GC 2020
657 results found
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Switch all municipal buildings off fossil fuels
Half of all greenhouse gases dumped in the city of Vancouver come from burning natural gas in buildings. The amount is unchanged in 20 years. City government should lead the way by fuel switching all buildings it controls to use much cleaner BC electricity. Almost 60% of energy used in buildings is climate damaging fossil fuels. We need leadership from the top to highlight the need to change this.
9 votes -
Switch building from natural gas to electricity
Burning fossil fuels to heat our homes and buildings is the single biggest source of climate damage coming from Vancouver. It is 50% of city GHGs and much more damaging than all vehicle emissions. Vancouver should levy a carbon tax on natural gas and use it to subsidize people who choose to switch to electric heating, especially heat pumps. Vancouver will never be able to meet its climate goals and responsibility until nearly all natural gas burning is stopped. No new technology is needed as many buildings already are fully electric and have been for decades. Today 41% of energy…
8 votes -
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 -
Make Transit Easy and Driving Hard
Start to make driving difficult and transit easier and accessible.
Key Points in this would be: Eliminating Curbside Parking to make room for additional transit. No more road upgrades unless it is necessary for the purpose of trucking and goods transport. Increase transit density so that the majority of citizens are within a 10 minute walk of transit that will arrive on average every 10 minutes. This can be done through buses and trams. Extend rapid transit to unreached areas such as the broadway corridor, coquitlam and the tri-cities, Surrey, Langley and Abbotsford. This could be done through current projects…
47 votes -
Implement tiered energy billing system
Consumers pay attention to cost. Implementing a tiered energy billing system where individuals with high energy usage are billed more compared to individuals with low energy usage will act as an incentive to save money and energy. Very low energy usage should be rewarded by a lower rate, and a higher rate should be applied to high energy usage. The tiered energy billing systems should be adjusted on a regular basis to reflect changes due to consumers purchasing energy-saving appliances over time.
5 votesBC Hydro has taken this approach with their rate setting schedules.
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Invent roofs with adjustable reflection coefficient
Expanding on the suggestion by Hashem Akbari's to combat climate change by painting all roofs and paved surfaces in the USA white, our idea is to develop roof materials that can change their reflection coefficient by changing their colour to cover a range from black to white. Regions like Vancouver, with warm summers and cold winters, should have white roofs in the summer and black roofs in the winter, to minimize air conditioning and heating energy needs throughout the year. Roofs with adjustable reflection coefficient could be "dimmed" from inside a house as simply as a light. Smart house technology…
6 votesCurrently exploring an approach to addressing cool roofs, green roofs & walls.
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Regulate Marine Traffic Emissions
Emissions from marine vessel traffic are not regulated as strictly as emissions from land-based emitters. These emissions have been growing steadily in the Vancouver region. The city should push for stricter guidelines to ensure that measures implemented to reduce air pollution caused by cars and heating, for example, are not offset by emissions from marine traffic.
5 votesMarine traffic is under Federal jurisdiction. The City of Vancouver is supporting Metro Vancouver/Port Metro Vancouver to encourage shore-power.
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Introduce individual carbon credit/debit system
Each resident has an equal amount of carbon credits available per month. The credits are used up when buying gas, purchasing non-local products or engaging in other types of high footprint activities. Individuals who exceed their monthly limit need to purchase carbon credits from the credit/debit system, while individuals who do not use all of their credits will get reimbursed for the unused portion. Control of carbon emissions is achieved by setting the monthly limit and the cost of a unit of carbon. This system provides a financial incentive for individuals to reduce carbon emissions. Though difficult to implement in…
4 votes -
Encourage Community Groups
Facilitate meetings at all community centres in the city that give neighbours an opportunity to meet and discuss topics relevant to their communities. This will support community involvement and decision making.
8 votesThis kind of work is already underway all over the City, much of which is led by community organisations. Find one in your neighbourhood, or one that works on issues that you care about, and join in. This action plan includes building supports (e.g. tools, resources) to support community groups in talking about, and working toward, the greenest city.
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Create a free bus lottery for transit riders
Create a free lottery to randomly reward people who ride the bus. Fund the bus rider's jackpot by placing a small levy on Vancouver parking meters. If each meter contributed 50 cents per day on average, we'd have a daily prize pool of around $4000. This is enough to create some small but significant instant cash prizes. The media attention from this initiative would help to encourage ridership as much as the prizes themselves would.
12 votes -
Municipal GRANTS for businesses who build shower, changeroom, and bike lockers
Through a municipal grant program, encourage businesses to build showers, changerooms, and bike lockers for employees who commute via active transportations. Grants could also be applied for expansions of existing facilities. Also, encourage businesses to partner and share facilities.
6 votes -
BAN JUNK MAIL!
Almost all of the mail received in my actual mail box is "Junk Mail"
Unrequested and unnecessary flyers and advertisements that just get tossed straight into the recycling bin.
A waste of trees and additional pollution added by the ink and coloring printed on them.
26 votes -
Encourage people to work closer to home through tax benefits or other measures
More people out of cars (or shorter trips), being more connected to your community, and less time on the road = less money spent and more time doing what you enjoy and a greener and happier population. Tax benefits to those who are able to work closer to home and free support to help people find comparable jobs closer to their community. With some organizations (government civil servants, teachers, etc.) this may be possible through matching / trading positions.
9 votesOutside City jurisdiction.
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No Concrete Medians
Instead, use flowering or green plants... it is beautiful and can contribute to cleaner air that we breathe
7 votes -
Burrard Street bridge bicycle lane
Add a designated bicycle lane going into downtown on the Burrard Street bridge. This would also encourage walking by allowing pedestrians back on both sides of the bridge.
3 votesThe City is starting a design process for the structural upgrade of the Burrard Bridge, which will include designs to create permanent separated bike lanes on the bridge. This design process will consider configuration options for the bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
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Metered bike lockers
Metered bike lockers that can be rented by the hour.
9 votesThe draft Greenest City Action Plan will include directions for more secure bicycle parking at transit hubs and other key locations. Metered bike lockers are one possible implementation approach.
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More car diverters on busy bike routes
Add more car diverters to busy bike routes: they work!
15 votesThe City implemented several new trial diverters on various bike routes in the summer of 2010. This is part of a program to reduce non-local traffic volumes on those bikeways and to make the bikeways more comfortable for cyclists for all ages and abilities. The pending active transportation plan will explore opportunities for further traffic calming on our bikeways.
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Awnings
Encourage Awnings - Connected dry cover improve pedestrian traffic in a rainy city. @ More bus shelters that really shelter.
20 votesWeather protection will be highlighted as an important design consideration for the pedestrian realm. Many parts of the city (e.g. most of the downtown, most commercial areas) already include design guidelines for weather protection and design guidelines (including requirements for awnings). However, there may be more opportunities to encourage existing buildings to add awnings (and similar weather protection) through renovation and building facade improvement programs.
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Building Future Parkades
Builidng Future Parkades under green spaces (like Royal Vancouver Yacht Club at Jericho) A parked car is a good car!
4 votes -
Bike Blading
Make the Bike / Blading Paths smoother - on driveways / cut outs etc for Rolling over. Cut down the bricks (on wheel path) @ Olympic Village, Yaletown, and Coal Harbour as they are to rough and to dangerous.
1 voteThe City will continue to design (and work to improve) greenways and recreational paths so they are safe and attractive not just for cyclists, but for in-line skaters, wheelchair users, and others.
