SCD301+Blog.Wiki+Outline

Group 1 Blog/Wiki Outline Assignment (Due Friday, Feb 13)

1. __Group Name:__ EcoConsulting Inc. 2. __Project Framework/Approach__: Environmental Impacts

http://www.hereshow.ca/news_detail.asp?nid=1679 (this is a link to one of the new "green" Wal-Marts in Burlington Ontario) __What questions will we use to implement our appproach? __ Conduct an assesssment of Wal-Mart’s latest push into renewable energy, organics, green buildings, transportation considerations, parking, impervious surfaces, stormwater runoff, recycling, ecological footprint, etc. Compare the pros and cons of a major player such as Wal-Mart going “green.” Provide realistic and innovative environmental practices to an existing or proposed Wal-Mart store. -> I think that Wal-Mart could use the cooking oil from their on-site McDonalds to make biodiesel to blend in the tanks of their transport trucks.

__3. Walmart Location:__  "Green Wal-Mart" in Burling ton, Ont __4. Group Profile Statement:__ a. Team Intro Chris Mennell completed the film program at Simon Fraser University in 2007. He has been actively involved with the Organic agriculture community in the south Similkameen Valley for over 15 years. His passion for the British Columbia wilderness has manifested in many forms. Working with B.C. Parks and local broadcaster Knowledge Network in 2006, he was part of the team that produced the acclaimed television series "Wild At Heart" which promoted local tourism.Over the last decade he has worked with several conservation groups throughout B.C., these include Wildsight (Kimberely), Columbia Basin Trust, and the Creek Protection Society (Victoria). Recent developments in green energy development in B.C. has been a driving force in Chris' work.

Mimi AuYeung is dedicated to environmental and cultural issues in Canada and abroad. She studied resource management at the University of Western Ontario and is currently doing her post-baccalaureate in Sustainable Community Development at Simon Fraser University. She has also recently completed her MA in Advanced Japanese Studies at the University of Sheffield in England, where she pursued her English to Japanese translation skills, as well as her interest in social issues such as environment, discrimination and women's studies. She owned and managed "Bar Soul Flower" in Osaka, Japan for four years, which was a base for the expatriate community. There were local art and music exhibitions held regularly to help promote the local talent. She is a volunteer for the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo as the Osaka area Warden, who is a contact point between the Embassy and Canadians the the Osaka area in case of an emergency, such as natural disasters or political upheaval. She is a dedicated teacher at Tezukayama Gakuin High School, teaching students communication skills through debating social issues. She is also the director of an International School's Saturday programme. When she is not studying or working, she enjoys travelling to experience new and different cultures and meeting new people.

Nigel Tunnacliffe is a serial social entrepreneur. He has launched five startups to date, including a social housing initiative, a commercial waste vegetable oil collection and processing project, and GE-Free Solutions, a verification agency for non-genetically engineered foods. He has a degree in Communication from Simon Fraser University, and he is currently completing a certificate in Sustainable Community Development at that institution. Nigel's current volunteer positions include Vice Chair, Vancouver Biodiesel Coop; Steering Committee Member, Society for a GE-Free BC, and Young'uns Program Founder/Director, West Vancouver Yacht Club. In his spare time, Nigel leads an international level sailing team which is set to compete at the world J24 championships in Annapolis, Maryland this May. He also climbs, skis and generally spends time outdoors. When he is not riding his bike, Nigel is driving the GE-Free Solutions Jetta, which runs on waste vegetable oil and recycled biodiesel. [|gefree.ca] - [|currentcoffee.ca] - [|vofuels.ca] - [|undoge.org]

Jia Hui Thong is concerned with community economic development that will help to improve standard of living within the community. She is currently in BA Economics with SFU and graduating this summer. Since she is interested in community economic development she loves where she works right now. It is a small non-profit but it does a lot of community economic development. For example, they organize events throughout the year to encourage the locals to be more involved in the area and to know their neighbors. With this, they are able to increase the security in the community or neighborhood. This is a very new involvement of her in this field; she said that she is a budding learner in SCD and CED. She has grown great passion for Capoeira because to her, this is not simply a martial art but it incorporates a lot of cultures and learnings in the martial art itself. Capoeira is a slave art.

b. __How do we provide project assistance?__ We can be provide up to date information on current greening issues which can be benefiting our 'client'. In this way, we can assist them into finding information efficiently from relevant website or sources. Also, we could consult them with greening ideas to increase efficiency. We could be our 'client' backbone or backup for any environmental issues. So we are more of a information provider. It seems to me 'project assistance' works the same way as 'troubleshooter' or more realistically 'financial advisor' in the banking industry (Jia) c. __Services we will provide?__

Realistic analysis and recommendations for the various Wal-Mart green technologies / approaches and their effectiveness / practicality from a Sustainable Community Development perspective. Analysis is approached from four perspectives to ensure more robust and effective solution development. Recommendations are made with the increasingly eco-savvy consumer/community in mind. Real solutions with real impact are essential in the contemporary economy. Environmental consulting? Maybe we make recommendation for Wal-Mart to pick up its act at both its green and non-green buildings? Maybe we comment on the greenwashing? (Nigel) This is a small or subpart of the consulting that we include statistics of any sort to support the greening ideas. It doesnt necessarily has to be statistic from Wal-Mart but other resources that has resulted from certain enforcements or recommendations. (Jia) d. __How do we approach the project? (Environmental Impacts focus?)__ <span style="color: rgb(249, 6, 6);">Wal-Mart's Ecological Footprint and Green Building impacts on the communities ( A comparison between green and non-green Wal-Mart locations) Chris :Sustainable/Renewable energy technologies. A critical analysis of the effects and sustainability of various green energy sources used for the buildings themselves.
 * **Lets include our __Sub Topics__ here as well**

Nigel: Increased efficiencies and renewable energy use for transportation/shipping.

Mimi: Ecological impact on community compared to say, IKEA. Although IKEA is not in the exact same market as Wal-Mart, they are a low price big-box store. (A friend of mine is one of the managers at the Kobe, Japan store, where I might be able to get some inside information. An other one just opened up in Osaka, so I could do some visits.) A comparison on how IKEA and "green" and "non-green" Wal-Marts have affected their communities in terms of infrastructure, waste disposal, water run-off, energy use.

<span style="color: rgb(86, 164, 76);">Jia: Media and news research regarding Wal-Mart impacts (green and non-green Walmart). This is to have the public point of view rather than specifically on an environmental point of view. With this, we will understand better the impact in the communities. e. Sell Ourselves!

<span style="color: rgb(86, 164, 76);">This is similar to what i mentioned in the project assistance. Our company will works like a research firm similarly to this website http://www.theresearchsolution.co.uk/index.php. <span style="color: rgb(86, 164, 76);">We sell ourselves by collecting data, facts, information, and provide output based on the data we have or research. From all the results/output we have, we will provide solutions, suggestions or recommendations on how they can be eco friendly, we should expose in a way that eco-friendly in any firm is feasible and not necessarily always have to be expensive. Also, we will open up discussion on successful and non-successful ideas to our 'client'. Well, my idea may seem a little impossible to achieve but this is exactly what I have in mind. maybe we can think from this direction. <span style="color: rgb(86, 164, 76);">