green communities

(Community Values Drive Responsible Waste and Resource Management)

Turns out that good top-soil is important not just for gardeners, but for city planners as well.  Topsoil can provide valuable water conservation management services for cities. However, too much urban area is covered with pavement, compacted dirt and other surfaces that, unlike topsoil, do not absorb water well, if at all.  As a result, complex rainwater management systems are required to collect rainwater; in fact, a number of B.C.

On May 18, the BC government announced that a mobile air quality monitoring station has arrived in Peace River Country. Here’s more about the Mobile Air Quality Monitoring Laboratory (MAQML). Surprisingly, the release came from the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources, and not the Ministry of Environment, which is responsible for protecting air quality.

There was a fascinating article in the Vancouver Sun on May 19th: B.C. regulators give failing grade to proposed $2.9B Whistler-like resort. The story concerns the Garibaldi at Squamish resort project (GAS) and what seems to be a half-hearted environmental assessment by the company.

If you live in Richmond then, from today (April 15th) until June 30th, you may see planes flying overhead, spraying you with a pesticide, known as Foray 48B, to attack Gypsy Moths that might be hiding in your backyard.  Foray 48B contains a naturally occurring bacteria, known as Bacillus thuringiensis var. kurstaki (BtK). 

Unless you keep a close eye on announcements from the US Department of Transportation, you may have missed, as I did, this announcement from US Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood:

Last week, BC’s Minister of Forests and Range, Pat Bell, announced the introduction of a new Zero Net Deforestation Act.  Minister Bell explained:

British Columbia is committed to achieving zero net deforestation by 2015 to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Forests absorb and store carbon, which make them important allies in the fight against climate change.

Last week I read this announcement of the launch of Transition Canada – a national network to facilitate transition towns in Canada.  I haven’t been able to find much further information about this new organization, but there have been discussions about creating it over the past month or two at least.