EcoFriendly Sask celebrated its 10th anniversary in July 2021. Ten years sounds like a long time, but it went by in a flash.  How It Began  Andrew McKinlay is a runner, nature photographer, and co-owner of a software company. He’d lived in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, all his life and had a deep and abiding love for the Prairies – the grasses and birds, the lakes and rivers, and wildlife. He wanted to help protect the land and its wild inhabitants and believed one way he could make a contribution would be by sharing information through an online publication. The goal was to break down ..read more

Upcoming Events  PCAP-SK is hosting a webinar on habitat occupancy by breeding Pied-billed and Horned Grebes in Prairie Canada: correlates of pond use and breeding success at noon, Jan. 27.  Nature Regina is hosting a winter bio-blitz at various times on Jan. 29. Register on their website.  EMTF-SK will host an online breakfast presentation on Saskatchewan's Energy Storage Advantage: Compressed Air Energy Storage in Salt Caverns on Feb. 2.  PCAP-SK is hosting a webinar on a watershed stewardship approach to invasive species education and management at noon, Feb. 2.&nbs ..read more

Upcoming Events  EMTF-SK is hosting an online presentation on developing Saskatchewan’s sustainable energy economy at 7:30 am, Jan. 12.  The Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy is hosting a video conference on building an equitable Canadian science system from 12-1 pm, Jan. 13.  Nature Regina is hosting an online presentation on Indigenous peoples’ rights and environmental protection at 7 pm, Jan. 17.  Saskatoon Nature Society is hosting an online presentation on invertebrate diversity, distribution, and ecology at 7:30 pm, Jan. 20.  Nature Saskatche ..read more

With over 80% of the Canadian population now living in urban areas, how we design, build, and live in our cities has a significant impact on the environment. Cities can lead the way in addressing climate change or lag behind. We’ve found a number of reports and examples of how cities can successfully address climate change.  A Changing Climate  “The climate determines almost everything about how we design, build, and live in our cities. The streets and sidewalks, businesses and homes, parking lots and public transit that we use every day have been created to suit our climate. Now ..read more

Upcoming Events  SaskOutdoors will be hosting the following virtual workshops:  Below Zero - 7-9 pm, Jan. 11 & 18  Get Outside & Play - 7 pm, Jan. 17  Project WILD - 7-9 pm, Jan. 24, 31, and Feb. 7  Friends of Wascana Marsh will be holding a virtual annual general meeting at 7 pm, Jan. 20.  Full details on all upcoming events can be found on the EcoFriendly Sask Calendar  Energy  Countries “will never agree to ‘phase down’ or ‘phase out’ fossil fuel energy without a reasonable substitute source of energy.” Is nuclear power the answer? [Johns ..read more

Books - new and old, fiction and non-fiction. We hope you find a new favorite.  Action-Oriented Visionaries  Neal Stephenson laments the dwindling of big dreams such as placing a man on the moon. Developing new technologies and implementing them “on a heroic scale no longer seems like the childish preoccupation of a few nerds with slide rules. It’s the only way for the human race to escape from its current predicaments.” He believes that science fiction has the power to inspire and provide well thought-out alternate realities. [Wired]  In Neal Stephenson’s most recent book ..read more

Ocean-dwelling Christmas tree worms use their festive crowns to catch dinner as it floats by. [Oceana] Upcoming Events  Participate in iNaturalist’s Winter Bug Project from now until March 1, 2022. Photograph any arthropod (insect, spider, sowbug, etc.) found active indoors or out – in Alberta or Saskatchewan – on land or in water (but not including pets or pet food) and post it online. Experts will help you identify it and it will be added to the count. Gardening at USask is offering the following online classes, beginning at 7 pm:  Jan. 3 – Winter Compost Tips  Feb. 7 – Wa ..read more

“A kingfisher’s burnished plunge, the color of felicity afire” (The Kingfisher, Amy Clampitt)   A swift flash of colour over the water and a loud rattling call – the Belted Kingfisher has moved on before you’ve really seen it. Fortunately, you’ll have better luck spotting them when they’re perched on a branch looking for fish or diving headfirst into the water below in search of fish or crayfish.  Belted Kingfisher can be found near lakes, rivers, and ponds across Canada during the summer breeding season and year-round along the coasts where there is open water year-round. They ha ..read more

Song Sparrow make short, fluttering flights pumping their tail up and down. They prefer areas with low shrubs and bushes. [Nature Companion]  Energy  “Saskatchewan has a tremendous opportunity to use energy efficiency to achieve our climate commitments … every electron saved through energy efficiency results in fewer emissions from carbon-emitting coal and gas plants.” Martin Boucher outlines 5 effective options. [Martin Boucher, Regina Leader-Post]  Calgary-based Canadian Premium Sand is shifting from providing fracking sand for the oil patch to producing solar panels. [CBC ..read more

Citizens Environmental Alliance (CEA) is holding the first part of its third annual Farmland Drainage and the Environment Virtual Conference from Dec. 14-17. The topics are listed below along with some additional reading material that may be of interest. Recordings of the discussions will be uploaded to the CEA YouTube channel if you are unable to attend.  7 pm, Dec. 14 – Lake Diefenbaker Irrigation Projects Town Hall  Join a panel discussion and Q&A session to learn more about the irrigation project and its implications for Saskatchewan. This session is created to hear diffe ..read more