Dec 3 | Future of the Region Sustainability Dialogue, Port Moody

Fertile soils, a temperate climate, and access to water make our region’s farmland very productive.

However, some of the region’s farmlands are not productively used and there is continued pressure to convert farmland for transportation and urban development.

How do we increase actively farmed land and sustain the vitality of our farming industry?

Can we improve the local food system?

What strategies can we put into place?

What is the role of the region?

Dec 3, 2008
Inlet Theatre
100 Newport Drive
Port Moody

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Nov 27 - Sustainability Community Breakfast

The Opportunities for Urban Density.

Achieving a livable and sustainable region as Metro Vancouver becomes home to 3.4 million people in the next 30 years will require continuing to create higher density communities.

Much attention has been paid to the opportunities for innovation in new kinds of development, and the challenges of community and market acceptance.

Where and how should higher density development be located? What can it look like, and what services are necessary to support it?

What roles do consumers, communities, planners and developers play in creating higher density communities?

Date: Nov 27, 2008
Time: 7:30 AM to 9:00 AM
Location: British Columbia Institute of Technology
555 Seymour Street
Contact: 604-432-6200

or Email breakfast@metrovancouver.org

Nov 20 | WE Sustainable Sushi Challenge: Sushi Bento Express

It’s certainly a better habit than McDonalds, but the vast majority of your neighborhood’s sushi restaurants need a sustainable overhaul. Styrofoam take out containers, endangered seafood (look no further than the giant prawns in your dynamite roll), and that is just what you see in the front of the house.

[Read more]

Podcast with author James Glave

A veteran writer turns his obsession with detail into a building project.

In his forthcoming book now released book, Almost Green, James Glave tells the story of building a green studio in the front yard - and changing his life forever.

Recording at James Glave’s eco-shed on Bowen Island. [Read more]

Podcast - JER Envirotech

Unless you work in the industry, it isn’t likely that you think much about thermoplastics.

But thermoplastics are used in hundreds of items in your home, your car, and your workplace. Anything around you that is made from extruded or moulded plastic is a product of the thermoplastics industry.

JER Envirotech is a British Columbia company at the forefront of new technology that’s changing the thermoplastics industry and helping the environment at the same time. [Read more]

Knowing is half the battle.

Zerofootprint has partnered with the city of Toronto to come up with a nifty site that allows you to compute your personal carbon foot print. They even have an area geared specifically for kids.

[Read more]

A nod to Safeway.

It is not often that I do a double take when I see articles about Safeway. Their re-branding efforts were arguably fifteen years behind the times, and they are seldom market leaders.

So, kudos to Safeway for moving their California truck fleet to biodiesel. There has been plenty of debate around what is a best alternative fuel option, but I applaud them for moving forward in a positive direction. Sometimes it is more important to move small steps forward, instead of just staying at status quo and waiting for the ideal solution to come along.

I was also intrigued to see some other sustainable initiatives they are undertaking (see below). Maybe this is the beginning of a whole scale shift by the conventional food industry to seriously reduce their footprint? I’ll remain optimistic, but I am not holding my breath… and it certainly won’t change my shopping habits.

Other Safeway sustainability initiatives include:

– Being one of the largest retail purchasers of renewable wind
energy in the U.S, purchasing 87,000 megawatts annually,
enough to power its 300 fuel stations and over 50 stores.

– Launching a solar power program to convert two dozen
California stores to solar energy, which will help remove 10.4
million pounds of carbon dioxide from the air, the equivalent
of taking 1,000 cars off the road annually.

– Implementing unique energy-saving strategies in stores by
installing new energy-efficient refrigeration technology and
freezer systems and utilizing LED lighting to significantly
reduce electricity usage.

– Operating an extensive recycling program in which nearly
500,000 tons of materials are recycled each year, including
cardboard, plastics and compostable materials. This is the
equivalent of filling six football fields stacked 35 feet
high. The company also offers reusable canvas bags to
customers and has plastic bag recycling programs at many
stores.

READ the full story.