Annual General Conference 2009

On Saturday, October 24, over 60 participants gathered to hear Dr. Ariel Fenster talk about the risks present in today's life and to participate in environment-themed workshops on recycled art, composting, ecological home care products and responsible consumption. To view the photos,click here.




Conference Feedback Comments

  • Very interesting subject matter. See the need to apply literacy to all subjects.

  • I learned a lot about saving the environment, about different chemicals and the harm that they cause so I will re-cycle more.

  • Very good, the raffle was great fun. Good work to the organizers, well done!

  • Thank you! Great organization.

  • This was my first conference. Well organized and informative. Until the next time.

General information:

Keynote: Dr. Ariel Fenster, McGill Office of Science and Society presents: Life is a Risky Business - We are constantly bombarded with information about the risks we face in life. As a result we worry. We worry about the safety of our food supply, toxins in the environment and the dangers of climate change. Life is indeed a risky business and we will not come out of it alive. But to be able to enjoy every moment it is important to know what is worth worrying about. This lecture sorts out the facts from the myths to show that the real dangers are not always where they are thought to be. For full programme (subject to change), click here.

Date: Saturday, October 24.

Location: Maritime Plaza Hotel, 1155 Guy Street Metro: Guy-Concordia

Time: Registration 8:30-9:30

New this year:
  • Number of participants per workshop limited to 25. Registration is on a first come, first served basis.

  • Please indicate your first, second and third choices for each workshop session. If your first choice is full, you will be registered for the second choice if available.

  • Councils will be invoiced for registered participants who fail to show up without good reason, or who do not cancel three days in advance.


Workshops:
Art From Recycled Material: Artists have been using discarded materials to make art for decades. Come and learn about some of these artists and work in a team to make your own masterpiece using recycled materials. Be green and be creative too! (Note: this workshop will only be offered once, for a total of 2 hours - Maximum number of participants is 25)

Presenter: Kate Strickland
Location: Art vein studio


Sorting relay: The ultimate sorting test! We will evaluate, through the sorting relay race, just how well you know what items are recyclable, which are compostable and which cannot be reused. A dynamic presentation on the problems associated with waste materials, as well as the importance of the 3RVs, helps participants reflect on their consumption habits and the everyday actions of "throwing stuff away."

Presenter: Nikki Schiebel, Éco-Quartier NDG
Location: Eco-Quartier NDG


Responsible consumption: Every day, human beings consume (use) a variety of goods for food, clothing, shelter, etc in order to survive. What happens when that consumption leads to unsustainable practices, pollution and unfairly distributed resources?

This workshop will open the participants' eyes to the impacts of consumption of a variety of goods (water, clothing, food, etc). We will discuss the importance of conserving and properly managing resources in our daily activities. We will also discuss the imbalanced distribution of resources on a worldwide scale, and share ideas while discussing the necessity of reducing our wasteful consumption patterns and finding ways to do so in our everyday lives.

Presenter: TBA, Éco-Quartier NDG
Location: Eco-Quartier NDG


Ecological care of the home: Each year, the average Montreal family uses 20 to 40 litres of domestic (home) cleaning products. What we don't know is that most of these products are very harmful to the environment and can cause breathing problems, complications with allergies and even exposure to potential carcinogens (causing cancer). This workshop will go through most of your cleaning and gardening choirs, from scrubbing the tub to maintaining your flower patches, but with a spin on the respect of your health and environment.

Presenter: Simon Dubé, Éco-Quartier Peter McGill
Location: Eco-Quartier Peter McGill


Composting: Composting is a natural process by which organic matter is decomposed, with the help of living soil organisms (bacteria, worms, insects, moulds, etc.). The end product is a dark earth-like matter called compost. Compost can then be used to enrich the soil used for your plants and garden. In this workshop, we will present the importance of composting as well as a basic rundown of its practice.

Presenter: Marica V. Tagliero, Éco-Quartier Peter McGill
Location: Eco-Quartier Peter McGill