Social Imperative

As cities increase in density, greenspaces often dwindle. Studies have shown that natural environments in urban areas can make a huge impact on our perception of wellbeing. In 2015, Nature published a report called Neighborhood greenspace and health in a large urban center. Focused on the population of Toronto, its purpose was to uncover “associations between comprehensive greenspace metrics and health”.

This short video from Fast Company explores the ways that technology has amplified and changed the discussion on police brutality and prosecution.

Never has community engagement been more important in the post-truth era, and yet, with all the 'noise' on the internet, what works? My colleagues and I talk about always reaching the converted, but never getting to ‘unlikely suspects’. Although this video by my colleague, Dave Biggs, from MetroQuest, is about engaging vulnerable and disadvantaged communities, all of these lessons are invaluable to anyone concerned with community engagement and increasing literacy through smart design.

If you follow any of the following high profile names – Leonardo DiCaprio, Naomi Campbell, Doutzen Kroes, Karlie Kloss, or Pearl Jam – you may have seen these celebrities and their friends sporting knotty fashions this week, for a cause.

Canada ranks well in sustainable development, but how exactly do we measure our headway? 

If there were only 100 people in the world, would we fight harder for equality? In just over two minutes, this video (by reducing stats on the world population to a sample of just 100 people) breaks down issues like:

I had the privilege of participating in a celebration of life for Maurice Strong two weeks ago in Ottawa. Maurice had helped me out of a political situation over twenty years ago, which subsequently put me on my academic path. Three days ago I learned that a friend and former professor of mine had died, Dr. Jim MacKenzie.

What changes we have made to the planet in such a short period of time.

Listening to the radio this morning and a discussion about the rising cost of food--an eight dollar cauliflower. I buy a winter organic food basket, and guess what, it protects me from these outside market forces, much of which are fuelled ironically by the dropping costs of oil. So, by buying locally, and thereby seasonally, it is also economically great, an unanticipated co-benefit of trying for a healthier life-style.

In this talk, Manuel Lima explores the way our