The World at Their Feet

Flashes from Vancouver's Green Scene

Matt Hill and Stephanie Tait, the two Vancouverites running their buns off to save the planet, left Canada to embark on the U.S. leg of their journey last month. Matt and Steph, featured on the cover of April’s SharedVISION , hit the pavement five months ago and have since pounded their way through a collective 160 marathons through nine provinces to spread the word about their Run for One Planet Campaign. Advocating the idea of small steps to lessen our impact on the environment, Matt and Steph are “connecting with the pavement in order to connect with the people.” runforoneplanet.com

In other “incredible journey” news, a 20-something B.C. couple is driven to break a record—literally. Cloe Whittaker and Tyson Jerry set off from Victoria last month in a van powered by used cooking oil on a 45,000-km road trip throughout Canada and the U.S. The goal is to make it into the record books for making the longest journey by car using alternative fuel. Follow their progress at driventosustain.com.

Owners of electric cars can now drive their Earth-friendly autos on city streets. Vancouver city council voted last month to amend traffic by-laws to allow the cars to travel on roads with speed limits of up to 50 km/h. Previously, electric cars were permitted only on streets with a maximum speed limit of 40 km/h. Council also passed green building codes stating new garages must be built with plug-ins for electric cars. vancouver.ca

If China can do it, so can we—ban plastic bags, that is. Vancouver city council passed a motion last month to ask city staff to look into the feasibility of banning disposable plastic shopping bags. The city will also ask the province to consider passing a provincial ban.
Roughly 1.5 billion plastic bags are put into circulation every year in B.C. metrovancouver.org

Meanwhile, a Vancouver bakery has put its own ban on plastic bags. European Breads Bakery, whose Georgian baguettes and Ukrainian loaves, grace groceries and restaurants all over the Lower Mainland, is the first bakery in Canada to package its breads in biodegradable bags. Otari Kobalia, the bakery’s owner, says even though eco-friendly bags cost more, it’s an “investment to sustain the environment.” europeanbreads.com

The self-proclaimed Green Team is running a Litterless Lunch campaign to encourage moms and dads to pack eco-conscious lunches (by reducing the use of plastic, for instance) for their children. The Green Team is also involved with the Sustainable Schools program (cyh.dreamhosters.com/?page_id=4 ) and Destination Conservation (dcplanet.ca). To join the Green Team, e-mail Jessie at jessierain@shaw.ca.

Forget Facebook. The cool kids are moving over to EcoBuddies, a Vancouver-based children’s social networking site. Kids log in as hamsters, called “Buddies,” and play games and interact with friends while learning about recycling, renewable energy, and other mainstays of green living. To sign your kids up, visit ecobuddies.com.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) schools have formed a national association to advocate for TCM education and research. The Canadian Association of TCM & Acupuncture Colleges, the first of its kind in Canada, will work to develop national standards to ensure the quality of TCM education in colleges across the country.

Is the clutter in your house cluttering your mind? If so, enter Solutions Organizing’s contest to win a makeover for one room in your home. Deadline for entries is Nov. 15. For entry form and info, visit solutionsorganizing.com .

Got some dirt? Give it up. E-mail editor@shared-vision.com