The 30 Day Challenge – Part 2

Posted on June 7, 2020 by Mama Cormier

….our most interesting finds

Over the last 30 days we’ve certainly come across a whole host of unusual finds in the parks, on the beaches and between the rocks.

Lake Ontario is part of the Great Lakes in North America and provides fresh drinking water to over 9 million people in Ontario, Canada and New York State, U.S.. It is the 14th largest fresh water lake in the world and because it is so deep it never freezes completely.

There are days when the waves are so large you would think you were on an ocean. I bring this up because much of the garbage that we collected from the beaches was washed ashore during those days when the swells were huge.

Some of things that we found on the beaches and between the rocks were golf balls, styrofoam and plastic, old tires, chair parts, umbrellas, headless doll and a wallet with $20.00.

When we started on this challenge May 2 we were wearing winter coats, hats and mitts and now five weeks later we’re in our shorts, tee-shirts and sandals. We always say that here in Toronto we go from winter right into summer.

Nearing the End of Our 30 Day Challenge: Part 1

Posted on June 6, 2020 by Mama Cormier

….to clean all the parks in our neighbourhood

On May 4th I joined my neighbour Trish on her 30 Day Clean the Parks Challenge. As we come to the end of this experience we’ve learned a few things about people.

Most people are very appreciative for what we’re doing. We’ve met some wonderful people on this journey. It’s the minority that spoil our parks with trash they they can’t be bothered to walk over to the bins. In our parkette at the bottom of the street where we live there are three sets of bins space about 100 metres apart. The biggest offenders here are those people who drive down here to eat their breakfast, lunch and dinner in their cars and then dump their empty cups, food containers, serviettes, cigarette butts and beer bottles on the curb.

52 Week Smartphone Challenge – Week 21 Serenity

Posted on May 29, 2020 by Mama Cormier

….thanks to Khürt for hosting the 52 Week Smartphone Challenge

Serenity definitely comes from being outdoors. I’ve spent a lot of time in the parks in Toronto that border on Lake Ontario. Even though I’ve been working to clear away the trash that has fallen between the rocks I can still take a moment to enjoy the view and take in the peace and quiet along the shoreline. This is one of the last photos I took on my iPhone.

Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – Anything Man-made

Posted on May 26, 2020 by Mama Cormier

…thanks to Cee for hosting the Fun Foto Challenge

For more than 20 days we’ve been collecting garbage from the our parks. All of this trash is man-made.

Silent Sunday – May 24, 2020

Posted on May 24, 2020 by Mama Cormier

Wordless Wednesday – May 20, 2020

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Silent Sunday – May 17, 2020

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Clean-up in Aisle 9

Posted on May 15, 2020 by Mama Cormier

…actually the clean-up has been in our local parks

Two weeks ago my neighbour, Trish, decided to give herself a 30 day challenge and go out daily (weather permitting) and pick up trash in our parks. When I found out what she was doing I decided to join her on her Day 3. For the last 10 days we’ve been out together, grocery bags in hand, and have been picking up litter from our beautiful parks.

We are very lucky where we live because we are surrounded by parks and parkettes. So far we’ve tackled six different areas. Some of the parks are so large we’ve had to go back a couple of times and one park is so big that we have enough work for the remainder of the challenge.

Much of the litter is trash that has fallen from people’s pockets and from the garbage cans on collection day and then picked up by the wind. Most of what we find is hidden under shrubs and trees and between the rocks on the shoreline. Unfortunately a lot is the result of people being too lazy to walk a hundred feet to one of the multiple garbage containers set out all over the parks.

We’re finding a lot of plastic bags, take-out containers, coffee cups, pop and beer cans and lots of cigarette butts and disposable lighters. Close to building sites styrofoam is our number one find. Our most unusual finds have been chairs, a bicycle lock and a broken umbrella.

The nice part of doing this is that we’re meeting a lot of the people in our neighbourhood. They are all very appreciative. Some of them have been inspired to do the same thing and take a bag with them on their daily walks. On my first day one of them called us over and left us each a bag of homemade cookies on the edge of their porch. While doing this of course we’re doing our best to stay 2 metres apart. In the first photo Trish is with her daughter and they live in the same house.

Here are some of the photos taken on Days 1 to 10 for me. Trish just finished day 12. Looks like we may take a break today. It’s pouring rain.