Green Initiatives

2020 Calendar Northwest of Christmas Tree JANUARY 2020 Recycling If your New Year’s resolution is Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday to recycle more, you can start by recycling your Christmas tree. From Waste and Recyclables 1 2 3 4 January 2-10, residents who receive Pickup Days curbside pickup service can call of (780) 623-6739 to have their trees picked up and recycled. If you don’t Plamondon and subdivisions receive curbside service, or if you miss the deadline, you can bring your Lunar Cycle tree to any County landfill or transfer New Moon Full Moon station. Christmas tree First Quarter Last Quarter New Year’s Day pickup begins Only natural trees will be accepted, and trees must not have any 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 decorations left on them. If you have an artificial tree that you don’t want anymore, consider leaving it in a Reuse Centre for someone else to take home. Reuse Centres can be found at all of our landfills and transfer stations.

Christmas tree For every tree that we recycle, a new pickup ends one will be planted in a local park. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Not Just A Landfill

Did you know County landfills and transfer stations can recycle specialized items like electronics that can’t be recycled through the curbside pickup program? Flip to the back of this calendar for a complete listing of what goes where for both curbside pickup customers and 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 landfill/transfer station users. Did You Know?

Residents can recycle small amounts of used automotive oil at any County landfill or transfer station. Commercial oil producers, or people with large amounts to recycle, can find a list of registered collectors at albertarecycling.ca. 26 27 28 29 30 31 Notes Lac La Biche Lake Keep Your Load From FEBRUARY 2020 Becoming Litter We’ve all seen litter in the ditches Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday along local roads and highways. Some of that flew out of vehicles and Waste and Recyclables Lunar Cycle 1 trailers. Did you know you can be Pickup Days New Moon Full Moon fined for transporting an unsecured Hamlet of Lac La Biche First Quarter Last Quarter load? Please make sure loads are covered with tarps or nets before you Plamondon and subdivisions hit the road. The maximum fine for infractions can be up to $776. Green Rebate Program

The County wants to reward residents who take steps to consume less 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 water and energy. Whenever you buy certain Energy Star or WaterSense- certified appliances, you could earn some money back.

Please call the County’s Utilities department at (780) 623-6730 for more details.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 1) You must be a resident of Lac La Biche County. 2) Your purchase must have been made between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. 3) Your appliance must be an Energy Star or WaterSense- certified item from the following categories: Valentine’s Day Category Rebate 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Clothes washer $100 Dishwasher $75 Water heater $150 Furnace or boiler $400 Low-flush toilet $50

2020 Green Rebate Program Family Day applications need to be submitted no 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 later than January 25, 2021.

Notes

Leap Day Sir Winston Churchill Provincial Park Fire Season Begins MARCH 2020 Permits are required for all burning except for campfires from March 1 to Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday October 31. Burning and campfires alike are prohibited when fire bans 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 are announced. This is to protect you, public safety and the natural environment. Please call (780) 623- 6767 to ask about permits, what you can and can’t burn, and more.

Burning Waste: Not Just A Fire Hazard Fire Season begins It’s against the law to burn waste in 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Lac La Biche County, and it can harm you and the environment. Burning waste releases pollutants and toxic substances that can end up in the air, water and soil, affecting plants, animals and people.

HOW IS BURNING WASTE HAZARDOUS? Spring ahead! 1. Smoke potentially carrying harmful pollutants and 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 particulate matter. 2. Potential release of dioxins and furans, toxic chemicals that can settle in soil or water or on plants, where animals may eat them. The chemicals can stay in the food chain until humans consume them. Exposure to dioxins and furans has been linked to a variety St. Patrick’s Day First day of spring of health concerns. 3. Risk of reactions like explosions 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 or uncontrolled burning, depending on the waste materials involved. 4. Disproportionate environmental impacts, if wind or water carry pollutants away from burn sites or if pollutants enter the food chain.

The County’s Fire Protection Bylaw forbids burning waste. Residents who are caught doing so could be fined up 29 30 31 Waste and Recyclables Lunar Cycle to $1,000. Pickup Days New Moon Full Moon Hamlet of Lac La Biche First Quarter Last Quarter Remember that local residents are allowed to bring up to 500 kg. Plamondon and subdivisions (about 1,100 lbs.) of waste to a landfill or transfer station at no charge. Disposing of waste there is a much healthier choice for you, your family and future generations. Fork Lake Community Garden APRIL 2020 The Community Garden in Alexander Hamilton Park has 40 plots available Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday for residents to grow their own plants and produce. You can apply for a plot Waste and Recyclables 1 2 3 4 in-person at the County Centre office Pickup Days on Highway 881, or download the form from the County website and Hamlet of Lac La Biche email it to green@laclabichecounty. Plamondon and subdivisions com.

Lunar Cycle Applications for plots will be accepted from April 14 to June 1. New Moon Full Moon First Quarter Last Quarter Tree orders available Put Down Roots

5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Starting April 1, you can order bundles of native tree seedlings through our Environmental Services department. They’re great for beautifying your property, growing a shelterbelt or just adding to the environment in your area. Call (780) 623-6739 for more information about species, prices and availability. Good Friday We choose native tree species 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 because they grow naturally in this area, so they overwinter better and don’t compete with other plants.

PLUS: WATCH FOR OUR FREE LARGE ITEM PICKUP PROGRAM STARTING SOON. Registration is required to participate. Community Garden Easter Sunday Easter Monday applications available Please call (780) 623-6739 or email [email protected] for 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 more details. Did You Know?

The County routinely tests water quality in four of the most visited lakes in the area. Lake reports from 2017 and 2018 can be found online at laclabichecounty.com. 26 27 28 29 30 Notes Christy Creek Clean Sweep Programs

MAY 2020 The County does some spring Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday cleaning every year in May. Clean Sweep programs like our free Large 1 2 Item Pickup service help us all get Waste and Recyclables Lunar Cycle spick and span in time for summer. Pickup Days New Moon Full Moon Registration is required to participate Hamlet of Lac La Biche First Quarter Last Quarter in Large Item Pickup, so please call (780) 623-6739 or email green@ Plamondon and subdivisions laclabichecounty.com for details.

Community Cleanup, in partnership with Boom 103.5 FM: Join us to tidy up the local area. Individual residents and community groups come 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 together to pick up litter. Stay tuned for this year’s date and more details.

Aquatic Invasive Species

Boating season starts this month, so it’s time to keep your eyes open for aquatic invasive species. Non-native plants and animals, like zebra mussels 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 and flowering rush, can attach to watercraft and “hitchhike” between water bodies. Both can spread very quickly. That’s why it’s important to clean, drain and dry your watercraft every time it leaves the water.

Not-so-fun fact: Flowering rush spread through Isle Lake in over two years. If left unchecked, the Mother’s Day plant has the potential to completely 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 infill bodies of water.

Victoria Day 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 Zebra mussels Flowering rush

Notes

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Environment Week “No Spray” (May 31-June 6) applications deadline Lac La Biche Lake JUNE 2020 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Environment Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 Environment Week is a time to think about and improve our relationships Community Garden application deadline with the land, air and water. Events will be held from May 31 to June 6 this Tree order application deadline year. Watch for the latest information on local activities.

The week starts with a public launch Environment Week party with family-friendly activities (May 31-June 6) HHWR in McArthur Park, and ends with a 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Household Hazardous Waste Round- Up (HHWR). You can safely dispose of items that are flammable, toxic or corrosive – items that could harm the environment if they simply went to the landfill.

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 CORE Program

Did you know as much as 30 per cent of the average household’s waste is organic? With the Community Organics Recycling Enhancement (CORE) program, it’s easy to learn how to compost and reduce the amount of organic waste going to the First day of summer landfill. We teach people the basics 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 of backyard composting and provide them with free supplies so they can get started. Keep an eye on the County’s website and Facebook page for free upcoming workshops.

You can buy a composter at the County Centre office for $72 plus GST. Father’s Day Start making your own nutrient-rich National Indigenous Agriculture fertilizer today! Peoples Day Appreciation Day

28 29 30 Waste and Recyclables Lunar Cycle Pickup Days New Moon Full Moon Free Mad Hamlet of Lac La Biche First Quarter Last Quarter About Science educational day Plamondon and subdivisions camps start soon. Stay tuned for dates and locations!

Property tax deadline Hamlet of Lac La Biche Rural Beautification JULY 2020 Award We like to recognize rural residents Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday who go above and beyond to make their properties look good Waste and Recyclables 1 2 3 4 and responsibly contribute to the Pickup Days environment in their area. Every year, Hamlet of Lac La Biche residents living outside the hamlets of Lac La Biche and Plamondon Plamondon and subdivisions can be nominated for the Rural Lunar Cycle Beautification Award. All nominations must be received by July 31. For New Moon Full Moon information on nominating, please First Quarter Last Quarter visit our website or call Day (780) 623-6739. 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Do Your Part To Prevent Blue-Green Algae

Blue-green algae occurs naturally in our lakes, but human activity can have a big impact on the frequency and severity of algae blooms. There are ways you can help keep the unpleasant blooms to a minimum. 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 • Don’t pour anything into a storm drain. Anything that goes down the storm drain eventually ends up in a nearby water body. • Avoid using unnecessary excessive fertilizers, pesticides and other products on your property. These can enter water bodies as runoff. • Leave shorelines in their natural 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 states. Native vegetation along shorelines is vital in filtering runoff. • If you have a septic system, check it regularly to make sure it isn’t leaking and empty it often. • Take steps to keep cattle and other livestock away from lakes and rivers. Grazing degrades the shoreline, and animal manure increases nutrient levels in the water. Call (780) 623-6739 for 26 27 28 29 30 31 information about alternative watering systems.

Rural Beautification Award nomination deadline Hamlet of Lac La Biche Riparian Areas AUGUST 2020 Our County is full of what are called riparian areas. These are areas that Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday border bodies of water like lakes, rivers and wetlands. Waste and Recyclables Lunar Cycle 1 Pickup Days New Moon Full Moon Riparian areas are considered healthy when they are left in their natural Hamlet of Lac La Biche First Quarter Last Quarter states, with native vegetation. Plamondon and subdivisions The vegetation acts as a buffer by filtering runoff that enters the water, controlling erosion and flooding, providing habitat and food for wildlife, and more.

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Riparian vegetation

Heritage Day Controlling Clubroot 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Clubroot is a common soil-borne disease that affects plants like canola. Over time, the disease will stunt a plant’s growth and eventually kill it. To limit the spread of the disease, the Alberta Clubroot Management Plan recommends taking steps like sanitizing farm vehicles and equipment, rotating crops and growing disease-resistant crop 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 varieties.

If you suspect clubroot is in your fields, call (780) 623-6739 or email [email protected] to find out what you can do — and how we can help.

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Roots affected by clubroot Northwest of Hylo Back To School SEPTEMBER 2020 The back-to-school season means a lot of us have to change our habits Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday and schedules, but it’s easy to keep being environmentally friendly while 1 2 3 4 5 you’re making the switch. • Buy notebooks made of recycled paper, or use leftover pages from last year’s notebooks. • Pack lunches in reusable containers, and choose foods with less packaging to reduce waste. • Carpool if you can’t take the bus 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 or walk to school. • Save the leftovers from school projects so they can be reused.

Agricultural Recycling

The changing colours mean it’s harvest season. You can take plenty of agriculture-related waste to a Labour Day landfill or transfer station to be recycled. We accept empty pesticide 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 and herbicide containers that have been rinsed out three times and have holes poked in the bottoms. We can also recycle bundled plastic like grain bags and baling twine.

20 21 22 23 24 25 26

Grain bag roller

Did You Know?

First day of fall The County has an Agricultural Service Board (ASB) that advocates 27 28 29 30 Waste and Recyclables for local farmers and ranchers. Call Pickup Days (780) 623-6739 or email agriculture@ Hamlet of Lac La Biche laclabichecounty.com if you want to attend an ASB meeting or if you have Plamondon and subdivisions a topic you want to Lunar Cycle bring to the New Moon Full Moon board’s attention. First Quarter Last Quarter Hamlet of Lac La Biche Waste Reduction Week OCTOBER 2020 Waste that ends up in a landfill might be there for a long, long time Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday before it decomposes. That’s why it’s important to divert as much waste Waste and Recyclables Lunar Cycle 1 2 3 away from landfills as possible. Waste Pickup Days New Moon Full Moon Reduction Week is a nationwide awareness campaign that takes place Hamlet of Lac La Biche First Quarter Last Quarter from October 19-24, 2018. Plamondon and subdivisions The week closes with the year’s second Household Hazardous Waste Round-Up (HHWR) on Saturday, October 24.

4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Recycling Contamination There are some things in life that just don’t mix. Waste and recyclables are a perfect example. Recyclables, like clean plastic and cardboard, are considered contaminated once they’ve been mixed with waste. That means it may be more difficult, or even impossible, to properly sort and process them. A recent waste and recycling audit showed at least 35 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 per cent of what goes into curbside recycling containers is actually misplaced waste.

Curbside recycling volumes

Other Thanksgiving Day 4% Materials 10% Plastic 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 13% Paper

Misplaced 35% Waste

WASTE

WEEK 38% Cardboard

Waste Reduction Week (Oct. 19-24) HHWR and Shred-It Notes 25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Halloween

Fire season ends Rich Lake Agriculture Equipment NOVEMBER 2020 Farming is a lot of work, so let us help you get the job done in the safest and Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday most environmentally friendly way possible. You can rent agricultural 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 equipment from the County, including some items that are not commercially available. Items range from air seeders to live animal traps. Visit the County’s website for a breakdown of rental rates.

If you own more than 80 acres Fall back! of agricultural land, you can also Daylight Saving Ends buy biodegradable pesticides and herbicides from the County. Call 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 (780) 623-6739 for details.

Day-To-Day Tips For Greener Living

Changing your lifestyle to become more environmentally friendly takes time, commitment and sometimes a Remembrance Day little bit of creativity. Here are some “quick wins” that everyone can do to 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 get started. • Turn off lights and electronics when you’re not using them. • Avoid single-use plastics and Styrofoam products. • Carpool, walk or cycle to work. • Get back to basics when cleaning. Use baking soda, vinegar and water instead of 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 chemical-heavy cleaners. • Use energy-efficient appliances and low-flow fixtures to save energy, water and money. • Use reusable bags when you go shopping. Did You Know?

The County has a 29 30 Waste and Recyclables Lunar Cycle Corporate Green Team, Pickup Days New Moon Full Moon to help make sure Hamlet of Lac La Biche First Quarter Last Quarter our operations are as environmentally Plamondon and subdivisions sustainable as possible. Lakeview Estates Ecofriendly Holidays DECEMBER 2020 The holiday season is a time to celebrate and give, but if you’re not Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday careful, it can also be a very wasteful time of year. Waste and Recyclables 1 2 3 4 5 Pickup Days If you have Christmas lights, use a timer to control when they turn Hamlet of Lac La Biche on and off. Send greeting cards Plamondon and subdivisions electronically, and don’t be afraid to reuse wrapping paper, ribbons and Lunar Cycle other packaging. Did you know that wrapping paper can be recycled as New Moon Full Moon long as it’s non-metallic? First Quarter Last Quarter If you have lots of leftovers or 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 unwanted items from holiday gatherings, consider giving them to local shelters or charity organizations.

Why Are We All About Recycling And Composting?

One of our goals is to greatly reduce the amount of waste going 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 into our landfills. Landfills run out of space over time, so we need to reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible.

This calendar was printed on recycled paper, and you can recycle it all over again when you’re done!

20 21 22 23 24 25 26 Notes

First day of winter Christmas Eve Christmas Day Boxing Day 27 28 29 30 31

New Year’s Eve WHAT GOES WHERE?

RECYCLING (ALL ITEMS MUST BE CLEAN TO BE ABLE TO BE RECYCLED) WASTE

BLUE CONTAINERS LANDFILLS AND TRANSFER STATIONS CURBSIDE PICK-UP/ LANDILLS / TRANSFER STATIONS These items can also be deposited All recyclable materials must be sorted and clean for These items can be disposed of at a landfill or transfer site, or in at a landfill or transfer site. return. Place plastic, metal, paper and cardboard in their your brown curbside containers. corresponding containers. PLASTIC • Empty and rinsed. Plastic labels PLASTIC are fine. APPLIANCES AND METAL • Plastic contaminated with food • Rigid plastics #1 to #7 grade • Anything with a battery or cord • Household bottles and containers • BBQs, lawnmowers, tools, fridges, ovens, etc. METAL and their lids: vinegar, shampoo, • Cans and lids (food, beverage, soup) rinsed and dry • Aluminum foil contaminated with food detergent, pop/water, milk, yogurt, • Fire extinguishers, propane tanks (emptied and vented) etc. PAPER AND CARDBOARD • Clean plastic bags: grocery and CEMENT AND ASPHALT (only accepted at landfills) • Soiled paper or cardboard, including soiled cardboard take- retail out containers and pizza boxes • Wine corks, cd cases, casettes with SOIL, GRAVEL (CLEAN - only accepted at landfills) • Tissue, paper towels, dryer sheets magnetic tape removed • Pet food bags, flour bags, etc. AUTOMOTIVE • Laminated paper items HOUSEHOLD METAL • Tires, car batteries and car parts (fluids removed) • Cans and lids (food, beverage, FOOD WASTE soup), rinsed and dry and labels CLEAN WOOD (no metal or nails) • Table scraps, spoiled food, peelings removed • Non painted or untreated wood, wood chips, stumps, • Meat remains/bones/shells (wrapped in newspaper; no car- • Clean aluminum foil brush, roots casses) • Cooking oil/grease, cooled MIXED PAPER CONTAMINATED WOOD • Newsprint, flyers • Painted, pressure treated, varnished, waxed GLASS/CERAMICS • Envelopes, cards • Contains preservatives • Dishes, cups, ceramic or clay items • Writing and computer paper, • Plate glass, mirrors, broken glass (wrapped in paper) sticky notes • Incandescent light bulbs LIGHTING • Shredded paper (blue-bagged • Fluorescent tubes/ballasts, compact fluorescents, before going into the blue STYROFOAM halogens, etc. container, to prevent wind-blown litter) ORGANICS • Paper bags PAINTS AND FINISHES • Leather • Magazines and books (hard/plastic • Paint/stain (empty or full cans), varnish • Pet feces/kitty litter (bagged) covers removed) • Wood preservatives, paint related aerosol cans • Cigarette/wood ashes (cold ash only) • Gift wrap (non-metallic) • Paper coffee/drink cups (clean, ELECTRONICS HOUSEKEEPING rinsed, dried) • TVs, laptops, tablets, computer monitors, servers, • Bathroom garbage speakers, cables, keyboards and mouse • Wax (crayons, candles) • Printers, copiers, scanners and fax machines • Filters (air, furnace, water, vacuum) CARDBOARD • Corrugated cardboard boxes • Vacuum bags, dusters, steel wool OTHER • Water softener products (flatten to fit in container) • Batteries (any kind) • Box board (cereal boxes, etc.) • Residential construction scraps (only if they fit in the bin) OIL PRODUCTS AND PESTICIDE CONTAINERS • Automotive oils, oil filters, oil containers (Plamondon, Beaver Lake and Rich Lake are the only sites that QUESTIONS? accept residential oil) For more information, contact the Environmental Services • Pesticide containers department at 780-623-6739. • Glycol *Note: list may be amended dependent on future programs and services.

2020 Green Initiatives Calendar

January: Norm Menard February: Debbie Kitchen March: Girish Panicker April: Tia Attfield

May: Sylvia Rayko June: Patricia Halitsky July: Zeyad Eludin August: Melissa Seibert

September: Simon Menard September: Otto Fayad November: Alanna Okrusko December: Kevin Wahl

ContactContact Lac Lac La Biche La Biche County County

T: 780-623-1747 Toll Free: 1-877-806-5632 13422 HWY 881, Lac La Biche, Alberta T0A 2C0

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All information in this calendar is subject to change. Cover: Laureen Nowicki