Spaces, Places and Faces » Sustainable Living

August 26, 2010: Sustainable Campus Initiatives and Climate in the North

SpF — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:07:56 +0000

More than most places in the world, communities in the far north are wrestling with issues related to climate change. SPFer John Wall spoke to Gary Davidson and Beate Bowron, planners who are working on issues related to climate change in the north.

Have you seen the new solar array on the Canal Building? What about the River Building’s green roof? Ok, these projects are still under construction but they are close to completion. They are just two of the many green initiatives that are going on at Carleton. Carol Hunsberger caught up with Murdo Murchison, Carleton’s Sustainability Officer, to learn more about the university’s green achievements and priorities for further action.

August 19, 2010: Just do one more thing

SpF — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:46:53 +0000

This week our theme was taking action. We started off with an improvised Green Routine about ways to prepare for the inevitable: back to school! At least, it’s inevitable for some of us.

In the political arena, Matt Street spoke with first-time ward candidate Clinton Cowan about what motivated him to run for this position and what he would change if he were elected.

Finally, we were joined in the studio by Jen and Grant from the Clean Bin Project. For a year they tried to reduce their production of household waste to practically zero and made a documentary film about the process. They’re currently on a cross-Canada bicycle tour to screen and discuss the film. Their motto: just do one more thing! That is, just take one action that’s unsustainable and make it sustainable, then another, then another…

April 15, 2010: Green Infrastructure and Prairie Agriculture

SpF — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 13:10:17 +0000

Research papers are fine and dandy, but some students are bit more adventurous when it comes to completing their course requirements. This morning on the show we had a special feature from Alina Balitskaia, Aynsley Hector, Kathryn Henley, and Shane Steele, who are students in a geography course at the University of Ottawa taught by SPFer John Wall. They decided to use radio to share their insights on green infrastructure as a part of environmentally healthy cities. More information can be found at Green Roofs and Cool Roofs.

Later, we heard from PhD Candidate Justin Stefanik, who spoke with Robyn Penney about his research into the environmental and cultural impact of evolving agriculture methods used in the southern Prairies. They discussed his motivation to do research in the field, some of the positive and negative experiences he’s had so far, the exciting results that have come about, and his goals for the future after obtaining his degree.

April 8, 2010: EcoConscious; Audits and Weddings

SpF — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:39:44 +0000

This morning on the show we heard from Matt Street with a feature on home eco-audits. On March 31, 2010 the federal government announced that they are starting to wrap up the eco-energy rebate program, and stopped any new eco pre-inspections, but this doesn’t mean that you can’t still get a green home inspection done. Matt spoke with Jonathan Ham of Green Home Inspection in Ottawa about the rebate program, but also more generally about the steps involved with getting a green home inspection done.

Later, we played a feature from last fall about green weddings. Back in August, Matt Street spoke with Amalia Ward, the VP of Operations of Talen Events. They discussed how brides and grooms can reduce the impact of their wedding on the environment.

February 4, 2010: Edward Burtynsky & Chinese Cities

SpF — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 13:25:52 +0000

This morning Henry talked to Patricia Ballamingie about Edward Burtynsky‘s photographs of China, now on display in the Carleton University Art Gallery. She was recently on a panel discussion that analysed the pictures from the perspectives of several academic disciplines, representing geography. Burtynsky’s work is renowned for the way in which he captures the many ways that industry infringes on, and creates Manufactured Landscapes. Burtynsky’s TED talks are available here.

Later, we went to the archives for an interview Carol did with Hendrik Rosenthal of Hyder Consulting Ltd. in Hong Kong about “eco-cities”. These are ambitious projects that aim to incorporate sustainability features into brand new cities from the earliest stages of planning. Hendrik described the population shift that is driving urban growth in East Asia, as well as some of the novel ideas being tried out in eco-cities like Masdar.

She was on a panel discussion recently regarding Edward Burtynsky’s China exhibit, on now at the Carleton University Art Gallery.

November 12, 2009: Alberta Acts on Climate and the Future of the Spirit Bear

SpF — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:05:40 +0000

This week we covered two western Canadian stories with environmental and social twists. Carol Hunsberger interviewed Greg Powell of ‘Alberta Acts on Climate Change’, a joint initiative of the University of Calgary and the Pembina Institute, on environmental citizenship and action on climate change in a province that often gets sneers on climate and carbon policy.

In the second half of the show John Wall interviewed Simon Jackson, founder of the Spirit Bear Youth Coalition about his efforts to produce a Hollywood animated film about BC’s white kermode bear and plow the profits into habitat protection on the Pacific Coast.

October 22, 2009: Snakes and Writers

SpF — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:08:29 +0000

On this show Matt Street looked into the loneliness of the long distance writer. He brought us an interview with a group from Toronto who turned the solitary process of writing into a group effort when they formed the Write Club. This group challenges themselves to write fiction for the club, get it published and share it with as many people possible.

We also heard from Dan Harvey, a wildlife biologist who has been studying rattlesnakes for 10 years. He spoke with Carol Hunsberger about how Ontario’s rattlesnakes are doing, as well as how efforts to protect them fit in with federal and provincial species at risk legislation.

September 24, 2009: Local Foods

SpF — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:57:07 +0000

We all know that buying local food is better for the environment, and better for building social capital. Or so we thought…why is it that economic geographer Pierre Desrochers believes that food miles and the 100 mile diet are a marketing fad? He believes they distort the environmental impacts of our food systems and detract from real pursuit of sustainable food systems. Desrochers is an associate professor at the University of Toronto’s Mississauga campus. SPF contributor Stewart Fast caught up with him earlier this month by phone from Montana where he is spending his sabbatical as a visiting scholar at the Property and Environment Research Centre in Bozeman.

We also heard a previously recorded interview with Matt Dudley, the proprietor of Ottawa Organics and Natural Foods, which lets Ottawa residents order organic, fair trade and often local foods online and then delivers them to the door. Matt Street talked with Matt Dudley about how the system works and how Ottawa Organics decides when to choose local and when to choose fair trade produce. This piece originally aired on May 14, 2009.

August 20, 2009: It’s A Nice Day For A Green Wedding

SpF — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 22:51:34 +0000

This week’s show is all about the wedding bells and how to limit your environmental footprint if you are getting married. In our first segment Matt Street spoke with Amalia Ward the VP of Operations with Talen Events about how brides and grooms can reduce the impact of their wedding on the environment. In the segment Matt references their website and blog as a good source of information with ideas to help you plan a green wedding.

In the second half of the show Britney Boychuck talks to us about how to incorporate ideas of sustainability in vacation planning, both for honeymooning and everyday vacations in this week’s Green Routine.

July 9, 2009: Riding Your Bike to Visit Organic Farms

SpF — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:20:45 +0000

On this weeks show Brittney brings us a Green Routine on Riding your bike to work followed by a roundtable discussion on the subject.

In the second half of the show we have Colin Lundy from Canadian Organic Growers and a local farmer Gerrie Baker in to talk about organic farming in the region as well as some innovative organic farm tours that Canadian Organic Growers via Colin has put together for the summer.