Welcome

This month we’ve got videos to share, from an epic high school lip-dub production, to a story of a local living building, to a nine-year-old reporter on the green scene. Right in time for the cold weather, Vancouver homeowners can now get low, fixed interest rate loans in addition to rebates to make their homes cozy and warm and lower their energy bills. Read on to find out more.

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.

Actions of the month

Own a home in Vancouver? You can now access low, fixed interest rate loans to finance select home energy efficiency upgrades through the City of Vancouver's Home Energy Loan Program. Energy savings from these upgrades could offset the monthly loan repayments. Plus the program also qualifies you for over $9,000 in rebates from both the federal and provincial government.

It gets dark early; make sure you have good lights for your bike. Read about how important bike lights are and how they can be more than just safety gear on the blog On Bicycles.

Recycle your old compact fluorescent lights at one of over 195 drop off locations in BC.

The electric vehicles are coming!

Automakers are starting to release electric vehicles into the market, and the City of Vancouver’s Greenest City Plan calls for 15 per cent of new vehicles to be electric by 2020. Here are some of the things we are doing to help make this happen:

Helping to get electric vehicles (EV) in car sharing. The local car co-op Modo now has a Nissan Leaf EV, which will be used by both City staff and Modo members. The City installed the electric vehicle charger and also owns a Mitsubishi iMieV, which has been used as a car share vehicle by City staff.

Developing and testing an EV charging network trial for homes, workplaces, and public spaces (including community centres and parking lots) in partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, BC Hydro, BC Government, Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association and other stakeholders. This larger field trial will test vehicle charging in a range of locations in preparation for increased demand for charging stations.

Could a building be more like a plant?

In nature, plants get the energy they need from the sun. Their waste benefits the soil and other plants around them. They live on the water that falls nearby. What if buildings could do the same? What if this was happening here in Vancouver? Watch this video about the living building being built at VanDusen Gardens.

Photo credit: Busby, Perkins + Will

Kids are taking over the media

If you’ve ever felt disillusioned after watching the news, Dream Rider Theatre has created the antidote. Kid reporter Tia, age 9, brings us stories of how we can green the city through “Good Green News”. In the first two episodes she explores Vancouver’s bike lanes and urban farming initiatives.

One Day Wonders

There are too many people doing fabulous things out there to pick just one, so this month we are celebrating three One Day Wonders:

The 200 plus students at David Thompson Secondary who put together this amazing lip-dub video. It’ll be the most inspiring thing you’ve seen all day.

The over 300 brave souls who tried cycling to work for the first time during fall Bike to Work Week, which took place over the crisp and mostly sunny first week of November. It’s not easy to take on a whole new commute, so congratulations to all of you. In total, over 2,600 people logged their rides during the week.

The management and staff at The Comfort Inn Downtown who received the Choice Hotels Canada 2011 APEX Award for eco-excellence. Congratulations on your wide range of innovative initiatives that includes sensors that automatically adjust room temperature when the room is unoccupied, to donating excess shampoo, soap and lotion to homeless shelters.

The Comfort Inn said that its guests helped motivate it to undertake green initiatives, showing once again the power of consumer demand in making change happen.

Do you know...

...someone who has a cold, drafty house? Forward this e-mail. They’ll love the Home Energy Loan Program and One Day.

New readers, sign-up here.

What's happening

An Evening of Inspiration with Paul Hawken
Nov 15
7 - 9:30 pm
The Orpheum
One of the brilliant minds of this century, don't miss this rare opportunity to hear Paul Hawken speak. Sliding scale ticket prices starting at $5, suggested donation $20 per ticket.

Home Energy Loan Program presentation
Nov 30
6 pm
Dunbar Community Centre
Learn more about the City of Vancouver Home Energy Loan Program (HELP), which gives Vancouver homeowners access to loans ranging from $4,000 to $16,000 to cover the cost of select energy efficiency upgrades, as well as up to $9,000 in provincial and federal rebates.

re:CONNECT People’s Choice Award voting
Nov 21-25
re:CONNECT, an open ideas competition, aims to ignite discussion and dream new possibilities for the future of the viaducts and the City's broader Eastern Core. All entries will be posted for a one-week online voting period to select a People’s Choice Award winner. Starting on Nov 21, you can check out the projects and vote for your favourites.

Power Plant VIII - Gathering For Green Leaders
Nov 29
5:30 - 7:30 pm
Edible Canada - 1569 Johnston St, Granville Island
Power Plant is a groovy green networking event for a dynamic crowd of sustainable business leaders, social entrepreneurs, eco-adventurers, green artists and more. Think mini TED talks or Pecha Kucha style presentations and purposeful connections while sipping an after-work organic bevy or two! Tickets $15 - includes hors d'oeuvres.

Winter Farmers Market
Saturdays
10 am - 2 pm
Nat Bailey Stadium

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

Did you know...

...that there are now 3,260 garden plots in Vancouver?
Are you interested in starting a community garden? The City of Vancouver is asking residents to send in expressions of interest to help identify potential new community garden sites.


November, 2011 Hello! Welcome This month we’ve got videos to share, from an epic high school lip-dub production, to a story of a local living building, to a nine-year-old reporter on the green scene. Right in time for the cold weather, Vancouver homeowners can now get low, fixed interest rate loans in addition to rebates to make their homes cozy and warm and lower their energy bills. Read on to find out more. 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. Actions of the month Own a home in Vancouver? You can now access low, fixed interest rate loans to finance select home energy efficiency upgrades through the City of Vancouver's Home Energy Loan Program. Energy savings from these upgrades could offset the monthly loan repayments. Plus the program also qualifies you for over $9,000 in rebates from both the federal and provincial government. It gets dark early; make sure you have good lights for your bike. Read about how important bike lights are and how they can be more than just safety gear on the blog On Bicycles. Recycle your old compact fluorescent lights at one of over 195 drop off locations in BC. The electric vehicles are coming! Automakers are starting to release electric vehicles into the market, and the City of Vancouver’s Greenest City Plan calls for 15 per cent of new vehicles to be electric by 2020. Here are some of the things we are doing to help make this happen: Helping to get electric vehicles (EV) in car sharing. The local car co-op Modo now has a Nissan Leaf EV, which will be used by both City staff and Modo members. The City installed the electric vehicle charger and also owns a Mitsubishi iMieV, which has been used as a car share vehicle by City staff. Developing and testing an EV charging network trial for homes, workplaces, and public spaces (including community centres and parking lots) in partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, BC Hydro, BC Government, Vancouver Electric Vehicle Association and other stakeholders. This larger field trial will test vehicle charging in a range of locations in preparation for increased demand for charging stations. Could a building be more like a plant? In nature, plants get the energy they need from the sun. Their waste benefits the soil and other plants around them. They live on the water that falls nearby. What if buildings could do the same? What if this was happening here in Vancouver? Watch this video about the living building being built at VanDusen Gardens. Photo credit: Busby, Perkins + Will Kids are taking over the media If you’ve ever felt disillusioned after watching the news, Dream Rider Theatre has created the antidote. Kid reporter Tia, age 9, brings us stories of how we can green the city through “Good Green News”. In the first two episodes she explores Vancouver’s bike lanes and urban farming initiatives. One Day Wonders There are too many people doing fabulous things out there to pick just one, so this month we are celebrating three One Day Wonders: The 200 plus students at David Thompson Secondary who put together this amazing lip-dub video. It’ll be the most inspiring thing you’ve seen all day. The over 300 brave souls who tried cycling to work for the first time during fall Bike to Work Week, which took place over the crisp and mostly sunny first week of November. It’s not easy to take on a whole new commute, so congratulations to all of you. In total, over 2,600 people logged their rides during the week. The management and staff at The Comfort Inn Downtown who received the Choice Hotels Canada 2011 APEX Award for eco-excellence. Congratulations on your wide range of innovative initiatives that includes sensors that automatically adjust room temperature when the room is unoccupied, to donating excess shampoo, soap and lotion to homeless shelters. The Comfort Inn said that its guests helped motivate it to undertake green initiatives, showing once again the power of consumer demand in making change happen.	Do you know... ...someone who has a cold, drafty house? Forward this e-mail. They’ll love the Home Energy Loan Program and One Day. New readers, sign-up here. What's happening An Evening of Inspiration with Paul Hawken Nov 15 7 - 9:30 pm The Orpheum One of the brilliant minds of this century, don't miss this rare opportunity to hear Paul Hawken speak. Sliding scale ticket prices starting at $5, suggested donation $20 per ticket. Home Energy Loan Program presentation Nov 30 6 pm Dunbar Community Centre Learn more about the City of Vancouver Home Energy Loan Program (HELP), which gives Vancouver homeowners access to loans ranging from $4,000 to $16,000 to cover the cost of select energy efficiency upgrades, as well as up to $9,000 in provincial and federal rebates. re:CONNECT People’s Choice Award voting Nov 21-25 re:CONNECT, an open ideas competition, aims to ignite discussion and dream new possibilities for the future of the viaducts and the City's broader Eastern Core. All entries will be posted for a one-week online voting period to select a People’s Choice Award winner. Starting on Nov 21, you can check out the projects and vote for your favourites. Power Plant VIII - Gathering For Green Leaders Nov 29 5:30 - 7:30 pm Edible Canada - 1569 Johnston St, Granville Island Power Plant is a groovy green networking event for a dynamic crowd of sustainable business leaders, social entrepreneurs, eco-adventurers, green artists and more. Think mini TED talks or Pecha Kucha style presentations and purposeful connections while sipping an after-work organic bevy or two! Tickets $15 - includes hors d'oeuvres. Winter Farmers Market Saturdays 10 am - 2 pm Nat Bailey Stadium Check out the One Day events calendar for more sustainability related events happening in and around Vancouver. Did you know... ...that there are now 3,260 garden plots in Vancouver? Are you interested in starting a community garden? The City of Vancouver is asking residents to send in expressions of interest to help identify potential new community garden sites.