Why you should elect Don Woodstock
Newspaper Articles written about Don
Here are some news articles about my environmental efforts and my visions for the City of Winnipeg and the Province.
ROCKIN’ THE BOAT FOR A GOOD CAUSE
Manitoba should be leader in green technology, local activist says
ETHAN CABEL MARCH 10, 2010 - The Uniter
Don Woodstock, a Winnipeg Transit bus driver and environmental activist, has a dream – a dream of a greener and more socially conscious Manitoba.
“We should be teaching the rest of the world how it’s done,” he said.
Due largely to Woodstock’s influence, Garbage Day was renamed Recycling Day by city council last year. He also organized the Winnipeg’s first International Day to Ban Plastic Bags on Sept. 12 of last year. On the steps of the Manitoba legislature, hundreds of people dropped off over 45,000 plastic bags, exchanging them for reusable totes.
Over the last two years, Woodstock has met with provincial ministers and even influenced City Hall in making a commitment to eliminate plastic bags in Winnipeg retail stores. He believes that Manitoba, because it generates energy from 95 per cent renewable resources, is perfectly positioned to be a leader in green technology both in Canada and abroad.
“I believe politics and life go hand in hand,” he said.
Woodstock was born on a farm in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, where he worked for years as part of the Jamaica Labour Party and as the devoted manager of a family-operated catering service. He moved to Toronto in 1995 and became a salesman for American District Telegraph home alarm systems. Since moving to Winnipeg in 2000, Woodstock has worked as a filmmaker, an activist, a television personality and a candidate for the Manitoba Liberal Party.
“I contacted all three [provincial] political parties when I first came to Winnipeg because I wanted to get involved,” he said. “Jon Gerrard [leader of the Manitoba Liberals] was the only one who called me back ... so I figured I’m going to talk to the guy who talks to me.”
In 2001, Woodstock accompanied Gerrard on a tour of several northern communities in Manitoba. He was shocked and disgusted by the rampant poverty as well as the air pollution and contaminated soil prevalent in the community of Flin Flon, home of the Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Co.
“When I went through the tour I had to pause and ask myself, what is wrong with this picture?” he said.
Woodstock credits the tour for shaping his view of provincial politics and later influencing him to run as a Liberal candidate for the riding of Southdale in the 2006 provincial election. The catalyst for his environmental activism, however, didn’t come until he met David Suzuki in Winnipeg in 2007.
“[He told me to] start at the local level and don’t stop. Sooner or later, somewhere down the line, someone will listen to you,” Woodstock said.
Shortly thereafter, he made a documentary, Your World and Mine, highlighting the environmental efforts of Winnipeg businesses and individuals. He delivered the film to City Hall and to the provincial legislature and before he knew it, he was being approached by Shaw Cable to produce and host U, Me and the Environment, a local cable show that has produced eight episodes to date.
“Don [Woodstock] is consistently in the government’s face,” said Shawn Nesbitt, a customer service representative for Organza Market, an organic food store in Osborne Village. “I definitely think he is making small steps that will cause bigger changes.”
Organza was featured several times in Woodstock’s cable show, which focused on the store’s local produce and environmentally-sustainable products.
“What Don [Woodstock] has accomplished speaks to the power of the individual,” said Ian Hanington, communications specialist for the David Suzuki Foundation.
Woodstock’s most recent initiative, which pushed for larger recycling bins to accompany larger garbage containers in the city, did not pass through city council. Regardless, he’s committed to rock the boat and create some change.
“Don’t get mad [with the government],” he said. “Get even.”
To read more fun facts about Don Woodstock, and to watch his documentary and cable show, visit Ethan Cabel’s blog at www.uniter.ca/blogs.
Don Woodstock, a Winnipeg Transit bus driver and environmental activist, is making Manitoba a whole lot greener. The man responsible for changing Garbage Day to Recycling Day is getting in the government’s face and demanding change. – Cindy Titus
Winnipeg changes 'garbage day' to 'recycling day'
The Canadian Press
Published Wednesday, April 1, 2009 3:14PM EDT WINNIPEG -
Winnipeg is moving ahead with its intention to change the name of "garbage day" to "recycling day" after the province's residents were labelled the worst recyclers in Canada.
The largely symbolic gesture passed city council last week by a vote of 8-6. Winnipeg is one of the few Canadian cities that collects garbage and recycling on the same day.
Some suggested the day should be rebranded as "recycling day" rather than "garbage day" to get people thinking more about using their blue boxes.
Don Woodstock, the city resident who came up with the idea, said garbage is a negative word and the city could do more to cast the day in a "greener" light.
The name change was quashed at one city committee, but it was approved by the mayor's executive cabinet and eventually by council.
While environmentalists hope the change isn't the extent of the city's environmental efforts, Mayor Sam Katz has said the new name will make recycling "top of mind" for residents.
Manitoba has a long way to go when it comes to recycling. According to Statistics Canada, the province has experienced the second-highest increase in trash in Canada and has the worst recycling rate in the country.
Statistics Canada says while Nova Scotia diverts 40 per cent of its waste and 99 per cent of households recycle, Manitoba only diverts 13 per cent of trash and is dead-last for recycling at 88 per cent.
Manitoba also lags behind almost every other province in composting, using energy-efficient light bulbs and conserving water.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Winnipeg
LETTER OF THE DAY
Trashing the plastic
Posted: 07/3/2012 1:00 AM
Re: City hopes to pull solution out of plastic-bag dilemma (June 28). I'm happy to see the Toronto City Council has banned toxic plastic grocery bags. This is something I advocated years ago for our city council to do.
At the time, I was pleased that councillors Justin Swandel and Gord Steeves put forth a motion asking the Winnipeg Public Service to develop a strategy for the elimination of plastic grocery bags in our stores. They did this at the November council meeting in the year 2008. The year 2009 went by, then 2010 went by, and then all the days of 2011 went by, and still no action.
I cannot understand why Swandel did not pursue it. After all, he serves on the executive policy committee with the mayor.
Now the mayor, with Swandel's help, could negotiate with the grocery chains to supply compostable, environmentally friendly plastic bags. These bags are made from plant material and will break down within a year without leaving any toxins in the environment.
DON WOODSTOCK
Winnipeg
Don Woodstock, a Winnipeg Transit bus driver and environmental activist, is making Manitoba a whole lot greener. The man responsible for changing Garbage Day to Recycling Day is getting in the government’s face and demanding change.
– Cindy Titus - of The Uniter
Plastic-bag recycling doomed: environmentalist,
CBC News Posted: Nov 13, 2009 2:17 PM CT
Last Updated: Nov 13, 2009 2:10 PM CT
A Manitoba government initiative to encourage people to recycle plastic grocery bags is destined to fail, says an environmental advocate who wants the bags banned completely.
If people see the government recycling program, they'll still think it's okay to use the bags, said Don Woodstock, a longtime environmental activist in Winnipeg. The only way to change people's perceptions and habits is to eliminate the bags altogether, he suggested.
"That's only going to tell the public that this is okay," he said. "If the general public thinks this is okay, then they'll just take more bags home, and the old habit will stay."
The government recently approved the creation of a plan to establish a waste reduction and prevention program. Being developed by Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba (MMSM), the plan will focus on how to best recover recyclable from households across Manitoba and divert them from the landfill.
The provincial minister of Conservation approved MMSM's proposed program on Sept. 24.
The Manitoba government is set to launch a plastic bag recycling initiative. ((CBC))
Part of the plan, which is scheduled to be implemented in 2010, is to provide more in-store depots for people to recycle used grocery bags. The goal is to reduce the usage of plastic bags by 50 per cent.
However, current organized efforts to recycle those plastic bags are far from successful.
At Sobeys stores in Winnipeg, customers are encouraged to recycle in the Bag 2 Bag bins located at the front of the stores. The bins hold about 500 bags and approximately one bin gets filled per night, according to the manager at one store.
But the manager, who did not want to be identified, told CBC News the store hands out about 5,000 bags per day.
10 per cent
success rate
Sobeys Edmonton-based director of communications, Mike Lupien, said a 10 per cent recycling rate is "about right" for all of the stores, but the company is hoping to improve awareness of the bins to improve their recycling rate.
Based on that return rate, 90 per cent of the company's bags likely end up in the landfill.
'The general public is going to use these bags for something. They are not bringing them back to the store.'—Don Woodstock
Many people do give the bags a temporary second life as garbage bags, or to line litter boxes, but eventually, they will find their way into the dump, said Woodstock, who strung together thousands of plastic bags and littered them across the grounds at the legislature this past summer.
While he appreciates the province is trying to do something about the matter, Woodstock believes its plan will actually increase the problem.
"The general public is going to use these bags for something. They are not bringing them back to the store."
A Sobeys shopper confirmed Woodstock's concern.
"I have all mine stuffed until I use them to give to the kids to take lunches or something. What do they do? They throw them in the garbage," said Ron, who didn't want his last name used.
Bags that do get returned to Sobeys bins in Winnipeg are baled and trucked to a facility in North Vernon, Indiana, run by Hilex, the largest manufacturer in the world of check-stand bags. The company melts the bags into tiny plastic pellets and then molds the pellets into new plastic bags.
The Manitoba government is set to launch a plastic bag recycling initiative. ((CBC))
WinnipegFirst.ca
Province backfills child care spending
· Posted: Apr 5th 2007, 18:20 / Written by: Krista Simonson
· Tagged as: Greg Selinger, Don Woodstock, child care, budget, news
A $14 million pledge in the budget announced by Finance Minister Greg Selinger on Wednesday
to cover withdrawn federal funds for child care leaves some who are dependent on the system
frustrated and disappointed.
Don Woodstock is a father of two children in the child care system. When his wife became pregnant with their first child, he registered at the local daycare. Their daughter saw her first birthday before she was accepted into the program.
"The minister (Selinger) is planning to lobby Ottawa about this. But we're not going to change their minds," says Woodstock. "Let's seize the facts, not bang our heads against the wall. It's time for a sustainable long-term plan in this province. We need something we can look forward to."
Pat Wege, executive director of the Manitoba Child Care Association, agrees.
"(The $14 million) is backfilled money. That's better than rolling back, but it's not building a system, it's the status quo. I can't get excited about standing still."
Wege says after 30 years in the field, policy makers still don't see child care as an important component of early child development, or an essential public service.
"If children are our most precious resource, why isn't our provincial government showing innovation and leadership in this area?"
Parents and daycare workers have been showing mounting concern about Manitoba's child care system.
In February, more than 70 day care providers and parents rallied at the Legislative Building.
Recently, Woodstock sent letters to Selinger, Premier Gary Doer, PC leader Hugh McFadyen, andLiberal leader Jon Gerrard. In the letter, Woodstock urges the provincial government to continue the existing funding agreement for early childhood development for six more years, and to create an additional 10,000 funded child care spaces in the same period.
Child care promises in the 2007 budget are not so lofty. A new Manitoba Child Benefit offers up to $35 per month for low income families. The province also says it will enhance positive parenting programs and parent/child coalitions.
"If you spend the money now on our children, then you'll save the money later. We see our youth and the trouble they're in. We need to take care of our children when they are young," says Woodstock.
The budget was announced days after Little Scholar Kollege, a daycare centre in St.Vital, announced to parents its doors will close at the end of April.
Wege says we'll be hearing the same from more child care facilities.
"When quality of service is compromised, these owners or boards have to throw up their hands. They can't stretch their dollar any more."
She says it's a symptom of the bigger problem in our system and province.
"Child care is for the public good, it's not a personal problem."
Woodstock says the closure will leave 50 families scrambling for alternative care for their children, and hopes it will push more daycare workers and parents to get involved.
Woodstock is not just a father, he's also a Liberal candidate for Southdale. He is disappointed in the NDP's budget and hopes he'll get the chance to take action.
"We could have set the pace here for the rest of Canada. We've missed an opportunity. The government could've looked so good."
http://www.winnipegfirst.ca/article/2007/04/05/province_backfills_child_care_spending
Diane Hale and myself in front of Rainbow Daycare, the largest daycare built in this province. Thanks for standing with me on February 6, 2007 on the Steps of the Legislature. Remember, it was -40 degrees.
FOOD MATTERS MANITOBA SURVEY ANSWERS
http://www.foodmattersmanitoba.ca/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/St.-Charles.pdfk me.
http://www.foodmattersmanitoba.ca/projects/projectspolitics-on-the-plate/
1. Create an incentive for businesses to operate successfully in the downtown core and other parts of the city where the needs are the greatest. For example, the Safeway at Ness and Sturgeon.
2. Coming from a farming background and author of the City's Name Change from "Garbage Day" to "Recycle Day", it gives me pleasure to see folks growing their own food. Unused property in the community can be used for a Community Garden. Curbside Compost Pickup would greatly enhance this project and would be one of my priorities to see implemented in our city. The St. Charles Ward residents and Winnipeg have my commitment to this.
3. Again, making curbside pickup a priority, I would implement an initiative like other cities have. Just like I did for the larger blue recycling bins that we have today.
4. Healthier food for all is a goal we need to achieve. By holding forums within the communities, Councillors would be able to bring about change in the City-owned facilities. Residents and elected officials would decide what is best for the facilities they use.
5. My vision for nutritious food is to involve more information sharing on the benefits, integrate local farmers' needs into our city's schools for educational purposes, growing and harvesting processes, field trips to the farm and possible small gardens located on school grounds could come about. Nothing beats tending a garden daily and watching it mature. Food deserts are not acceptable. Through informational sessions with the community all problems can be solved. As councillors, if we engage our community in solving this issue we can bring about meaningful change that is needed.