sustainability

Rahemtulla presentation at GEOIDE 2009 #2

Rahemtulla presentation at GEOIDE 2009 #2

Mapping Change For Sustainable Communities, Hanif Rahemtulla In the United Kingdom the areas of East London and the Thames Gateway are facing huge and accelerating changes. If local people and communities are to engage effectively with the processes of change they need to know what is going on, to understand how proposed changes may affect them and to feel confident to play a positive role in those changes. Currently these communities face change in their areas with limited means (institutions and knowledge) to assess and influence decision‐making processes and feel excluded and alienated from the changes taking place and report that their concerns go unaddressed. As a result, some stakeholders are missing from project discussions. Mapping is a powerful way to engage local communities; to visually represent information; to provide evidence of environmental inequalities and also in helping to draw new links and ideas. Through participatory processes we developed an on‐line interactive GIS‐based map of East London which provides a central hub linking information in an accessible and policy relevant format. The map can be used to link planning proposals and development sites with flood and climate data, air and noise pollution mapping, local environmental and social issues, and projects. Most importantly, the map is continually evolving as local people are able to enter information and use the map as a mode of communication. In the long term, this map will help to develop a clearer identity of the environmental issues and inequalities which exist in East London and the Thames Gateway.

Go Green Challenge

This contest is open to you and your students...Good luck!

Dear Professor,

Upon speaking to [Mc Gill School of Environment] Director Marilyn Scott about the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, and our recent focus on empowering youth with tools to make a difference, your name came up as a professor who would be interested in finding out more about the $100,000 Go Green Challenge. Please consider taking the time to pass on this information to your colleagues and students. Another option is to implement the 2nd ever $100,000 Go Green Challenge as a class assignment. As of now, we are still waiting for the official rules and electronic poster to send off to students. Once we receive this we will send over an email with all of the details.

This year, the theme of the contest will be Urban Sustainability. Open to Canadian university and college students, the challenge requires a maximum 4,000 word essay with creative, workable plans for promoting greener communities. The four winning teams each receive $25,000 for their green ideas and recognition as a future green leader within the community. (More details to follow).

Thank you for taking the time to read this email. Please let me know if you are interested in integrating the $100,000 Go Green Challenge as a class assignment or if you have any other ideas to help us promote the Challenge. We can send you:
•    Posters to hang in the halls and your office
•    Power Point slide to discuss in class
•    Electronic email blasts to forward to your students

Sincerely,

Michelle Haddad

Friends of TD FEF
UTours Account Coordinator
1-866-829-2285 ext. 230
michelle@friendsoftdfef.com

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