http://rose.geog.mcgill.ca/wordpress/?p=1079 Wed, 27 Mar 2013 17:35:29 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 http://rose.geog.mcgill.ca/wordpress/?p=1079&cpage=1#comment-65568 patagonia Fri, 21 Nov 2008 02:52:43 +0000 http://rose.geog.mcgill.ca/wordpress/?p=1079#comment-65568 What an great idea- as having owned a car before I think the option of carpooling and pitching in on, as you mentioned, highly priced gas is fabulous. This innovation and also the challenges (of getting people to actually join on) reminded me of an important program run by the Ecology Action Centre in Halifax Nova Scotia. It is called 'Steer Clean' and was a program for taking people's olf junker cars, reusing as many parts as possible and sustainably recycling/ disposing of the rest (i.e. proper disposal of batteries containing mercury and other heavy metals that should not be dropped at a regular dump site). The Ecology Action Centre teamed up with dozens of tow truck, car shops, car repair shops throughout Nova Scotia, creating a network through which you can easily and safely get rid of an old, polluting car. Moreover, the person who chooses to get rid of thier car in this sustainable fashion is rewarded; they have they choice of a new bike supplied from Canadian Tire (another supporting company) or a tax rebate. Amazing no? Yes! But the low numbers of cars we had turned in durin ghte two years I was involved withe the Ecology Action Centre was surprisingly low. I think people are hesitant about these environmental projects because they just do not get the proper information. Also, when it comes to cars, its seems people try to re-sell old cars and parts weither they are road worthy or not. It is unfortunate that more people do not use these wonderful programs, be they technologically advanced using GIS, or being face-to face community services run by a local NGO. That being said, good things have modest beginning; word of mouth, advocacy (even blogs like these) and various types of media are needed to spread the word, the understanding and acceptance of such environmentally sustainable and innovative projects. What an great idea- as having owned a car before I think the option of carpooling and pitching in on, as you mentioned, highly priced gas is fabulous. This innovation and also the challenges (of getting people to actually join on) reminded me of an important program run by the Ecology Action Centre in Halifax Nova Scotia. It is called ‘Steer Clean’ and was a program for taking people’s olf junker cars, reusing as many parts as possible and sustainably recycling/ disposing of the rest (i.e. proper disposal of batteries containing mercury and other heavy metals that should not be dropped at a regular dump site). The Ecology Action Centre teamed up with dozens of tow truck, car shops, car repair shops throughout Nova Scotia, creating a network through which you can easily and safely get rid of an old, polluting car. Moreover, the person who chooses to get rid of thier car in this sustainable fashion is rewarded; they have they choice of a new bike supplied from Canadian Tire (another supporting company) or a tax rebate. Amazing no? Yes! But the low numbers of cars we had turned in durin ghte two years I was involved withe the Ecology Action Centre was surprisingly low. I think people are hesitant about these environmental projects because they just do not get the proper information. Also, when it comes to cars, its seems people try to re-sell old cars and parts weither they are road worthy or not. It is unfortunate that more people do not use these wonderful programs, be they technologically advanced using GIS, or being face-to face community services run by a local NGO. That being said, good things have modest beginning; word of mouth, advocacy (even blogs like these) and various types of media are needed to spread the word, the understanding and acceptance of such environmentally sustainable and innovative projects.

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