Nicole Hancock
Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony ...

Kristen Villebrun and Wendy Bush hoped they wouldn't have to pray for Chedoke Creek, but four years after they first raised alarm about the water's condition, they were part of an Indigenous full moon ceremony to do just that. About 50 people showed up near Princess Point on the dark and frigid Monday evening for the monthly ceremony, which was particularly special as it focused on Chedoke Creek. The body of water that runs into Cootes Paradise had about 24 billion litres of sewage and storm water runoff leak into it due to a gate being left open.

Indigenous community hosts full moon ceremony to heal Chedoke Creek

high school students

Trading homework for hip waders: Regina students become stewards of conservation park

Trading homework for hip waders: Regina students become stewards of conservation park

Science has always been a big part of Mireya Zigler's life. Zigler's dad was an environmental science teacher at Martin Collegiate in Regina, and she admits to having a bit of a dinosaur obsession as a kid. Now, Zigler and her Grade 10 classmates at Dr. Martin LeBoldus High School will get to explore their passion for science further, as they become environmental stewards at McKell Wascana Conservation Park. The project is a partnership between the school and Ducks Unlimited to make the roughly 70-hectare (171-acre) park in east Regina a wetland centre of excellence — part of a national network of schools and community partners for the conservation organization.

‘Take on the impossible’: Shad Memorial takes summer school to a whole other level

‘Take on the impossible’: Shad Memorial takes summer school to a whole other level

As well, all participants are working on a design project. This year’s theme is How Might We Help Canadians Treat Our Fresh Water With More Respect? Ms. Yanikomeroglu says she is already applying what she learned from Dr. Loeffler. “She challenged us to take on the impossible,” she said. “I found this to be especially relevant for our design project. Fuelled with encouraging words and a team of hard-working friends, we did indeed feel equipped to take on the impossible. Shad reminds me that if you can dream it, you can achieve it!”

Algae in Greater Victoria can clean water, produce biodiesel, says Grade 11 student

Algae in Greater Victoria can clean water, produce biodiesel, says Grade 11 student

Research showed her that plants have impressive water purifying properties, so Lee began searching fresh water bodies around Greater Victoria for an algae that would meet her requirements. At Swan Lake, she found what she was looking for – Azolla filiculoides is an invasive macroalgae known to exist in fresh water bodies around the world and to have absorbing and purifying properties. A study conducted in Iran in 2014 showed the algae could yield up to 58,700 litres of oil per hectare, or about 23,765 litres per acre. The oil can then be used in a biodiesel blend.

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