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.
Living Wage Fosters Sustainability
August 2010
By L. Sara Bysterveld
Like in any other system, the many aspects of sustainability are dependent on one another. What happens in one area, say local economy, will affect the other areas – ecology, health, standard of living – either directly or indirectly.
The lowest wage within a community is no exception. Normally this means the minimum wage, a provincial figure that applies whether a worker is living in a rural community with low rents or in a large urban centre with higher rents and generally a higher cost of living. For the latter, chances are the minimum doesn’t come close to covering the cost of living, including covering basic needs, maintaining a safe and decent standard of living
and saving for the future.
A Better Way to Ride
July 2010
By Angus Macdonell
There are approximately 1.1 million residents in the City of Calgary. There are also approximately 834,000 registered vehicles in the city. That’s a ratio of almost one car per person. As anyone who travels Calgary by car is well aware, there are days when it seems like every single one of those vehicles are on the road.
A United Nations report released last month ranked Calgary the fifth highest producer of carbon emissions among fifty major cities worldwide, ahead of both New York City and Mexico City. Toronto and Vancouver had carbon outputs less than a third of our beloved Cowtown, a sobering reminder of Calgary’s reliance
on coal-fired electrical generation, but also the preference of most
Calgarians for using their cars virtually every time they need to go
somewhere.
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.
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.
Why Small Business is the Key to a Thriving Economy
April 2010
By Kelly Doody
Smack in the middle of another cold and dreary January in Calgary – a month where finding fresh produce and locally-grown greens takes sharp elbows and deep pockets, and following a year where staying afloat as a privately-owned boutique or independent business proved near impossible, community-conscious locals gathered downtown to hear the wise words of renowned American small business activist Michael Shuman.
It was thanks to a joint effort of REAP and Thrive – Calgary’s Community Economic Development Network that Shuman made the trek north to Cowtown – the city some would argue to
be the northern hemisphere’s hub of big box retail, industrial-sized
grocery stores and globalized business goals.
