Here are some more interesting and useful sites.
The International Sustainability Indicators Network (ISIN) was established in 2001 to connect people who work on or are interested in using sustainability indicators to measure progress toward sustainability in their communities, companies, countries, and the world. While the information to be gained from this site is relevant, it is also somewhat out of date.
Environment Canada’s Green Source provides information about various aspects of environmental issues including sustainable development, Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators and information on project funding.
United Nations Division for Sustainable Development is international site, which is useful as it shows what is happening in other parts of the world. It also contains the UN publication “Indicators of Sustainable Development: Guidelines and Methodologies”, October 2007, 3rd Edition.
The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) is in the business of promoting change and a move towards sustainable development. As a policy research institute dedicated to effective communication IISD engage decision-makers in government, business, NGOs and other sectors in the development and implementation of policies that are simultaneously beneficial to the global economy, the global environment and to social well-being.
Ontario Government’s Go Green Ontario provides information about climate change from an Ontario perspective and provides information on resources available to work against climate change.
The Stop Community Food Centre (The Stop) located in the Davenport West neighbourhood in Toronto, The Stop Community Food Centre works to increase people’s access to healthy food in a manner that maintains dignity, builds community and challenges inequality.” This is a really good example of positive action.
Walking the Talk “aims to create a vibrant and active education network across British Columbia working towards a culture of sustainability.” It also has information on urban agriculture.
The Toronto: Feeding the city from the back 40 is a site about urban agriculture in a big city.
Check Urban Agriculture in Wikiepedia. It has a good background paper on urban agriculture with links to related subject matter and other sites.
City Farmer is a Vancouver based online journal about urban agriculture. It is extensive, full of ‘how to’ stuff and comments about city farming. It is worth spending some time here.
Check the Earth Policy Institute “Since the publication of Silent Spring by Rachel Carson and the birth of the modern environmental movement, the environmental community has worked hard to arrest the deterioration of the Earth’s health. Many battles have been won, but we are losing the war. The Earth’s capacity to support the economy continues to deteriorate. The gap between what we need to do to arrest the deterioration of the Earth and what we are doing continues to widen. Somehow we have to turn the tide. The purpose of the Earth Policy Institute is to provide a vision of what an environmentally sustainable economy will look like and a plan for how to get from here to there.” This is an interesting site and although the word sustainability is not up front, it is implied throughout. Lots of information and books on the subject.
The World Watch Institute is an independent research organization that works for “an environmentally sustainable and socially just society, in which the needs of all people are met without threatening the health of the natural environment or the well-being of future generations. By providing compelling, accessible, and fact-based analysis of critical global issues, Worldwatch informs people around the world about the complex interactions between people, nature, and economies.
Worldwatch focuses on the underlying causes of and practical solutions to the world’s problems, in order to inspire people to demand new policies, investment patterns, and lifestyle choices.” Another source of information about world affairs affecting our abilities to be sustainable. They have references to books and keep an ongoing watch on world issues. It is worth a look.
Environmental News Network is an online news service concerning issues environmental. Worth a look.
The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (PNAS) provides searchable index for articles and matters of science including ecology and climate.
World In Action Avaaz.org is a community of global citizens who take action on the major issues facing the world today. The aim of avaaz.org is to ensure that the views and values of the world’s people shape global decisions. Avaaz.org members act for a more just and peaceful world and a globalization with a human face.” This site professes to be operating from the citizen perspective. They are an action oriented group, which try to influence for justice and peace and a sustainable world. It is worth a look.
World Changing “works from a simple premise: that the tools, models and ideas for building a better future lie all around us. That plenty of people are working on tools for change, but the fields in which they work remain unconnected. That the motive, means and opportunity for profound positive change are already present. That another world is not just possible, it’s here. We only need to put the pieces together.” This is a good site to look at for ideas, which can work for lots of places and people. There are articles, books and videos on various world changing issues.
Global Action Plan was created in 1993 as a different kind of environmental organization, focusing on people and how they can take practical action in their everyday lives for a better world. It was a simple idea with big implications. Global Action Plan offices have opened around the world to take up the challenge.” The site Includes a report called “An Inefficient Truth” about Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
Resilience Alliance (RA) “is a research organization comprised of scientists and practitioners from many disciplines who collaborate to explore the dynamics of social-ecological systems. The body of knowledge developed by the RA, encompasses key concepts of resilience, adaptability and transformability and provides a foundation for sustainable development policy and practice.” This site provides a window into the research on ‘resilience’ in our societies. It is supported in its research by an international body of scientists / academics and researchers. There is a good deal of information at this site.
The Forest Gene Conservation Association promotes the importance of the genetic resources of the forests in south central Ontario, with emphasis on conservation of genetic diversity of native forest tree species.
Monbiot has interesting articles about what we need to do to reverse global warming. There are some very good articles with excellent references to follow up with.
Friends of the Earth is a group of committed people who fight daily for a healthy and just world.
Greenpeace exists because this fragile earth deserves a voice. It needs solutions. It needs change. It needs action.
