GC 2020
38 results found
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High Speed Rail to Seattle
From waterfront station tunnel underground to YVR then the line would follow parallel to highway 99 and then follow the I-5. Traveling an average speed of 250 km/hr you could reach YVR in 3 min at 4.10$, the border in 14 min, Bellingham in 23 min at 29.00$, Everett in 46 min at 58.00$ and finally Seattle in 57 min at 71.63$..... Imagine the possibilities of being able to travel to from downtown Vancouver to Downtown Seattle in just under an hour. Not only would this create green jobs, improve air quality, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but it would also…
626 votesThis idea is not included in the Draft Greenest City Action Plan, but it is supported in principle. Convened a high speed rail summit in July 2010 to discuss this proposal
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All Jobs Green
Greening ALL jobs through all organizations being required to meet minimum responsible practice standards set out by a government sponsored social enterprise which supports and builds day to day organizational capacity in lighter footprint futures and positive legacy.
22 votes -
Re-industrialize Vancouver
Bringing manufacturing and farming back to the city may be the only way to create an environmentally and socially sustainable world. Like most western cities, Vancouver has become almost completely de-industrialized. The goods (and increasingly also the services) that form our daily existence are produced far away under conditions we don't tolerate here. As a result much of our ecological and social footprint is exported and hidden from view, resulting in increasing environmental devastation and social inequality. Bringing these activities back home—into the city core—will give us the opportunity to address the social and ecological consequences of our production and…
15 votes -
Green City information Store
My idea is simple, set up a store close to city hall were we can go and ask questions to a real person.
Questions like,
Where can I recycle old paint cans or my old tv ?
How do I get a compost bin ?
Can I put a garden in my front yard ?Somewhere simple were we can talk face to face with someone who knows how to answer our questions about being greener.
4 votes -
Small Businesses
Need incentives to recycle, or reuse materials (between business and or/ public) through soemthing like a local online materials reuse/exchange database (similar to Free stuff on craigslist)
6 votes -
Green labelling for every company selling goods or services in MetroVan
Green labelling to show climate change leaders and laggards in a sector for every company selling goods or services in metro Vancouver. Allow Vancouverites to choose which company they shop at based on that firm's climate leadership!
4 votes -
eco zoning
Vancouver like London attracts people from around the world Where London has produced zoning that helps preserve its historic "buzz" we need to produce zoning that preserves our "rain forest" appeal . An eco zone is a modified existing zone (eg. RS1eco, RM1eco ,etc) that is given preferential treatment because of exceptional green practices, these could entail, urban farms, passive solar or passive certified homes. Eco zoning is incentive based, -additional sq footage, or minimum lot size reduction, green house gardens for commercial or personal), green innovation relaxation (eg, allowing wind turbines or large scale water collection (+500gallon) under ground…
5 votesGreen Enterprize Zone team is establishing area and some initial projects including two business incubators
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Sustainability departments, faculties
Corporate 'green' hiring should lead all the way to the top - as it's own silo within the company (Accounting, HR, Sustainability, Marketing, etc.) intsead of an outward focus on 'green' jobs specific to operational abilities.
This will allow a more tailored educational offering, and will aid a paradigm shift throughout firms in Vancouver. Sustainability can finally align itself as a true part of an organization - and will have as much to do with a firm's mission and corporate aims as do the other categorical functions.
6 votes -
Promote a micro-economy
Promote a micro-economy:
Not everyone fits into the monoculture of work and life options available in Vancouver. A healthy city is a diverse city that allows individuals access to the economy on a range on increments. De-regulate work in homes. Integrate services and restaurants into neighbourhood streets and lanes. Turn on-street parking stalls into rent-by-the-hour food and retail vendors.8 votesAgree in principle, but there is more research required. What about property tax implications? How can the city collect tax to support services? This needs to be addressed first.
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Partner with non-profits for manufacturing using waste materials
As the landfills are all filling up, create manufacturing opportunities in partnership with non-profits using waste. Examples: waxed produce boxes make enviro-friendly fire logs; so do recycled newspapers; plastics can be mixed and molded into playground equipment and park benches
10 votes -
Tax break for Community Lead Clean up
A tax break for communities who maintain and clean up their neighbourhood block.
1 vote -
Grow local supply chains
For Vancouver to be a sustainable city locally-owned businesses mustbe able to source locally. This is especially true of light manufacturing (clothing, utensiles ...), food, local stories. We should be moving information around the world (bits) but physical supply chains should be grounded in the local economy. Let's look for the subsidies and tax incentives that act against local supply chains (most of these are federal and provincial, but let's look at the city as well). A great service would be an open social directory of local suppliers!
34 votesRecommendations for greening existing businesses include recommendations to support building of local supply chains. This idea is included in the draft Greenest City Action Plan
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Link all contractors and service providers to the Green City project.
To use the power of the City needs with its contractors and service providers will spread the green idea not only inside the City but all around. Request that all of them start giving information about how green are they about their services and products offered to the City and little by little ask for a minimum standard to offer any service or product.
7 votesCity has energy-related requirements for all procurement. Will consider city suppliers as one possible avenue to promote more green practices.
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Youth Pensions/Green Unjobs
An expensive city, living in vancity is particularly prohibitive for young people trying to get off to a good start. But we want them, and we need them. Finding ways and places to help them stay will also make a more compact, dense and green city.
So offer them an early pension loan for up to 12 years, provided that they’ve graduated from high school. Tax-free and the equivalent of current monthly cpp payouts, accessing the option means assigning post-age 65 cpp earnings for equivalent period of time. If they really want to, they can work too, but no pressure.…
1 voteThis is not just about green but in general about youth and job creation in Vancouver.
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Hire a group of young motivated leaders
Help me help you help us.
Create green jobs.
Make it a little easier for the change makers to flourish.
Subsidized trainings.
2 votesThe UBC-City of Vancouver Greenest City Scholars program will continue next summer.
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Be the first city to create a standard for operational excellence
The corporate sector is an essential part of the solution. Encourage Vancouver's corporations to adopt tangible and achievable standards for excellence. Recognize those who have made a commitment and incent others to follow. Businesses have an incredible opportunity to inspire individuals.
3 votes -
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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Make Vancouver a Mecca for Green Technologies, Innovation and Jobs
Make Vancouver a global destination for companies to develop and demonstrate emerging clean energy technologies, green transportation systems, energy efficiency solutions, water technologies, green building technology etc. by encouraging, facilitating, procuring and enabling projects to happen in Vancouver rather than other cities.
Solving the world's energy problems, curing our addiction to fossil fuels, reducing waste and ensuring access to fresh drinking water are all contributing to the creation of a new green economy is now valued at more than $5.2 Trillion. This is one of the fastest growing markets in the world and cities around the world are scrambling to…
50 votesA strategy in the Draft Greenest City Action Plan is to give economic development priority to green sectors, and develop a green technology centre and network, along with other specific infrastructure and demonstration projects.
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Encourage Eco-Industrial Parks & Eco-Business Zones
The city can develop an eco-business strategy to help build networks of businesses who work together to : reduce their impacts, resource consumption rates, strain on public infrastructure, and, of course, costs.
Eco-Industrial Parks and eco-business zones are effective models for greening new and existing industry/business activity: By acting collectively, and taking lessons from natural systems, we can create new green business opportunities and transform existing employment areas to use less resources like water & energy, and to attract progressive new green businesses to town.
12 votesNeed to research eco-industrial practices. Strathcona is implementing at a neighbourhood scale. This idea is included in the draft Greenest City Action Plan.
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Create a Green Enterprise Zone
Vancouver could establish a green enterprise zone that would serve as a magnet for the development of green business, technology, products and services.
27 votesThis idea will be included in the draft Greenest City Action Plan. A Green Enterprize Zone team is establishing an area and some initial projects including two business incubators, specific infrastructure and demonstration projects.