What’s New: In Brief (January 19, 2009)

Sovereign General Insurance Company is offering a new form of insurance coverage intended to help British Columbians upgrade to ‘environmentally-responsible’ building products when repairing or rebuilding their home after an insured loss.
The new insure2green coverage allows British Columbians whose homes are being repaired or rebuilt after an insured loss to upgrade their selection of building products to ones that are more environmentally responsible.
The product offers three levels of premiums with varying levels of protection.
For example, a premium of Cdn$30 per year gives a homeowner Cdn$5,000 worth of upgrades using environmentally friendly alternatives.
For a premium of Cdn$38 a year, a homeowner can receive up to Cdn$7,500 worth of upgrades.
An annual premium of Cdn$45 raises the limit a consumer may receive in upgrades up to Cdn$10,000.
Customers may choose to direct this additional claim payment towards the use of eco-friendly building materials such as cork or bamboo flooring, energy- and water-efficient appliances, energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems, windows, doors and skylights incorporating new energy-saving technologies and water-saving plumbing fixtures.

The Co-operators has organized a conference to encourage youth to explore sustainability issues facing various industries, interview Canadian business and sectoral leaders and develop practical sustainability solutions.
“In many ways, students are already leaders in sustainability,” said Kathy Bardswick, president and CEO of The Co-operators. “This conference is a way to give young people the tools and networks to become catalysts for a more sustainable society.”
Impact: The Co-operators Youth Conference for Sustainability Leadership, will be held on the University of Guelph campus from Sept. 24 to 27, 2009.
Conference participants include business, academia and non-governmental organizations and 180 Canadian students.
Speakers and experts will work with participants to develop sustainability solutions for their campuses, communities and their current and future workplaces.
Students who will be 19-25 and enrolled in any discipline at a Canadian college or university in September 2009 may apply at
www.impactyouthsustainability.ca until Feb. 27.