Newsletter - Week of March 12th
Alexandre Vigneault
Hello all,
A newsletter a little bit late this week, two of the newsletter team members were participating at the EWB-UBC conference last weekend, and a pause was needed. The presentation was uploaded on the google group website:
http://groups.google.com/group/CHBE-Sustainability/files Clik on “How technology can lead us to disaster”
It might a little hard to understand everything without the speech, but there are a lot of hyperlinks there and reading suggestions. Email Alex if you have any questions or comments.
The newsletter team (Jasna, Caroline and Alex)
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* What are your ideas about the Neighbourhood Energy Utility (NEU)? – Mar 13 & 15, 4-8 pm
* BC Clean Air Forum 2007 – Mar 14, 1-9 pm & Mar 15, 8:30 am –12 pm
* EPIC! The SUSTAINABLE LIVING EXPO – Mar16 (4pm – 10pm), Mar 17 (11am – 10pm) & Mar 18 (11am – 5pm)
*
Take Action
Sign the petition to let Elizabeth May, the leader of the green party, to speak at the next leader’s debate:
Stop the distribution of shark fins!
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/400108473?ltl=1173729928
More info about eating shark: http://www.seachoice.org/profile/34/view
Check out Sharkwater!
Sharkwater is a documentary directed by Toronto-born photographer and filmmaker
Rob Stewart. It uncovers a raft of illegal shark finning activities currently threatening
the survival of sharks as a species. Sharkwater conveys important
messages about the significance of preserving the natural environment. It's a
documentary worth watching.
http://www.sharkwater.com/
10 Ways You Can Improve Earth's Health
http://www.livescience.com/environment/060421_earth_day_tips.html
In the news:
Understanding us:
Why did we switch from a society that buys things because they need them to a society that buys things because they desire them? Freud’s theory has something to do with it.
http://video.google.com/videosearch?q=the+century+of+the+self
There is 4 parts and 4 hours in total… so things to do for rainy weekends.
Good News
Learn more about organic cotton and Wal-Mart, becoming the world largest buyer…
http://money.cnn.com/2006/07/25/news/companies/pluggedin_gunther_cotton.fortune/index.htm
New study confirms the ecological virtues of organic farming
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/news/pr/2006/pr-organics-030806.html
European energy plan targets big carbon cuts
Over A Century After Disappearing, Wild Elk Return To Ontario
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/02/070222160022.htm
Bad News:
Study puts cost of meeting Kyoto climate-change targets at $100 billion
Scientists Say U.S. Needs to Plan for Climate Change-Induced Summer Droughts
http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2007/Feb07/water.html
Tundra Disappearing At Rapid Rate
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/03/070305140830.htm
The skeptic corners
Global warming and CO2, any link? (movie info sent by Siva)
This video in Alex’s opinion is a good piece of trash, but if you have time to loose:
http://video.google.ca/videoplay?docid=-4520665474899458831&q=global+warming+swindle
All the proposed scientific arguments in the film have equally credible counter-arguments. You just have to watch the inconvenient truth of Al Gore or spend some time there http://www.realclimate.org/ .
Carbon offset flaws (article link sent by Naoko)
Some people really don’t like carbon offset and carbon trading. Alex’s disagree with the following article, but there is definitely improvement that can be made to the system.
http://www.alternet.org/story/49025
Vehicle of the Week:
Tesla Motors Electric Vehicles
http://www.teslamotors.com/index.php?js_enabled=1
Conferences:
International Conference on Climate Change
Hong Kong Conventiona and Exhibition Centre, May 29-31 2007
http://www.hkie.org.hk/ICCC2007/index.htm
Students of Sustainability Conference
Perth Western Australia, July 9-15 2007
http://www.radicalhack.com/sos07/
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Details on Vancouver Events:
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*What are your ideas about the NEU?
When: March 13th, 4-8pm
Where: SFU Harbour Centre Concourse, 515 West Hastings Street
When: March 15th, 4-8pm
Where: Science World at Telus World of Science Boardroom, 1455 Quebec Street
City of Vancouver and GVRD staff will be available at upcoming public open house sessions to get your ideas and provide more information related to the NEU Community Energy Centre.
The Southeast False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility (NEU) is an innovative sustainable heating system. The system will deliver hot water for space heating and domestic hot water.
The False Creek NEU will deliver to the Southeast False Creek and Olympic Village with potential for expansion. The City is evaluating two kinds of heat sources; biomass versus sewage heat recovery. Your feedback will be factored into the final decision on which heat source technology to pursue.
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*BC Clean Air Forum 2007
When:
March 14 (1:00-9:00 pm) & March 15 (8:30 am-12:00 pm)
Where:Ramada Hotel, 444
George Street, Prince George, British Columbia
Clean air is important to
our health, our economy and our environment. Nowhere is this clearer than in
central BC where important research projects and programs to improve air
quality are underway. And never has there been a better time for people in the
region to learn about key air quality issues and initiatives. That’s
because the BC Clean Air Forum is coming to Prince George on March 14 and 15 this year.
_______________________________
*EPIC! The SUSTAINABLE LIVING EXPO
When: Fri, March 16
4pm – 10pm
Sat, March 17
11am – 10pm
Sun, March 18
11am – 5pm
Where: Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Center at Canada Place
EPIC is a new kind of exhibition
celebrating leading companies who care about the consumer. The community. The
planet. And they're making great products and offering exceptional services
that don't compromise style or function.
Join us as we introduce
the new breed of environmentally friendlier, smart, stylish products and savvy
services that allow shoppers to feel good about their purchases in more ways
than one.
Enter EPIC 2007, The
SUSTAINABLE LIVING EXPO - where style meets sustainability and vision meets
practice - a celebration of producers and consumers coming together to support
a better world.
This inspirational
exhibition is for people who want to make smarter decisions but don't want to
sacrifice on design, quality or price. It's an event for consumers to find new
products and companies they can believe in.
For more information
click
here.