Green Communities News – GCNews #600

600: 29 September 2008

WALKABLE
COMMUNITIES. Jacky Kennedy, Green Communities
Canada ‘s Director of Walking Programs,
recently participated and co-presented in a half-day workshop at the
Transportation Association of
Canada‘s annual conference. The session, A
Step Ahead: Creating Walkable Communities, provided many ideas
on how to incorporate active travel solutions into municipal
transportation plans … Jacky is quoted in Chatelaine magazine, Lose
weight on your way to work.

NEW
WEBPAGE. EcoSuperior’s brand new EcoDriver
webpage is online. Fuel-efficiency calculator and driving
survey.

VANPOOLING.
The Association
for Commuters Transportation in Canada organizes Canadian
National RideShare Week, 6-10 October. Download templates and
posters.

PROFITABLE
TRANSIT. Rochester’s Public Transit System
increased ridership and lowered
its bus fare on 1 September thanks to partnerships with schools,
colleges and private businesses.

NEW
STAFF. Fresh faces at Peterborough Green-Up: Chris
Ferguson-Martin will assist with delivery of Electricity Retrofit
Incentive and Power Savings Blitz program … Thalia Bock is
developing Peterborough Zero Foot Print website … Cathy Mitchell
will create a sustainable certification program for businesses.

ECO-EVENT. ACAP Cape
Breton presents Eco Expo.
Features a 60 ft. inflatable whale. Sydney, NS, 24-26 October.

ÉLECTIONS 2008
. Équiterre discusses key
elections issues on a special webpage (in French) … Compilation of
environmental organizations and civil society groups offering
resources, information and commentary about the elections. … Watch Samurai
David Suzuki on the campaign trail.

GLOBAL
CONCERN. PowerUP Canada is a new
citizens’ movement calling for stronger action on climate change.
Amplifies citizens’ voices and clarifies federal parties’ and
candidates’ climate positions.

READY READERS.
Alternatives Journal is
looking for book
reviewers for its annual Spring issue on environmental books and
writing. Proposals
due 15 October.

CONFERENCES. Eco-Care
2008 speaks directly to the link between healthcare and the
environment. Keynote speaker Justin
Trudeau. London, ON, 20-21 October …Canadian Environmental
Network AGM and
Conference, Toronto, 24-26 October … U.S. Conference on Peak Oil and
community. Michigan, 31 October-2 November.

LOCAL
HOMES. After slow food, here come slow
homes, a reaction to McMansions and Starter
Castles … Blog Sprawled
Out: The Search for Community in the American Suburb looks at
school sprawl and roundabouts … Radiant City: A Documentary
about Suburban Sprawl is set In Canada and features author James
Howard Kunstler … Read article Gas
Prices Apply Brakes to Suburban Migration.

CITY WOODS.
The Urban Forest –
An Evolving Ecosystem is a full-day seminar organized by Ontario
Urban Forest Council: forest species, wildlife, invasives, seed
collection, green corridors. Toronto, 16 October.

SMALL-SCALE
FARMING. Farmers Growing Farmers is a new
multi-year program that supports new farmers who are pursuing
sustainable, near-urban, direct-to-market farm based enterprises.
Starts 25 October.

NEWSLETTER. Read Rachel’s
Democracy and Health News. This month: cancers and nuclear
facilities, over-fishing disaster.

GARBAGE
DIET. Canada Waste Reduction
Week. 19-25 October.

THIRST. See winning
entry of Waterlution‘s
World’s Best Presentation Contest.

T-SHIRT
CONTEST. Design a T-shirt
that shows what the environment means to you! Due 31 October.

JOBS.
World
Wildlife Fund, Global Youth Volunteer Programme. Madagascar, 26
May-26 August 2009 … Ecology
Action Centre, Green Mobility Grants Coordinator. Halifax, due 7
October.