Victoria Green Directory

Playing in the Sun

2007-07-12T17:22:00.000-07:00

If you've been wondering why the posting has been slowing down we really only have one answer: Summer.

We're giving the site a bit of a break as it's just do darned nice outside. In the meantime, enjoy the links we've gathered over the last few months in the sidebars and have fun supporting your local green and good businesses!

Farm Fresh Guide

2007-06-16T11:30:00.000-07:00

With the strawberry season kicking off last week we figured now's as good a time as any to remind everybody of the island's local harvest with a link to the e-version of the Farm Fresh Guide - an excellent resource for what's fresh on the island and where to get it. Happy local-izing!

Cohousing with a sustainable twist

2007-06-07T12:38:00.000-07:00

If you're around Nanaimo BC- or looking to be around Nanaimo BC, for that matter - make sure to check out a new cohousing community with a markedly sustainable twist to it.

The project, currently under development is named Pacific Gardens Cohousing and it's based on a 25-unit environmentally-friendly, intentional community. The green comes in as they're hoping to build with high density and offter sustainable development through the efficient use of land, the use of alternative energy sources, effective waste & water management, substantial bicycle storage, car sharing, organic gardening, and building material choices based on environmental impact.

Green Roof Installation on the Island

2007-05-23T14:17:00.000-07:00

Does anybody out there have any good tips/experience working with any Vancouver Island businesses toward the installation of a green roof? There's the Old Country Market in Coombs with all the goats....

Leave your stories/share your tips in the comments or shoot us an email!

Renewable Energy Tradeshow | Nanaimo Apr 14

2007-04-11T13:13:00.000-07:00

If you're in or around Nanaimo this Saturday April 14th, make sure to swing by the Bowen Park Auditorium for a pretty sweet looking trade show promising to help business and homeowners alike save some green (the cash kind, and the earth kind). Read all the details here or download the flyer here.

Earth Day Victoria

2007-04-09T09:11:00.000-07:00

With Earth Day quickly approaching (April 22nd) there will undoubtedly be a whack of good, green and local going on around town. If you or your business are involved in a specific event, share it with everyone else via the comments to this post!

Parks Master Plan for Victoria

2007-03-09T08:41:00.000-08:00

Master Parks Planning Worshop
Saturday March 17th - 10 am-1:30pm
City Hall

If you're interested in taking part in the development of Victoria's Master Parks Plan, you're invited to take part in this planning workshop which also features a presentation by guest speaker Douglas Paterson.

For more information visit the website.

CRD to get Green Roof

2007-02-26T15:53:00.000-08:00

The TC is reporting today that the CRD is investigating the possibility of getting a green roof and living wall for their building. The article also mentions some of UVIC's green roofs (or would that be rooves) as well as some other national projects....

100 Mile Diet Nanaimo

2007-02-26T10:41:00.000-08:00

Looking for local food from within a 160km (or, 100 miles) of Nanimo? 100 Mile Diet Nanaimo has a great listing of local food on their site, including a good list of fall/winter producers.

The folks behind the Nanaimo initiative are also running a daily blog entitled CRAVE, which upon first glance is making us too hungry to spend much more time telling you about it! Needless to say its home to lots of great links to events around the island and more than its fair share of recipes, tips and tricks for local eating.

Ethical Purchasing Forum this weekend!

2007-02-23T10:10:00.000-08:00

Don't forget about this weekend's Forum on Ethical Purchasing in Victoria. Here's to hoping the time together keeps things rolling here on the south island. For more/last minute details check out the website.

"The Ethical Purchasing Forum is a space for ongoing dialogue and collaboration, designed to bring together active citizens to explore trade issues and expand ethical trade in the Victoria region. The forum aims to increase the market for ethically traded products through policy development at the municipal and institutional levels and by co-operating to increase public awareness and develop locally-based regional alternatives for ethical trade."

Should be good....

Sustainable Living Expo | Mar 16-18

2007-02-23T10:03:00.000-08:00

In case you haven't caught news of EPIC's Sustainable Living Expo in Vancouver, we thought we'd bring your attention to it.

We don't recognize any Islander's on the list of exhibitors per se, but I'm sure they'll be a few of us wandering around. If you're heading to the expo from the Island here, leave a comment and we'll keep our eyes open for each other.

Esquimalt seeing green

2007-02-23T09:00:00.000-08:00

Vic news is running a piece on Esquimalt's "looking greener everyday" future. It seems bike lanes, a pedestrian charter and bio-diesel are all in the municipality's future.

Black Gold tonight (Tues)

2007-02-20T12:15:00.000-08:00

Dinner and a movie anyone? Maybe grab some fairly traded coffee afterward?
Black Gold: A Look at Fair Trade and the Global Economy of Coffee
Tues Feb 20th, 7pm
Herman's Jazz Club (map)

Read more about the event

The Walkable, Bikeable City Tonight (Feb 19)

2007-02-19T10:04:00.000-08:00

The city of Victoria is offering another workshop tonight as part of its neighbourhood series.

Greenways: "The Walkable, Bikeable City"
Monday, February 19, 7 pm - 9 pm
City Hall Ante Chambers, #1 Centennial Square
How do we create pedestrian friendly (walking, biking and non-motorized transport) neighborhoods connected to each other and our downtown? Hear from Joe Daly, Manager of Research, Planning and Design with the City of Victoria and other local organizations and project administrators who are making this happen. Share your ideas.

Green Burial at Royal Oak Burial Park

2007-02-19T09:57:00.000-08:00

According to the Times Colonist today, Saanich's Royal Oak Burial Park is set to offer green burial options.

Energy Film Fest this weekend...

2007-02-14T10:25:00.000-08:00

The Sierra Club Victoria Group, CineVic and Denman Island Chocolate have banded together to co-sponser a film festival this weekend featuring a wide range of films about energy. So break out the popcorn...er, Denman Island Chocolate bars and head on down to check it out.

All films are at St. Anne's Academy, 835 Humbolt St, and guest speakers will also be in attendance.

Friday, February 16th at 7pm – Too Hot Not to Handle

A primer on climate change from a producer of "An Inconvenient Truth", this documentary shows how businesses, local governments and citizens are taking positive actions to reduce global warming emissions. www.hbo.com/docs/programs/toohot/index.html (53 Minutes)

Friday, February 16th at 9pm – Oil on Ice

An intimate portrayal of the native Gwich'in Indians taking on powerful global energy interests to prevent invasive oil operations in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge's fragile caribou calving grounds. www.oilonice.org (90 minutes)

Saturday, February 17th at 7pm – Being Caribou

A young couple with a 15-inch George W. Bush replica doll follow the Porcupine Caribou Herd on foot from the Yukon to the caribou calving grounds in Alaska and then end up on the steps of the US Capitol. www.beingcaribou.com (72 minutes)

Saturday, February 17th at 9pm – Power Trip

Emmy Award winner Paul Devlin captures a comic clash of cultures that combusts when an American energy company (AES) tries to transform the dysfunctional electricity distribution system in Tblisi, the capital of the former Soviet Republic of Georgia. www.powertripthemovie.com (85 minutes)

Sunday, February 18th at 7pm – Homeland: Four Portraits of Native Action

This documentary takes a hard look at the stories of five remarkable Native American activists in four communities who are fighting the "new Indian wars". www.katahdin.org (90 minutes)

Sunday, February 18th at 9pm – Shorts Binge

A selection of short films that examine everything from biodiesel to alternative enegy.

For more info email: victoria@sierraclub.bc.ca
Co-sponsored by

Green Headlines

2007-02-13T08:00:00.000-08:00

These aren't all "new"news items, but we're not really trying to be first - we're just here to pass things along.

*New UVic Building a Golden shade of Green
- UVic's media release
- Vic News' article

*Local Faith Communities Tackle Climate Change
- Vic News' article
- More about the Anglican Church of Canada's environmental action

*Oak Bay Strikes Climate Task Force

*New Farmers Market Proposed for Langford

Subscribe to the VGD via email

2007-02-12T17:01:00.000-08:00

If keeping up with things via email is how you roll, then you'll be happy to notice that we've added a little "subscribe by email" link over on the right there (just below "about..." under the "subscribe/feeds" header). So now you can simply click, enter your email, sit back and keep in touch.

Monday Magazine on the Victoria Grid Project

2007-02-12T13:51:00.000-08:00

Read Monday's article on the Victoria Grid Project here.

(photo by Darren Darbyshire)

Ah, Victoria's "Places"

2007-02-10T10:22:00.000-08:00

Raving about Victoria's potential, yet berating Douglas St., Centennial Square and local inhibitions about biting the bullet and making historic spaces work again, Fred Kent and Kathy Maden of Project for Public Spaces (Wikipedia entry) just finished some workshops here in town. The TC sums it up here, while VibrantVictoria has been hosting a great discussion on Centennial Square in particular here.

As always, if you were there, we'd love your comments....

Related posts: UVic Lecture & Workshop

(photo: Ray Smith, Times Colonist)

The Green, The Good, The Local

2007-02-09T08:42:00.000-08:00

Posting has been a little slow over the last while and with that in mind we thought we'd open the comments up to you. CLeave a tip, a lead, a lesson - lets get sharing shall we?

Where do you get your grub? Who's your favorite local fashion designer? Where's the best place in town to meet and network with other fans of the south-island? You get the picture...

Common Energy Conference | Mon Feb 5

2007-02-04T12:18:00.000-08:00

The Common Engergy Conference: Finding Common Ground on the Climate Crisis kicks off this Monday February 5th at UVic from 1-9pm. Read all the carbon reducing details here.

Wanted: Green printers on the Island

2007-02-02T11:32:00.000-08:00

Does anybody know of any local soy-based + recycled + good printers around the south Island?

Black Gold Screening | Tues Feb 20th

2007-01-30T12:16:00.000-08:00

The Ethical Purchasing Forum and Victoria's Open Cinema and have come together for a screening of Black Gold: A Look at Fair Trade and the Global Economy of Coffee on Tuesday February 20th at Herman's Jazz Club (map).

As well as the screening, the night will host local guests Stacey Toews (Level Ground Coffee), Ian Hussey (Canadian Student Fair Trade Network), Moges Kebebe (Victoria Ethiopian Association) and others.

The screening starts at 7pm, but doors open for dinner beforehand at 5:30pm.
Admission is between $5 and $10

(ht: The Ethical Purchasing Forum)

UVic Lecture & Workshop

2007-01-26T07:48:00.000-08:00

UVic is hosting a lecture and workshop with Fred Kent of New York's Project for Public Spaces (Wikipedia entry) early this February (8th & 9th) to discuss what makes public spaces successful and how to foster such development. The media release can be read here.

Saanich Town Centre

2007-01-24T10:03:00.000-08:00

There seems to be few details available online (after a rushed early-morning google-search) but we'd love to hear from those at last night's public hearing where the go-ahead was given for the overhaul of Saanich's Town & Country Mall. Was there any mention of previous reports the new mega-Wal-Mart may be a deeper shade of green or not? Is there still room to lobby for a park-n-ride of sorts? Is the plan available online anywhere?

Please, comment away, and we'll post links as local media continues to report.

eCycling Encore! February 3rd

2007-01-23T11:35:00.000-08:00

E-Cycling Event
Saturday February 3rd | 9am-2pm
852 Devonshire Road
For more information call 727-9163 or email canadianearthinstitute {at} telus {dot{ net

It seems as though the Canadian Earth Institute and Break Down Recycle's last electronic recyling day was a hit. So much so that they've planned another for February 3rd from 9am - 2pm. A $10 donation takes care of all your household electronic waste including TV's, computer monitors, speakers, cell phones and the like.

"Who Killed the Electric Car?" @ Movie Monday

2007-01-22T16:59:00.000-08:00

Movie Monday and CBC are are featuring "Who Killed the Electric Car?" tonight (Monday Jan 22) at 7:30 at the Eric Martin Pavillion. With a discussion forum to follow we're sure the night will be an interesting one.

Oak Bay High Feeling Green?

2007-01-17T11:16:00.000-08:00

Victoria News has an article today about the possibility of making upcoming upgrades to Oak Bay High School of the green variety. The article spends some time with Dockside Green developer, Joe Van Belleghem who is "willing to volunteer his expertise to build a green school on a pilot basis." Apparently, the Oak Bay trustees are pretty enthusiastic about the possibility.

So let's get some cheerleading going shall we? ~~We're working on getting some contact info for the above mentioned trustees so you can send them your support...stay tuned for more details.~~ Contact info for the district can be found here (look for SD 61).

(photo: Scott Alexander)

Common Engergy lecture series

2007-01-15T10:38:00.000-08:00

Common Energy presents:
Lecture on Climate Change
with Dr. Andrew Weaver
Tuesday January 16th
7:30-9:30 PM
University of Victoria
Elliot Building, rm 168

Dedicated to moving UVic Beyond Climate Neutral, the Common Energy network is ramping up for their February 5th Conference with a lecture series on Climate, Energy and Society starting tomorrow night (Tuesday January 16th) with a presentation on climate change by Dr. Andrew Weaver, Canada Research Chair in Climate Modelling and Analysis at the University of Victoria and lead author of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change reports.

CRD: "depends on what you mean by green"

2007-01-11T12:55:00.000-08:00

As reported in the TC today, considering "climate change" when making decisions on "major projects undertaken in the region" is a bit too broad a motion for the CRD to adopt. Read the full conundrum here or help "fill-in-the-blanks" by leaving your suggestions in the comments - maybe we can help our beloved-yet-befuddled board members make a decision before the snow melts.

Introducing Salts Organic Clothing

2007-01-11T09:41:00.000-08:00

Local designers Shelter Apparel have launched a new label, Salts Organic, to carry their exclusively organic designs. If you've owned or worn any of their clothing, you'll be happy to know that they're sill crafting their work from "a small beach shop" on the south of the Island and have started a new blog promising "all things organic and stylish" here.

Victoria Neighbourhood Lecture Series

2007-01-09T15:45:00.000-08:00

The city of Victoria, in conjuntion with UVic, LifeCycles and Vancity has a great lecture series set for the winter and into the early months of spring for all of you neighbourhood loving Victorians.

The first lecture kicks off on Monday January 29th at 7pm and is focused on Community Mapping. For more information, and the heads up on the rest of the series, you can get all the details online here.

Also related:
LifeCycles Green Maps

"Localness" on the Tyee.ca

2007-01-09T11:23:00.000-08:00

The Tyee, home to the 100-Mile Diet series and one of BC's fiestiest news outlets recently posted a great article on the rise of "localness" over the last year.

"What is 'localness'? It’s Part yuppie fad, part literal grassroots revolution. It’s the idea that closer is better, that something grown, sewn or produced close to home is better than something from far away."

Read the rest of the article.

Recycle your eWaste - Jan 13th

2007-01-08T09:53:00.000-08:00

Local eWaste recylers Break Down Recycling (852 Devonshire Rd) are holding a drop-off for household electronic goods on Saturday January 13th from 9am-2pm. For donation of $10, they'll take your TV's, computers, cell phones, and anything else electric and make sure it doesn't end up in a landfill.

For more info contact Sandra at 361-9916 or Beth at 727-9163.

Read more about the company and event.

Thanks to Margot and Micheal for the tip...

Updated links

2006-12-07T15:36:00.000-08:00

A few new additions to the Miscellaneous links section to update you about today:
The Compost Education Centre - For all your composting questions
The Victoria Soap Exchange - Clean AND Green

Introducing "The Map"

2006-12-01T14:50:00.000-08:00

We've added a new feature to the site today: the Map. Seeing as how we're still testing this tool, we'd love as much feedback as you're willing to part with. And by all means, feel free to leave comments on the map itself - that's one of the most exciting features it offers!

100 Mile Chef at Raincity Grill

2006-12-01T10:26:00.000-08:00

While the VGD hopes to keep its focus here on Vancouver Island, every once and a while we're pleased to bring you some news from within a 160 km (100 miles) radius such as this great article from the Tyee about a 100-Mile Chef at Vancouver's Raincity Grill, (114 km's from us) about the challenges he faces in keeping a year-long a 100-Mile menu.

There's also a great little bit in the piece about our very own Sooke Harbour House.

Smoking Lily print archive

2006-11-30T15:49:00.000-08:00

Known locally as" Victoria's smallest store," local fashion outfit Smoking Lily has faithfully offered Johnson St. passers-by the joy of being able to quip "hey, that's a new one" for over ten years now. In all that time their prints have yet to become any less interesting than the "bugs out of context" they first silksreened on scarves back in 1995. Suffice it to say, I was quite pleased to stumble upon the "fishhook" - a design I hadn't noticed before - when I was recently online checking out their print archive.

Winter Ideas/Woes

2006-11-28T16:18:00.000-08:00

The weekend's storm and continuing cold snap have kept things pretty calm over the past few days here at the VGD: less power = less posting. For those of you lucky enough to have a fireplace to huddle around, why not take the downtime to think of some ways you'd like this site to evolve and take shape. Ultimately this page is set to be a resource for you - so please feel free to make use of the comment section or fire us off an email.

And if you're within walking distance of the Mustard Seed, why not drop a blanket or some socks off on your way to work tomorrow. Victoria's been pretty cold at night and we're sure there's more than a few without shelter who'd appreciate the extra layers.

Ethical Purchasing Forum @ UVic

2006-11-24T14:15:00.000-08:00

The Ethical Purchasing Forum has just launched a new website which looks as though it will become a great pre-conference source of info as well as an excellent post-conference resource. The conference runs February 23-24 of 2007 and you can learn more here.

"The Ethical Purchasing Forum is designed to bring together co-operatives, businesses, activists, faith groups, academics, indigenous organisations, farmers, labour groups and politicians to talk about enhancing ethical trade in the Victoria region."

Getting Things Going

2006-11-24T14:09:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the fledgling Victoria Green Directory. Things are looking quite sparse right now, and I'm pretty sure that we'll be going for a complete overhaul when it comes to layout and design, but there's no sense in keeping the function of this site behind closed doors while we fiddle with the form. We'd love all your comments, suggestions, stories, tips, tricks, rants, raves and reviews as we get this ball rolling and make it easier for you to connect with fresher, greener, and fairer local goods.

Frequently Asked Questions

2006-11-24T13:30:00.000-08:00

Q. Why Local?
A. Besides a long list we could give about the environmental and socially-just benefits of consuming products made closer to home, we think at least 7 out of 10 strangers would love to get to know their neighbours just a little bit better.

Q.Are you making any money off this site?
A. Not yet. Though we do hope to bring in some revenue in the future to allow us more time to develop the site.

Q. Are there sites such as these in other localities?
A. Probably. Chances are there are networks such as the VGD all over the place - they might just look, smell, or communicate with each other a little differently. As we discover those involved in spreading the word in other locales, we'll let you know.

Q. How do I get my business featured on this site?
A. Do something on the Island, for the Island, in a green, fair and good way and chances are word of mouth will lead us to feature you all on its own. Or, you could just send us an email and tell us about yourself.