Don't miss The Story of Plastic 

There’s still time to catch The Story of Plastic, a 90-minute documentary that opens our eyes to the scope and scale of plastic pollution worldwide, and the effect it has on human health and the environment.

You can watch the film on any device, at a time that works for you, from your own home. 

Then join a Zoom panel discussion at noon on Tuesday, July 14, with local experts Leanne Koehn from the Ridge Meadows Recycling Society, and Jen Henry from Perk Eco Inc.  

Sign up to view The Story of Plastic

Maple Ridge Council considers action on climate change   

On May 26, the Maple Ridge Climate Hub appeared before City Council to request that they update the city’s targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs), to align with the targets recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and, more recently, Metro Vancouver; that they create an action plan to meet the new targets; and that they plan to regularly measure and report on progress toward meeting their goals.

Council asked for a staff report on the issue, which was delivered at last Tuesday’s Committee of the Whole meeting. This report is now coming before Council on Tuesday, July 14, where Council will vote on whether to accept the report, and direct staff to take further action.  

If you agree that reducing our GHG emissions and creating a detailed plan to get us there is vitally important, this is a good time to let Council know how you feel.
 

Low-interest financing for green home heating systems 

Buildings are the second largest source of GHG emissions, and switching from natural gas to low-energy heat pumps for space heating and hot water is one of the most effective actions we can take to reduce our own carbon footprint.

The provincial government has announced a program to help home owners finance the switch, through loans at interest rates as low as 0% over five years. This program is planned to extend through 2021, with a $4.1 million cap.

Learn more about the new low-interest financing program.

Cycling safety webinars from HUB   

This summer, HUB Cycling is presenting a new, free webinar series. There are two introductory one-hour online classes hosted by friendly, knowledgeable instructors who will teach you the basics and answer your questions.

Intro to City Cycling is an introduction to cycling best practices for people looking to learn how to bike safely around the city. The webinar covers the rights and responsibilities of cyclists, and looks at various traffic scenarios encountered in city cycling. Participants will learn how to share the road and communicate with other road users, how to take their bike on transit, types of biking gear and how to plan a safe route.

Intro to Biking with Children will encourage and inspire you to get on your bike with your kids by providing answers and helpful tips about children’s development from passengers to independent riders. We’ll cover road safety, route planning, cycling gear, and how to make bike riding easy, safe and fun for everyone.

Find out more and register.

Farmers Market returns to Memorial Peace Park   

Fraser North Farmers Market Society – formerly Haney Farmers Market – will be open for business at their beloved location in Memorial Peace Park starting Saturday, July 18.

Come on down for fresh veggies and other local delectables!

CBC summer radio covers climate change   

Every Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m, tune in to CBC radio’s summer show What on Earth.

For nine weeks, host Laura Lynch will explore questions, ideas and solutions about climate change.

The show is also available as a podcast.
 

Vancouver approves world's tallest passive house tower   

Vancouver City Council has just approved rezoning for what will be the world’s tallest passive house. The 60 storey tower on Nelson Street will include 113 social housing units, 49 rental units, and 323 condos.

The building design includes plentiful exposure to natural light in every unit and more than 1,000 bicycle parking spaces.

Passive house buildings use up to 90% less energy to heat and cool than conventional buildings.

Summer homework: a Climate Action Guidebook   

The District of Saanich has just published a Climate Action Guidebook for residents as part of the district's Climate Action Plan.

The Guidebook offers tools and information to help Saanich residents take stock of their climate footprint, assess the best ways to reduce their impact, and make a plan to meet their individual goals.

While the guidebook is rooted in the Saanich context, many of the tools and info are applicable to residents of any BC community.

For anyone keen to make changes and not sure where to start, the Climate Action Guidebook is well worth downloading.