Submitted by Sean Rioux on March 9, 2010 - 2:34pm.
By SUZANNE ELSTON, Special to QMI Agency
February 20, 2010-This year will be remembered for bringing the eyes of the world to Whistler, B.C., but for local residents, 2020 has a much greater significance and focus. Whistler2020 is the name of the town’s long-term community sustainability plan.Traditional urban planning tends to focus more on isolated pieces of the planning puzzle, rather than on interconnected systems. What the town needed was an integrated approach that would address social, economic and environmental challenges...
Submitted by Kelly Hawke Baxter on February 24, 2010 - 11:50am.
While most of Canada focuses on how many medals Canada is winning or losing, the Whistler Centre for Sustainability has been sharing another important story. As co-host of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Whistler is concerned not only with delivering a successful games but also what happens after the games. As The Whistler Centre says, “what happens after the Games after the adrenaline levels drop, hangovers dissipate, and Whistler starts coming to grips with a more carbon-restrained world?” Can Whistler continue “to be the premier resort community as we move toward sustainability” as their mission states?
Submitted by Kelly Hawke Baxter on February 23, 2010 - 2:42pm.
Yeterday I wrote about Whistler’s efforts to make this the most sustainable Olympics in history. A big part of this story is Whistler’s Athlete’s Village. Initially, the Athletes Village was planned as a temporary village – instead, the development of the permanent village is providing a means to meet housing needs in a way that is socially, environmentally and economically sustainable.
Submitted by Kelly Hawke Baxter on February 22, 2010 - 10:08am.
Sustainability: the hidden story at the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games which will be the most sustainable in history. The Resort Municipality of Whistler has, for many years, been at the forefront of community sustainability in Canada with their award winning plan, Whistler 2020, which is based on The Natural Step’s Framework for Strategic Sustainable Development.
Submitted by Chad Park on February 19, 2010 - 12:44pm.
“If you’re not willing to do something different and do it first, then you’re not leading.” David Cheesewright, CEO, Walmart Canada
Last week I attended the Walmart Green Business Summit in downtown Vancouver. I must admit to having mixed feelings about the event as I arrived – though I’ve followed Walmart’s remarkable foray into sustainability, I have remained one of those optimistic but slightly sceptical observers. What became obvious right away at the event, though, was that Walmart is serious about “greening” their operations and that they have an enormous potential to influence many others to get serious about it too. There were over 350 people in the room – most of them senior business executives. While there were many experienced sustainability experts and practitioners in the room, there were also many organizations represented that I’ve personally never seen at such events in the past. Walmart is obviously a draw – especially to the many businesses for whom Walmart is a big customer.
While most of Canada focuses on how many medals Canada is winning or losing, the 