GC 2020
657 results found
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More passenger ferries
We are not making enough use of our waterways for passenger transport. SeaBus is a success not only with commuters but also tourists. Water connections between downtown Vancouver and places like West Vancouver, Kitsilano, UBC, Deep Cove, and Port Moody should be explored.
14 votes -
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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Close every other streets with back alley
We don't need all those streets. Close almost half the streets in Vancouver by redirecting local traffic to back alley. Transforms all other streets into parks, bike lanes., green spaces, social housings.
14 votes -
Reduce light pollution
Relatively easy to correct and largely the result of bad design, light pollution is a common problem throughout the city. Make sure that lights are designed to focus light downwards and not allowed up into the night sky where it disrupts the diurnal patterns of many species (including people).
14 votesAddressed in LEED requirements; not mandatory
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E-voting saves on paper ballots
E-voting saves on paper ballots and ensures greener politicians win since they tend to be favoured by the hackers who would penetrate the online system!
14 votes -
Charge business and commercial waste by weight instead of by bin
Wastes from businesses and commercial enterprises are generally put into dumpsters that are removed on a regular basis. These wastes includes food waste from restaurants, grocery stores and markets as well as industrial wastes such as wood, metals, construction materials and so on. If businesses were incentives to reduce the WEIGHT of their wastes they would be much more likely to find creative ways to divert it from the landfill stream. So dumpsters with less 'garbage' in them simply cost less to the business.
14 votes -
Improve traffic lights
Improving how traffic lights work to create green waves on as many streets as possible not just the 1 ways. This will reduce traffic, accidents and CO2 emmisions and increase transit performance with fewer vehicles grid lock idling.
Anyone who's sat at a red light for minutes on end in the middle of the night when there's no cross traffic can cheer on science for proving what we already knew: lights that adapt to the flow of traffic, instead of dictating the flow of traffic, can improve the flow of traffic. A team of researchers discovered that if you let…
14 votes -
Community-led, City-funded Neighbourhood Beautification!
Dedicate a City fund to neighbourhood beautification led by citizens. The city becomes more beautiful and residents have ownership over spaces in their neighbourhoods. A win-win approach with resilient outcomes.
Projects could include: developing park spaces, recreation spaces, depaving, constructing community gardens, building simple community space infrastructure, creating public art, etc.
Citizens would approach the City department with requests for beautification projects in their neighbourhoods providing project details and numbers of volunteers available. The City would assess the project for cost and effectiveness. If approved, the City would provide skilled supervisors, tools, a project schedule and infrastructure funding. The citizens…
14 votes -
Reduce/Stop Idling
Strengthen the anti-idling bylaws to stop idling of all vehicles beyond 20 seconds. Advertise widely that the idling fumes are a poison to our lungs. Get the police and all service vehicles included, the police to sport anti-idling decals on their vehicles. People just don't think about idling, sitting waiting for people to get in or out of their cars, when on their cell phones etc. Pay for the advertising by fines.
14 votesThe City of Vancouver Bylaw #9344 prohibits idling beyond 3 minutes. The 3 minute limit balances enforceability, operational practicalities and engine wear considerations.
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Use power generating tiles for pavement in high density walking areas
Power generating tiles: the more people walk on these tile, the more power is generated, and the less use of traditional power generation options that depend mainly on fossil burning. These tiles could be used downtown, in malls, sky train stations, and any other area with high density of pedestrians.
14 votesInteresting idea. The City is always interested in new renewable energy technologies.
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Eliminate move-in waste by using reusable moving supplies to move your home or office.
Using reusable moving supplies in place of wasteful cardboard boxes not only allows for easier and more organized packing, water resistant, crush proof crates are loaded onto the moving truck in a 1/3 of the time as cardboard boxes, lessening your hourly moving costs. The use of reusuable moving supplies is Eco-friendly regardless whether the supplies are made from raw or recycled materical. But to further 'green' your move, make sure to use moving supplies that are derived from recycled materical.
13 votes -
Allow interest free loans for home renos--collect via the property tax over life of home
It is fair, in that, all future homeowners would pay equally for the benefits, rather than asking the current homeowner to carry the burden of paying for 100% of the renos.
13 votesFinancing tools (currently under development) may encourage building owners to improve the performance of their buildings rather than rebuild
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Inspire us to bicycle!
Get the VPD sting operations to lay off bicyclists. Hiding behind trees and handing out $167 dollar tickets to the people TRYING to make a difference does NOTHING to encourage a green city. Get on a plane and go see some other european cities where they GIVE free bikes for the citizens to use, and honour their rights of personal freedom...not make citizens live in fear. Go do something about the real OFFENDERS in Vancouver.
13 votes -
Create Green lane ways.
Create like chicago Green Lane ways which a)reduces rain water run off b) helps cools the city c)creates a nicer lane way compared to just ash fault d) they last a lot longer then ash fault ones and look a lot nicer!
13 votesWe have looked at the ""green lanes" pilots and reported to Council in 2008 (summary — they’re 3-4 times more expensive than our now-standard strip pavement, there is a definite "price point’ of how much residents would be willing to pay for the treatment, and they will likely have higher maintenance costs and a shorter service life). We’re currently finalizing our test site for the lower-cost lane treatment option — a permeable lane pavement design.
Here is the full Council report, including the resident survey.
http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/cclerk/20081030/documents/pe4.pdf
Definitely an option for Council to increase the funding (reduce the property owner’s share) for these projects to promote more green lanes. More broadly speaking, the Greenest City team is supportive of the idea to make make laneways and alleys more pedestrian friendly environments, while maintaining essential functions (e.g. access for loading, parking and waste collection).
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Biodegradable Shopping bags.
As a grocery clerk, I can see this idea being very effective among the people, and the environment.
Plastic bags are commonly used by retailers because they are cheap, strong, functional, lightweight, and a hygenic means of carrying food and other items. However, we use a staggering amount of plastic bags, despite their harmful effects. Plastic bags litter the landscape, kill animals, are non-biodegradable, and created using petroleum.
I propose a change to this system, using biodegradable plastic shopping bags. Also, if a customer may wish to use a biodegradable bag, it will cost them a mandatory fee. Therefore, a…
13 votes -
Free parking for scooters and motorcycles!
Create free parking for scooters and motorcycles, especially in congested areas like Downtown! It just makes sense: Two-wheeled vehicles take up less space on the road and are more fuel-efficient than cars. We just need safe, affordable and accessible parking.
Vote to support free scooter and motorbike parking!!!
13 votes -
Install outlets for electric vehicles in parking lots
[Submitted via email]
Consider a downtown parking lot with outlets so plugin electric hybrids can recharge. Could have some type of metre.
13 votesFollowing a 2009 Council adopted report, scaleable public charging infrastructure is being deployed to support the adoption of electric vehicles in Vancouver.
Read more here:
http://vancouver.ca/sustainability/electric_vehicles.htm
http://vancouver.ca/ctyclerk/documents/penv3.pdfhttp://www.easypark.ca/about-easypark/parking-programs/go-green.aspx
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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
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Provide rainwater catchments to those living in condos with balconies to help with urban gardens
While waiting for building codes to come into effect requiring rainwater collection and water efficient irrigation systems, this can be a simple way to assist condo dwellers in using less water when it comes to their own balcony gardens.
13 votesThe City sells smaller rainbarrels for this use http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/solidwaste/grownatural/rainbarrels.htm
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Provide apple trees to residential property owners
Supply interested property owners with suitable types of apple trees. For instance, farmer and City of Richmond Councilor Harold Steves (whose family Steveston was named after) has developed four apple cultivars for Vancouver that could be grown year round and provide abundant local fruit.
13 votes
