Upcoming events - International Women's Day

Mark your calendars! March 8th is International Women's Day. It is a date to celebrate the contributions of women to society in all realms (social, political, economics, natural sciences, etc.). For me, it is slightly bizarre to have such a day (and before I get bombarded with negative feedback, let me explain why).

Let me start with the most important woman in my life, my Mom. My mother is highly educated, undertook her PhD in political science when she already had grown kids, has lived abroad, maintains a leadership position in her school and has many amazing qualities. The thing is, to me, that has always been completely normal. We (my brothers and I) were raised in such a way that gender really didn't matter. All that mattered was that she was(and is) amazing, period.

Then, let me continue with my friends. As some of you may know, my first degree is in chemical engineering. Traditionally, there has been a distinct absence of women engineers (I have observed this trend particularly in three fields: chemical engineering, mechanical engineering and civil engineering). But the funny thing is (and to my male peers' surprise) that the top six students in my class were the only five women in the class and yours truly. So much for "male superiority in the engineering field"!

As a matter of fact, the person who made me fall in love with chemical engineering itself is a woman (the most beautiful professor of Separation Processes, and Process Control ever). Fashionable, trendy, and extremely bright. To this day, AMVG and I remain really close friends (we became friends after I finished my undergraduate). She was by and large my favorite instructor in undergraduate.

The vast majority of my girlfriends are experts in their fields, some of them in non-'traditionally female' areas. They are urban planners and epidemiologists, geographers, computer geeks and nurses, project managers and strategy consultants, specialists in environmental issues and policy analysts. I have them in all flavors and sizes (and all of them astoundingly beautiful, but that's just a bonus) and they're all leaders in their fields. And some of my best former students are women!

Of course, I am not about to suggest that there haven't been historically gender disparities. I was quickly scanning a report online mentioning that women engineers were earning 70 cents per dollar earned by their male counterparts (sorry that I don't provide the link, I was just quickly browsing and didn't save the source). Income disparity is an unfortunate but real fact of life.

So please join me in celebrating the achievements of women and their contributions to humanity. And to all my girlfriends, sisters-in-law, nieces, fellow bloggers, former students, female colleagues, and former professors: Happy International Women's Day!

Upcoming climate-change and environmental events in Vancouver

Well, hello sunshine! Today was a beautiful day and thus I had a chance to enjoy the sun for a bit. Worked from home for most of the day, although felt really sleepy at times. Anyhow, for those of you enviro-folks in town, here are some events you can hit.

• Via one of my close friends, here is a link to a lecture that will be given tomorrow by Sheila Watt-Cloutier, sponsored by the Terry Project at UBC, on The Right to be Cold: The Global Significance of Arctic Climate Change. This will be at the(Life Science Institute, West Atrium, Friday Feb 29th, 12noon. If you don't know who Ms. Watt-Cloutier is, she was one of the top nominees for the 2007 Nobel Prize (which ultimately went to Al Gore and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change).

• Via Keira-Anne's blog, I found out about the Green Living Show (February 29th to March 2nd, 2008). She is going to head there on Friday with Rebecca (aka Miss604) so if you want to check the show AND hang out with two beautiful women, I'd suggest you head there on Friday. I plan to go on Saturday morning as I have a pretty packed social weekend, and most likely I'll go with Phaedra and probably my friend HZ. I wish I could go on Friday but I'm totally booked (so blog updates unlikely until Saturday afternoon).

• Via VTACC (Vancouver's Taxpayers Against Climate Change), I found out about a lecture by Dr. Marc Jaccard on "Lessons for the Future from Canada's Climate Policy Failures", Tuesday March 4th, at 7pm at the Canadian Memorial Church (15th and Burrard). From VTACC website, here's the abstract:
  

Decades of climate policy under different governments have failed to reduce or substantially slow the growth in greenhouse gas emissions in this country. How has this happened? How can we get out of this muddle so that Canada can do its share in the fight against global warming?
Go here for more information

• And, from a colleague of mine, here are the details for a special lecture at SFU Harbour Centre by Professor Michael Grubb: ‘Cutting carbon in Europe to 2020: competitiveness, emissions trading and beyond’, Room 2200 (RBC Dominion Securities Executive Meeting Room), Monday March 3rd, 2008 - 9:00am to 10:30am (yes this is a morning seminar).
  

I am probably going to attend all four. Hope you can make it to at least one of them!

Upcoming events - BC Anti-bullying Day

Given that the Government of the Province of British Columbia has proclaimed February 27th, 2008 as BC Anti-Bullying Day, and a number of organizations (like CUPE) and public figures (including Christy Clark) are encouraging the public to wear pink (by the way, great website from the CKNW), I figured that, in celebration of BC Anti-Bullying Day, I'm should share with the blogosphere an intimate look at a part of my life I wish I had never had to endure, and how I dealt with it.

When I was in primary school, I used to be as tiny as a midget. For some bizarre reason, I started growing when I was 17. I am not kidding you. Nowadays, at a my 5'11" (6' on a good day) and 170 pds, it's kind of hard to mess around with me (well, my height/weight and my martial arts and street fighting training kind of help). Unless, of course, you're 6'7 and super strong... but I digress.

So back then, when I was short and wore glasses, I was bullied by taller, stronger young men. After all, "I was in an all-boys school and had to learn to fight" (their words, not mine). Many, many times, my brothers (particularly my eldest brother) had to intervene and calm some of these bullies. But I couldn't have my older brothers always protect me. I had to learn to do it myself.

I have always been privileged in that my parents have always been my best friends, so I needed to tell them what was going on at school. After careful deliberation we (my parents and I) decided that I needed to take martial arts training. Not because I enjoyed kicking people's butts, but because I wanted to be able to defend myself should I ever need to do so. As a young kid (and to this day), I always tended to be extremely sensitive, emotional and sweet. These were not traits that aggressive bullies would take in a positive light. But I didn't want to be a victim or a target. I wanted to empower myself and be able to break through to these bullies.

One day (several months after I had started my martial arts training), a guy who had bullied me for a long while started picking a fight with me (Gustavo was his name), right before school was over. I was faced with the choice I never wanted to face - "do I fight or do I run?" I decided it was time to fight back. I grabbed Gustavo's arm and applied a judo move on him. I threw him over the top of my shoulder and, strategically, forced him to land with his back towards a trash can. I did this purposefully as I knew that would immobilize him completely. He started crying on the spot and ran away from me as fast as he could.

My classmates were astonished. "How could Raul, the tiny little midget, defend himself now? What happened to him?" From that moment onwards, I never looked back, and never had to face another bully. The word was out: Raul was never going to let anyone else pick on him ever, ever again.

So, in celebration of British Columbia's Anti-Bullying Day, I am going to wear a pink t-shirt to the office tomorrow (Wednesday February 27th, 2008). I encourage you to do so, too. Because bullying is simply wrong, and because once upon a time, I had to fight back too. And if you know someone who is being bullied, there are resources out there that can help him/her deal with it.

Upcoming event - Green Drinks (Vancouver) Wednesday Feb 20th

I have been so insanely busy that I have missed many of the most recent Green Drinks events. However, this coming Wednesday I am NOT busy and thus will definitely be going to Green Drinks. This is a gathering of enviro-minded folks from ENGOs, academia, industry, etc. Yes, there are actually 'green drinks' on tap.

From the Green Drinks Vancouver website:

There's no agenda or other formality - it's just a chance to meet regularly to chat, debate, socialize and connect with others in Vancouver who are passionate about environmental and sustainability issues. Whether you're keen on green building & design, sustainable energy, organic gardening, or something else entirely, you'll find like-minded people. Please feel free to bring your business cards, brochures, info sheets, magazines and newsletters to put on a table for people to take away with them. Do make sure to take whatever you left on the table with you when you leave.

I suggest that you check it out. I am not generally a fan of Steamworks, but it's a great pub for this kind of gathering. Plus, I always end up bumping into lots of friends of mine from the environmental field (kind of the point, isn't it?). Plus, if you end up going, you'll get to see my megawatt smile :)

Upcoming event - Vancouver Blogger Meetup January 2008

I have been trying to attend one of the Vancouver Blogger Meetups and haven't had a chance to do it (been out of town, triple-booked, etc.) At any rate, I just checked the link (it says the event is full, but I don't care - I am still going to show up). Here are the details, as shown on the Vancouver Blogger Meetup website.

When: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 at 7:00 PM
Where: Our Town Cafe, 245 E. Broadway, Vancouver , BC V5T 1W4

I hope to see a few of the bloggers whom I have chatted with on email there.

Upcoming event - Vancouver's Next Gay Top Model

I first heard about this event from the Georgia Straight, then I saw a link at VancouverVibe.ca, and finally I decided to check out the website. Something that really made me happy was to find out that the organizers are raising funds for an important charity: Friends for Life.

This past summer, I Blogathoned in support of 'A Loving Spoonful' (I doubt they actually knew that I did this to raise funds for them, but quite frankly I don't care - I did it because I thought it was a worthy cause). More information about Friends for Life:

The Vancouver Friends For Life Society serves as a catalyst to enhance the wellness of individuals living with a life threatening illness by providing complementary and alternative health and support services.

Friends For Life was built on the belief that no one should have to face the many challenges of serious illness alone. Our philosophy recognizes the connection between the mind and body with a view towards treating the whole person - the mind, body and soul - rather than treating the illness alone. [Friends for Life Society website]

This is a worthy cause and of course I encourage you to participate. It should be fun. The list of contestants (with pictures and all) can be found here.

Upcoming event - Climate change talks organized by VTACC (Vancouver)

Voters Taking Action Against Climate Change (VTACC) is a non-partisan group that is organizing a series of talks on climate change that will take place within the next few weeks. I don't know the first couple of speakers, but I do know Dr. Mark Jaccard and he's a brilliant speaker. Many people may disagree with his views, but he is certainly a rigorous scholar who does good social science and that should not be discounted.

From the VTACC website (all talks take place at the Canadian Memorial United Church at 7 pm, on Burrard and 15th Avenue):

Global Warming: More than Hot Air?
Dr. David Chapman, Professor of Geophysics, Dean of the Graduate School at the University of Utah
Tuesday, February 5th, 7 pm.

Global Warming as Spiritual Crisis and Opportunity
Bruce Sanguin, Minister, Canadian Memorial United Church
Tuesday February 19th, 7 pm.

Lessons for the Future from Canada's Climate Policy Failures
Dr. Mark Jaccard, Professor at the School of Resources and Environmental Management at SFU
Tuesday March 4th, 7 pm.

I am a bit surprised about the fact that very little has been talked about the politics of Canadian climate change policy (that is, about the political climate in Canada and how that is impacting implementation of post-Kyoto commitments). Would be worth examining, I think. And let me know if you attend any of the talks. You're even welcome to guest-blog!

For more information about VTACC:

VTACC is a group of Kitsilano neighbours who are deeply concerned about global warming and want to mobilize people to get engaged politically to call for immediate and deep reductions in emissions.[VTACC website]

Upcoming event - Ecodensity workshops (Vancouver)

It annoys me to no end that important events aren't promoted and/or broadcasted in mainstream media. Even though I was alerted to these workshops by an email from my friend J, I didn't see it in the news. Thus, I make it my duty to try and promote local, Vancouver-based events whenever I can. This is one of those important dates you shouldn't miss.

Ecodensity workshops will take place in the remainder of January 2008 and February 2008. From the City of Vancouver's Ecodensity website, here are the dates of the next workshops. If you want to meet me in person, I'll most likely be at the January 30th (unless, of course, Vancouver Blogger Meetup is the same day - which then would mean that I'd have to attend another date for the workshop).

The workshop dates are as follows:[City of Vancouver Ecodensity website]

Saturday, January 26, 1 - 3:30 pm
Van Dusen Gardens, Floral Hall
5251 Oak Street
Map

Wednesday, January 30, 7 - 9:30 am
Polish Community Centre
4015 Fraser Street
Map

Sunday, February 3, 1 - 3:30 pm
Croatian Cultural Centre
3250 Commercial Drive
Map
*Chinese facilitation available

Tuesday, February 12, 7 -9:30 pm
St. James Hall
3214 West 10th Avenue
Map

Saturday, February 16, 1:30 - 4 pm
Chinese Cultural Centre
50 East Pender Street
Map
*Chinese facilitation available

Please RSVP to ecodensity@vancouver.ca

Let me note that the locations for the workshops are fairly low-to-medium density. I wonder how would West End or Yaletown residents react to Eco-Density workshops. Same thing goes for areas like Shaughnessy or Dunbar. At any rate, I think you should participate, and feel free to spread the word.

4TheRcrd is officially launching tonight!

Jark is the strong force behind 4TheRcrd. Tonight (Dec 29th, 2007) is the launch party at The Wild Coyote, co-hosted by Phreshvibe. Details can be found here. I like the concept and I'm very much looking forward to seeing great stuff on the blog/magazine. Sleek and sexy design and layout, I think 4TheRcrd.com will be a good addition to the blogosphere.

I am so sorry I'm not there for the launch, but well, can you blame me? Beautiful views, gorgeous architecture and warm and sunny weather... I'll be back in Vancouver soon enough! Congratulations to the 4TheRcrd.com team!

Upcoming event - Christmas on Cambie

For some reason, I always seem to be behind every other bloggers on the news front, so I am a bit afraid to bring something up to people's attention just because I think it has been covered in more depth and better by other bloggers (see just for a few examples, Rebecca on the Vancouver mascots, Paul on the non-usability of iMove and John on the challenges faced by Cambie merchants).

However, I think this time I may have some very fresh news for you loyal Vancouver and non-Vancouver readers. From the owners of Trixi's, one of the most fabulous crepe places this side of Paris, I got the following email:

Dear Trixi's Customers,

It's been a while that you have heard from us. We have some great news. As of Sunday, December the 2nd, the trench will be paved over and cross streets from 16th to 19th will be open again. In order to celebrate the progress of the Canadaline construction in the Village the Cambie Village Business Association together with Canadaline are inviting friends and neighbours to "Christmas on Cambie" on Sunday, December 9th from 12 pm to 5 pm.

For more info see http://www.cambievillage.com/.

We are very excited about this and hope you will come out to visit sometime soon.

We look forward to seeing many of our customers again and serving you one (or two) of our delicious crepes.

Ernst and Beatrix

I love going to Trixi's and have been a loyal customer for almost two years now. And I am also a strong supporter of businesses on Cambie, both promoting events and being a customer of Cambie businesses (even if it means having to navigate and negotiate street intersections, etc.) So I would strongly encourage you all to go on December 9th. Furthermore, since I will not be in Canada by then, would readers please go back to this post and leave a comment with your experience at the event? Thank you.

[Note] The link for Trixi's is actually a Canada Line link, but they are promoting Trixi's, for which I didn't find a website. But you can look at the Cambie Village Business Association website for more info.

Upcoming event - November Vancouver Blogger Meetup

Back in September (holy smokes how time flies!) I contacted Rebecca and asked her about the Vancouver Blogger Meet-up (VBM). I first read John's and Rebecca's blogs about one or two years ago (not sure) when I read a review of the VBM (written by Rebecca) held at The Whip (on Main and 6th). I'd been really looking forward to attending one of these, particularly since the September one was going to be fairly close to where I live (one short bus ride).

However, this month's VBM is scheduled on November 8th at 7pm at the Chateau Granville Lounge, and sadly, I can't attend YET AGAIN! I have volleyball games and there is no chance in hell I can teleport myself to my games on time. Those Star Trek geeks really should get on it and do something about teleporting!

This is getting ridiculous, since I correspond with lots of local bloggers via email and commentary and I haven't met up with any of them in person (with the exception of Carolina whom I danced with recently at Atlantis and Jark from Beyond Robson, with whom I've had a chat and a coffee at Lugz).

And if there's a VBM in December, I'm going to miss it since I'm going out of the country for over a month. Dang it! On other news, Darren Barefoot is asking local bloggers to test drive a Brother printer. Rebecca and John are test-driving this beautiful printer, and I'd be tempted to join.

Upcoming event - 2 Degrees of Fire and Desire: A Theatrical Inquiry into Climate Change

As a former actor (I say former since I haven't really done much acting in Canada in the past few years), I am always looking forward to events that showcase local theatrical talent. This is one of those opportunities, and it combines many of my personal interests.

Are you worried about climate change? Do you want to learn more and educate yourself about the challenges Canada and British Columbia are facing? What better way to learn than through non-orthodox methods? Going to see a play seems like a very non-orthodox way to learn about the climate change debate.

2o of Fear and Desire: A Theatrical Inquiry into Climate Change is being put on by Headlines Theatre, hosted by Rhizome Cafe and hopefully will be well attended. It will take place on November 8th, 9th and 10th at 7 pm. Admission is by donation.

From Headlines Theatre's website we can read a description of the performance:

The play will tell a story in which characters are struggling with the complex issues emerging from climate change. [Headlines Theatre]

I am always amazed by great, innovative and non-orthodox ideas. I will be going to the play and probably will write a review, but you should seriously consider attending. The more I read about the kind of work that Headlines Theatre is doing, the more impressed I am. This is clearly well thought out and intends to have an impact on people's lives.

One of the things I found more exciting about this project is that they have done a variety of other work, including examining the issue of crystal meth addiction, immigration, racism, bullying, etc. Had I known a few years ago about Headlines Theatre, I probably would have gotten involved myself. Not that it's too late though!

UPDATE - I just remembered that I have volleyball on Thursday November 8th, so the only day I can attend is November 9th, so with no further ado, if you want to join me, you'll have to show up on the 9th... :)

Upcoming event - Homelessness Action Week 2007

The connections between urban sprawl, sustainability, extreme poverty, homelessness and unaffordability of housing are undeniable. The residential housing market in Vancouver has grwon stronger in the past few years. However, it is also undeniable that social housing is a need in the Metro Vancouver area. The Greater Vancouver Regional Steering Committee on Homelessness has designated October 15th to 21st, 2007 as Homelessness Action Week.

While there are many being organized around Metro Vancouver, you can check the Vancouver events here. There are two specific ones to which I would like to call your attention (from their website):

Friday October 19: Sandwich and Blanket Handout to Street Homeless
When: 4–6 p.m.
Where: Broadway Youth Resource Centre, 691 E. Broadway

Saturday, October 20: Under One Umbrella
A community service fair for people who are homeless, street-involved, or living in poverty in Grandview Woodlands and surrounding areas. In addition to services, there will be food and entertainment. For more information, please contact the Grandview Woodlands Drug and Alcohol Coalition at:
T: 604.215.3907
When: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Where: Aboriginal Friendship Centre, 1607 E. Hastings St, Vancouver

I strongly believe that sustainability and social responsibility starts at home. Thus, I would like to invite you dear readers to partake in one or more of these events. Because everybody has a right to a life with dignity and a home.

Upcoming event - National Coming Out Day (Vancouver)

Coming out of the closet (in the sexual orientation kind of way) means opening up a whole can of worms when it comes to acceptance by mainstream society, job security and the existence of glass ceilings, conforming to societal norms and dealing with potential rejection. The reason behind National Coming Out Day seems (in my interpretation) a celebration of that moment in a person's life when it becomes important to embrace a whole identity, not just portions of it.

I had heard about National Coming Out Day but I hadn't seen any ads for celebrations. However, it appears as though Xtra West Vancouver does have some information about an upcoming event. From their website:

The Centre presents an evening of storytelling to celebrate National Coming Out Day. Includes improv comedy with Tops & Bottoms and guest speakers Kevin McKeown, Nicky Phillips and others. Light refreshments. Free admission. Coast Plaza Hotel, 1763 Comox Street, 7-9 pm. 604.684.5307.

The Centre, for those of you who don't know it, is a community resource run by volunteers mostly that provides services and support to the Vancouver queer community (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and two-spirited). From their website:

The Centre is a community resource providing support, health and social services, and public education for the well being of lesbians, gay men, transgendered and bisexual people and their allies in Vancouver throughout B.C.

The Centre is committed to building pride and acceptance of diversity and to mitigating the impact of homophobia, heterosexism, transphobia and biphobia.

The Centre welcomes and values all people regardless of race, religion, sex, national or ethnic origin, marital status, family status, colour, age, disability, pardoned conviction, sexual orientation, gender identity, and source of income.

The event organized by The Centre at the Coast Plaza should be a lot of fun. And to read an advertisement by KPMG celebrating National Coming Out Day on the Xtra West, this is really outstanding. I am not that surprised since I thought that KPMG has always been a very progressive firm (not that I know them all too well, but if you think about the fact that they have a Director of Diversity and that he gave a talk at an OutRights conference, it speaks volumes!).

I quote from KPMG's ad (I don't have the website, otherwise I'd link to it):

KPMG is committed to building a workplace that fosters diversity and inclusiveness. We salute our colleagues who have chosen to live their lives openly with pride, and support those who continue to struggle. You are not alone.

Other firms that have shown commitment to equality, diversity and supporting queer causes include VanCity and TD Canada Trust (from those that I have seen, I might have missed a few other companies). I had previously read about VanCity's and TD Canada Trust's commitment to diversity here (Nathaniel Christopher's website). Kudos to these firms!

Upcoming Event - Blog Action Day - Oct 15, 2007

So a few months ago, I came across Blog Action Day. I think it was through Darren Barefoot's blog. At any rate, this is the 411 on Blog Action Day, from their own website:

Blog Action Day -- On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind. In 2007 the issue is the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future.

The whole idea behind Blog Action Day is pretty neat. And since my specialty is environmental issues (and the title of my blog is 'Random Thoughts of a Student of the Environment'), it's kind of intuitive that I'll be blogging about the environment. I plan to write about issues that I haven't talked about in previous posts (such as energy, e-waste, green weddings, etc.) and hopefully will come up with other ideas.

It will not be exactly like Blogathon 2007, where I had to post every 30 minutes for 24 hours. Both Rebecca @ Miss604 and yours truly did Blogathon this past July, and I am not about to repeat the experience. It was painful! But it was lots of fun and many people donated to my cause. Nevertheless, this is a one-in-a-lifetime kind of blogathon ;)

However, this next October 15th, every post I will write will be dedicated to environmental issues. If everything goes according to plan and I manage to get all my work done, I'll be blogging about once an hour for about 12 hours, but can't promise I'll have the energy to do so. At any rate, if you are a blogger, I encourage you to sign on. And if you're a reader, I encourage you to leave a comment on this (or any of my future posts) with ideas for blog posts, commentary, whatever.

One small caveat though - all comments in my blog are moderated, so if you post and it doesn't appear, then it's probably awaiting moderation!

Upcoming event - Alex Alegria, celebrate Mexican Independence Day

So I did find some scoop. Apparently, Alex Alegria (creator of an all-girls Mariachi band) and his group are giving a performance at La Casa del Artista in Mount Pleasant. You can check the Upcoming webpage for details. You can find La Casa del Artista at 150 East 3rd. Avenue (3rd. between Main and Quebec, if my geography doesn't fail me). I am sure it will be fun.

Mexico's Independence Day

According to Wikipedia, the War of Independence to free Mexico from Spain started on September 16th, 1810. If I recall my history books properly, we were taught that the war itself started at midnight, and thus in Mexico both days are taken as half-holiday and holiday respectively (Sep 15th and 16th). While the English entry in Wikipedia is not that bad, I really like the Spanish version. It's much more complete and filled with details.

What surprises me is that in Canada and the US, so many people celebrate May 5th (Cinco de Mayo) as the Mexican Independence Day. In Mexican history, this is relatively a minor holiday (the Battle of Puebla) compared to September 16th. Some people in Canada and the US consider it a celebration of Mexican heritage (according to the Wikipedia entry) but I always wonder how would Canadians feel if Mexicans started celebrating Victoria Day instead of Canada Day :)

At any rate, tomorrow is a day to celebrate and I am not sure why I haven't seen any promotionals from the Mexican consulate in Vancouver in regards to celebrations. Last year, there were lots of parties organized around the theme, but I haven't seen anything this time around. Anyone has any scoop?

UPDATE - In light of the recent comments, I tried to search for Mexican events at the Plaza of Nations, but didn't find anything. That being said, HURRY to the Rocky Mountaineer Station for a 6pm doors opening start of the Mexican Grito. Here is the scoop:

El Grito en Vivo
Rocky Mountaineer Station
1775 Cotterell Street
(off Terminal Avenue - you can walk from Main St. Skytrain station)

And also, as I mentioned before, there seems to be another event at

La Casa del Artista
150 East 3rd Avenue
(between Main and Quebec)
[Apparently El Mariachi Mexico is playing there]

These events should give me a percentage of the revenue for re-directing traffic to their events! (just kidding hehe). Hope everyone enjoys the celebrations. I can't go to either event as I have too much work. But please leave a comment on the comments section and do tell me how these events were.

Upcoming event - Navigate the Streets (Vancouver edition)

I've been reading on several blogs about urban races and so on (see Miss604's post on her participation in The Amazing Race Surrey) and I am so tempted to try and do Navigate the Streets Vancouver edition. My friends are geeky enough that I can do this and I've always dreamed of phoning my friends and ask them to locate information through their computers (sort of what Oracle does for The Huntress and Black Canary) so I am seriously thinking about this. Anyone want to team up with me for this event? Even if you don't team up with me, would you be willing to be sitting at your computer and be available for information sharing?

Blog Action Day 2007

I was perusing Darren Barefoot's blog just briefly and I came across his commentary on Blog Action Day on October 15th, 2007. Given that my blog is "Random Thoughts of a Student of the Environment", it would be a bit dumb if I didn't blog on that day. So I decided to write a little bit about it.

As taken from Blog Action Day's website:

On October 15th, bloggers around the web will unite to put a single important issue on everyone’s mind - the environment. Every blogger will post about the environment in their own way and relating to their own topic. Our aim is to get everyone talking towards a better future.

I have previously blogged for a charity although I did that for A Loving Spoonful (see my Blogathon 2007 posts). I think I am going to do the same again (although luckily, this time I don't need to blog 24 hours straight!). I will, however, commit to at least 12 blog posts throughout the day (on average one an hour) and I will try to send this to my colleagues who work in the environmental field.

I often do post about issues of sustainability and the environment, since that's what I do for most of my waking hours so this seems fitting. Since I'm sort of a non-geeky, newbie kind of blogger I may fail miserably at inserting the banner in my blog, so just don't laugh :) Thanks to Darren for pointing this out. And don't worry Darren, I will remind you a few days in advance :)

Building a more sustainable food system - Upcoming event

For the longest time, I have tried to attend events at the Light House Sustainable Building Centre (located at 1575 Johnson Street on Granville Island). However, what I regret the most is that I always have a conflicting event when they have events that I really want to go ... and this is the case for September 8th, 2007. From 2-4 pm, Andre LaRiviere will speak about "Building a More Sustainable Food System". Basically, the talk will be about "green restaurants", the kind of work I want to do in the future.

This is the abstract of the talk (obtained from the Light House email list-serve)...

What defines a "green" restaurant? It starts with the conscious desire of a growing number of chefs and restaurateurs for clear, measurable steps to effectively reduce their operations’ impact on the environment. This seminar will focus on the topic of making sustainable choices when dining out, whether for a take-out or sit-down meal. Participants will also be given tips on how to bring these sustainable initiatives from the restaurant to their home kitchen

I really would love to attend, but I can't. Can somebody go and tell me how it was?