Jobs for the Weekend

It’s that time again. If you missed the first post with the context for this series, you can find it here.

Here are your three concrete things you can do to fight climate change and biodiversity loss in the next couple of days.

Because we are not only in a global heating crisis, we are in biodiversity crisis too, as natural habitat is reduced, and species of plants and animals go rapidly extinct. You can fight that though, with these three things.

Here are your … jobs for the weekend, biodiversity edition.

1. Plant some native seeds. If you haven’t cold stratified your native seeds from last year (left them to get below freezing for a week or two) then this may not work too well. However if you do have native seeds that are ready for planting, then a great way to distribute them is by making seed bombs. Pick up some air drying clay, mix it with a bit of soil, and make little balls of clay about the size of a golf ball with a pinch of native seeds in each one. Wait for them to dry, and then throw them (by hand, or using a Chuck It) into empty lots, railroad corridors, or any place that isn’t already a natural space. If it’s already natural (like the Niagara Escarpment), then leave it be. But if it’s a neglected urban space, fire away. You can find seed bomb instructions here.

2. Does you city have a Biodiversity Action Plan? If you live in Hamilton you do. If not, why not? Write a letter to your councillor, mayor, or the local paper (or all three! Swing for the fences!) asking for one to be implemented. If your city already has one, then take a few moments to familiarize yourself with it, and then write a polite but firm letter to your mayor or councillor asking for a progress report.

1. Take down your bird feeders. This may seem counter intuitive, but the spring migration is just hitting southern Ontario, and along with it is Finch Eye Wasting disease (a type of bird conjunctivitis that is usually fatal) and avian influenza. These (and other diseases) spread wherever birds gather, and that means possibly around your feeder. At this point in the year enough insects and little critters should have woken up that the birds will be fine, so it’s time to take your feeders down, give them a good sterilizing (with bleach solution ideally) and put them away until the fall. While you’re at it, if you have big bay windows, consider putting anti-collision film on them to keep birds from braining themselves against your windows while migrating.

That’s all for this week! If you have enjoyed it, please share it with a friend. If this was shared with you, please consider subscribing below.