Water
Tyee Reports Uncomfortable Facts About the Tar Sands
The Tyee reports that the Federal Government has killed a report examing the environmental impacts of Alberta'sTar Sands. According to the evidence presented by several reputable scientists, the industry is rapidly poisoning and depleteing the Province's water supply. Read article here.Green Infrastructure Better for Stormwater Control
Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago have concluded that green infrastructure is better suited to deal with storm water runoff that the traditional use of curbs and gutters, detention ponds and storm sewers. Green infrastructure incorporates permeable pavement, green roofs and constructed wetlands to reduce the flow of pollutants into sewers and ultimately into rivers, streams, oceans and lakes.
Read more here.
Dawson Creek Joins Forces with Shell Canada to Recycle Sewage
Currently the oil and gas sector surrounding Dawson Creek diverts 20% of the town's drinking water for its own industrial uses. This fact will soon change, however. Shell Oil has agreed to invest $10 million in a sewage treatment plant and will use the treated sewage for its industrial activity, sparing the town's drinking water. Read Globe and Mail article here.
Planning a Post-Carbon World:The City of North Vancouver and the 100 Year Plan
The City of North Vancouver's 100 Year Sustainability Vision represents perhaps the first attempt to use greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets to inform the long-term design of a city. The project was a collaborative partnership between the Design Centre for Sustainability at the University of British Columbia, known for advancing the science and application of sustainable community design strategies, and the City of North Vancouver, known for its deep and abiding commitment to urban sustainability.Read the rest of professor Patrick M. Condon's blog here:
Tories Curtail Key Environment Provisions
Significant changes to anti-pollution rules tacked on to budget last month will result in more power to craft narrow environmental assessments on controversial projects. Read article here:Scotland to rule waves with £5 billion marine energy projects
The Scottish Government and the Crown Estate have announced ten schemes costing some £5 billion to be built off the Scottish coast.
They are expected to harness the area's fierce waters to generate up to 1.2 gigawatts (GW) of electricity and power up to 750,000 households.
Vancouver School Board Introduces High School Sustainability Course
SOLARIS, a 4 credit, year long course in sustainability, is being offered to Vancouver students in grades 11 and 12. The course will focus on a range of topics from housing and transportation to forestry and fisheries. Read more here.Oceans' acidity rate is soaring, claims study
Under terms revealed in leaked copies of the new Canada-US trade deal, Ontario will become the only province in Canada allowing unrestricted access to those countries who have signed onto the World Trade Organization's Government Procurement Agreement for publicly-funded contracts supplying schools, universities, social services and hospitals, said Fred Hahn, President of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario at Queen's Park today (February 11, 2010).
Woodworking unions and environmentalists propose bold new plan to protect forests and jobs while fighting climate change
Village Vancouver Website
Village Vancouver inspires individuals and organizations to take actions that build resilient and sustainable communities. We support ideas and initiatives to strengthen neighbourhoods and to promote social, environmental and economic change in the face of profound ecological stress/crisis. We encourage individuals and groups to unite and collaborate in support of common goals and actions...and to have fun together!
