MacEwan Open Journals (MacEwan University)
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Preface
No full textChange begins with awareness, which is supported by thoughtfulness, which is founded through the process of reflection. Our sense of voice enables us to articulate and communicate the deeper message of change and allows us to contemplate the real issues that affect our earth. No one process constitutes the act of voice, as it is a compilation of observations that when expressed, echo our sentiments, our understandings, and our deliberations about what to say when we need to share knowledge about sustainability, conservation, and climate change
Ecological education: Proposal of implementation programs in Romania
No full textA Case Study The following is a case study of the author’s country of origin, Romania, and its journey back to sustainable living. Her article describes, outlines, and explains how Romania has undergone change with respect to its approach to sustainable living. She provides the political and economic background that underpins the struggles that Romania has undertaken to return to its sustainable practices and lifestyle. Ecological education offers a solution
Climate Change Strategies 101
No full textThe development of climate change action plans and strategies is usually done via the policy cycle during the first half of a government’s term. This short-term political process is at odds with the longer-term climate change issue that requires a consistent and sustained effort. Consequently, this often leads to conflicting and ever changing climate plans and strategies that often do not fully move to implementation. Several key strategic questions need to be considered at the policy agenda setting stage. Examples of these questions include: the real impetus for developing the plan, political will to take on policy development at a particular time, the degree of intention to actually implement it, and depth of target vs. costs to the economy. The developmental stage of climate plans in Canada has historically involved five key components (with many variations): 1) background policy and scientific work; 2) consultation process; 3) economic/policy analysis and target setting; 4) building political support for a greenhouse gas target and policy package to meet the target; and 5) refinement and final political approval. Businesses are also responding by developing climate change strategies to either hedge their risk of being regulated, hedge their risk related to severe weather events, and/or to take advantage of climate business opportunities
Conserving China\u27s Biodiversity
No full textOver the past several decades, with the introduction of ecology as a scientific pursuit, China has made advancements in ensuring the health and sustainability of its forests and biodiversity. A very large number of endemic plant and vertebrate species are found in China, plenty of which have value in many areas, including aesthetics and medicine. China’s biodiversity faces many threats, including the invasion of alien species, urbanization and deforestation, as well as global warming. As the monetary value of the products obtained from the many endemic species has been recognized, an increase in environmental awareness has surfaced. Several domestic and international environmental non-governmental organizations (ENGOs) committed to the preservation of China’s forests and wildlife have played an increasing role in educating both the Chinese and the rest of the world. The major issue concerning the preservation of China’s biodiversity is a lack of education in the biological sciences. Increased funding to attract more educated people to work in the Ministry of the Environment, as well as to aid in educating more people is the first logical step
Christopher Benjamin\u27s Eco-Innovators: Sustainability in Atlantic Canada: stories to change minds and move hearts
No full textIn his 2011 book, Eco-Innovators: Sustainability in Atlantic Canada, environmental journalist Chris Benjamin provides a new kind of roadmap to a more sustainable future. In this work, Chris masterfully weaves the stories of 35 creative and dedicated individuals from the four Maritime Provinces who recognize the need to take action now. From more sustainable food, transportation, or housing choices, to new business models, to community-based social marketing and branding, to journalists and educators raising their voices for change, Chris outlines some of the many narratives for change. In so doing, he offers workable options that inspire pro-environment attitude and behaviour change, at the individual, organizational, and systemic levels
Deans\u27 Message
No full textThis past June, it was our honour to host the 1st PRME Canada Regional Meeting at MacEwan University’s City Centre Campus. At this meeting—e3=earth education economics—students, academics and business people from across Canada met as the nation-wide discussion regarding sustainability in management education began.
Hoarding plastic waste: Buried alive
No full textPlastic is a ubiquitous part of our everyday lives. Popular for its versatility, it can be attributed to the creation of the numerous conveniences we enjoy in contemporary society. However, traditional plastic does not break down and thus has also become ubiquitous within the environment, and the mounting consequences to its extensive use is being seen. Recycling provides a degree of relief in our efforts to address this problem and can be a boost to the economy but there are barriers that reduce the effectiveness of this solution. In addition to the complex and arduous process of separating and preparing different plastics for recycling, many plastics never reach recycling facilities. But even more common is the inability of many facilities to handle most types of plastics. Biodegradable plastics have been introduced to address this issue. However, bio-plastics also have proven failings, one of which is the damage they cause within the traditional recycling stream and concerns over increased littering. With the ever- accumulating material now reaching almost every part of the earth, governments must consider changing the laws to regulate the plastics we allow in our country before the earth is buried under the remnants our conveniences
Roots, Tendrils, Sprouts and Shoots: A Case Study of Parkallen’s Community Garden, a permaculture project
No full textThe first growing season of Edmonton’s Parkallen Community Garden began in Spring 2012. We transformed an unused strip of lawn bordering our hockey rink into a loamy, thriving “edible food forest” of corn, beans, squash, kale, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, apple trees, and mammoth sunflowers. It is unlike most community gardens in that individual plots are not tended by individual gardeners; rather, the PCG is tended communally, by the community. The garden is open and accessible to the community, always, and all are welcome there, from the toddler whose only contribution is to chomp on a snowpea and water a dandelion, to the senior who wants to plant a tree in his community that he knows will outlive him. Hundreds of Parkallen residents have planted something, admired something, or munched on something there. In its first year Parkallen’s garden won The City of Edmonton’s top community gardening award from Communities in Bloom. This article is a case study of the Parkallen Community Garden. Through the lenses and observations of the author, it details how Parkallen’s permaculture design came, literally, to fruition and how permaculture has been interpreted and how it informs our garden and our gardening community
Barriers for women to positions of power: How societal and corporate structures, perceptions of leadership and discrimination restrict women’s advancement to authority
No full textWomen’s advancement in the corporate workplace has taken significant strides over the last century. Research demonstrates, however, that despite an increased presence of female employees in mid-management positions, executive positions continue to be male dominated. Women are underrepresented in areas of governance, directorship, and executive leadership. This seems to contradict the apparent momentum of the promotion of women. This paper will unveil some of the hidden barriers that stubbornly exist for women in business. It will review research that demonstrates why gender inequality is difficult to recognize, the systems that perpetuate it, the complexities of how society views it, and the ways women respond to it. By understanding the interplay between external and internal obstacles, women who wish to assume positions of leadership can more easily navigate the labyrinth of gender inequality, and their male colleagues can better recognize the ways that they can either remove barriers or encourage equality. There are corporate, social and economic benefits to allowing women to fairly advance to positions of power. Recognizing and removing barriers is vital to the strength of companies, social networks and jurisdictions
Sino-Africa Investment Relations: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
No full textChina’s investment activities in Africa have attracted significant interest in academic, policy and media circles in the last one decade. Adopting country case studies analysis, findings indicated that Chinese investment relations with Africa have its good, bad and ugly sides. On the good side, China has established special economic zones which have the potential to build economic linkages with the local economy. However, the linkages are mainly forward, involving logistics, forwarding, and insurance and financial services. Backward linkages are fostered to the extent that the Chinese firms contract out transportation and catering services for their employees and sub-contract with local firms. The bad side includes the limited employment quota for local citizens, poor labour standard, limited technology transfer, and the quality of Chinese construction. The ugly side includes tax evasion and support to dictatorial regimes in Africa. Chinese companies should be well controlled and the legislation that guides their business conduct should be fully enforced