Community Mapping

Community mapping introduces new concepts to individuals about their respective communities. These maps can identify new sustainable projects or developments occurring allowing them to be aware of important changes within their society. The creation and use of the maps increases social capital of the community allowing individuals of different ages and backgrounds to participate together. Within the Common Ground Community Mapping Project website they explain that the map can be used to link natural and human environments, as well as connecting eco and cultural resources. The maps also are used in putting a new 'perspective ' on the community in which they live.

I found the Green Map of Victoria interesting especially since they had the initiative to include original First Nation names of the different areas. This is information that many people, including me, do not know and would not necessarily come across in our daily lives. It is important to link the different cultures of a community in order for all individuals to work towards a common goal. I think that is the key to any change that is needed.

Cob buildings rock!

So I have recently (in light of the past Sustainability Day events) been reading about how to build a cob house. At the trade-show for Sustainability Day there was a booth with a couple from Victoria who are building their own cob house. I had heard about straw bale houses and was interested those, but I knew little of cob houses. So after talking with them I bought a book and now I am determined to build one for myself! I really like how they fit into the concepts of sustainability. They are built using only locally found geologic materials so that less carbon is spent trying to transport material from elsewhere. They are also made with materials that are not altered to any great degree and do not have any harsh chemical in them or required to make them.

Cob is generally made up of a mixture of sand, gravel, clay and straw which is then used to make the walls and compacted earth to make the floor. Now it still strikes me as weird that these walls made of cob can actually hold a roof up let alone a second floor, but they can and last much longer than a standard wood framed house. A wood framed house generally lasts ~50 years while a cob house if built properly can last over 100's of years! In the book they emphasize the importance of picking the right site (since you can't build cob in every environment) as well as looking at the environment surrounding it. They suggest making the plans of your house to incorporate the sunrise and angle of light that will hit the house during the different seasons. So you would have your morning sun room facing the east where the sun rises and have your kitchen facing the west where it sets. They also suggest limiting the windows on the north wall to make sure the cob walls have a chance to obtain the heat from the sun and release it slowly over the day into you home. Living roofs can be incorporated into the design, as well as rain catchment barrels and solar panels for electricity generation.

I still have more to read which I don't really have time for, but I hope one day I can build my own house...

Judy Brownoff from the Saanich Municipality came to talk to our class about integrating sustainability into municipal and community plans. This municipality has created a plan called the Sustainable Saanich Official Community Plan from the Saanich Municipality website.

This community has made a plan to include sustainaible initiatives within the community, as well as committing to the Climate Action Charter. The Climate Action Charter which has been in response to the BC Legislation called Bill 44-2007. Saanich hopes to reduce their greenhouse gases by 10% in the year 2010 in all municipally owned buildings etc.

I found Judy's talk enlightening because she spoke of her passion in sustainable initiatives but also talked about the fact that it is hard to change peoples minds about its importance. She talked about how it is important to explain to people that it may not currently be a normal way of life to change ways of building and getting around in a sustainable fashion, but that eventually people come to understand and act.... most of the time ;-) She also talked about how it is so slow when trying to convert representatives on council to become aware of the importance in spending time and money to these initiatives. I think if I were in her place I would get frustrated very quickly, but she seems to have a great attitude about the time and her ability in changing peoples minds.

Saanich Municipality Website: http://www.gov.saanich.bc.ca/business/development/plan/pdfs/apr2308ocpenvsect4.pdf

Albert Einstein's Wisdom Amoung Others

The E-dialogue for the International Centre for Sustainable Cities Dialogue Series about Sustainability Indicators on the RRU website (http://crcresearch.org/edialogues/eforum/index.php?sid=51e7a0fe1c495a271680b5e030a634a5) is very interesting. The fact that so many people come together and talk about these topics for the public to see is great! One lady by the name of Gwen Colman was talking about how the Maori people of New Zealand have the tradition of kopapa. She stated that they have historically had important connections to their environment incorporating the significance of knowing place, which I think is very similar to the values and traditions of the North American First Nations.

I also liked the comment from Linda Harvey who stated that there is a significant connection between the health of the community and how the municipal governments determine the planning and infrastructure of a city. These infrastructure, she states, are greatly responsible for the increase emissions from transportation and subsequently the high rates of health effects such as, asthma and obesity.

It was brought up in the dialogue that an important indicator is the use of an Ecological Footprint. I have talked alot about footprints in my 4 1/2 years of schooling. It has always been a favourite topic for my teachers to talk about. But I do think it brings up a good point in the fact that it puts a value on how many resources a person is using and what impact on the planet they are creating for themselves and their surrounding community.

Finally to end my post, I like the quote Ann Dale posted from Albert Einstein in reference to sustainability community development measurements:

"Not everything that can be counted counts, and not everything that counts can be counted."

- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

And I just have to add in this second quote because sometimes it is so true!

"Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."

- Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

(http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~robins/quotes.html)

New ways of communication

Virtual or e-dialogues are a new concept for me. I have not had the experience in being involved with any of them; however, I plan to take a look at the one on Tuesday May 13^th, on “Sustainability Indicators” since I will not be able to participate. E-dialogues can be important because they provide the ability for different people from different backgrounds and geographical areas to come together and participate in a conversation that they may not otherwise have been able to. They can also give an increased level of diversity, a means of archiving the information immediately as it is happening. E-dialogues can also have limits including an age barrier limitation where the younger people are savvy in the knowledge of computers while older people may not be, it is a public conversation which could limit what someone would normally say in a conventional conversation, and it may not engage all of the public community.

Sustainable development is (hopefully) here to stay

There are many things that make sustainable development a success. I think the most important thing is public consultation or community engagement. Community engagement is important because it is a way to find out the real issues and wants within a community. To involve the community before planning the development will ensure a more integrated approach that will be accepted by more of the public than just developing for the sake of developing. This process can also be preceded by community profiling to first research that will be or is living in the area to become developed. Active listening by the facilitator can ensure that all is understood and addressed by the public. Like anyone, if they feel like they are being heard and their opinions or concerns will be addressed then it will make them confident in the development. Not only is the public important to consult but also the collaboration of different stakeholders that are involved in the development. These can be inclusive to all, as well as the ownership of the land.

The new development of in the Dockside Green area in downtown Victoria is to include sustainable building methods. I think it is great that Victoria is trying to include sustainable building methods into Victoria, especially in the downtown area and in the Vic West region, which is in some need for improvement. With more development downtown there will be increased use of the downtown core and hopefully more initiatives to address some of the problems with downtown, such as homelessness. One thing that is unfortunate about the Dockside Green development is that it only caters to high income earners. Even though they are supposed to include low income housing, I am not convinced about what their definition of low income housing is. But all the same with these types of developments going in there will be more incentive to follow suit in the surrounding area.

Picture Reference: http://www.greenplaybook.org/database/images/display/sb4720d928d50d3.jpg

Reflection on last weeks topics

The Future Search conference process we practiced in class was a discussion on biofuels. Are biofuels the answer to our future energy needs? Our class went through various processes identifying issues, visions and solutions to the concept of biofuels. I found it really interesting hearing all of the different components from various people in the class. There is so much more benefit in hearing other ideas and opinions that normally you would not think about. You also have the opportunity to argue your views of ideas you have or ideas from others.

In our second class this past week, some case studies were discussed about social capital. I found the example about the binner, Ken Lyotier, fascinating. It’s a great example because it shows how a person who may not be in the best of circumstances in life has an ingenious idea that can fill a niche no one has thought of previously. He seemed to have a down to earth, matter of fact way of describing the realities of his business and the social capital involved. He also addressed the importance of how his employees have a very different way of dealing with things, such as the lifestyle of a street person, which makes it a unique situation.

One of the things I have started forming an increasing interest in is sustainable development. I really believe that one of the main ways people are going to change their unsustainable ways is through sustainable development. People will only change when either other people force them to change or provide them with that change. If you ask them (I would think) they would rather live in a multi-use development with lots of green spaces and using sustainable methods, rather than an old apartment surrounded by a field of asphalt.

Green Spaces

Our speaker in class this week was there to discuss the health of communities in BC. Many of the communities in BC have aspects to them that are not healthy and are in need of someone to point them in the right direction. I liked the example that Jodi used about helping groups start community gardens. I have always thought it was a creative way to turn an old parking lot full of asphalt into a green space. To have a space that everyone can enjoy and where people can grow their own veggies when they may live in an apartment and have no access to a backyard. It also provides a place to get green therapy and relief from the ever expanding asphalt land that surrounds us. BC Healthy Communities at first seemed kind of a fluffy concept when I first heard of it, but after the talk in class, I do feel it is necessary for there to be these types of resources available. It is a step in the right direction when sustainable concepts are incorporated into any part of a community.

The use of green spaces not only helps a community build on its community involvement but it has also been proven that they improve mental health as well. I feel this is important because whenever I go camping I always feel a sense of relief and inner peace that I just do not feel living in downtown Victoria in an apartment. I always think that I should be going camping and hiking more often since it seems to calm my inner self down but I am constantly running out of time and fail to get out there. My full-time schedule at school does not help and I know I would be out there more often if I didn’t have such a hectic schedule.

My Social Capital

The focus of our class this week was social capital. Social capital can include the bonding, bridging and vertical aspects of a person’s life network. Bonding between families and close friends can be an integral part of a human’s life. These strong connections between individuals create the sense of purpose and a sense of place. Place being the niche in which a person inhabits and creates for themselves and where they usually feel most comfortable. The concept of bridging allows these connections from family and friends to branch out into the further networks building a sense of community. The vertical aspects of a person’s life incorporate the connection with higher groups of individuals such as decision makers or people of authority higher than their own.

I feel my social capital varies as my life progresses. Since I am currently enrolled in full time school there is less time than ever to keep the connections I have made in my past active. However, I have opened up even more connections at my university to higher people who have access to potential employers. I have also found that I have been calling my friends and family much less than usual and as a result they call me even less. I feel bad that I don’t talk to them as much but I really don’t have time for them and I hope that they don’t take my lack of communication as disinterest. There is also the fact that I am not planning on staying in my current city since I will probably leave to find a job elsewhere. My decision for leaving and my lack of time can contribute to a lower desire to create long-term ties to the community such as joining community groups. I do have close connections with some friends and my boyfriend who I am able to spend time with and these connections are what I use to try and maintain balance in my life.

Am I a part of a sustainable community?

After completing the survey from the Facebook group ‘What community means to me!’ it made me think of my current community. I thought back to my childhood where I grew up on a rural road and everyone knew each other well. I could wander around my neighbourhood play with the other neighbourhood kids and would help out my neighbours for my hard earned cash to spend at the store. I really felt like I was part of a community and my family and parents were instrumental in forming that community. But now I live in an apartment where most people don’t know my name and my landlord is not necessarily someone I trust or would like to get to know. I feel like for me to feel like I was a part of a community I would need to know my neighbours. Even though I may be a part of other communities like the Royal Roads BSc. Environmental Science community, I spend a lot of my time at home and it would be nice to have that same connection here. Talking about this brings to mind the notion that sustainable development must include high density housing where more people should be living in apartments and condos. But if most people who have apartments have similar situations as mine then we are solving one problem by reducing our footprint but creating another by distancing ourselves from the community and the environment. It seems odd to me that I live closer than ever to several people yet I know them much less than I did in my rural childhood home where I lived farther away.