Daniel Preece: Voter Apathy By: Christiane Mineau, regular SPF contributor Chris interviewed Carleton political science professor Daniel Preece about why voter turnout at Canadian federal . . . → Read More: April 21, 2011: Spaces Places and Faces – Federal Election Special]]> Last week on Spaces, Places and Faces, Chris and Robyn hosted  a special political edition of the show in honour of the upcoming federal election on May 2nd 2011.

Daniel Preece: Voter Apathy
By: Christiane Mineau, regular SPF contributor
Chris interviewed Carleton political science professor Daniel Preece about why voter turnout at Canadian federal elections is so low, and what that means for Canadian politics.

Discussion: Profiles and political platforms of federal parties
With: Robyn Penney and Christiane Mineau
Robyn gave us a profile of the leaders of the five major political parties running for election in the federal election on May 2nd 2011, and we discussed the five parties’ election platforms and views on the environment and other social issues.

Environmental News:
By: Robyn Penney, regular SPF contributor
It’s the first anniversary of the BP oil spill, demand for gold is pushing deforestation in the Peruvian amazon, ancient hunting grounds were discovered showing that human-caused environmental degradation is not just a modern-day issue, and researchers use migrating bird feathers to track mercury concentrations in the Pacific.

This morning on the show Henry and Robyn talked about their fourth year theses, Robyn having researched possible green roof implementation on Campus, and Henry studying renewable energy awareness and solar panel implementation under the Ontario microFIT program. The Future . . . → Read More: April 14, 2011: Green Roofs & Solar Panels]]> The OPA’s microFIT program and a green roof in Chicago. Credit 1 & 2.

This morning on the show Henry and Robyn talked about their fourth year theses, Robyn having researched possible green roof implementation on Campus, and Henry studying renewable energy awareness and solar panel implementation under the Ontario microFIT program.

The Future Is Bright: Solar Panel Implementation in Ontario
By: Carol Hunsberger & Matt Street
Henry Hawkins recently finished his fourth year Geography thesis, and studied the motivations and obstacles to people purchasing solar panels for their homes, under the microFIT program. He also completed a survey to discover how much people know about the electricity they consume, and their awareness of energy production and common sources. What is the microFIT program? Why do people apply for it, and what is the future potential of feed-in tariff programs and solar power in general?

If you would like to listen to the radio features that were made for the thesis, discussing what renewable energies are, and available options for homeowners, you can access them here.

Green Roofs at Carleton University
By: Carol Hunsberger, Matt Street & Henry Hawkins
Robyn Penney also finished her fourth year Environmental Studies thesis, and studied possible implementation of green roofs on campus, mostly looking at retrofitting existing buildings. She talked about the composition of green roofs, what they are commonly used for, and the future potential of implementation.

The Environmental News
By: Henry Hawkins
In this week’s environmental news, a report suggests shale gas fracking is more harmful to the environment than coal production, the federal election cycle begins with the Green Party taking a step backwards, the United States loses ground in renewable energy investments, one year after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, bp remains resilient, and penguins in Antarctica face diminishing food supplies.

This morning on the show we heard a two part feature looking at how the campus has evolved over the years, with a focus on sustainable buildings, and by looking at some of the personal experiences within the environment. . . . → Read More: April 7, 2011: The Evolution of Carleton University’s Campus]]> What the future Paterson Hall may look like according to the Campus Master plan. Credit.

This morning on the show we heard a two part feature looking at how the campus has evolved over the years, with a focus on sustainable buildings, and by looking at some of the personal experiences within the environment.

Carleton University Campus: The Built Environment
By: Henry Hawkins & Robyn Penney
In this feature, Henry and Robyn discussed how the Carleton University campus has grown over the years, starting from farmer’s fields to the early days of campus in the 1950s, and the rapid growth thereafter. We then looked at how some of the more recent buildings have used sustainable building features in their design.

Carleton University Campus: Personal Experiences
By: Henry Hawkins & Robyn Penney
Having looked at how the landscape has evolved over the years, we then focused on how people have interacted with that environment over the years, focusing on a few people’s experiences with spaces and places on campus.

The Environmental News
By: Henry Hawkins
In this week’s environmental news,  the World Bank announces reductions in coal power funding for developing countries, the Earth may be getting windier, some confusion arose this week about BP resuming drilling in the Gulf of Mexico, and the Fukushima disaster continues.

This morning on the show, we had two 4th year geography undergrads come in to talk about their thesis research, and we discussed our plans for next year.

Majia McKibbon: Aging Urban Geographies By: Robyn Penney, Regular SPF Contributor Robyn Penney spoke with Maija McKibbon about her 4th year thesis research. Maija focused . . . → Read More: March 31, 2011: 4th Year Undergrad Thesis Talk]]>

This morning on the show, we had two 4th year geography undergrads come in to talk about their thesis research, and we discussed our plans for next year.

Majia McKibbon: Aging Urban Geographies
By: Robyn Penney, Regular SPF Contributor
Robyn Penney spoke with Maija McKibbon about her 4th year thesis research. Maija focused on the dynamics of an aging population in urban centers and how it is affecting transportation, local businesses and the people themselves. Her research showed some surprising facts and knowledge on this misunderstood sector of the population.

This morning we had the third episode in our focus on renewable energies, focusing on solar power. We looked at the current state of the industry, some options available to homeowners, and had an interview . . . → Read More: March 24, 2011: SPF’s Renewable Energy Series, Episode 3 – Solar Power]]> Solar panels in Enbridge’s PV plant in Sarnia, Ontario – currently the largest PV plant in the world. Credit.

This morning we had the third episode in our focus on renewable energies, focusing on solar power. We looked at the current state of the industry, some options available to homeowners, and had an interview with Tim Weis, director of renewable energies at the Pembina Institute.

Overview of Solar Power
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SPF Contributor
In this feature, we look at the main types of solar power technologies available to homeowners, largely focusing on solar PV panels to generate electricity. The Government of Ontario currently offers one of the most generous programs to purchase electricity from homeowners who install systems, and this program and others like it are at the forefront of the push to the future of solar power implementation. The feature also looks at solar hot water heaters, and how the industry may evolve in the future.

The Science Moment: Solar Technology
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SPF Contributor
In the second feature, we take a break for a science moment, looking at the differences between the main sources of solar power used for power plants and for home users, and how the technology has evolved over the years.

Tim Weis: Solar Power In Ontario
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SPF Contributor
In the final feature, Henry spoke to Tim Weiss, the director of renewable energies at the Pembina Institute, a renewable energy think-tank and advocacy group here in Canada. Tim talked about some of the benefits to pursuing solar power, the costs involved, and how the microFIT program has promoted solar power in Ontario.

The Environmental News
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SPF Contributor
In this week’s environmental news, a cloud of radiation has been spreading from Japan over North America and Europe, NASA’s Messenger becomes the first spacecraft to orbit the planet Mercury, in France, Google is fined for breaching privacy laws gathering pictures for its Street View service, governments around the world are reconsidering the future of nuclear power plants, and Earth Hour takes place this Saturday at 8:30.

This week on the show we heard the other side of the issue from last week’s feature on Israeli Apartheid Week, had a feature from first time SPF contributor Chris Boerger, and our 7th episode of . . . → Read More: March 17, 2011: Israeli Awareness Week]]>

Descalier’s 1550 World Map, detail of Australia. Hear about the map in this week’s Madgical moment. Credit.

This week on the show we heard the other side of the issue from last week’s feature on Israeli Apartheid Week, had a feature from first time SPF contributor Chris Boerger, and our 7th episode of the Madgical Moments series, on a 1550 world map.

Emile Scheffel: Israeli Awareness
By: Robyn Penney, Regular SPF Contributor
Last week we had a feature from the organizers of the Israeli Apartheid week, and this week we had Emile Scheffel on to discuss the opposing viewpoint to the week’s events. He discussed some present issues that face pro-Israel students on campus, and the desperate need for some understanding and acceptance of opposing views on both sides.

Local Foods In Ottawa
By: Chris Boerger, Guest SPF Contributor
This morning we heard a feature from first-time SPF contributor Chris Boerger, a 2nd year environmental studies student who completed a radio documentary for one of his courses last semester. He looked at local foods in Ottawa, and interviewed the owner at Absinthe Cafe in Hintonburg.

Madgical Moments, Episode 7: 1550 World Map
By: Sue Pinard, Map Specialist in the Madgic Department
In this seventh episode, Sue discusses a map made by Pierre Desceliers in 1550, an interesting blend of old and new information in a time of rapid exploration in North America. You can see this map in the MacOdrum library, on the second by the elevators.

March 17, 2011: The Environmental News
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SPF Contributor
In this week’s environmental news, Japan continues to recover from the 9.0 earthquake that devastated the country last friday, sales of electric vehicles get off to a slow start in the US, LEED certifications come under fire, and wind power gets a break in a recent Ontario court case.

This morning on the show we had a special guest, SPF alumni Ashleigh Grange who came in to talk about some of the sustainable practices she uses in her business, Plush Text Communications. We also heard from Yafa Jarrar about . . . → Read More: March 10, 2011: Israeli Apartheid Week]]> The poster for the Israeli Apartheid week, happening from March 7-11 in Ottawa. Credit.

This morning on the show we had a special guest, SPF alumni Ashleigh Grange who came in to talk about some of the sustainable practices she uses in her business, Plush Text Communications. We also heard from Yafa Jarrar about the events planned for the Israeli Apartheid Week.

Yafa Jarrar: Israeli Apartheid Week
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SPF Contributor
Yafa Jarrar is on the organizing committee for Ottawa’s Israeli Apartheid Week, one of 77 cities around the world to be hosting events between March 7-11 this year. As part of the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement that began in 2005, the week-long events are designed to raise awareness, and create dialogue on the Israeli-Palestine conflict. The movement seeks to define apartheid as a criminal system, and make steps toward dismantling the separation. You can find out more about the events here.

Ashleigh Grange: Plush Text Communications
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SPF Contributor
Ashleigh Grange was one of the original SPF’ers involved with the show, and came in to co-host the show while she was in Ottawa this week. She talked about her experiences with the show, and some of the sustainable practices she incorporates into her small business. Plush Text Communications is an environmentally conscious company, specializing in translations, copywrighting, and editing for companies and corporations. You can find out more about Plush Text at their website.

The Environmental News
By: Chris Mineau, Regular SPF Contributor
In this week’s environmental news, China is putting green technologies and policies at the heart of their new development plan, Australia makes a third attempt at putting a price on carbon emissions, our national animal is being heralded as an eco-saviour by conservationists, republicans in the senate intensify efforts to strip the EPA of their right to regulate greenhouse gases, and here in Canada Stephen Harper’s government is following suit.

It’s been four years already, and this morning we looked back on the past four years of memories, over 300 features, and all the people who have put in their hard work . . . → Read More: March 3, 2011: The 4th Anniversary Special]]> Henry Hawkins, Carol Hunsberger, John Wall, Robyn Penney, and Chris Mineau, some of the contributors to SPF over the past 4 years.

It’s been four years already, and this morning we looked back on the past four years of memories, over 300 features, and all the people who have put in their hard work to make the show possible.

You can listen to this episode in its entirety, including a couple of songs specially chosen as our favourites. Some highlights include:

The Evolution of SPF
By: John Wall, Carol Hunsberger, Henry Hawkins & Robyn Penney
Since starting the show in 2007, we’ve come a long way and learned a lot about how to put together a radio show. Starting with John having the idea for a geography radio show, he and Carol learned all about how to put together a radio show, and soon made it on the air at CKCU. From there, Henry and Robyn talked about where they’ve taken the show over the past year, and what the future may hold.

SPF Contributors
By: John Wall, Carol Hunsberger, Henry Hawkins, Robyn Penney & Chris Mineau
We looked back at all the people who have made their mark on the show over the years, including Matt Street, Ashleigh Grange, Brittany Boychuk, Paul Martin, and many more. We heard some of our favourite moments from over the years, and had an update on where some of the past volunteers are now.

This week on the show we heard about Carol’s contribution to the UN’s upcoming Geo-5 report, Andrew talked to Murdo Murchison about composting programs on campus, and we had the 6th episode of the Madgical . . . → Read More: February 24, 2011: The UN’s Geo-5 Report]]> The Geo-4 report was released in 2007, and the Geo-5 is currently being prepared for release in 2011. Credit.

This week on the show we heard about Carol’s contribution to the UN’s upcoming Geo-5 report, Andrew talked to Murdo Murchison about composting programs on campus, and we had the 6th episode of the Madgical Moments series, on a ‘Red-Lined’ map.

Carol Hunsberger: The UN’s Geo-5 Report
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SPF Contributor
Geo-5 is the latest in a series of reports by the United Nations Environmental Programme, that gives a broad overview of the current state of the world’s environment. It is created for the purpose of defining current problems, and exploring how to best face them in the future, and is therefore targeted at those in governments with the power to implement meaningful changes. Carol Hunsberger is a co-Coordinating Lead Author for the chapter on land, and joined us in the studio this morning to discuss the purpose of the report, and the preparation of the next volume. You can find the past reports, and the Geo-5 when it is released here.

Murdo Murchison: Carleton’s Composting Program
By: Andrew Lindstrom, Regular SPF Contributor
Murdo Murchison is Carleton University’s Sustainability Officer, and spoke with Andrew this past week about Carleton’s composting program on campus. Currently confined to behind the counters in the UC and other facilities, they hope to implement it around campus in the future.

Madgical Moments, Episode 6: The Red-Lined Map
By: Beth Ray, Maps Specialist @ MADGIC
The Red-Lined map is a historical map used during the negotiations at the Treaty of Paris in 1783 to establish the boundary between the US and Canada, when the United States first gained its independence. In this feature, Beth talks about some of the stories behind the British and American negotiations of the delineation of territory between the US and Canada, and how our border easily could have been very different from where it is today.

The Environmental News
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SPF Contributor
In this week’s environmental news, the UN suggests that investment in greening the world’s economies could spur economic growth, 2010 saw record amounts of solar panels installed around the world, an earthquake measuring 6.3 struck Christchurch, New Zealand, and genetically modified crops reach coverage of 1 billion hectares.

This morning on the show we heard from Sarah Walker about the Oxbow Park Naturalization Project, and took a trip to the archives to hear about Dana Meise, who is walking across Canada on the Trans-Canada Trail.

Sarah Walker: . . . → Read More: February 17, 2011: Oxbow Park Naturalization]]> Oxbow Park, one of the few remaining natural spaces on Carleton’s Campus. Credit.

This morning on the show we heard from Sarah Walker about the Oxbow Park Naturalization Project, and took a trip to the archives to hear about Dana Meise, who is walking across Canada on the Trans-Canada Trail.

Sarah Walker: Oxbow Park Naturalization Project
By: Robyn Penney, Regular SPF Contributor
Oxbow Park was created in the early 1990s as a space of recreation and relaxation on campus, governed by ideas of sustainability and naturalization. By planting indigenous species of plants and shrubs, the park has become a natural, low maintenance area on campus that provides an accommodating haven for wildlife. Robyn talked to Sarah about OPIRG-Carleton’s efforts to conserve the park, and how Carleton views the park as a liability instead of a recreation area.

Dana Meise: Trans-Canada Traveller
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SPF Contributor
This morning we replayed an interview with Dana Meise from last year, who is spending his summers walking across Canada on the Trans-Canada trail. Starting in Newfoundland in 2008, he walked his way through Ottawa last May, and after his third season had walked a total of 7,570km. Henry talked to him about his travels to that point, and some of his experiences along the way.

The Environmental News
By: Henry Hawkins, Regular SPF Contributor
In this week’s environmental news, Ontario halts all plans for offshore wind electricity projects, a court in Ecuador has ordered Chevron to pay 8.6 billion dollars for for environmental damages caused by mining in the 1970s and 80s, compensation payments for the 20 billion dollar Gulf of Mexico fund stumble along, and two recent reports provide further evidence of the link between climate change and extreme weather events.