By Jenn McRae

How could we spend these tax dollars in a better way? What if drivers and oil consumers had to pay the true cost of gasoline, instead of our governments subsidizing it? The world might be radically changed.

by Ria Wisniewski

Hemp needs less fertilizer and no pesticides, reducing agrochemicals toxic to soils and water. It can be incorporated into a regular crop rotation that yields added benefits by returning nutrients back into the soils. It also has amazing carbon dioxide absorption rates, where 1 tonne of hemp stalks hold 0.445 tonnes (45%) of CO2, which is retained after harvesting. It then can be used to make a variety of fibre products, foods, medicindes, cosmetics, building materials, and can replace unsustainable oil-based products such as plastics.

by Halimah Basrael

Thinking Beyond Our Heels…
Invasive plants can cause a level of destruction matched only by damage caused by floods, earthquakes, wildfires, hurricanes, and mudslides.

LET’S KICK IT UP!
These seed-dispensing shoes will aid in the conservation of native plants in British Columbia by providing them with the ammunition to overcome invasive species.

by James McNish

The age of oil is coming to an end. But there is no need to despair. Alternative ways to generate the power we all need to heat our homes, run our cars and power our computers exist right now.

My Vision is to see B.C. take a serious leap to take advantage of our bountiful renewable resources that exist as wind, solar, tidal and explore new alternative renewable energies that have yet to be discovered.

We have the tools. Now we need the political and public will to implement them.

by Deanna Rogers

My audacious vision is re-prioritizing the space in our city. Why is 30% of Vancouver’s space dedicated to concrete for cars? Personally I feel this does not represent a third of Vancouver’s culture so why do we give them such a large priority? If we had several major roads dedicated to garden use verses car traffic then we could feed our people not our cities carbon footprint. When will we make food a priority? Many of residents in Vancouver are below the poverty line, and we need the infrastructure to support them.

by Sarah Herring

What would happen if we ripped up all the concrete in selected sections of Vancouver’s downtown core and planted indigenous and edible greenery?  How would this go down?  How would this hinder and/or help our lives? Would we be inclined to gather and grow together, secure food sovereignty, create a culture of community, reduces co2 emissions, and create walkability in our cities?   Or is this vision completely unrealistic?  Perhaps we would spend too much time smelling the roses…

How do we balance between idealistic green and realistic sheen in a way that improves the lives of city-dwellers?  How can we get more greenspace in our city while maintaining functionality?  Is it enough to be resilient in these rapidly changing times? Or do we need to redefine our relationship with nature altogether? Can we adapt to coexisting harmoniously? How do we steward our urban spaces in a way that lets both us and nature thrive?

By Joni Morris

Every year, 3.4 billion litres of rain falls on Metro Vancouver. Sewers drain 75% of this back into the ocean. What else could we do with this clean water? Would you flush your toilet with it? What about water your lawn?

Our rainwater is a free resource that we’re currently ignoring. By draining this water back into the ocean, we are drying up our creeks and streams, destroying salmon and other wildlife habitat, and parching the ground for future generations.

By David Northgraves

Audacious Trams for Vancouver

By Paige Frewer

Many cities are working on becoming more sustainable by using modern science and technology.

But some people argue that the only feasible way to truly live in harmony with the Earth is for humans to revert back to rural lifestyles, which seems to contradict the above.

Is there a way to synthesize these two approaches? In particular, to utilize classically eco-unfriendly culprits like asphalt, concrete buildings, and cars in a way which creatively and resourcefully supported the sustainability of the city? Could doing so help us to ensure a healthy world for future generations?

What if the sustainability of urban regions didn’t just benefit from, but actually depended upon the marriage of modern technology and natural systems?

Imagine a city that achieved this balance.

Audacious Street for Vancouver

By Maryam Dashti

Audacious Lions Gate for Vancouver