Planning and Environmental Management

Ontario Smart Growth Network

The Ontario Smart Growth Network brings together
organizations that are working to stop urban sprawl and promote
sustainable, compact and healthy communities across Ontario. 

Smart growth
is nothing less than a radical shift in how we approach urban
development.


It is only
radical because much of the status quo is so abysmally poor. 
For much of the past half century we have been creating
car-dependent sprawl environments and sacrificing community values for large homes and
backyards.

Times are
changing.  Rising oil costs alone will necessitate a
completely different style of urban form.  But the change
is also being driven by public desire to live in accessible and
walkable communities.

Smart growth
is a return to urban villages. 
We define an urban village as “a place that has
almost everything you need on a daily basis and you can walk to
get there”.  A village includes a
centre for local stores, services and restaurants; schools, daycare and
healthcare; and formal and informal recreation areas. It
has the density to support all these services within a walkable
community.

Visit their web site: http://www.smartgrowth.on.ca

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Nature and Wildlife Conservation, Saskatchewan

Nature Saskatchewan

Canada - Buffalo Pound Provincial Park (Saskat...
Image by vtveen via Flickr

Nature Saskatchewan has been dedicated to the conservation of Saskatchewan’s natural environment since 1949. It promotes appreciation and understanding of our natural world through conservation, education and research.

Nature Saskatchewan speaks for the protection and preservation of natural eco-systems and their biodiversity through research and viable conservation practices and connects nature and culture through outreach programs and services. The organization believes that nature is not a place to visit, but home, and strives to leave a legacy of our natural heritage for future generations. With over 1300 members Nature Saskatchewan provides programs and services that provide knowledge an experiences for those who have a love for nature.

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Uncategorized

Turbines Impress Officials?

Taken by Neutronic
Image via Wikipedia

A story posted on behalf of Gregory Scratch, from
Blenheim, ON. in response to “Turbines impress officials; C-K councilors visit Port Burwell facility.

Hello.  I live in Chatham-Kent, in the southwestern part of Ontario, near Point Pelee National park anf Rondeau Provincial Park, major centres for bird watching. There is a rush on here to pass zoning changes allowing over 40% of our area to be covered by 600-1000 industrial wind turbines.  This cannot be good for migratory birds, to say the least.

I am part of a group here fighting the re-zoning, but would request your advice or help as we are hitting deaf ears.  The local council is poised to pass the changes on March 25th, 2008!! I can send copies of what i have written and research done from the internet.  Is there anything you can do to help avert this dilemma?

Thank you so much,

Gregory Scratch

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Around the Web

Protecting Caribou and You

Across the country, CPAWS’ chapters are working in their provinces
and territories to protect Boreal Woodland caribou. Together, we’re
asking the federal government to meet its obligation to protect
Woodland caribou habitat under the Species at Risk Act.  Here’s what’s
happening:

Nationwide

The goals

  1. April 2008 (expected): To
    meet its obligation under the Species at Risk Act,  the federal
    government issues a map of critical Boreal woodland caribou habitat —
    let’s make sure they finally do it.
  2. by Fall 2009:
    Following a public consultation, the government releases a Woodland
    caribou recovery plan to protect their remaining Boreal habitat.

You can help — sign our petition!

Watch the video

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Around the Web, Career Opportunities

ECO Canada announces winners of the 2008 Environmental Employer of the Year Awards

Vancouver, March 14, 2008 – ECO Canada announced the winners of the 2008
Environmental Employer of the Year Awards last night at the GLOBE 2008
Conference in Vancouver, British Columbia. The awards were presented to two
outstanding Canadian environmental companies in two categories–SLR
Consulting (Canada) Ltd. (formerly SEACOR Environmental Inc.) won in the large
company category, while the Delphi Group took home the big prize in the
small-to-medium sized company category. This is the second win for Delphi and
the first win for SLR Consulting.

“The Delphi Group and SLR Consulting Ltd. were chosen as the winners of this
year’s awards primarily because of exceptional HR practices that have led to a
very high level of employee satisfaction,” said Grant Trump, President and CEO
of ECO Canada. “Well-developed HR practices are the basis for any company’s
success, but particularly when you consider the recruitment and retention
demands of our industry today,” said Trump.

Companies are required to complete three requirements to be considered for the
award–an employer essay that describes specific policies that contribute
to a positive working environment, an employer survey that asks employers to
outline things such as employee turnover and length of tenure, and an employee
survey, which asks for written feedback from employees on the working
environment in the company and needs to be filled out by 25% of total staff.

“Employers and employees are both surveyed, but the award application process
itself is focused heavily on employee feedback,” said Joel Pagnucco, Manager of
Employer Services at ECO Canada. “Essentially, it’s the staff members
themselves who choose the winners.”

ECO Canada administers the annual Environmental Employer of the Year award, but
applications are reviewed externally and winners are chosen by an external
selection committee made up of HR professionals from across the country.

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Waste and Pollution Management

Canadian Volunteers Commit to Keeping Canada Clean, Green and Litter-Free during PITCH-IN CANADA’s 2008 Operation: Clean Sweep

Hundreds of thousands of Canadian volunteers will sweep through their local
communities during PITCH-IN Week’s Operation: Clean Sweep April 21-27, 2008, armed with free large yellow PITCH-IN Week garbage/recycling bags. They will clean up unsightly litter and illegal dumping sites that plague our communities, and undertake over 12,000 other educational and action based eco-projects during the annual campaign organized by PITCH-IN CANADA.
The 42nd annual PITCH-IN Week campaign involves volunteers from schools, community groups, youth groups, business improvement associations and many more community based organizations who will participate in projects ranging from cleanups and fix ups in their communities, composting and recycling programs, tree planting, eco-fairs, energy conservation, and restoration of the natural environment.

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Around the Web

Quirks & Quarks, 1975

Hear the first four episodes ever broadcast, hosted by David Suzuki from the CBC Digital Archives….

Is science just a subject for academics and geeks? Not according to the CBC Radio program Quirks & Quarks. When it debuted in 1975, Quirks
set out to show Canadians that science is exciting, interesting and
relevant to our daily lives — and the program has pursued that same
goal ever since. The first host of the show was outspoken geneticist
David Suzuki, at the helm from 1975 to 1979. Jay Ingram hosted from
1979 to 1991, and Bob McDonald has been host since 1992. The CBC
Digital Archives features the first four entire episodes from the
program’s inaugural year of 1975, plus a broad selection of shorter
clips from throughout the show’s history.

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