MOSTLY MARK

Continuous Economic Growth

2010-02-05T19:35:17Z

This is a good example of how to communicate a complex message in very simple terms.

Premier Campbell in Copenhagen

2009-12-14T22:23:32Z

The Time Has Come

2009-10-05T16:19:26Z

Copenhagen 09 is right around the corner. The first decade of the new millennium wasn't exactly the smoothest ride ever. We started off pretty badly and have gone down many bad roads in response to our fears, selfishness, and xenophobia. Copenhagen 09 is our opportunity to give the world something to remember this decade by. Let's stand up together and tell our leaders the action that we really want. Let's make this the defining moment of this decade. Let's take a stand.

What is the problem with Minority Governments?

2009-10-03T21:23:02Z

During the last BC election, we held a referendum on an alternative electoral system. This referendum did not succeed. One of the most common reasons people voted "No" is because they percieved that it would lead to more minority governments and government wouldn't get anything done.

At the Federal level, we seem to continue to have election after election even though the chances of getting a majority government are so difficult. Michael Ignatieff recently said that he can no longer support the Conservative minority because his "heart of hearts" won't let him. Can I join with the sane masses and cry "bullshit!". The only reason he isn't supporting the government is because he percieves this to be a good time to make his move to sieze power. There is no policy reason, there is no legislative reason. Countries around the world like New Zealand, Ireland, and Great Britian continually demonstrate that they can get things done with minority governments. Why can't we?

I wonder how many Canadians realize what it means for a Prime Minister to have a majority government. In the States, it is very rare when one party controls all three houses (The Senate, The White House, and Congress). In Canada, our Head of State is symbolic and The Senate doesn't have any real power. Under a majority government situation, the Prime Minister has very little oversight over what he or she can or cannot do. As such, a minority government is our best bet to ensure checks and balances are placed upon our decision makers. In a minority government, parties are forced to work together, and thus, the decisions that are made are more balanced (when else would the NDP and Conservatives work together?).

Ignatieff is doing a terrible job working with other parties. As such, he is demonstrating that the motivation behind his decisions is completely guided by his own self interest and the interest of his party. Canada does not need a leader like that. Canada needs a leader who will work for Canadians regardless of the type of government we end up with. I wonder if someone like that will stand up soon?

How to Choose a Priority Segment for Environmental Outreach

2009-10-01T00:25:23Z

The TARPARE model for prioritizing segments of your target audience has been widely used in the field of health social marketing for some time (Donovan, 1999). While the criteria for environmental outreach is slightly different, the principle is the same. Essentially, you want to find a segment of your audience that is the best use of limited resources and will help you to influence other segments. This allows you to direct your resources towards the people what will give you the best return on your investment. For environmental outreach, let’s use the acronym TIPAR.

Initial	Criteria	Description
T	Total number of people in the segment	Segments encompassing larger groups of individuals are more attractive.
I	Influence	Segments that have influence upon other segments should be given priority since they are social leaders.
P	Persuadable	A segment that is easily persuadable to change should be given a higher priority as it will take fewer resources to establish the behaviour change.
A	Accessible	Segments that are easier to reach are more attractive as less work and fewer resources will be needed to make an impact.
R	Resources required	The fewer resources required to meet the needs of the segment, the greater the expected return on investment.

Apply the TARPARE model to your segment. Give each segment a score between 1 and 10 for each TARPARE criteria. Add up your scores to see the rank of your audience segments.

Example:

Environmental Problem: Over Fishing

Segment	T	I	P	A	R	Total
Resident Anglers	3	1	7	7	6	24
First Nations	5	5	3	8	4	25
Tourist Anglers	7	3	3	2	2	17
Angling Guide Companies	8	2	5	6	7	28

Beet Jam Recipe - from my Grandma

2009-09-29T15:52:22Z

Beet juice is what is left over when you cook beets. If you are making pickled beets, save about half of the beet juice left over from boiling the beets for your pickling brine, use the other half for beet jelly!

Ingredients:

3 cups beet juice
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1 box powdered pectin
4 cups sugar
1 package of Raspberry Gelatin

Directions:

Combine beet juice, lemon juice, and pectin in large pan. Bring to a rolling boil. Quickly add sugar and boil for 6 minutes. Add the gelatin powder and mix thoroughly. Pour into hot sterilized 8 ounce jelly jars. Fill to within 1/2 inch of top. Put on pre-boiled cap, screw band firmly tight. No processing is necessary for this recipe if the jars are hot.

Canning Lessons

2009-09-24T02:21:39Z

So I am finally at the end of the summer canning season. Many people have recommended that I write about my experiences, so this article is a simple overview of a few barriers I overcame when learning to preserve food this summer.

from top to bottom, front to back: jam, peach conserve, peaches, pears, apple sauce, apple rhubarb sauce, salsa, pickled beets, plum sauce, plum chutney, cherries, tomatoes, pickled cucumbers

1. You need expensive tools to do it properly.

When I first started canning, I thought that it would be an extremely difficult task and I would have to invest in a whole bunch of tools and learn a whole lot to do it properly. Not true. For those who are just beginning, here are a few things you can use to get started:

A big pot: Have a large pot that you can fit a bunch of jars in? That’s all you need to begin your canning experience. As long as the pot can cover the jars by an inch or so when boiling then you are good to go. While a larger canner is better for big batches, a big pot (such as the one seen in the right side of the picture at the beginning of this article) is all you need to process most things.

Actually, that is really all you need to get started. Other than some tongs to pick the jars up out of the water (available at any big box store for 5 bucks), this is enough to get you going. The rest is just convenience stuff.

2. I’ll do it wrong and it will taste horrible.

Luckily, in most cases, sugar and Mother Nature do the work in making your food taste awesome. See the apple sauce on the second shelf, four jars in? First batch of apple sauce I ever made and it won second prize in a local fall fair competition. Most canning recipes are easier to follow than the simplest cooking recipe. Many websites such as Allrecipes.com are even now adding canning recipes to the mix to help make interesting recipes easy to find.

3. It takes too long.

Granted, no one likes peeling apples for hours on end, but in the big picture, canning doesn’t take much time at all. Almost every recipe I make takes about an hour or two. If you time things right, you can even do other things while you can like cook dinner, or can more than one thing at a time. Also, if you find someone to can with, it’s a great way to spend time together. Plus you have something to share afterwards (can’t say that about going to see a movie!).

4. I’ll get botulism and die.

This is the risk that you have always heard about. People actually joke that I am going to die of botulism one day. I really think this fear is because people are afraid of doing something different. The risk of botulism is low for anything with sugar in it. Plus the warning signs are pretty hard to miss (bloated jar, bad smell, weird colour). Basically, use common sense and you will be fine.

5. Everything I need to learn about canning is on the internet.

Ok, this is sort of true. You can definitely find all the knowledge you need to can successfully on the internet. However, there is another source that is not documented online...the elderly! I talked canning for an hour with my Grandma the other night and you have never seen a grandma so excited to see her grandson interested in something she has been doing since she was a kid. Plus grandma’s know all of the secret tricks of the trade that they don’t tell you in the books. Did you know you can make jam out of beets? Did you also know that it is amazing?!

After two months of canning, I can now supplement my diet throughout the winter with locally grown fruits and vegetables. While its only a beginning to becoming more sustainable, I would have to say it is one of the best behaviour change choices I have made in a long time.

Bonus tip: a lot of things don't need to be processed. My Grandma doesn't process her jam, or her pickled beets and cucumbers. Just make sure the jars are sterilized and hot when you fill them. Ok I admit I am a little nervous about this tip, but my Grandma is in her 70's and is doing just fine...it must be ok right?

Project Blue Sky - Social Media and Climate Action

2009-07-14T01:03:19Z

A new student project has been released that harnesses the power of social media to motivate people to move to alternative forms of transportation. Supported by Offsetters Clean Technology, and VANOC, Project Blue Sky allows you to connect with olympic athletes, challenge your friends, tell your story, and track your efforts to reduce carbon emissions.

Check the project out here! Oh, and be sure to add me as a friend!

Climate Change Mitigation

2009-06-25T20:16:25Z

Someone recently asked me to explain my frustration about the lack of understanding regarding the true nature of carbon offsets. I responded that to put it simply, carbon offsets do not equate to being carbon neutral. It prompted me to map out what I percieve to be the characteristics of the climate change mitigation challenge. Comments and criticisms are welcome! (Click image for full size version - pdf).

Interested in the future of BC Parks? Sign up to recieve BC Parks Management Planning Updates

2009-06-23T18:15:18Z

BC Parks is offering a new service which enables you to be notified electronically of public opportunities to comment on management plans. BC Parks invites you to SIGN UP for the free service.

Have Your Say on BC Parks Management Plans!

Community participation is a vital part of developing management plans. BC Parks wants your ideas, comments and suggestions on the management of provincial parks and protected areas.

· Do you want to help create the vision for the future of your favourite provincial park?

· Do you have a great research idea for your local ecological reserve?

· Do you wonder how BC Parks decides where to build a new campground or trail?

· Do you have local knowledge about an endangered plant or animal?

· Do you wish there were more angling opportunities near you?

There are currently many active management planning projects, including projects in the following areas:

· North Coast and Central Coast Conservancies

· Salt Spring Island

· Sea to Sky Corridor

· Muskwa Kechika Management Area

What does it involve?

By signing up through the BC Parks website you will receive electronic notification (via a RSS feed) whenever relevant updates are made to the management planning section of the BC Parks website, including all opportunities for public comment. Project activity varies throughout the year but on a typical month you may receive up to 10 notifications.

The RSS feed notification is anonymous and can be cancelled at any time. BC Parks cannot view or forward any personal information, including email addresses.

If you have any questions or comments about this service please email Jaime.Hilbert@gov.bc.ca