BCIT

Centre for Ecocities

Helping build socially just cities in balance with nature

Archives for September 2021

World Rivers Day 2021

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Written by Mariya Chugay

World Rivers Day is an annual celebration of the world’s waterways.

Having celebrated its 15th anniversary in 2020, this day highlights the many values of our rivers, strives to increase public awareness, and encourages the improved stewardship of all rivers around the world.

Image of Mark Angelo and Grandson.

Mark Angelo releases juvenile chum salmon into Guichon Creek with his grandson.

Initially founded as BC Rivers Day in the 1980s by the BCIT Rivers Institute’s own Mark Angelo, Rivers Day has since expanded to be recognized and celebrated all around the world. In support of the United Nations Water for Life Decade, World Rivers Day was established to create awareness surrounding water resources and the need to protect them. Since then, the world has been celebrating our waterways on the fourth Sunday of every September.

In the words of Angelo, “rivers are the arteries of our planet; they are lifelines in the truest sense.”

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Meet Cora Hallsworth

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The Centre for Ecocities would not have its many successes without the hard work, dedication, and vision of its team. Driving our core work with municipalities and other stakeholders is Cora Hallsworth, Manager of Ecocity Initiatives and Municipal Programs. Cora brings more than 20 years of experience advancing community and organizational sustainability to the Centre for Ecocities team.

Cora’s career began with the Recycling Council of Ontario where she coordinated Waste Reduction Week and launched the Ontario EcoSchools Program – which has now evolved into EcoSchools Canada.  She went on to work with consulting firms in Toronto and Vancouver, and in 2002, while living in Vancouver, launched Connecting Environmental Professionals (CEP). CEP is still active today, providing capacity building and networking opportunities to environmental and sustainability professionals in Vancouver.

At the Centre, Cora leads the application and pilot testing of the ecoCity Footprint Tool; helps municipalities understand and act on their ecological footprints and ‘consumption-based greenhouse gas emissions; leads the Ecocity Peer Network; and speaks widely at conferences and other events.

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Global Goals Week 2021

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In 2015, 17 defined and interconnected global goals were set as a blueprint to build a prosperous and peaceful world living in harmony with the environment. Since their initiation, undeniable progress has been made in the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The COVID-19 pandemic has posed its own challenges to sustainable development, and created setbacks in achieving these multifaceted targets. Nevertheless, the conversation continues stronger than ever, and so must we.

Shortly after the announcement of this 2030 Agenda, came Global Goals Week. Global Goals Week is an annual week of action, awareness, and accountability for the SDGs. The purpose of this week-long series of events is to engage people around the world in conversation and action in support of the Global Goals – from engaging in solution-identifying dialogues, to building partnerships and sharing success stories.

This year’s Global Goals Week takes place from September 17 – 26, 2021. Each year, the United Nations Foundation organizes a series of activities towards this shared commitment. Educational resources and events represent just some of the few ways to get involved. The 2020 rendition of this Global Goals initiative saw 63 million individuals joining online, with another 17,500 people engaging in in-person activities. This year, communities around the world will come together virtually and in-person “to solve a wide range of complex global problems from poverty and gender to climate change and inequality”.

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International Literacy Day 2021

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International Literacy Day is a reminder that 773 million non-literate young people and adults do not have access to an education and learning opportunities. Until education is an inherent right for everyone, it will remain a privilege for those fortunate to have it. BCIT is committed to providing quality education based on the UN’s fourth Sustainable Development Goal. In honour of International Literacy Day, the Centre for Ecocities would like to highlight a few of the BCIT students who have contributed their knowledge and skills in communications to the work of the Centre this year.

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