Vancouver Chapter Meeting ­ May 2007 …

                                Vancouver Chapter Meeting ­ May 2007

Introduction
This month's meeting was structured around a group discussion aimed at generating ideas about how we, as
individuals, can start to take, or continue taking, steps to reduce your environmental impact in our personal and
professional lives.
What would enable us to make more of a difference? What sorts of obstacles prevent us from making significant
changes to your lifestyle?
BCSEA members explored these and other questions that we all struggle to answer on our journey towards a
more sustainable future. We also gathered feedback from members on how you see the role of the BCSEA
evolving in the future to ensure that we remain a relevant and valuable voice in light of rapidly progressing
attitudes about energy and the environment.

Group Discussion Responses:

How are YOU making a difference?
Gas heating alternatives
Alternative transport - Hybrid cars, bio-diesel, transit, bike, walk, skateboarding, car co-op, rideshare
Alternative to washroom paper towels ­ BYO cloth
Washing clothes ­ cold water wash, clothesline not dryer
Eating, shopping, drinking local, organic food ­ consuming less meat
Reduce travel to meetings ­ use phone or email more
Solar electricity and hot water, `on demand' water heaters
Alternative energy research
Reduce plastic bags ­ BYO bags, boxes for shopping
Reduce takeout containers, cups ­ BYO and protest against Styrofoam users
Use glass instead of plastic
Unplug or switch off appliances to reduce phantom loads with power-bars
Compost food scraps
Efficient driving habits
Replace light bulbs with energy efficient models
Energy audit of the home
Letter writing to politicians (1 letter represents 800 voters ­ hand written/signed is more of an impact than email)
Fight indifference
Career choice
Local holidays (reduce flying)
Live close to where you work and play (reduce commute, car use)
Rain water harvesting
Grow own food
Green cleaning products

What would enable you to make MORE of a difference?
Increase the cost of driving ­ fuel, parking, registration, insurance, tolls, congestion charges
Reduce the cost of transit ­ easier and better to use
Ride sharing ­ more attractive options
Direct measurements of influence ­ net metering, improvements in energy bills
Carbon footprint tool (on BCSEA website)
$ incentives for making changes ­ heat pumps, solar HW, hybrids, tax breaks, carbon tax
Tools to encourage landlords to change to more efficient, effective technologies
Educational tools ­ websites, classrooms, public forums
Letter writing club ­ support, examples, ideas
Quantified and tangible results from changes made
Cradle-cradle consumption cost of products, not just retail value
How do we get these enabling items adopted?
Municipalities provide discounts and promote incentives more
Employers ­ encourage energy conservation
Join corporate organisation to change and influence
Whistleblowers ­ e.g. calculate costs of sending troops to war and inform media, public, etc
Demonstrate by example to peers, media, colleagues
Vote for the Green Party
Present solutions ­ letters to politicians, landlords, meetings
Government incentives ­ net metering, pressure from public with letters etc
Stop maintaining roads
Speak the language of the audience ­ economics, relevance
Media ­ greenhouse gas count, water usage...
Make corporations responsible for recycle, salvaging materials for reuse, recycle
Positive feedback vs. Fear
Permaculture ­ with nature, not against

What would you like to see the BCSEA doing in the future?
Networking ­ e.g. ridesharing to meetings
Letter writing workshop
Presentation workshop for public speaking
Interactive carbon footprint calculator
Engage Translink, ICBC in efficient driving incentives
Increase transportation involvement
Lobbying influence with schools, hospitals, government...
Increase active engagement of media e.g. carbon counter
Increase information on Adaptation ­ coping with climate change
Evaluation of other avenues - ensuring update of organization initiatives
BCSEA advert ­ TV, funding...


Summary
These are all fantastic points. Even though each of us may not be doing ALL of these things, it enables us to
think of more areas that we can act upon, and influence others to adopt.
We will be offering letter writing workshops in the future to target these main areas of focus and to put increasing
pressure on governments and industry to make the changes that we wish to see in the world.

Thanks for your participation and feedback!!
                                                                     th
We look forward to seeing you at the next chapter meeting ­ June 6 , 6.30pm