Sustainable living is without a doubt the need of the hour. At this point, if there is someone who does not believe in climate change and is not doing their part to avert the impending doom – I do not know if we can ever be friends! Responding to the climate change call to action, major cities in Canada like the city of Vancouver are laying particular stress on sustainability initiatives and have over the years proven to be major hubs for climate action in the world.
The city of Vancouver is a haven for sustainability enthusiasts with multiple municipal sustainability initiatives and countless colleges and universities offering programs and courses that churn out climate action pioneers every year. Furthermore, the poignant location of the city with the vast blue ocean on one side and tall, stoic mountains on the other- entwines its inhabitants in a significant bond with nature.
Here are some impactful climate change solutions that the city of Vancouver has been diligently following to cultivate good, conscientious environment citizens:
Vancouver is heavily dependent on renewable energy for electricity
Electricity in B.C is mostly generated to clean and renewable energy sources like water, forest biomass gas, and landfill gas. According to the government of British Columbia’s official website, BC follows “the Clean Energy Act [which] defines clean and renewable sources of energy, and sets an objective to have at least 93% of the electricity generated in British Columbia come from clean or renewable resources.” Since electricity is one of the two biggest sectors that contribute to global warming (almost 25%), such clean energy initiatives help reduce Vancouver’s carbon footprints significantly.
Numerous Forestry and Agricultural initiatives and reforms
Vancouver inherits ancient forests and a great expanse of agricultural land which it strives to protect and reep sustainably. The BC government’s new vision for sustainable forest policies recognizes the need to be proactive and envisions ways to tackle the sharp drop in available timber, loss of wood due to transportation and strives to protect thousands of hectares of virgin forest land. Furthermore, Metro Vancouver’s Ecological Health Framework also works towards containing GHG (greenhouse gases) emissions in agriculture and, therefore, nurturing healthy regional ecological systems.
Vancouver encourages hyper-local food systems
The city of Vancouver encourages the practice of growing your own food to stress the importance of healthy hyper-local food systems in maintaining regional ecological systems and increasing community engagement.
Composting and Recycling Ninjas:
If you are a composting and recycling ninja, move to Vancouver today! The city of Vancouver takes its composting and recycling responsibilities very seriously and has one of the best waste management systems in Canada. If you are already in Vancouver and want to hop on to the sustainability brigade, it also has a waste wizard who will help you with all of your waste sorting needs.
Finally, here are some renowned sustainability-related programs offered by some of the best colleges in Vancouver:
- Environmental and Sustainability Studies – University of Northern British Columbia
- Sustainable Construction Management Technology (Diploma) – Okanagan College
- BA.Sc. in Sustainable Agriculture – Kwantlen Polytechnic University (KPU)
- Applied Sustainable Ranching – Thompson Rivers University
- Master of Environment and Sustainability (MES) – University of Saskatchewan
Sources: City of Vancouver, BC government website, Vancouver.ca
