Speakers

Mark E. Sackett spoke about the value of design.
His talk reminded me of something that my boyfriend, Allan, likes to say: “Do you value what you measure, or measure what you value?” I tweeted this and he tweeted back, “that’s Marilyn Waring!” But it must be a paraphrase because as of yet I have not been able to find it attributed to her, and there’s always the chance that it’s someone else, too. Even if it isn’t her, she’s well worth reading about.

Peter Busby on sustainable cities
I know there’s a lot of preaching to the converted that goes on at these things, but who doesn’t love having their own ideas and beliefs vindicated by someone else? The big thing for me was the 10 minute walking city: I’m all over that.

Walking from our condo:

Downtown: 10 minutes
Cook Street Village: 20 minutes
Fernwood Square/Little Fernwood: 5 minutes
Quadra Village: 20 minutes

Another Thing

The food at the Vancouver Convention Centre sucks ass. I don’t use ass lightly; it really was like something passed through the colorectal system, or what goes into hotdogs, but before all the flavour is added.

The thing that triggers this is the phrase on my second sheet of notes: better food = better academic results — WTF Van Convention Centre food? Breakfast consisted of Costco quality white flour, pastries and muffins; no fruit, yogurt, cereal, or anything resembling “brain food” — except, perhaps, the (sweetened) juices. And for lunch, think rocks of hardened dough passed off as buns, desiccated OR soggy “fresh” vegetables, excessive amounts of mayonnaise, and “vegetarian” fare that included dry, over-cooked and flavourless salmon. I’m not a vegetarian, but when I opt for a vegetarian meal, I look forward to a hearty and flavourful soup or salad void of anything that could be classified as meat.

Misc. Links

Dockside Green (Fantastico has a location here!)
Grey Water
Wind towers for cooling