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4 Comments
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Re: RX drugs in water supples
2008-06-13 10:12:39 UTC
Drugs in aquatic ecosystems could be a very real problem:
www.newmoa.org/prevention/chemicalspolicy/Smith.ppt
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/sr-sr/finance/tsri-irst/proj/endocrin/tsri-174- eng.php
http://www.uoguelph.ca/cntc/ann_symp/2002/abstracts.shtml
http://www.nwri.ca/ppcp-ppsp/32-effects-effets-e.html
http://www.uoguelph.ca/cntc/publicat/science_briefs/2003-07-July-CNTC- Science-Brief.pdf
Gillian Maurice
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Templates for Energy Consumption Signs on Campus Buildings
2008-03-13 16:35:24 UTC
Hello all,
I have been charged by my department to work on a project that involves creating public displays or signs which will help "raise awareness" of how much energy each building on our university campus uses. The consumption information will be static (ie, not dynamic feedback). I am hesitant about the end results in regards to influencing positive behaviour change of such a campaign, but it is a decision that the institution has made. Does anyone have any souces, resources or references in terms of the best way to state the kWh electricity consumption of a large institutional building in such a way that it does not a) overwhelm the average building occupant b) thereby leaving them feeling disempowered and, ideally, c) can still promote specific actions regarding reducing the stated consumption. Templates or draft designs would be particularly appreciated, if they are free to share.
Thank you,
Gillian Maurice
Gillian Maurice, B.Sc.(Env.), B.A.
Sustainability Co-ordinator
Physical Resources
University of Guelph,
Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1
[email protected]
tel.(519) 824-4120 x58129
http://www.pr.uoguelph.ca/sustain
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Re: Sustainability Policy development help needed
2007-12-15 18:29:17 UTC
The International Institute for Sustainable Development has a policy bank of educational institutions' sustainability and environmental policies. Some of them may have the same shortcomings you described, but hopefully some are also useful. http://www.iisd.org/leaders/policybank/ Even more recently, UBC issued an updated sustainability strategy that reflects some of the "general but specific" direction and criteria that you were looking for. http://www.sustain.ubc.ca/ia.html
Hope this helps!
Gillian Maurice -
Re: Creating change close to home
2007-05-10 06:47:05 UTC
Dear Lisa,
Perhaps, in true CBSM spirit, you could sit down for a family meeting or dinner, and discuss - note, discuss, not direct or impose - the issue. Let them know ahead of time that you want to discuss the topic, so that it's not a surprise sprung on them when you do bring it up. At the meeting, find out in what areas they do participate in actions that are eco-friendly, and help them to see themselves as people who act in a sustainable way. Regarding the tv, find out where they are coming from - do they mean to leave the room with the tv on, or is it accidental? See if they can agree to the general idea that "TVs should be off when not being watched", and then see how you can help them remember. Not you telling them, as nobody likes being nagged, and few people actually like nagging, especially not long after the behaviour has occurred, but by something as simple as prompts on the remote or near the lightswitch, if you follow Tom's suggestion about attaching the entertainment system to a switched outlet. As a counterpoint to one of Tom's comments, I would be careful about using the "TV is bad" idea in the discussion. If they both feel that tv is an important part of their lives, they may resent having that belief imposed on them, or worse, feel they are being judged, and see themselves in negative light, which will not help foster their belief in their own positive environmental citizenship. I hope these ideas help in your quest for sustainability!
Cheers,
Gillian Maurice
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