Solutions For Lighter & Healthier Living
Arts, Community & Inclusivity
Mayor, Councillor, Municipal, MLA and Government Contacts
Writing a letter to voice your opinion is not only therapeutic but can make a difference. The more of us who do it, the more likely some action will come of it.
We have conveniently compiled lists of emails for councillors, mayors, CRD directors and MLAs.
Fostering Behaviour Change – Developing Effective Strategies
Careful strategy development is the cornerstone of effective programs. Too often, behavioral change programs are developed based on hunches rather than reliable information regarding the barriers and benefits to a behavior. Developing effective community-based social marketing strategies involves a good deal of humility. Avoid the temptation to assume that you know what strategy will work. Instead, carefully explore the barriers and benefits to the behavior you wish to promote before considering what strategies to utilize.
Community Based Social Marketing
Community-Based Social Marketing is helping humanity make this transition more gracefully. The cornerstone of sustainable and healthy communities is behaviour change. Sustainability requires that individuals and businesses engage in diverse actions, such as reducing waste, increasing water and energy efficiency, altering transportation habits, and protecting native species. Healthy lifestyles require individuals to make smart food choices, exercise, avoid smoking and excessive sun exposure, and engage in a myriad of other actions.
Lighter Living Action Pack
This guide supports neighbourhood action to advance lighter living. In this guide, you’ll find resources to help you and your neighbours identify the assets
in your community, work together well, gather support, and overall, have fun! Share your experiences and get in touch with the OneEarth team at info@oneearthweb.org.
Sustainable Lifestyles
This publication offers proven actions for creating and inspiring more sustainable lifestyles. Based on research and project work in Bogota and Marrakech, it provides the rationale, resources and ideas for developing initiatives that cover core lifestyle areas of food, mobility, housing, consumer goods and leisure as well as in general sustainable lifestyle areas. This publication prioritizes high level impact options and suggests low effort actions to get started and move things in the right direction.
Sustainable Lifestyles in the Workplace
Workplaces can support and motivate tangible shifts in their employees’ and customers’ lifestyles towards sustainability. These efforts target those working with companies, organizations and individuals who are open and willing to adopt sustainable lifestyles practices but need some help or guidance along the way.
CRD Climate Action To-Go Kits
The Climate Action To-Go Kits are a fun and easy way to learn about what you can do at home to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Across the region we consume enough energy and fossil fuels to emit more than 1.4 million tonnes of GHG emissions each year. Our transportation, building lighting and heating, and waste generation choices have a big impact on the environment and on our wallets.
Biodiversity Heritage Library
The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) is the world’s largest open access digital library for biodiversity literature and archives. BHL is revolutionizing global research by providing free, worldwide access to knowledge about life on Earth.
Common Vision Common Action Solutions Statement
Common Vision, Common Action is a grassroots initiative in the capital region of British Columbia, Coastal Salish and Nuu-chah-nulth territory, to create and implement a regional agenda for social and ecological justice. This living document is still in the draft stage with public input welcome to bring forward ideas and solutions for all levels of government.
A New Economy for a One Planet Region
By Guy Dauncey
What kind of an economy do we need for a One Planet Region? A presentation by Guy Dauncey, author of Journey to the Future: A Better World is Possible.
Nature in the Heart of the City
By The Bateman Centre & Creatively United for the Planet Society
A mutual admiration for our natural world with the Robert Bateman Centre has resulted in nature-based map that includes the artwork of Robert Bateman which promotes ways to help people connect with nature. Download Front - Download Back
Cartoon Colouring Sheet
By The Creatively United for the Planet Society
Download this shareable cartoon colouring sheet created by local cartoonist Nelson Dewey.
Download
Energy, Housing, & Buildings
Rainwater Harvesting: Best Practices Handbook
By Regional District of Nanaimo
With the right controls in place, harvested rainwater can be used for irrigation, outdoor cleaning, flushing toilets, washing clothes, and even drinking water. Replacing municipally-treated water or groundwater with rainwater for these uses alleviates pressure on regional aquifers and sensitive ecosystems, and reduces demands on municipal infrastructure.
An Eco Building Revolution - The Harmless Home
By Arno Keinonen & Creatively United
It’s now possible to build structures that are carbon negative, fireproof, soundproof, toxin free, earthquake, mold and pest resistant. This video features the first home of its kind in the world. Located in East Sooke on southern Vancouver Island, near Victoria, BC, this eco home showcases what’s possible using Canadian made construction technology and materials.
Internet Connected Building Controls
By Tom Zaban of Reliable Controls
Any building can benefit from internet connected building controls. Reliable Controls VP, Tom Zaban, explains how they provide simple, flexible, and sustainable controls which balance the comfort, efficiency, and greenhouse gas reductions of commercial buildings all around the world.
Creating Resilient Green Built Neighbourhoods
By Jack Anderson
Jack Anderson, one of western Canada's leading green building design experts, urban designers and community design visionaries, shares an important Earth Day message that is relevant 365 days a year.
Energy Enhancements by Switching to Heat Pumps
By Don Scott
Individual families can make dramatic reductions in their home’s carbon emissions and easily save significant amounts of money now and into the future. This is not rocket science, but it does require addressing easily identified factors and solving them in a co-ordinated way.
Pathway to 100% Renewable Energy In Saanich
Tom Hackney
Explore a number of informative facts and figures on how it's within reach to make Saanich a 100% renewable energy community by 2050.
100% Renewable Energy for BC: The Psycho-Politics of Success
By Guy Dauncey
What are the emotional, analytical and engagement needs of champions? What are the barriers, and how can they be overcome?
Community Based Social Marketing
Community-Based Social Marketing is helping humanity make this transition more gracefully. The cornerstone of sustainable and healthy communities is behaviour change. Sustainability requires that individuals and businesses engage in diverse actions, such as reducing waste, increasing water and energy efficiency, altering transportation habits, and protecting native species. Healthy lifestyles require individuals to make smart food choices, exercise, avoid smoking and excessive sun exposure, and engage in a myriad of other actions. Learn More
The Benefits of Cohousing
by Michael Tacon of Harbourside Sooke
Michael Tacon is a Cohousing Advocate and President of the Sooke Transition Town Society aka Transition Sooke. In 2011, he co-founded Transition Sooke and is currently in his second term as President. He and his wife Bev were involved in the early stages of the Harbourside Senior Cohousing project in 2012, and moved into their home in 2016.
Reading List
Courtesy of Guy Dauncey
Greening Your Home: Successful Eco-Renovation Strategies, by Thomas Teuven and Laura Parker (2014)
Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste, by Bea Johnson (2013)
Greening Your Office – Strategies that Work, by Jill Doucette and Lee Johnson (2014)
Food & Health
Read the 2020 School Food Shift Progress Report
The School Food Shift Collaborative report summarizes the development of the Healthy School Food Framework as well as progress over the past year towards collaborative goals of healthy school food environments.
PHABC Food Access Report
Public Health Association of BC (PHABC) conducted a survey on food access programming and organizations.
Food is Connection Webinar Series 2021
This interactive discussion brings into focus how sharing food fosters community and well-being. Community leaders, restaurant owners and food justice advocates consider how food fosters relationships and belonging when it is grown, exchanged, prepared, and shared in a family, culture and/or community.
A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy
It is within our reach to build back from the pandemic in a way that meets the need to address climate change and to deliver a stronger economy that thrives in a low-carbon world to the benefit of all Canadians.
The clean economy is an immense opportunity. Global momentum is already accelerating towards this end and Canadian workers and businesses are well-positioned to be leaders.
“A Healthy Environment and a Healthy Economy” is a plan that achieves both our environmental goals and our economic hopes: clean air, clean water and long-term secure jobs.
“A Healthy Environment and Healthy Economy” is your invitation to be a part of the continuing conversation and hard work ahead and - the better, more prosperous future it will deliver for all Canadians.
How-to Garden Video Series
It is never too early to start planning and plotting your garden for spring! Check out these useful videos to help you get growing.
Just Food Online Educational Tool
Are you an educator, student or community member interested in Food Justice? Check out this resource created by UBC Faculty of Land and Food Systems.
BC Food Web
BC Food Web is a freely-accessible online portal designed to increase access to food systems research results and other resources for producers, processors, policy-makers, educators, and the general public.
Podcast Series: Hard To Stomach
CBC Radio | Stories of real people as they navigate Food Insecurity and Food Inaccessibility in Canada.
Palenka Produce Box Report
The Palenke Produce Box (PPB) is a grassroots initiative aimed at providing fresh produce boxes sourced locally from Vancouver Island-based bi-weekly, and also supporting our communities' access to nutritious, fresh, food while also re invigorating our connection to the lands we live on, our relationship to where our food is grown, the resilience of our communities, and the vitality of our bodies.
Transforming the Regional Food System Through Collective Impact
Good Food 2025 is a comprehensive multi-sector, multi-jurisdictional strategy to promote a healthy and sustainable food system in the Capital Region. Good Food is “good for the planet, good for the provider, and good for the health and well-being of all”. Learn more about this effort here.
Planting Our Future - A Tree Toolkit for Communities
Although this document was created in 2008, the information remains relevant and provides useful planning tools and strategies that can be used to help communities to enhance the value of their urban forest. The benefits of trees are clearly listed, issues and challenges are addressed, and straightforward suggestions are provided.
Election Toolkit for Food Security Advocates
This toolkit was created by a working group of food security advocates to help you find ways to engage with your local constituents around food issues during a municipal election. By researching and pooling information we present you with the what, why, who, when and how to guide you through this endeavour. We hope that you find the toolkit helpful in your efforts to work with local government in regards to your local food system.
The Climate Challenge
by Guy Dauncey
The Climate Challenge draws on working solutions from around the world, and lays out the best actions for students and scientists, musicians and mayors, policy-makers and presidents, showing how it is possible to reduce our carbon footprint to almost zero by 2040. Each solution describes steps that are already being used in homes, schools, businesses, cities, and governments around the world-with full scientific references to help the reader dig deeper and push farther.
Growing Solutions Food Calendar
By The CRD
Use this chart to help determine when fresh local foods are typically available. Please remember that growing conditions change from year to year, so these dates are estimates.
Download
Who Will Feed Us?
By the ETC Group
Who Will Feed Us compares the industrial food system with peasant farming. Industrial farming gets all the attention (and most of the land). It accounts for more than 80% of the fossil fuel emissions and uses over 70% of the water supply used in agriculture, but it actually produces only about 30% of the world's food.
Download
CRD Ready Step Roll Active School Travelling Plan
By The CRD
Students using active transportation for their daily school commute see improvements in their physical and mental health, social development and academic achievement.
Community Based Social Marketing
Community-Based Social Marketing is helping humanity make this transition more gracefully. The cornerstone of sustainable and healthy communities is behaviour change. Sustainability requires that individuals and businesses engage in diverse actions, such as reducing waste, increasing water and energy efficiency, altering transportation habits, and protecting native species. Healthy lifestyles require individuals to make smart food choices, exercise, avoid smoking and excessive sun exposure, and engage in a myriad of other actions. Learn More
Reading List
Courtesy of Guy Dauncey
Eating Tomorrow: Agribusiness, Family Farmers, and the Battle for the Future of Food, by Timothy A. Wise (2019)
A Year on The Garden Path: A 52-Week Organic Gardening Guide, by Carolyn Herriot (2011)
The Zero-Mile Diet – A Year-Round Guide to Growing Organic Food, by Carolyn Herriot (2010)
Nature & Conservation
Community Trees Matter Network Toolkit
Trees matter! For this reason (and many more listed below), we have compiled a variety of information, resources, ideas and wisdom to help protect and preserve more trees. Please join us! Trees offer a multitude of benefits that many of us take for granted. Scientists are discovering that trees are a far more sophisticated and valuable living resource than we ever imagined.
Naturescape Saanich - Gardening with Nature
Naturescape is a program and concept to protect, maintain and enhance wildlife habitat and native biodiversity. It encourages creating diversity, layers and edges and using native plants on your property and in the re-design of landscapes. Saanich Council endorsed the principles of Naturescape and a plan for implementation in 2000.
Nexus Report Nature Based Solutions to the Biodiversity and Climate Crisis
The climate change and biodiversity crises that the world faces are closely intertwined – and they cannot be seen in isolation of a pandemic causing a global ‘vulnerability experience of mankind.’ The economic impacts of the pandemic will be severe. Stimulus packages are therefore indispensable – but they need to be to be based on sustainability and climate action to increase the resilience of our societies.
Pachamama Alliance Drawdown Initiative
Dig into Drawdown solutions! Project Drawdown, an international coalition of more than 200 researchers and other experts, identified and presented the 80 most substantive solutions to global warming.
Founded by author, environmentalist, and entrepreneur Paul Hawken, the group revealed their extraordinary findings: that it is possible not just to slow global warming, but to actually begin reversing it by 2050.
Tree Are Vital Infographic & Colouring Sheet
By Nelson Dewey
Learn why trees are so important to our lives and the health of our planet with a charming cartoon tree and facts by local artist Nelson Dewey.
Download: Infographic - Colouring Sheet
4x9 Printable Graphic
Why Environmental Groups Need Our Support
By The Creatively United for the Planet Society
These 15 reasons why environmental groups need our support will help inspire environmental awareness! Created by local cartoonist Nelson Dewey.
Cartoon Colouring Sheet
By The Creatively United for the Planet Society
Download this shareable cartoon colouring sheet created by local cartoonist Nelson Dewey.
Stewardship Centre For BC Resources
SCBC offers free resources to the stewardship community. These diverse and comprehensive documents are available for your use on all of your ecological projects.
Learn More
The Urban Forest
Victoria’s urban forest is a diverse landscape comprised of a variety of tree species, shrubs, groundcover and the vital living ecosystems of the soils in which they grow.
One Planet Saanich EcoCity Footprint
By Cora Hallsworth/Saanich
The summary report of Saanich's ecological and carbon footprint analysis for achieving one planet living.
Top 5 Water Challenges in BC
By The POLIS Project (UVic)
British Columbia’s past, present, and future are intertwined with water. Lakes, rivers, aquifers, and glaciers were—and remain—critical to Indigenous populations in all aspects of life, and were important to early settlers for transport and resource development. More recently, development in British Columbia has included the damming of rivers and creation of a vast network of hydropower—now the source of 90 per cent of the province’s electricity.
Urban Sanctuary Project
The Urban Sanctuary Project is a community initiative that aims to inspire others to become involved in the practices of a healthy ecosystem, with a special focus on Migratory Bird Sanctuaries. Celebrating the first three Migratory Bird Sanctuaries in Pacific Canada, in the heart of the Salish Sea, 2017 will mark the 100th anniversary of the Migratory Bird Convention Act, an important step in the history of the Canadian wildlife conservation movement.
The Need To Protect The Gorge Waterway
By UVIC Environmental Law Centre
This document raises a concern that local governments are failing to protect Gorge Waterfront public lands from private use and occupation. In this report we ask the governments of Esquimalt and Saanich to investigate which public assets may, or may not, have been lost or compromised.
Victoria's Climate Leadership Plan
Learn about the goals and targets behind the CLP’s five sectors – Buildings, Mobility, Waste, Municipal Operations and Adapting Early – and the important role that all Victorians must play as we work together towards a prosperous, low carbon future.
Climate Emergency: A 26-Week Transition Program for Canada
By Guy Dauncey
This is a practical, down to earth concrete step by step transition strategy for the Canadian government to get real about the climate emergency. A must read for all Canadians to make a difference and communicate to their elected officials new policies and programs that will make a difference now.
Community Based Social Marketing
Community-Based Social Marketing is helping humanity make this transition more gracefully. The cornerstone of sustainable and healthy communities is behaviour change. Sustainability requires that individuals and businesses engage in diverse actions, such as reducing waste, increasing water and energy efficiency, altering transportation habits, and protecting native species. Healthy lifestyles require individuals to make smart food choices, exercise, avoid smoking and excessive sun exposure, and engage in a myriad of other actions.
Citizens Coolkit on Climate Change & Urban Forestry
This booklet aims to help you climate-proof your neighbourhood while improving the urban forests that surround your home. This booklet is full of fun tools and hands-on activities that are organized into 5 steps: chatting, mapping, rating, visioning and acting. These activities aim to help you see your neighbourhood in a new way, make climate change visible, and re-imagine your future. Pick the activities that you find the most interesting - or do them all if you wish!
International Ipsos Global Advisor Survey - Climate Change
Seven in ten consider climate change as serious a crisis as Covid-19, and a similar proportion feel their government will be failing them if it doesn’t act on climate change now. Two thirds globally support a green economic recovery from the crisis.
Planting Our Future - A Tree Toolkit for Communities
Although this document was created in 2008, the information remains relevant and provides useful planning tools and strategies that can be used to help communities to enhance the value of their urban forest. The benefits of trees are clearly listed, issues and challenges are addressed, and straightforward suggestions are provided.
The Climate Challenge
by Guy Dauncey
The Climate Challenge draws on working solutions from around the world, and lays out the best actions for students and scientists, musicians and mayors, policy-makers and presidents, showing how it is possible to reduce our carbon footprint to almost zero by 2040. Each solution describes steps that are already being used in homes, schools, businesses, cities, and governments around the world-with full scientific references to help the reader dig deeper and push farther.
Reading List
Courtesy of Guy Daucney
Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming, by Paul Hawken (2017)
Designing Climate Solutions: A Policy Guide for Low-Carbon Energy, by Hal Harvey (2018)
This is Not a Drill: The Extinction Rebellion Handbook (2019)
No One is Too Small to Make a Difference, by Greta Thunberg (2019)
The Citizen’s Guide to Climate Success: Overcoming Myths that Hinder Progress, by Mark Jaccard (2020)
Our House is On Fire: Scenes of a Family and a Planet in Crisis, by Greta Thunberg et al (2020)
Live Green: 52 Steps for a More Sustainable Life, by Jen Chillingsworth (2019)
Transportation
Plug In BC
Representing groups and organizations that have been supporting the uptake of electric vehicles in BC. This is your hub to find out the latest on EVs.
How to Import a Used Electric Car (EV) to Canada
By Don Scott
Individuals can go through the same process that dealers do to import a vehicle Individuals can go through the same process that dealers do to import a vehicle from the USA. The guide below outlines the steps involved. They are not onerous but will take some time and exploration and you can save thousands of dollars by doing it yourself.
Transportation Systems & Urban Development Patterns for a One Planet Region
By Todd Litman
Good planets are difficult to find. Let’s take good care of the one we have!
Humanity is shifting from about 80% rural in 1900 to about 80% urban in 2100. The density with which new urban residents live will significantly affect the total amount of openspace (farmland and natural habitat) that will be displaced by development. More compact development (more than 20 residents per hectare) provides large savings and benefits. Our challenge is to increase both density and residents’ quality of life.
Assessing BC’s Policies to Encourage a Sharp Reduction in GHG Emissions by Light Vehicles in BC’s Transportation Sector
By Don Scott
BC has trumpeted itself as a leader in reducing carbon emissions in North America and in Canada in particular. It was the first jurisdiction in North American to introduce a carbon tax at the consumer level and has made much of this brave and green initiative. However, BC’s GHG emissions record does not justify that claim.
Vancouver Island & Salt Spring Island EV Charging Stations
By Motorize - Your EV Store
and Salt Spring Island EV Group
Need some juice? Use this list to find all the charging stations on Vancouver Island before your next EV road trip.
Vancouver Island Charging Stations
Salt Spring Island Charging Stations
The Climate Challenge
by Guy Dauncey
The Climate Challenge draws on working solutions from around the world, and lays out the best actions for students and scientists, musicians and mayors, policy-makers and presidents, showing how it is possible to reduce our carbon footprint to almost zero by 2040. Each solution describes steps that are already being used in homes, schools, businesses, cities, and governments around the world-with full scientific references to help the reader dig deeper and push farther.
Community Based Social Marketing
Community-Based Social Marketing is helping humanity make this transition more gracefully. The cornerstone of sustainable and healthy communities is behaviour change. Sustainability requires that individuals and businesses engage in diverse actions, such as reducing waste, increasing water and energy efficiency, altering transportation habits, and protecting native species. Healthy lifestyles require individuals to make smart food choices, exercise, avoid smoking and excessive sun exposure, and engage in a myriad of other actions.
Zero Waste & Circular Economy
My Recyclopedia
By The CRD
The CRD is developing a new Solid Waste Management Plan—the plan that guides how the region will manage solid waste in the coming years, including recyclables, compostable material and garbage from homes, businesses and institutions, as well as construction and demolition sites.
Learn More
Disposable Cups: The Plastic Bags of Tomorrow
By The Creatively United for the Planet Society
Download this shareable infographic with statistics and facts about disposable cups.
Renewable & Resilient Saanich
By Rebecca Newlove
See stats and figures regarding renewable resource and sustainability practices in Saanich.
Reading List
Courtesy of Guy Dauncey
How to Live Plastic Free – A Day in the Life of a Plastic Detox. Marine Conservation Society (2020)
Live Green: 52 Steps for a More Sustainable Life, by Jen Chillingsworth (2019)
Zero Waste Home: The Ultimate Guide to Simplifying Your Life by Reducing Your Waste, by Bea Johnson (2013)
