SustainMayne

SustainMayne
brought to you by the
Islands Sustainability Initiative (ISUNI)
a project of residents of Mayne Island
in the marine Gulf of Georgia, BC, Canada,
an area we commonly refer to as the Salish Sea,
the traditional home of our Aboriginal Nations.

ISUNI was conceived to provide information for the
stimulation of public discussion and innovation concerning our collective future.

As rural Islanders we are keenly aware of many of the bounties and limitations of nature locally. We daily experience the joys of living next to Eagles and Orca Whales but also the heartbreak of knowing their bodies are concentrating dangerous levels of our pollution. We know it is incumbent upon us to share better with them and to repair our own lifestyles and livelihoods.

We understand that living sustainably, in resilient communities,
is an all encompassing reality required for our collective survival.

Last Month's Topic
Our 6th 100KM Local Food FEAST
Saturday 28 Feb 2009

Mayne's sixth seasonal local-source banquet celebrating regional bounty and again featuring Your Best Recipes	Where Gourmet Feast meets Fun Potluck
~~~ Feature Presentations~~~
Cheeze Maker David Rotsztain local farmer and guerrilla cheese maker will get creative about Cheese in the Kitchen	Annie Leonard's video The Story of Stuff

---> Click Here for Tickets & Information <---

or a quick history of our seasonal Feasts

Try this
Low Carbon Diet
Calculator

What We Are Doing

1) Publishing information on sustainability: climate change, food security, carbon and water cycles, transportation, housing, manufacturing, economics....

2) Soliciting public discusion and inovation.

LIVING the GOOD LIFE
a series of articles envisioning our local future
Presented in the Island Tides newspaper

These articles largely proceed from input an experiences gathered at our popular, ongoing, quarterly
Community Local Food Feasts

Please see our previous articles
Tread Lightly Booklet article

... and in the Islands newspapers:
#1: 5 Ways to help stop Climate Change Now
#2: Island Sustainability Successes to Date
#3: Biodiesel
#4: Cool Islands Project
Source Refences for the above are here

Future Topic Ideas:

Green Jobs
Carbon Credit Trading
Role of Wet lands
Carbon neutral building methods
Farming, Soil, Seeds and Soul
Resource Efficiency
Global Economics / Local Sustainability

What You Can Do

Review the ideas on our site and then respond by using the space below for your comments.

Governments and big business are slowly coming around to seeing the imperative of providing the developed world with sustainable cultures.

However, we believe that the largest movement in the world - informed, organized citizens - can effect sweeping, considered progress on virtually any front.
Indeed, this is the basis for all appropriate government and business progress.

We all have viewpoints and resources, perhaps as yet untapped, that are needed to imagine and create our future.

Please send your comments, suggestions, creations:
to input@sustainmayne.org

Your thoughts will be included in our website, future newspaper articles and workshops.
See recent contributions below.

One of Our guiding lights ...

The ZERO WASTE program
is a major interest. We even have the renowned "Recycling Granny", Ann Johnston, living right here on Mayne and fomenting change daily in the policy makers' backrooms.

Here's a fabulous primer on Zero Waste

The Story of Stuff

Check out the (Gulf) Islands Trust report called "Measuring our Progress" - scroll down to "The Results" to see the various Islands reports. Here's the report summary.

ISUNI's Areas of Interest

Social Awakening The Solutions Project "Promoting clear, accessible solutions to the world’s greatest social, economic and environmental problems" Cool Vancouver "...the city taking action to reduce climate changing greenhouse gases, to reduce our energy consumption and to create a more sustainable city." Check these links for details: Cool Islands Project Cool Island Thermometer Unveiling Day Event Press release These ideas and materials are available to the public. Spread them across the country so Canada can joining the leaders in CO2 emmisions reduction.
Some excellent links to expert sites and documents
Land and Water NatureScaping, Rainwater Harvesting, Xeriscaping, Wetlands, Rivers, Oceans Greywater Usage .	Food Security 100 mile diet Industrial feedlot culture (NY Times) . .
Renewable Energy BC Sustainable Energy Association - policy Energy presentation - Guy Dauncey . .	Ecological Footprint www.ecofoot.net www.footprintnetwork.org www.myfootprint.org/ . . .
Buildings Green Building Council BC Building Code ammendments . .	Transportation BioDiesel BioDiesel Mass Production from Algae Hybrid cars Electric cars Hydricity . .

Public Contributions to the Discussion
Green Innovators
What Canadians think about Climate Change
.
.
.
... your thoughts here....
Please write to input@sustainmayne.org

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful,
committed citizens can change the world.
Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Margaret Mead

We endorse the excellent educational work of the BCSEA B.C Sustainable Enery Association, Victoria, BC