Views from the Edge

Conversations from the Edge

Welcome to the CRC blog, where we discuss bleeding edge issues around sustainable community development. The term ‘bleeding edge’ connotes the idea of our failure to somehow or other convince the publics about the urgency of responding to climate change now, and that we need to better communicate the principles and practises of sustainable development to the wider publics. So, yes it takes courage to be 'at the edge', and sometimes one 'bleeds' a lot, but let's start the conversation now. I encourage our students and former students to use this blog and share what they are learning out in the real world.   Ann

The Good Society--An Empathic Society

Socrates emphasized knowing one’s self, introspection, but modern society needs more outrospection. The ultimate art form for outrospection is empathy. Why is empathy important? Because empathy can be part of the art of living well, it allows us to be more creative thinkers, it can improve our relationships, and possibly contribute to a revolution of human relatedness.

The Good Society--Spatial Justice

What does Edward Soja mean by ‘spatial justice’ and why is it important to the good society? A recent McMaster study suggests children are at greater risk of being hit by vehicles driving through their neighbourhood than from drivers who live nearby, posing particular dangers in poorer, downtown areas where traffic levels tend to be highest. The research points to the issue of high traffic in low-income residential neighbourhoods, where drivers are more likely to take shortcuts to avoid congested main roads.

A Good Society--A New Model of Collaboration

One of the wonderful benefits of collaboration and partnerships is the wealth of diverse information and multiple perspectives that are shared. One of the themes of my chair is diversity and as many know I am deeply committed to sustaining biodiversity in our modern world. I have been experimenting over the last five years with new ways of doing research in collaboration with community practitioners, and have been working with dear colleagues at Sustainability Solutions Group.

Patterns of Our Footsteps - The Things that Energize Us

Earlier this month, the MC3 project brought together researchers, practitioners, government representatives and community leaders to engage in a peer-to-peer learning exchange for sharing climate innovations and strategies.  A reoccurring theme in our discussion was energy, how to implement energy efficiency, how to implement community-wide clean energy systems and how to foster a culture that readily adopts s

Change is in the Wind

Ontario Phases Out Coal-Fired Power
All the provinces coal-burning power plants will be shuttered by 2014, making the Canadian province the first coal-free jurisdiction in North America. Hopefully the rest of North America will follow the province's political leadership that paid a price for such progressive energy policy.

Coming out of the Closet

There is no doubt an engaged, literate citizenry is crucial for democratic systems of governance. This article argues that the many challenges now facing the human race demands a reliable knowledge of what can be done and social capital to make it happen.

The Good Society--Everyone Can Make a Difference

Overheard on CBC radio the other day about a group of young professionals who are working to create a better future for their community, Ottawa, modeled after The Awesome Foundation. Each of the ten co-founders donates $50.00 a month and they give out small grants of $1000.00 to people who apply to them. Decisions are made consensually about awards, and in addition to offering this seed money, they also offer their skills, it is not just about the money. Their belief is “anyone can do it”.

The Good Society--A New Model of Incorporation

As mentioned before, I am hoping to share as many social innovations as possible to show how easy it is to implement sustainable development, using creativity and integration. I am hoping that 2013 will be about unprecedented adoption of new innovations, particularly, new governance models, for sustainable development.

Patterns of Our Footsteps - Global Networks: Is there an Optimal Scale?

At the end of last year, we released a video, created by students from the Professional Communications Program, that focused on one of the CRC research theme of scale, looking specifically at consumption and the economy.

The World she is a changin'

I just finished writing a journal article on agency, thank the universe (it only took two years), before the start of the new year. In that article, I concluded by defining agency as as "the latent human ability that acts to influence conditions in their environment that they believe are adversely affecting them individually, their community or their broader environment that contributes to the creation of social and ecological capital” (e-Dialogue, 2009).