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Yearly Archives: 2010

Leadership for Sustainable Communities Focus on Climate Change Conference (July 15)

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On July 15, 2010 York University's Faculty of Education, IRIS, and the UNESCO Chair in Education for Sustainabilityare hosting a Leadership for Sustainable Communities Symposium with a focus on Learning, Leadership, and Climate Change on Thursday July 15th at Winters College, York University. Leading experts from Canada, United States and the U.K. will be sharing their experties and experience in the area of climate change. The purpose of the
symposium is to bring together students enrolled in summer courses that address issues of sustainability into dialogue with one another about the intersections of education, leadership, and climate change.

The day will begin with a Welcome from Mr. Hopkins followed by a Keynote Address by David Greenwood titled "Nature, Empire, and Paradox in Environmental and Sustainability Education". Subsequently, four invited experts will participate in a panel presentation on the theme "Climate
Change: From Where We Stand."

Following a complimentary lunch, we will screen Brenda Longfellow's film "Weather Report." For the remainder of the afternoon we will break-out into groups for discussion and a "bonfire chat". Mr. Hopkins will wrap-up the day and offer us parting words.

The symposium is free due to contributions from the sponsoring faculty and organizations.

Here is the agenda of Leadership for Sustainable Communities Focus on Climate Change Conference:

8:30 – 9:00 Registration (Senior Common Room – Winters College, room 021)

All conference events below will take place in the Winters Dining Hall

 

8:30 – 9:00 Breakfast

9:00 – 9:15 Welcome and context – Charles Hopkins/Alice Pitt

9:15 – 10:15 Keynote: David Greenwood – Nature, Empire, and Paradox in Environmental and Sustainability Education

10:15 – 10:30 Refreshment Break

10:30 – 12:00 Perspectives on Climate Change Panel

Dawn Bazely – Associate Professor of Biology
Ellie Perkins – Associate Professor and MES Program Coordinator
Stepan Wood - Associate Professor, Law Faculty Coordinator
Tony Shallcross - Visiting Scholar

12:00 – 12:30 Lunch

12:30 – 1:30 Brenda Longfellow Film “The Weather Report”

1:30 Refreshment Break

1:30 – 2:30 Table Talk – Leadership Imperative Translating Knowledge into Action

2:30 – 3:30 Fireside Conversation with Knowledge Leaders

3:30 – 4:00 Wrap Up & Pledge – Charles Hopkins

Contact esd_leadership@edu.yorku.ca for additional information.

GSNZAP – Say it three times, quick!

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Today I got to experience an outsider's perspective of the Green Star NZ world, New Zealand's green building rating tool (not to be confused with Green Star period, Australia's green building tool - on which the NZ tool was based) and I must say, it was quite unexpected.

This morning about 40 people (including myself) gathered on the top floor of the Hyatt Hotel in downtown Auckland, overlooking the beautiful and green (thank you evergreens!) University of Auckland campus, to take part in a full day training course on the Green Star NZ tool. Our lovely presenters were Liz Root, Green Star Technical Manager at the NZGBC, and Quinton, a NZGBC Green Star assessor and assistant creator of the tool itself. The room was packed with would-be Green Star New Zealand Accredited Professionals (refer to the above acronym), from Energy Analysts, to contractors and engineers to property valuers and building services managers, all keen to be initiated into the world of green building and supportive of the steps to get there.

Or so that's what I assumed.

In reality, our presenters were met with what could politely be described as distrust but in fact sometimes seemed to simply be outright hostility. I am told this is specific to the Auckland crowd.

My perspective going into this day of training, which is a precursor to sitting the Green Star NZ Accredited Professional exam (NZ's counterpart to the LEED AP exam), was that everyone was a convert and saw the intrinsic value of creating a more sustainable and less harmful built environment. However, a few (too many) of the participants seemed completely jaded and mistrusting of the tool apparently only seeking a soap-box platform for venting their frustrations instead.

I completely understand cynicism, but not the (misdirected) hostility. Take the case of the waste contractor who explained the dichotomy of waste managers in NZ:

In one camp there are those who DO own landfills and thereby make their money collecting waste and then chucking it into the landfill
On the other side are those who DON'T own landfills and make money collecting waste but must spend more to dump it (thereby giving money to their competitors).

The latter group clearly have a much larger incentive to divert waste (in fact they would be bad business men - let's face it, they're all men here - if they didn't) whereas the former do not. This creates problems, as the gentleman pointed out, when the former are the ones contracted to remove waste from a Green Star building site under the presumption that they will be diverting the waste when in fact they are not. This is a legitimate and extremely troubling concept, unfortunately one that has now been added to my already-too-large repertoire of examples of how hard it will be to get everyone to sign up to join the Green Train (i just made that up, want to hop aboard?).

What was completely inappropriate was the way it was broached. His tirade went on for perhaps 10 minutes, his voice was loud and his tone accusatory. This type of interaction has no place in a constructive space like this training sessions. Our presenters support their tool 100% and believe in its efficacy while still being very aware and realistic of its limitations. Green Star NZ has been developed to the best that it can be at this point and of course will continue to grow and improve as time goes by. Obviously there are things that could be better, this will always be the case as the world's standards on green building keep rising. But as a non-profit organisation with very limited staff, not that any excuses need to be made as it is an excellent tool, the NZGBC cannot take the role of a third party auditor as well. We can only rely on the integrity of those who sign the reports stating that waste has been diverted. It is what it is and NZ is the better for it since 2007 (when the first version of the tool was released).

So to those who criticise so loudly and readily, I say give your time, give your energy and help us make it a truly strong and all-encompassing tool. It's the job of many and the only way we can ever get there.

And my utmost thanks to Liz and Quinton for responding to the "attacks" with such tact and respect!

Yfile:Contribute nothing and win during Clean Air Commute 2010

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The following appeared in the Thursday, June 10, 2010 edition of Y-File:
Clean Air Commute for 2010 has now ended. Submit your Clean Air Commute diary card to transportation services by June 23 to enter to win a prize.

Are you up to the challenge? Can you make the changes necessary to contribute nothing to pollution? York's Parking & Transportation Services has teamed up with Pollution Probe to participate in this year's Clean Air Commute.

From June 14 to 18, you can help reduce smog and stop climate change by trying something new – a greener way of commuting to work. All those who participate will be entered into a draw for a nine-day tour of Costa Rica, one of two $1,000 shopping sprees or even a bike.

Choose your mode of commuting, click here to sign up and create an account for your online diary card, and track the amount of emissions you reduce this week. Hard copies of the diary card are also available from the Parking & Transportation Services Office at 222 William Small Centre. Submit your diary card by June 30 for your chance to win!
It only takes a few small changes to your daily routine and, even if you only clean air commute for one day, you're still participating and can win a prize for your efforts. You can even take part just by checking the air in your tires – anything that helps reduce emissions helps clean the air!

You can participate by:

walking, biking, in-line skating, or running to work;
taking public transit;
carpooling;
tuning up your car;
driving an electric or natural gas vehicle;
or by driving a scooter or motorcycle.

For more information, e-mail transit@yorku.ca.

Invitation to the Advisory Committee Meeting of the Black Creek Community Energy Coalition (July 5)

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You are invited to the 1st Advisory Committee Meeting of the Black Creek Community Energy Coalition

Where: Black Creek Pioneer Village
When: Friday, July 5th, 9:30AM – 12:30PM

The Black Creek Community Energy Coalition is an initiative spearheaded by the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA) and the Friends in Trouble Youth Initiative (FIT) that seeks to unite Black Creek, Jane-Finch and Downsview Park area residents, businesses and organizations in the development and ownership of a community-based sustainable energy project.
In order to ensure that this project is not only developed according to the best practices of the industry but also benefits local stakeholders, we are soliciting the involvement in our advisory committee of experts and leaders in the sustainable energy sector and in the local neighbourhood. We believe this project would benefit greatly from your advice, experience and influence, which is why we are inviting you to the inaugural meeting of our advisory committee on June 18th at the Black Creek Pioneer Village.
An agenda will follow shortly, but the general goals of this meeting are to (1) decide together how the new Ontario Feed-in Tariff program can contribute to the economic and social development of the community and (2) determine how we will facilitate the collaboration of local stakeholders to seize these opportunities.
More specific objectives or outcomes of the meeting include:

• Getting to know one another, and understanding our respective interests and expectations
• Understanding the opportunities presented by the Feed-in Tariff program
• Build a consensus of what we would like to achieve together through the program
• Identify any local energy infrastructure-related constraints
• Understanding local energy poverty issues. How does a community energy project address these?
• Decide on immediate actions to realize our common purpose

Please confirm your attendance by email at bccenergy@gmail.com or by contacting Roberto Garcia, project coordinator, at 416-801-6921 or Antonius Clarke, Executive Director of FIT, at 416-887-4664.

Involve Students in the Fifth Annual Check Your Watershed Day (July 17)

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Volunteer in the Fifth Annual Check Your Watershed Day!

Stream Team Leaders and Volunteers are needed for the 5th annual Check Your Watershed Day on Saturday, July 17, 2010. You will make stream measurements firsthand, and gain out-of-classroom experience with environmental monitoring and GIS/GPS technology (to map the watershed). Plus, the data collected will help to improve the knowledge and management of watersheds that start from the Oak Ridges Moraine.

Invite your family and friends to come out with you and form a Stream Team of 2-3 volunteers, or meet new people by helping to lead a team of fellow participants! Both Leaders and Volunteers are provided with a delicious lunch, as well as opportunities to meet and network with Conservation Authority representatives and other participants in your area. Volunteers are needed from 11:00am to 4:00pm, and Leaders are needed from 8:30am to 4:00pm as you will also receive free training in an Ontario Stream and Assessment Protocol (OSAP) module.

What is Check Your Watershed Day?

Check Your Watershed Day is a volunteer stream survey that results in a better understanding of water movement, fish movement, and identification of potential stewardship projects.

Check Your Watershed Day 2010

Watersheds in this year’s event are:

•East Cross Creek, Blackstock Creek, and Southern Lake Scugog Tributaries (Blackstock, ON)
•Gages Creek (Port Hope, ON)
•Percy Creek (Alderville, ON)

**Participants may need to volunteer the use of their personal vehicles for Check Your Watershed Day. One vehicle is needed for each Stream Team.**

To register, or for more information, contact Lori Dagenais at

EcoSpark (formerly Citizens’ Environment Watch):

cywd@ecospark.ca or 647-258-3280 x 2009.

For more information please refer to Gages Creek poster, KRCA poster and Percy Creek poster.

Sack your bags

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I've decided to accept IRIS Director Dawn Bazely's challenge to blog about creatively reducing, reusing and diverting everyday household waste (see post "Hey, get me out of here, I don't want to go to landfill!").

The first challenge item she has thrown at me is a milk bag. Not being much of a milk drinker, milk bags do not find their way into my life very often. When I do buy milk, though, I purchase the less sustainably packaged wax cartons of lactose free milk.

For milk lovers and bag avoiders, there is hope. Local dairies and dairy cooperatives like Harmony Organic have reintroduced the classic milk bottle, in addition to also offering carton and bag packaging options. Their website states: "All our products are available in returnable glass bottles* which leaves the milk tasting clean and 'fresh from the farm'. Each bottle is expected to make 15-20 trips before being recycled. In an effort to bypass the use of chlorine as a sanitizing agent, we use hydrogen peroxide in our cleaning processes." While I don't drink much milk, I do eat yogurt every morning for breakfast. Similarly packaged in a reusable glass bottle, I buy delicious, creamy, full-fat, organic yogurt from Pinehedge Farms, located in St-Eugène, Ontario.

I case you're wondering, St-Eugène is at the Ontario border with Quebec, between Ottawa and Montreal, and over 500 km away from my home in downtown Toronto. While I love the idea of reusable packaging, I wonder if shipping a relatively heavy glass jar 500 km each way is environmentally better than shipping a relatively light plastic container.  Would I not be better off consuming the equally delicious Saugeen Country Dairy organic yogurt, which is packaged in plastic and hails from Markdale, Ontario, only 150 km away? If this is the case, surely it would also be better to purchase milk in light weight bags (ideally from a nearby dairy) rather than in glass bottles. It seems we are back to generating plastic milk bags.

There are other, more challenging alternatives.  For example, you could forgo milk entirely, taking on a vegan (absolutely no animal products) or paleolithic (dairy-free with only certain plants and animal products) diets. You could live close enough to a dairy farm, so as to not worry about shipping heavy glass bottles long distances. Or you could lobby the government to allow urban backyard bovine, though I doubt a cow would be very happy living in a 20 square meter backyard.

This question is like so many other "what is more sustainable" scenarios, which are highly complex and -- if you're not careful -- might make you think, it's all bad so why bother? In those cases, often a simple act is a good place to start. So, start by reusing all your milk bags (including the clear ones that are impressively durable). Stop accepting plastic bags from retailers and stop buying them as much as possible. While you're at it, stop buying food storage bags and use these instead. In fact, in many cases they could even replace plastic cling wrap if coupled with a rubber band or twist tie. The goal should not be to make your life guilt-ridden or inordinately complicated. Rather, we should all try to use less and use thoughtfully.

What do you think, Dawn? Agree? Disagree?

Ready for  a new challenge? My challenge to you, Dawn, is what should we do about these pesky items -- cigarette butts?

[photopress:P1110066.JPG,full,centered]

Good luck,

Meagan

http://www.pinehedge.com/default.htm

A ‘Green’ World Cup with a carbon footprint of 2,753,251 tons of CO2?

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Amid the excitement of the World Cup it is easy to forget that international sporting spectacles as large as the FIFA World Cup in South Africa have significant environmental impacts. The media has tended to focus our attention to controversies surrounding the World Cup such the banning of the vuvuzela, predicting final contenders, and more serious concerns such as the inequalities that plague South Africa. However, the media has been quick to turn a blind eye to the carbon footprint of the World Cup. How ‘climate-friendly’ is the World Cup? According to the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), the FIFA World Cup in South Africa is undeniably ‘green’. Three days before the kick-off, UNEP issued a press release highlighting its major initiatives to reduce the carbon emissions of the World Cup. The initiative is a result of a partnership between the Global Environment Facility (GEF), UNEP, and the South African Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA).  Supported by US$1 million in GEF funding, the initiative includes three major greening projects: renewable energy interventions in six World Cup host cities, an awareness-raising drive on green tourism, and a programme to offset the carbon emissions of eleven World Cup teams. In addition, the DEA, identified five carbon offset projects to counter travelers' emissions. The projects include solar cookers, soil composing, energy efficient lighting, wind energy, and domestic fire lighting. But are these efforts at reducing the carbon footprint of the World Cup really enough? Not according to a study conducted by the Norwegian embassy and the Government of South Africa.  The study found that this World Cup will emit 2,753,251 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere, which is roughly equivalent to the amount released by one million cars over the course of a year. In other terms, the games will emit as much CO2 as 6,000 space shuttle fights or a 1 billion cheeseburgers. Even worse news is that the emission levels of this World Cup are six times higher than the last World Cup in Berlin.  The reasons include the number of international flights, the ‘necessary’ new infrastructure developments, and the reliance on coal burning to meet the influx of tourists’ energy demand. Ironically, this World Cup’s massive carbon footprint coincides with the June 2010 Bonn international climate talks, where, once again, negotiators failed to move forward on a post-Kyoto text. Naturally, the international talks in Bonn have been completely foreshadowed by international World Cup fervor. So before we watch the next match, perhaps we should take a moment to consider how our thirst for entertainment might impact the global climate system.

For more see:

http://www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID=628&ArticleID=6611&l=en

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2010/06/the-carbon-footprint-of-the-2010-world-cup.php?campaign=th_rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+treehuggersite+%28Treehugger%29

http://www.norway.org.za/NR/rdonlyres/3E6BB1B1FD2743E58F5B0BEFBAE7D958/114457/FeasibilityStudyforaCarbonNeutral2010FIFAWorldCup.pdf

“What’s Next” in Development? Event

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The International Development Institute at Humber College presents:

“What’s Next?”

Sustainable Development in the 21st Century

Come Out and Engage in the Debate

Where:    Assembly Hall

1 Colonel Samuel Smith Park Drive - (south-east corner of Lakeshore Blvd W. & Kipling Ave)

When:     Friday June 11th, 2010

Time:       8:30 am – 4:00 pm

Cost:        $35 (lunch included)

$25 for those with a Humber Student Number (lunch included)

“What’s Next” In Development?  The question is bound to create debate and discussion. Humber College, SoChange, World University Services Canada (WUSC) and the Humber Student Federation (HSF) are providing a forum for Development Professionals to outline their perspectives on the path development should take, and for attendees to actively engage with their views. This is an opportunity to expand your understanding of development trends, examining what changes are necessary and the means by which these changes will be initiated. “What’s Next?” will cover a wide range of international development topics, and is sure to both captivate and motivate participants to become involved in positive and sustainable change.

Speakers include:

  • Ian Smillie – Distinguished researcher and writer on international development issues, and winner of the Order of Canada
  • Karen Craggs – a gender specialist promoting gender equality locally and internationally with Gender Equality International
  • Andres Recalde – CSR and Mining Expert, “A Confidence Enabler”
  • Ezat Mossallanejad – Settlement counsellor, Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture
  • WUSC – Grant Peckford, Youth Assisting Youth Managing Director, Michelle Manks the Program Officer for the Student Refugee Program and Youth Challenge International will be there speaking to issues of youth participation in development issues of all kinds. This breakout session will be free to all.
  • Major Allan Best and Lieutenant Colonel John McEwen – Canadian Military

Register early as seating is limited

Contact Registrar's Office and mention conference name to purchase tickets: 416.675.5005

For more info contact: Kim Pavan (416)-675-6622 ext. 5885 or kim.pavan@humber.ca

A special note of thanks to the following groups for their support and contributions to the Conference:

World University Service of Canada, Humber Students Federation, Humber Business School, and SoChange

Changing NZ one home at a time

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What an exciting time to be in New Zealand!

A country plagued by an inefficient building stock is a place where exciting opportunities may emerge for one involved with the Green Building Council. Indeed, the NZGBC is in the thick of it. We’re transforming the very definition of a NZ home!

A study put together by Branz and Beacon Pathway, two kiwi research institutions, have highlighted the extent of the housing problem: over 1 million homes (in a country of 4 million inhabitants) cannot provide sufficient thermal comfort to its residents. Not only that, but over 45% have rampant mould issues. New Zealand is no tropical paradise, though it may certainly feel that way when you’re thick in the lush green bush during the summer months. Winter comes by every year making its inhabitants feel the wrath of -5 degree weather. Of course this sounds ridiculously temperate to anyone coming from a country that experiences -30 degree spells, but please do trust me when I say that cold outside cannot compare to cold inside. I’m not trying to belittle or ridicule when I say that standard heating methods in this country include hot water bottles and electric blankets. Not to mention the trusty extra jumper (aka hoodie).

Quick anecdote: In the (Southern Hemisphere) winter of 2007 I lived in Wanaka in the South Island and worked at the local ski field. I have repeatedly said that I believe I have never been as cold as I was then. I effectively lost my body heat sometime in mid-June and didn’t recover it before the end of August. Just like all my friends’ places, our rented house had ONE heated room in the house: the living room thanks to the wood burning stove. The complete lack of insulation, particle board-like walls and extremely draughty windows meant that bedroom temperatures hovered around 2 degrees. I am very comfortable throwing on extra layers to go outside in -30 degree weather, but I am not as prepared to wake up to a frosted bathroom. Maybe I’m just being a baby. Whenever I repeated this story to kiwi friends, their response was inevitably: “Harden up!”

Thankfully for warmth-conscious people everywhere, the NZGBC is no longer prepared to accept this as a solution. Not only is heating in NZ more expensive than anywhere else in the world, but such draughty conditions lead to a very unproductive and unhealthy population. Insulation wasn’t even mandatory until 1992! “Leaky homes” syndrome caught the attention of all homeowners in recent years and finally, there seems to be a shift in the populations’ global consciousness as well as a demand for adequate housing standards.

So there it is, the groundwork is set for an exciting adventure with the goal to change the very way people experience their homes. And this will not only concern new buildings, like the many standards that already exist, but those existing homes which make up the vast majority of the housing stock.

This month, the NZGBC in partnership with Branz and Beacon Pathway will be launching a new, never before seen, residential rating tool. This tool will be independent, reliable, and easy-to-use. It will be accessible for free online and will allow homeowners to rate the performance of their homes. This tool is seeking to create a common language around the issue of home performance as well as to provide homeowners with the information they need to undertake renovations. Partnerships are being created with select commercial distributors who will assist homeowners in selecting “solutions” relevant to their needs. This will be a one stop shop where individuals will be able to rate their homes, learn where the issues lie, and then, if desired, find out what products exist out there to improve comfort (including a super cool google feature mapping out the nearest retailer). These will range from renewable energy suppliers to no-VOC paint suppliers.

The goal is modest but the difference will be gigantic. Making central heating, insulation and double glazing standard in homes will have a tremendous impact on reducing this country’s demands on energy as well as simply making life more pleasant for New Zealanders, and those travelers crazy enough to come during the winter months.

My role amongst this is still being defined but nevertheless my days are filled attending numerous executive meetings devising business models, partner relationships and public documents. I can’t believe how fortunate I am to have come at such an exciting time and be able to meet those whom I know will be of tremendous assistance during my own studies. It’s all coming together and it’s only just starting!

Soon winter will set in and I’m told that my office gets extremely cold (surprise surprise) to the point where my colleagues don’t even remove their outerwear for the work day (including gloves). In fact consensus has just been reached on Friday that NZGBC vests will be made for all. The poncho lost by a narrow margin.

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