Try out Change Everything

-->The Student Environment Centre (SEC) and Friends of the UBC Farm (FOF) are thrilled to be hosting a conference at the end of September entitled “Food is Fundamental”. The conference is being held to educate, discuss and take action on pressing “food issues” that concern people, the environment and the economy in both local and global contexts.

Link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/chanszewan/2297238744/

WILL STRECHING EXERCISES PREVENT INJURY AND CREATE A SENSE OF WELL BEING?

WE BELIEVE SO!!!

It was not necessary for Mr. Harper and his Conservatives to run a series of advertisements to highlight their ignorance of Canada and what it is to be Canadian.

Through his actions and behaviours Stephen Harper has demonstrated that he does not get, does not understand Canada and what it is to be Canadian.

Hello all,

My name is Rena and it is my pleasure to inform you that for the next week, I will be filling in as the moderator for changeeverything.ca!

A bit about me...

It isn’t that the government sought to conceal the obscene pay raises for senior bureaucrats by burying the announcement in not just a Friday press release, but a Friday press release obscured by the opening of the Beijing Olympics that is troubling.

Check this video out.

Hi Everyone!!

The things you take for granted....until you go back to visit.  This born and raised BC girl misses the coast, the mountains, the trails.  Stayed at a beautiful B&B on Lookout Pt in North Van....lovely.  Enjoyed (to a point) the rainy days and cool salty air of a beach walk.  Sigh.

Donate your $100 Climate Action Dividend to Smart Growth BC and join our
“1,000 Friends of British Columbia” campaign.

Your tax-deductible contribution will support Smart Growth BC’s work to build
more compact communities that reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicle
travel and building form.

Posted by: Faiza Zia Khan

me and my lover are coming to van for the last week of july, and hoping to find a couple of bikes to borrow so we can get around...

please let me know if you can help us out!

Hi, my name is Erin and I work as the administrative assistant at the BC Sustainable Energy Association (BCSEA) office here in Victoria BC.

Maverick Cat Coalition is an all volunteer-run charity dedicated to helping homeless and feral cats. Our primary focus is to improve the quality of life for these cats and to provide a TNR (trap, neuter and return) program.

A group of us have already tackled the first hurdle, which is to get approval in principle by Translink to use this land. 

Building an ecohousing community in South Surrey/Delta has become part of my life. Creating our own electric power and reducing waste produced to zero are 2 goals.

Hello, I was floating through the internet when I found this beautiful idea. I would love to receive a bike until I can fix one up for myself at our community bikes, so please pass one on. I hope the experiment is still active.

Farida

Hi Gardeners!

I created a blog for us where we can send message or comments to each other or just discuss about our garden.

Anna

let's say a few people could use a wireless skateboard traveling at 25km/h or and 1 ton truck that needs no gas, they're not over seas anymore, they're here in North America and soon in BC!!

join your letters together and click support to your sisters and brothers on the boomrides website.

Lets get this Change Everything going!

Comprehensive resources for those looking for recovery from addiction. <a href="http://www.addictionrecovery.net">http://www.addictionrecovery.net</a>

We just renewed our building lease and negotiated $100,000 to be spent on energy efficiency. Now we are trying to figure out where to start. We are in a glass building and have already treated the windows. I'd love to hear ideas.

I am a graduate student at Emily Carr University of Art and Design. Part of our program requires that we complete a summer internship to make the applied part of our degree a practical reality.

Internet represents a giant source of information, the collective mind where we can find almost anything. Every connected user contributes to its "wisdom" or informational capacity. Therefore, Internet obtainsthe features of a public good.

I am living and working in Viet Nam. We have the opportunity to employ best social, environmental and design practices on the master plan for a large new project on the coast of Viet Nam.

Dear bikers,

My name is Hilda and I decided to go green after years of driving. Please feel free to contact me via email when your turn is over.

Thank you for making a difference to our future,

Hilda

Just checking this site out to see what can be done with Drupal. This site is looking pretty slick and I can see it being used very well as a vehicle for change.

Hi.

Hi everyone,

If our mainstream media were free ie, not censored what would
it look like? you tell me. We are gonna make it happen..
you should be involved.

one of many

Pd

A ThinkTank media Co-op is a network of indy publishers and goodwill
groups. We are banding together to create a new form of distribution.
vancouver is the home of the first media co-op to hit the streets. Join
us.. Learn and Teach share and grow.

Free our media

one of many

Pd

For those disappointed that SAINTS didn't with the $1000 (but congrats to Working Gear) here's a chance to help anyway.

A vote for working gear is a vote for tangible change in the lives of men who want to get back to work but are excluded from hires because they lack work boots or an interview suit.

$1000 would go a very long way for this newly formed and greatly needed service on the downtown east side.

It's no doubt there are many good causes. Vote for Working Gear. When you get people off the sofas or streets, etc. and into the working force, you have created change which hopefully will evolve to create more change. What's the saying....one good turn deserves another!

If you are truly interested in changing the world, then you need to understand who controls it.  From my perspective from the research I've done in the following report, those who create the money supply are in charge.  The following link starts in the middle of the report - at the core - dealing with how money is created, how this process is abused, and offers some suggestions to the reader

Are You Familiar With

Dr. George Lakoff?

For me, having a car is about independence and safety.

Is this another beginning or the latest intersection in the adventure of my life? Over the past 60 days things seem to be coming at me in multiples, even though I am 24 days away from starting the 73rd year of my life.

I would like to nominate Vancouver Adaptive Snow Sports. This is an organization I have signed up to volunteer with this season. I can't think of a much better way here in Canada then to assist those in the community to access our local natural environment in the winter, in a way that promotes participation and inclusion.

I would like to nominate C.A.R.E.S. (Canadian Animal Rescue and Extended Shelter) to receive $1,000 to assist with the good work it does in the community.

As a new parent, entering the world of Preschool has opened my eyes to the many choices available in education for toddlers. I never knew there where that many choices. How and what to choose?

Mercy's Reach Rabbit Refuge is a non-profit society acting on behalf of abandoned and unwanted pet rabbits, not only in Langley, but across Canada. They have reduced the number of feral rabbits by literally thousands over the past 2 years, which significantly reduces the threat to local farmers and their land.

Hello Everybody!  I am 30 years old and have NEVER owned a car; I prefer to get around on local transit and through good old-fashioned foot-power!

I don't often send personal requests for actions. I am today because this is a critical moment in the history of our province. More than likely you have never been to the Sacred Headwaters, the birthplace of the Skeena, Nass and Stikine Rivers.

I saw the retro-red bike in the Abbotsford Vancity branch last month. I gave my name and number to the staff of the branch and was told I was the second person to ask about it here. The branch manager Ms. Lehman called me a week later and told me how she had lobbied head office for one. I was given the e-mail of the first person to access this service in the mid-Freaser Valley, Mr.

Hey, I gotta try this. If your in my area let me know if you ready to share.

Doug.

Hello,As an avid cyclist interested in sustainable and healthy living for all Vancouver residents, I was very happy to learn about the Vancity bikeshare project and the Change Everything website.  I congratulate those responsible for these projects on their initiative and their desire to improve the quality of life for

I am greatly concerned about how drug use is affecting our communities. It worries me that young children are taking drugs and becoming addicted. how do we get our youth out of the pattern of drug addiction after they are addicted at for example, age 15?

About six months ago I started having regular meetings with local community organizer Andrea Curtis (Public Dreams, Car Free Commercial Drive, VeloFusion, etc.) about creating an affordable shared space for artists in our immediate community to meet, rehearse and develop new work.

This has been a bad year so far; loosing three of four friends who were diagnosed with cancer. When you lose so many so fast it really leaves large holes in your heart so this takes time to heal. (I have a much better appreciation for all those who lost so many in the AIDS crisis in North America).

Hello!

 I am ready for a ride! I just discovered this program and would love to be part of it. I live in Kitsilano but I can pick the bike up anywhere. I am looking to try this out for the first couple weeks of September.

 Ride-on!

Jennifer

Having recently watched the great documentary about Ralph Nader "An Unreasonable Man" (http://www.anunreasonableman.com/) I was reminded of the dilemma we face regarding voting on pure conscience versus voting strategically to defeat a party whose policies repulse you.

heArt for families

Art goes beyond words.

Hi all you Vancity bikeshare everything changers,

I have a unique bikeshare request:

I read an article in the August 4th Vancouver Sun newspaper about plastics, mentioning Enviro Woman, which made me curious. What really caught my eye was her experience of "near absence of plastic-free deodorants". Tsk Tsk. Walk into the Whole Foods store in Penticton, where I live, and see many choices.

So I picked up my bike from it's previous owner on wednesday and got to cycle it home from the Fireworks at english bay. By the timeI had got home I had this insane smile all across my face which still hasn't left!!

Go on! Help me out! I sat about for 50 minutes by myself at the bus stop last night because my friends all had cool bikes and they left me! This whole set up is perfect because I'm leaving town in 2 weeks so I can't buy a bike but I don't want to waste any more time sitting on buses if I can be outside in the sunshine!!

Thanks....in advance,

Kx

The UBC Chemicals, Health and Pregnancy study (www.cher.ubc.ca/chirp) is currently recruiting pregnant women from the Vancouver area who are less than 15 weeks pregnant, and are planning to deliver at either BC Women’s, St. Paul’s hospital or at home.

I picked my bike up from my kind predeccesor and continued home with a huge grin on my face and squinting slightly because of  the glare from the gorgeous chrome handlebar, with difficulty I boarded it onto the front of a bus (its a long darn bike so only the front wheel is properly in) and nervously watched it sway as we braked down the hill.

So I'm pregnant and soon won't be able to enjoy riding a bike much. So having fun for 3 weeks in the sunshine would be fantastic. If you want to pass one on just get in touch!

Sam

I'm trying to get down to one small garbage bag a week, plus recycling.   

So, after a few days of giving up on the second offer of a bike I resign myself to the fact that it was never meant to be...

Well, I probably wouldn't be blogging on this site normally - I'd be doing it on my own blog, which - what's that? I should plug it shamelessly? Suuuuure! WWW.REPUBLICOFSPARKLE.COM.

hi all,

i'd love to adopt one of those sweet red rides for the last week of july.... anyone have one ready to 'fork over' for a bit? no more puns if you do, promise. drop me a line at avid.ambler@gmail.com.  thx!

I want to walk everyday and I am not doing it. It really seems as though I need to get everything prepared for the entire week by Sunday night. Perhaps a new light weight knapsack would get me more into doing the exercise.

After being kindly offered a bike, I got into town late last night and woke this morning to find that some other lucky devil got to it before me, no doubt whizzing past me on the way to the shops.

I would love for someone who's finished using their "bikeshare" bike to pass it along to me. For I live in Kits now and need to fit in with all these "exercise fanatics". Seriously, have you been here? It's like filled with bicycle gangs. Anyway, i'd really appreciate it if someone could help me out. peace.

-ashlee:)

Anything that I do not use or need is clutter. Good things that are genuinely reusable I donate to such organizations as Salvation Army. But what about things that I do not think anyone wants such as damaged or stained clothing or furniture. Is there really any use for old pillows, rags etc. So far I throw them out rather than burden worthwhile agencies like the Salvation Army.

hi all,

i'd love to adopt one of those sweet red rides for the last week of july  or so.... anyone have one ready to 'fork over' for a bit? no more puns if you do,  promise. thx!

I still REALLY would like to get my hands on a bike - anyone willing to let one go?

hi everybody, i'm still looking for a bike. anyone ready to give theirs up?

thanks in advance,

JQ

Well, about eight months ago I set off on a trip to travel around the world, I still have another three months to go but I am trying to find the way to make the most of my time here.

I was delighted to hear about the launch of this program, and now I'm looking to get involved.  I'd love to get my hands on one of those fabulous red bikes.  Anyone ready to pass one on?  I'm in the downtown area.  Perhaps today? 

hi! im looking for a red vancity bike too... if anyone's done with theirs will u please let me know?

 thanks in advance!

this idea sounds cool~~~~ 

I looked longingly at the beautiful red Vancity bikes on Pancake Breakfast Day but couldn't take one right away... so if there's a bike looking for a new home I can provide a safe happy place for a couple of weeks before passing it on.

What a great idea! This reminds me of when I was in Copenhagen and bike share exists - it was great, you just pick up a bike somewhere ride around all day and park it at designated spots for the next user!

Hey all,

I didn't find out about this until I saw it on the news for the launch. It's a wonderful idea and I very much hope that it takes off and works in Vancouver.

hi there,  i'm here in vancouver working for a month... at home i get along exclusively by bicycle, and i'm looking to do the same here, as this city is super bike-friendly.  could anybody spare their bike for a month (while on holiday...?) or interested in selling me a used bike?

thanks!!

zoe

i need a bike for 20 days during the week until i go to get my own bike from ontario and bring it out here.

ok, this doesn't seem so bad...

 i am looking for a bike.  can someone give me theirs when they are done?... 

 happy biking,

We are planning a bike 'strip club' where we plan to get each participant a neglected but gently used bike to strip down to the last nut, screw, bolt and ball bearing and then to start from scratch to redecorate, rebuild and either ride, sell or donate for sharing the result.

The front page of the Vancouver Sun today caught my eye and I imediately decided to go to the Vancity website to see how I can participate in the the "red bike" program. I think thisis an excellent idea which can help encourage people to better the environment as well as benefiting themselves to improve our own health.

I spent the day riding one of these sweet red cruisers. It was sunny and Vancouverites were particularly social. Lots of questions came about and I felt proud to be a part of this program. Free access to bikes is a good thing and I put good thoughts out there that those who adopt these bikes will ensure they choose wisely when their three weeks is up.

so day one is over...i made it home to the east side...to be honest i was a little worried that with a one speed bike that i might wimp out and not make it up the hills. but i did make it up them with surprising ease. i even took a little detour/off roading to get around the train that was blocking the union street bike route. pretty fun. great day. so far loving the bike.

Hello,

Would someone please contact me when they're ready to pass along a bike? I used to ride my bike as a kid and teenager, but haven't gotten around to purchasing a bike these days even though I've been meaning to for years. I live near a bike path and would like to bike to work in the summer, and bike to the tennis courts instead of drive. My parents sold their car last night, so they're going to use mine now, therefore it'd be a perfect time for me to consider biking since I won't always have a car at my disposal. Who knows, if I enjoy it, I may finally commit to purchasing a bike of my own. I wonder if a cruiser bike has a low enough gear to help me easily cycle up those hills though. I don't enjoy gasping while going up hills ;-)

Thanks!

Hello all!

I rode to work from downtown. I found the bike was a pretty good ride. However I am doubtful about whether these model with no gears are going to be practical for people who aren't experienced bike riders and have to travel North-South in the city. The East-West bike paths are pretty flat but travelling north-south involves hills which are are pretty challenging.

Hello all. I had my bike taken from me. Now without a bike. I'm in the city for a few more weeks and buying even a modestly priced bike not appropriate right now.

contact John at

604-433-6450

jointknee@yahoo.ca

Well I like to ride to. I attended the bike swap with 1200 dollars in my pocket and did not find anything to take home. I live on the bike path (Ontario st ) and love the constant swish of pedal and electric bikes as they cruise by.

After picking up my fancy bike this morning I rode it to work in Yaletown. I was surprized by the number of people that stopped me and asked questions about the program. They were also envious of the bike, until they found out it was a one speed. I must say though for a bike with only one speed I didn't find it that difficult to climb the hills. We'll see what my ride home is like.

i have never learned how to drive. Its not that i am scared, frankly i am just not interested. Thus my life in Vancouver has consisted of other forms of transit. From Bus, Sky train, Walk, Bike (until stolen), and now my most widly used form of transit is Rollerblading. 5 Sunny days a week. I will rollerblade to Work which amount to 17 K each day that i rollerblade each way.

What a great idea! I would be excited to be a part of the Vancite Bike share experiement. While traveling in Europe I have been amazed by numerous other cities that have community bike programs. I can only hope that this experiment will spark a much needed community bike program in Vancouver, and the expand the biking community.

The best to contribute in saving the environment, reduce global warming and relieve stress.

i like biking and i use transit and dont have a bike to ride around on and i am a member of the bank and also i work for the aquarium in a program called riverworks we're an environmental program that works outdoors from the aquarium also i don't own a car and i wont either

I ride everyday, do my own mechanics and very actively advocate biking for transportation, fun, community, health, independence, expression and self confidence. I volunteer for nonprofit community events, I share tools and knowledge, I write.

I know many people, students and co-workers willing to give biking a try, but have no bike or know what they really want in one.

Why do I want to be part of the Bike Share Program?

-- it's a tremendous experiment in social consciousness.

-- I would like to participate in such a wonderful opportunity

Hi !

My name is Flo and I'm from France, more precisely from Angers. This is a city where sustainable development is at the centre of city politics.

I work in an office and am only one of 2 people who drive regularly to work. I never really thought much about it and have gladly accepted my over-dependence on my vehicle. If it doesn’t start, then I can’t go anywhere. Just recently I realized that I have 2 legs, and not just one foot to get where I need to go.

HI everybody,

i'd like to share a bike as well. i'm here for an internship and go from Point Grey to Downtown all day. Would be a good exercise by bike. In my opinion there is too much traffic in Vancouver. it would be fine when everybody use a bike! so, i'm excited to ride this intersting bike some weeks.

Dan

What a great idea Vancity! bikes to share in the community! I would love to pick up one of the bikes tomorrow morning. I do hope they have comfy seats?! Rain or shine I'll take it for a spin, I would love to cycle around the seawall and up to prospect point - when are they opening up the seawall??

Love this bike share experiment. I was thinking of trying to start a similar program myself, so was very pleased to see Vancity lead the charge.

What better way to change my mundane everyday routine than to join the bike share trial. I have pondered many times what my lifestyle would be like if I chose to take my car off the road and ride a bike into work. and this is what I came up with:

- One less car on the road.

- Less chance of getting into an expensive auto accident.

Having recently moved from a suburb (where I've lived all my life) to downtown Vancouver I'm finding that my usual mode of transportation (by car) is the most inconvenient. Unfortunately, I still find myself driving shorter distances because it's too far to walk and things are too heavy to carry.

Hello,

I recently moved to Tinseltown area. I don't own a car and explore downtown on foot and I absolutely love it! Everything is just steps away.

First of all, it's excellent and inspiring to see that there are others who feel the same way I do about taking an active role in change.

Best

Idea

Kara

Ever

-

Saw!

Hope

A

Ride is

Entrusted to me!

I do not own a bicycle and would like to use one to reduce my travel costs, both monetarily and environmentally. This would also be a great way to meet like-minded people. I look forward to sharing my experiences on this blog.

i'm running out the door -- frusterated to be getting in a car, though its a privilege, and i would much rather be hopping on my trusty horse-of-a-bike! alas... my bike was stolen outside a community forum about civic issues a few weeks ago... and i am bikeless!

As a new resident to Vancouver there is still so much I have to see and do. Unfortunately, I was unable to bring my bike with me when I moved :(

What better way to explore the city this summer than with a red hot vancity cruiser!! I can travel the city in style and then make my friends look cool as well when I pass the bike along.

I'm not "into" yoga and running makes me queasy; therefore bicycling is my spirit & well being, my relaxation and my mode of transport.

Having a new stylish bike to zip around in, is the very thing I need to bridge the gap between my walking tips, and transit trips. Those medium distance trips around the city are often best serviced (and faster) by bike.

The current poll has "ban plastic bags" leading by a wide margin. Come on people! Plastic bags have their uses, and the battle to ban them distracts us from the big issues.

As Grist's "Ask Umbra" reminds us, a plastic bag has almost no impact on the environment compared to our habitual drive in the car to the grocery store.

I don't own a car I hope I can keep it this way. If I move to a location far from where I work, will I still be able to ride?

I had the pleasure of spending a week at last year's World Cup in Germany.  Koln has an army of urban shared bikes and it seemed to have achieved the objectives of reducing theft, increasing usage, thus reducing waste and increasing citizen health.  Unfortunately it didn't help Germany (or France) from stopping the cheating Itals from 'winning'. :)

The bikeshare is a great idea, but I didn't think it applied to me as I have two (very old, but wonderful) bikes and I ride to work and most other places daily. Then I thought of my daughter, a 3rd-year university student working for the summer, who wants to try commuting to work but doesn't have a bike.

I would like to participate in the BikeShare program. I am getting seriously overweight and this would be a good incentive to get some exercise. I work at 183 Terminal Ave. and there a lots of great places to cycle to from here. I am unable to attend the kick-off from 9-9:30 on June 27 but I would love to have use of a bike in August if possible.

My brothers and I used to bike for transporation in the small town where we grew up.  Until recently, I saw biking in the city as treacherous and downright scary.  What brought on my change of mind?  Since I moved to Main Street in December I've seen so many people

Check out The Tyee, an online source of news and views, and make a change in your daily news diet. The Tyee just launched its first animated short about Big Media Barons, how they blur our media stream, and all this in under two mintues.

salut to all...

thank you for taking the time to read this,

im 20 years old, yet i feel like im 35

for the past 7 years, i've been thinkin' deeply about life..

Not that long ago, people didn't talk about cancer.  It was the "C" word but now it is out in the open and the whole world is working on finding cures.  We need to create this change for mental illness.  If we bring it out of the closet and into the open, stigma will disappear.  Join me and others in discussing this illness in frank open discussion.  Then we can work to make cha

Imagine their is just one root problem in the world focusing on which will make you come to a possibility that addresses all the symptoms like financial greed, overpopulation, mass poverty, inequality, trashing of human life, human-trafficking, pollution and destruction of habitat, small farmers and farmland, natural diversity, hunger, infant and children mortality, disease, global warmin

Please attend this free forum on May 22 to explore solutions for saving this endangered species.

世界のホテル世界の不動産情報サイトです。

色々な企業の情報をあつめまーす。

Do you feel isolated and a sense of no community>

After kiving in Summerside PEI for ten years I find the west end devoid of community spirit. The best place where people are friendly is the liquor store on Friday nights

Concerts and art in the park would be good

Cynthia

Isn’t it annoying that even when you take the care to bring your own cloth or reusable shopping bags for grocery shopping, you come back home with your bags filled with little transparent shopping bags?

It sure bothered me, so I created something to solve this problem worth telling you about, if I may. It’s called Moukinets. They are very light & durable reusable mesh bags, specifically, but not only, for fruits, vegetables and bulk foods. They have drawstrings and are very easy to use, wash and re-use over and over again. If you want to know more, have a look at my website:   www.moukisac.com  tell me what you think.

I am a student with a disability at Langara College. A couple weeks ago people told me that I would not be suitable for a program due to my low marks. Because of this, I have no job, no money and no future at Langara. I wish people would just say what they're thinking immediately rather than making me waste my time for a year. Also, I wish more colleges like Langara had a program specifically

Hi

is anyone interested in starting up a music camp for people wishing to learn and perform music in a beautiful location

At the moment I'm up about 50 miles south of Yellowknife on the edge of Great Slave Lake. I came here for 6 weeks to cook for a diamond exploration camp. For many years I'd struggled financially as a singer and as a seasonal carriage driver in Stanley Park and although the music and horses are still my first love, when the chance to do this came up, I jumped at it.

I do that with adventurous things though. I jumped at the chance to go to Taiwan and play bluegrass music in '98 and jumped at the chance to learn to drive a team of Clydesdales. Everything we choose to do - good, bad or in between is a lesson in the making - a challenge to be embraced and  integrated.

Well, the gist of it is... since I graduated with a degree in Environmental Studies in 2002 (my focus was on the influences of responsible environmental behaviour) I haven't found my "dream job". I worked at a couple of non-profit orgs in Toronto and then decided to move to Vancouver in 2003. Still didn't find anything here in Vancouver that really made me excited. I volunteered at a bunch of enviro orgs but unfortunately.. its a tough field to break into and find a good job that fits - I guess its difficult to find a job that makes you happy in any field.

Hi,

I thought this was so easy until I lost my blog entry! I came across this site from Vancity’s main website. I’m running for Vancity’s board of directors – the elections are on now until March 24th. If you’re a Vancity member (e.g. you have an account), please exercise your annual democratic right and vote in our election! Only about 6% of members currently vote, although hopefully that will improve – especially as it gets easier to vote. You can use the ballot received by mail or drop into any Vancity branch where there are election booths open until Saturday (24th March) – it’s easy and your vote makes a difference!

THE FOLLOWING URGENT MESSAGE COMES TO YOU FROM THE MOUNT PLEASANT POOL COMMITTEE AND MOUNT PLEASANT COMMUNITY CENTRE ASSOCIATION...

The Planning Committee of Vancouver Park Board has scheduled a very important meeting regarding Mount Pleasant Pool and Community Centre at 7 PM on Tuesday, March 20th. At the meeting, Staff are expected to recommend demolishing the pool and the centre building immediately after #1 Kingsway opens, tentatively in June 2008.

SUVs are supposed to be vehicles meant for the rugged terrain in the middle of no-where, not for cruising around city streets. They are so unbelievably pointless. I mean, whose idea was it in the first place? In the time before SUV’s, families were no bigger, gas was cheap, and nobody even thought of having a bigger car. I propose (if I was ruler of the world), then I would make everyone would have to pay a parking tax depending on the size of their vehicle’s engine. I would also promote taking the bus! I cannot tell you how often I see kids being dropped off at school in their parents large trucks. So let’s stop it while we still can!!

Ricahrd Branson is so concerned about climate change that he has posted a competition and a reward.  Hey Richard, why not stop sending rockets into space.  Do you know what the CO2 effect is of blasting those rockets off? 

I confess to never, and I repeat never, owning a car. 

Specifically, I have never had a driving license, in fact, I seem to have entirely by-passed the whole driving lessons, test thing. Never done it (could be because I am from the UK where car ownership is a liability not a constitutional right). So, after 13 years in Vancouver entirely on transit, I think I know pretty well every bus route and skytrain stop. 

Hi Everyone! 

I'm a  british columbian who has been focused on Social Change for the past 4 years - Love to chat with new people! I'm new to this community so I'm going to sit back and learn and take a real read through this fantastic resource!

You can find more information on me at http://www.csef.ca/about.php

There are things you depend on in this life – Sunday night dinners with the family; that the Rolling Stones will live to tour again, and that my grandkids can ski tour the Helm Glacier.

If you had asked me years ago if I thought global warming or climate change was real I would have said “sure”. If you had asked me “when?” I probably would have guessed a hundred, maybe a thousand years from now. I mean, the Helm Glacier isn’t going anywhere soon, right? Right?

Fur these days is looking to be more and more of a fashion trend, but much to the average consumer's ignorance and belief that the 'real' fur industry is dead, it is in fact a billion dollar industry in several countries including Canada and the US. Rabbit, fox, mink and raccoon, just to name a few, are being caged, tortured and killed in gruesome factory farms for their fur to make various products for our use such as fur trim on coats, hats, gloves, toys, key rings etc. Shockingly, domestic cats and dogs have been added to this list for their coats and skin, with China as the world's lead exporter.

Why are they doing this? Greed. It is cheaper for them to use the real thing than to create 'fake' or 'faux' fur and the labeling laws in these countries are voluntary so they do not have to indicate to the consumer at all what the material is made from. Sure there is fake fur out there, but to the average consumer who perhaps a) is unaware that real fur is being traded, b) wouldn't believe that this is going on and c) couldn't necessarily tell the difference between the real thing and the fake stuff. Animal fur however is pretty obvious, especially the softer fur of rabbits, cats, fox and minks and would be very hard to recreate with man-made materials.

Why buy into the cruelty? Fur used or worn in any form promotes fur and the fur trade as a whole.

Our common energy source, belonging to the people of British Columbia, is being taken from public control.Our water powered energy system is difficult to value but likely exceeds hundreds of billions of dollars. Our public energy system is the last public utility protected from NAFTA. We are very close to losing control of it. Recent ads from BC Hydro and Alcan deliberately mislead the public in order to facilitate this secretive agenda.We still have a democracy and the ability to claim our asset for ourselves and the way to do that is for your voice to be heard.

Tithe to things that create sustainable community - neat things are in the air on the Sunshine Coast – just ask

Consciously connect with people of depth and substance – to feed our souls and create a community of like minds

Be in uncertainty differently

Surrender to simplicity in a fast paced world

Revitalize value saved, respect life purposes;

>Collect credits.

>Strengthen respects.

>Organize networks.

>Promote values.

There were 2174 homeless people in the Greater Vancouver area as of March 5, 2006. Homelessness is a provincial and countrywide issue that needs to be addressed. Homelessness affects a wider section than can be imagined, it includes aboriginals, the mentally ill, drug addicts, senior citizens, single moms, families and kids.

I love writing and I love contests so here it goes. Just found this site today when I received The Tyee by email. I'm all about community and change so I'm blogging for the first time, but feeling a bit apprehensive that this is going to be available on the internet forever????

The Resolution: To help my patients heal themselves while caring for the planet and their community; and to promote ideas from my Otesha trip (Sept - Oct 2005 - www.otesha.ca). And to build my practice by becoming a part of my community, lead by example.

Media Advisory: For Immediate Release December 4, 2006

Concerned Citizens Rally to Say "No Coal For Christmas!" in Premier Campbell's Riding

The problem is serious, but the atmosphere will be festive and family-oriented when the community meets in Gordon Campbell's Point Grey riding to protest plans for coal fired power plants in BC. The event gets underway at 11 am , Sunday December 10th at Kits Beach in Vancouver. Music, hot chocolate, games, speakers, face painting and a "climate dinosaur" awards ceremony are all planned. It's hoped Santa will show up in his zero emission sleigh to lend support and help banish the Grinch.

Ever since I was in highschool, I've had the habit of eating before I go to bed. As I get older, school work began to mount and as I'm now in my fourth year in university, I can't remember the last time I slept before midnight. As the night goes on, I do get quite hungry..and often around 11pm I'll head down to the kitchen and make myself a meal bigger than dinner..then if I'm up past 2 I'll again scavenge for more food.

WE HAVE JUST BEEN THRU 2YEARS OF HELL FIRST A CAR ACCIDENT WHICH WAS NO FAULT OF OURS. FINALLY HAD TO SETTLE AND NOT BE HEALED NOW MY DAUGHTER IS GOING THRU THE SAME THING. NOW HE HAS A FROZEN SHOULDER FROM WORK FOR THE PAST 5 MONTHS AND NO THERAPY, NO HOPE IF IT WILL HEAL OR WHAT WILL HAPPEN JUST WAITING THIS JUNE IT WILL BE A YEAR. IF ANYONE IS TIRED OF DEALING WITH THESE TWO GOVERMENT AGENCIES PLEASE START A BLOG. PEOPLE HAVE LOST HOUSES AND JOBS NOT TO MENTION NOW HE IS GOING ON ANTIDEPRESSANTS TO HELP HIM OUT OF A DEEP DARK HELL OF NO HOPE. THEY WONT TRY ACCUPUNCTURE OR ANY OTHER ALTERNATE THERAPY. IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING. ICBC WORKERS GET BONUSES EVERY YEAR. HAVE YOU EVER HAD TO PAY A LAWYER TO FIGHT FOR A RIGHT THAT WE PAY GOOD MONEY FOR EVERY MONTH. I WONT EVEN GET INTO THE FACT THAT WE PAY MEDICAL AND STILL HAVE TO PAY 70 DOLLARS FOR AN EYE EXAM NOW PEOPLE CANT AFFORD IT SO THEY WAIT UNTIL A MEDICAL CONDITION COMES UP AND THEN YOU GET ON A WAITING LIST TO BE SEEN .                WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR PROVINCE

There are those of us who have clothes and blankets to donate but have no way to get them delivered to those who need the clothing etc..If any body out there has a vehicle and is collecting donations please contact Terry at (604) 253-1449.

HI Kate, I would like to know if there is someone in Abbotsford who could pick up my clothing donations for the Abbotsford homeless.    I don't have a vehicle so I can't take them but if you e-mail me back maybe we could arrange something.  I know I have alot of stuff others could use much more than I.  

From my birth in Bombay (Mumbai) India, I have been taught to respect and love mother-earth. I asked why?? My parents explained...since birth, mother-earth sustained us, by providing us with food, water, clothing, shelter and many other amenities, humans tap these resources from the earth to give us what we need. Therefore mother-earth should be respected and not exploited, what we remove from her, should be replaced. Mother-earth cannot servive without refurbishing the things we got out of her. Just think about it !!

I've notice how impossible it is for people with bikes, strollers, and wheelchairs to get on skytrain during rush hour. I feel so bad for the handicapped or people with bikes and strollers who stand there unable to find any room to board the train. With cars crammed several hours a day Transit even has restrictions on the hours bikes are allowed to board. Sure doesn't make for a user friendly transit system!

Free Hugs were being dispensed in the streets of Beijing (7-11-6)  : ).

Yesterday, I took my two year old and seven year old to a kindersymphony at the Queen Elizabeth Playhouse in Vancouver. The music was wonderful, with a brass quartet accompanying two charming vocalists in a celebration of Beethoven for young children. The theatre was packed, with kids, parents and fishy crackers. We were surrounded by parents listening, singing along and in the short 45 minute performance, unwrapping cheese strings, popping open teddy grahams, scooping into yogurt tubs and doling out fishy crackers.

Kate and the wonderful people at Citizens' Bank let me know about this site. What a wonderful place to be.

After hearing the news, listening to people talk about all the ills in the world and how the problems are too big for us to do anything about them, coming here re-inforces that anything is possible. And it really, truly is possible. You know the proverb "the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step" - that's what people like you are in the process of doing - taking one step at a time and you have found a group here to walk along with you. It's fabulous!

I am so tired of worrying about....me. I want to help others; feel like I'm doing something to make the world a better place. And I want to do it for a living so that I can love going to work. I just don't know where to start.

Well What can I say I have been married for 5 years well was going on 5 and my wife decided to call it quits; well what can I say My wife has fun more with her family then with me which in turn made her turn away aswell

I am going to be starting the free hug campain so if you are interested in joining our team of huggers please let me know asap! send me a message. thanks!

Hi

My names peter and i watched a video on you tube that has changed me forever somthing so small has had the biggest impact on me. I want to make a change like this man did by starting a free hug campain in vancouver. What do you think? Would you hug a complete stranger if you need a hug? What about if you had a bad day at work?,a fight with someone. i strongly beleive that a hug is a very powerful thing.when i saw this man hug the first person you can see the conection they made and they dont even know eachother. After seeing that i was so over welmed with emotion it really tuched me. i want to make people feel good about them selfs tell me what you think.

A financial institution with a blog? Unmoderated at that? The mind boggles.

Are there many people who use this?

with the possible demise of china creek.

 i was wondering if there are people out there that aren't involevd in advocacy for more places to skate in vancouver but would like to be.

We can make more park and ones that serve the community at large, not just skaters.

Improving parks and making your vioce heard doesn't have to just be about skateboarding.  But it can be and that would still be good.

Ok I have a few minutes before the hockey game...

I left off with Coke and my craving for it. I started trying to drink less of it but the other thing that I did was change to other drinks, I went to Snapple ice tea instead, (yah I know what your thinking) big deal , well it has no carbonation in it and it is not so acidic and has more natural stuff in it. I drank that stuff for a while and then made another change to orange juice and then green tea and then water. I now drink very little pop maybe 1 every 4 months and that is the root beer from the health store. I guess the point is that they are little changes and are easier to do than big ones.

This month Federal Fisheries Minister Loyola Hearn said he doesn't think a moratorium is the most effective way of protecting marine species vulnerable to the huge nets that sweep along the ocean floor. Oh Loyola for goodness sakes! -  even Geoge Bush was in favour of the UN moratorium on this. BC fishermen drag the bottom of the sea to send things like sable fish (black cod) to Japan and kill many other useful fish and sea creatures in our haste to make short-term profit at the expense of our future.  Bottom trawling involves dragging huge, heavy nets along the sea floor.

I don't really know about other people but I feel that  change happen sometimes when people are forced to! 

 I am one of those people, I became ill and was facing possible death. It is a very sobering situation, and it provided the enthuisiasm  for me to change. 

I have been trying to change alot of things that of late.

I was going to list all things that I am trying to change but instead how about how I have been making changes. 

Isn't it a wonderful thing to relax and enjoy your life!  To be able to look upon the world and see it as "perfect" and in harmony with all things! Allowing everyone to choose the exact reality that serves them while you not only choose but create yours with intent.

Come and create your world, the colors, the situations, the experiences.  Learn to bring the energy together that creats whatever life you want for yourself.  Learn to feel well, and be well.  Learn to feel prosperity and be prosperous. learn feel loved and therefore bring out about love in your life!

Letting go of resistance, means being able to relax with life.  One of the ways to let go and flow is to allow everyone in our lives and society to be exactly who they are, which often means letting go of the control we have on them to perform or act in a way that only benefits us. It's one of the ways we ensure our happiness.  As long as people act the way we want them to, then we are happy!  It's also one of the ways we disempower ourselves.

I've been wanting to learn an instrument for a long while now but have no time and I've been scared of the large commitment involved. So.....when my friend said I could learn the basics of playing harmonica in just 2 lessons, I jumped on it. Two lessons later, I have in fact learned the basics of harmonica, but now I need to practice and keep working on it. That's really the hard part and I'm posting it here in hopes of motivating myself to find a teeny bit of free time to dedicate to this new (fun, but challenging) hobby. Anyone else play harmonica out there? How long did it take you to learn?

What if we adopted an electoral system which represented the voting public more acurately, people and industry were taxed according to how wasteful they were (and rewarded for being resourceful), climate change/global warming was the primary concern of political and business leaders, a more accurate measure of wealth (instead of the GDP) was implimented, regulation was put in place to curb our GHG emmissions and addiction to fossil fuels with the use of more renewables, wholistic approaches to preventative health care saved lives as well as money, small, local business and innovation was encouraged instead of big, global corporations, poverty was made history, external policy focussed on peace, internal policy embraced diversity and the next generation was deemed as imoportant or more important than the present one?...Guess what? All these issues make up green politics.

I booked my flight to central america today.  I'm going for 4 months for a surf adventure and to get outside the box to facilitate thinking outside the box.  

I gave my notice to my job.  While I appreciated the opportunity to work in marine conservation and to contribute to this worthy cause, I am excited to get out of the 9-5 lifestyle.  I learned a lot from my work, but I don't want to be in front of a computer as much as I have been!  I feel inspired to do something great that I, and the amazing people in my life can learn from, grow from, be inspired by.  I'm not sure what it is, but I know that's it's gonna be f*$#ng cool!  Dream big!  None of us should be slaves to the system if we don't want to be.
I don't know where/what the next chapter will be, but I trust that it will be full of growth, adventure, opportunity and beautiful people. 

I'm a little cynical of the unbridled optimism of websites like this becuase they just seem really self serving. "I want to run more"? Who cares. Just run more. We don't need to be updated on your progress. Or maybe we do, I don't know. Maybe my pessimism is just too strong, afterall, there a couple of really good ideas on here. For example, creating a community farm in the Westend of Vancouver? I've always wanted to do that. I'd want to change the economy so that it incorporated all the externalities that autisitic economics omits and create a commons similar to the Green Party platform of Genuine Progress in which a trust would be created that included the sky, the soil, water, arts and culture that everyone would pay into. The individuals and corporations that benefited the commons would recieve a dividends check, the polluters would have to pay more.

This morning I heard that City of Vancouver is launching an education campaign about it's bylaw that prohibits parked vehicles from idling for longer than 3 minutes.I guess the distinction is it being ' parked' as opposed to 'vehicles that are supposed to be moving but are forced to not move because the City worker decides to ooh lets say:

• trim a tree,
• mow the grass on the side of the road,
• dig for what ever that they seem to dig for,
• collect garbage by blocking the only lane in the street while the crew goes and picks up garbage return the bin etc.

(well you get the picture -  the list goes on)---right at rush hour while the traffic builds up'.  These are not projects that cannot wait until after the rush hour.  The attitude seems to be that 'we have a job to do and minimizing the negative side effects that may result is not our concern'.   A friend who did some subcontract work for the City said once he had asked what the recommended hours were since it involved blocking off a lane and the response he got was that there are no blocked off hours that he can do it when ever he wants during the week. I am sure anyone forced to drive to work through Vancouver has a story to tell.I am not talking about the big retrofitting/construction projects here.  These are the maintenance type of work that would require a lane to be blocked for a couple of hours at most and can easily wait until the rush hour subsides.So what do I want to change?  I want the City to first review its own guidelines to the staff.I want the first part of  the education program to be internal to bring awareness to the difference they can make by giving a little consideration before creating miles of idling vehicles such as when one worker decided to trim a tree on Georgia at 8am.  I think that would be better use of those precious tax dollars.I am not a tax paying Vancouver City resident. But I was hoping that there would be enough Vancouver tax payers that could give a voice to this to get the attention of the City hall. So let's vent, let's bring out the stories, if there are enough voices we shall be heard.

I love music. I have loved it since I remember loving anything. I agree with Duke Ellington, "There are only two kinds of music: bad and good. I love all kinds of music, and my ordering would be:

1. Big Band music from the 1940s and 1950s.
2. Some good music written since that date, and there is plenty of that
3. Classical music - Bach, Beethoven, Mozart and others
4. I am not as fond of Country and Western

Now retired, I spend 80% of my time in various bands and orchestras.

One big offender of CO2 emissions is air travel. There is a Vancouver organization associated with Climate Care that is trying to help individuals and companies offset the emissions produced when they travel: http://www.offsetters.com. Essentially, you can calculate the cost of the emissions produced by your travel to a destination, and through Offsetters fund things like supplying efficient heating, lighting and cooking systems to places that use inefficient ones.

Sounds like it would eat a big portion of your travel budget, right? Not really, according to Offsetters, one person's round trip flight from Vancouver to Paris produces 2.25 tonnes of CO2, the cost of offsetting that is $33.75 CAD!

Hey, I got an email form SEARCH GRADS Alliance for Arts and Culture. So, is this part of VANCITY'S Ad Campaign? Or is this going to seriously be people talking about change? Whixh is an awsome idea. But I don't know now if I can trust the "blogs" on this site. Are any of theses peopel real?! I certainly hope so.

Concered Mr Shankley

Came home from my work at 12:45 am. very busy til tomorrow.

In this period, i'm tring to reduce my sleep time. slept 4 hour yesterday and will sleep 5hour today(a little tired today.) 

i'm planning to use the time with reading a book, reading and writing in English (like this), excercising.

 If I have no time, have to make time for me.

BRING YOUR DOG TO WORK AND RAISE MONEY FOR HUMANE EDUCATION

Friday, October 20, 2006 is Bring Your Dog To Work Day!

What is this all about?

For one day companies permit their employees to bring his/her dog to work provided they signed up in advance. Each dog costs a $10 "admission".

The money collected is then donated to the Vancouver Humane Society's youth education program, Power of One. This program provides presentations to youth about how our consumer choices impact animals, the environment and other people.

The benefits to your company include:

A boost in morale for your employees
An acknowledgement on our website and in our newsletter
Possible media attention (we will be issuing a news release)
Positive public relations for supporting a local charity

Talk to your human resources manager or supervisor to ask if your company can participate!

To register, or if you have any questions, please contact:

If you want to learn about Freedom of Information and how to make the BC Government more accountable, then check out this conference. It will be pretty interesting and the speakers represent all perspectives.

The BC Information Summit – Friday September 29

hello~

I'm first in changeeverything.ca.

I was very impressed by concept of changeeverything.ca

So want to start another relationships here.

I can't write in English very well.

If you found wrong expression, please let me know.

Good to see you and have a nice day.

See ya~

If i have spare time, I wil post everyday.

I would like to help the people in my community and across Canada become inspired by other individuals who have made a difference in their community and towards environmental sustainability. Similar to this initiative, I decided to start my own collection of success stories from across Canada - a library or archive of environmental information.

thegreenpages.ca

i've been waiting for a clear path
waiting for life to show me how or where to be
to help my mom get through this cancer

i can hardly believe the time has passed
unlike so much of my new  life
getting through this year
couldn't be rushed
the ebb and flow of each season
just rolled through my life
each with it's own set of distinctive memories
i visited our cottage recently

I'd like to stop going home after work and sitting on the couch because it's the easy thing to do. I don't really enjoy it. I don't get anything from it. It really does nothing for me. I'd like to do more things that interest me and spend more quality time with friends and family.

Daylight savings time is a classic misguided scheme to fiddle with things that shouldn't fiddled with in the name of some short-sighted goal. It's confusing. It messes with the body's natural rythyms. It causes car accidents, missed appointments and numerous other headaches. Let's scrap this hare-brained idea now.

</end rant>

For further reading, here's Wikipedia's summary of common DST criticisms.

Just noticing a few posts on here about getting up earlier. I notice even if I do wake up early (I'm pretty content calling anything before 8am 'early'), I feel a little out of it - like, "what the hell am I gonna do now? Dear 7:16am, I am a stranger to your world." It's led me to consider changing how I regard the time-of-day altogether.

in the civil war in el Salvador in the eighties many children were kidnapped by the army and sold for adoption. some of them have been traced, some were never heard from again. there is a program called Probuscera run by a great active priest, father Cortina. his program has nothing to do with religion, he just has all the community connections.

they do a painstaking job of tracking the sources and re uniting. some children were adopted in el Salvador, others in the states. the ones that did found out about their background are very grateful and say it filled in gaps in their questions about their lives and has helped them with their growth. of course there is hardly any funding for this program and opposition form the army.. it would be nice to help....

Industrial Society Destroys Mind and Environment

Dear Group Members,

I want to share my article with you. This is about the link between Mind and Social / Environmental-Issues. The fast-paced, consumerist lifestyle of Industrial Society is causing exponential rise in psychological problems besides destroying the environment. All issues are interlinked. Our Minds cannot be peaceful when attention-spans are down to nanoseconds, microseconds and milliseconds. Our Minds cannot be peaceful if we destroy Nature.

So, you thought that crows were just pesky little critters that woke up city dwellers at 5am? Well, I just read that those black 'nature's alarm clock' aren't that good for organic farming, and should be chased out of farms, if not cities, too ('cuz we have community and backyard farms in cities, eh?)

On page 109 of Dr. N.W. Walker's (that the famous PhD, Norman Walker, the author of vegan/raw books, who lived past 112 years or so)  states how just a few small birds can eradicate crop-eating insects. Also, insecticide and pesticides kill small birds when they eat pesticide-killed insects, thus perpetuating the use of chemical pesticides with residues that then cause cancer in animals and people. So, the crow are not-so INDIRECTLY causing deaths to people. 

Well, I want to build the trail running community in Canada. I've started a blog at www.ultrarace.blogspot.com
It is pretty new but will grow into a site with trail running info, nutritional info and training tips to help get you motivated to go play in the mountains.It will largely focus on Vancouver/BC!

Well, I want to build the trail running community in Canada. I've started a blog at www.ultrarace.blogspot.com
It is pretty new but will grow into a site with trail running info, nutritional info and training tips to help get you motivated to go play in the mountains.It will largely focus on Vancouver/BC!

Our complex is outside the GVRD and we dont have readily avaible recycling avenues nor do the other buildings around us. I feel more people would recycle if it weren't such an inconvenience.