What would I have to do?

The Newsletter generated a number of emails and a few phone calls. A few folks asked what they would have to do if they joined the team.

What would you like to do? Organize a work-bee? Help with providing education to residents? Do a Saturday afternoon program with the children in the complex? Helping with content for info flyer's or simply calling and talking to your neighbours in your building is a huge benefit to our home.

Maybe you are good at writing? organizing?

You can get involved at any level you are comfortable with! Its up to you.

email parksideplacevictoriabc@gmail.com

Watch your mailboxes!

The two young ladies that are helping us out by delivering to your mailboxes information about a Sustainable Plarkside Place will be coming by today with a hot-off-the-press read.

If you didn't get yours email us and we will get it to you.

parksideplacevictoriabc@gmail.com

Oh! and we have a total of four (4) residents who have stepped up to help! A few others are thinking on it. Why don't you? Help your home become sustainable, reduce costs and increase its value at the same time! Many hands make less work.

Thank You Angela Evans for your email!

What a nice email we received today:

"I am an environmental planner, and while I typically do policy and development work, one of the things I love to do best is provide presentations and workshops to folks who are interested in living more sustainably. There are many low cost opportunities to “retrofit” older developments like yours in ways that will help reduce resource use and hence the cost of those resources. Please see below a list of workshops and projects on related topics.

§ “Sustainability on a Shoestring” a 1 hour presentation with inspiring images for the Annual General Meeting of the Compost Education Centre in Victoria

§ “Healthy Watersheds: Actively Linking Human and Waterhsed Health” a 1 hour presentation for the Annual General Meeting of the Friends of Mount Douglas Park Society

§ “Sustainability – What would it look like?” an interactive evening workshop (sold out!) held for folks who are full of commitment but don’t know where to start or feel alone in their concern for the environmental issues.

§ Raingarden Design – I came up with a concept design (signed off by an engineer) for a raingarden to address the irrigation and stormwater management challenges of an existing heritage house on a small lot in Victoria. It will soon be featured in the Times Colonist newspaper!

§ “Steps to Sustainability” – a list of over 120 ideas, mostly easy and low cost, of things folks can do to reduce their impact on the environment and increase quality of life. (See http://www.town.viewroyal.bc.ca/newsroom/index.php and scroll down to “Steps to Sustainability”)

I would be happy to come by and supplement the work of the City Green by providing an affordable and uplifting session to help inspire your residents to be more thrifty. Please do feel free to call me at any time to discuss these ideas. I can provide testimonials for my presentations and workshops upon request."

One Townhouse and One Condo needed

Please keep in mind what this is all about. First, you know to fill up your gas tank today it is costing you far more than it did even two weeks ago. Our costs to heat our homes and fill them with water are no different, it is expensive today and will most certainly be more expensive a month from now and next year? Who would like to take a guess what the cost will be next year?

Parkside Place needs to reduce its energy costs its that simple.

With a full 45% of the condo fees going to energy and resources (sewer, heat, water) and no end in sight don't you think its to address this?


What will we do if 100% of the condo fees have to go to energy and resources?
No money left for maintenance?
The fees will double from the current 230.00 per month.
Why? We have to have maintenance done, and we still have to pay for water, sewer and heat.

City Green needs a town house and a condo to enter for the purpose of providing us with a energy audit. They will walk through your home and identify areas that we can work on to reduce consumption. This is an educational process and your unit would be the 'typical' Parkside unit and resident that would be the 'example' for us all to learn from. Please volunteer your home for this important audit.
Email me at parksideplacevictoriaBC@gmail.com

Here is one example of how one thing affects another:
our parking lots, asphalt everywhere.
Did you know asphalt increases the temperature by 25%?
Are you hot in the summer? are you running a air-conditioner?
My house has 3 ceiling fans, I'm certain they will run all summer long.
(I've only been here since Oct. last year).

Standard parking lots constructed with traditional techniques of impervious pavement (typically concrete and asphalt) are associated with a host of inherent problems: runoff problems, heat buildup, air pollution, light glare, and poor aesthetics.

If the asphalt was a sustainable surface, which is a brick made of materials reclaimed and allows grass to grow between each block the temperature around our complex would reduce dramatically.
Something as simple as that can see each of our homes cooler, possibly not utilizing air-conditioners and ceiling fans. That reduces energy use, green-house gasses and so-on.

The parking-lots are planned to be paved, they are budgeted for in the special budget we have. Should we have a closer look at this? or should we just pave it the way it has been for the last 40 years? How is technology that is 40 years old working for you today?
I thought so. Yes, lets have a closer look at it and lets make an informed choice.
(Home Depot sells the product we may consider for our parking lots. I plan on communicating with Home Depot. I am hoping they will help us in reducing the cost in exchange Home Depot could use our complex in Victoria as the 'example'. What do you think? or, possibly you know of another business that offeres this 'type' of product, they might be interested in helping us out. Let us know!)

Received Correspondence this past week from:
Britt Karlstron - City Green
Tricia de Macedo - Environmental Planning Officer - District of Saanich
Adriane Pollard - Manager of Environmental Services Planning Dept. District of Saanich

Essentially this is the message:

"The District of Saanich under our Green Building Program is willing to pay for two hours of consultation with City Green."

The District of Saanich Green Building Program is about new construction, new single family housing and green initiatives and not about town homes / condo's built in the 60's. It is fantastic the District is approaching new buildings, and even better they recognize we need help and offered it.

My sincere thanks to the District of Saanich, it is a big step.

I've been researching grants for our property, grants that can help us 'convert' our older technology to green technology. I have to report there is very little for a complex such as ours. There is definitely a gap at all levels. There aren't even tax opportunities. (Note: it is entirely possible I have missed something, please please let me know if that is the case)

Strata's, Condominium Corporations don't fit into the nice square boxes that are required for consideration. This is why the District of Saanich offered to help with those two hours with City Green, we were not eligible for their energy audit grant.


Again, thank you for recognizing the desire and effort of Parkside Place, and stepping up to support us District of Saanich!

We will keep you informed about our progress and will in all likelihood be back looking for support in writing for future lobbying efforts that I believe I will now have to plan for.


People who have expressed interest in being part of the Parkside Group:
Keven Jones - (Strata #68 Parkside Place Council Treasurer) - Kevin did research last year into gas and electrical usage for our complex.




PS. I have sent emails and the sustainability plan to elected politicians, I will name them in future posts and what they reply with, or, if we received no reply at all.

Gas Spill/Leak - Chevron

I've had many inquiries from residents about the Chevron Station Gas spill/leak.

This Blog has no info to offer and is about a Sustainability Plan for Parkside Place. There are a couple of places you can go regarding the Chevron Station Gas spill/leak at Parkside Place they are:
Parkside Place Gas Clean up
and
a Facebook group

Correspondence

The following letter will be delivered to each unit and posted where possible today's date.

April 17, 2008

Dear Parkside Place Resident,

With our costs to operate our property continuing to rise and no end in sight, I (a fellow owner/resident) approached Council with an idea:

Develop a Parkside Place Sustainability Plan.

This plan will help us save money now and into the future.

I have hands-on experience with these types of plans; the most recent project I was involved in saved a corporation 75% of their money in specific areas of their operations. Parkside Place can achieve the same results.

(this plan is provided for free, you or the Strata will not pay any money. Camosun College is paying all associated costs)

To find out more visit:

http://parksideplacevictoriabc.blogspot.com

If you are interested in being a part of the team that will help create the plan and implement the results please email:

parksideplacevictoriabc@gmail.com

(printed on 100% recycled paper)

Correspondence

If you know of an anyone who should receive a copy of the plan please email me their contact info: parksideplacevictoriabc@gmail.com

A copy of the Sustainability Plan and a letter were emailed (April 15th) to various government bodies/people seeking advise/direction or direct assistance to:


Tricia Demacedo - Saanich
Gary Lunn - MP for area
David Cubberley - MLA for area
Vicki Sanders - Councillor and head of Env. Committee for Saanich
Environmental Planning Dept. Saanich

To date (April 17th, 2008) one reply received from Tricia Demacedo - Environmental Planning Officer - District of Saanich (thank you Tricia!):

Dear Susan,

Congratulations on an interesting project! My main recommendation would be that your strata council take advantage of the Federal government's rebates for energy-saving renovations. You would ask City Green, a local non-profit, to do an energy assessment of the buildings. They make recommendations on upgrades to insulation, windows, weatherstripping, heating methods etc., then you have a year and a half to do the renovations. Depending on how much you improve your energy efficiency, the federal government issues a rebate to you.

Secondly, I would look at landscaping costs. Do you have a lot of lawn, which requires watering? Are you spreading fertilizers and pesticides on ornamental landscaping? You can save money and enhance the environment by utilizing more drought-resistant, native plants which don't require as much maintainance.

Toilet replacement with 6 litre flush toilets will really give a big decrease in both water and sewer costs for that many units. There is a CRD rebate for each new toilet installed.

Those are my main thoughts right now. It really depends on how much capital your group is willing to put out to save long-term

Good luck

Tricia

More letters and the plan will go out this week. Visit here often to see updates!

Proposed Environmental Advisory Committee Parkside Place Victoria BC (Strata 68)

If you are interested in being a part of this Parkside Place Team please email parksideplacevictoriabc@gmail.com or contact Sutton Group Westcan Realty Gilbert Gutfreund - Property Manager - ggutfreund@sutton.com

DRAFT

(Proposed) Environmental Advisory Committee Parkside Place Strata Corporation #68 Victoria BC

(Terms of Reference)

The purpose of the Environmental Advisory Committee is to advise Strata Council and recommend policies on green technology, energy efficiency and environmental sustainability directly related to Parkside Place.

Mandate

The Environmental Advisory Committee will, consistent with the purpose described above, undertake the following:

• Develop and recommend policies to the Strata Council and respond to Council requests for advice and information.
• Assist, review and provide feedback on the Parkside Place Sustainability Plan.
• Provide a Parkside Place community perspective on services, programs, events and capital projects related to green technology, energy efficiency, and environmental sustainability within Parkside Place.
• Foster awareness, recognition and support for a healthy and sustainable environment within Parkside Place.

Meetings

Agendas & Minutes

The Committee will meet a minimum of 6 times per year in accordance with its regular schedule of meetings established annually at the first meeting of the year. Special meetings may be held at the call of the Chair. The meeting rules and procedures will be in accordance with the Parkside Place Bylaws.

Sample Agenda/Minutes

`

Parkside Place Environmental Sustainability Meeting Agenda & Minutes – April , 2008

Date of Next Meeting:	April , 2008		AGENDA
Time:	–
Place:			Report on the occurrence of any environmental issues	5 min
			Review action items	55 min
				60 min

Present:

No.	New Environmental Issues or Environmental Occurrences	Observed by:	CAP / who
1.			CAP written up
2.

No.	Action Items – General	Who	When
3.
4.
5.
6.	Action Items – Environmental Objectives & Targets
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.	Water Consumption
16.	Disposal to Landfill
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.	Energy Consumption
22.
23.
24.	.
25.	Finalize energy table. Follow up. Calculate paybacks.
26.
27.
28.
29.	Action Items – Manual
30.	Section 14
31.
32.	Section 15
33.	Develop a set of Environmental Performance Indicators for a month score.

Audit Schedule

Name	Audit #	Auditors	Completed	CAP sign off
Recycled Waste
Measurements
Training

2008 Review (semi-annually) of:

• Review of Environmental Objectives

May þ September £

• Review of Environmental Management System

May þ September £

• Review of Environmental Incidents & Corrective Action Plans

May þ September £

• Review of Environmental Audits & Corrective Action Plans

May þ September £

• Review BC Government website for any updates to Environmental Regulations

May þ September £

Membership

The Committee will consist of three (3) members;
• Parkside Place owners in good standing appointed by the Council.

Support

Sutton Group, the property management firm, and Strata Council will be the primary contact and provide requested support.