to have a credible green policy, Vancouver must include water in the planning. Sound water policy would include Encouragement of Abundant Groundwater flow: We must use less concrete and asphalt in our infrastructure in favour of ground water permeable aggregates. The city should prohibit asphalt use for parking lots and drive ways. There are many excellent alternative materials that are water permeable. All traffic calming barriers (i.e. traffic bulges and traffic circles) should have open, soil and indigenous plant filled centers. At the moment, the type and abundance of boulevard plantings is limited because our boulevards are essentially deserts. Surrounded by non-permeable cement sidewalks and curves, the soil isn’t able to retain sufficient water and nutrient to support indigenous plants such as ferns and shallow rooted West Coast tree species! No more metal, underground culverts! Parks should have open air culverts that act as seasonal creeks and ponds. Country Lane ways should be the norm. Currently a neighbourhood must pay an additional, costly levy, to have a country lane way, with asphalt the default norm. http://vancouver.ca/engsvcs/streets/localimprovements/improvementTypes/lanes/country.htm This speaks volumes toward the green movements inherent bias skew in favour of wealthy, literate, college educated demographic neighborhoods with the option of paying for what should be the standard. Country Lane ways should be the standard in every residential neighbourhood and in every commercial district with building height restrictions capped at six or less stories (the lower the commercial density, the lighter the commercial transport load).