New Ed, Little Waste, Where There’s a Will – Green Communities News – GCNews #116

616: 26 January 2009 – Published by Green Communities Canada

NEW ED. Shawna Mutton is Durham Sustain Ability’s new Executive Director. Previously City of Pickering’s Coordinator of Community Sustainability, Shawna oversaw the Sustainable Pickering initiative and cultivated partnerships with key community leaders and stakeholders … Durham Sustain Ability received $193,800 from Ontario Trillium Foundation to increase staff resources to expand environmental education programs and support environmental leadership.

LITTLE WASTE. Durham Sustain Ability board member Shawn Williamson and his family are moving forward to becoming a zero-waste household. In 2008, the family reduced its waste to one full garbage bag. See video.

HR POLICIES. Green Venture has developed a series of Human Resources policies and procedures it is willing to share with other Green Communities. Contact Green Venture Executive Director Pete Wobschall.

IN PRINT. In a letter to the Globe and Mail, Green Communities Canada Executive Director, Clifford Maynes, argues that energy-efficiency incentives must be tied to professional audits and advice … Windfall Ecology Centre Executive Director, Brent Kopperson, adds his grain of salt to the wintry debate sand VS salt.

WHERE THERE’S A WILL. Book The Citizen is Willing, But Society Won’t Deliver: The Problem of Institutional Roadblocks looks at why institutional systems often fail in spectacular fashion as concerns the environment. “The environmental cause […], after decades of efforts by governments, businesses, media and others, is losing ground faster than ever.” Published by the International Institute for Sustainable Development. Free download.

LOW-INCOME ENERGY. US President Obama has pledged to weatherize one million low-income homes for the next decade. " By upgrading a home’s furnace, sealing leaky ducts, fixing windows, and adding insulation we can cut energy bills by 20%- 40% percent and the substantial savings accrue with summer air conditioning as well as winter heating."

NUCLEAR ENERGY. Ontario Clean Air Alliance is opposing new spending on nuclear energy in Ontario. See report Ontario Green Future: How we can build a 100% renewable electricity grid by 2027.

EARTH HOUR. Earth Hour 2009 aims to reach more than one billion people in 1000 cities around the world. In 2008, 50 million people worldwide switched off their lights. 28 March.

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS. 2009 SEED Awards for entrepreneurship in sustainable development winners receive a package of tailor-made support services worth up to $40,000. Deadline 16 March.

WETLANDS DAY. 2009 World Wetlands Day’s theme is Upstream-Downstream: Wetlands connect us all. Download resources such as briefing notes and do-it-yourself frogs. 2 February.

WATER GRANTS. Ranging from $25,000 to $500,000, RBC Blue Water Leadership Grants focus on Watershed protection programs and projects such as watershed awareness, community-based watershed stewardship or sustainable water use and conservation programs. Deadline 6 March … RBC Blue Water Community Action Grants range from $1,000 to $5,000. Applications are accepted year long.

MARINE DEPLETION. One third of all marine fish caught are used to feed chicken, fish, and pigs, according to a UBC Fisheries Centre‘s Sea Around Us project. Fifty years ago, less than 10% of fish caught were used to produce fish meal. Fish meal is price competitive with grain feeds because of developing countries’ willingness to take low prices for the fish.

YOUTH CONFERENCE. Impact! the Co-operators Youth Conference for Sustainability Leadership invites 180 Canadian university and college students, all expenses paid, to explore sustainability solutions with national business and sustainability leaders in Guelph, 24-27 September. Application deadline 27 February.

CAMERA, ACTION! Mount Allison University is looking for video submissions (2 minutes or less) highlighting what you, or a group, are doing to help the environment for its How Green Are You? Video Contest. Competition open to anyone across the world. Top submissions will be posted online in March for public voting. Deadline 15 February.

ENDANGERED MOUNTAINS. Mountaintop removal is a form of coal mining in which entire mountains are blown up … Documentary Burning the Future: Coal in America examines the devastation caused by coal’s extraction, from toxic ground water to the obliteration of mountains.

REGENERATION. In Gaviotas, Colombia, and the surrounding region, an experimental community in the wastelands has accidentally restored a rainforest.
JOBS. Evergreen, two Stewardship Coordinator positions. Toronto, due 2 February … Lakeland Alliance, two Shoreline Advisors positions. Due 13 February.