Sustainability on land and sea

Glad to see Red Fish Blue Fish get some more media attention. They produce some excellent grub from their tiny home in a green-roofed shipping container in Victoria’s Inner Harbour.

Had a note from BCSEA giving some follow-up NotStupid suggestions for positive actions following last week’s screening of The Age of Stupid. They are local to BC but I offer them in case they inspire thought for elsewhere. Here they are:

A. Five Political Actions

1. Sign BCSEA’s online petition to Let LiveSmart Live — to be presented in the BC Legislature as soon as possible. Sign the petition now. We know there’s a desire among many people within government to get the program renewed, but we must apply pressure.
2. Send an email to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, urging him to stop messing around with our children’s future and make a serious commitment before the Copenhagen Conference to reduce Canada’s GHGs by 25% below 1990 by 2020, as Japan has done. pm@pm.gc.ca
3. Send a similar email to Michael Ignatieff, leader of the Liberal Party. Ignatieff.M@parl.gc.ca
4. Attend the free lunchtime lecture on Friday, October 2, Greening the Future? Climate Change, Energy Systems, and Sustainability with UVic’s Dr. Kara Shaw . Call 250-472-4747 to register (Lecture Code: ASDS240 2009F E02)
5. Plan to join the October 24th International Day of Climate Action, starting in Centennial Square at 12 Noon. At the time of writing, 1528 actions are being organized in 125 countries. See 350.org and 350.org/Victoria. This day brings an amazing opportunity for us all to work together. If you can’t make Centennial Square, create your own event, however small.

B. Three Personal Actions

1. If you are not already a member of the BC Sustainable Energy Association, please consider becoming one. Members not only allow BCSEA to put on events like The Age of Stupid, but they’re the driving force behind our projects too. Join now!
2. If you do not already receive EcoNews, Victoria’s monthly environmental newsletter, click here to receive it. And check out the EcoNews monthly Green Diary.
3. Adopt your local MP or MLA, and become their personal climate solutions email service, sending them regular stories that make you concerned or hopeful.

C. Five Household Actions to Reduce your Carbon Footprint

1. Get your home energy-audited, and invest in measures to save energy (EcoEnergy grants available).
2. Take advantage of special homeowner grants – still available for a limited time – to install a solar hot water system. See BCSEA’s SolarBC website for details.
3. Grow your own food, and buy more locally grown organic food. Start eating a more vegetarian diet. There are lots of courses at the Greater Victoria Compost Education Centre and elsewhere.
4. Dust off your bicycle, or buy a new or a second hand one. Join the Greater Victoria Cycling Coalition, and work with them to push for more cycling paths and lanes.
5. Think about ride-sharing for regular trips to work, school, sports, choir, or church. Consider selling your car and joining the Victoria Car Share Cooperative.

The poetry part of this blog is about to make a return as I set off for Banff to work on my food poems for a couple of weeks. See you over the mountains!