Happy Spring!
With nicer weather upon us and all that cooped-up winter energy, April makes for a great month to get out and about in our community. April is also when National Volunteer Week takes place. This year it is from April 16th to 22nd. In the spirit of volunteering, we have shared some ideas on how to get involved in activities focused on sustainability in this community and the city overall. We also wanted to emphasize the importance of community action and spirit, not only to advance towards sustainability goals but to create a truly sustainable community, one that has its future at heart and is actively participating in the realization of that vision.
We are very lucky to live in a city where we can take action on matters that directly affect our everyday lives. Our community associations give us the possibility to shape our neighbourhoods; why not use this opportunity? We have a chance to be active builders of our community, not only spectators. By actively participating in community life, you not only influence the community’s path but also participate in creating a vibrant community, where people care. No matter your views or your goals, there is always an area where you can have a meaningful impact. And when people care about their community, when they feel it’s theirs, part of their identity, it becomes sustainable and resilient.
Sometimes community involvement means the difference between success and failure. An example of that was a community regeneration project in Malmo, Sweden. The city was working on regenerating a neighbourhood built in the 1940s. Instead of imposing its vision, the city involved the community in all the phases of the project: from design to implementation. Inhabitants had the opportunity to have their voices heard on what they wanted their community to look like. The city contracted community members as much as possible in the implementation phase (construction, landscaping etc.). This experience made the inhabitants feel even closer to their community, and more involved in its future, which meant success for the community, even after undergoing an important transformation.
What makes a great community are the people, so we want to take this opportunity, in the spirit of volunteer week, to say thank you to all the amazing people in Mount Pleasant that participate in making it so vibrant!
So if you too want to take part in community building, here are some ideas on how to take action:
- Volunteer with the community association! If sustainability is close to your heart, MPCA Green Initiatives is always looking for new members.
- A big event in our community to start thinking about is the Community Clean Up, please consider volunteering for this event.If you have any items in your house that need to be recycled or donated – this event is for you. This year it will be held on May 7th from 9am-2pm at the Mount Pleasant Community Association. Acceptable items to bring to the event are organics, usual items for donation (think clothing, books, toys etc), electronics, mattress recycling, metal recycling, compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs for recycling, car seats, and garbage. Unacceptable items include hazardous waste, large appliances, and commercial waste. Keep your eye out for details regarding the upcoming event so you are ready to go.
- Participate in the Pathway and River Cleanup with the City of Calgary! This year it will be held May 5-7 2023 but there is also an option to organize one with a group of people on your own. Make a family outing or team-building activity out of it! https://www.calgary.ca/volunteer/pathway-river-cleanup-registration.html
- Volunteer with a grassroots movements group like Calgary Climate Hub or Sustainable Calgary. These groups provide education and tools to take sustainability to a community level and really get involved in a way that pushes initiatives forward. The GIC works with these groups often.
If you want to get involved and make Mount Pleasant a greener community, we would love to have you join the committee. Please email green@mpca.ca for more information or if you have any questions. Please also check out our Mount Pleasant Green Initiatives Group on Facebook! You can find us on the Mount Pleasant Community Association page. The Facebook group is a great place to share knowledge and resources and check in to see what others are saying.
Have a great month,
MPCA Green Initiatives
