• Home
  • Actions
    • Political Action of the Week
    • Let’s Talk: Municipal Politics – Including Election Results
    • Community Engagement
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Fridays For Future Climate Strikes
    • Post Provincial Election
  • The Challenge
    • Community Carbon Challenge
    • Climate Change – 9 Lesson Unit
    • New Challenges
    • Business Carbon Challenge
    • Pledge List
    • Carbon Challenge Videos
    • Quick N Delish
    • Carbon 101
    • Sustainability Tool Kit
  • Our News
    • Weekly Newsletter
      • Fridays For Future Climate Strikes
      • Our Readers Write
    • Our News – Media Releases
    • Muskoka Drawdown
    • Meanwhile in Ontario
      • Meanwhile, in Ontario… 2023
    • Re-Imagining The Future
    • Building Back Better Column
    • Land Acknowledgement
    • What Is Climate Action Muskoka
  • Sectors
    • Education
    • Buildings
    • Transportation
    • Food and Agriculture
    • The Stuff We Buy
    • Land Use
      • Nature Based Solutions
    • Energy
    • Economics
  • Media
    • Local Media
    • Selected Reads
    • Podcasts-Books-Movies
      • Books
      • Movies
    • Ontario Climate News
    • Climate News Canada
    • From Around the World
      • COP 27
      • U.N. Biodiversity Conference in Montreal – Dec, 2022
    • Focus On The Science
      • IPCC Sixth Assessment Report on Climate Change
    • Climate and the Law
  • Others
    • Communities Taking Action Feature
    • Local Climate Groups & Initiatives
    • Climate Action Initiatives in other Communities
    • Indigenous Peoples – Canada
      • Indigenous Peoples Around the World
    • Young women on the front lines of the climate movement.
    • Seniors In Action
  • Resources
    • Real Climate Facts And Figures And Solutions
    • EV Charger Map
    • Muskoka Water Web
    • Renewable Energy in Muskoka
    • Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
    • Governments at Every Level
      • Governments at Every Level
      • Our Provincial and Federal Representatives
      • Our District Government
    • Climate Emergency Declaration
      • Climate Emergency Declaration
      • Invitation to Endorse CAM’s Declaration of Climate Emergency Resolution
        • Endorsements — Climate Emergency Declaration
      • The Back Story
Skip to content

Climate Action Muskoka

  • Home
  • Actions
    • Political Action of the Week
    • Let’s Talk: Municipal Politics – Including Election Results
    • Community Engagement
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • Fridays For Future Climate Strikes
    • Post Provincial Election
  • The Challenge
    • Community Carbon Challenge
    • Climate Change – 9 Lesson Unit
    • New Challenges
    • Business Carbon Challenge
    • Pledge List
    • Carbon Challenge Videos
    • Quick N Delish
    • Carbon 101
    • Sustainability Tool Kit
  • Our News
    • Weekly Newsletter
      • Fridays For Future Climate Strikes
      • Our Readers Write
    • Our News – Media Releases
    • Muskoka Drawdown
    • Meanwhile in Ontario
      • Meanwhile, in Ontario… 2023
    • Re-Imagining The Future
    • Building Back Better Column
    • Land Acknowledgement
    • What Is Climate Action Muskoka
  • Sectors
    • Education
    • Buildings
    • Transportation
    • Food and Agriculture
    • The Stuff We Buy
    • Land Use
      • Nature Based Solutions
    • Energy
    • Economics
  • Media
    • Local Media
    • Selected Reads
    • Podcasts-Books-Movies
      • Books
      • Movies
    • Ontario Climate News
    • Climate News Canada
    • From Around the World
      • COP 27
      • U.N. Biodiversity Conference in Montreal – Dec, 2022
    • Focus On The Science
      • IPCC Sixth Assessment Report on Climate Change
    • Climate and the Law
  • Others
    • Communities Taking Action Feature
    • Local Climate Groups & Initiatives
    • Climate Action Initiatives in other Communities
    • Indigenous Peoples – Canada
      • Indigenous Peoples Around the World
    • Young women on the front lines of the climate movement.
    • Seniors In Action
  • Resources
    • Real Climate Facts And Figures And Solutions
    • EV Charger Map
    • Muskoka Water Web
    • Renewable Energy in Muskoka
    • Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty
    • Governments at Every Level
      • Governments at Every Level
      • Our Provincial and Federal Representatives
      • Our District Government
    • Climate Emergency Declaration
      • Climate Emergency Declaration
      • Invitation to Endorse CAM’s Declaration of Climate Emergency Resolution
        • Endorsements — Climate Emergency Declaration
      • The Back Story

—- Municipal Candidate Survey —- BRENDA RHODES

Bracebridge — District Councillor

1.     What actions have you personally taken to support a greener, more sustainable climate?

I am extremely lucky. I am of an age where the environment and climate change have been top of mind for my full life – Stop Acid Rain Campaign and Reduce, Reuse, Recycle era. Also, my father was a HUGE advocate for being stewards of the environment. Our family were early adopters of recycling and composting, and I was taught how to save turtles on the road, to respect our natural environment and all the creatures on this earth (including bugs).

Although I know there is more that I can do, I try to make adjustments and improvements every day. Currently, this is what I do:

  • I am a vegan
  • I have volunteered for Friends of Muskoka Watershed as their Secretary – supported Ash Muskoka Project (reduction of road salt and health of our forests)
  • I have collected ash for the Ash Project (before I moved)
  • I support groups like Friends of Muskoka and the Muskoka Watershed Council
  • I supported Kevin Boyle, Climate Change Initiative Coordinator by having him speak at the Rotary Club of Bracebridge and through the Chamber of Commerce
  • I use energy saving lighting
  • I unplug electronics when I don’t use them
  • I wash my laundry in cold water
  • I turn out lights when not needed
  • I grew my own food (before I moved)
  • I try to buy foods with less packaging
  • I drink tap water and try not to use plastic bottles when hosting meetings (not always easy or successful)
  • I am a food police in my house – if we buy it, we eat it!
  • I believe it is extremely important to compost (green bin and other)
  • I try to repair, reuse and donate items as much as possible
  • I have talked about creating a Sustainability Committee with all the Chambers of Commerce in Muskoka to support the business community in making changes
  • I use containers for my lunch instead of plastic sandwich bags and other single use products
  • I bring my reusable bags to the grocery store (when I remember!)
  • I have tried to reduce the time I spend in the shower

2.     What opportunities for climate leadership at the municipal level (e.g. greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs)) would you champion in one or more of these areas: Buildings | Housing | Land use (sprawl) | Transportation | Other

When we are talking about the environment, greenhouse gas emissions and sustainability, we need to make sure ALL our decisions are viewed through an environment/sustainability lens. That it is a multi-pronged and connected approach – so I would be championing all the listed areas.

  • I believe that housing will be and needs to be the main issue of this next Council:
  • Buildings
  • Housing
  • Land use (sprawl)
  • Transportation
  • Moving the New Leaf Muskoka’s Climate Strategy plan forward with scheduled reviews and adjustments
  • Work with groups like Climate Action Muskoka to help with planning and education

3.     A long-term problem requires a long-term solution. What is your 100-year plan? If elected, what would be your first action?

My 100-year plan is to ensure Muskoka’s environment is healthier than it is today and we take every measure to try to obtain this goal. We know that our natural environment is our bread and butter. We need to make sure that we leave Muskoka in good shape for future generations to build a life, work and enjoy.

Some actions that I will take moving forward are:

  • Continue to work with groups like Climate Action Muskoka to continue to learn and put into action solutions to help with climate change
  • Support work that involves monitoring of our forests, lakes, and rivers
  • Support road salt reduction and studies to map our environmental health
  • Push for regularly scheduled reviews, and planning for retrofit or expansion of any municipal infrastructure
  • Help spread the word about initiatives: one of the promises I make to the public is to help them understand what Councils are working on, and engage in back-and-forth communication with our constituents
  • Continuously advocate to ensure we are moving forward with the recommendations in A New Leaf Muskoka’s Climate Strategy 112-point plan
  • Advocate for coordinated interdepartmental actions on climate adaptation to help inform planning and infrastructure decisions by the District Council and Town of Bracebridge
  • Investigate what other successful communities are doing and propose changes/additions to our plans
  • Encourage the construction of energy-neutral housing and other buildings in Muskoka
  • Advocate for active transportation in our community
  • And more…

The first action I will take is to meet with Climate Action Muskoka to understand your top priorities, followed by understanding where the District of Muskoka is at with the 112 recommendations.

If elected, I look forward to working with Climate Action Muskoka and other organizations so I can learn more and ensure I am educated and able to be the strong voice looking through an environmental/sustainable lens when deciding on any issue.

Let's take action together in 2022
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Mail

Our Weekly Newsletter

View
Subscribe

Regular Features

Political Action of the Week -Attend community open house on new hospitals for inclusion of climate solutions

Select Online Reads - The Magic Green Belt - Margaret Atwood

Muskoka Drawdown -  Frank’s guest is Gideon Forman, a climate change and transportation policy analyst with the David Suzuki Foundation.

Feature Podcast – For inspiration: Bill McKibben on CBC's Reasons For Optimism

Climate And The Law - Environmental groups taking provincial government to court over attack on Hamilton’s official plan

Buildings - Concrete Built The Modern World. Now It’s Destroying It.

Focus On The Science - Exxon scientists accurately predicted the pace and scale of climate change more than 40 years ago.

Quick N Delish - Sweet Potato, Carrot, Apple and Red Lentil Soup.

Listen to The Music - “PEOPLE HAVE THE POWER” - C!C!C! with Patti Smith - Get inspired to join a Climate Rally 

On The Road To Zero

New Challenges

Quote Me

"The people have spoken. I'm going to listen to them, they don't want me to touch the Greenbelt, we won't touch the Greenbelt." - Doug Ford


Contact Your Representative

Graydon Smith -- MPP Parry Sound-Muskoka

Scott Aitchison — MP Parry Sound-Muskoka

Our District and Municipal Councils - Find your local representative

Search

Our News

  • Climate groups in Parry Sound Muskoka sit down face to face with MPP Graydon Smith
  • OPEN LETTER TO MPP HON. GRAYDON SMITH
  • BILL 23 MUST GO.
  • Climate Action Muskoka Raises The Alarm About Bill 23
  • Sept 24 – Municipal Candidates – Climate Action?

Centre For Truth and Reconciliation

For more information click on the logo

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Instagram
  • Mail

Our Weekly Newsletter

View
Subscribe
Donations
Powered by WordPress Theme: BlogX by wpthemespace.com