GC 2020
62 results found
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Encourage each community to establish a community sustainability plan.
A community can create and build on its vision and formal plans by adopting specific objectives, guidelines, action items, regulations, and policies. Adopt continuous learning mentality (and policy) so that feedback can be used to assess effectiveness of decisions and actions and changes can be made accordingly. Want to create resilient, adaptable, and engaged communities.
3 votesNeighbourhoods in Vancouver have been undergoing community visions and plans for many years, and most communities now have these in place. They aren’t focused specifically on sustainability, but many have a strong sustainability focus: http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/planning/cityplan/visions/
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Mandatory Lighting Controls for Commercial buildings
Why are there so many office lights on in commercial office buildings, when nobody is occupying those areas. Mandate the use of green lighting controls (Daylight Harvesting, Absence/Presence detection etc.)
25 votesThis is addressed in a retrofit pilot program
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rain water toilets
rainwater can be collected from eco-roofs or rain gutters use in toilets.
19 votesHas been approved on project by project basis.
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Divert sewer runoff into groundwater
Before 1850 when the rain fell on Vancouver, it soaked into the ground, which then fed the over 50 streams which crisscrossed the land. This water which supported a multitude of life then ran to the Burrard Inlet, False Creek and the Fraser River.
Today most of rainwater ends up on asphalt streets and the rooftops of buildings and this water runs into countless sewers which end up in the same surrounding water systems. As the water runs into the sewers, it picks up pollution from cars, residue from asphalt streets and tar roofs and many other small and large…
40 votesIn addition to the ones in place, the Draft Greenest City Action Plan recommends increasing the number of infiltration systems.
This link explains the types of integrated drainage that the City of Vancouver uses: http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/watersewers/sewers/enviro/protect.htm#drainage
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Avoid 50-100 year mistakes.
Ensure that long-term infrastructure, especially buildings, are sustainable from the very start.
4 votesOngoing green building programs address sustainability.
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More street food more places
The City's recent allocation of 17 new street-food licenses is a good start. Let's take it to the next level with street food hubs on city-owned parking lots or under-utilized alleyways. These centres could be modelled after those in Portland and feature a wide variety of local, healthy options. A bonus idea: a plate refund system like at the Folk Fest -- so that packaging and wrap can be minimized or done away with!
16 votesThe City has increased the number of street food vendors and types in 2010 and are looking to expand the program in 2011. For details, please visit: http://vancouver.ca/commsvcs/socialplanning/initiatives/foodpolicy/projects/streetfood.htm
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Compost, compost, COMPOST!
Encourage people to compost!!!!! Send out info to people and they will build it! And rainwater cachement systems are GREAT too.
20 votes -
Create more community gardens
Provide more opportunities for the creation of community gardens. Existing community gardens should be preserved and enhanced. Encourage community gardens on school grounds for educational and aesthetic purposes.
227 votesCity has already moved beyond the 2,010 (garden plots) by 2010 challenge. Three new gardens were created in the summer of 2010 and others are currently in the planning stage. This is an idea included in the Draft Greenest City Action Plan.
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Ease the bureaucracy for laneway homes in Van. Dense living where we work, play, shop! Less sprawl!
Laneway homes are beautiful, sustainably designed, detached family or single life dwellings. They fit into areas with houses and neighbourhoods that already exist. They take the place of old poorly used garages or unused back gardens. Less freeway traffic to get to the city; less pressure on our agricultural land reserve; less urban sprawl out into the valley.
51 votesExploring ways to facilitate and remove barriers to achieving our green & density goals
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62 votes
The City has an existing pilot incentive program for solar hot water. Incentives and financial tools to support the proliferation of renewable energy is included in the draft Greenest City Action Plan. Details here: http://vancouver.ca/sustainability/SolarHomes.htm
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Prioritize cycling infrastructure and policy
Vancouver will not convince anyone of being the 'greenest' city without a huge modal shift towards cycling, walking, and public transit.
Cycling infrastructure is already improving (e.g., new Dunsmuir two-way bike lane), but policy needs to improve (e.g., a transportation hierarchy, with pedestrians followed by cyclists at the top).
Also, we will NEVER get the general population cycling daily without repealing mandatory helmet legislation. It just won't happen -- it's too inconvenient.
73 votes -
City of Vancouver Eco bonds to help home and business owners with green upgrades.
ECO bonds are helping cities throughout the US with renewable energy and efficiency upgrades to their homes and businesses. By leveraging the lower borrowing rates of the city, Vancouver can help citizens get over the high up-front costs of green retrofits by deducting an additional amount from property taxes over a long term - say 20 years - period.
14 votesFinancing tools (currently under development) may encourage building owners to improve the performance of their buildings rather than rebuild
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Expand the Yellow Fish Markers on Storm Drain Sewers Program
Historically, industrial man has been accustomed to using our waterways as a dumping ground for unwanted waste. Sadly this has led to our ocean becoming a toxic soup for animals and plants. Agricultural fertilizer runoff cause algal blooms. Inefficient or excessive garbage has caused many massive garbage (mostly plastic) islands to appear in the oceans and has had an adverse impact on seabirds and sea mammals. Chemicals are dumped down sewers and fish are killed immediately. In Burnaby Byrne Creek has had too many such incidents in the past few years; so many in fact that an initiative called “Stream…
15 votesNot part of the draft Greenest City Action Plan but new storm drains are embossed with an image of a fish.
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Pedestrian countdown signals
Burnaby has introduced many of these on city streets, while Vancouver still has very few. Especially at pedestrian controlled intersections it is important to know how long the wait will be (and whether the button is working or not).
3 votesCity crews installed its first pedestrian countdown signal at Main and Hastings earlier this year, and could install more if this trial is successful.
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Don't re-invent the wheel
Get advice and ideas from cities that are already the greenest (European cities) and from local experts (Suzuki Foundation).
21 votes -
Encourage renovation of existing housing stock rather than demo and rebuild.
require new construction to be NET zero and help reduce single family house demolition. The greenest building is one that is already standing.
22 votesFinancing tools (currently under development) may encourage building owners to improve the performance of their buildings rather than rebuild.
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Futureproof Green Buildings by adapting to projected climate conditions
Green buildings that do not consider future climate conditions are not as energy efficient or as sustainable as they could be
3 votesThis idea is captured in all our green building policy work, particularly our emphasis on passive design.
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solar trash compactor
City of Vancouver has 2,400 public space litter bins on streets, transit stops and parks. By introducing a wireless capable solar trash compactor system to replace this system significant financial and environmental benefits can be realized. Operating costs will be reduced by 70% as well as Green House Gas emissions from the Diesel powered waste collection vehicle that go out at least once per day to pick up each of these 2,400 bins. Imagine having the collection take place once per week instead of seven times per week and have the reduced trip frequency pay for all this equipment in…
1 voteThe City is piloting over 20 solar-powered trash compacting bins in South East False Creek and Cambie Street.
However, this idea isn’t included in the Draft Greenest City Action Plan. Compacting waste reduces volume and makes collection more efficient, but it doesn’t reduce the tonnes of waste sent to landfill or incinerator. The proposed Zero Waste target is to reduce 50% (by weight) of garbage sent to landfill or incinerator by 2020.
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Develop a directory and/or application that helps consumers choose sustainable products and services
Imagine just selecting the 'green directory' app and being able to find sustainable businesses in the local area? Or finding a product in store and being able to look it up immediately to find out what it's sustainable qualifications are? There are a lot of people out there actively seeking out sustainable products and services, but there are a lot more who are engaged and interested - but just not sure where to start. People are creatures of habit, to motivate them to make changes you need to make it EASY for them to do so! I'm not saying it's…
11 votesThere are multiple green building product and services directories that already exist in Vancouver. www.sustainablebuildingcentre.com and www.metrovancouver.com/buildsmart
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3 votes
VEDC attracts conferences as part of business attraction program
