Enter the "David Suzuki Digs My Garden" Photo Contest

Urban landscapes can be tough places for birds and pollinators, like bees, butterflies and hummingbirds. Green balconies and rooftops, however, make our cities more comfortable for these wild compatriots. Not only that, but hanging out on a beautiful balcony is much nicer when you know you aren’t being directly exposed to chemical pesticides.
 
Canadians are already exposed to enough toxic chemicals. We don’t need to worry while we enjoy a cold drink on a lush patio!

Show us your handiwork! And tell us how and why you keep your balcony garden beautiful and pesticide-free.

We'll post your entries on our website so that others are motivated by your lovely - and safe - gardens!

See below for full instructions on how to submit your photo and story

If your story is moving to others, it will also impact our judges when picking a winner
- it's not just a pretty face that will win this contest!

Instructions:

Only one photo per category.

We want the back-story on your garden! Tell us a short story about:
        1. Why your garden or lawn is important to you
        2. Why you don’t  use pesticides
        3. How you keep your lawn or garden beautiful

Due to privacy concerns, photos with identifiable people can't be considered by our judges (so no faces, okay? ).
Pets, animals and insects are just fine.

Please keep your stories to 100 words or less ("Brevity is the soul of wit" - W.S.).

Gardens should be free of chemical pesticides and chemical fertilizers The definition of ‘pesticides’ includes insecticides, herbicides, fungicides, rodenticides, algaecides, and slimicides. Be aware that "Weed and Feed" products include chemical pesticides.

We want to find Canada’s best pesticide-free lawn and gardens!

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Online and Mail Entries

Submit online
An online submission is the simplest way for the David Suzuki Foundation to process your entry.
There are two ways to do it: 1. Upload or 2.  E-Mail

1. Upload

1. Upload your photo to our photo group on the Flickr website. If you haven't already got a flickr Account, go here to create one: http://www.flickr.com/

Once you have a flickr Account, it's as easy as ABC:

A. Upload your photo(s) to your account following flickr's instructions and tag them with the category you wish to enter - "luscious lawns" "voluminous vegetables" "outstanding ornamentals" or "balcony bliss". Please remember only one photo per category!

B. Join the group http://www.flickr.com/groups/digyourgarden/ (when you're on the group page, you should see a link that says "Join this group?" - click on that and join!)

C. Now look at your uploaded photo. Make sure you've tagged or titled the photo with the category you're entering! Just above the photo you will see a little icon with "send to group" beside it - click on that and choose "David Suzuki's Dig your garden contest" from the list that pops up.
 
That's it, you're all done! The photo should now appear in the group.

--OR--

2. E-Mail

Just click on your category below to auto-magically send us and e-mail, with your jpeg file attachment (maximum size 4MB)

• Luscious Lawns - Best lawns or lawn alternatives (i.e. xeriscaping)
• Voluminous Vegetables - Best food-producing gardens
• Outstanding Ornamentals - Best flower garden
• Balcony Bliss -Best limited-space garden

Entries e-mailed to gardens@davidsuzuki.org or uploaded through the David Suzuki Foundation Flickr photogroup must be uploaded before 8:00 p.m. PST on September 14th, 2007.

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Submit by mail
If you prefer to send your photo by mail, be sure to include your:

1. Name
2. The story of your garden
3. Phone number
4. Return Mailing Address
5. Don't forget the photograph!: Colour or black and white prints must be at least 5" x 7" but not more than 8" x 12" and unmounted. 35 mm colour slides and transparencies must be mounted. Or send as jpeg files burned to compact disc (CD). Digital files should be no larger than 4MB.
6. If you want your photos returned, be sure to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
   

Send your entries to:

The David Suzuki Foundation    
Attn: Photo Contest
219-2211 West Fourth Avenue
Vancouver, BC
V6K 4S2

Mailed entries must be postmarked on or before September 5, 2007 and must be received by September 14th, 2007.

Deadline
Mailed entries must be postmarked on or before September 5, 2007 and must be received by September 14th, 2007. 
Entries e-mailed or uploaded through the David Suzuki Foundation Flickr photogroup must be uploaded before 8:00 p.m. PST on September 14th, 2007.