Assorted content to start your week. – Sean Illing writes about the utterly misplaced view of the privileged few that they can or should be treated as immune from the environmental realities facing everybody: I see the decadence of the people in Rancho Santa Fe as a microcosm of America
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Things Are Good: Alternatives Journal Spells Out Canada’s Map to Sustainability
Canada has a horrible international reputation when it comes to the environment. The federal government even has climate change deniers and actively supports the shameful tar sands. At Alternatives Journal they have worked with some of the smartest people in Canada to show Canadians there’s no reason to continue down
Continue readingThe Disaffected Lib: Well, That Certainly Fixes Everything
The rightwing state government in Florida knows how to respond to climate change – bar employees of the state environmental protection department from using the words “climate change, global warming” and “sustainability.” There, problem solved. Florida governor Rick “I am not a scientist” Scott is said to be behind the
Continue readingEarthgauge Radio: ‘Climate Change: Which way out?’ with Naomi Klein, Bill McKibben, Chris Hedges, Bernie Sanders, Kshama Sawant
From left: Chris Hedges, Naomi Klein, Brian Lehrer (moderator), Bill McKibben, Kshama Sawant I was fortunate to attend the largest climate change march in history on September 21, 2014 in New York City. It was an incredible experience to see roughly 400,000 in the streets demanding urgent action on
Continue readingCarbon49 - Sustainability for Canadian businesses: The Greenest Companies Consistently Outperform Markets
Apple, BMW, LG, HP, Coca-Cola, and Walmart are among the 187 companies cited by non-profit Carbon Disclosure Project for doing the most to combat climate change. These green warriors also outperform the Bloomberg World Index. Five Canadian companies made this elite group. I find out how their stock prices compare to
Continue readingThe Canadian Progressive: 50 Canadian Climate Experts Support People’s Climate March
In a letter supporting the People’s Climate March, 50 Canadian climate change and sustainability researchers warn that Canada is running a sustainability deficit. The post 50 Canadian Climate Experts Support People’s Climate March appeared first on The Canadian Progressive.
Continue readingScripturient: Blog & Commentary: Green initiatives for next term
Collingwood should be in the forefront for green initiatives in Ontario, not lagging behind. There’s no reason we should not be leaders in exploring new ways to reduce greenhouse gases, reduce our carbon footprint, promote sustainable and environmentally-friendly strategies, and reduce our energy costs. These will be some of my
Continue reading350 or bust: Making The World A Better Place Is Your Joy
Shift happens. A movie made by a movement. * TheShiftMovie.com *
Continue readingThings Are Good: Why Investors Care About Sustainability
For long term investors sustainability is an obvious concern, but for some investors who look only for profits in the next quarter sustainability can be forgotten. The tide is starting to turn as companies that don’t have sustainable practices in place are being beaten by more efficient operations. The Guardian
Continue readingThings Are Good: Watch Sustainability Illustrated
Alex Magnin is an illustrator who likes making the world a better place and over the last six months he’s been illustrating sustainability. The video above is about explaining sustainability with science and is a good example of what the sort of videos he illustrates. The videos are 4-7 minuets
Continue readingThings Are Good: Environmental Sustainability and Good Governance go Hand in Hand
The Worldwatch Institute has just released their 40th anniversary edition of the State of the World, and this time it’s titled Governing for Sustainability. In it, this year the institute looks at how governments are reacting to people demanding environmental action in defiance of powerful and monied corporate interests pushing
Continue readingMelissa Fong: Planning the Metropolitan #Vancouver Region: A Critical Perspective
Here is a review of the Planning the Metropolitan Vancouver Region: A Critical Perspective- Thank you to AY for inviting me- great catching up with SCARP people and making new connections. […]
Continue readingAccidental Deliberations: Monday Morning Links
Miscellaneous material for your Monday reading. – Nafeez Ahmed writes about the dangers of combining growing inequality and increased resource extraction: By investigating the human-nature dynamics of these past cases of collapse, the project identifies the most salient interrelated factors which explain civilisational decline, and which may help determine the
Continue readingEarthgauge Radio: Greenland Inuit Village Fights for Survival
The people of Uummannaq are trying to adapt in order to survive. Photo: Mark Brooks My documentary on the impacts of climate change in the Greenlandic village of Uummannaq aired in December on the Deutsche Welle international radio program Living Planet. I recorded and produced this report while working as the
Continue readingThings Are Good: Focus on Sustainability Film Festival
York University in Toronto will be hosting their third annual film festival all about sustainability. This year they are running films about oil. If you’re in Toronto next weekend or nearby you should check out what’s playing and take the bus to the festival. Planet in Focus with York University
Continue readingWritings of J. Todd Ring: NAFTA, “Free Trade” and the TPP: Fast-Track To Full Corporate Rule
“Twenty years ago, the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was signed into law. At the time, advocates painted a rosy picture of booming U.S. exports creating hundreds of thousands of new jobs, and economic development in Mexico, which would bring the struggling country in line with its wealthier northern
Continue readingCalgary—sprawl or planning?
During the recent Calgary election campaign, two visions of the city’s future development vied for attention. One, presented by Calgary’s mayor, Naheed Nenshi, was about planning growth to ensure a sustainable city. The other, presented by a group of home builders and their hired gun, Preston Manning of the Manning
Continue readingopenalex: ecoHackMTL: Totally Awesome!
Almost 100 participants, 12 projects, 4 specially proposed challenges, 6 newly released data sets and lots of happy faces at the end of the day. A huge thank-you to everyone who came out for the inaugural ecoHack in Montréal last weekend! écoHackMTL set out to bring together programmers, community activists,
Continue readingopenalex: ecoHackMTL: Totally Awesome!
Almost 100 participants, 12 projects, 4 specially proposed challenges, 6 newly released data sets and lots of happy faces at the end of the day.
A huge thank-you to everyone who came out for the inaugural ecoHack in Montréal last weekend!
écoHackMTL set out to bring together programmers, community activists, and urban environmentalists to design digital tools that allow for deeper citizen engagement with urban spaces and urban sustainability.
It grew out of the fact that the amazing energy of the hackathon and opendata scenes had yet to be effectively applied to building greener cities. (Not just in Montreal, but anywhere.)
Last Saturday’s day long hackathon was a first attempt at bringing urban sustainability into the digital age. It was also the culmination of 6 months spent hosting little events around the city to build bridges between developers, environmentalists, planners, and anyone else who was interested in building a greener city.
It was fun, but time consuming work. Developers learned about urban sustainability. Environmental advocates and activists learned about programming and data. And everyone went away with enough of a shared language to collaborate on some amazing projects.
Check out ecohackmtl.sparkboard.com to see the prototypes that came out of the day. While you are there you can also vote for your favourites. If you are in Montreal, stay tuned for the details of our November 14 wrap-party where we will announce the winners of the “Participants Choice” and “Public Choice” awards.
I’d also like to send out a heartfelt thank-you to all to the volunteers and advisory committee members who made the event possible. The City of Montreal was supportive from very early on and released a dozen new datasets for the day of the event. And Siemens Canada our principal sponsor.
Continue readingopenalex: ecoHackMTL: Totally Awesome!
Almost 100 participants, 12 projects, 4 specially proposed challenges, 6 newly released data sets and lots of happy faces at the end of the day. A huge thank-you to everyone who came out for the inaugural ecoHack in Montréal last weekend! écoHackMTL set out to bring together programmers, community activists,
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