Weekly Highlights

I'm finding there's a lot of things to report but not enough time or room to give all of them the space they deserve.So, here's some highlights from the week:

- I've seen several of these jackrabbits this week just hopping across the street between houses:

 

 - I went to a "sustainability" conference on Wednesday. Mayor Nenshi of Calgary (Muslim) and Mayor Mandel of Edmonton (Jewish) both spoke about sustainability initiatives going on in their respective cities. (Most successful light rail system in North America in Calgary, waste management practices in Edmonton that almost eliminate garbage altogether). It was apparent from their interaction that the two men had a good relationship. They both spoke about how they can learn from each other and help each other in their endeavors and I was struck by their example both as representatives of their faith and as leaders of their respective cities.

 - Sustainability in Canada is defined by what I've heard referred to on several occasions as "The Triple Bottom Line" - environmental, social, and economic sustainability. The Planning framework in the U.S. is very focused on the environmental aspect of sustainability but the idea of social and economic sustainability have yet to really take hold. To be fair, while the triple bottom line was mentioned several times at this conference, all of the speakers and presenters were focused on the environment. When an audience member asked about affordable housing, much as it happens in the U.S., the speakers were all stumped.

 - Highlights of the conference included a great little video produced by Calgary waste management explaining how landfills work and promoting composting; a presentation by urban commentator Lloyd Alter of Treehugger.com on the environmental benefits of living in historic buildings in urban centers, and a presentation by Drayton Valley Mayor Moe Hamdon on the Town's "Bio-mile" development project that set aside one square mile of land in the Town for innovative bio-energy technologies.

 - Another thing I'm trying to get my head around this week: due process. This constitutional guarantee for U.S. citizens and land owners doesn't seem to have an exact Canadian equivalent and that's a big deal for Planners. More to come on this issue when I figure it out.