welcome

Happy New Year! With the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games upon us, this month’s issue focuses on getting around during this enormous event. We’d also like to highlight a few of the ways Vancouver 2010 aims to be the greenest Games in history.

One Day is a City of Vancouver initiative that encourages residents to take small actions in their daily lives to use less energy at home and on the move, to help protect the climate, and to make Vancouver the cleanest, greenest, healthiest city in the world.

If you are traveling downtown during Games time, walk, cycle, take public transit or carpool rather than drive alone. With constant rush hour conditions, these options will be the easiest and fastest ways of getting around the city. 
Here are a few things you should know:

• There will be parking and stopping restrictions throughout the city as well as venue road closures around Games venues including the Convention Centre and the Olympic Village.
• Portions of downtown roads, such as Robson, Beatty, Mainland and Granville streets, will be pedestrian corridors between noon and midnight from February 12 to 28.
• Public transit will have priority and TransLink buses will be permitted in all Olympic Lanes in Vancouver.
• There will be extended transit service.
• Secure bike valet services will be available near Games venues and the LiveCity celebration sites.
• Wayfinding maps will be available around the city to help visitors with directions.

Visit the Host City website or read the Host City Transportation Plan for more information.

The Olympic Village in Southeast False Creek (SEFC) will be one of the greenest communities in the world.  This high-density community has easy connections to public transit, walking and biking. It boasts the highest standards for green buildings, includes a “net zero” building that will produce more energy than it uses, and a rainwater collection system throughout the development.

It will be home to 16,000 residents who will have space heating and domestic hot water provided by a district energy system which uses sewer heat recovery technology and solar hot water. Using these renewable sources, greenhouse gas emissions will be reduced by more than 50 per cent.

Learn more about what SEFC means to Vancouver. 

This month’s wonders have also been recognized as Sustainability Stars by VANOC for their contribution to sustainable Games.  

• The Canada Line provides rapid transportation between Vancouver and Richmond, while supporting walkable, transit-oriented development.  It carries passenger volumes equivalent to approximately 10 lanes of roadway traffic over 19km -- up to 100,000 people per day.
• The Olympic Line, Vancouver’s 2010 Streetcar, will connect Granville Island and the Canada Line Olympic Village Station from January 21 to March 21.  This demonstration project will be used to highlight the benefits of modern streetcars to residents, visitors and future partners in the City’s larger vision to bring streetcars permanently to Vancouver. 
• The LiveCity sites in Yaletown and Downtown will offer residents and visitors a place to celebrate during the Games and will also integrate green initiatives. Rubber pavers made from local recycled tires will be used for the ground surface at the Yaletown site. There will also be a showcase of local green entrepreneurs in the Vancouver House exhibition. Both sites have a goal to divert 85 per cent of waste.
• The Carbon Partner Program, created by Offsetters and VANOC, gives VANOC sponsors and partners the opportunity reduce their environmental impact during the 2010 Games by measuring, reducing, and offsetting their greenhouse gas emissions. This will have a measurable impact on meeting VANOC’s goal of offsetting the 190,000 tonnes of indirect greenhouse gas emissions attributable to the 2010 Games.

There will be no issue next month during the Olympics. Our next issue will be delivered to your inbox in March 2010.

Guest Expert Speakers
Jan. and Feb.
On most Saturday afternoons, Light House Sustainable Building Centre hosts a speaker session from 2-4pm. This month’s topics include: green products, cob building, Feng Shui and the Harmony House Project.  Cost: $5. RSVP by e-mail. 

Winter Farmers Markets
Jan. 16 and 30, Feb. 13
Fifty vendors each week, inside and outside WISE Hall with BC-only products and producer direct. Please bring your own bags and walk, cycle or take transit if you can. Interactive vendor maps are available online. For more information, call 604.879.3276.

Age of Stupid Film
Jan. 19, 6pm
This docu-drama follows a man living alone in the devastated world of 2055, looking at old footage from 2008 and asking: “Why didn't we stop climate change when we had the chance?” After the film, a panel discussion will examine potential forward steps in the fight against climate change. Cost: $10 admission.

CEP Speaker Series - Dr. MacDonald
Jan. 20, 7pm
During this Connecting Environmental Professionals (CEP) event, Dr. MacDonald will speak to environmental development in the current economic climate and how Canada compares with other countries. Cost: $5 -$10.  RSVP online.

Building a solar home?
Jan. 23, 12pm
$3,500 is available for new solar homes built in Vancouver.  Come to this open house and learn about the new incentive program for solar hot water systems. 

Check out the One Day events calendar for more sustainability related events happening in and around Vancouver.
 

…of Project Blue Sky?  It is an online community where you can connect with Olympic and Paralympic athletes; challenge your friends; tell your story and track your carbon reductions by logging the kilometres you walk, cycle or ride on public transit.  What are you waiting for?  Sign up today.