Benevolence, Green Than You, and Poultry Underground – GC News #641

641: 27 July 2009 – Published by Green Communities Canada.

RIPENING REEP. Certified Energy Advisor Dave Klassen is new REEP-Waterloo Region Energy Manager. He brings experience managing capacity-building projects in Africa and renovating homes in Canada … REEP-Waterloo’s new office offers "plenty of elbow-room". "We definitely needed the space for more people as we now have 21 staff on payroll and 2 JCP positions. And our old space didn’t have any storage space – now that we have 3000 square feet."

RUNOFF POLLUTION. Green Communities Canada, in collaboration with Toronto-based RiverSides, received a $97,800 grant from Ontario Trillium Foundation to expand a program showing urban land owners how to curb storm water runoff pollution. Several Ontario Green Communities are participating in this developmental phase project.

WALK TO SCHOOL. Green Communities Canada received a $25,000 two-year grant from Ontario Heart & Stroke Foundation’s SPARK Community Advocacy Fund to assist with the development and implementation of a School Travel Planning (STP) pilot project in the City of Ottawa, utilizing the Canadian model STP framework developed over three years. The project will involve ten elementary schools and four secondary schools.

ECODRIVER WEST. EcoDriver Manitoba program, delivered by Resource Conservation Manitoba and Climate Change Connection, has adopted a slogan: Drive Smart and $ave. EcoDriver Manitoba will offer workshops, anti-idling information and maintenance clinics. Launching in September.

BENEVOLENCE. Clean Calgary’s Bert Ensiedel was named Volunteer Calgary’s Volunteer In Profile (VIP) for the month of June for his composting workshops and presentations. See CTV news item.

AUDIT-FRIENDLY HOUSES. Green Venture hosts a Green Communities ecoENERGY advisors training session 4-14 August, and needs 32 houses to audit in Hamilton area for trainees. Discount available. Prospective clients call 905-540-8787 (toll free 1-866-540-8866), ext. 21.

GREENER THAN THOU. Canadians suffers from Lake Wobegon Effect, says a study measuring the gap between how green Canadians think they are versus what they do. The largest Green Gap (40%) is in transportation due to low adoption of alternatives such as carbon offsets, public transport and hybrid vehicles … Despite the recession, many still spend green to be green, claims Globe and Mail article.

ENERGY CONFERENCE. First Nations and Métis energy efficiency conference, Conserve the Light Gathering, is part of ongoing Energy Efficiency & Conservation Measures for Aboriginal Communities program. Thunder Bay, 3-4 September 2009.

FUNDING AVAILABLE. Earth Day Canada Community Environment Fund provides up to $20,000 in financial support for local environmental initiatives. Deadline 31 August.

CONTEST. Canadian Environmental Network’s Best Practices/Case Studies Contest aims at gathering innovative and effective examples of work by environmental non-governmental organizations related to the conservation, sustainable use, and awareness of biodiversity.

YOUTH. RCEN’s Youth Caucus is seeking nominations for its new Steering Committee. Deadline 7 August.

CLIMATE CHANGE FAQ. Greenpeace answers climate change questions in a video FAQs.

POULTRY UNDERGROUND. Mad City Chickens (documentary) looks at the joys and challenges of keeping urban chickens in Vancouver … The issue of eating local, as seen by a mayonnaise maker.

JOBS. Centre for Social Innovation, Director of Social Enterprise. Toronto, due 29 July … Canopy Planet, Communications Coordinator. Vancouver, due 11 August … RiverSides, Volunteer: Low Impact Design (LID)/Green Infrastructure Researcher. Toronto, due 17 August … Ontario Trillium Foundation, Project Manager (focus in environmental sector). Due 4 August.