Adam Clare

Top sustainable construction projects honored

The Holcim Foundation has released the winners of the most sustainable buildings in North America. The CBC is reporting that Canada has won three awards.

The winners of the second North American Holcim Awards competition for Sustainable Construction projects were announced at a ceremony in Montreal. Total prize money of USD 270,000 was presented to nine projects from Canada and the United States that showcase the latest approaches to address critical topics including housing affordability, employment, renewable energy, and water efficiency.

The competition is run in parallel in five regions of the world by the Swiss-based Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction. Almost 5000 projects from 90 countries entered the competition which aims to promote sustainable responses from the building and construction industry to technological, environmental, socioeconomic and cultural issues.

Taiwan’s Bicycle Makers Love Economic Collapse

my bike We all know that the global market is getting shaken around right now and as “the invisible hand” rights (or bails out) the inherent failures of capitalism some people are benefiting from the stress. Bicycle manufactures are benefiting from consumers tightening their belts because bikes are a great way to save money, they also keep you fit, and are good for the environment. Yeah for bicycles!

Exports reached a record high in 2007 of 1.05 billion US dollars with 4.75 million bikes sold abroad, while 2008 looks set to break that record with the export of 2.76 million bikes totalling 635 million US dollars in the first six months, government figures showed.
There is no official data on how many bicycles are sold locally but industry watchers estimate around one million were sold in 2007 on the island of 23 million people.
“Business was booming in 2007 and this year looks to be the best,” said Jeffrey Sheu, spokesman for the world’s leading bicycle maker Giant Inc.
“Our monthly revenue hit a historical high in August and September looks like setting a new record.”
Giant’s August and September group revenue rose 27 percent and 35 percent year-on-year to 3.91 billion and 4.12 billion Taiwan dollars (120 million US and 126 million US) respectively while 2008 revenue is projected to increase by at least 25 percent to 40 billion.

What’s Missing in the Media?

If you live in Toronto or area then you should come out to the event Missing in the Media on media democracy day. Come learn about and share what is missing in the mainstream media. The complete schedule is now online. And yes, I’m involved with this 🙂

What is missing in the media? Who is left out from mainstream news coverage in Canada today? A large coalition of independent media organizations, advocacy groups and media activists will ask these questions and more at “Missing in the Media: Media Democracy Day Toronto 2008,” taking place all day on October 23.

What: A series of thematic and skills-building panels and workshops on media democracy followed by a rabble.ca relaunch party with guest speakers Maude Barlow and Linda McQuaig, and musical guests LAL, KoboTown and Maryam Tollar.

When: Thursday, October 23, 2008, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (workshops and panels); 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. (rabble.ca relaunch party).

Where: Free workshops and panels at International Student Centre (33 St. George Street), University of Toronto; Pay-what-you-can rabble.ca relaunch party (suggested $10 to $25 donation to rabble.ca) at the Steam Whistle Roundhouse (255 Bremner Blvd.)

For program details and a list of participating organizations please visit: www.missinginthemedia.ca.

700 KM on 4 Liters of Fuel?

Yes it is possible, FactCheck.org says so:
Can a freight train really move a ton of freight 436 miles on a gallon of fuel?

Yes.

Some rail lines do better. The Soo Line, which is the U.S. branch of the Canadian Pacific, operating in the upper Midwest, reported moving each ton of freight 517.8 miles per gallon of diesel fuel, on average. Lines operated by the Grand Trunk Corp. reported 510.5 ton-miles per gallon.

The national average figure of 436 miles is the highest on record, according to AAR, and a 3.1 percent increase from the 423-mile figure reached in 2006.

The rail industry says its fuel efficiency has increased by 85 percent since 1980. It attributes that to factors that include using new and more efficient locomotives, training engineers to conserve fuel, using computers to assemble trains more efficiently in the yard and to plan trips more efficiently to avoid congestion, and reducing the amount of time engines are idling.

Blog Action Day 2008: Poverty

Today is Blog Action Day 2008 and this year the topic is poverty. Over 10,000 sites are participating to discuss poverty, and yes this site is one of them.

here’s some good news on poverty from Asia:

Asean countries have made strong progress in reducing extreme poverty and hunger in the region, said Minister of State for Community Development, Youth and Sports Yu-Foo Yee Shoon.

She said a recent report completed by researchers under the Asean-Australian Development Programme showed Asean countries had been able to reduce poverty among its populations.

Speaking at the 6th Asean Senior Officials Meeting on Rural Development and Poverty Eradication here Monday, Yu-Foo said although there were still considerable differences across some member countries, all 10 member-countries of the regional association aimed at achieving goals set by the United Nations to combat global poverty.