GC 2020
178 results found
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Stop the use of toilet paper made from virgin trees.
TP made from post-consumer waste paper is already available, and even the likes of Costco are starting to stock it. Enact a bylaw that ensures all TP sold in Vancouver is at least 30% from recycled paper.
6 votesThe City can look to this in our own operations. Purchasing choices, and their effect on ecological footprint, will form part of the engagement campaign
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Bylaw to ban auto-flush toilets
Aside from being the worst invention of all-time*, auto-flush toilets are also incredibly wasteful.
I estimate that an auto-flush goes off at least twice as often as it needs to. In the offices and malls where these devices are installed, that could mean a vast amount of wasted water.
15 votesAn outright ban on these fixtures is not part of the Draft Greenest City Action Plan, however the efficient fixtures program and water auditing programs are areas in which this issue can be addressed.
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Support Green Art Organizations
Art is used to inspire all matter of people. To shift our thoughts to a greener future, we need to focus on creating in the present.
Organizations such as eatART ( www.eatart.org ) has a mandate of spreading Energy Awareness Through ART, building audacious and improbable large-scale kinetic, robotic, and
mechanized sculptures that investigate our human relationship to energy use.These pieces are taken to local events and educational institutions to provoke conversation on how we use energy.
231 votesThis is a great community led effort.
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nTio2
Replace power washers by employing the green techology of the self cleaning coating "nano Titanium Dioxide (nTiO2).
It's a better way to keep buildings clean while protecting the environment and it's available here in the lower mainland.1 voteWhile we don’t have information about this product, an education program that includes the appropriate use of power washers and alternatives to their use is part of the Draft Greenest City Action Plan.
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City-sponsored "Sustainable Living" marketing campaign
Make it catchy, relevant, interactive, funny and shocking. Think of the new "Old Spice" marketing campaign impact. AWARENESS is key - people don't know unless you tell them. Focus on things like:
- civic engagement and participation
- community pride and unity
- alternative transportation
- connect our consumption habits to waste and wastewater output
- showcase local success stories
- encourage everyone to do their part
There's tons more we could cover, if you have ideas, share them in the comments!
5 votesThis idea is included in the Draft Greenest City Action Plan.
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meatless mondays
Like the title say, reduce meat consumption on Mondays. This would help reduce out footprint enormously. Furthermore, we would be the first city in Canada to adopt such a policy, the second in North America (after San Fran.) and the third in the world. It would be non-binding, that is great if you do it, OK if you don't. Read more here: http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating-recipes/blogs/san-francisco-joins-meatless-monday-bandwagon
Thanks!!!42 votesLow footprint food choices are not the same as vegan food choices in all cases, the analysis is more complex than this. Generally a low footprint diet is local, seasonal food, and limits consumption of red meat, dairy, and some grains. Low footprint food choices is included in the draft Greenest City Action Plan and will be discussed in ongoing community engagement work.
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Create local food distribution system
We have a back/front yard garden that grows primarily produce. Some years, like this one, the yield is pretty meager. But other years, like last summer, we have WAY more produce than we can possibly use, even with constant canning.
I typically start giving away the extra to unsuspecting friends and neighbours, but I would love to have a way to sell it.
Most back-yard gardeners don't produce enough produce to go to the trouble of selling it, but if there was an easy way to sell the excess into a system that could then combine it with the produce…
24 votesSome elements of a local distribution network are in place with the Farmer’s Markets. The New City Market will increase the scale of this. This idea is included in the draft Greenest City Action Plan.
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Ban power washers for residential use
[Submitted via email by Patrice Allen]
"Ban power washers for residential use, and monitor their use or find alternatives for commercial use. At present they are noisy, gas-sucking or power sucking annoyances that waste tons of water while owners wash their trucks, their driveways and their dogs. It stuns me. I have sat outside of a Safeway store at the tables provided and watched while two men have power washed a concrete planter and a small portion of sidewalk, for HOURS, using TONS of water and power. Why, in Rain City, do we have to powerwash everything that is exposed…
0 votesAn outright ban on power/pressure washers is not part of the Draft Greenest City Action Plan, but education about appropriate uses and alternatives to their use is part fo the plan.
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'Pedestrianize' Robson St. permanently (no cars) - or at least do a 6 month trial
Studies show that commercial streets (full of shops, cafes and restaurants) that have been converted into foot or bicycle traffic only, have dramatic increases in public activity and economic growth.
Do you know any other streets that would benefit from this? Leave your comment below!
52 votesThe draft Greenest City plan will include directions to explore pedestrian-only and pedestrian-priority streets in the downtown core. Potential locations will be identified at a later date (e.g. as part of the transportation plan update).
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Tie air pollution permits to targeted pollution reduction plans
For those industries permitted to pollute (chicken and fish reduction plants, diesel exhaust from the port) tie specific targeted reductions as a condition of permit and monitor to assure results.
5 votesPollution permits are granted by Metro Vancouver, and the standards which must be adhered to have become more stringent and will continue to be reassessed.
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11 votes
The draft Greenest City Action Plan will include directions to advance parking policies that encourage a reduction in vehicle ownership and driving, support sustainable transportation choices, and increase housing affordability near transit. Better management of curbside parking will help to reduce cruising and congestion caused by drivers searching for an available space. Redesigning the residential parking permit program will address parking spillover concerns associated with off-street reductions and better reflect actual street space value.
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Provide financial advantages to small businesses to become more sustainable
I've had the opportunity this week to interview several businesses in the Strathcona area who are already taking moderate to extreme action toward decreasing their own footprints. They buy and manufacture their products locally, they build green roofs, they go to Climate Smart to learn how to track and reduce their footprint, they participate in by-product synergy exchanges, they provide incentives to their employees to ride bikes to work, etc. These businesses are making these changes because it is the "right thing to do", and because they are preparing for what they anticipate the realities of business to be in…
8 votesThe draft Greenest City Action Plan includes recommendations for greening existing businesses include recommendations to support work of organizations currently working in this area (e.g. Climate Smart)
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Encourage the use of existing greenways by discouraging commuter cars using them
Simple changes to targetted parts of the greenways could reduce car traffic and therefore encourage more cycling. The existing greenway I use (midway bikeway, along 37th from Balaclava to West Boulevard) is also used quite heavily by cars as a way of avoiding 41st. The road is narrow especially towards W.Blvd and despite having speed bumps and mini roundabouts it has not deterred cars from using this route. I would like to see the use of diverters and one way access (like the do in the west end) so that only cyclists and local residents end up using this.
26 votesTraffic calming is an integral part of bikeway and greenway design, but there is room for improvement. The draft Greenest City Action Plan will include directions to go further with traffic calming and through-traffic restrictions on neighbourhood bikeways and greenways. This will be elaborated upon further in future detailed planning efforts (e.g. forthcoming transportation plan update, cycling master plan, specific greenway designs).
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label local food
Encourage food retailers to label local food. This would make it easier for people to choose local and support a sustainable, secure food system in the Lower Mainland.
14 votesThis idea is in the draft Greenest City Action Plan
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convert heat to FREE hot water
Encourage all those stores that vent their unwanted heat from A/C units as well as from coolers/fridges and freezers grocer types and pump that heat into hot water tanks! The technology is available "off the rack". Known as Fre-Heaters..we should be capturing all that vented heat and convert it into hot water. NEW stores should not have such old equipment and instead be encourage to convert at the time of building!
5 votesGreat idea. We’re looking for all kinds of ideas to encourage the reuse of waste heat. We will to understand opportunities to include these ideas in amendments to the building code.
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Protect Urban Farming by changing the laws that get used to shut it down
Five years ago I moved to Vancouver and started turning the house I rented with friends into an urban farm. But a neighbour (one, out of dozens) thinks food gardens belong in the back yard and used the city's vague and undemocratic "Untidy Premises Bylaw" to have us ordered to remove it.
If Vancouver really wants to be green, it should start by looking around at the amazing things that ordinary people are already doing to make it that way and stop putting up barriers to their work. This bylaw needs a specific exemption for food gardens, or it needs…
56 votesThe draft Greenest City Action Plan includes a review of relevant bylaws that enable or inhibit urban agriculture.
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Cash and tax incentives for the sale of excess power generated from the installation of solar power.
If you want people to follow more than dancing with the stars....wave the green in their face and the city will change. Tie into the grid and allow people the choice of where their excess power goes. If you are paid for the power but it's capped at a monthly amount the rest can be credited to shelters for the homeless and lower income housing. All as a taxable write off of course. The ideas are endless and so is the power!
15 votesPlan addresses incentives to increase accessibility and affordability of renewable energy
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Home Energy Labeling in BC
Home Energy Labelling at the Time of Sale can have significant economic, social and environmental benefits for the Province of BC.
To date:
The Climate Action Team recommended that BC implement mandatory labelling at time of sale by 2012.
Utilities and the BC government are supporting labelling pilots in several BC communities.When the homeowner decides to sell their home, they request a home energy assessment to be conducted by a Natural Resources Canada Certified Energy Advisor. The energy assessment takes into account the heating and hot-water systems, insulation levels, windows, doors and includes a test to determine overall air…
3 votesBuilding labeling is one of the actions that is listed in the draft Greenest City Action Plan as a means of achieving our 2020 targets.
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Support collective housing
Support the development of collective housing- support landlords that rent to collective houses and create supports to allow collective houses to own their buildings.
Adult, children and pets living collectively pool their time and resources to implement practices that reduce their environmental footprint and support everyone's quality of life.2 votesThe City can influence land use and zoning policy, however collective housing really requires people to come together with this objective and commitment.
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Incubator kitchens
Have certified kitchens available for rent for individuals that would like to create a food business- provide business and marketing support.
13 votesThis idea is in the draft Greenest City Action Plan
