Activities at EcoFair Toronto
- Meet the TVOkids Green Squad & watch screenings
- Test drive e-cargo bikes with Our Greenway
- Join Members of TEECC to Play SOLUTIONS
- Join us for an exploration of soil with Worm Wrangler
- Make arts & crafts with Creative Reuse
- Bring electronics for reuse/recycling with Free Geek Toronto
- Have fun with Green Energy hands-on tech with For Our Kids
- U of T Trash Team – Reusables Survey
- Bring canned food or olive, canola or vegetable oils for The Stop food bank
Green Squad – TVOkids
Come meet the hosts of GREEN SQUAD, a new show about kids making green lifestyle changes! Five passionate and environmentally-savvy hosts help kids and their families make eco-friendly lifestyle changes in this fun, inspiring and informative TV show! Broadcast on all TVOkids channels, each episode sees three of the five Squad members answer a call for help from one young person eager to make a positive environmental impact in their home or community. The Squad leads three different earth-friendly missions to inform and educate while showing that even though change can be tough, it can also be cool, entertaining and fun!
Missions include thrifting second-hand items to make a unique costume; clearing out an unused apartment sunroom to create an indoor garden oasis; making homemade sports drinks to cut down on single-use plastic bottles for a thirsty hockey team; pitching the town council to paint a mural with a green message; and organizing a friend “Walking Train” to school to minimize car rides. Once the kids have had time to put their new-found skills into practice on their own, the Squad checks in on their progress and encourages their perseverance.
Each episode is also punctuated by three fun, colourful “Green Beats” that use stock footage, unique animations and visual humour to expand on something we learned about in the mission, connect the actions of our young protagonists to the resulting impact in the wider world, and highlight good news environmental stories that show us positive change is possible!
We will screen episodes of the 22 minute show at 11:30 am, 1:00 pm and 2:30 pm in the EcoSparks office located just inside the red archway on the south side of the Barn.
tvokids.com/school-age/green-squad
Our Greenway
Participants will get to see and test drive a selection of e-cargo cycles, with the chance to win gift cards!
Cycling Cinematographers, a worker-owned co-operative that offers equipment sharing and mentorship to members who are passionate about bicycling and cinematography, and NRBI, a local e-cargo cycle delivery service, will also be in attendance as guest of Our Greenway.
What We Do: The Zero Emission Vehicle Awareness Initiative (ZEVAI) supports projects that aim to increase awareness, knowledge and public confidence in zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) and public charging and refueling infrastructure. Our path forward is to help strengthen northwest Toronto with a practical mobility network and micromobility tools to connect businesses, entrepreneurs and residents to each other quickly and sustainably.
Join Members of TEECC to Play SOLUTIONS
A game of Hope and Action for the Climate
It’s a race against time to fight climate change. You will work together to reduce global emissions before it’s too late! As you strategically deploy various climate solutions, you will be tested on your knowledge and your ability to prioritize. You will need to think critically about each solution and discuss with your teammates in order to avoid catastrophe.
From time to time TEECC invites guests to share what they are up to at their meetings. They had the pleasure to play “Solutions – The Game” with the game’s inventor. It was lots of fun. Lots of laughter. Lots of, “I didn’t know that.” The game is non-competitive. The version that will be played at the EcoFair is very casual – visitors can join for as long or as short as they like.
More info at: solutionsthegame.com
NOTE: TEECC is not selling the game at the fair, just playing it.
Worm Wrangler
Join us for a fun-filled, earth-friendly exploration of soil and vermicomposting – through visiting our happy red wiggler worms! This interactive station is a fantastic opportunity for children and adults alike to get their hands a little dirty while learning about the wonders of composting. Discover the critical role worms play in creating nutrient-rich soil, and how this process can help reduce waste and support a healthier environment. Prepare to be amazed as you handle these wonderful wrigglers and see first-hand how your kitchen scraps can turn into black gold for your garden. Embrace your eco-side with us, and leave with newfound knowledge and enthusiasm for sustainable living!
What We Do: Worm Wrangler specializes in sales and support of red wiggler vermicompost worms, and vermicompost soil amendment.
www.facebook.com/WormWranglerCAN
www.instagram.com/worm_wrangler_canada
Creative Reuse
Join us for two free and fun creative reuse art activities. They can be made onsite or at home. The non-denominational crafts are geared for people of all ages and abilities.
- Create a mini, round decoration using textiles and other scrap materials, or
- Create a mini bunting made using textiles and other scrap materials
Both projects will be made without glue or permanent adhesives so they can be completely disassembled for recycling or application in other art projects.
What We Do: We work with organizations and individuals to divert materials from landfill for art and craft, using those items in our community building programming and making them available to the public to purchase at low cost.
Free Geek Accepting E-Waste at EcoFair Toronto
Free Geek Toronto is a technology reuse not-for-profit organization that uses unwanted electronics/computers to increase access to technology, offer employment and training opportunities, and reduce the environmental impact of technology.
Collection of Unwanted Tech! Bring all the computer-related items that are sitting around your place collecting dust and let’s see if we can get reuse out of it.
For Our Kids
Come by to learn more about how to get involved, play some fun quiz games, and for some fun arts and crafts for kids, including a hands-on learning experience from EcoInnovate Labs.
In a world grappling with climate change, it is imperative that we educate and empower communities to take action through sustainable practices and technologies. A representative from EcoInnovate Labs (https://ecoinnovatelabs.mystrikingly.com/) will be on hand with a green energy technology kit to showcase a diverse range of climate technologies and actions. This activity will allow participants of all ages and technical abilities to interact with and learn about green energy sources and energy-efficient climate solutions, promoting a broader understanding of how individual and collective actions can combat climate change.
Visitors can engage through hands-on experimentation and learning, with guidance and explanations provided to help them understand the significance of each technology and action in combating climate change.
What We Do: We are a volunteer group of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, caregivers and allies working together for climate justice in Toronto, Ontario. We take collective action to help mitigate the climate crisis – for example, we facilitate School Yard Climate Conversations in schools.
Instagram: @ForOurKidsTO
U of T Trash Team – Reusables Survey
We are conducting research and we want to hear from you about your practices with single-use and reusable foodware in restaurants/coffee shops/bakeries. As more Canadians seek opportunities to reduce single-use plastic and waste, we want to identify what support businesses and customers need to reduce waste.
Members of our survey team will be roving throughout the fair to conduct the survey, which should take approximately 5 minutes.
QR code for PDF of full details:
EcoFair Food Drive for “The Stop Community Food Centre”
EcoFair attendees are invited to bring a non-perishable food item to donate to The Stop’s food bank.
While our EcoFair food vendors will be providing us with delicious healthy food, regretfully, with rising food prices, The Stop’s food bank is struggling to provide healthy food for everyone.
We are inviting EcoFair attendees to help by bringing a non-perishable food item that is safely within its “best before” dates to donate to The Stop Community Food Centre. Full details HERE.
Examples:
- Canned tomatoes or pasta sauce
- Canned or dried beans or lentils
- Olive, canola or vegetable oils
What We Do: For over 40 years, The Stop has been dedicated to increasing access to healthy food in Toronto. We are proud to be an integral part of the community, offering support, fostering health and togetherness, and challenging inequality. We run extensive emergency food access and social service programs, aiming to address the effects of systemic poverty: food insecurity, social isolation, unequal access to land, and difficulty navigating health and government systems.
Your $5 donation to The Stop will also be gratefully accepted at the EcoFair Silent Auction table.
