Featured Presenter: Debra Efroymson

Today’s featured speaker is coming all the way from Bangladesh. Debra Efroymson, Regional Director for HealthBridge will be speaking at the Summit late morning April 26th. Keep reading to learn more about the fantastic project she’s involved with: WBB Trust – Work for a Better Bangladesh.WBB Trust (Work for a Better Bangladesh), with guidance from HealthBridge, is challenging accepted ideas about urban planning and transport. By introducing new information, working workshops, as well as by co-organizing a closely with electronic and print journalists to gain attention to the issues, and regularly organizing seminars and design contest at the leading technical university, WBB has succeeded in showing that there are more than one way to view the urban planning/transport paradigm.

While for years the emphasis in media and planning has been on the perceived negative role of cycle rickshaws and how to ban them gradually from the city streets, there is now much discussion of the benefits of rickshaws and the problems caused by cars.

Ecocity designs made by urban and regional planning students introduced the possibility of urban neighborhoods of 25,000 people without cars or other motorized transport, and the designs were very well-received. Challenges to traditional transport planning, organized by WBB and partner environmental and other organizations, have succeeded in greatly slowing rickshaw bans, possibly blocking a planned elevated expressway, and in bringing attention to the need for car controls, better situation for pedestrians, and the possibility of including bicycles into urban plans.

Further, WBB has worked with renowned experts such as Jan Gehl and Richard Register–both of whom have visited Dhaka–to emphasize planning focused on people, and with inclusion of nature.

While there is much more to do to arrive at genuinely people-focused urban planning that will reflect the ecocity philosophy, WBB has shown that much can be done, even in a city of over 12 million people.

EcoVillage at Ithaca: What it’s Like

Jim Bosjolie of the EcoVillage at Ithaca sent us this great 10 minute documentary of what it’s like to live at an Ecovillage.

Thanks Jim!

PopSci’s Second Greenest City

Popular Science magazine recently named San Francisco the USA’s second greenest city. They also profiled 6 of the top contenders and explored how they made the list

[ 50 Greenest Cities in America: Full Rankings ]

To stream a video interview with Gavin Newsom and Jared Blumenfeld discussing SF Forward, click here.

A Convenient Truth: Urban Solutions from Curitiba, Brazil

Maria Terezinha Vaz, an Ecocity presenter and special guest, is the producer of A Convenient Truth: Urban Solutions from Curitiba, Brazil, an informative, inspirational documentary aimed at sharing ideas to provoke environment-friendly and cost-effective changes in cities worldwide.

The documentary focuses on innovations in transportation, recycling, social benefits including affordable housing, seasonal parks, and the processes that transformed Curitiba into one of the most livable cities in the world.

Through photography, Maria Terezinha Vaz integrates other passions, some of them lifelong. Trains, train tracks, the patterns and geometry of the rails and the machinery, have always held a fascination for her. She highly values historical and cultural preservation such as the Mayan land in Mexico, especially the sacred city of Chichen Itza. Preservation of the natural environment is also of great importance to her.

Preview:

The film includes interviews from world renowned Curitiba’s mayors Jaime Lerner and Cassio Tanigushi, as well as other brilliant minds who made Curitiba a world class model.

If you are interested in learning more about the specifics of many of Curitiba’s programs, take a look at her web page on the project, organized into the following:

Transportation

Recycling

Parks

Housing

Creators

DVDs can be purchased at:

http://www.amazon.com/Convenient-Trut…

Written and Directed by Giovanni Vaz Del Bello

Produced by Maria Terezinha Vaz

Sound Design and Mixing by Lars Hidde

Music by Levanta a Vela

Singer & Berimbau Player: Papiba Godinho

Band: Sambada

Interview with Fiona Ma

Assemblywoman Fiona Ma is interviewed on Mornings on 2 about her Toxic Toys bill (AB 110 that was recently signed into law by Governor Schwarzenegger.