrifices will have to be made (higher taxes, lower expectations) if we want to preserve a portion of what we have had?
Canada's climate has changed significantly since the 1950s, accelerated by human activity. Temperatures have increased, especially in the winter and spring, with the annual average up 1.4 degrees. There will be more wildfires, more drought in the prairies and higher sea levels – though it will be a long time before we have a shorter drive to the ocean shore.
Since 1960, CVC and its partners have fought the change, planting 2,500 hectares of new forests in the watershed. They hope to capture an extra 5,400 tonnes of carbon per year, adding about .8 per cent to the 6.5 million tonnes our forests already store. As climate zones move north, they will have to plant the types of trees that now flourish in places like Pennsylvania.
The issues now revolve around mitigation, not on stopping or reversing climate change. "It is too late for that – we have to adapt," said MacIver, challenging people to be creative in their response to the crisis. "Climate change doesn't always have to be bad and disastrous."
The harsh realities will be in the news. More people (far away) will perish due to storms and floods. Aboriginal communities (far away) will have to abandon their traditional way of life. Entire species (far away) will be lost to extinction. Nations (far away) will go to war over scarce food and water.
On the bright side, we may get a 20 per cent longer golf season. As polar ice melts, Canada's economy may benefit from northern ports, Arctic tourism and access to more oil, gas and minerals. (No wonder the oil companies are in no rush to slow global warming.)
We live in a protected bubble here, overflowing with resources and suffering few natural disasters. But if the economies of our trading partners are devastated by climate change, our economy will be extremely vulnerable. When we get the inevitable "carbon tax", will we welcome a conserving lifestyle?
If farmers can deal with more drought and pests, maybe they can benefit from a longer growing season. If we can get used to hotter summers, maybe we will appreciate the money saved on winter heating.
Over a million people and a thousand stewardship groups are active in Canada, working to protect or restore forests and wetlands. Together with alternatives to fossil fuels, these efforts will be key to preserving a portion of our standard of living. The fact that Canada produces a small fraction of the world's greenhouse gases should not stop us from showing leadership in this area.
If the average citizen comes to feel personally threatened by changes in the climate, perhaps stewardship efforts will involve the majority of people – an act of communal defence on an increasingly inhospitable planet.
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October 27, 2010
October 20, 2010
Skateboard park more realistic than a pool
As published in The Erin Advocate
Election season always brings out a bit of wishful thinking about recreational facilities, so it was no surprise when council candidates were asked about the possibility of a swimming pool or an additional ice rink in the Town's future.
It is an important discussion to have from time to time, even if it is only a superficial stirring of the pot. And even if there is no hope of a pool, it is interesting to see how candidates respond. Here are excerpts from their answers, in the order they spoke, at the October 6 all-candidates meeting.
John Brennan: "I think it would be wonderful to have a swimming pool in town. It would be a recreational asset and a healthy exercise promoter. They are tremendously expensive to maintain. It would be difficult for us to do on our own, but certainly we should explore the possibility with the school board. For recreational spending, I think we should be spending at about 20 per cent of the operating budget. It's a healthy investment for the town. We need to expand wherever we can, but we need to seek grants and do it in a fiscally responsible manner."
Josie Wintersinger: "Yes, I would be in favour. There are lots of people, and particularly young children, who are not getting the exercise that they need. You also have an older population, and swimming is an activity that they can do. However, that is going to cost funds, and where are we going to get the funds from? I don't see, unless people are going to fundraise for it, how we're going to come up with the kind of money that you need. So in all due fairness, unless as taxpayers you want to contribute a little more, I don't see how it's possible."
Shawn Wilson: "I'd have to say no to a pool. There's one in Caledon. Mayfield has one, I don't think it gets used that much. It's a huge cost. It doesn't say much for our previous planning that now we have to put an addition on the arena for four change rooms. And now you want to put a pool in there? That's not common sense thinking. That's foolish thinking. That's a waste of money and time."
Craig Porterfield: "It would be a nice toy, but the maintenance costs for a pool are just too high. As far as an additional ice rink, I think that's unfeasible as well. You have to be able to be held responsible when spending tax dollars. Frankly, I think that there's too much money that goes towards sports now for a select few."
Barb Tocher: "We'd all love to have them, but can we afford them? We just do not have the critical mass to support a pool. I don't think we're at a time that we can afford that kind of a luxury. There will come a day when we will need a new arena facility with ice pads. We're not there yet. We're taking small steps. The skateboard park will run us about $100,000. How are we going to pay that? Corporate sponsorships, fundraising from the kids that are involved, the stakeholders are getting involved with the town, so they're coming to a partnership."
Deb Callaghan: "Much as I'd love to see a pool in the town, I don't think it's feasible. It's far too cost prohibitive. As far as the skating rinks – quite often the ice surface is empty, no one is using it, so there is no way I could ever support another ice surface."
The mayoral candidates were asked about a pool at the October 14 all-candidates meeting. Lou Maieron expressed his support for a pool, since "not everyone plays hockey". Rod Finnie said that instead of an expensive pool project, "we're looking at a splash pad".
On the issue of a skateboard/BMX park at Centre 2000, it is interesting that much progress has been made just before an election. I hope that the momentum continues after the election.
No opposition was expressed at a recent public meeting, and the Town has agreed to match funds raised one-to-one. Compared to pools and ice rinks, the 5,000 sq. ft. facility is relatively inexpensive ($85,000) and will require little maintenance.
Naturally, there is some risk of noise and rowdy behaviour, but let's face it, that risk exists in many areas. Nearby residents do have a valid concern about noise, so the Town should investigate a buffer of dense trees to reduce the impact.
With young people involved in the fundraising, the risk of vandalism should be diminished. It is a high-traffic area, with three security cameras nearby, so it should be possible to create a safe environment.
This project has been requested many times over the years by young people and their parents, and the time has come time for it to actually happen. When the fundraising starts, I hope that businesses, service clubs and members of the public will be supportive.
Election season always brings out a bit of wishful thinking about recreational facilities, so it was no surprise when council candidates were asked about the possibility of a swimming pool or an additional ice rink in the Town's future.
It is an important discussion to have from time to time, even if it is only a superficial stirring of the pot. And even if there is no hope of a pool, it is interesting to see how candidates respond. Here are excerpts from their answers, in the order they spoke, at the October 6 all-candidates meeting.
John Brennan: "I think it would be wonderful to have a swimming pool in town. It would be a recreational asset and a healthy exercise promoter. They are tremendously expensive to maintain. It would be difficult for us to do on our own, but certainly we should explore the possibility with the school board. For recreational spending, I think we should be spending at about 20 per cent of the operating budget. It's a healthy investment for the town. We need to expand wherever we can, but we need to seek grants and do it in a fiscally responsible manner."
Josie Wintersinger: "Yes, I would be in favour. There are lots of people, and particularly young children, who are not getting the exercise that they need. You also have an older population, and swimming is an activity that they can do. However, that is going to cost funds, and where are we going to get the funds from? I don't see, unless people are going to fundraise for it, how we're going to come up with the kind of money that you need. So in all due fairness, unless as taxpayers you want to contribute a little more, I don't see how it's possible."
Shawn Wilson: "I'd have to say no to a pool. There's one in Caledon. Mayfield has one, I don't think it gets used that much. It's a huge cost. It doesn't say much for our previous planning that now we have to put an addition on the arena for four change rooms. And now you want to put a pool in there? That's not common sense thinking. That's foolish thinking. That's a waste of money and time."
Craig Porterfield: "It would be a nice toy, but the maintenance costs for a pool are just too high. As far as an additional ice rink, I think that's unfeasible as well. You have to be able to be held responsible when spending tax dollars. Frankly, I think that there's too much money that goes towards sports now for a select few."
Barb Tocher: "We'd all love to have them, but can we afford them? We just do not have the critical mass to support a pool. I don't think we're at a time that we can afford that kind of a luxury. There will come a day when we will need a new arena facility with ice pads. We're not there yet. We're taking small steps. The skateboard park will run us about $100,000. How are we going to pay that? Corporate sponsorships, fundraising from the kids that are involved, the stakeholders are getting involved with the town, so they're coming to a partnership."
Deb Callaghan: "Much as I'd love to see a pool in the town, I don't think it's feasible. It's far too cost prohibitive. As far as the skating rinks – quite often the ice surface is empty, no one is using it, so there is no way I could ever support another ice surface."
The mayoral candidates were asked about a pool at the October 14 all-candidates meeting. Lou Maieron expressed his support for a pool, since "not everyone plays hockey". Rod Finnie said that instead of an expensive pool project, "we're looking at a splash pad".
On the issue of a skateboard/BMX park at Centre 2000, it is interesting that much progress has been made just before an election. I hope that the momentum continues after the election.
No opposition was expressed at a recent public meeting, and the Town has agreed to match funds raised one-to-one. Compared to pools and ice rinks, the 5,000 sq. ft. facility is relatively inexpensive ($85,000) and will require little maintenance.
Naturally, there is some risk of noise and rowdy behaviour, but let's face it, that risk exists in many areas. Nearby residents do have a valid concern about noise, so the Town should investigate a buffer of dense trees to reduce the impact.
With young people involved in the fundraising, the risk of vandalism should be diminished. It is a high-traffic area, with three security cameras nearby, so it should be possible to create a safe environment.
This project has been requested many times over the years by young people and their parents, and the time has come time for it to actually happen. When the fundraising starts, I hope that businesses, service clubs and members of the public will be supportive.
October 13, 2010
Torchlight volunteers provide immediate support
As published in The Erin Advocate
Sometimes, you just need someone to talk to, someone to listen without passing judgement, someone to give you good advice without forcing you to do anything. A person like that is sitting near a phone right now, ready to help.
Community Torchlight volunteers and staff have provided quality listening services to people in Wellington County, Dufferin County and the City of Guelph for more than 40 years.
The help is free, every day, around the clock. It is paid for mainly by the Ministry of Health, through the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs), the United Way of Guelph-Wellington and fundraising efforts.
Known previously as the Distress Centre, Torchlight has expanded in recent years, and now has five different phone lines. Their Distress Line takes about 10,500 calls a year, with a team of 35-50 volunteers, each providing 16 hours of service per month.
They get 32 hours of in-class training and a period of professional mentoring before taking calls on their own. They range from senior citizens with time to contribute, to younger adults planning a career in social services.
"It feeds a sense of giving back to the community," said Executive Director Jesse Baynham. To find out more about volunteering, call 519-821-3760 or go on-line to dc-wd.org.
Torchlight has hosted The Walk for Suicide Awareness in Guelph and Orangeville, and has helped facilitate a series of Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training workshops.
In seeking financial donations from the public, Baynham said it is often families who have been affected by mental health issues who are especially inclined to support the agency. For those unaware of the issues, it can be a difficult message to get across.
Torchlight helps callers cope with a wide range of difficulties. "We are supporting some of the most disenfranchised people in the community," said Baynham.
Here are the various services (not long-distance calls from Erin):
• Distress Line – 519-821-3760 – a 24/7 listening service for people who are lonely, confused or in distress. Anonymity is assured, since Caller ID is not used. Referral to other sources of help is provided when requested.
• Crisis Line – 519-821-0140 – a 24/7 hotline for people experiencing a mental health or suicide crisis. This service is provided by professional staff, not volunteers, who are skilled in crisis assessment and de-escalation. This can be the first point of access for a range of services within the Crisis Intervention System of Guelph, Wellington and Dufferin.
The Crisis Line is the most expensive section of the Torchlight operation, made possible by funding of more than $400,000 annually from the Waterloo-Wellington LHIN. It is part of the provincial effort to reduce demands on hospitals, by assessing crisis situations and linking people quickly to the help they need.
• Youth Support Line – 519-821-5469 – an alternate way to contact Distress Line volunteers, an outreach to young people.
• Emergency Shelter Resource Line – 519-767-6594 – a 24/7 service for people in need of a warm, safe place to sleep. The volunteer will ask for the caller's name, gender and location, and direct them to an appropriate temporary shelter.
• Telecheck Dufferin – 519-415-3764 – a daily telephone check-in service that supports independent living for seniors 55 and older. Volunteers call the seniors for a brief chat, making sure they are not in need of help. If the senior cannot be contacted within one hour, the volunteer calls an emergency contact person.
The volunteers are mainly seniors. The team has grown in five years from four people to 23, making 17,531 calls in 2009-2010, including on weekends and holidays, serving 64 current clients. The Telecheck service is intended for residents of Orangeville / Dufferin, with funding provided by the Central West LHIN since 2008.
For Torchlight to provide such a service in the Erin area, it would require an interest among seniors, including potential volunteers, partnership with a local group and funding from the Waterloo-Wellington LHIN. Telecheck Dufferin got about $85,000 from the Central West LHIN in 2009-2010 as part of the Aging at Home strategy, and also gets support from the Dufferin Alzheimer's Society.
East Wellington Community Services (EWCS) offers a scaled down version of the service. Sherri Plourde, Manager of Seniors Services, personally calls to check in with eight seniors, two or three times a month, to see how they are doing. She would like to have a volunteer-based program, and have it funded and recognized as an essential service.
It is easier said than done, of course, since staff and volunteers are already busy with existing programs, and there are many projects that need funding. As always, public awareness and demand are the essential first steps.
Sometimes, you just need someone to talk to, someone to listen without passing judgement, someone to give you good advice without forcing you to do anything. A person like that is sitting near a phone right now, ready to help.
Community Torchlight volunteers and staff have provided quality listening services to people in Wellington County, Dufferin County and the City of Guelph for more than 40 years.
The help is free, every day, around the clock. It is paid for mainly by the Ministry of Health, through the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs), the United Way of Guelph-Wellington and fundraising efforts.
Known previously as the Distress Centre, Torchlight has expanded in recent years, and now has five different phone lines. Their Distress Line takes about 10,500 calls a year, with a team of 35-50 volunteers, each providing 16 hours of service per month.
They get 32 hours of in-class training and a period of professional mentoring before taking calls on their own. They range from senior citizens with time to contribute, to younger adults planning a career in social services.
"It feeds a sense of giving back to the community," said Executive Director Jesse Baynham. To find out more about volunteering, call 519-821-3760 or go on-line to dc-wd.org.
Torchlight has hosted The Walk for Suicide Awareness in Guelph and Orangeville, and has helped facilitate a series of Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training workshops.
In seeking financial donations from the public, Baynham said it is often families who have been affected by mental health issues who are especially inclined to support the agency. For those unaware of the issues, it can be a difficult message to get across.
Torchlight helps callers cope with a wide range of difficulties. "We are supporting some of the most disenfranchised people in the community," said Baynham.
Here are the various services (not long-distance calls from Erin):
• Distress Line – 519-821-3760 – a 24/7 listening service for people who are lonely, confused or in distress. Anonymity is assured, since Caller ID is not used. Referral to other sources of help is provided when requested.
• Crisis Line – 519-821-0140 – a 24/7 hotline for people experiencing a mental health or suicide crisis. This service is provided by professional staff, not volunteers, who are skilled in crisis assessment and de-escalation. This can be the first point of access for a range of services within the Crisis Intervention System of Guelph, Wellington and Dufferin.
The Crisis Line is the most expensive section of the Torchlight operation, made possible by funding of more than $400,000 annually from the Waterloo-Wellington LHIN. It is part of the provincial effort to reduce demands on hospitals, by assessing crisis situations and linking people quickly to the help they need.
• Youth Support Line – 519-821-5469 – an alternate way to contact Distress Line volunteers, an outreach to young people.
• Emergency Shelter Resource Line – 519-767-6594 – a 24/7 service for people in need of a warm, safe place to sleep. The volunteer will ask for the caller's name, gender and location, and direct them to an appropriate temporary shelter.
• Telecheck Dufferin – 519-415-3764 – a daily telephone check-in service that supports independent living for seniors 55 and older. Volunteers call the seniors for a brief chat, making sure they are not in need of help. If the senior cannot be contacted within one hour, the volunteer calls an emergency contact person.
The volunteers are mainly seniors. The team has grown in five years from four people to 23, making 17,531 calls in 2009-2010, including on weekends and holidays, serving 64 current clients. The Telecheck service is intended for residents of Orangeville / Dufferin, with funding provided by the Central West LHIN since 2008.
For Torchlight to provide such a service in the Erin area, it would require an interest among seniors, including potential volunteers, partnership with a local group and funding from the Waterloo-Wellington LHIN. Telecheck Dufferin got about $85,000 from the Central West LHIN in 2009-2010 as part of the Aging at Home strategy, and also gets support from the Dufferin Alzheimer's Society.
East Wellington Community Services (EWCS) offers a scaled down version of the service. Sherri Plourde, Manager of Seniors Services, personally calls to check in with eight seniors, two or three times a month, to see how they are doing. She would like to have a volunteer-based program, and have it funded and recognized as an essential service.
It is easier said than done, of course, since staff and volunteers are already busy with existing programs, and there are many projects that need funding. As always, public awareness and demand are the essential first steps.
Distress Line volunteers provide immediate help
As published in The Erin Advocate
Sometimes, you just need someone to talk to, someone to listen without passing judgement, someone to give you good advice without forcing you to do anything. A person like that is sitting near a phone right now, ready to help.
Community Torchlight volunteers and staff have provided quality listening services to people in Wellington County, Dufferin County and the City of Guelph for more than 40 years.
The help is free, every day, around the clock. It is paid for mainly by the Ministry of Health, through the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs), the United Way of Guelph-Wellington and fundraising efforts.
Known previously as the Distress Centre, Torchlight has expanded in recent years, and now has five different phone lines. Their Distress Line takes about 10,500 calls a year, with a team of 35-50 volunteers, each providing 16 hours of service per month.
They get 32 hours of in-class training and a period of professional mentoring before taking calls on their own. They range from senior citizens with time to contribute, to younger adults planning a career in social services.
"It feeds a sense of giving back to the community," said Executive Director Jesse Baynham. To find out more about volunteering, call 519-821-3760 or go on-line to dc-wd.org.
Torchlight has hosted The Walk for Suicide Awareness in Guelph and Orangeville, and has helped facilitate a series of Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training workshops.
In seeking financial donations from the public, Baynham said it is often families who have been affected by mental health issues who are especially inclined to support the agency. For those unaware of the issues, it can be a difficult message to get across.
Torchlight helps callers cope with a wide range of difficulties. "We are supporting some of the most disenfranchised people in the community," said Baynham.
Here are the various services (not long-distance calls from Erin):
• Distress Line – 519-821-3760 – a 24/7 listening service for people who are lonely, confused or in distress. Anonymity is assured, since Caller ID is not used. Referral to other sources of help is provided when requested.
• Crisis Line – 519-821-0140 – a 24/7 hotline for people experiencing a mental health or suicide crisis. This service is provided by professional staff, not volunteers, who are skilled in crisis assessment and de-escalation. This can be the first point of access for a range of services within the Crisis Intervention System of Guelph, Wellington and Dufferin.
The Crisis Line is the most expensive section of the Torchlight operation, made possible by funding of more than $400,000 annually from the Waterloo-Wellington LHIN. It is part of the provincial effort to reduce demands on hospitals, by assessing crisis situations and linking people quickly to the help they need.
• Youth Support Line – 519-821-5469 – an alternate way to contact Distress Line volunteers, an outreach to young people.
• Emergency Shelter Resource Line – 519-767-6594 – a 24/7 service for people in need of a warm, safe place to sleep. The volunteer will ask for the caller's name, gender and location, and direct them to an appropriate temporary shelter.
• Telecheck Dufferin – 519-415-3764 – a daily telephone check-in service that supports independent living for seniors 55 and older. Volunteers call the seniors for a brief chat, making sure they are not in need of help. If the senior cannot be contacted within one hour, the volunteer calls an emergency contact person.
The volunteers are mainly seniors. The team has grown in five years from four people to 23, making 17,531 calls in 2009-2010, including on weekends and holidays, serving 64 current clients. The Telecheck service is intended for residents of Orangeville / Dufferin, with funding provided by the Central West LHIN since 2008.
For Torchlight to provide such a service in the Erin area, it would require an interest among seniors, including potential volunteers, partnership with a local group and funding from the Waterloo-Wellington LHIN. Telecheck Dufferin got about $85,000 from the Central West LHIN in 2009-2010 as part of the Aging at Home strategy, and also gets support from the Dufferin Alzheimer's Society.
East Wellington Community Services (EWCS) offers a scaled down version of the service. Sherri Plourde, Manager of Seniors Services, personally calls to check in with eight seniors, two or three times a month, to see how they are doing. She would like to have a volunteer-based program, and have it funded and recognized as an essential service.
It is easier said than done, of course, since staff and volunteers are already busy with existing programs, and there are many projects that need funding. As always, public awareness and demand are the essential first steps.
Sometimes, you just need someone to talk to, someone to listen without passing judgement, someone to give you good advice without forcing you to do anything. A person like that is sitting near a phone right now, ready to help.
Community Torchlight volunteers and staff have provided quality listening services to people in Wellington County, Dufferin County and the City of Guelph for more than 40 years.
The help is free, every day, around the clock. It is paid for mainly by the Ministry of Health, through the Local Health Integration Networks (LHINs), the United Way of Guelph-Wellington and fundraising efforts.
Known previously as the Distress Centre, Torchlight has expanded in recent years, and now has five different phone lines. Their Distress Line takes about 10,500 calls a year, with a team of 35-50 volunteers, each providing 16 hours of service per month.
They get 32 hours of in-class training and a period of professional mentoring before taking calls on their own. They range from senior citizens with time to contribute, to younger adults planning a career in social services.
"It feeds a sense of giving back to the community," said Executive Director Jesse Baynham. To find out more about volunteering, call 519-821-3760 or go on-line to dc-wd.org.
Torchlight has hosted The Walk for Suicide Awareness in Guelph and Orangeville, and has helped facilitate a series of Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training workshops.
In seeking financial donations from the public, Baynham said it is often families who have been affected by mental health issues who are especially inclined to support the agency. For those unaware of the issues, it can be a difficult message to get across.
Torchlight helps callers cope with a wide range of difficulties. "We are supporting some of the most disenfranchised people in the community," said Baynham.
Here are the various services (not long-distance calls from Erin):
• Distress Line – 519-821-3760 – a 24/7 listening service for people who are lonely, confused or in distress. Anonymity is assured, since Caller ID is not used. Referral to other sources of help is provided when requested.
• Crisis Line – 519-821-0140 – a 24/7 hotline for people experiencing a mental health or suicide crisis. This service is provided by professional staff, not volunteers, who are skilled in crisis assessment and de-escalation. This can be the first point of access for a range of services within the Crisis Intervention System of Guelph, Wellington and Dufferin.
The Crisis Line is the most expensive section of the Torchlight operation, made possible by funding of more than $400,000 annually from the Waterloo-Wellington LHIN. It is part of the provincial effort to reduce demands on hospitals, by assessing crisis situations and linking people quickly to the help they need.
• Youth Support Line – 519-821-5469 – an alternate way to contact Distress Line volunteers, an outreach to young people.
• Emergency Shelter Resource Line – 519-767-6594 – a 24/7 service for people in need of a warm, safe place to sleep. The volunteer will ask for the caller's name, gender and location, and direct them to an appropriate temporary shelter.
• Telecheck Dufferin – 519-415-3764 – a daily telephone check-in service that supports independent living for seniors 55 and older. Volunteers call the seniors for a brief chat, making sure they are not in need of help. If the senior cannot be contacted within one hour, the volunteer calls an emergency contact person.
The volunteers are mainly seniors. The team has grown in five years from four people to 23, making 17,531 calls in 2009-2010, including on weekends and holidays, serving 64 current clients. The Telecheck service is intended for residents of Orangeville / Dufferin, with funding provided by the Central West LHIN since 2008.
For Torchlight to provide such a service in the Erin area, it would require an interest among seniors, including potential volunteers, partnership with a local group and funding from the Waterloo-Wellington LHIN. Telecheck Dufferin got about $85,000 from the Central West LHIN in 2009-2010 as part of the Aging at Home strategy, and also gets support from the Dufferin Alzheimer's Society.
East Wellington Community Services (EWCS) offers a scaled down version of the service. Sherri Plourde, Manager of Seniors Services, personally calls to check in with eight seniors, two or three times a month, to see how they are doing. She would like to have a volunteer-based program, and have it funded and recognized as an essential service.
It is easier said than done, of course, since staff and volunteers are already busy with existing programs, and there are many projects that need funding. As always, public awareness and demand are the essential first steps.
October 06, 2010
Outhouse solution could solve Erin's waste woes
As published in The Erin Advocate
In the ongoing debate about what to do with Erin's wastewater, some have suggested we think outside the box. I suggest we take it a step further, and think outside the bathroom.
I propose that the Town go back to a technology that served us well for many years – the outhouse system. It did the job for some homes in Erin village until at least the late 1950s, and longer in other areas.
Did that lack of convenience do any harm to those residents? Did it not build character, resilience and a realization that nothing was going to be handed to you on a silver platter? Did kids not have good fun throwing pebbles at the neighbour's outhouse while there was someone inside?
The concept has several modern aspects. It builds on the popularity of recycling. It is also the ultimate low-flow toilet. We pay a lot already to get drinking water into our homes. When clean water becomes more scarce, and if water costs skyrocket, we may not be so keen to flush it down the toilet.
Water shortages are increasing as the globe heats up, so we need to plan for the future, and not take our water for granted. Many septic systems are not overloaded with waste, but overloaded by excessive water use.
So to save water and show a fine example to the rest of the world, I propose that indoor toilets be outlawed in the Town of Erin. Exemptions would only be allowed for apartments, restaurants and homes with very small back yards.
The mandatory aspect could ruffle a few feathers, but I urge people to consider the common good. The Town needs to hold its nose and do the right thing, without being sidetracked by whiners and wimps.
Certain concessions could make the transition easier. For example, fancy woodwork would be permitted on outhouse doors. (It is a free country after all.) Electric power would be allowed, for heated toilet seats, and chamber pots would be acceptable back in the house during the winter months.
Glossy brochures could be printed, with construction tips. Simplicity is the key. You build a little shack containing a bench, with a big hole for adults and a smaller one for kids (so they don't fall in). A vertical vent tube to transfer odors from the pit out through the roof could be a popular feature.
You dig a big hole in the ground at the far end of your back yard (away from any wells), place the shack on top and you are good to go. Of course, you still have to keep your outhouse clean and be sure to wash your hands. Done properly, outhouses are not a threat to public health and they do not cost millions of dollars. Let's leave newfangled inventions like the sanitary sewer to the city slickers, and to the wannabe folks in other small towns who think they deserve all the conveniences of urban living.
We could get all modern and have a truck come by to pump out our pits once in a while, but I say, let Mother Nature take care of business. Earthworms, bacteria, molds and insects will get right to work fermenting and decomposing, forming a nice compost pile at the base of the pit. After a few years, when the pile gets too high, simply dig a new pit, move the outhouse, and cover up the old pit.
People living on highly porous soil need to put some dense material at the bottom of the pit to avoid quick percolation down to into the ground water. As with septic tanks, paint, oil, chemicals and garbage must not be dumped into outhouse pits.
Do not dig a pit on the low point of your lawn. That could lead to a messy flood during the rainy season. It could also cause erosion at the edges, which could allow your building to sink into the pit.
The main problem is the name – "Outhouse" is kind of boring. Labels like Biffy and Kybo are a bit lame too. Australians refer to it as a Dunny or Thunderbox, while New Zealanders use the term Long-drop. Maybe we can come up with some creative alternatives.
Readers may want to urge election candidates to endorse the outhouse solution, since my own influence is quite limited. And whether you agree with the plan, or think it needs some work, may I suggest that the best way to respond to a tongue-in-cheek column is with a tongue-in-cheek Letter to the Editor. Be careful, though. Someone may take you seriously.
In the ongoing debate about what to do with Erin's wastewater, some have suggested we think outside the box. I suggest we take it a step further, and think outside the bathroom.
I propose that the Town go back to a technology that served us well for many years – the outhouse system. It did the job for some homes in Erin village until at least the late 1950s, and longer in other areas.
Did that lack of convenience do any harm to those residents? Did it not build character, resilience and a realization that nothing was going to be handed to you on a silver platter? Did kids not have good fun throwing pebbles at the neighbour's outhouse while there was someone inside?
The concept has several modern aspects. It builds on the popularity of recycling. It is also the ultimate low-flow toilet. We pay a lot already to get drinking water into our homes. When clean water becomes more scarce, and if water costs skyrocket, we may not be so keen to flush it down the toilet.
Water shortages are increasing as the globe heats up, so we need to plan for the future, and not take our water for granted. Many septic systems are not overloaded with waste, but overloaded by excessive water use.
So to save water and show a fine example to the rest of the world, I propose that indoor toilets be outlawed in the Town of Erin. Exemptions would only be allowed for apartments, restaurants and homes with very small back yards.
The mandatory aspect could ruffle a few feathers, but I urge people to consider the common good. The Town needs to hold its nose and do the right thing, without being sidetracked by whiners and wimps.
Certain concessions could make the transition easier. For example, fancy woodwork would be permitted on outhouse doors. (It is a free country after all.) Electric power would be allowed, for heated toilet seats, and chamber pots would be acceptable back in the house during the winter months.
Glossy brochures could be printed, with construction tips. Simplicity is the key. You build a little shack containing a bench, with a big hole for adults and a smaller one for kids (so they don't fall in). A vertical vent tube to transfer odors from the pit out through the roof could be a popular feature.
You dig a big hole in the ground at the far end of your back yard (away from any wells), place the shack on top and you are good to go. Of course, you still have to keep your outhouse clean and be sure to wash your hands. Done properly, outhouses are not a threat to public health and they do not cost millions of dollars. Let's leave newfangled inventions like the sanitary sewer to the city slickers, and to the wannabe folks in other small towns who think they deserve all the conveniences of urban living.
We could get all modern and have a truck come by to pump out our pits once in a while, but I say, let Mother Nature take care of business. Earthworms, bacteria, molds and insects will get right to work fermenting and decomposing, forming a nice compost pile at the base of the pit. After a few years, when the pile gets too high, simply dig a new pit, move the outhouse, and cover up the old pit.
People living on highly porous soil need to put some dense material at the bottom of the pit to avoid quick percolation down to into the ground water. As with septic tanks, paint, oil, chemicals and garbage must not be dumped into outhouse pits.
Do not dig a pit on the low point of your lawn. That could lead to a messy flood during the rainy season. It could also cause erosion at the edges, which could allow your building to sink into the pit.
The main problem is the name – "Outhouse" is kind of boring. Labels like Biffy and Kybo are a bit lame too. Australians refer to it as a Dunny or Thunderbox, while New Zealanders use the term Long-drop. Maybe we can come up with some creative alternatives.
Readers may want to urge election candidates to endorse the outhouse solution, since my own influence is quite limited. And whether you agree with the plan, or think it needs some work, may I suggest that the best way to respond to a tongue-in-cheek column is with a tongue-in-cheek Letter to the Editor. Be careful, though. Someone may take you seriously.