GC 2020
657 results found
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Build complete, walkable neighbourhoods interconnected by great transit and cycling routes.
Transportation and land use go hand in hand. Good land use can reduce the distance people travel and support more sustainable choices like walking and cycling by bringing people closer to their daily destinations.
The city should provide an appropriate mix of land uses and a high quality pedestrian-oriented public realm. Most services and amenities--such as grocery stores, schools, daycare, parks, community centres, and transit--should be within a safe, enjoyable 5 or 10 minute walk from where people live. Longer trips should be easily served by high quality transit and cycling options.
Links: http://www.vtpi.org/landtravel.pdf, http://vancouver.ca/planning/
599 votesThis is an evolutionary process. The City of Vancouver is already considered a North American leader in this regard. Current and future plans and projects (e.g. Cambie Corridor Planning Program) will continue to embrace this ideal.
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Change the Building Code to require rainwater collection & water efficient irrigation systems
Outdoor water consumption represents a significant portion of residential water use. In particular, the watering of lawns and gardens is one of the more water intensive of outdoor water activities. Requiring installation of rainwater harvesting devices for irrigation purposes would decrease the dependence on treated water for irrigation purposes. In addition, specifying the installation of water efficient irrigation systems would further reduce water demand.
314 votesIncluded in the Draft Greenest City Action Plan.
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Encourage geo-thermal power and heating technology for new and existing neighbourhoods
Geo-thermal technology could heat a large number of Vancouver homes and reduce the amount of natural gas and electricity being consumed.
28 votes -
City university
Degree granting inter-institutional relationship between the regions post secondary education institutions and municipal governments to study, research and solve our pressing city and regional challenges.
732 votesThere is a Campus City Collaborative project in the early stages of planning, where all of the post-secondary institutions are working with the City and the VEDC to talk about movement toward the greenest city, with a focus on creation of green jobs.
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a street car named DESire (DES = District Energy System)
What if the transit line you road on also carried the energy used to heat your home?
Just as density begets transit, density begets District Energy Systems (DES).
A DES is a utility like BC Hydro’s electricity grid, or Terasen’s Natural Gas network - only it uses hot water to carry energy. The hot water can be used to heat your home, office or favorite karaoke bar. The heat can be generated from clean energy sources like solar thermal panels, ground source heat pumps, or sewage waste heat recovery - like at the Olympic village. These clean energy technologies are…
171 votes -
Make composting, proper recycling and waste disposal procedures in restaurants/hotels mandatory.
I work in one of the busiest restaurants in downtown Vancouver, and the amount of food alone we throw away daily makes sick.
I think that there are enough chain restaurants in the city that if even one caught on, it would create a demand for composting as a service and potentially lead others to do the same.
Hotels and grocery stores are other ways the idea could expand.
And the new fertilizer could be given to farmers for use in the area.
180 votes -
178 votes
City of Vancouver is considering the possibility of a ban for all new residential construction. This idea is considered in the draft Greenest City Action Plan.
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Require all fast food take-out containers to be reusable, compostable, or recyclable
There are plenty of reusable, compostable and recyclable food take-out container options these days (see UBC's compostable take-out containers for an example).
All facilities should also have compost and recycling collection for these containers, with clever designs that prevent cross-contamination.
Thought should be given to whether used food containers need to be washed before being deposited into the store's compost collection bin, or whether a process can be implemented that would take care of this after collection.
272 votes -
Better Designed Street Lighting
NOTE: This idea merges several ideas submitted calling for energy efficient street light design.
0 votes -
University of Vancouver
One thing Vancouver needs is a University downtown. This would keep the student population downtown, which could create a younger and more vibrant downtown. The University should be located just south of the olympic village. Its north border being 2nd Ave, east border Main st, south border Broadway, and west border Cambie. This University would be known as the greenest university in the world. It could be completely pedestrian/bike only. With the future broadway extension in the south, Canada Line on the west, and future streetcar to the north the students would have no problem getting around. Of course there…
302 votes -
Expand recycling program to include all Recyclable Materials
Pacific Mobile Depots operates an number of regular depots around the Lower Mainland to collect recyclable materials that are not collecting in the current municipal programs. Residents PAY to properly dispose of material that can be recycled. The City should partner with a private operator to expand the current program if the existing programs cannot be quickly expanded. http://www.pacificmobiledepots.com/services.php
118 votes -
Municipal tax break for property owners that allow urban farmers to farm their yards
There already exist entrepreneurs producing significant amounts of food in yards in Vancouver, often through a CSA distribution model (Inner City Farms, Fresh Roots, City Farm Boy, My Urban Farm, and others). The landowners that partner with these farmers should receive tax breaks based on the amount of food being produced on their property. With such inflated property taxes in Vancouver, this would provide a delicious incentive for landowners to allow urban farmers to access their land.
256 votes -
Support Urban Farming Entrepeneurship
Urban farming from an entrepreneurial approach holds one of the most exciting possibilities for urban food production. Urban farming is a great way for Vancouver to achieve “worldwide entrepreneurial recognition” and create sustainable urban jobs.
Other successful urban farming systems (i.e., Havana, Cuba; Detroit, Michigan) have developed out of necessity and urgency. Such conditions do not yet exist in Vancouver. Yet urban farming, which is now a multi-million dollar “industry” in North America, holds the potential to create economic opportunities for those wanting to engage in urban food production; provide the most local food possible to Vancouver residents (and visitors);…
215 votesSupport for this via the creation of urban farming opportunities (e.g. SOLE food). Also July 2010 Council approved expanding farmers markets.
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All single-use disposal items in Vancouver must be made of compostable bio-plastic or paper.
It’s ironic, and unacceptable, that most items designed to be disposed after a single use, are made of plastic which takes thousands of years to decay (if at all). Many items made of plastic today could be produced using the new compostable bioplastics. This would include: packaging (produce bags, Styrofoam, etc), food containers (coffee/drink cups, baked good and takeout containers, etc), medical equipment (syringes, latex gloves etc), personal care items (razors, qtips etc). This should extend into the industrial sector too. This idea might not be feasible in 100% of the instances, but it would go a long way to…
87 votes -
Bring community gardeners together with those who have extra yard space
Create a program for homeowners & community gardeners to work together. For example, elderly people who want to stay in their homes but can no longer maintain their yards, would have their yards maintained by gardeners, in exchange for garden space in the home owner's yard to grow food.
69 votesA great idea and one that has already been started by City Farmer. Check out the great tool they have created to link those with space with those looking for space to garden: http://www.sharingbackyards.com/browse/Vancouver,BC&welcome_box=3
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Place More Blue Recycling Bins Around The City
Usually, people don't want to hold onto their garbage while walking, so they throw away whatever they have in their hands, even if it's meant for recycling.
I believe there should be a recycling bin right beside every garbage can, if not even more recycling bins than garbage cans.99 votes -
Take the buses off Granville and turn it into a City square like europe with patios (and drinks)
Granville street is a compromise that doesn't work. Having buses on the street won't allow a city square to develop (and connect to Robson Square to create an epicentre of community activity downtown - in much the same way it is in many european cities). The buses / dedicated cars need to stay off Granville and the restauranteurs and bars should be able to extend their patios onto the street. Street performance and parades should be encouraged within the area north of Smithe. Compromising creates a lose-lose situation, though delivery trucks, etc. could be allowed to pass between 4am-10am. At…
92 votes -
Work with the Province and Feds to create more light rapid and mass transit to outlying GVRD areas.
So much of our traffic comes from the outlying areas,even as far as Abbotsford. As housing in the downtown core continues to remain expensive many are seeing these areas as their best hope for a family scale living space. If we had high speed trains like in the city regions of the EU, Japan and other high density centres car dependency would be lessened and the region as a whole would be better serviced. Spend an afternoon in a traffic jam going east-west or west-east and I imagine you'll agree.
115 votesOutside City jurisdiction. TransLink is continually looking at ways to improve transit throughout the region, but additional funding is needed to make progress. A number of regional projects and plans are under way, including the Evergreen Line, and South of Fraser Rapid Transit Study.
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create an urban farm network
Create an urban farm network, a hub that links farms, farmers, local food distribution and storage in the city and provides resources to everyone (including organized farms, non-profits, individuals, schools, community groups, city, etc) and provide business advice, links to funding, assistance in creating and sustaining local jobs, training farmers, and develop partnerships and connection to other urban farm resources throughout the city
121 votesCommunity groups are in early stages of discussing the implementation of this idea.
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Ensure all malls and public fascilities have recycling systems in place
I have worked retail in a number of malls and I was horrified by the lack of recycling options there were for the paying tenants. No bottle/plastic recycling, sometime no paper. Tenants would often have to pay for this service.
Implement the same recycling programs available to homes, we can not exclude rental/commercial properties if we have any intention to becoming a more sustainable community.59 votes
