The Grand Falls Regional Municipality accepts the No Mow May challenge

: Posted by Green Light Feu Vert; 18 May 2023

Grand Falls, NB- Green Light NB Enviro Club Feu Vert, a charitable environmental organization in Grand Falls, launched a campaign to encourage Grand Falls residents not to mow their lawns for the month of May. No Mow May is an opportunity to help our native pollinators and other wildlife thrive in the greenspaces where we live. During an entire month, wildflowers in lawns are left to bloom, providing a feast of nectar and pollen for hungry native bees, butterflies, and other animals whose populations have been declining in recent years due to habitat loss, land degradation, and climate change.

Nicole McLaughlin, president of Green Light, requested that the Grand Falls municipal council designate certain sites belonging to the municipality not to be mowed. The municipal council accepted the proposal and has designated nine sites in the municipality that will not be mowed for the month of May. During the Grand Falls municipal meeting which took place on April 19^th 2023, the mayor of Grand Falls, Bertrand Beaulieu stated that the Grand Falls municipality wants to do their part in order to help the bees as human systems depend upon them. He encouraged the residents of the municipality to do the same.

Green Light has also launched a Facebook contest where citizens of the Grand Falls municipality are asked to share pictures of their unmowed lawns on Facebook and use the hashtag #FVGL2023. They will have a chance to win prizes related to pollinators (ex: honey, jams, etc).

Other members of the community are also involved in promoting the campaign. Students at the Mgr Lang elementary school are asking family and neighbors for their commitment not to mow their lawns in May.

In addition, Green Light has printed a number of signs that are available for free for Grand Falls residents participating in the No Mow May challenge. The signs explaining why the lawn is left long are available at the town offices in the Grand Falls municipality. “The beauty of the No Mow May initiative is that it does not require a lot of effort but it can have an important impact on pollinators,” explains Nicole McLaughlin.

The idea of No Mow May came from a rewilding campaign that started in the UK and has spread around the world. It encourages leaving lawns un-mowed for the month of May to support bees, butterflies, ants and other insects that are a vital part of our food chain. It provides their early sources of food (such as clover and dandelions) an opportunity to bloom and produce nectar.

No Mow May

Action Alerts

Unveiling "Tell the Facts" Campaign

01 March 2024

We are excited to share that the Conservation Council of New Brunswick has launched a new campaign called “Tell the Facts.” — a campaign to do just that: Tell the facts about the federal clean electricity regulations and counter misleading ads launched in New Brunswick by the Alberta government.

Last September, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith unveiled the “Tell the Feds” campaign, spreading inaccurate information about Ottawa’s clean electricity regulations. Unfortunately, New Brunswickers became unwitting targets of this misinformation for several months.

In light of this, the Conservation Council of New Brunswick has taken a stand with the “Tell the Facts” campaign aimed at setting the record straight on how these federal regulations will impact energy reliability, affordability and climate action in New Brunswick and across Canada.

The misinformation spread by Alberta about renewable energy is unacceptable, and our campaign is our firm response. We aim to showcase that clean, affordable energy can positively shape everyone’s future.

We encourage you to explore our campaign website, where you will find valuable and informative resources. Additionally, we’ve created a user-friendly letter-writing tool that allows you to easily communicate with federal politicians, demanding a strong commitment to a clean energy future.

Together, let’s rally for a better, cleaner future for New Brunswick and Canada. Click the link below to send your letter and be a part of this crucial movement.

Take action now! Your letter will be sent to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and Minister of Environment and Climate Change Steven Guilbeault.

Atlantic Citizens’ Assembly on Electricity Affordability and Energy Poverty

01 March 2024

Energy poverty is a term used to describe households that spend six percent or more of their after-tax household income on heating, cooling, and lighting their homes.

Atlantic Canada has the highest rates of Energy Poverty in Canada. While citizens support the transition away from fossil fuels for electricity generation and home heating, they recognize the transition might mean electricity bills will increase, which is a concern for many already facing challenges with power bills.

Are you spending six percent or more of your after-tax household income on energy? Would you like to participate in the Atlantic Citizens’ Assembly to make recommendations to federal and provincial governments and utility Boards on how to keep electricity affordable and eliminate energy poverty, while eliminating carbon and air pollution from the electricity system?

The Conservation Council of New Brunswick is hosting an Atlantic-wide Citizens’ Assembly with a diverse group of about 6 Participants from each of the Atlantic Provinces living in rural and urban communities, with different household incomes, educational backgrounds, and cultural and linguistic backgrounds. The event will take place online in May.

A Citizens’ Assembly is a process where people come together to consider an issue, supported by expert reports and advisors. A facilitator helps participants consider the facts, share their personal experiences, and identify areas of agreement and disagreement that can inform recommendations to decision-makers on opportunities to improve electricity affordability and reduce energy poverty.

If you are interested in participating in this important event, we ask you to consider the following:

Do you have access to reliable internet, computer, and camera so you can join us for a virtual Citizens’ Assembly in May?
Are you willing to fill out a pre-assembly survey to help us determine your suitability?
Can you read reports on energy affordability and energy poverty that are in English (we will provide material in French where they are available)?
Can you spare enough time to read the background materials we will share with you to help prepare you to participate in the Citizens’ Assembly? Reading background materials may take you three to four hours.

If you would like to participate in the Conservation Council’s Citizens’ Assembly on Electricity Affordability and Energy Poverty, please reach out to Faith at faith.mambo@conservationcouncil.ca.