Archives: Episodes

A new secular sacred may be dawning that embraces the care and nurture of the planet.
Youth are seeking answers in religion but we are insistent on cultural inclusion, diversity, fluidity, group decision-making and problem-solving and global, long-range thinking. There is a new mindfulness that includes yoga, nature-based and meditative soul-searching, recreation for mental and physical health, technology-assisted hyper-communication and a distrust of anthropocentrism. With this awareness comes a different kind of ‘missionary’ work. We are seeing that young people are travelling to other parts of the world to share their experiences and to learn from other places, rather than proselytize. Best practices come back home, and are applied right here in Edmonton.

Transient lifestyles, multiple jobs, a high value on experiences and happenings have changed the way we view objects, material accumulation and the storage of stuff. Trading, swapping, repurposing, redesigning and recycling are some of the ways to move things along the supply chain without buying. There is a new kind of consumerism which is being matched by a new commercialism and sharing economy. Job fairs are increasingly embracing alternative energy companies like solar and wind, creative solutions to environmental clean-up like Alex Villeneuve’s mushroom project.

The need for a sustainable mode of transportation has created light rail subway systems. Bicycles are popular but so are Electric and hybrid cars. Clean, cheap solutions are on the way. Group rides, sharing vehicles, renting a Pogo car or bike shares are new ways of moving, and we’ll show you more ideas that just may catch on. More of us than ever are opting not to buy cars but we are far from giving up our mobility.

Ways of living together in couples, groups and communities are already changing. Temporary living spaces, and living partners, and higher transience have changed the need for the one-family permanent dwelling. How will this affect the earth? A smaller footprint, or a messier one? Architects, city planners and young singles show what is needed, how and how quickly. We explore tiny houses, living walls, solar panels and the wisdom from other cultures where generations of families live under one roof.

From river keepers and hydrologists to storm water reclamation and water savers, this story looks at ways of protecting the water we have and reusing the water we’ve already used. The average person is challenged to make an impact on the preservation of water in a meaningful way, but in Edmonton a number of ad hoc networks of engineers, hydrologists and planners are getting together, talking about how to conserve and store water in a big picture way. That’s not to say individuals can’t make a difference too. In schools, aquaponics projects are teaching students about sustainable food cycles.

Episode 1, Food For Thought follows young people developing urban gardens, backyard bee hives, food boxes by subscription, fruit rescue and building a business from locally sourced
food. This episode also looks at the inherent importance of living with less by making a considered choice to have a closer relationship with food by growing it in communities and in
schools.