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Environmental Assessment and Saskatchewan’s First Nations: A Resource Handbook
The document serves as a resource for Saskatchewan's First Nations to navigate environmental assessments (EA), detailing the roles of government, proponents, and communities. It outlines the legal framework of the 'duty to consult' and provides practical strategies for participation, including funding sources and the preparation of Statements of Concern.
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Document type: Guide
Mastering the APRM: Creating Your Submission
The document explains the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) as a voluntary process for African governments and citizens to assess governance and implement reforms. It outlines a five-step methodology for civil society organisations (CSOs) to create effective written submissions: identifying a focused issue, gathering evidence from diverse sources, developing persuasive arguments, building consensus through circulation, and submitting to the correct official bodies. The guide emphasises that evidence-backed submissions are more impactful than oral presentations and provides examples of successful advocacy by groups in Uganda and South Africa.
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Document type: Guide
Urban Air Pollution in Asia
The document serves as the first module of a foundation course on air quality management in Asia. It examines the primary drivers of urban air pollution, including fuel combustion from stationary sources and the significant impact of road traffic, particularly motorcycles and old diesel vehicles. It distinguishes between ambient, indoor, and transboundary air pollution, highlighting the severe health impacts of particulate matter (PM2.5) and the role of greenhouse gases in climate change. The text also assesses the air quality management (AQM) capabilities of 20 Asian cities, categorizing them from 'excellent' to 'limited'.
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Document type: Guide
How to effectively visit your policy maker
The document outlines a framework for constituents to conduct productive meetings with legislators, emphasizing preparation, clear messaging, and the importance of local connections. It advises on everything from dress codes in Washington, D.C. to the utility of meeting with legislative aides when members are unavailable.
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Document type: Guide
How to get the media to your event
The document outlines a process for attracting media attention to events through the creation and distribution of media advisories. It specifies that an advisory should be a one-page notice containing the event's purpose, logistics, rationale, and speaker details. The guide recommends sending these notices to local radio, newspapers, and television stations one week in advance, with a reminder the morning of the event. Additionally, it advises making follow-up phone calls the day after the initial advisory is sent and provides a sample script for these calls, using an example of a protest against a lawsuit challenging California's vehicle emissions laws.
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Document type: Guide
SWITCHING TO GREEN
The document outlines three primary methods for companies to obtain green power: retail green power programs, renewable energy certificates (RECs), and on-site generation. It provides a business case for the transition, focusing on GHG reduction, stakeholder relations, and cost stability. The guide also details procurement strategies to minimize premiums, such as energy efficiency upgrades and demand aggregation, and explains the methodology for accounting for carbon benefits in corporate GHG inventories using e-GRID emission factors.
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Document type: Guide
Buy Green Power
The document outlines how U.S. consumers can support renewable energy via green pricing, green marketing, and Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs). It contrasts the environmental benefits of renewables—such as wind, solar, and geothermal—against the pollution and health risks associated with coal, oil, nuclear power, and natural gas. It also provides tools for verifying green power claims, including the Green-e certification and the Power Scorecard tool.
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Document type: Guide
Ten Questions to Guide the Development of Communications Tactics for Research Projects
The document argues that communications planning must begin at the project design stage, prior to securing funding, to ensure research results are used rather than just published. It outlines a ten-question framework to identify desired outcomes, specific target individuals, and appropriate delivery products. The guide emphasizes moving beyond simple PDF uploads toward integrated media and direct stakeholder engagement. It also provides a comprehensive inventory of communication tools categorized by 'many to many' (group processes), 'one to many' (dissemination), and 'one to one' (restricted/secure) interactions, alongside education and training approaches.
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Document type: Guide
What to Consider in Creating a Strategic Alliance
The document defines a strategic alliance for civil society organizations as a long-term arrangement involving shared management, financial integration, and value appropriation. It identifies three primary drivers for such alliances: increasing capacity, achieving critical mass for greater influence, and accessing new financing models. The guide outlines a five-step start-up process including relationship analysis, mandate review, role definition, addressing operational challenges (such as funding and communications), and implementing a monitoring framework to assess effectiveness and efficiency.
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Document type: Guide
YCLSF PARTICIPANT MANUAL 2006/2007
The YCLSF Participant Manual 2006/2007 outlines the structure and expectations of an international internship program managed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD). It details the program's goal of providing young Canadians with entry-level overseas work experience in sustainable development to help them build careers in the field. The document covers administrative requirements such as contracts, tax obligations, and visa processes, alongside practical advice on preparing for placement, managing finances, and coping with culture shock. It also specifies the responsibilities of the participants, host organizations, and IISD, and defines the reporting and evaluation cycle required to receive stipends. Finally, it provides guidance on re-entry to Canada and professional development strategies.
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Document type: Guide
The Community Sustainable Development Action and Knowledge Inventory
The Community Sustainable Development Action and Knowledge Inventory is a tool developed by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) for the Manitoba Climate Change Communities Challenge (C4). It is designed to help community-led organizations identify local strengths, knowledge assets, and priorities across various environmental sectors to inform future climate planning. The inventory focuses on non-governmental initiatives, complementing municipal government profiles. It includes a structured assessment framework covering water, waste, energy, buildings, transportation, and biodiversity, specifically examining how these issues intersect with climate change impacts and community capacity.
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Document type: Guide
Use of Indicators in Policy Analysis Annotated Training Module
The document outlines how sustainability indicators function within the policy cycle—planning, implementation, evaluation, and adaptive learning—to move beyond mere data collection toward informed decision-making. It warns against the 'symbolic' or 'tactical' use of indicators and emphasizes that their success depends on integration into governance processes. Two primary case studies are presented: Canada's Agricultural Policy Framework (APF), which uses agri-environmental indicators (AEIs) and the Canadian Regional Agricultural Model (CRAM) to track goals for water, soil, air, and biodiversity; and the Energy Sustainability Gauge, a web-based tool developed with TERI in India to assess energy efficiency, security, access, and clean technology through a visual dashboard and a Policy Implementation Card (PIC).
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Document type: Guide
SPACE COOLING
The document outlines a hierarchy for space cooling, prioritizing the minimization of heat gain through passive measures before investing in mechanical systems. It details various cooling technologies, including fans, evaporative coolers, heat pumps, and air conditioners, providing guidance on their efficiency, costs, and appropriate climatic applications.
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Document type: Guide
SPACE HEATING
The document outlines strategies for reducing home heating expenses, emphasizing that a well-insulated home is the primary step toward efficiency. It compares various heating systems, including furnaces, boilers, in-space heaters, heat pumps, and active solar heating, detailing their efficiencies (AFUE), costs, and maintenance requirements. It also provides guidance on sizing new equipment and calculating potential savings when upgrading systems.
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Document type: Guide
WATER HEATING
Water heating typically accounts for approximately 19 percent of total home energy use in the U.S. This guide outlines immediate low-cost efficiency improvements, such as lowering thermostat settings to 115–120°F and insulating tanks, alongside long-term equipment upgrades. It compares the economics of various water heaters, noting that demand (tankless) heaters and heat pumps offer significant efficiency gains over standard electric tanks. The document also details solar thermal options and drain-water heat recovery systems, which can capture heat from water that would otherwise be wasted.
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Document type: Guide
ELECTRONICS
The document argues that changing usage habits, such as unplugging devices to avoid standby power, is more effective for energy saving than simply purchasing more efficient hardware. It details the energy profiles of computers, monitors, and peripherals, while highlighting the significant environmental toxicity and global waste issues associated with the electronics life-cycle.
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Document type: Guide
Whole System Design
The document advocates for 'whole system design' in home construction and renovation, arguing that considering the interconnections between systems, occupants, and the environment can make green homes cost less than conventional ones. It emphasizes a 'passive before active' approach, prioritizing the building envelope and solar orientation to reduce the need for mechanical heating and cooling. Key strategies include optimizing south-facing glazing, utilizing thermal mass (such as masonry or water), and implementing 'cool roof' or 'green roof' systems. The guide also provides a comparative analysis of wall materials—such as straw bale, adobe, and SIPs—based on thermal performance, toxicity, and cost, while introducing Energy Efficient Mortgages (EEMs) as a financing tool for these improvements.
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Document type: Guide
An Introduction to Green Building
The guide defines green building as a holistic approach to design and construction that optimizes the relationship between a building, its site, and the local climate to reduce resource use. It emphasizes that integrated design—where interdisciplinary teams collaborate early in the process—allows for the downsizing of mechanical systems and the reduction of both capital and operating costs. The text highlights the significant environmental impact of the built environment in the U.S. and suggests that existing technologies can drastically improve resource efficiency. Key strategies discussed include optimizing building orientation, improving the building envelope to manage heat transfer, utilizing daylighting and renewable energy, and implementing rigorous waste reduction and third-party commissioning practices.
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Document type: Guide
Dating the Decision-makers: Moving from Communications to Engagement
The guide argues that sustainable development requires moving beyond traditional PR and marketing toward 'engagement,' a process of relationship building that transforms passive audiences into active partners. It outlines a theoretical basis drawing from permission marketing, moves management, and social psychology, proposing an 'engagement pyramid' that moves from information provision to nurturing relationships and finally to joint action. The text provides practical advice on goal setting, audience identification, and a diverse suite of communication tools—ranging from personal contact and print to web content and audio-visuals—to bridge the gap between research and policy implementation.
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Document type: Guide
Form follows Function: Management and governance of a formal knowledge network
The guide outlines a framework for creating formal knowledge networks, emphasizing that 'form follows function.' It argues that networks should move beyond 'hub and spokes' models toward collaborative structures that leverage a 'network advantage'—joint value creation, links to policy processes, and capacity development. The author details criteria for partner selection, the critical role of the network manager, and the importance of codifying governance only after relationships have matured. It also addresses the inclusion of young professionals and women, and the need for 'sunset clauses' to manage the network's lifespan.
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Document type: Guide