LEADERS. City Green Solutions,
Victoria, was recently awarded the 2007 EcoStar Award for Leadership on Climate
Change Issues. The Capital Regional District’s EcoStar Community
Environmental Awards recognize outstanding achievements and
contributions by local businesses, groups and individuals to
enhancing the environment.

SANTA PRAISED. Resource
Conservation Manitoba commends Santa for selecting climate
friendly travel in performance of his duties.

OUT POURING. EcoSource and other
groups in Peel Region host a discussion on the environmental
and health effects of bottled water, 19 January. The outcome of
this forum will be the establishment of a community-based committee
to advance strategies that emerge from the forum. n gains momentum elsewhere. u003c/p>n u003cp>u003cspan>THUMBS UP.u003c/span> DurhamSustainAbility n hosts a screening of u003ca hrefu003d”http://www.garbagerevolution.com/” targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>Garbage The Revolution n Starts at Homeu003c/a>, 15 January in Pickering.u003c/p>n u003cp>u003cspan>A STEP BACK.u003c/span> The municipality of n u003ca hrefu003d”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greenstone%2C_Ontario” targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>Greenstoneu003c/a>, n Ontario has u003ca hrefu003d”http://www.tbtv.com/News-Story.aspx?cidu003d103057″ targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>repealed a n by-lawu003c/a> to ban the use of plastic bags.u003c/p>n u003cp>u003cspan>SUSTAINABLE HAPPINESS.u003c/span> At the n Walk21 conference, Dr. Catherine O'Brien shared her insights about n merging sustainability and personal well-being from the study of n positive psychology. For example, walking – especially in a n community featuring "delightful places" – makes us happier than n commuting by car. Catherine suggests the term "positive n transportation" to describe what we are trying to achieve. See: u003ca hrefu003d”http://www.bikewalk.org/pdfs/forumarch1006footprint.pdf” targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>Footprint n of Delight: Exploring Sustainable Happinessu003c/a> … See also Enrique n Peñalosa’s call to create u003ca hrefu003d”http://www.pps.org/info/newsletter/november2004/november2004_joy” targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>Cities n of Joyu003c/a>. u003c/p>n u003cp>u003cspan>RETURNING LIGHT.u003c/span> The Day Lighting n Collaborative urges us to “u003ca hrefu003d”http://www.daylighting.org” targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>light every building using the n sky”,1]
);
//–>Back-to-the-tap
gains momentum elsewhere.

THUMBS UP. DurhamSustainAbility
hosts a screening of Garbage The Revolution
Starts at Home, 15 January in Pickering.

A STEP BACK. The municipality of
Greenstone,
Ontario has repealed a
by-law to ban the use of plastic bags.

SUSTAINABLE HAPPINESS. At the
Walk21 conference, Dr. Catherine O’Brien shared her insights about
merging sustainability and personal well-being from the study of
positive psychology. For example, walking – especially in a
community featuring “delightful places” – makes us happier than
commuting by car. Catherine suggests the term “positive
transportation” to describe what we are trying to achieve. See: Footprint
of Delight: Exploring Sustainable Happiness … See also Enrique
Peñalosa’s call to create Cities
of Joy.

RETURNING LIGHT. The Day Lighting
Collaborative urges us to “light every building using the
sky”. The website is a source of why-do and how-to information n for making the most of natural light using windows, doors, skylights n and more.u003c/p>n u003cp>u003cspan>CLIMATE CALENDAR. u003c/span>“By 9 February, n the average UK citizen will have already emitted as much CO2 as the n average person in India will in the whole year. India, along with n China, is regularly labelled in the UK as one of the main culprits n causing climate change. This is not true. Whilst holding 16.8 per n cent of the world’s population, India emits just 4.1 per cent of the n world’s CO2.” This from the u003ca hrefu003d”http://www.wdm.org.uk/resources/reports/climate/climatecalandarreport08012007.pdf” targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>World n Development Movementu003c/a>’s 2007 calendar.u003c/p>n u003cp>u003cspan>SNOW FORECAST. u003c/span>Stats Canada has n examined which cities have the u003ca hrefu003d”http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/16-002-XIE/2007003/10456-en.htm” targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>most n snow blowersu003c/a> against the level of snowfall. See where these n gas-powered tools are put to most use. u003c/p>n u003cp>u003cspan>RENEWABLE LAW.u003c/span> Germany steps up n the country’s greening efforts with a law requiring that in all new n houses u003ca hrefu003d”http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?idu003d50746″ targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>14 n percentu003c/a> of total energy consumption for heating and domestic hot n water come from renewable energy sources.u003c/p>n u003cp>u003cspan>FUNDING PRIORITIES.u003c/span> Social n marketer Mark Sarner has some u003ca hrefu003d”http://www.cegn.org/thought_main.html” targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>advice for Canada's n environmental grantmakersu003c/a>: become more effective agents of n social change. Fund fewer, bigger projects to make a real n difference. Shift grantmaking focus to policy change and action by n "big government and big business." Incent collaboration by n environmental organizations. Base grantmaking on "a better n understanding of the nature of social change of the how to impact n public and corporate strategy." (Thanks to the Sustainability n Network.) “,1]
);
//–>”. The website is a source of why-do and how-to information
for making the most of natural light using windows, doors, skylights
and more.

CLIMATE CALENDAR. “By 9 February,
the average UK citizen will have already emitted as much CO2 as the
average person in India will in the whole year. India, along with
China, is regularly labelled in the UK as one of the main culprits
causing climate change. This is not true. Whilst holding 16.8 per
cent of the world’s population, India emits just 4.1 per cent of the
world’s CO2.” This from the World
Development Movement’s 2007 calendar.

SNOW FORECAST. Stats Canada has
examined which cities have the most
snow blowers against the level of snowfall. See where these
gas-powered tools are put to most use.

RENEWABLE LAW. Germany steps up
the country’s greening efforts with a law requiring that in all new
houses 14
percent of total energy consumption for heating and domestic hot
water come from renewable energy sources.

FUNDING PRIORITIES. Social
marketer Mark Sarner has some advice for Canada’s
environmental grantmakers: become more effective agents of
social change. Fund fewer, bigger projects to make a real
difference. Shift grantmaking focus to policy change and action by
“big government and big business.” Incent collaboration by
environmental organizations. Base grantmaking on “a better
understanding of the nature of social change of the how to impact
public and corporate strategy.” (Thanks to the Sustainability
Network.) n u003cp>u003cspan>JOBS. u003c/span>GreenVenture, Hamilton n seeks u003ca hrefu003d”http://www.greenventure.ca/gv.asp?IDu003d135″ targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>Certified n Energy Advisorsu003c/a> (2), due 31 December … Environmental Defense n seeks u003ca hrefu003d”http://www.environmentaldefence.ca/campaigns/youngreporters.htm” targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>Young n Reporters for the Environmentu003c/a>, open to students grade five and n six to end high school, across Canada.u003c/p>n u003cp>u003cspan>OUR WISHES. u003c/span>From all of us here n at Green Communities Canada; we wish you a peace filled, "green" n Christmas and a new year filled with the joy of sustaining a healthy n planet. GCNews returns on 7 January. u003cbr>u003c/p>u003c/td>u003c/tr>n u003ctr>n u003ctd> u003c/td>u003c/tr>u003c/tbody>u003c/table>u003c/td>n u003ctd widthu003d”9″ bgcoloru003d”#316c2a”> u003c/td>u003c/tr>u003c/tbody>u003c/table>nu003ctable cellspacingu003d”0″ cellpaddingu003d”0″ widthu003d”640″ alignu003d”center” bgcoloru003d”#ffffff” borderu003d”0″>n u003ctbody>n u003ctr>n u003ctd rowspanu003d”2″>u003cimg heightu003d”100″ altu003d”” srcu003d”?uiu003d1&attidu003d0.9&dispu003demb&viewu003datt&thu003d1170cdaaf4850007″ widthu003d”60″ borderu003d”0″ nameu003d”base_r1_c1″>u003c/td>n u003ctd valignu003d”top” alignu003d”middle” widthu003d”520″>n u003chr sizeu003d”1″>n u003csmall>News from Green Communities is published weekly by Green n Communities Canada, founded 1995. u003cbr>Contact: u003ca hrefu003d”mailto:news@greencommunitiescanada.org” targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>Newsu003c/a>, Member Services, n (705) 745-7479. u003ca hrefu003d”http://www.greencommunitiescanada.org” targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>www.greencommunitiescanada.orgu003c/a>u003cbr>u003ca hrefu003d”http://www.gca.ca/indexcms/index.php?archive” targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>past issuesu003c/a> n  |  u003ca hrefu003d”http://www.gca.ca/indexcms/index.php?subscribe” targetu003d”_blank” onclicku003d”return top.js.OpenExtLink(window,event,this)”>”,1]
);
//–>

JOBS. GreenVenture, Hamilton
seeks Certified
Energy Advisors (2), due 31 December … Environmental Defense
seeks Young
Reporters for the Environment, open to students grade five and
six to end high school, across Canada.

Continue reading “Green Communities – 563: 24 December 2007”