Susan Ames

I developed reclamation plans in my professional work to include wildlife habitat, vegetation, and trees. My PhD research was focused on the role of trees and vegetation on countering climate change. My Masters research was on reclamation/revegetation of disturbed sites. I recycle, compost and avoid packaging. I buy local where possible. I started a cloth grocery bag business to eliminate plastic bags. I co-founded a group to protect agricultural land. I was president of my neigbourhood association for 4 years working to preserve existing homes and green spaces and promoting this at Kelowna council. I was president of the Abbott Street heritage society for two years and also worked to protect exisitng buildings from demolition. I stood up against buildings with too big footprints losing green space and tried to stop the industrial developement of a sensitive wet floodplain because of the loss of wildlife habitat, loss of 300 trees, and the impact on agricutural land and water management. I drive an electric car and have my own garden and fruit trees and preserve the produce for the winter in an effort to reduce my carbon footprint. I stay away from fast clothes. I support walking where possible and planting and conserving trees. I avoid burning fossil fuels including using an electric lawn mower and battery operated garden tools, induction for cooking and hot water on demand.

Yes, I would accelerate Kelowna's adoption of the Zero Carbon Step code. I would also support keeping the setbacks around buildings to allow for more trees and vegetation as the trees cool the environment. Strategically placed trees can shield the exterior buildings from the sun and act as wind breaks in the winter reducing heating costs. I would put solar panels on city buildings and promote solar panels on apartment and warehouse roofs. I would promote hot water on demand and heat pumps in new builds. I would promote overhangs in buildings to protect the buildings and reduce heat entering units. I would minimize glass buildings where possible as they are known to have a lot of heat loss and let heat into units.

I would strengthen the city's tree bylaw as it does not prevent the city from cutting down trees. I would support keeping trees that are in place and only replace them with more climate resilent tree species when the current ones are over mature and not structurally sound. The city recently removed trees on some side streets and replaced the tree wells with concrete. if possible, I would restore these areas to tree plantings. I do not support removing trees just because they are not native. Some sidewalks are excessively wide. I would consider opening space for trees in these areas which will require the removal of concrete. I would not support any buildings being built right up to the sidewalk which eliminates tree planting areas. In terms of private land I would support a private property tree bylaw.

I would fund an increase in public transit and transition as much as possible to electric buses. Walking will improve as more trees are placed along streets as they absorb emissions and make it more pleasant to walk. It can be very hot to walk if there are no shade trees. Efforts should be made to put shade trees near bus stops.

Yes, I would support expediting composting programs and invest in the required facilities in Kelowna. I would bring a motion to council.

I would support putting solar panels on the roofs of city buildings, apartment buildings, and warehouse roofs. I would reduce the width of some sidewalks downtown and put in trees as an effort towards a "garden" city and not increasing concrete pathways throughout the parks.