Greening our cities, one roof at a time
June 2010
By Jennifer Allford
The man who brought a green roof to the top of Barclays Bank in London’s Canary Wharf is bringing his passion and knowledge about green roofs to Alberta for a series of presentations later this month.
Dusty Gedge, the head of the European Federation of Green Roof Associations and founder of livingroofs.org will speak in Calgary on June 21st before traveling to Edmonton and Banff for speaking engagements on June 24th and 28th respectively.
Gedge has been championing green roofs for more than a decade and is pleased to report he is seeing more and more of
them sprout up.
The newest movement in sustainable living
June 2010
Film Review: In Transition 1.0
By Jennifer Dooley
In Transition 1.0 – From Oil Dependence to Local Resilience, is the first film ever released about the newest movement in sustainable living: the Transition movement. It’s a film worth watching – it’s hopeful and powerful, showing us a practical vision for creating a post-consumer society where ordinary people make a difference.
The Transition movement, inherently powerful by its very own name, is about transitioning into a more sustainable way of life. It’s about taking small steps towards environmentally friendly choices: switching to energy efficient light bulbs, recycling, turning down the thermostat, composting, using re-usable grocery
bags, or taking the bus more often. The movement has a place for
everyone and now entire communities are joining the effort.
What the heck is permaculture?
May 2010
By L. Sara Bysterveld
Permaculture – it’s a big, clunky sounding word that leaves one wondering what sort of permanent culture it’s referring to. According to Barb Hazenveld, permaculture instructor and owner of Gorgeous & Edible Landscaping Services, permaculture is a system of design which enables us to grow the maximum amount of food in a given area, employing techniques that promote efficiency and interconnectedness between humans and nature.
Developed by David Holmgren and Bill Mollison in the 1970s in Australia, permaculture design follows a number of basic principles to maximize energy efficiency and work with, rather
than against, nature. These principles include the following:
The new trend in Eco Art
April 2010
By Jennifer Dooley
Eco Art or Econological Art: It’s an up and coming trend around the world involving artists who use their talents for environmental sustainability. These artists have been called hippies, environmentalists, tree-huggers… you name it. Whether they are concerned with local and global environmental situations, bridging art with our natural resources, or connecting creativity with every-day-objects, one thing is for sure: Calgary is a place with some awe-inspiring talent in this field.
Sowing the Seeds of Community
March 2010
By Angus Macdonell
Last year, the Mid-Sun Community Association joined the
‘growing’ trend in Calgary to turn empty green spaces into gardens, attracting people wanting to plant and harvest their own food as well as fostering community spirit by mingling with like-minded neighbours.
The idea was conceived in June of 2008 and by the fall of that year, we’d assembled a team of volunteers to organize and implement the project. The Mid-Sun CA community centre had lots of green space on its north side that wasn’t being utilized so we applied to the City for a change of land usage. Our Community Recreation Coordinator was an invaluable liaison for the endeavour. One benefit of using the CA land is that the hall
draws lots of residential traffic thanks to the programming and
events it offers. A popular location like that is a great way to promote
a garden project to the CA board, find volunteers and have access to
necessities like water or tool storage.
Putting a Price on Alberta’s Water
March 2010
By Emma Gilchrist
Okotoks is a town shaped by one thing more than any other:
water – a lack of water, to be precise.
Spurred on by its limited water supply, in 1998 the town became one of the first municipalities in the world to establish growth targets linked to environmental carrying capacity. With a population cap of 30,000, Okotoks would be able to stay just inside of the licenced limits of the Sheep River aquifer – or so it was thought. There’s just one hitch: two decades before the community’s build-out date of 2030, the town has run dry.
“We’ll hit our water allocation license this year,” says Dawn Heffernan, environment and sustainability coordinator for the Town of Okotoks.
The Business of Food
January 2010
Film Review: Food, Inc.
By Chandra McDonald
Food, Inc., by filmmaker Robert Kenner, is a film that should be on every conscious consumer’s must-watch list. In a society where many people think that milk originates in the grocery store, Kenner reveals what’s behind the curtain between the consumer and the producer, showing us the truth about where our food comes from.
With the possible exception of water, nothing is more basic or more universal than the need for food. So, have you ever wondered why it’s cheaper to buy junk food – which is processed and packaged and shipped thousands of miles – than it is to buy fresh vegetables and fruit that are wholesome
and natural? Kenner provides a detailed answer.
Small Steps Can Make a Difference
November 2009
Web Review: www.ecôllo.com
By Chandra McDonald
One small step for man (or woman) kind – and we’re not talking about walking on the moon! Rather visit www.ecôllo.com – a website dedicated to reaching out to everyday eco-conscious people who just want to do a little something, each and every day to make a difference.
The site was launched in the Fall of 2007 and is maintained by three online personalities: Pinky Bean (the writer), Leafy Green (the eco-explorer), and CeeBee (the outdoors adventurist). The goal of Ecôllo is to be equal parts informative, entertaining, interesting, and funny all while helping the average, every-day consumer live their lives a little more eco-consciously.
