Angelica Haggert
Wherever you go - go green!
Take nothing but memories, leave nothing
but footprints.
Spring always seems to induce the desire
to get outside. In my head I see picnic
lunches, long bike rides and a happy canine
friend at the end of the leash.
But spring also brings the snow melt,
and now that all the snow is gone from the
lawns and streets of Windsor-Essex, I also see
something unsightly - trash. Months-old litter
is uncovered and starts to scatter, collecting
near curbs and in parks. So while you’re out
there enjoying the warmer weather, here are
some ideas for helping WE get green!
Cache-In, Trash Out
Have you seen our Exploring Matters
column from December 2013? Looking
forward to using the sunshine to try out
highly-recommended geocaching for the first
time? Take a look for a local CITO event Cache In, Trash Out. Every time you stop and
search for one of these GPS treasures, scoop
up a few pieces of garbage. It’s easy to bring a
grocery bag and a pair of gloves along - you’ll
be surprised at how quickly you can fill an
ordinary shopping bag with the things
discarded on the side of the path.
Ride Your Bike
We’ve written before on bike safety, and
the amazing bike paths and trails that
Windsor-Essex has to offer. Ten kilometres is
hardly anything when you’re moving under
pedal power - check out how far you travel to
work, and consider switching to a bike
commute instead of the car. Remember to
wear a helmet and use all bicycling signals for
Get the apps!
OffExploring
Topographic Maps
Canada
Commander Compass
stopping and turning.
Buy Used
Windsor-Essex plays host to a multitude
of small secondhand shops - not to mention
our larger versions like Goodwill and Value
Village. SWAG, The Yard Sale Store, and
Hidden Treasures are all stores with gently
used furniture and clothing. Spring also
brings the beginning of yard sale season where Windsorites can often find unique
collectables no longer available in stores.
These front-lawn treasure finds can even
include that barely-used tent the Smith family
bought when they thought they’d really like
camping. Yard sales are also a great place to
find camp chairs, compasses and more
“exploring” gear. Buy used before you buy
new!
There’s an App for That
Traditional social media apps are great
for helping you share your explorations with
family and friends. Here are a few more that
make great adventure-apps:
OffExploring: a travel journal app where
you can jot down notes, add snapshots, and
share on social media as you go. At the end of
your trip, order a hardcover travel journal as
a souvenir of your adventure!
Topographic Maps Canada: a handy
topo