REEP House, Dead Wood, All Things Green – GC News #648

648: 14 September 2009 – Published by Green Communities Canada

REEP House. Waterloo Region Green Solutions (REEP) received $264,500 from  Industry Canada  Community Adjustment Fund to assist with the construction of REEP House for Sustainable Living and related program development  …  REEP-Waterloo Energy Saving Renovation Workshops,  September and October.

MYLES STONE.  A veteran of Green Communities Canada Certified Energy Advisors, Myles Donahue,  has reached the 2000-file milestone.

WELL AWARE. New First Nations Well Stewardship Pilot Project coordinator Kate Garvie will take the Well Aware model into two first nations communities and adapt it to the specific needs of each community.

URBAN STANDARDS. Collingwood is developing Urban Design Standards to direct the way new commercial, industrial, and multi-unit development will look and function in town …  Collingwood was a participant in Green Communities’ 2007 Walkability Roadshow and is making progress onimproving active transportation.

ECODRIVER. Durham EcoDriver Tire Pressure Clinic at Pickering Town Centre, 26 September  … EcoSuperior Derek Tessier  tracked his car’s fuel mileage for a year. Graph shows the huge change between summer and winter … Toronto Green Community presented EcoDriver to English as a Second Language students. Instructors were provided with a vocabulary list previous to the presentation.

FAIR FOOD. An Équiterre educational guide targeting daycares and schools promotes healthy, ecological and fair food choices. Available in English … Cool Food Planet offers activities and games for children and youth.

COMMUTING. Resource Conservation Manitoba commuters’ newsletter features Canada’s firstCiclovia event (Winnipeg), and Bike Shorts Film Festival …  EcoDriver Manitoba held its first public event 21-23 August and reached over 500 people.

DEAD WOOD. What can be done about a board member who is Absent Without Official Leave (AWOL)? Blue Avocado suggests short and long term strategies.

SMART GROWTH.  Market surveys indicate a growing consumer preference for smart growth features such as short commutes and convenient walkability to local services, says report. 

OILSANDS. Alberta’s oilsands produce more greenhouse-gas emissions than some European countries right now and will produce more than all of the world’s volcanoes in just 11 years if the pace of development continues, says report Dirty: How the Tar Sands are Fuelling Global Climate Change.

GROWTH AND STUFF. The throwaway economy is on a collision course with the earth’s geological limits, says Earth Policy Institute. Assuming an annual 2% growth in extraction, the world has 17 years of reserves remaining for lead, 19 years for tin, 25 years for copper, 54 years for iron ore, and 68 years for bauxite …  Story of stuff  is a big hit in classrooms around the world.

ALL THINGS GREEN. Faith & the Common Good invites churches to ring their bells 350 times on International Day of Climate Action,  24 October … Newsletter features Greening Sacred Spaces Carbon Calculator, Green Audits,  Hamilton’s Worship Without Your Car Challenge and Blessing of the bikes events.

GREAT OUTDOORS. Tread Lightly brochure makes the connection between ATVs and off-road vehicles and harm to land, water and fish … US No Child Left Inside pushes for environmental education in schools.

JOBS. Clean Calgary has two positions: EcoStore Team. Due 20 September.