May 28, 2009

SFU lecture June 8: Walking Around the World, and Car Free Day

Walking at UBC

I’m going to miss out on this, I think, because it’s also World Oceans Day on June 8 and the World Oceans Day event I’m attending conflicts in time, but I wanted to pass this on for the rest of you. There are a few spots left I think, so register quickly!

Walking Around the World: Innovation and inspiration for Designing, Engineering and Planning our Cities

Dr. Rodney Tolley with Bronwen Thornton, Walk 21

June 8, 7 pm at UBC Robson Square, 800 Robson Street, Vancouver

Reservations required: Call 778-782-5100 or email cstudies@sfu.ca

“The obesity epidemic, congestion, pollution, peak oil and climate change are just five of the imperatives that demand we walk more — and walk more often. Yet the barriers to walking have intensified in recent years. This presentation will show how streets around the world are being opened up again to people on foot, with spectacular benefits for our personal health, and the health of our cities, our communities and our children.” (SFU City Program | PDF Flyer)

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March 19, 2009

Events for sustainability and social media lovers

Last night I finally attended my first Philosopher’s Cafe, on the topic “Sustainability—is it compatible with free markets?” It was a good discussion and, despite us all being pro-sustainability, we still differed on enough views to promote some argument. I’m an idealist but used my realist friends’ perspectives to offer some critique. (Sorry that you weren’t there!) I won’t make it to the next one at that location, because there is one that interests me even more in New Westminster: “The ethics of the hundred mile diet” is on April 15 at Heritage Grill, 7pm. A discussion on “GMOs: The complex difficulties of Frankenfood” happens there June 17… but that’s a ways off!

Here are a couple upcoming FREE events for folks interested in sustainability and social media.

Audacious Visions for Vancouver

Friday, March 20 (tomorrow!)

Pacifica Photography Studio, 821 Powell St, Vancouver

“A World Cafe style dialogue to discuss the future of Vancouver. How do we make Vancouver the greenest city in the world by 2020? Come and contribute your thoughts in an afternoon of creativity and audacious thinking. A collaboration of the SFU Undergraduate Semester in Dialogue and the City of Vancouver’s Greenest City Action Team.” Details: audaciousvancouver.com

Register online for the first portion beginning at 1pm, or come down at 6pm for some casual conversation.

Vancouver Net Tuesdays – Remixing the Web for Social Change!

Net Tuesday is a regular gathering of bloggers, social media folks, designers, non-profits and other folks interested in the role of the web for social and environmental change. It’s been going on in Vancouver for about a year.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

5:30pm – 7:30pm

WorkSpace, #400-21 Water St, Vancouver

Presenters (confirmed thus far):

Raul Pacheco – Social Media in Sustainability and Public Policy

Grace Carter – ChipsNotDeadYet.com (BC Children’s Hospital Social Media Case Study)

Doug van Spronsen – MakeGood.com

Steve Williams – Data for Good

Joe Solomon – The future of the Green Web — Joe is the Net Tuesday organizer

Host/MC is Darren Barefoot. Yay!

More details on Facebook or MeetUp.com