Sowing Seeds for Sustainability

Susan Dakin City of LethbridgeKelly Andres

Vision for Lethbridge

“To be a healthy, attractive and viable city”

A model for urban environmental management

• A Council endorsed model guides programs and initiatives

Compliance (with regulations,

policy)

Sustainable development (environment –

social – economic)

Ecosystem management (basis is city as

ecosystem)

Present Desired

What is a sustainable community?

• A community that seeks a high quality of life for all citizens while maintaining nature’s ability to function over time– minimizing waste – preventing pollution – promoting efficiency– emphasizing a local perspective to revitalize

the local economy present and into future

• Sustainability is NOT anti-development … it requires doing development differently :

• acknowledge the links between economy - society - economy - society - environmentenvironment • respect and restore “nature”“nature” by recognizing its intrinsic value and limits• enable citizens to minimize their minimize their ecological footprint ecological footprint and consume consume sustainablysustainably• recognize and build on distinctive, distinctive, locallocal characteristics• empower peopleempower people to participate

Why become more sustainable?

Key Environmental Issues in Lethbridge

• climate change, GHGs and energy use • sprawl and auto-dependent neighbourhoods• resource waste• water quality and conservation • bioregional and ecosystem identity

Partnership – Leadership - Stewardship

How to become more sustainable?

• consumption & lifestyles

• transportation options • building & community

design

Green consumption & lifestyle

Average Canadian creates 5 T of GHGs annually…

… driving … heating home &

water … using electricity

The Challenge: “reduce your GHGs by One Tonne (20%) per person”

complete the loop: recyclerecycle AND buy buy recycled/recyclablerecycled/recyclable

adopt eco-eco-friendly friendly yard yard practicespractices

Sustainable Transportation

•Walk, bike, or take public transportation when you ca

– encourage your local community to be more bicycle-friendly (e.g. bike lanes)

If you have a car: combine trips, keep it well maintained, slow down If you plan to buy a car: buy most fuel efficient model, consider a hybrid vehicle, alt fuel potential (Biodiesel)

• Urban Beneficial Management Practices (BMP) education program for storm water quality

• monitoring results – review – survey citizens – program

Water quality – knowledge & action

“The River Starts Here …”

• encourage eco-friendly home and yard practices: information, examples

• ensure municipal demonstration of leading practices: IPM, naturalized storm water ponds

• assist businesses to provide information

“Green” building & neighbourhoods

Sustainable homes • homes & yards built for: energy

efficiency, resource conservation, health…

• SunRidge designated as “Built Green” subdivision – minimum bronze standard, incentives for higher levels

and neighbourhood planning:

pedestrian friendly, low water use parks, transit access

www.sunridgecommunity.ca

“Green” home retrofitting

improve the energy efficiency of your home

improve water efficiency practices

Waste reduction & recycling

• “Grasscycling” – Youth Challenge, info

• Composting – sell bins

• Recycling – provide depots

Eco Footprint: a measure of human demand on nature

- food – energy – fibre - waste

Reducing Eco Footprints:- walk, bus, bike- eat locally-produced food-build smaller, energy-efficient homes- create less waste – recycle & compost

Climate change & energy use

“Reduce your Eco Footprint”

City of Lethbridge: www.lethbridge.ca- Enviroscope newsletter; waste & recycling (cart

program); Sustainable SunRidge:

www.sunridgecommunity.cawww.builtgreenalberta.com

Water & yard practices: www.oldmanbasin.org

Sustainable transportation: www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca www.goforgreen.ca

River valley & coulee ecology

• In 2001, the Lethbridge Rattlesnake Conservation Program was developed- an ongoing urban conservation initiative

• a “species at risk” protected by law – “illegal to harass, possess, harm rattlesnakes or to traffic in rattlesnake parts” – volunteers capture & release reported snakes, educate, track

•population now estimated at 50

Educating for a Sustainable Society

“The great aim of education is not knowledge but action” - Herbert Spencer

“We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin

to use it with love and respect” - Aldo Leopold

“To cherish what remains of the Earth and to foster its renewal is our only legitimate hope of survival” - Wendell Berry