PureGin.org

I heard Monday via the Vancouver Linux User Group mailing list (thanks, Syv!) that the province of British Columbia has implemented a Consumer Electronics recycling program via Encorp.

Starting on Aug 1, 2007, consumers will be able to bring selected items to selected Encorp 'Return-It' centres where they will be 'Recycled'. Details of what types of items can be returned are available here

Brian Jungen's Cetology I keep thinking about Brian Jungen's amazing work, on display at the Vancouver Art Gallery until April 30, 2006.

I arrived at the exhibition one afternoon, more or less on a whim, with almost no prior knowledge of his background or work. The word that popped into my head after a few minutes of seeing his work was 'magic' - in the sense of calling into being something that previously did not exist in this world; in the sense of recognizing the deep, or true, concealed or hidden nature or true being of something, by a deep understanding of that thing's relations in the world, by stripping away the surface or diversionary aspects, by finding hidden connections.

I'm pretty excited about the upcoming launch of the new Sustainable Building Centre, not the least because I've been involved in helping them to build their new Bryght powered website. That disclosure aside, I hope the rest of this post will be taken as less disingenuous.

The reason I'm excited about the SBC is that, IMNSHO, messages about 'sustainability' stick best when delivered in the context of an individual's key decision points. That is, you can shout all you like about saving energy, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and curbing the use of fossil fuels. But these messages, however well delivered, don't generally translate into actions. On the other hand, information about energy consumption and environmental impact delivered when someone is buying a new appliance or car, for example, or building a new home, can have a powerful impact on decisions with significant 'sustainability' impacts.

At this week's VanLUG meeting I was chatting with an acquaintance who mentioned a lunchtime recreation at the company where he works (Enabil - cute name - they're a Telus spinoff that does cell services billing). Every so often, someone brings in a Buy and Sell, and they count the number of used ADSL modems for sale, vs. the number of Cable modems. He tells me that the ratio of ADSL to Cable is about 5:1 these days. Of course the interpretation of this statistic is not straightforward, but I would have to say that this doesn't speak well for Telus's ADSL internet service.

I spent a few days in Victoria this week. I love the energy of the place - its confusion of cultures, old and new.

I spend a fair amount of time at Serious Coffee - they have a great location (Yates & Broad downtown), great coffee, friendly staff, and free WiFi, and they're open till 10pm, not bad for a town that seems to close relatively early.

A few weeks ago I travelled from Victoria 'up island' to Ladysmith. I'd been invited by a friend to spend a weekend with him and his family at their beach house near the small town. My friends were travelling from the mainland by ferry; I had spent the day in Victoria, and we'd agreed to meet in Ladysmith at the new Tim Hortons.