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Clean Air Commute Week

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Clean Air Commute Week June 13-19, 2011 -
It’s time to create your On-line Commuter Log



York University is once again participating in Pollution Probe’s 2011 Clean Air Commute during the week of June 13-19.  You are encouraged to commute to work in a cleaner way –consider biking, walking, taking public transit, driving a hybrid, carpooling or even just giving your car a tune-up. Even if you participate for one day, you can still fill out your Commuter Log and be eligible to win great prizes. And if you are already a clean air commuter, that’s terrific - congratulations for taking the first step to cleaner air and bluer skies!

Follow this link www.cleanaircommute.ca to create an account for your online Commuter Log, which you will use to record how you get to work during Clean Air Commute week.

At the conclusion of 2011 Clean Air Commute, you will be entered win one of three great prizes:

·        A 7-day adventure trip to Machu Picchu, Peru from Intrepid Travel
·        One of 7 Raleigh mountain bikes
·        A Bobby Hull autographed hockey stick

You will also be eligible to win a workplace draw of a mountain bike.

Remember, you need to create a Commuter Log account so you can log-in during Clean Air Commute week. Don’t forget to click on the link above. If you have any questions, please e-mail info@smartcommuntentv.ca or 416-650-8205.

Thanks for clean air commuting and welcome to joining the Blue Crew!

Waterfront Toronto – Emerging Green Builders Event

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Date: June 6th at 6pm (pizza provided), 6:30pm (presentations)

Location: Toronto Public Library, Rm 200.  40 Orchard View Blvd (Yonge + Eglinton)

Price: EGB Members: $5; Non-Members: $10.00 (taxes included)

Waterfront Toronto is the public advocate and steward of waterfront revitalization. Created by the Governments of Canada and Ontario and the City of Toronto, Waterfront Toronto is mandated to deliver a revitalized waterfront.

Lesley Sovran, from Waterfront Toronto will be joining us to discuss the waterfront revitalization projects.

After the presentation – join us and network with professionals, recent graduates and other students from a variety of backgrounds at the Duke of Kent Pub (2315 Yonge Street – across the street from the Toronto Public Library) in a relaxed and casual environment.

To Register:

- Click Here

- visit our Facebook page (EGB Greater Toronto), OR

- contact us directly at EGB@greenbuildingontario.ca.

Be sure to register early to confirm your spot!

Emerging Green Builders (EGB) Greater Toronto is a group of students and new professionals (within 5 years of graduation or 30 years of age or younger) dedicated to the green building movement. We are a working group of the Canadian Green Building Council (CaGBC) Greater Toronto Chapter.

View poster here

Oil Spill in Lubicon Territory: When Pipelines Explode

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A discussion on the implications for Little Buffalo and how Toronto can support.

With special guest Melina Laboucon-Massimo from the community of Little Buffalo, Lubicon Cree Territory, Alberta.

On April 29th, 2011, the Plains All American pipeline burst and caused nearly 4.5 million liters of tar sands crude and diluent to spill uncontrollably out onto Lubicon traditional territory.   The Energy Resources Conservation Board (ERCB) in Alberta failed to give adequate notice to the community of the spill or information on clean up efforts. In fact, during the first five days of the crisis, the ERCB sent the community just one fax report and failed to attend a community meeting, though were explicitly invited. Most of the community and Peace River region was unaware of the spill for days outside of rumors. However, children experienced nausea, burning eyes and headaches, forcing the school at Little Buffalo to be closed until May 10th. Corporate negligence, coupled with government inaction, compounded by the racism of indifference has left the community reeling. They have been forced now to take matters into their own hands.

The spill has been exacerbated by wildfires burning uncontrolled in Alberta. The community of Little Buffalo, and now the oil spill site, is located near these dangerous, uncontrolled fires. On May 15th, the company suspended clean up efforts because of the fires. Come learn from a discussion on the implications for Little Buffalo and find out how Toronto can support.

Please Join Us May 23rd
Doors open at 6:30 pm, event starts 7 pm sharp.
Toronto Free Galery
1277 Bloor St W (Bloor and Landsdowne)
Building is accessible.

Join Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=131781800232091

For more information, please email Environmental Justice Toronto at ej.action@gmail.com or the Indigenous Sovereignty and Solidarity Network at iswtoronto@gmail.com

Event Supported by: Environmental Justice Toronto, Indigenous Sovereignty and Solidarity Network, UTERN and FES York University.

Seminar: Corporate Social Responsibility – Beyond the Business Case to Human Rights

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Date: Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Time:  1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
Location: York Lanes Offices, #305 (3rd floor), 4700 Keele St., York University
RSVP: Register at www.cbern.ca/csr-humanrights

May 17 Seminar

A seminar with Special Guest: Tom Campbell

Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics
An Australian Research Council funded Special Research Centre
Charles Sturt University, University of Melbourne

ABSTRACT:

This normative analysis deals with justifying the nature and extent of that part of corporate social responsibility (CSR) which is not justified by the 'business case', according to which CSR is justified only in so far as it is in the interests of the corporation in question.

Distinguishing CSR from corporate business responsibility and corporate philanthropy, it is argued that the business case ought to be supplemented by a human rights justification which permits and may require a corporation to act independently of its economic interests, where this is necessary to fulfill its human rights responsibilities.

The main practical advantages of this framework are that it makes explicit the distinct moral rationales for CSR, clarifies decision-making about the scope of the CSR that goes beyond the business case, and highlights the importance of formulating a distinct set of corporate-oriented human rights that relate to the core economic activities of corporations and the characteristic harms arising out of their business operations, as something which is different from corporate complicity in violations of state-oriented human rights and corporate assistance to states in fulfilling their human rights responsibilities.

Sponsored by:
Canadian Business Ethics Research Network (CBERN)
Centre of Excellence in Responsible Business, Schulich School of Business
The Hennick Centre for Business and Law
The Ontario Legal Philosophy Partnership

The Future of Global Governance

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Time and Date: Wednesday 25 May 2011, 11:00-18:00
Venue: McEwan Auditorium, Schulich School of Business, York University
This one-day landmark public event brings to York University some of the world’s leading thinkers on globalization, global society, political economy, law and international relations to consider prospects for global governance.
The speakers will reflect critically on the principal institutions and practices of governance associated with efforts to stabilize, modify and legitimate the global status quo. They will seek to demystify the power relations between leaders and led associated with those practices. They will provide an assessment of the potential for future changes in those relations, including how subaltern forces may be challenging the necessity, desirability and sustainability of existing institutional, legal and political arrangements in light of global economic, social and ecological crises.

This event will be open to the public but all attending must register in advance.
To register, click here: http://lefutur.eventbrite.com
Organizers: Isabella Bakker, Professor of Political Science, York University and Trudeau Fellow and Stephen Gill, Distinguished Research Professor, Political Science, York University.

Sponsors:At York University this event has received the generous support of the Office of the President, Office of the Vice President & Provost, Office of Vice President Research and Innovation, Office of the Dean of Graduate Studies, Office of the Dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, Department of Political Science, Office of the Dean, Osgoode Law School and the Jack and Mae Nathanson Centre on Transnational Human Rights, Crime and Security, also at Osgoode. We also thank the kind financial and intellectual support of Trudeau Foundation Fellows Janine Brodie and Isabella Bakker, and the Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada for a Workshop Grant to Stephen Gill that facilitated this event.status quo. They will seek to demystify the power relations between leaders and led associated with those practices. They will provide an assessment of the potential for future changes in those relations, including how subaltern forces may be challenging the necessity, desirability and sustainability of existing institutional, legal and political arrangements in light of global economic, social and ecological crises.

Upcoming LEAF Events

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Leslieville-Riverdale Tree Tour
Registration Recommended
Date: Thursday May 5, 2011, 6:30pm to 8:00pm
Location: meeting place will be emailed to registrants
Tour Leader: LEAF's Amanda Gomm, Manager of Volunteer and Community Engagement
Tour Partner: Leslieville-Riverdale Tree Project
Cost: $5 suggested donation at start of tour
Over the past four years, community members have been going door-to-door encouraging their neighbours to plant trees. Join us as we explore this neighbourhood and visit some of those residents who have participated in this amazing grass-roots project!

Tree Tenders Volunteer Training
Registration required
Course One
Dates: Starts May 10, 2011
Location: Bloor/Gladstone Library, 1101 Bloor St. West, Toronto
Host: LEAF
Cost: $50 / $70 with course material (+HST)
Course Two
Dates: Starts May 31, 2011
Location: Bickford Learning Center, 777 Bloor St. West, Toronto
Host: LEAF
Cost: $50 / $70 with course material (+HST)
This 15 hour training program is designed for individuals who want to gain tree-related knowledge and skills. If you’ve ever wanted to learn more about trees, and how to properly care for them then this course for you!
Each session provides basic arboriculture training which includes a combination of indoor and outdoor instruction. The final day of the course includes a group tree planting, putting the knowledge learned to practice.

Leslie Spit Tree Tour
Registration required
Part of Toronto and Region Conservation's Bird Festival in Tommy Thompson Park
Date: Saturday May 14, 2011, 12:30pm to 2:00pm
Location: meet at front entrance of Tommy Thompson Park, Toronto
Tour Leader: LEAF's Amanda Gomm, Manager of Volunteer and Community Engagement
Cost: Free but space is limited
Tommy Thompson Park is home to a variety of native trees and shrubs that provide important habitat for birds and other wildlife. Join LEAF's Manager of Volunteers and Community Engagement to learn about the different species and the roles they play in the local ecosystem.

Exploring Toronto's Urban Forest
Date: Monday May 16, 2011, 7:00pm to 8:30pm
Location: North York Central Library, 5120 Yonge St, Toronto
Speaker: LEAF's Amanda Gomm, Manager of Volunteer and Communitiy Engagement
Cost: Free, registration not required
Join us for an interactive talk on Toronto’s urban forest. Learn how this living forest provides important services for us all, the role native and non-native plants play in the ecosystem, basic tree identification and the top ten things you can do for your tree. Hear about LEAF’s role in protecting and improving the urban forest and opportunities for individuals to become involved.

Heritage Tree Tour© 2009 Torri GERVAIS / LEAF
Registration recommended
Date: Saturday May 28, 2011, 10:30am to 12:30pm
Location: Meet at southwest corner of Bloor St and Avenue Road in Toronto (in front of the Royal Ontario Museum)
Tour Leader: Philip van Wassenaer with guest Peter Simon
Cost: $5 suggested donation at start of tour
Join us as we admire some of Toronto's most impressive heritage trees. We'll visit some awe-inspiring specimens near the Royal Ontario Museum, Philosopher's Walk (on the main campus of the University of Toronto) and Queen's Park, and learn about the incredible biodiversity value they provide as they get older. Philip will share the latest, cutting edge techniques used in the art and science of "Conservation Arboriculture", an approach that prioritizes the preservation of old trees while minimizing risk in the urban environment. Special guest Peter Simon, City of Toronto, will showcase new innovative technologies Toronto has recently implemented that are designed to help newly planted trees reach maturity and become remarkable giants themselves.

Night of the Forest: LEAF's Annual Celebration and Fundraiser
Night of the Forest Purchase Advance Tickets - $35 each
Date: June 2, 2011, 7:00pm to midnight
Location: Steam Whistle Brewery
Cost: $35 advance, $40 at the door; group rates also available
The NIGHT OF THE FOREST welcomes you to reflect upon LEAF's contribution to the urban forest movement over the past decade and a half and to celebrate our accomplishments and future directions
Musical Guests: Gentleman Reg, Poplar Pines and Music at the Barns
Featuring: Amazing door prize ($500 VIA Rail voucher), amazing silent auction items, free hors d'oeuvres, cash bar, indoor urban forest with LIVING trees and shrubs and more...
Download Poster

The Secret Sex Lives of Trees© 2010 ReForest London
Purchase advance tickets
Date: Tuesday June 7, 2011, 7:00 to 8:30pm
Location: Royal Ontario Museum, Level 1B, Signy & Cléophée Eaton Theatre
Speaker: Tony Fleischmann
Cost: $12 per person, $10 for ROM members
From tempting potential pollinators with alluring colours and luscious nectar, to brandishing ripe fruits and berries before eager birds, trees will go to great lengths to multiply. Join us as Tony Fleischmann, long time arborist and tree enthusiast, reveals the "seedy" side of the urban forest. Not recommended for those who blush easily!

FES prof and PhD student to lead Jane’s Walk on campus

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The following is from the Tuesday, April 19th edition of YFile.

What's the inside story about York University’s woodlots, ponds, gardens and buildings? To find out more, take a walk with Professor Anders Sandberg and PhD student Michael Classens from the Faculty of Environmental Studies (FES) as they lead one of the upcoming Jane’s Walks.

The walk will take place Saturday, May 7, at 1pm, starting at the water fountain in the Harry W. Arthurs Common, opposite Vari Hall, on the Keele campus. The free event will take one-and-a-half hours, and is accessible to those with physical challenges. Click here for a map of where to meet.

Right: Ross Building

The walk will give an insider's tour of York, opening up dialogue and engaged discussion amongst interested participants, says Sandberg. The guides will introduce Jane walkers to a vigorous debate about the official and unofficial stories of natural and built forms on York’s Keele campus. They will also be invited to take part in debates over policy options and development visions of the campus landscape.

Jane’s Walk celebrates the ideas and legacy of urbanist Jane Jacobs by getting people out exploring their neighbourhoods and meeting their neighbours. It is also a way to create a space for residents to talk about what matters to them in the places they live and work. Last year, 424 walks were held in 68 cities in nine countries. This is the fifth anniversary of Jane’s Walk, which is billed as a hybrid walking tour and urban exploration neighbourhood festival.

The five stops on the tour at York will consist of two buildings (Vari Hall and Ross Building), Stong Pond, the Health Nursing & Environmental Studies Native Garden and the Michael Boyer Woodlot. Walkers will have the chance to discuss a range of topics, including public access, free speech and security, storm water treatment, native and invasive species, pesticides and health concerns, environmental impacts and popular versus expert knowledge in the context of the various stops.

Left: Anders Sandberg

The histories of the sites provide a basis from which to enter broader debates in reference to environmental sustainability, social justice and civic engagement, says Sandberg.

Sandberg says the walk will raise questions about the University, not only as a place where people study, but also a place that can be studied. The tour will invoke different images of the campus and provide walkers with deeper insights about culture and nature that they can take into their everyday lives.

For more information, visit the Jane’s Walk website or click here for more information about the Jane’s Walk led by Sandberg and Classens. Jane’s Walks will be happening across the province May 7 and 8.

GreenXChange Project – Pizza Lunch

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Interested in climate change adaptation and local greening in the York U. neighbourhood?    Looking for a field experience, course project, or volunteer opportunity?  Have skills to practice or share related to environmental education, community organizing, green entrepreneurship, or grassroots participatory planning?   Want to join a dynamic, award-winning local organization?   (See  www.greenxchange.ca/general/green-change-project-notes and    http://yorkwestadvocate.wordpress.com/2010/05/13/jane-finchs-green-change-project-wins-toronto-green-award/).

THE GREENXCHANGE PROJECT WANTS YOU!

Come to a Pizza Lunch on Tuesday, April 19, 12:30 - 2 p.m. in HNES 140 to learn more about the GreenXChange Project and how you can contribute to Phase II of the Green Change Agents training program -- creating jobs in Jane/Finch while addressing climate change.

ALL ARE WELCOME.

York’s 20-minute makeover will spruce up Keele and Glendon campuses

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CSBO Notice:
York is participating in the City of Toronto's 20-minute makeover to mark Earth Day. Staff from Yorkwise and  CSBO have organized a targeted effort for the Keele campus on Friday, April 15, 2001 at 2pm.

The concept behind the makeover is simple – people are asked to stop what they are doing and get outside to clean up areas adjacent to their office or residence. Participants should dress appropriately for the weather and bring appropriate shoes or boots.

The Grounds Department in CSBO will provide work gloves and trash bags for litter pickup at the designated meeting spots on the Keele and Glendon campuses. The focus for this year's makeover will be these locations on the Keele campus:

  • Assiniboine and Passy Gardens Sportsfield
  • Arboretum
  • Boyer Woodlot
  • Danby Woods
  • Boynton Woods

For a map indicating the locations of each of the seven meeting spots, click here.

Glendon community members are asked to meet at 2pm outside Glendon Hall Manor.

For more information, visit the City of Toronto's 20-Minute Makeover website. For more earth-friendly initiatives, visit the Yorkwise Web site.

Discovery 2011

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Where: Metro Toronto convention Center

When: May 18th and 19th

Discovery 11 has landed. Take a sneak peek here to see our jam-packed agenda of events, speakers, panels and attractions for this year's conference. All this in addition to a show floor literally buzzing with innovations that will challenge your perspective, transform your network, enhance your business strategies and place you in a hotbed of innovation. You won't want to miss this!
REGISTER at ocediscovery.com before April 15 and save an additional 20 per cent off early bird attendee and exhibitor fees with promo code DISCOVERY20.

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