GC 2020
178 results found
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Increase the number of facilities available for community kitchens/ food processing
Are people still interested in joining community kitchens? These were popular a couple of years ago but excitment seems to have died off due to a lack of available facilities.
Have community kitchen with themes- such as urban singles, local food etc...
Have these spaces double as urban food processing centres- have commercial kitchens set up to allow groups to come in and process large amounts of local food at harvest time so that it will be available for later us. Host workshops on various low energy food preservation techniques, nutrition, cooking, low energy cooking etc...
Install large size community…7 votesThe City supports a number of non-profits that have community kitchens. We are looking at increasing the number of the community kitchen opportunities in the draft plan
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Create cheap bike rentals (Or include the rental in the fare) around the sky train stations
Many of us are worried to take bikes to the work due to the problem of shortage of space in the buses and sky train. If we could find them at the stations and return them after work, will make it easier for everybody, and more people will be encouraged to use them.
7 votesThis idea is similar to a Public Bike System, which is currently under review.
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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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Ban grass lawns
Green lawns look nice but they consume a vast amount of water, we could reduce the amount of water used if we a) had maximum sized lawns allowable in private residence. b) Banned the planting of grass for lawn areas, there are a number of plants that you could use to create a green walkable space that consume little water to sustain, why then do we waist so much water on grass lawns, alternate style of ground cover could be looked at.
7 votesThe City does not limit the amount of lawn, but does limit the amount of impermeable surface allowed. We encourage alternatives to lawns through the water wise landscape guidelines. Strengthening education programs in supprt of alternatives to lawns is part of the plan.
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Celebrate Sufficiency
Over-consumption is at the heart of many of our environmental problems. One way to induce a reduction in consumption is to celebrate our sufficiency. Sufficiency, in this case, refers to a sense of completeness or wholeness. If we feel complete, there is less of an inclination to fill our faces with stuff we don't really need.
7 votesThis idea will be considered in the framing of the ongoing engagement work on the greenest city.
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Waterless Urinals
Save millions of gallons of water!
Plumbers don't like them but i think there is a huge potential for this!6 votesNot specifically part of Draft Greenest City Action Plan, but efficient fixtures and incentives are.
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Cap building energy consumption for different building types on a per occupant basis NOT area
There is no use in capping annual energy consumption on a per area basis if we continue building larger buildings. If we want to effectively limit total energy use, let's do it on a per occupant basis (i.e. kWh per building occupant).
6 votesWill move toward outcomes based codes which will take area and occupancy into account. This idea is included in the Draft Greenest City Action Plan.
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Provide a one-stop clearing house for information relating to local food in Vancouver.
A local food directory could support residents in participating in the local food economy, advising them of all the various initiatives that are going on relating to food production, processing and retail in Vancouver.
6 votesThis idea is in the draft Greenest City Action Plan
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Stop the use of toilet paper made from virgin trees.
TP made from post-consumer waste paper is already available, and even the likes of Costco are starting to stock it. Enact a bylaw that ensures all TP sold in Vancouver is at least 30% from recycled paper.
6 votesThe City can look to this in our own operations. Purchasing choices, and their effect on ecological footprint, will form part of the engagement campaign
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Serve only nitrate free hotdogs/ cooked meats
All the food served in City should be free of chemicals & nitrates. Support organic/ natural -local if possible.
6 votesLocal and healthy local food options are under consideration in the draft Greenest City Action Plan. Parks board already has an Ethical Purchasing Policy in place that encourages the purchasing of Fair-Trade and organic products. http://vancouver.ca/parks/info/policy/pdf/policy_ethical_purchasing.pdf
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Create a 'Green Capitalist' campaign that lets Vancouverites proudly participate.
A simple modification of the 'Green Capital' logo lets individuals claim ownership. Offer free 'Green Capitalist' cycling vests to commuters during bike-to-work week. Have a secret shopper team give reusable coffee mugs or 'Green Capitalist' shopping bags to people who buy local, organic or free-trade. Give high-quality water bottles to every family that signs up for a water meter. Why should Green Capital just be for trade missions? Let every citizen wear their civic green pride!
6 votesInteresting ideas to encourage a connection to the Green Capital brand with specific activities
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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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Control energy efficiency of systems in buildings, rate it as a standard like A, B, C, D, ...
Control, approve and publish the rate of energy consumption and carbon emission of the mechanical equipments in all of the buildings that encourage the people to utilizing the sustainable energy and environmental pollution free system and equipments.
6 votesPart of the draft Greenest City Action Plan is to implement mandatory energy performance disclosure through a building labeling program
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Increase incentives for people to trade in old woodstoves for more efficient ones
Metro Vancouver already offers a $250 rebate to trade in their old uncertified wood burning appliance for a new low emission appliance. This could be increased and/or more heavily advertised.
http://www.metrovancouver.org/services/air/health/Pages/WoodStoveExchangeProgram.aspx
5 votesCity of Vancouver is part of, and encourages, Metro Vancouver’s woodstove exchange program. This idea is included in the Draft Action Plan.
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Granville bike/walking corridor
Granville street was happily car free for years. Cars fluidly use Seymore and Howe for accessing the Granville St. bridge. Let's eliminate the road and parking on Granville St. and replace it with a two way bike path, gardens/parks, public gathering areas and outdoor eating. Having an alternative transportation area in the core of our city will be a strong symbol of our goals.
5 votesThe Rediscover Granville program was a big success in 2009, and the City will be looking to continue and build upon this work in future years. More broadly, the draft Greenest City plan will include directions to explore pedestrian-only and pedestrian-priority streets in the downtown core. Potential locations will be identified at a later date (e.g. as part of the transportation plan update).
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A Comprehensive Odour Management Plan
A comprehensive odour management plan is needed for the 'greenest city'
Our neighbourhoods smell of a rendering plant throughout the summer and very little action has occured over the decades. A truly green Vancouver would smell nice on warm days and we would then be able to open our windows and cool our houses with the breeze.
5 votesCity of Vancouver will support Metro Vancouver in its efforts to address this.
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5 votes
This is addressed by the planned green renovation strategy which will require upgrades to all buildings during the time of renovation, and also by the building labeling program which will require mandatory disclosure of energy performance and eventually mandatory performance standards.
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Introduce shared streets
Granville Island is the closest thing we have in Vancouver to a shared street, where pedestrians, bikes, and cars are free to mix at low speeds. Side streets in Yaletown, Gastown, and other areas would benefit from this concept. New Road in Brighton is but one of many examples.
5 votesThe Draft Greenest City Action plan will include directions to explore pedestrian-only and pedestrian-priority streets in the downtown core. Potential locations will be identified at a later date (e.g. as part of the transportation plan update).
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Variable Property Taxes based on FSR
Many SF homes built in the city today have huge footprints. Real estate economics shouldn't govern the size of homes. Reward existing homeowners and new home builders by allowing property tax discounts for greater green space surrounding their homes. Smaller homes with larger proportion of the land landscaped in trees or gardens increases the quality of city life.
5 votesIncentives are being considered for homes that are built sustainability and to be energy efficient.
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convert heat to FREE hot water
Encourage all those stores that vent their unwanted heat from A/C units as well as from coolers/fridges and freezers grocer types and pump that heat into hot water tanks! The technology is available "off the rack". Known as Fre-Heaters..we should be capturing all that vented heat and convert it into hot water. NEW stores should not have such old equipment and instead be encourage to convert at the time of building!
5 votesGreat idea. We’re looking for all kinds of ideas to encourage the reuse of waste heat. We will to understand opportunities to include these ideas in amendments to the building code.
