Sustainability Videos

Nick has written extensively on the notion of living off grid, that is how to disconnect yourself from energy and utility companies in order to make yourself self-sufficient and sustainable. Why would you want to do that you may ask? Well as climate change and energy resources such as oil continue to decline, the cost and availability of cheap energy will also decline. Currently our energy needs are being fulfilled by others, such as gas from Russia and Oil from all over the world putting the UK in a very precarious position in terms of energy. This means that new energy solutions will have to be found for the population of the UK. So how do people live off-grid, well there is no one way of doing this. Nick outlines a variety of ways that people are living off-grid in his book, from those who are living in forests and using a minimal amount of energy, to people who have developed complex technological systems to provide themselves with large amounts of energy, to those living in canal boats and storage containers. All of these people are finding ways to live off grid using a variety of methods such as solar power, water power, growing their own food in a drive to become self sufficient. Off grid communities are springing up everywhere and Nick has recently been travelling around the US talking to them. Nick also runs a website http://www.off-grid.net which has huge amounts of information on all aspects of living off grid. The option of living off grid has never been so important - with unemployment about to rise above 3 million (and real unemployment above 4.6 million), with the collpase of banks and companies and houses still out of reach of first time buyers, living off-grid maybe the only solution to survive in these austere times. Living off-grid is destined to become more and more part of public debate as time moves on and energy resources change, recently it has featured on the front cover of Wired magazine. Related Link: http://www.off-grid.net/

The Earth Island Institute created the annual Brower Youth Awards to honor six young people for their outstanding activism and achievements in the fields of environmental and social justice advocacy. Each winner is awarded $3000 and brought to San Francisco for the award week and a backcountry camping trip. Adarsha Shivakumar used his proceeds from winning a spelling bee to co-found a project growing sustainable jatropha, a plant that can be used as biofuel, in India. His work provides an ecologically friendly and economically profitable crop for farmers who would otherwise grow tobacco, a much more harmful plant. This video from Rikshaw Films shows the impact Adarsha and his project have had around the world.

Take in a spectacular birds-eye view of the Vancouver Convention Centre an experience typically limited to seaplanes landing in Coal Harbour. By connecting the interior design with the spectacular natural landscape of British Columbia, the Vancouver Convention Centre is one of the greenest convention centres in the world. It boasts a living roof, seawater heating and cooling, on-site water treatment, and fish habitat built into the foundation of the West Building. The space has been awarded the GO GREEN certificate from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) for industry-approved, environmental best practices in building management. To learn more, visit: http://www.vancouverconventioncentre.com

One of the Vancouver Convention Centre s most unique features is the swarm of bees on the building s living roof. Join Allen Garr, the rooftop beekeeper as he explains what goes into housing this innovative and environmentally positive feature of the convention centre. By connecting the interior design with the spectacular natural landscape of British Columbia, the Vancouver Convention Centre is one of the greenest convention centres in the world. It boasts a living roof, seawater heating and cooling, on-site water treatment, and fish habitat built into the foundation of the West Building. The space has been awarded the GO GREEN certificate from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) for industry-approved, environmental best practices in building management. To learn more, visit: http://www.vancouverconventioncentre.com

The Vancouver Convention Centre s opening day was a spectacular, once-in-a-lifetime event that highlighted the best of the city s culture and creativity. By connecting the interior design with the spectacular natural landscape of British Columbia, the Vancouver Convention Centre is one of the greenest convention centres in the world. It boasts a living roof, seawater heating and cooling, on-site water treatment, and fish habitat built into the foundation of the West Building. The space has been awarded the GO GREEN certificate from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) for industry-approved, environmental best practices in building management. To learn more, visit: http://www.vancouverconventioncentre.com

The Vancouver Convention Centre s Executive Chef, Blair Rasmussen demonstrates how to pull together his celebrated spot prawn souffle. By connecting the interior design with the spectacular natural landscape of British Columbia, the Vancouver Convention Centre is one of the greenest convention centres in the world. It boasts a living roof, seawater heating and cooling, on-site water treatment, and fish habitat built into the foundation of the West Building. The space has been awarded the GO GREEN certificate from the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) for industry-approved, environmental best practices in building management. To learn more, visit: http://www.vancouverconventioncentre.com

Video made by João Amorim, edited by Pedro Tarragô about the building process of a sustainable unit - Super Adobe House. More information at www.postmoderntimes.com