cooperatives

The Heritage Food Service Co-operative is looking to reclaim greater control over the regional food system on Vancouver Island. Once producing 85% of the food consumed on the Island, Vancouver Island now only produces less than 10% of the food consumed! This new co-operative will challenge the common supply chain model whereby farmers most often receive the short end of the stick, and replace it with what is known as a value chain.

Manager Paul Harton welcomes us to the newly-built BriarPatch Coop natural foods market. It's LEED™ certified (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) and incorporates innovative design throughout. Architect Jeff Gold shows state-of-the-art water and space heating, lighting and skylights, and a polished concrete floor with a "river" running through it. Episode 59.

Long an example of how people can assume control over our needs and resources, the co-operative model as an alternative to the industrial food system will be the focus of this series. Part II - Agricultural Land Ownership and Farmers.

Long an example of how people can assume control over our needs and resources, the co-operative model as an alternative to the industrial food system will be the focus of this series. Part I - Retail and Distribution

A superb urban transport solution whose time has come. Founder Tracey Axelsson recounts the ins-and-outs of North America's oldest and largest car-sharing cooperative--membership, online scheduling, vehicle types, usage costs, preferred parking. Episode 34.

Long involved with intentional communities, Tree Bressen discusses a shared-ownership cooperative household with ten residents, as well as a small, one-car car sharing cooperative. Carshare info and scheduling software available free online at biocarshare.org. Episode 30.