Vancouver is studying five options for emergency dwellings for homeless people

Homelessness has become a looming issue across the country. Vancouver city staff is  looking into 5 possible option of eleviating the stress tent cities are putting on local communities. Some solutions are creating a “temporary tiny house villages” and low-income RV parks as part of its temporary disaster relief shelter framework.

Council added these two options recently to three other possible options.These options were to lease or buy housing units, including hotels and single-room occupancy hotels, establish a temporary emergency relief camp on vacant public or private land and to temporarily convert city-owned buildings into emergency housing.

City staff have until Oct. 2 to report back to council on all the options.

The homeless crisis has worsened due to COVID-19, and is most obvious in Strathcona Park where at least 300 tents have been put up.

Many residents across the city have noticed increases in homelessness in their neighbourhoods, which in turn is adding to the stress of COVID-19.

People who are homeless need to have options for change.

Seattle has eight city-funded “tiny house villages” that have opened in the past three years in response to that city’s homeless crisis.

One of those villages — Second Chance — evolved from un-permitted squat, to a sanctioned tent city, to a city-funded tiny house village.

Hopefully, one of these five options will be viable and can be used by other communities across Canada to help deal with the rising homeless issue.

There’s a saying among arachnologists that you’re never more than five feet from a spider. That’s especially true here in British Columbia, where there are nearly 900 documented species of spiders.

At this time of year, you’re likely to find some walking across your living room or in your bathtub. They might have slipped in through the crack under your door, or hitched a ride when you walked through a web in the garden.

But don’t worry, they are quite harmless and only there by accident. It’s mating season in the spider world and males are wandering around looking for females. They come into the house, by accident.

The most common spider you’ll find are the garden cross orbweaver spider (Araneus diadematus) and the giant house spider (Eratigena atrica), which are commonly but incorrectly referred to as wolf spiders. Another is the hobo spider (Eratigena agrestis).

All are introduced species and harmless to people. Their lifespans are only a year. When the mating is done, the female lays her eggs in silken pods and hides them away for spring hatching. She dies, and sometimes eats the male before she goes.

Arachnologists say while some spiders will bite, the only one British Columbians have to worry about is the Western black widow (Latrodectus hesperus), which has a pea-sized, polished black abdomen with hourglass-shaped red marking. Its bite and small dose of venom can cause abdominal cramps and swelling, but nothing more. This spider rarely leaves its hiding place and lives for two or three years. It likes mossy outcroppings in gardens and rocky slopes.

Perhaps the creepiest spider in BC — the Pacific folding-door spider (Antrodiaetus pacificus), a distant relative of tarantulas can live up to 20 years. They lay trap webs outside their holes and wait for prey to be caught, then pull it in for dinner. The females never leave their burrows and the males wander the forests.

BC has 893 distinct species — a large number considering there are 1,600 documented species in all of Canada. Our diversity of habitats — mountain ranges, valleys, prairie, deserts and coastal forests — allow spiders to flourish here.

People often blame spiders for bites when the culprits are actually bed bugs, lice, fleas, ticks and other insects. But make no mistake. Spiders are useful to humans. They take care of a lot of insects that carry diseases for humans and cause crop damage.

A lot of people still have the knee-jerk reaction to kill a spider when seen; but, we should just let them live and go about their business.

Colour has the ability to inspire, excite, soothe, heal and even agitate. This is especially true for children, who can be extra sensitive to impact of colour. The importance of picking out just the right colour for a young child’s room shouldn’t be underestimated.

While scientists have learned a lot about the way colour influences our minds and bodies, keep in mind that every child is different; these generalizations don’t apply to all. But if you’re curious about how to bring colour into your child’s room, this information may help you get started.

Red 

Red has the ability to energize the body and excite the mind, increasing heart and breathing rates. However, some research suggests that too much exposure to red encourages aggressive behavior and an inability to focus. The bottom line: Red is great as an accent, but might not be the best wall colour for a restless child.

Orange 

Orange is one of the most misunderstood colours. This warm, friendly and youthful colour is actually great for children since it’s said to encourage confidence, extroversion and independence. The social nature of this colour also puts children and their friends at ease, inspiring communication and cooperation.

Yellow 

Most of us associate yellow with feelings of happiness and cheerfulness. Studies also pair this bright and cheery colour with motivation; softer yellows can aid concentration, while brighter ones can increase memory. Beware of using too much bright yellow, though. In large doses it may create feelings of agitation and even anger.

Green 

This calming, natural colour has a soothing impact on a child. Scientists have also found that green may improve a child’s reading speed and comprehension. There’s no need to keep this anxiety-reducing colour to a minimum.

Blue

Having the opposite effect of red, blue decreases feelings of anxiety and aggression and lowers blood pressure and heart rates. Children who experience tantrums or other behavioral problems may appreciate the soothing effects of a blue room.

Purple 

Often associated with royalty, purple is ambitious and self-assured. It’s also the colour of passion, creativity, wisdom and spirituality. This deep colour is great for inspiring sensitivity and compassion in children. But if your child is particularly sensitive, you may want to keep this colour limited to accents.

Pink 

Although it’s usually associated with typical girly spaces, pink has a calming feel that can translate to both sexes. Any child can grow out of too much pink quickly, though, so try pairing pink artwork, accessories and textiles with a neutral background.

Warm Colours 

Warm colours inspire happiness, coziness and comfort in most people. They can also make large, open spaces feel more intimate for young ones. Of course, this doesn’t mean you’re limited to brown and tan — use these easy colours as a platform for brighter and more daring shades.

Cool Colours 

Some of us associate cool colours with sterile, hospital-like environments, but lighter cool colours can have a calming effect on children. Plus, many of these colours help small spaces seem a little bit more open. Try layering in shades of cream for some softness and contrast, and consider comfortable and cuddly textiles for warmth.

The simple pleasure of clipping a handful of fresh herbs to flavor a favorite dish is one that many home gardeners enjoy. Drying herbs is an excellent method to ensure that the aromatic oil in their leaves can continue to add a savory taste to your food long after your summer garden is done. The process of drying herbs is quite easy and concentrates the flavor, so they will last a long time on a pantry shelf.

While most herbs are suitable for drying, some are easier to dry than others. Herbs with a low moisture content, such as bay leaves, oregano, rosemary and thyme, dry very well. Those with thinner, larger leaves, such as basil, parsley and sage, also take well to drying but need to be dried more quickly to prevent mold from forming on the leaves.

Harvesting and Prepping Herbs

Harvest herbs before they flower, as they tend to lose some of their flavor and can even be a little bitter once they have flowered.

Pick herbs in the morning, which is when the oil content of their leaves is highest and the flavor is at its peak.

Wash the leaves if needed to remove dirt or dust, and pick off any discolored foliage. Lightly dry the herbs using a dishcloth or paper towels.

Tie herbs into bundles. For herbs with more moisture in the leaves, like basil and parsley, limit the bundles to four to six stems to allow them to dry faster. If you live in a humid climate, make the bundles smaller to promote drying.

Use rubber bands, twine, or twist ties to tie the herbs together at the base of their stems. Make sure the tie is fairly tight, as the stems will shrink as the herbs dry.

Drying the Herbs

Select an indoor location with good air circulation. Avoid any areas where the sun will shine on the herbs, as this can decrease their flavor and bleach the leaves. You have a few drying options once you have harvested and prepped your herbs.

Option 1: 

Hang the bundles upside down. You can attach them to a coat hanger, a drying rack or a ladder, or hang them from the ceiling using twine or string.

Option 2: 

Punch 10 holes in a brown paper lunch bag and place the herb bundles upside down in it — be careful not to overcrowd them. Tie the bag closed and hang it from a support as described in the previous example. This method is useful for more humid regions where herbs may take longer to dry. The bag protects the herbs from dust and will catch any stems that slip out.

Option 3: 

Place the herbs in a single layer on a screen, in the same location as for the previous options. You can place the screen on a table or up on bricks to better enable airflow, as that will allow the herbs to dry on both sides. Every two days, turn the herbs over to help promote even drying.

Option 4: 

You can oven-dry them for quick results, but this will result in slightly less flavor than if you allow them to dry naturally. Set the temperature to 100 degrees Fahrenheit and leave the oven door open. Place the herbs on a baking sheet and put into the oven, making sure to leave the door open. Turn the herbs every 10 minutes until they are they are dry, and remove.

Option 5: 

If you have a dehydrator, you can easily dry herbs in a relatively short amount of time.

If you’ve decided to dry your herbs naturally, begin checking them after a week. The length of drying time can range from as little as a few days to a month, depending on the humidity and method of drying. Once the leaves are dry and crispy, they are ready.

You can store dried herbs as whole leaves or gently crumble them into small pieces by hand before storing them in airtight containers. Place the containers out of sunlight in a cool, dry space, where peak flavor will last 6 to 12 months.