Here is my latest article published in TheSource newspaper. Paying with Vancouver Currency By Frédéric Van Caenegem The Dunbar Dollar. The Kitsilano Rouble. The Riverview Lira. The Cambie Pound. No, you’re not hallucinating. Vancouver may one day include a number of different currencies in circulation within the city. Citizens from the Village Vancouver Transition Town Continue reading →

Here and there, we hear and read lists of “green acts”.  52 things to green up your house, 14 ways to save the planet, and my favourite: “one million acts of green”.  While we sure can agree that all good deeds towards the planet helps, we just cannot assume that buying occasional energy-efficient lights bulbs Continue reading →

I have decided to throw my hat in the ring and have applied to the Board of Directors of Vancouver’s Co-operative Auto Network.  The Board of Directors is elected by members of the Co-op on the General Annual Meeting which this year will be on January 27th, 2010.  Five of the eight members are to Continue reading →

There is a funny “Family Guy” episode (http://familyguy.wikia.com/wiki/Peter,_Peter,_Caviar_Eater) where Peter inherits a small fortune. Obviously, this new money goes to his head and he becomes pretentious and shallow. One day, there is an auction for charity. The bets for a vase were in the few thousands dollars. Suddenly, Peter, not by generosity but because he Continue reading →

A terrible tragedy, that cost the lives of two people, happened near Granville Island a few weeks ago: http://www.vancouversun.com/life/in-the-garden/dead+near+Granville+Island/1267133/story.html Back in November, I sent an email to the city of Vancouver about the same dangerous pedestrian crossing.  You can read the correspondence here: http://blog.vancf.net/2008/11/22/an-example-of-bureaucratic-efficiency/ The City fixed the problem quickly. But, this crossing remains dangerous Continue reading →

We sometimes do the wrong thing out of good intentions. The city of Vancouver wants to ban plastic bags. While everyone seems to think it is a good idea, there is actually a problem with this proposition: its effects might be the exact opposite of its intentions. When it comes to the bags we use Continue reading →