[All] Fwd: Focus Group Contact Information Sharing

Robert Milligan mill at continuum.org
Fri Jul 5 13:39:38 EDT 2013


Hi Josh,

Ginny Quinn and Norah Chaloner, GREN members had indicated you needed  
help in finding additional resource people to attend your Climate  
Change Toolkit sessions. Yet after attending the previous 2 sessions  
and making good contributions, when I arrived last night I was told  
your meetings were by invitation only and this session was full -- but  
I could wait to see if there would be space. It became too crowded.  
Fortunately I had another meeting nearby that was also valuable that I  
could attend.

What concerns me is the "invitation only" part. Specifically, if I  
wish to attend your Food & Agriculture (final) session from 2-4 pm on  
Tues. at the Misty Mountain Cafe. Am I -- or any other GREN member --  
invited if there is room? And what is the dinner situation? (see my  
July 4 query below in the PS)

Best regards,
Robert

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Robert Milligan <mill at continuum.org>
> Date: July 4, 2013 3:07:02 PM GMT-04:00
> To: Josh Morel <morel.josh at hotmail.com>
> Subject: Re: Focus Group Contact Information Sharing
>
> Hi Josh,
>
> Sharing my contact information is OK:
>
> Robert Milligan
> Grand River Environmental Network AND Independent Sustainability  
> IDEAS Catalyst
> mill at continuum.org (and 519-696-2288 -- I welcome exploratory phone  
> discussions)
>
> Thanks to you and TKW members for your practical innovative and  
> collaborative efforts.
>
> Best regards,
> Robert
>
> PS: In an email that you sent to Norah Chaloner around June 22, you  
> said, "The focus group will be 2 hours long and will be held on  
> Tuesday July 2 at 2-4PM at a location in downtown Kitchener. Dinner  
> will be provided!"  This implies the expectation of a meal for  
> contributers when one attends a session.
>
> When I arrived on Tues. 10 minutes late, there was some indication  
> that some had consumed coffee &/or muffins. Nobody mentioned a meal  
> afterwards.
>
> Then when I arrived for a meeting last night, we were told we could  
> get a coffee and muffin or something. Glen Woolner of CREW decided  
> to get a sandwich and a drink. He mentioned that he was with the  
> group in the meeting room. I chose a sandwich and bottled water.  
> Would kindly clarify the meal situation. I will at least be  
> attending the session tonight on transportation & infrastructure.
>
> On 3-Jul-13, at 9:00 PM, Josh Morel wrote:
>
>> Hello Everyone,
>>
>> Thank you again for making yesterday's climate change focus group  
>> so interesting.
>>
>> Some attendees have asked me to see if anyone is agreeable to  
>> sharing contact information for the purpose of connecting on other  
>> potential climate change related topics. I have blind CC'd everyone  
>> on this email and will only release your information by your  
>> permission. If you are interested, please provide your name,  
>> affiliation and email you would like to be contacted by. The  
>> contact list will only be distributed to those who also provided  
>> their information.
>>
>> We do also plan on providing information to everyone who attended  
>> on our analysis of the focus group and survey data.
>>
>> Sincerely,
>> Josh Morel
> On 2-Jul-13, at 10:25 AM, Ginny Quinn wrote:

> Hello    Josh    could you send me  more info  on   Human Health, 
> (including  diseases, temperature stress , increased frequency and  
> severity of extreme weather events).   If  possible   I am also  
> interested in info  re    the  Food and Agriculture   Focus  subjects.
> I need to know  what you are seeking to learn   and/or confirm,   
> regarding  specifically  both of  these subjects.
>   Since the water and flooding  meeting  has already   occurred,     
> I’d also be interested  in a report  of the findings   and /or   
> confirmation of some of the  currently  viewed   topics of concern   
> in this area,  as well as the  proposed  potential actions   to   
> mitigate  the damages  which continue  to  endanger this  
> generation   and all future generations   from the inadequate  
> actions  and  lack of knowledge  of  our paid  representatives.    
> Yes, our water resources  is a VERY   important   area  to work on   
> and protect.   Thanks   Ginny   Quinn     519-578-0005    Kitchener.
>
> From: Josh Morel [mailto:morel.josh at hotmail.com]
> Sent: June-27-13 7:39 AM
> To: Louisette Lanteigne; Ginny Quinn; 'Norah Chaloner'; 'GREN'
> Subject: RE: [All] request for help re Waterloo resources.. see bottom
>
> Hello Lulu and Ginny:
>
> These are all very fascinating points. I'm going to look into David  
> Rowade and Conestoga College SWMP program. Ginny - I hope your  
> grandson is doing okay.
>
> I was wondering if either of you feel you could contribute at one of  
> your Focus Groups for the Climate Change Adaptation Toolkit. The  
> scope of this project is adaptation to the negative impacts of  
> climate change at an indvidual/community level (as opposed to the  
> municipal/prov/fed governmental level).
>
> There are five groups each on a different general area. The water  
> one already occurred. The upcoming ones are:
> -Human health - July 2, 2-4pm
> -Energy July 3, 7-9pm
> -Food and agriculture July 9, 2-4pm
> -Transportation and Infrastructure, July 4, 7-9pm
>
> If you feel you could contribute in one of these groups and are able  
> to attend it would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Sincerely,
> Josh Morel
> TransitionKW
> CCAT Project Member
>
> Date: Tue, 25 Jun 2013 11:45:38 -0700
> From: butterflybluelu at rogers.com
> Subject: Re: [All] request for help re Waterloo resources.. see bottom
> To: ginny at kw.igs.net; nrchaloner at hotmail.com; all at gren.ca
> CC: morel.josh at hotmail.com
>
> The Region's climate expert David Rowade has noted trends that  
> indicate the same annual amount of rainfall in fewer events based on  
> data taken from our local weather stations. It's the storm water  
> management that we really need to plan for. Calgary just had 6  
> months of rainfall in a 2 day period and over the last 10 years,  
> they have had two 100 year floods.
>
>  Here is an excellent article from the Former Chair of the National  
> Roundtable on the Environment and the Economy discussing this fact.
>
> http://www2.macleans.ca/2013/06/24/alberta-flooding-sets-records-prompts-calls-for-action-on-climate-change/
>
> No doubt urban sprawl played into this by paving over their  
> watersheds hampering infiltration of water.
>
> When it comes to the criteria for environmental impact studies, be  
> it for pipelines, subdivisions or other projects,  there is  
> currently no manditory test times or methods or standard units of  
> measurements that engineering firms are mandated to follow. These  
> firms are responsible for gathering the baseline engineering data  
> but often times they undermine water risks by avoiding 12 month  
> creek studies, proper bore hole depths, they avoid spring thaw etc.  
> Unless the baseline testing criteria is standardized to the point it  
> can actually secure reasonable data to determine delta water levels,  
> then we will continue to see failures in planning processes over and  
> over again.
>
> The key to protecting people from bad planning due to floods,  
> erosion issues etc. is to secure solid preliminary baseline data  
> that accurately reflects the hydrology of an area. We need to  
> mandate reasonable testing criteria to follow. Right now it's all  
> subjective. Folks can do a one day audit and get a plan approved  
> based on that crap. We need standards set to actually mitigate risks  
> over the long term.
>
> Lulu :0)
> From: Ginny Quinn <ginny at kw.igs.net>
> To: 'Norah Chaloner' <nrchaloner at hotmail.com>; 'GREN' <all at gren.ca>
> Cc: 'Josh Morel' <morel.josh at hotmail.com>
> Sent: Monday, June 24, 2013 11:56:53 PM
> Subject: Re: [All] request for help re Waterloo resources.. see bottom
>
> Norah    and Josh    A few years ago at a Regional    or  City of   
> Kitchener  council meeting  (can’t remember  which one now.... I    
> was encouraging    (read started pushing for)  200 year   SWMPs   
> Storm Water Management Ponds,  to be  put in  new developments   and  
> basically in all new  developments:  the largest  currently  one  
> done  is the 100 year  SWMP  but many planners and developers  don’t  
> even want to do that.   Based on Hurricane  Hazel   and    Katrina   
> and now  many more....we absolutely MUST   demand   200 year    
> SWMPs.   NOW, once again we have our very own CALGARY AND  
> SURROUNDING  AREAS   in an  emergency  flood.
>   Our Grandson is a Calgary  Firefighter  who has been  ‘home ‘ this  
> past week and does not know the status of his   ( ordered to be  
> vacated) residence   in Calgary    as he will fly back tonight      
> and of course will be immediately  posted to  the areas in most need.
> This is a fine example   to use  Josh..but you will meet with VERY  
> STRONG   opposition and  negativity  from the developers  and  
> planners.   Because    ENLARGED   SWMP   size is what   they do NOT   
> want as  it takes up land they want to  make  profit on, in building  
> more houses.   This  is a very important  demand  that must be   
> promoted  and there’s plenty of proof  in  Climate  Change  and   
> melting of  the  ice in Alaska.   Etc.
>   Just thought you might have already  wanted to do  this  but to  
> let you know  you should FIGHT HARD   to  get this  discussed  and   
> passed in law by the Region etc.
>  The night  I attended the meeting  about  “Run off”    charges    
> was in Kitchener   and the only place at that time   that had done  
> the 200 year  SWMP  was Conestoga College.
>   Speak to the Environmental  Man...I can’t take the time to  find  
> his card  but  you’ll know  how to contact him   at the college.    
> Good luck    Ginny  Quinn.
>
> From: All [mailto:all-bounces at gren.ca] On Behalf Of Norah Chaloner
> Sent: June-22-13 10:10 PM
> To: GREN
> Cc: Josh Morel
> Subject: [All] request for help re Waterloo resources.. see bottom
>
> Hello Folks.. this is an issue for re the K/W region. I am sorry not  
> to have forwarded it sooner. Josh needs some help and you folks have  
> the answers he is seeking.
> Please copy me if you can pick this up so that I know it has been  
> looked after.. I really don't know a lot of the specific resources  
> and needs in your area.. That said, we will be setting up a CoC  
> chapter again in the fall in K/W.    Thanks for your help.  Norah
>
> Dear Norah Chaloner:
> I write to you today as a member of TransitionKW. Based on the  
> Transition movement started in the UK, TransitionKW brings citizens  
> together to build resilience and sustainability within our community  
> in the face of the oncoming challenges of climate change and peak  
> oil. One of our key projects that I am participating in is the  
> creation of a Climate Change Adaptation Toolkit (CCAT) to be used by  
> citizens and community groups in the Region of Waterloo to increase  
> resilience to climate change and its anticipated impacts.
>
> As the Council of Canadians local chapter contact , our project team  
> identified you as a stakeholder in the development of this toolkit.  
> For this reason, I ask for your participation in an upcoming focus  
> group session. In this focus group we aim to gain from their  
> expertise to learn how we can improve our capacity for resilience  
> and identify the gaps in emergency preparedness as it relates to the  
> area of human health for Waterloo Region.
>
> The focus group will be 2 hours long and will be held on Tuesday  
> July 2 at 2-4PM at a location in downtown Kitchener. Dinner will be  
> provided!
>
> Please let me know if you will attend, and if so, at which time(s)  
> you can come.
> Sincerely,
> Josh Morel
> CCAT Project Team Member
>
> P.S.
> Please also let me know of anyone else you would recommend to  
> participation in one of the focus groups. The five focus groups each  
> cover one of the following topics:
> ·         Water resources (including flooding and supply)
> ·         Human health (including diseases, temperature stress,  
> increased frequency and severity of extreme weather events)
> ·         Food and agriculture
> ·         Energy
> ·         Transportation and Infrastructure
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> All mailing list
> All at gren.ca
> http://mail.gren.ca/mailman/listinfo/all_gren.ca
>
>

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