Monday, February 28, 2005
Envrionment / Solutions
Calgarians are Commuting with Carpool.ca
CALGARY, AB, Feb. 22, 2005 (Calgary Climate Change Quarterly) - Calgary’s carpool program is thriving, and now boasts over 2,000 active participants registered with Carpool.ca. This innovative program is making it easy for Calgarians to choose ridesharing as a smart commuting alternative. "The increase in registered carpoolers makes the Calgary program one of the most successful in Canada," according to Ron Schafer, a City of Calgary Transportation Specialist. "The program is resulting in annual greenhouse gas savings of over 9,400 tonnes. That’s equivalent to taking about 240 cars off Calgary’s roads for a year," Schafer says. Read more. If you would like to subscribe and automatically receive the CCCQ by e-mail, please contact climate.change@calgary.ca.
Calgarians are Commuting with Carpool.ca
CALGARY, AB, Feb. 22, 2005 (Calgary Climate Change Quarterly) - Calgary’s carpool program is thriving, and now boasts over 2,000 active participants registered with Carpool.ca. This innovative program is making it easy for Calgarians to choose ridesharing as a smart commuting alternative. "The increase in registered carpoolers makes the Calgary program one of the most successful in Canada," according to Ron Schafer, a City of Calgary Transportation Specialist. "The program is resulting in annual greenhouse gas savings of over 9,400 tonnes. That’s equivalent to taking about 240 cars off Calgary’s roads for a year," Schafer says. Read more. If you would like to subscribe and automatically receive the CCCQ by e-mail, please contact climate.change@calgary.ca.
Our Shifting Focus / Strengthening Links
Disabled: Living Life to the Full with a Friends Network
E-Magazine, Sep. 2004 (Changemakers Journal, Sept. ’04, By Steve Owad) "If I die, who will take care of my child?" The question comes naturally to every parent, but with added depth for Vancouver's Chuck Walker, whose son, Gordon, has autism. When Chuck's wife died in 1988, Chuck knew he had to do something to secure his son's future. http://www.changemakers.net/journal/04september/owad.cfm.
Disabled: Living Life to the Full with a Friends Network
E-Magazine, Sep. 2004 (Changemakers Journal, Sept. ’04, By Steve Owad) "If I die, who will take care of my child?" The question comes naturally to every parent, but with added depth for Vancouver's Chuck Walker, whose son, Gordon, has autism. When Chuck's wife died in 1988, Chuck knew he had to do something to secure his son's future. http://www.changemakers.net/journal/04september/owad.cfm.
Science & Technology / Wireless Networks
Innovative Broadband Program Ramping Up
CHICAGO, IL, Feb. 25, 2005 (Center for Neighbourhood Technology) - CNT's Wireless Community Networks (WCN) project is ramping up. The project is testing the feasibility of using wireless technologies in an innovative network design to provide low-cost broadband service and community content to underserved households, community groups and small businesses. This project is one of the only projects in the country to connect underserved communities with broadband access using wireless on a scale of over 100 participants per area! Not surprisingly, it has gotten the attention of national media policy groups who are working to promote public access to the airwaves; open-access, open-standards networks; and competition in the broadband sector. Wireless community networks are made possible through the use of unlicensed spectrum and low-powered radios, which provide the platform for localized networks. http://wcn.cnt.org/donations.
Innovative Broadband Program Ramping Up
CHICAGO, IL, Feb. 25, 2005 (Center for Neighbourhood Technology) - CNT's Wireless Community Networks (WCN) project is ramping up. The project is testing the feasibility of using wireless technologies in an innovative network design to provide low-cost broadband service and community content to underserved households, community groups and small businesses. This project is one of the only projects in the country to connect underserved communities with broadband access using wireless on a scale of over 100 participants per area! Not surprisingly, it has gotten the attention of national media policy groups who are working to promote public access to the airwaves; open-access, open-standards networks; and competition in the broadband sector. Wireless community networks are made possible through the use of unlicensed spectrum and low-powered radios, which provide the platform for localized networks. http://wcn.cnt.org/donations.
Transportation / Car-Sharing
I-GO Car Sharing Continues Rapid Expansion -- JOIN TODAY!
CHICAGO, IL, Feb. 25, 2005 (Center for Neighbourhood Technology) - CNT's I-GO car sharing program continues to grow. In February, the program added two new cars to its fleet, one in East Lakeview (Halsted & Newport) and the other in the Loop (Franklin & Lake). In March, the program will reach 2 big milestones: 1,000 members and 25 cars! http://www.i-go-cars.org/
I-GO Car Sharing Continues Rapid Expansion -- JOIN TODAY!
CHICAGO, IL, Feb. 25, 2005 (Center for Neighbourhood Technology) - CNT's I-GO car sharing program continues to grow. In February, the program added two new cars to its fleet, one in East Lakeview (Halsted & Newport) and the other in the Loop (Franklin & Lake). In March, the program will reach 2 big milestones: 1,000 members and 25 cars! http://www.i-go-cars.org/
Cooperatives / Education
What's UVic Co-op?
VICTORIA, BC, Feb. 2005 (UVIC Co-op) - Co-operative Education, usually known as Co-op, is an integrated approach to higher education which enables bright, highly motivated students to alternate academic terms on campus with relevant, paid, full time work experience. Successful Co-op graduates complete a degree program with an academic component identical to that of a regular degree program, with the addition of several co-op terms, depending on the program. The practical experience gained on these structured and supervised work terms is an integral part of the student's education. The term "Co-operative Education " emphasizes the relationship between the employer, the student and the University of Victoria. Since the mid-1970's UVic Co-op has grown to become the third largest Co-op in Canada. We've built our success on personalized service, high quality work opportunities, and leading-edge technology. http://mycoop.coop.uvic.ca/.
What's UVic Co-op?
VICTORIA, BC, Feb. 2005 (UVIC Co-op) - Co-operative Education, usually known as Co-op, is an integrated approach to higher education which enables bright, highly motivated students to alternate academic terms on campus with relevant, paid, full time work experience. Successful Co-op graduates complete a degree program with an academic component identical to that of a regular degree program, with the addition of several co-op terms, depending on the program. The practical experience gained on these structured and supervised work terms is an integral part of the student's education. The term "Co-operative Education " emphasizes the relationship between the employer, the student and the University of Victoria. Since the mid-1970's UVic Co-op has grown to become the third largest Co-op in Canada. We've built our success on personalized service, high quality work opportunities, and leading-edge technology. http://mycoop.coop.uvic.ca/.
Our Shifting Focus / Global Village
Visiting the Foundation for Global Community
WEB Reference, Feb. 2005 (FGC) - The Foundation for Global Community is a nonprofit educational organization, dedicated to reconnecting people, the planet, and prosperity. Recognizing that natural, social, and economic systems are all parts of a single interconnected whole, the Foundation has been promoting cultural change, facilitating personal development, and strengthening community connections for over 50 years. Activity at the Foundation for Global Community centers around a diverse collection of projects, including: the Business and Sustainability Initiative, The Valley of Heart's Delight food and agriculture project, Global MindShift and the MindShift Cafe, Hooked on Nature, Exploring a Sense of Place, Children and Nature, and the Walk Through Time. The Foundation also offers a variety of personal development courses: the Enneagram, Conflict Resolution workshops, Promoting High Quality Dialog in Our Society, Marriage in Changing Times, and others. Other projects include Timeline magazine, Hooked on Nature, the Israeli-Palestinian Initiative: Framework for a Public Peace Process, and ARISE (Afghanistan Retraining Initiative for Self-Employment) in collaboration with the Afghan Center of Fremont. The Foundation also sponsors speakers and special events and has produced several high quality videotapes which are available for purchase.
Visiting the Foundation for Global Community
WEB Reference, Feb. 2005 (FGC) - The Foundation for Global Community is a nonprofit educational organization, dedicated to reconnecting people, the planet, and prosperity. Recognizing that natural, social, and economic systems are all parts of a single interconnected whole, the Foundation has been promoting cultural change, facilitating personal development, and strengthening community connections for over 50 years. Activity at the Foundation for Global Community centers around a diverse collection of projects, including: the Business and Sustainability Initiative, The Valley of Heart's Delight food and agriculture project, Global MindShift and the MindShift Cafe, Hooked on Nature, Exploring a Sense of Place, Children and Nature, and the Walk Through Time. The Foundation also offers a variety of personal development courses: the Enneagram, Conflict Resolution workshops, Promoting High Quality Dialog in Our Society, Marriage in Changing Times, and others. Other projects include Timeline magazine, Hooked on Nature, the Israeli-Palestinian Initiative: Framework for a Public Peace Process, and ARISE (Afghanistan Retraining Initiative for Self-Employment) in collaboration with the Afghan Center of Fremont. The Foundation also sponsors speakers and special events and has produced several high quality videotapes which are available for purchase.
Co-ops / Youth
Youth Reinventing Co-operatives
VICTORIA, BC Feb. 14, 2005 (BCICS website) - The BCICS, in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation, the International Co-operative Alliance, and the Canadian Co-operative Association, is preparing a book showing how young people around the world are using co-operatives to meet their economic and social needs. Read More - http://bcics.uvic.ca/youthzone/youth_reinvent.htm . Click here to see the Youth Zone page - http://bcics.uvic.ca/youthzone/.
Youth Reinventing Co-operatives
VICTORIA, BC Feb. 14, 2005 (BCICS website) - The BCICS, in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation, the International Co-operative Alliance, and the Canadian Co-operative Association, is preparing a book showing how young people around the world are using co-operatives to meet their economic and social needs. Read More - http://bcics.uvic.ca/youthzone/youth_reinvent.htm . Click here to see the Youth Zone page - http://bcics.uvic.ca/youthzone/.
Local Living Communities
The Land Question
GREAT BARRINGTON, MA, Feb. 26, 2005 (E.F. Schumacher Society) - Robert Swann, founder of the E. F. Schumacher Society, argued that land should not be treated as a commodity that is bought and sold but rather should be held in trust by the regional community, and access to land should be via social contract not market forces. To implement his ideas, Bob shaped the Community Land Trust movement that began in 1967. A Community Land Trust is a form of common land ownership with a charter based on the principles of sustainable and ecologically sound stewardship and use. The central principle of the Community Land Trust is that homes, barns, fences, gardens, and all things done with or on the land should be owned by the individuals creating them, but the land itself--a limited community resource--should be owned by the community as a whole. Read more.
The Land Question
GREAT BARRINGTON, MA, Feb. 26, 2005 (E.F. Schumacher Society) - Robert Swann, founder of the E. F. Schumacher Society, argued that land should not be treated as a commodity that is bought and sold but rather should be held in trust by the regional community, and access to land should be via social contract not market forces. To implement his ideas, Bob shaped the Community Land Trust movement that began in 1967. A Community Land Trust is a form of common land ownership with a charter based on the principles of sustainable and ecologically sound stewardship and use. The central principle of the Community Land Trust is that homes, barns, fences, gardens, and all things done with or on the land should be owned by the individuals creating them, but the land itself--a limited community resource--should be owned by the community as a whole. Read more.
