T.O. Greenspirational Events - Tools for Change

Angela Bischoff greenspi at web.ca
Sun Jan 11 22:18:26 EST 2009


Toronto Greenspirational Events

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NO NEW NUKES IN ONTARIO!

The Ontario Government is committed to signing contracts for two new  
nuclear reactors this spring -- at a cost of $26 billion. We can’t  
let this happen.

Nuclear energy is too costly, too risky and too polluting.

Clean green renewable energy and efficiency can meet all our  
electricity needs. See www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca for details.

Will you help us get the word out to Ontario Energy Minister George  
Smitherman’s riding (Toronto Centre)? If he hears from thousands of  
his constituents that they’d prefer a GREEN energy future, we can  
stop new nuclear in its tracks.

Please attend our next volunteer orientation meeting to learn more:

Tuesday Jan. 13: 6 – 8 p.m.
at 519 Church St. Community Centre (on Church, north of Wellesley).

Thanks! We’ve got to win this one, and we can.

For more info: Angela at cleanairalliance.org
www.ontariosgreenfuture.ca
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=48852021264&ref=ts

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Tools for Change

A series of skills sharing and skills building workshops hosted by  
(Ontario Public Interest Research Group) OPIRG-Toronto to help you  
gain the tools for doing research, education, and action for Social  
Justice.

Tuesday, January 13 - Anti-Oppression Workshop
Wednesday, January 14 - Facilitation 101 (how to facilitate/chair  
meetings)
Thursday, January 15 - Get on the Mic! Public Speaking Workshop
Monday, January 19 - Collective Creative Improvisation for Activists
Tuesdays, January 20 & 27 - Design 101 (posters/flyers)
Thursday, January 29 - OPIRG Open House and Volunteer Training

INFO: 416.978.7770; opirg.toronto at gmail.com; www.opirguoft.org

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Parkdale Trails for Active Transportation Workshop

On Thursday January 15th citizens, community leaders, and municipal  
staff of the City of Toronto will come together in a community-led  
planning workshop which will be facilitated by international active  
transportation expert and urban strategist, Gil Penalosa.  Through  
the workshop process, participants will learn about successful active  
transportation planning from around the world and lay out priorities  
for action around walking, bicycling, and active mobility in their  
community.

Anyone with an interest in walking, bicycling, and making Parkdale a  
great place is encouraged to come out to the workshop, which will run  
from 5:30pm to 8:30pm on Thursday January 15th, 2009 and be held at  
High Park Public Library, 228 Roncesvalles Ave.

For more information: www.walkandbikeforlife.org

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Why We are Losing Afghanistan

Thursday, January 15 @ 4pm - 6pm
University College, Trudeau Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies,  
Room H-12, below Diablos Junior Common Room
INFO: www.trudeaucentre.ca/about-contact.html

An informal Conversation with Graeme Smith, Globe and Mail's  
Correspondent in Afghanistan.

Graeme Smith is the Globe's Moscow Bureau Chief and has been their  
main reporter in Afghanistan since 2004. He brings an insider's  
perspective to the current conflict, and is one of the few Canadian  
journalists that has spent significant time in Kandahar and  
Afghanistan. Graeme Smith recently won the Canada's Newspaper Award  
for International Reporting (2007) for his story on Torture in Afghan  
Prisons.

This event is co-sponsored by The Trudeau Centre for Peace and  
Conflict Studies, the Peace and Conflict Society and the Centre for  
Asian Society at the University of Toronto. Light refreshments will  
be provided.

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Free showing of documentary Sharkwater and talk

To bring attention to the plight of sharks, overfishing and the state  
of the world's oceans

Thursday, January 15, 2009
Time: 7:00pm
Location: Hart House, University of Toronto East Common Room, 7 Hart  
House Circle

About the film: Driven by passion fed from a lifelong fascination  
with sharks, filmmaker Rob Stewart debunks historical stereotypes and  
media depictions of sharks as bloodthirsty, man-eating monsters and  
reveals the reality of sharks as pillars in the evolution of the seas.

Filmed in visually stunning, high definition video, Sharkwater takes  
you into the most shark rich waters of the world, exposing the  
exploitation and corruption surrounding the world's shark populations  
in the marine reserves of Cocos Island, Costa Rica and the Galapagos  
Islands, Ecuador.

In an effort to protect sharks, Stewart teams up with renegade  
conservationist Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.  
Their unbelievable adventure together starts with a battle between  
the Sea Shepherd and shark poachers in Guatemala, resulting in pirate  
boat rammings, gunboat chases, mafia espionage, corrupt court systems  
and attempted murder charges, forcing them to flee for their lives.

Through it all, Stewart discovers these magnificent creatures have  
gone from predator to prey, and how despite surviving the earth's  
history of mass extinctions, they could easily be wiped out within a  
few years due to human greed.

Stewart's remarkable journey of courage and determination changes  
from a mission to save the world's sharks, into a fight for his life,  
and that of humankind.

Length: 89 minutes. Talk afterwords. See http://www.sharkwater.com/

On the plight of sharks Sea Sheppard found Paul Watson remarks,  
"Sharks have shaped evolution in our oceans for 450 million years,  
and their diminishment has already been the cause of severe damage to  
global oceanic eco-systems. Shark species extinctions will cause  
irreparable damage. If we can't save the sharks, we will fail to save  
our oceans, and if our oceans die, civilization and humanity will  
die. Lush and Sea Shepherd recognize that we need to save the sharks  
if we are to save ourselves, and we are working together to make this  
happen!"

About Animal Right Kollective Ark II: ARK II is a non-profit animal  
rights group which seeks to "promote and protect the rights of all  
animals and foster their individual liberties through direct action,  
political action and public awareness campaigns and "strives to build  
a world where animal liberation and human liberation become one in a  
fabric of mutual respect, tolerance and compassion." See  http:// 
www.ark-ii.com

Organized by Students Against Climate Change / ArkII Animal Rights  
Kolletive

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Presentation on Safety Issues of Genetically Modified Food Crops

Thursday, January 15 @ 7 pm
Friends House, 60 Lowther Avenue
INFO: www.cielap.org

Arpad Pusztai, PhD degree from the University of London in  
biochemistry and physiology, former Senior Scientist at the Rowett  
Research Institute, Aberdeen, Scotland.

Arpad Pusztai will speak on his research into the safety issues of  
genetically modified food crops. Susan Bardocz, Professor of  
Nutrition at the Agricultural Faculty of University of Debrecen, and  
his wife, will also be available to speak on her research on the  
safety of GM foods.

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Bike Winter Art Show

Starting Monday, 12 January until Monday, 19 January, 2009 check out  
the 2nd Annual Bike Winter Art show in the Metro Hall Rotunda (55  
John St).
Opening reception will be Thursday, January 15, 2009, 4 - 8 p.m.

Submissions for this show will be judged and finalists will be  
eligible to be printed as Bike Month posters and publications for the  
spring.
Contact cyclingevents at toronto.ca for more information.

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Free showing of documentary Rio Blanco, and workshop on community  
resistance

With speaker: Ulisses Garcia from Peru, organizer of the Tambogrande  
resistance

Date: Friday, January 16, 2009
Time: 7:00pm
Location: OISE  Room 4422, 252 Bloor St. W., above St. George subway

Free showing of "Rio Blanco" - about community resistance to open-pit  
mining in Latin America, using the referendum tactic successfully  
employed against the Tambgogrande mine in Peru. Trailer for Rio  
Blanco: http://vimeo.com/1883514?pg=embed&sec=1883514

Trailer for Mangos Murder Mining (the Tambogrande case):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGj_Nds_1bY

The film is followed by a talk by Ullises Garcia, an organizer of the  
Tambgrande resistance. His father was murdered during the non-violent  
resistance to the mine, by thugs hired by the mine. Garcia will lead  
a workshop on creating a network of Canadian activists to work in  
solidarity with affected communities around the world.

This project will involve the creation and distribution of referendum  
handbooks and movies around the world, followed by sending Canadian  
delegates as observers of the referenda. If you are interested in  
going overseas to be an observer, attend this workshop.

Not only resistance to mining will be covered: resistance to hydro- 
electric dams, logging, oil drilling and any other disruptive  
industrial development will be discussed as well.

Blurb for the film, Rio Blanco ...

On the 21st of April 2004 5000 farmers from Huancabamba province,  
Northern Peru, marched to peacefully protest against a proposed mine  
in their area.

The farmers feared possible contamination of their fresh water  
sources and were angry they had not been consulted over the project.  
Going with peaceful intentions to establish a dialogue with the  
mining company and representatives from the Peruvian government, the  
protesters were met with armed police.

In the ensuing chaos a protester, Reemberto Herrera Racho lost his  
life. According to the police he fell down a hill; according to  
eyewitnesses he was hit in the head by a tear gas grenade.

Rio Blanco, The Story of the Farmer and the Mine is an investigation  
into the events surrounding the protest and it’s tragic conclusion.  
It draws from footage shot at the time, interviews with protesters  
who attended the march and the resulting press coverage. The film  
builds a picture of what happened and how it was portrayed afterwards  
in the national and international media.

The documentary highlights the autocratic nature in which many  
multinational companies operate in the developing world and the  
conflicts that arise from the lack of dialogue between corporation  
and community.

Article describing the successful Tambogrande referendum, in Peru,  
which drove the mining company out:
http://www.oxfamamerica.org/newsandpublications/news_updates/ 
archive2002/art2763.html

This article describes the Rio Blanco case in more detail:
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=39233

Also see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYgfMqB0RjA

Organized by Toronto Mining Support Group

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WORLD FINANCIAL CRISIS AND ITS IMPACT ON THE GLOBAL SOUTH

Friday, January 16, 7 p.m.,
Centre for Social Justice
Third Floor, 489 College Street,
(One block west of Bathurst) Toronto
Organizers: Venezuela We Are With You Coalition; Center for Social  
Justice

Adam Hanieh - Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid
Niraj Joshi - Toronto Haiti Action Committee
Paul Kellogg - Coalition Venequela We Are With You

The crash of 2008, a crisis of U.S.-led neo-liberalism, is wreaking
havoc on the poor in the Global South.  This meeting will examine
the causes and effects of the crisis, and suggest ways of
fighting back.

For more information, email cvec-tor at yahoogroups.com
www.venequelawearewithyou.blogspot.com

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INTERNATIONAL YEAR OF THE SHARK

Time To End The Selling Of Shark Fin Soup.!
Everyone come out to our Rally for the Sharks

Sat. January 17th, 2009
Meet at Yonge & Dundas (Dundas Square)
Meet Between 12noon to 1pm
At 1pm We Will Want to Start To March

STOP THE SELLING OF SHARK FIN SOUP.!! OUR SHARK SPECIES AND PLANET  
DEPEND ON IT!

We are working with many organizations Globally Here to Get the  
message out for the SHARKS.

Sharks are being killed at Alarming Rates. Approximately 100 million  
per year face a horrific death where their FINS are removed and then  
tossed back into the ocean to drown. This way the fisherman can get  
more FINS when they do not keep the weight of the body.

Hong Kong is about 80% of the business for the Shark FIn Soup but YES  
it is Sold here in Toronto and Canada in the Asian Restaurants.

We need to make the asian population aware of the plight of our  
sharks and oceans due to the over fishing of the shark species and we  
really need to end the Consumer's choice to being apart of this  
Genocide.!

PLEASE BRING YOUR FAMILY, PETS, CHILDREN, ETC.!!

WE WILL HAVE SIGNS TO CARRY, LEAFLETS TO HAND OUT, AND BUTTONS TOO..

WEAR YOU BEST SHARK COSTUME OR MAKE ONE FOR THE DAY.!! LET'S SHOW OUR  
SUPPORT TO BE THE VOICE FOR OUR TOP PREDATOR OF THE OCEAN THAT KEEPS  
THIS WORLD IN ORDER.!

THE OCEANS ARE DYING IN OUR TIME PEOPLE.!

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The Bicycle Friendly Business Awards

Tues. 20 January
Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St. W.)
Doors at 7 p.m.; Show at 8 p.m.
$10 or PWYC

Toronto Cyclists Union will present the Bicycle Friendly Business  
Awards and its own awards, the Golden Spokes.

Don't miss this unveiling of BFBA winners and a good party to boot!  
This is a fundraiser for the Toronto Cyclists Union.

The Golden Spokes are awards handed out by the Toronto Cyclists Union  
recognizing individual or group efforts to improve cycling in  
Toronto. They are a celebration of cycling and serve to illustrate  
how many people across Toronto are committed to bicycling and want to  
work together to make Toronto a more bike-friendly city.

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EcoLeadership Training
Level 1 course
Tuesday January 20th  or  Friday February 13th, 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Who is this for?
·      business leaders, teachers, and facilitators,
·      anyone who would like to
o      expand their ability to be present,
o      connect with others,
o      be ahead of the pack.

NOTE: This is not about environmental issues, recycling, or composting.

Rather, you will explore systems, methods and practices for thinking  
out-of-the-box. This workshop is the large picture of leadership.  
Using hands-on methods, this workshop will give you tools to design  
programs, workshops, and training that create lasting results and new  
solutions to old problems. There is a special section where you learn  
to save 10-25% of your gasoline consumption for your car! Guaranteed!

Learn how to:
·      Use ecological and environmental thought to create unique  
solutions
·      Enhance your ability to engage those with whom you work
·      Make sustainability reasonable.

Concepts to be covered include:
·     Critical Thinking
·     Ecological Decision Making
·     How to use the Teaching Wheel
·     Emotional, Physical, and Spiritual Intelligence
·     Your Personal Style of Leading
·     Approaches to Facilitation
·     Strategies for Inspiration

Your investment:          $85.00 and receive a free copy of the  
acclaimed book, “Living Education: The Power of the Circle!”
Your Facilitator:          David A. Berger, M.E.S.
  David has been a professor at York University and on CBC radio and  
television. He is the founder and a director of the Living  Education  
Institute, and the author of “Living  Education: The  Power of the  
Circle.” The National post called him “A modern-day Socrates!”  He  
has facilitated, led, and inspired major corporations, schools,  
universities, and colleges throughout North America.

David A. Berger
Living Education Institute
416.694.8444

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THE LEGAL TOOLKIT FOR CYCLING AND ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION ACTIVISTS

A one-day workshop lead by lawyers from Ecojustice
Co-sponsored by Toronto Cyclists Union and Take the Tooker

Sat. Jan. 24, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
at Centre for Social Innovation, 215 Spadina (north of Queen), 4th floor
$25 sliding scale - includes lunch - no one turned away for lack of  
funds (25 people max.)
Pre-register at: https://events.socialinnovation.ca/civicrm/event/ 
info?reset=1&id=21

This one day training session is intended to educate cyclists and  
alternative transport activists about the legal tools available to  
protect us such as:

- court actions
- petitions
- Freedom of Information requests
- environmental assessments
- administrative tribunals
- prosecutions
- interventions in court proceedings
- Environmental Bill of Rights
and more.

For more info contact:
Yvonne Bambrick of the Toronto Cyclists Union, <yvonne at bikeunion.to>,  
416 826 2964
Angela Bischoff, Take the Tooker, <greenspi at web.ca>

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The Toronto Botanical Garden and Everdale present...




-Building a Sustainable Home: An Owner's Perspective-in Toronto
Date/time: Saturday, January 31, 2009 10:00am - 4:00pm
With John Wilson of the Natural Living Network

Sustainability is achievable even in the cold northern climate of  
Ontario. Just ask your instructor, John Wilson, who has built a  
sustainable modern family home. This seminar will provide you with an  
introduction to the key concepts of sustainable housing and give you  
real world examples that work. It covers ecological home design,  
passive solar concepts, renewable energy systems and water and sewage  
treatment systems as well as issues such as building permits, zoning,  
and whether or not to grid tie.

-Ecological Renovations - in Toronto
Date/time: Saturday, February 28, 2009 10:00am - 4:00pm
With Joshua Abush P.Eng, a renovator and certified energy advisor  
with a Masters of Engineering in green building and building science.
Reduce the ecological impact of your home renovation by balancing  
energy efficiency, low impact materials selection, building  
techniques, and timeless design.

For more info go to: www.everdale.org/workshops

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A six week Bicycle Assembly and Maintenance Course will be offered  
for prospective bike mechanics in Toronto between the ages of 15 and  
25, beginning on Feb 16. This course is co-sponsored by the Learning   
Enrichment Foundation, The City of Toronto, and the Bicycle Trade  
Association of Canada.

There will be a one week pre-course evaluation to determine aptitude  
and suitability, followed by four weeks of course work. A two week  
placement at a bicycle shop will follow. The course will be completed  
by two more weeks of classroom study.

For the first week and last two weeks students will be learning on  
used bicycles. During the four-week block students will be learn to  
assemble new bicycles.

Classes will be held at the Learning Enrichment Foundation, 116  
Industry  St, near Eglington and Weston Road.  Classes will begin at  
10 am (sharp!) and end at 5pm. There will be reading assignments and  
some written questions for most classes.

The course enrollment will be limited to 10 students per session.  If  
there are more than 10 people selected, the next class could start  
soon after Easter.

For more info contact: Caitlin Ong 416 244 8982

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Once Upon a Commute! Photo Journal Contest

Smart Commute Toronto Central and Spacing magazine are pleased to  
announce Once Upon a Commute! - a photo journal contest. Tell your  
active transit commuting story and enter for a chance to be published  
in Toronto?s award-winning Spacing magazine.  Winning photos and  
runners-up will be posted online at www.spacing.ca. The winning  
submission will be published in a 2009 edition of Spacing Magazine!  
The Contest closes 30 April 2009.  Winning photos will be announced  
in May 2009.

For more information please see http://www.smartcommutetoronto.ca

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