British Columbia Looking to Electrify Industrial Vehicles
A Vancouver Island-based electric vehicle company has received nearly $300k in government funding through the CleanBC Advanced Research and Commercialization (ARC) program. Canadian Electric Vehicles (CanEV) is a Parksville-based company that specializes in designing and producing electric vehicles (EVs) and converting vehicles from combustion to electric systems. The company has converted a wide variety of … Continued
Food for Thought
No matter who you are or where you come from, food is a part of life—a big part. Everybody, everywhere, eats. Some people have too much food, some not enough. Some people die because of its unavailability, and food production is one of climate change’s leading causes. In fact, the primary driving force behind the … Continued
Nanaimo’s Plastic Bag Ban Receives Provincial Approval
The movement to ban plastic grocery bags on Vancouver Island has been an arduous one, but various obstacles haven’t halted its progress. In January of 2018, Victoria instituted Vancouver Island’s first bylaw banning plastic bags. Unfortunately, having failed to receive provincial approval for the ban before its implementation, Victoria repealed the bylaw in October of … Continued
VIU Eco Club hosts Clothing Swap in the quad.
The Clothing Swap will be in the quad between 11 am–2 pm on Thursday, February 6 in participation with Global Citizens Week. Everyone and anyone can attend, and the Eco Club will be there to give support and collaborate ideas.
Unwrapped: Students Showcase Sustainable Alternatives
Nancy Pagé, VIU Graphic Design Professor, posed a question to the students in her third-year Package Studio class: Is product packaging nothing but beautiful garbage? Then, she issued a challenge—redesign an existing product’s packaging so it is more ecologically responsible. Each student chose one product, and their resulting creations are now on display during Unwrapped, … Continued
Beyond Second-Hand September
Second-Hand September started at the Oxfam GB in the UK. It is an initiative to encourage people to go one month without buying new clothes. Oxfam GB works globally to reduce poverty and generate development in a sustainable way. The term “fast fashion” refers to the constant flow of new trends at cheap prices for … Continued
Five years bottled water free
Five years ago, VIU became a leader in campus sustainability by successfully banning the sale of bottled water on campus—the first university in BC to do so. The Vancouver Island University Students’ Union spearheaded the campaign, called “Ban the Bottle,” which quickly gained support from students, administration, and labour groups at VIU. The joint Water … Continued
Projects proposed at Green Ideas
Above: Students and teachers view presentations on sustainable project proposals for the VIU at the Green Ideas event in March. 📷 Dane Gibson By contributors Linda Bracken and Don Alexander St. Patrick’s Day was celebrated with creativity at VIU’s Green Ideas event held in the upper cafeteria on Friday, March 17. The event was designed to have a … Continued
Professor calls for sustainability on campus
By News Editor Aislinn Cottell For the most part, Glenda Hunter is very happy with the university at which she works. A professor of chemistry and biology in the Adult Basic Education department, Hunter loves the community, values, and environment of the VIU campus. However, in December of 2016, she faced a dilemma. When walking … Continued
Everyday Earth: Consuming the world…and sturgeon
Above: Photo via economist.com By contributor Chantelle Spicer As a devout foodie, one of the key aspects of sustainability for me is how we consume the world, because, let’s face it, no matter if you are a vegan, pescatarian, or that person who orders the meat lover’s pizza—what you are eating was once living and … Continued
Participants wanted for VIU sustainability mural project
Above: Lynda Faulks (center front) with workshop group in front of the Memorial University of Newfoundland mural. Photo via Memorial University. By News Editor Aislinn Cottell The VIU Sustainability Advisory Committee (SAC) has endorsed a project this spring which seeks to express the concept of sustainability through collaborative art. The workshop-style event will result in … Continued
Combating climate change in Nanaimo
“The power of our vision must be so much stronger than the power of our fear,” said ecofuturist and founder of the BC Sustainable Energy Association Guy Dauncey when speaking as a guest at a VIU political studies class. “The challenge is huge, but it’s mostly achievable.” As Canada and the world meet in Paris for the 2015 United Nations Climate … Continued
Put a cap on it: The west coast mushroom master.
For foragers and commoners alike, the arrival of autumn means one thing—the sprouting of those delicate long stemmed caps: Mushrooms. No one is more accustomed to nature’s most tantalizing delicacies than Bill Holmes, founder and Forager-in-chief at Deer Holme farms. Now with a multitude of books dedicated to the craft, various foraging and cooking classes, … Continued
Mount Arrowsmith Biosphere Reserve
By contributor Chantelle Spicer Our little corner of the world, here on Vancouver Island, is really spectacular, sometimes more so than you would imagine. From old-growth forests to glacially fed lakes, panoramic mountain vistas viewed from the beach to one of the most diverse undersea ecosystems in the world, we really do have it … Continued