ReThink Red Deer
Rethink Alberta?
You may have noticed the recent “Rethink Alberta” anti-tourism campaign and wondered whether ReThink Red Deer is associated with it. No, we’re not. “Rethink Alberta” is a rather misguided attempt by a California-based group to draw (negative) attention to the oil sands in northern Alberta.
The campaign tars all of Alberta with a rather black brush. It advocates boycotting Alberta (especially Alberta tourism) in order to get Alberta to clean up the oil sands.
We at ReThink Red Deer are certainly all for examining ways that we, as individuals and as a society, can reduce our energy consumption and our dependence on petroleum products. We do so knowing that those products generate huge economic benefits for Albertans and Canadians. So the solutions are not simple. And certainly, boycotting Alberta tourism will do exactly zero to change government or industry attitudes towards oil mining.
We do encourage people to “rethink Alberta” – but in a more meaningful way than the group Corporate Ethics International has suggested in their campaign.
A number of excellent editorials have made similar points. Here are links to just a few:
Calgary Herald
Edmonton Journal
Wall Street Journal
And our favourite is this Fast Company parody of what anti-tourism campaigns might look like for a number of U.S. States, if we took the same approach.
Newsletter Sent on: Monday, August 9th 2010
Gaetz Ave, Vital Signs, World Youth & more
August news updates from Rethink Red Deer
Tonight: Gaetz Ave Redevelopment Open House
Creating an attractive, inviting downtown for everyone (Red Deerians and visitors) is a key to the future sustainability of our community. We don't want to become a cluster of scattered suburbs with a hollowed out core, like some American cities have become.
Fortunately, our downtown is healthy and constantly improving. But it requires your ideas and feedback - now, when future planning is being done. Wednesday August 4 from 5-7 pm you are invited to a drop-in Open House at the Scott Block (Gaetz Ave, between 48 & 49 St). Details here. See you there!
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Vital Signs: taking the pulse of our city
Vital Signs is an annual community check up through which we measure the vitality of our city, identifying significant trends and providing opportunity for community members to be heard.
Don't miss this chance to provide input. To get on the Vital Signs 2010 Survey, click on the link below:
2010 Red Deer's Vital Signs Survey
The survey runs until August 31.
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Canada World Youth looking for hosts
Canada World Youth is currently looking for Hosts interested in providing accommodation to two young volunteers who are participating in our international educational program. Red Deer has been selected to host a group of 18 youth, aged 17-24 from December 15th to March 11th. Half the group will be made up of young people who come from all regions of Canada, and the other half are youth from Nicaragua. During their stay in Red Deer, the youth will volunteer over 4000 hours to local organizations.
We actively seek a diversity of households—retirees, singles, single parents, nuclear families, same sex couples etc.—to share their daily activities with Canada World Youth volunteers. You won’t have to alter your lifestyle in any way: one goal of the program is to integrate volunteers into your everyday routine. By hosting two volunteers, you will also discover a new or familiar culture! To help offset the cost of hosting, CWY provides a weekly allowance of $84/volunteer/week + bus passes.
If this experience interests you or you would like more information, please contact:
Tanjalee Kuhl, Project Supervisor
Youth Leaders in Action
403-307-4959
tkuhl@cwy-jcm.org
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Website reminder: list your organization, events, and discussion topics on the Rethink Red Deer site!
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Newsletter Sent on: Wednesday, August 4th 2010
