Taming the Wild West of urban sprawl
August 2010
By Emma Gilchrist
Calgary has earned a dubious reputation for decades of unrestricted growth, but there’s reason to hope that’s all about to change.
Two recently released studies confirm what any driver who has ever been trapped on Deerfoot Trail during rush hour already knows: Calgary is the Wild West of urban sprawl.
A report released by the Neptis Foundation compared urban design in Vancouver, Toronto and Calgary and, not surprisingly, found Calgary ranked at the bottom of the pack in terms of density. Throughout the 1990s, nearly 80 per cent of Calgary’s
growth happened on new land.
Stepping up toward sustainability
July 2010
By Jennifer Allford
One of the most iconic buildings in the world is going green: the 102-story Empire State Building in New York City is having an extensive retrofit in order to be one of the top 10 per cent of energy efficient buildings in the U.S.
When the $13.2 million dollar project is complete in 2013, the building will use 38 per cent less energy and save about $4.4 million a year. The world famous attraction, built in 1930, will be a new model of sustainability.
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.
Waste Not Want Not
February 2009
Film Review: Garbage Warrior
By Stephanie Jackman
I first heard about Michael Reynolds and his Earthships in Chris Turner’s book The Geography of Hope. I was fascinated by the concept of houses made from garbage and curious to see what they looked like. Now I know. They’re beautiful.
Garbage Warrior is a documentary about these unusual houses and the man who designs and builds them. Thermal mass holds temperature, so Reynolds constructs dwellings out of dirt filled tires, used beer cans and empty water bottles. The results are astonishing.
Calgary’s Guide to Greener Living
October 2008
By Stephanie Jackman
As the publisher of REAP eMagazine I’m always on the lookout for interesting stories that relate to sustainability. Interesting stories, more often than not, involve inspiring people who have chosen their path as a result of surprising and sometimes heartbreaking circumstances.
After listening to many different stories over the past two years I have decided to start sharing some of these conversations with you. Like the article Greetings From Planet Vega, these articles will provide the transcript of my conversations with local sustainability activists or industry experts.
Urban Home of the Future
January 2008
By Stephanie Jackman
Drop the term netzero energy home into a conversation and you might get a quizzical look in response. It’s not widely understood. But Gordon Howell believes it will be. And after talking with him, I think he’s right.
Howell’s company, Howell-Mayhew Engineering, is helping build the Riverdale NetZero Energy (NZE) House in Edmonton. It’s part of the CMHC EQuilibrium Housing Initiative. When completed in February, it will be one of 12 such homes across Canada, four of which are in Alberta.
NZE homes generate all their own heat and electricity. They still use energy, but they get it from renewable sources. The goal is to balance the electricity imported from the grid with the electricity exported to the grid, so the net impact is zero.
Bigfoot
January 2008
By Lauren Mangion
Tomorrow my daughter is going to a birthday party hosted by Petland. I wish it were as innocent as it might seem.
In their obvious attempt to exploit the under-ten market, Petland is one of many big-box stores promoting unlimited consumption and, in the process, jeopardizing the future of our planet.
Events like this birthday party have the same intent as the commercial messages streaming into our lives from every direction: TV, radio, magazines, newspapers, the web, billboards, toilet stalls, buses, trains, taxicabs, elevators, even floor tiles. It’s an endless avalanche of advertising that celebrates and encourages consumption.
