CHBE Sustainability Newsletter (October 2010)
Caroline Cloutier
*****
James Cameron shaking up the oil sands industry
Something "magical" happened last week. The giant and powerful oil sands industry and its political supporters seemed deeply shaken by an unwanted visitor: the famous Titanic & Avatar director James Cameron.
Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach flew in a private jet to meet with Mr. Cameron and try to do damage control with the press. Meanwhile, in Ottawa, Steven Harper and Jim Prentice unveiled an independent panel of leading scientists to review environmental monitoring of the oil sands. The panel seems legitimate; Dr. Schindler, a water ecologist who did a study about the high levels of deformed fish from the Athabasca river (warning, pictures are really disturbing), said that “the technical people on the panel are very strong”.
The tragic part of this story is that First Nations, once again, are being impacted the most negatively. Downstream of the oil sands plant, the small community of Fort Chipewyan are experiencing extremely high levels of cancer. Concerns raised by the Canadian Medical Association didn't seems to shake our politicians too much, but now that James Cameron knows about it, it is becoming a real issue.
It probably takes a lot of energy for a community member of Fort Chipewyan to fight for their right to clean air, water & fish. When oil sands companies provide jobs and money to a community embattled with poverty, drugs, violence and many other problems so often present in first nation communities, maybe I would accept the check as well.
Alexandre for the CHBE Sustainability Club
Comment this newsletter on our blog: http://chbe-sustainability-club.blogspot.com/
*Got news or events to share? Email my teammate Caroline: cclo...@chbe.ubc.ca*
http://groups.google.com/group/CHBE-Sustainability
In the news:
Renewables Continue Remarkable Growth
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2010/09/renewables-continue-remarkable-growth
World's Largest Solar PV Project Complete
Recycling for dollars
http://www.financialpost.com/entrepreneur/Recycling+dollars/3618756/story.html
'Green' Concrete Developed
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100928101510.htm
How Heating Our Homes Could Help Reduce Climate Change
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100924095819.htm
*Bad news*
Anti-Climate TV Ads Hits California, Loaded with Lies (Video)
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/10/prop-23-anti-climate-tv-ad-california-lies-video.php
"ClimateGate" Scientists Cleared Yet Again, Story Ignored by Media Yet Again
Time for a Sea Change
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2010/10/seafood-crisis/greenberg-text
In French:
http://novae.ca/pme/2010-10/alm-voler-plus-propre
Exposition aux rayons ionisants: davantage de travailleurs concernés en 2009
Equiterre ouvre sa "station-service"
http://novae.ca/actualites/2010-09/equiterre-ouvre-sa-station-service
Le premier bus solaire est né
http://novae.ca/actualites/2010-09/le-premier-bus-solaire-est-ne
L'automobile propre : une affaire qui roule?
Towards a capability based sustainability conception
Print this Paper, Kill a Tree: Environmental Sustainability as a Research Topic for Human-Computer Interaction
http://luci.ics.uci.edu/websiteContent/repository/techreports/2009/LUCI-2009-004.pdf
China to Have 200+ Million Cars by 2020!
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/09/china-to-have-200-million-cars-2020.php
Future Electric Cars May Be Made Entirely Of Batteries
http://blog.cleantechies.com/2010/09/30/future-electric-cars-made-entirely-batteries/
Take Action:
The Economist-InnoCentive Challenge on The Capture of Atmospheric Carbon to Address Global Warming
https://gw.innocentive.com/ar/challenge/9673018?campaign=nature
Tell Toyota to Quit the Chamber of Commerce
http://ga3.org/campaign/tell_toyota_to_quit
Conferences:
Carbon Finance
20 to 21 October 2010, Calgary, Alberta, Canada http://www.calgarycfasociety.com/Pages/Conference.aspx
The 2010 World Green Energy Symposium and Expo
21 to 23 October 2010, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States http://www.worldgreenenergysymposium.us
Sustainable Buildings Series: Retrofits
26 to 28 October 2010, San Francisco, CA, United States http://www.sustainablebuildingsseries.com/
Clean Energy and Sustainable Technologies Conference and Expo
29 October 2010, Fort Myers, Florida, United States https://www.swflgreen.org/clean-energy-and-sustainable-technologies-conference-and-expo
Green Day Forum 2010
4 November 2010, Portland, OR, United States http://www.greendayforum.org/
The Global Summit II: Humanity Uniting for a Sustainable Future
7 to 10 November 2010, San Francisco, CA, United States http://www.theglobalsummit.org
Events Section
UBC Events:
1. Spinning Climate Change, Vernaculars and Emergent Forms of Life, Thursday Oct. 7
2. UBC Farm Saturday Market, October 9th
3. Land Use Plan Workshops Oct. 13 & 14
4. UBC Apple Festival, Oct. 17
5. South False Creek: From Industrial Wasteland to Liveable Community, Oct. 30
1. Ride-Share Week BC – Oct 4-8, 2010
2. New Westminster Green Drinks at The Heritage Grill– Oct 6, 2010
3. From Farm to Table: Local Food Challenges and Opportunities – Oct 6, 2010
4. Reducing Household Air Leakage - Workshop – Oct 7, 2010
5. Burnaby Green Drinks – Oct 12, 2010
6. Vancouver Green Drinks – Oct 20, 2010
7. Cities, Bicycles and the Future of Getting Around– Oct 24, 2010
8. Vancouver Green Drinks – Oct 26, 2010
9. Worker Co-operatives and Sustainable Development – Conference – Oct (28 – 30), 2010
Spinning Climate Change, Vernaculars and Emergent Forms of Life, Thursday Oct. 7
• Date: Thursday Oct. 7, 5:00PM – 6:30PM
• Location: Coach House, Green College, 6201 Cecil Green Park Road, UBC
• Cost: Free
• Details: It has often been asserted as a democratic and scientific ideal that the discovery of objective facts and the dissemination of such information will drive action. But the line between what Bruno Latour calls matters of fact and matters of concern is anything but straightforward, and more often than not includes traversing not only the vagaries of media channels for mass communication, but a diversity of meaning-making, ethics, and morality. This talk will present research on such processes, providing insight into how Americans in various social and professional groups are translating, transforming, and re-articulating climate change for diverse constituents and wider publics. This academic event hosted by Green College is open to the University community and general public without charge. For more information, contact gc.e...@ubc.ca or visit www.greencollege.ubc.ca
UBC Farm Saturday Market, Every Saturday of October
• Date: Saturday’s 9AM – 1PM
• Location: UBC Farm
• Cost: Free to attend
• Details: Visit the UBC Farm Market - Your on-campus source for farm-fresh, local produce!
Join us every Saturday from 9am-1pm, June through October for our weekly Farm Market, featuring an assortment of organically-grown UBC Farm veggies, berries, herbs, flowers, and eggs from our free-range hens. Free farm tours at 11:00am, family-friendly community events throughout the season, local musicians, as well as a variety of local vendors selling fruit, crafts, prepared food and more. 6182 South Campus Road (see website for directions).
Land Use Plan Workshops Oct. 13 & 14
• Date: Wed Oct. 13 11AM-2PM, or Wed Oct. 13 6PM-9PM, or Thurs Oct. 14 6PM-9PM
• Location: Varies depending on session. See http://calendar.events.ubc.ca/cal/event/showEventMore.rdo to find out.
• Cost: Free
• Details: UBC is proposing to update its Land Use Plan (formerly called the Official Community Plan or OCP) and you’re invited to be part of the process. Changes to the Land Use Plan are necessary to address issues the university community identified as obstacles to UBC’s mission and vision during the Vancouver Campus Plan Review process. Participate in our consultation events to learn more about each issue, proposed amendments and to provide your feedback. For more information, visit our website. There is also a Land Use Plan e-consultation: September 27 – October 15. Visit the website to take part in the e-consultation process currently under way: http://www.planning.ubc.ca/vancouver_home/consultations/landuseplan_intro.php
UBC Apple Festival, Oct. 17
• Date: Sunday Oct. 17, 11AM – 4PM
• Location: UBC Botanical Gardens
• Cost: Free
• Details: Located on the grounds of the UBC Botanical Garder, the Apple Festival celebrates one of BC's favourite fruits. Entertainment and activities for the whole family. http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/events/applefest.php
South False Creek: From Industrial Wasteland to Liveable Community, Oct. 30
• Date: Oct. 30 10AM – 1230PM, + 4 walking tours Nov. 6 – 27.
• Location: UBC Robson Square
• Cost: $75
• Details: Learn about the history and redevelopment of the south shore of False Creek, including Granville Island and the Fairview Slopes, and explore how many of the lessons learned there helped create the very successful and liveable downtown we have today. The first class will be a lecture at UBC Robson Square and 4 walking tours from Nov. 6 – 27.All adult learners are welcome. For more information, please email: cs.info@cstudies.ubc.ca.You can also register at https://reg2.cstudies.ubc.ca/, general $75, seniors $65, CLS students $115.
Vancouver Event Details:
Ride-Share Week BC
· Date: Oct 4-8, 2010
· Time: All time
· Location: Everywhere
· Contact: Kirsty Cameron, PH: 604 255 7780, E-mail: kir...@ride-share.com
· Wesbsite: www.ride-share.com
· Cost: NA
· Details: We are pleased to announce that the Green Drinks for New Westminster is being held at The Heritage Grill every 1st Wednesday evening of the month at 6:00pm till later... ( December 2, 2009, 2010 -> January 6, 2010, February 3, March 3, April 7, May 5, June 2, July 7, August 4, September1, October 6, November3, December1)
New Westminster Green Drinks at The Heritage Grill
· Date: October 6, 2010
· Time: 6:00 – 8:00 PM
· Location: The Heritage Grill, 447 Columbia Street, New Westminster, BC, V3L 1A9
· Contact: Tessa Taylor; green...@nwep.ca
· Website: http://www.greendrinks.org/BC/New%20Westminster,%20BC
· Cost: N/A
· Details: Come to the Heritage Grill talk about sustainability issues, have a beverage and some good food while discussing some of the sustainability related issues that are on your mind. Meet friendly like-minded people in the New Westminster area who are also passionate about sustainability. This is a non-partisan meeting group and anyone is welcome who wants to contribute to the betterment of the sustainability dialogue regarding local and global issues of sustainability. We are pleased to announce that the Green Drinks for New Westminster is being held at The Heritage Grill every 1st Wednesday evening of the month at 6:00pm.
From Farm to Table: Local Food Challenges and Opportunities
· Date: October 6, 2010
· Time: 7:30 – 9:00 AM
· Location: British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) downtown Vancouver campus at 555 Seymour Street
· Contact: Jane Porter: Jane....@metrovancouver.org
· Website: http://www.metrovancouver.org/region/breakfasts/Pages/default.aspx
· Cost: N/A
· Details: Metro Vancouver is developing a Regional Food System Strategy as a first step towards creating a sustainable, resilient and healthy food system that enhances the economic prosperity of the region and conserves natural systems while improving the health of all residents. Similarly, local businesses are exploring innovative approaches to shift towards a more sustainable food system. Join us to hear about the regional strategy and the challenges that lie ahead as new models emerge for our regional food system.
· Speakers: Ann Rowan, Senior Policy Analyst, Policy and Planning, Metro Vancouver
· Chris Bodnar, Farmer, Glen Valley Organic Farm, Suzanne Fielden, Co-Founder, Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co. If you plan to attend please RSVP by clicking on the 'Register Now' button below
Reducing Household Air Leakage – Workshop
· Date: October 7, 2010
· Time: 6:30 – 8:30 PM
· Location: Society Promoting Environmental Conservation, 2150 Maple Street, Vancouver, BC
· Contact: Ilse Sarady; Email: ad...@spec.bc.ca , PH: 604-736-77
· Website:http://www.spec.roundtablelive.org/events?eventId=199779&EventViewMode=EventDetails
· Cost: $25
· Details: Learn about why air leakage from your home or apartment is a problem and wastes energy and money; where common leakage areas are and how to fix them. The Reducing Household Air Leakage Workshop hosts are Doug Horn and Cindy Yee. Doug is a Certified Energy Advisor Technologist and LEED Accredited Professional. He is as consultant working on green building, resource efficency and renewable energy projects. Cindy is trained as an architectural draftsperson and has wide-ranging experience in residential constructions
Burnaby Green Drinks
· Date: October 12, 2010
· Time: 6:30pm – 8:30pm
· Location: The Firefighters' Club - Metrotown Complex, 6515 Bonsor Street, 5-7 minute walk from the Metrotown Skytrain Station, Burnaby, BC
· Contact: Anil Mayar; Email: am43...@hotmail.com
· Website: http://www.greendrinks.org/BC/Burnaby
· Cost: NA
· Details: Interested in meeting a group of friendly people having lively conversations about all things green? Then join us for Green Drinks Burnaby on the 2nd Tuesday of every month at 6:30pm.
Surrey Green Drinks
· Date: October 13, 2010
· Time: 6:00pm – 8:00pm
· Location: Central City Brewing, #190 - 13450 102nd Avenue, Surrey, BC
· Contact: ma...@surreygreendrinks.com
· Website: http://www.surreygreendrinks.com/
· Cost: NA
· Details: Surrey Green Drinks is simply people getting together socially to discuss issues facing us as a bout solutions, network and socialize. The best thing about Green Drinks is there is NO AGENDA! Discuss whatever you want with whomever you want.
Vancouver Green Drinks
· Date: Oct 20, 2010
· Time: 5:45pm – 8:45pm
· Location: Steamworks Pub, 375 Water Street, Harbourview room (basement),
· Vancouver, BC
· Contact: Email: greendrink...@yahoo.ca
· Website: http://www.greendrinks.org/BC/Vancouver
· Cost: NA
· Details: Green Drinks is a monthly unstructured and inclusive casual networking event for anyone interested in issues of sustainability. Our regular time is 5:45pm onward, on the third Wednesday of each month at Steamworks Pub, with the exception of a December Christmas party and a July BBQ. All are welcome!
Langley Green Drinks
· Date: Oct 26, 2010
· Time: 6:00 pm – 8:00pm
· Location: Sonoma Grill and Lounge
· 20598 Fraser Highway
· Close to the Langley Bus Station
· Langley, BC
· Contact: Email: ma...@langleygreendrinks.com
· Website: http://www.langleygreendrinks.com/
· Cost: NA
· Details: Langley Green Drinks is simply people getting together socially to discuss issues facing us as a bout solutions, network and socialize. The best thing about Green Drinks is there is NO AGENDA! Discuss whatever you want with whomever you want.
Cities, Bicycles and the Future of Getting Around
· Date: October 24, 2010
· Time: 7:30 PM
· Location: Vancouver Playhouse
· Website: http://www.capilanou.ca/news-events/performing-arts/season-performances/speaker.html
· Cost: $25/$22
· Details: At a time when Vancouver is seriously investing in making the city more bike friendly, it is indeed judicious to convene this forum on urban bike advocacy with some key players and thinkers from our city and beyond. The evening, sponsored by the City of Vancouver, will feature short topical presentations by all four panelists, followed by a Q&A session with the audience. Signed copies of Byrne’s Bicycle Diaries will be for sale in paperback from 32Books
Worker Co-operatives and Sustainable Development – Conference
· Date: October 28 - 30, 2010
· Time: All day
· Location: YWCA Downtown Vancouver Hotel, 733 Beatty Street, Vancouver, BC
· Contact: David Wilson; da...@canadianworker.coop; PH: 403-276-8250
· Cost: Check website
· Details: For a full conference agenda and other details, visit the CWCF website. The Canadian Worker Co-operative Federation is a national, bilingual grassroots membership organization of and for worker cooperatives, related types of co-operatives (multi-stakeholder co-ops and worker-shareholder co-ops), and organizations that support the growth and development of worker cooperatives. CWCF was incorporated in 1992.
The newsletter team include James Butler and Alexandre Vigneault for the comments, Ali Shafiei and Caroline R. Cloutier for the news, Rebecca Beaton for the UBC events, and Resha Sabti for the Vancouver events.
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