The following essay appeared as two parts in the monthly newsletter of the California educational non-profit Ecocity Builders, the first for their April, 2015 edition and the second for their May, 2015 edition with two separate titles, one for each month.

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Begin part two, May 2015, Ecocity Builders Newsletter

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For my contribution to our Ecocity Builders newsletter last month I wrote about some of my then current thinking on paradigms, mentioning that I've been thinking a good deal about the subject in preparation for attending and speaking at the "New Paradigm for Human Development" conference in Baku, Azerbaijan organized and hosted by the World Academy of Art and Science.

What a difference two weeks make. I'm not the flighty sort but I've had some significant additions and some change in thinking in a rather short time. Now, something more needs to be added: pre-human paradigms, and also, a perspective I think shows three great stages of development that could be thought of as the three great paradigms humans participate in - in the past, present and future.

Of course I believe ecocities have a place at the fulcrum of needed changes right in the

Dimensional pairs: Sharp edged yin-yang or melding yin-yang? Stark definitions or grey areas?

Related side note: the Chinese government leaders these days declare they are dedicating themselves to creating an "ecological civilization." I wish my own government would do that, which would be an open door to ecocity contributions. "Civilization," the term itself, is based on the Latin for "city," which shows you just how open such a door should be. Too bad that for the time being the Chinese are still so strong on trying to make cars a big part of that civilization - a major contradiction, but with luck, that element in their paradigm will change.

ECOCITY INSIGHTS

The creation of an Ecocity fractal is an ambitious task in any area. To attempt one in a built environment defined by industrial architecture that lacks green space is especially daunting - but also necessary as we attempt to transform our cities, often in less than ideal situations. An effective way to start is with small-scale "Street Repair" projects that create opportunities for immediate interventions to engage the community and psychologically prepare them for the change to a more sustainable system.

At the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), faculty, staff, and students are working towards sustainability within the Factor Four area at the north end of the Institute's campus located in Burnaby, British Columbia. The project is attempting to create an Ecocity fractal and reduce energy and materials throughput by 75% to 90% without compromising service levels. To learn more about the origin of this project, please refer to the "Eco-Streets" article in the Ecocities Emerging November 2012 newsletter. 

After a workshop led by Ecocity Builders' Kirstin Miller and Richard Register at BCIT's  Burnaby Campus in 2010, a group of faculty and staff formed an Eco-Streets working group to tackle quick win projects aimed at creating a more pedestrian friendly streetscape, celebrating the School of Construction and Environment educational programs and their work towards creating sustainability, and drawing attention to the culverted creek that runs underground in the north end of Campus.

Students were engaged throughout these projects. Interior Design students presented ideas on low-cost changes to the look and feel of Smith Street (see photo) and proposed ways to create an identity for an alley way between two buildings where a creek, Guichon Creek was buried. These became the basis for many of the projects in the Factor Four Area. Smith Street, which is the main street in the area, only had a sidewalk on the north side of the road and students exiting from the northern buildings stepped directly onto the street dedicated to vehicles, with no clearly marked shoulder. Multiple waste bins also obstructed walking and views of traffic. Student suggested moving the bins and using paint and planters to create a pedestrian walkway. These changes were completed with the assistance of BCIT's Facilities and Campus Development department and the street is now much more pedestrian friendly.

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