FAQ's
Home > FAQ's

Is Living Green Barrie part of the City of Barrie?
Living Green Barrie was started by a group of citizens of Barrie.  For a few years in the early nineties Living Green (as Be Green Barrie) worked with the City through funding from Green Communities.  For many years after that it has been, and today it remains, a non-governmental organization that is run and funded without City money.

Does Living Green do any lobbying?
While there are some issues that Living Green will be politically involved in, the organization as a whole is not politically oriented.  To be a registered Canadian charity, organizations must devote less than 10% of its time (and money) to lobbying activities.  But in the past, Living Green has been involved in promoting a more stringent Pest Control Products Act (regarding the larger issue of pesticide use on lawns and gardens) and some other issues.

Will Living Green be hiring in the future?
Many people have been employed by EAB over the 12 years it has existed.  Often positions came to be to support summer season programs like Earth Action Interpreters, the environmental day-camp.  New strategic planning done in Winter of 2002 has changed the focus of Living Green to become more of a web-based organization.  This way physical office costs remain low, but information can still be given to the public in ways they can use.  In the first few years there will likely be no new staff positions opening, but Board of Director and other volunteer positions are available through Volunteer Barrie    or the Living Green line 705-734-2788.

Where can I buy environmentally friendly products now that your store has closed?
The Enviromart store sold many environmentally friendly cleaning products and other items.  But the store was closed in fall of 2001 because these products are now widely available on the mainstream market.  You can find Simply Clean and Nature Clean items at Zehrs, Loblaws, Sobeys and A&P at prices level to "regular" products.  These locations also sell a large variety of organic foods.  Smaller, harder to find products like deodorant and soaps are available at Nutrition Plus, 42 Maple Street in Barrie.

What has Living Green done?

• Finalist for Recycling Council of Ontario's 2001 awards
• Awarded the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority Education Award in 2000. 
• Organized clean-ups of Sunnidale Park and Lackie's Bush     
• Held tree-plantings on Earth Day 1999 and 2002
• Attended over 50 events a year to promote Pesticide-Free lawn and garden care 
• Hosted another 3 workshops/seminars on the same topic
• Visited hundreds of children to bring them summer day-camp style environmental education
• Organized and ran a totally volunteer-driven Alternative Recycling Depot that collected plastics not recycled in Municipal pick-up
• The above Depot encouraged City of Barrie to increase its range of recyclable pick-up 
• Answered over 200 phone calls per month regarding environmental issues, topics and questions from the people of Barrie and area  

And much more, just ask the people of Barrie and surrounding communities that have benefited from the work of Living Green.  But the best is yet to come!  Take part by becoming a volunteer