imagineCALGARY Awards Nominations Now Being Accepted

It’s time to recognize Calgary’s leaders in sustainability. From now until September 24, imagineCALGARY Partners are invited to submit their nominations for the 2010 imagineCALGARY Awards. The Awards will be presented for Leadership in Sustainability and Partner in Action.

You can download the full nomination package in MS Word and PDF format, or learn more here.

Sustainability In Action Tour September 8
This spring, a team from Sustainable Industrial Development for the 21st Century (SID21C) toured some of the world’s leaders in sustainability (Starbucks and NIKE among them). On September 8, they will share their findings from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Danish Canadian Club (727 11 Ave SW).

The event is targeted to investors, engineers, architects, developers, community planners, utility and power producers, manufacturers and anyone interested in becoming more sustainable.

Registration deadline is September 6 – to learn more, visit www.SID21C.com.

2010 Calgary Open Table Tennis Championships September 11-12

This September, imagineCALGARY Partner SAIT will play host to the 2010 Calgary Open Table Tennis Championships. Sanctioned by the Alberta Table Tennis Association, and Table Tennis Canada, this event will take place at SAIT (1301 16 Ave NW) on September 11 and 12.

For entry forms and more information, visit www.custta.com, or download this PDF.

My Vote Could Have Changed That Sept. 22
Make it Good, the Calgary Public Library, REAP Business Association and other community partners are hosting My Vote Could Have Changed That on September 22.

This discussion will take the focus away from the usual ugly collisions that take place at the intersection of rhetoric, cynicism, denial and apathy and will attempt to focus the discussion on the way people think and make decisions.

The evening will include:

My Vote Could Have Changed That will be held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Calgary Public Library, John Dutton Theatre, 616 Macleod Trail SE, Calgary. The $20 cost includes dinner and admission.
For further information or to order tickets, click here.

Calgary Goes To The Polls
October 18 is the day Calgarians will go to the polls to elect their new local government. Over the coming weeks, candidate forums are being held across the community for the candidates for school boards, city council and Mayor:

Improved voter turnout is an important imagineCALGARY Target -- By 2036, there is a 75 per cent turnout in municipal elections. You can help achieve this goal by visiting the polls October 18 and casting your ballot.

For more information on the 2010 election, you can visit The City of Calgary website or check out Civic Camp for details on the issues and candidates. The Calgary Democracy website also has great information.

David Suzuki at WordFest September 21
As part of Calgary’s annual WordFest, David Suzuki will be speaking about his latest work, The Legacy: An Elder’s Vision for Our Sustainable Future. His presentation will take place on September 21 at Knox United Church (506 4 Street SW), starting at 8 p.m.

A legendary Canadian author and activist, David is the founder and chair of the David Suzuki Foundation.

Tickets are $15 in advance, and $20 at the door.

To learn more, visit www.wordfest.com, or call (403) 237-9068.

Vital Conversation September 24:  Calgary, A Hotbed For Voting and Volunteering?
The Calgary Foundation is hosting its next Vital Conversation this September with Calgary: A Hotbed For Voting and Volunteering?
 
In 2007, 33 per cent of Calgarians voted in the civic election – an increase of 20 per cent.  Volunteerism is on the increase, but the number of Calgarians reporting a strong sense of community has fallen.  This Vital Conversation will give Calgarians a chance to explore these important issues.
 
Vital Conversations are public dialogue events designed to engage citizens in discussions around issues that are important to Calgarians. Each Conversation is centred around a key-issue area presented in the annual Calgary’s Vital Signs Report.
 
Calgary: A Hotbed For Voting and Volunteering? will be held on September 24 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Crowfoot Library (8665 Nose Hill Drive NW).  Doors open at 5:30, and light refreshments will follow after the formal discussions.
 
Want to learn more?  Visit the Calgary Foundation website at www.thecalgaryfoundation.org or download this PDF.  You can also register to attend the event by emailing rsvp2@thecalgaryfoundation.org.

LEAF Launch September 29
imagineCALGARY’s newest Partner, LEAF (Leaders in Environmentally Accountable Foodservice) is hosting a launch event on September 29 at 2 p.m.
 
Held at the River Café, the first LEAF certified restaurant in Canada, the event will give local foodies and members of the foodservice industry a chance to learn more about LEAF’s certification program for Calgary’s eco-friendly foodservice establishments.  The launch will include a brief presentation, refreshments and local organic food.
 
To learn more, visit www.leafme.ca.  You can also RSVP for the event by emailing info@leafme.ca, or by contacting Janine at (403) 217-3442.

Sustainability for Leaders Level 1 September 28, 29
Natural Step Canada is hosting their Sustainability for Leaders Course (Level 1): A Transformative Approach to Sustainability Thinking, Strategy, and Results in Calgary this fall. This two-day intensive and interactive course has been developed for current and emerging sustainability practitioners, and will offer them the knowledge, tools, and skills necessary to strategically communicate, plan, and implement sustainability initiatives in their organizations.

To learn more or to register, click here.

You can also download this PDF for more details.

Leading the Way: Building a Sustainable Future with Dr. Peter Senge and Dr. Margaret Wheatley November 11, 12
This fall, Calgarians will have a chance to learn from two internationally recognized leaders in the areas of social, environmental and organizational sustainability.  Dr. Peter Senge, author of The Fifth Discipline and The Necessary Revolution and director of the Center for Organizational Learning at MIT, will join Dr. Margaret Wheatley (author of Leadership and the New Science) for a two-day conference on sustainability.
 
Leading the Way:  Building a Sustainable Future will give participants an opportunity to:

The conference will be held at the Ballroom of the Student's Union Building (MacEwan Hall) at The University of Calgary.  Early-bird registration (expiring September 24) starts at $315 for not-for-profit registrations.

For more information, visit the event website , email admin@spiritualdirections.com or call (403) 210-2802. 

Green Calgary Events
Green Calgary (formerly the Clean Calgary Association) offers a full range of environmentally themed events designed to help protect and preserve the planet. With topics including composting, green procurement, waste management, eco-logic and more, there are plenty of workshops and courses to choose from.

Click here to learn more.

Green Living Series with REAP and Conscious Home
imagineCALGARY Partner REAP (Respect for the Earth and All People) and Conscious Home have developed the Green Living Series to provide information and inspiration for Calgary households to make changes that reduce their environmental footprint. The series consists of four 2-hour workshops designed to introduce you to Calgary’s green scene and provide resources for you to make changes in your home right away. Toolkits of useful, local and sustainable products can be purchased at each workshop to make immediate action easy.

Workshop 1: Going Non-Toxic
On a typical cleaning day in the average Canadian home, chemical levels in the indoor air can be hundreds to thousand times higher than the outdoor air in the most polluted cities. Participants will learn about the major sources of poor indoor air quality and the causes of chemical sensitivities. Discover easy, cost effective, non-toxic alternatives and win a toolkit to get you started!

Toolkit includes Small Planet Germs-Be-Gone Concentrate, Claudia's Choices phosphate free washing powder, microfiber cleaning cloth, recipe book of do-it-yourself cleaners from Conscious Home, 10% discount from No Cleaner Maid Service. Retail value $30.

Workshop 2: Greening Your Garbage
The average Canadian generates about 30 green garbage bags of solid waste each year. (Imagine how many that adds up to for a household of four!) Participants will learn how to significantly reduce the amount of waste they send to the landfill by composting (backyard and indoor vermicomposting), reusing common household items, and reducing plastic. Discover why the 3Rs have become 6!

Toolkit includes reusable shopping bag, no junk mail sticker, stainless steel travel mug, and a gift certificate for green organizing. Retail value $30.

Workshop 3: Energy and Water Efficiency
Utility costs continue to rise, so we can all benefit from good conservation practices. Participants will learn how to make their homes more efficient by viewing it as a system that is part of a larger whole.

Toolkit includes compact fluorescent light bulb, shower timer, outdoor water saver kit, and bike path map. Retail value $30.

Workshop 4: Shopping Responsibly
Green is the new black! Participants will learn where and how to buy responsible fashion and personal care products. Know what to look for and how to assess the true cost of a product, including the social, environmental and economic consequences. We will focus on fashion and cosmetics (for men and women) with a fashion show* hosted by Riva's Eco Store and SwizzleSticks SalonSpa.

Toolkit includes discounts on green products and services, tour and tasting for two at Big Rock Brewery, and a tin of fair trade, organic tea from Verde Tea. Retail value $50.

*Due to the resources required to mount a fashion show, this is only available for groups of 30 or more. Where possible, communities or groups may combine this workshop with other communities or groups in order to include a fashion show.

Workshops are interactive and have been designed to encourage discussion and build a sense of community; therefore, it is recommended that registration be capped at 30 participants per workshop. The host will handle all promotions and registration for the series and REAP and Conscious Home will deliver the content and provide the toolkits. To assist with recruitment and registration, REAP will provide a poster or ad for your organization's newsletter and a promotional video for your website or Intranet.

Learn more on the REAP website.

Sustainable Building Advisor Program October 2010 - June 2011
Calgarians who are interested in supporting and developing sustainable communities have a new option for training.

The Sustainable Building Advisor Program is a certificate program with a format and curriculum that’s designed to give students a variety of information from expert instructors in an efficient learning environment.

The course has been developed for architects and engineers, tenant and developer representatives, project managers, building owners/managers and building industry professionals, resource conservation specialists and anyone interested in sustainable building.

Students will:

Sponsored by Buffalo Jump Environmental, the Sustainable Building Advisor Program runs from October through June in Calgary, with two days of instruction per month.

To register, or for more information including schedules and locations, click here.

Innovation Exchange – Connecting Social Innovators September 29th
Innovation Exchange is a regular meetup of Calgarians interested in helping solve social problems. The group was founded to help build community around the theme of social innovation and to facilitate connections and support for people and projects. Members include professionals from non-profits, community investment, corporate social responsibility, international development, government departments, social enterprise, community economic development, social investment, and more.

Innovation Exchange will help you connect with people who share your interests and who may have skills, connections, new ideas or other resources that can help you pursue an entrepreneurial project, build your career, learn, volunteer, find an investment, or just have good conversation.

Click here to learn more or to RSVP.

Green Drinks next event, September 21st
Green Drinks is an open-format, no-agenda monthly social event where those interested in the environment can meet, discuss, socialize and/or network.

Green Drinks is held on the third Tuesday of every month at 5 p.m. at the Vicious Circle. Admission is free, drink specials are available until 7 p.m. and there is even a chance to win one of our eco-friendly door prizes!

For more information, click here.

Sustainability for Breakfast September 24th
The Sustainability for Breakfast series is intended to:

• Bring people together, including unlikely allies
• Provide a forum for introductions and networking
• Explore key questions on topics central to sustainability in Calgary
• Create space for idea generation and synergies that could lead to innovative action

All individuals, organizations and businesses with an interest in advancing sustainability in Calgary are welcome to attend.

To learn more, click here.

Joining a good CAUSE
In Calgary, a group called CAUSE (Citizens Advocating for the Sustainable Use of Energy) is providing an opportunity for people to learn, meet, exchange ideas and advocate for making sustainable energy lifestyle choices. Founded in February 2009, CAUSE provides a wealth of resources, events listings, discussion groups, movie and book reviews and more, all focused on issues of sustainability.

Joining the group is easy – click here to learn more.

Green Networking with REAP September 2nd
imagineCALGARY Partner REAP – Respect for the Earth and All People – hosts a meeting of green business leaders the first Thursday of each month. The next event will be held from 2 to 3 p.m. at Boxwood (in Central Memorial Park, 340 13 Avenue SW). This informal networking opportunity gives folks a chance to chat and share ideas about sustainable business. To learn more, visit REAP online.