summer vehicle clinic again?

["Kathleen M. Brosemer" <kathie@cleannorth.org>]

Hi everyone.

Unfortunate timing (wish it had come in two days ago!) but I just heard
from Patrick Cram at Environment Canada about wanting to find out which
local hosts are interested in doing another vehicle emissions clinic this
coming summer.  Opinions wanted...

Last year it was part of a three-event grind for us (books, cars, and
garden tour), but this year we won't be doing another book recycling
event, given the new yellow box program.  Env. Can. is reversing their
cross-Canada route this year but as we're mid-continent it probably won't
affect timing for us much at all (it was early July last year).

Last year much of the organizing work was done by Jack, with help from the
Lung Association (they arranged for all the radio ads, for example).  Jack
has already expressed some event fatigue, wanting to skip the garage sale
this year.  No idea whether he found the emissions clinic planning to be
onerous or would be eager to pass it on to someone else.

Patrick hasn't mentioned funds, but last year there was a budget from Env.
Can. which covered actual out-of-pocket expenses.  This would allow us to
hire someone part-time to promote the clinic if we wanted to.  We didn't
do that last year, we spent a little more than $2k (of the $5k that was
available), mostly on radio advertising.  Some on posters and our shade
tents.  There really isn't room to use the money for things that are of
long-term value to CN apart from small equipment needs (a few hand tools,
perhaps, or a couple of coolers might be okay).  We could probably slide
in some "extra" duct tape and other consumables that we use for BOYD.  But
there isn't a big $ bonus for doing this, it won't pay the rent for
example.

Given the recent interest in a Transportation Working Group, it may be
worth our while from a visibility perspective.  Might want to use the
exposure to carry a couple of other messages, do a petition about transit,
join up with the Bike Workshop for a bike event, or something.  It's also
a nice summer event to bring out the volunteers who come out to do things
but don't organize things.

My immediate feeling is "say yes, wait and see if someone comes forward to
organize, if not, hire a student for a couple of weeks to do it".  Your
opinion wanted...

thanks
k


--

I awake each morning torn between a desire to save the world, and a desire
to savour the world.  This makes it hard to plan my day.
                           -  E.B. White