Archive for the ‘In Public’ Category

Climate Leadership from Within

December 23rd, 2009

The International Climate Summit in Copenhagen is over and, regrettably, no binding deal was made.  For a laugh, I highly recommend this little gem of a summary on what transpired in Copenhagen.

One of the better perspectives I have read on the negotiations is from Vancouver urban planner Stephen Rees who reminds us that we should not wait for politicians to make changes.  Climate leadership can come from cities; after all, 85% of Canada’s population lives in a city.  This was one of the points I was hoping to make with this panel discussion.  If you live in Vancouver, the best action you can take is to encourage and support the commitment that Vancouver has made to be the greenest city in the world.  And if you live in some other city, then let them know what Vancouver is doing and challenge your mayor and council to take us on.  As Andrea Reimer said in the panel discussion: “we’d be happy to get the pants beat off us if somebody was trying to be even greener.”

>> Click here to watch the 45 minute panel discussion




The Vancouver Commons Episode 2: Citizen Engagement

May 29th, 2009

Vancouver ChangeCampHow can we help government become more open and responsive?

How do we as citizens organize to get better outcomes ourselves?

These questions form the basis of a conference called Vancouver ChangeCamp happening on June 20.  A few weeks ago I sat down with Reilly Yeo and Steve Williams, two of the organizers, to talk about the event and public engagement more generally.  I begin this episode with a short reflection on the recent STV referendum because, after all, voting is the predominant form of citizen engagement.

Listen to the interview

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Credits: This episode was made using Creative Commons media. Bumper: Songs of Triumph” by scottaltham, Ocean waves crashing by Luftrum, Urban herring gulls by acclivity, Road construction by Heigh-hoo

The Vancouver Commons Episode 1: Busker Idol

March 4th, 2009

The Vancouver Commons -  Podcast Episode 1

Have you found yourself listening to a really good busker and wishing there was some way, more than just tossing a loonie, to show your appreciation?  Well Karen Fung has and it led her to conceive of Busker Idol.

“Busker Idol encourages crowds to participate, à la American Idol, to vote for the best buskers in a variety of categories.” What’s more, Karen envisions a highly interactive system that lets street performers share their creations and build a fan base directly. In this way, we, the public, gain a more direct role in promoting art in Vancouver.

Listen to the interview

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Credits: This episode was made using Creative Commons media. Bumper: Songs of Triumph” by scottaltham, Ocean waves crashing by Luftrum, Urban herring gulls by acclivity, Road construction by Heigh-hoo, Episode: Market / busker sounds by vedas