So We Filmed a Commercial....

Hey Everyone!

We here at Windsor Eco Maps are ecstatic to say that we filmed our very first commercial showcasing the usefulness of our blog. A huge thanks to our Media Guru Iris for filming, editing and posting the commercial. Its cool to finally see it all come together. Enjoy the video - and feedback is always great, negative or not. Again, thank you all for sticking with us throughout our journey. It has been great to be apart of such a unique idea!

- A

Weekly Events

I got this one off of the ShopEco page and it looked like an interesting this to take part in! I suggest you make the effort to check this event out. Definitely will be a different experience on the education of the use of local plants that can be found in urban spaces in the area.

 - A

Finally, a Visit to the ShopEco Store

After many weeks of narrowing down the certain and specific places that the blog was interested in visiting and experiencing, we finally made our way to the ShopEco store in Walkerville, which boasts an incredible large amount of Eco friendly health and beauty products along with Non - GMO seeds for planting, different varieties of teas and your everyday alternative to house hold items. This was one of the first places we had researched for our blog, so it was important for us to actually make the trip out there and see what it was all about. As a lover of cosmetics and beauty products, and an Environmental Studies student, I have in previous times thought of the idea of using natural products as an alternative to my regular skin care and makeup routine. What people don't realize is that there are so many chemicals in the things we use that can affect our bodies in different ways. This small store out of Walkerville has all these alternative options.

The store is located right in old Walkerville at 378 Devonshire, and is owned by Debra Purdy. Debra has recently acquired the store from previous owners, and has openly stated on facebook interview questions that"Most of the knowledge I have in this area has been obtained one since taking over ShopEco". When doing research, I found this to be so surprising as the staff was very knowledgeable and knew so much about the product lines. The store itself is full of more products than you could ever imagine (2000 to be exact, according to their facebook). On first arrival, right away you are warmly welcomed by the owner's mother Joy, along with some steeped and infused iced tea (which might I add was DELICIOUS). We then got to work on our "research".

One of the most fun parts of doing this blog has been being able to experience these new places, so it has been very hard for me to call it research. Its more like fun. Many of these products are Canadian made like Sappho Cosmetics out of British Columbia and Piggy Paint Nail Polish (an all natural non-toxic nail polish line), and Abeego Beeswax Food Preservation Wraps. More importantly there are local products including Faerhaven made by Joy in harrow.  I definitely wanted to give some of the products a try. I was very interested in the Faerhaven product line, so I decided to make a purchase of one of the solid hand lotions in the Lemongrass scent. I work in a factory part - time and my nails and hands are in rough shape. Let me tell you honestly - this product is amazing. My cuticles and hands remain moisturized for up to a few hours and the scent is nice and subtle. A Must have. Above is a photo of some of the products that the store carries. If you look to the left you will see jugs of different liquids. These are all different types of shampoos, conditioners and soaps in which you can bring in your own re-usable containers to reduce waste. I thought that was a great idea, as so much plastic is wasted through routine product consumption. Below is a photo of the very large collection of household cleaning products and general items that the store is selling

ShopEco is a store that has a new and fresh idea. Their website on facebook is awesome, as they are always posting links about their products and different events they are taking part in or want you to check out, similar to what we at Windsor Eco Blogs are doing. I strongly suggest the importance of trying to use natural products or at least giving them a try. This store has an abundance to offer and Joy is so informative and helpful, you can't help but want to try everything.

I definitely suggest checking out ShopEco! You will not regret it. Check out their page below.

ShopEco on Facebook

Weekend Events Alert!

Every saturday in the Charles Clark Square, Windsor is host to a farmers market with local vendors including organic farmers, farm to plate restaurant offerings and natural products. From May 31st to October 11, vendors including Faerhaven, The Fruit Wagon, Carrots n' Dates, Our Organic Farmers, and Bouchard Gardens, just to name a few. Our own personal favourite Rino's Kitchen will also be there, so it's definitely worth checking out! Students can even do a little bit of grocery while checking out these offerings. Below is a link to the Markets own personal blog with up to date news and vendor info along with some videos. 

Hours are 8am to 1pm, and i'll be there. So you should rise and shine or miss out on all it has to offer. 

Downtown Windsor Farmers Market

(Photo Source: Downtown Windsor Farmers Market at Blogger)

Turning a Negative into a Positive at Malden Hill 

Ever since I was a little kid, I have been going to Malden Park, whether it be for cross country events, or just to spend time with my family. A somewhat well known fact about Malden Hill is that it was once home to Windsor's Landfill... an even cooler fact is that this landfill was a complete transformation of a negative space into a positive space. Malden Hill has become a green space that is host to a 300 foot hill where people can have a really awesome view of the surrounding Windsor Skyline. One can also see as far as Zug Island and Fermi Plants (as unappetizing as those may seem at times), which is pretty amazing. This 175 acre park features a naturalized biking and cycling trails wind up and down the hills through a paved and wood chipped area.The park also has a hall for parties, receptions and hiking trails, a naturalized concert area and picnic areas for families to enjoy.

This past weekend at Malden Park was the "Heartbreaker Challenge", where the park was used to host a 5km obstacle course. The natural wooded area and trails were used as a course. I must say, it was pretty impressive. One does not realize how large and interesting this park is until you are running through trails, sliding down hill, running up hill and climbing rocks. 

This place is especially nice for students who are looking to hike or bike or just get physically active, or to just enjoy a nice afternoon at the park. In other words. You should definitely check out Malden Park. 

Check out the hill top 360 image my colleague Yasser took from atop the hill below

- A

100 Year Old House Impresses the Youngest of Visitors 

Want good food, a cool atmosphere and a historic vibe? You should definitely check out Rino's Kitchen. 

Ironically, I found Rino's kitchen a few years back with a friend of mine. A university student named Nick, originally from the GTA. Nick knew his way around Windsor, but had yet to really experience the little gems that the city had to offer. He was very into the whole "local foods" and "farm to plate" offerings that different restaurants have, as we both had been studying Environmental Studies for some time now. We often learned of the unethical ways animals had been treated through food production and the different farming practices that can be very unappetizing to think about eating at times. Rino's Kitchen was the place that had the offerings that we wanted to experience. 

Located at 131 Elliot Street west, This historic 100 year old house is a cool, comfortable setting to enjoy Rino’s freshly prepared menu. You can enjoy a menu full of locally sourced produce, meats, cheeses and all other ingredients you could think of along with craft beers and wines from the surrounding areas. And they also have a killer patio out back, because hey, what student doesn't love relaxing on a Patio after a long week of studying? 

As far as taste goes, the food is delicious (Curried Chick Pea & Vegetable stew over baked polenta is a personal favourite of mine), and everything is reasonably priced, ranging from $6 to $18 for appetizers and entrees. Oh.. and the menu is always changing with what's in season, so you're always in for a surprise when you go there

Below is a Link to the website with their full, ever changing menu options... 

Go check it out!

- A

Rino's Kitchen and Pub

Welcome to the Windsor Eco Map Blog! 
Your one stop blog for EVERYTHING Green in Windsor and Essex County

This map was the brain child of myself and my four colleges who wanted to bring more of a social awareness to environmentally friendly companies, institutions and restaurants within the Windsor Essex County region. With the creation of this directory, it gives the opportunity to promote social awareness of alternative choices, specifically environmental, that exist within Windsor. 

The environment has become one of the most important focuses throughout the world, and we at Windsor Eco Maps thought why not bring about an idea locally where those visiting Windsor who have never been here and want a different experience on their visit rather than the cookie cutter mall shopping and dining? The city is also home to the University of Windsor, where many of the students are out of town visitors looking for "new and fresh" activities to enjoy. That my friends, is what this blog is for. 

Often times, Windsor has this stigma of being a bar city, where people come to go to bars and come to party.  We are trying to change that perception and offer a new experience for those wanting to experience that.  My colleagues and I are all apart of the university community. Some of us are from out of town and some of us are from the Windsor area. We know as students, we often times find ourselves bored in our free time, and anything outside of the hypothetical box in terms of newer activities seems like too much effort. With this blog offering we are hoping to include students, and make their Windsor experience fresh and enjoyable. 

Everyday, we will post a new write up about establishments in the area we think are green, ethical, and worth giving a visit along with its location on our own personalised directory. This blog offers an opportunity to know what you're getting yourself into before you actually try the place out and invites you all to post your comments and experiences about the places you have visited yourself.  

You can also enjoy the blog experience at your finger tips through our free app and stay in the now with new posts, news and events going. 

More to come soon!

- A