British Columbia

Journey to the Future author explores Vancouver's fictional green future

Imagine a world where Vancouver had pedestrian-only streets, amphitheatres at intersections to celebrate local artists, and a 100 per cent green economy. That’s the world Guy Dauncey creates in his book called Journey To The Future.

The book's premise: What if Vancouver became one of the greenest cities in the world?

Guy Dauncey describes Vancouver's fictional future in 2023 as "joyful" and "full of human connection, activity, and liveliness." (Wanyee Li/CBC)

Imagine a world where Vancouver had pedestrian-only streets, amphitheatres at intersections to celebrate local artists, and a 100 per cent green economy. That's the world Guy Dauncey creates in his book, launching today, called Journey To The Future.

In the fictional story, a young man named Patrick Wu visits Vancouver in 2032 which has — true to the current municipal government's goal — become one of the greenest cities in the world.

Author and environmentalist Guy Dauncey says it's all based on real-life inventions that are already happening.

"I've got 940 end notes to this book. Every time I bring in an innovation … they're all happening today already somewhere," he said.

"So clearly the weaving of it together is a fantasy but each of the components of that vision are already happening somewhere."

Author Guy Dauncey says his new book explores the question, "what if Vancouver really came through on this promise to become the greenest city in the world?" (Submitted by Guy Dauncey)

Dauncey says the book is meant to show Vancouver can have a sustainable future — one that is realistic but hopeful as well.

"This is a massive work that shows in detail how Vancouver and British Columbia can move to a 100 per cent renewable energy, build a new green entrepreneurial cooperative economy, revive our neighbourhoods, bring street activity and community back [and] move all our farming toward organic."

The official book launch takes place Wednesday at the Vancouver Public Library central branch location at 7 p.m. PT.

With files from CBC Radio's The Early Edition


To listen to the full interview, click the link labelled: Novel envisions a green future for Vancouver.