Student-led tours highlight Vancouver's hidden climate solutions

A University of British Columbia PhD student is leading free walking tours in downtown Vancouver to show people climatefriendly features built into the city. The tours, called Urban Future Walks, focus on places such as Robson Square and permeable paving that helps manage rainwater while supporting pedestrianfriendly design. Yunfei Li created the project as part of her research on how inperson experiences affect people's feelings about climate change. She says the goal is to move the conversation away from fear and toward practical examples of climate action already happening in everyday spaces. The article also looks at a study on wildfire smoke and moth deformities, and at School Streets programs that aim to reduce car traffic around schools during dropoff and pickup times. Supporters say the programs can make streets safer and encourage children to walk or bike, though some pilots have faced logistical challenges and public pushback.