GREEN TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION CENTRE OF GREATER VANCOUVER SOCIETY

THE GTEC COMMUNITY-BASED COLLABORATIVE MODEL CONNECTS PRE-EXISTING NETWORKS OF COMMUNITY-BASED HEALTH CARE AND SOCIAL SERVICES ORGANIZATIONS WITH A CENTRAL CLIMATE RESPONSE CENTRE SERVING AS A SOURCE OF PROGRAMMING CONSULTATION AND SUPPORT. THE FOCUS IS CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION WITH THE GOAL IS TO INFORM ACTIVATE AND SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS IN PREPARING TO RESPOND TO THE ACCELERATING IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FEDERATION OF COMMUNITY SOCIAL SERVICES OF BC GTEC COMPLETED PHASE I OF 'BUILDING CLIMATE CHANGE RESILIENCE IN THE COMMUNITY SOCIAL SERVICES SECTOR' (BUILDING RESILIENCE PROJECT). IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SPARC BC GTEC COMPLETED BUILDING RESILIENCE PROJECT PHASE II WHICH INVOLVED PRODUCING A BASELINE ASSESSMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF A ROADMAP (STRATEGIC OUTLINE) TO PREPARE FOR THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. MENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH CANADA MET WITH GTEC IN OCTOBER ABOUT THE RESEARCH WITH YOUNG PEOPLE THAT GTEC COMPLETED WITH THE MENTAL HEALTH CLIMATE CHANGE ALLIANCE (MHCCA) (REPAIRING THE SOCIAL CONTRACT) - A KEY ELEMENT IN GTEC PARTNER MHCCA BEING AWARDED A $1.8 MILLION PROJECT (GTEC ADVISORY ROLE) CALLED CO-DESIGNING CLIMATE DISTRESS SERVICES FOR YOUNG PEOPLE IN BC. SINCE THE GTEC READER'S INCEPTION IN JANUARY 2020 OUR FREE ACCESS ONLINE QUARTERLY PUBLICATION CONTINUES TO BE FOCUSED ON THE IMPACT OF CLIMATE CHANGE RESPONSES AND SOLUTIONS. THE VOLUNTEER COMMUNICATION & MEDIA TEAM PUBLISHES BLOGS ON THE GTEC WEBSITE AND IS ACTIVE ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

GTEC IS ADVISING THE CANADIAN COALITION FOR GREEN HEALTH CARE IN THE PRODUCTION OF AN UPDATED VERSION OF ITS GREEN OFFICE TOOLKIT WHICH WILL INCORPORATE IDEAS FROM THE ROADMAP. GTEC IS IN DISCUSSION WITH THE FEDERATION A SMILIAR TOOLKIT FOR MEMBERS. GTEC IS PARTNERING WITH THE COALITION (ABOVE) IN IMPLEMENTING A HEALTH CANADA HEAT ADAPT GRANT TO PREPARE CANADA'S HEALTH CARE SYSTEM FOR EXCESSIVE HEAT EVENTS WITH GTEC HELPING IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS PROJECT IN BC. THE GTEC MEDIA & COMMUNICATION TEAM IS WORKING ON THE PREPARING YOUR ORGANIZATION FOR THE 2025 FIRE SEASON WEBINAR FOR THE FEDERATION WHICH IS A SEQUEL TO THE 2024 WEBINAR. IT WILL INCLUDE ONE OF THE FEDERATION MEMBERS WHO EXPERIENCED COMMUNITY IMPACTS OF WILDFIRE AND TOXIC SMOKE DIRECTLY. WE WILL INCLUDE A BRIEF SECTION ABOUT RADON POLLUTION IDENTIFIED IN SEVERAL BC COMMUNITIES BASED ON RESEARCH BY ONE OF THE PRESENTERS FROM THE 2024 WEBINAR. A BOOKLET WILL BE PRODUCED TO ACCOMPANY THE WEBINAR. OUR VISION OF ESTABLISHING THE GTEC CLIMATE RESPONSE CENTRE FEATURES A POP UP EXHIBITION ON GRANVILLE ISLAND PROJECTED TO INCLUDE THE CLIMATE MUSEUM OF NEW YORK'S THE END OF FOSSIL FUEL EXHIBIT AND AN EXHIBIT BY THE SQUAMISH NATION. WE HAVE CONCLUDED AN AGREEMENT WITH THE MUSEUM AND CONTINUE DIALOGUE WITH THE NATION. FOLLOWING THE OCTOBER 1 2024 SENIORS DAY EVENT CLIMATE CRAWL THROUGH ARTS CULTURE & ACTION GTEC WILL CONTINUE COLLABORATING WITH SUZUKI ELDERS UBC EMERITUS COLLEGE SPEC ELDERS AND THE ARTS COLLOQUIUM.