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Canadian Environmental Network
Manitoba Eco-Network gratefully acknowledges the support of Manitoba Conservation
Eco-Journal
Eco-Journal
Volume 12, Number 2
March/April 2002
Index
Meet Winnipeg's Most Climate-Friendly Courier Service
by Anne Lindsey
Why not GROW A ROW for Winnipeg Harvest?
Goldeneye Field Station Begins Third Year
by Dave Kattenburg, Mixedwood Forest Research & Advisory Committee
Job Opportunity: Eco-Journal Editor
What's Happening - Calendar of Events
Going Green, Getting Fit and Having Fun!
by Andrea Lamboo Miln, Resource Conservation Manitoba
Your Turn: Winnipeg Water Woes
by Bruce Maclean
New Climate Change Material Added to Alice Chambers Memorial Library
Reforming Pesticide Regulations
by Liz Dykman
by Susan Kennedy, RCM's Compost Action project
Quick Facts: Linking Transportation to Climate Change
MEET
WINNIPEG'S MOST CLIMATE-FRIENDLY COURIER SERVICE!
By Anne Lindsey
An increasingly familiar sight around the downtown this past winter was a yellow-clad, often ice-encrusted individual with goggles, riding a bike and carrying a mail-bag. This hardy person was either Dave Geisel, Susanne Klueppel, or Jonah Clark - the three employee-owners of Natural Cycle Courier - delivering small packages and urgent documents in a speedy, efficient and moreover, environmentally-friendly way for their 21 satisfied Winnipeg customers!
Dave Giesel had the idea for Natural Cycle in the Spring of 1999 after a bad experience working for another courier company. His discussions with other local couriers convinced him that the industry generally is not worker-friendly. This combined with a passion for bicycles and the knowledge that the average car courier releases 191kg of airborne pollutants into the Winnipeg air every year, led him to incorporate Natural Cycle as a worker-owned co-operative with Susanne Klueppel and Tom Jasiakiewics.
Sky's the limit
Natural Cycle's office in the basement of 91 Albert Street is also
home to the other aspect of the co-op: a full-service bicycle repair
shop, which offers fast and economical repairs as well as bike-building,
incorporating used and refurbished material whenever possible. The
two enterprises balance each other well. According to Susanne, the
courier business tends to flourish in the winter, with bike repairs
providing the bulk of activity in the summer months.
While business may not be booming, it is growing. And with what David and Co. hope will be a growing consciousness about the dangers of greenhouse gas emissions in Manitoba - the sky should be the limit.
Besides speed of service (essential for a courier business - Ontario statistics show that in cities, cycling is the fastest mode of transportation for distances up to 5km), Natural Cycle cites a range of environmental benefits including clean air, reduced CO2 emissions, and resource efficiency: one hundred bicycles can be manufactured with the energy it takes to manufacture 1 medium-sized car. In addition, the company boasts a simplified billing system which utilizes 45 times less paper than most courier companies.
Writing in the most recent edition of Alternatives journal, the David Suzuki Foundation's Jim Fulton notes that 16,000 Canadians die prematurely from smog related health problems every year - and much of that smog derives from the same sources driving climate change: the burning of fossil fuels. This statistic in itself should convince us of the need to switch to alternative ways of doing things. Bicycles for couriers make sense.
Ethical
In the highly competitive world of high speed deliveries, where
many couriers are poorly treated, an employee-owned co-operative
also makes sense ethically, providing for "personal responsibility,
initiative and fulfillment" according to Natural Cycle's personnel.
Their goal? To provide the highest quality courier service without
sacrificing the ecosystem which supports us all.
To find out more, or to set up your account, call Natural Cycle
at: 952-5762.
First in a series profiling environmentally-friendly businesses
in Winnipeg.
1. The Climate Change Hub seeks an individual willing to examine
new books and resources on Climate Change and provide a short abstract
suitable for web site posting and other distribution. Good writing
skills obviously required. Contact Jen Duggan, Hub Manager at 943-4836.
2. Alice Chambers Memorial Library seeks an individual to view and
provide abstracts for the videos in our collection. Good writing
skills required. Contact Larry Laliberte, Librarian at 947-6511.
3. Would you be interested in distributing a petition from the Climate
Action Network urging the federal government to ratify the Kyoto
Protocol? Distributors would also be responsible for collecting
petitions. Contact Anne or Liz at 947-6511.
Why not GROW A ROW for Winnipeg Harvest?
As a warmer season approaches, thoughts turn to gardens, and for
many, visions of crisp fresh veggies and herbs get us through those
last cold days. For a growing number of Winnipeggers, however, the
change of season does not make a big difference for the availability
of nutritious and adequate food. These are the people in the 16,000
households who rely on the food bank at Winnipeg Harvest - a shocking
40% of whom are children.
If you are a vegetable gardener of any description, why not consider
"Growing a Row" for Winnipeg Harvest this year. The Grow a Row program
began in 1986, when Winnipeg residents Ron and Eunice O'Donovan
produced more potatoes in their backyard garden than they could
consume. They donated the surplus to Winnipeg Harvest, where it
was enthusiastically received.
They encouraged their friends and neighbours to do the same, and
since then, Grow A Row has yielded 1.5 million pounds of fresh fruits
and vegetables.
It's simple - when planting your garden, just add a row or two to
designate for Winnipeg Harvest. Root crops such as potatoes, carrots
and beets store the best, but any fresh veggies are welcomed and
will be redistributed.
Free packages of seeds for Grow A Row are donated by local garden
company, T and T Seeds, and are available at the front desk at Winnipeg
Harvest - 1085 Winnipeg Avenue.
Growing a Row can be an excellent educational and community-building
opportunity: a school class or community club group can be encouraged
to plant and tend some veggies and then deliver the crop to Winnipeg
Harvest in the fall, get an on-site tour and a chance to sort food.
A Winnipeg Harvest speaker will come out to a class, on request.
As well, Harvest can always use volunteers. For more information,
contact Harvest at 982-FOOD, or check their website:
www.winnipegharvest.com
Help Make Manitoba Hunger Free!
GOLDENEYE
FIELD STATION ENTERS ITS THIRD YEAR
by David Kattenburg, Mixedwood Forest Research and Advisory Committee
The Goldeneye Field Station and Education Centre, on the shores
of Wellman Lake, in Duck Mountain Provincial Park, will celebrate
the debut of its third season this coming May 24-26 with a weekend
of guided field tours and nature talks.
Operated by the Mixedwood Forest Research and Advisory Committee
(MFRAC), Goldeneye offers inexpensive accommodation to forest researchers
and a home base for educational activities throughout Manitoba's
forested western escarpment.
Goldeneye may only be three years old, but it has lived its life
to the fullest. It began as the brainchild of a core of MFRAC members
who realized that forest researchers might well be prepared to forsake
their tents in exchange for more commodious, albeit rustic accommodation.
Such was the case. Before the purchase of Goldeneye had even been
finalized, a handful of scientists came knocking. Their user fees
contributed to rent-to-purchase payments. Backed by a considerable
quantity of generous grants and no-interest loans, MFRAC managed
to close the purchase deal. The property was theirs.
And what a property it is! Nestled between forest and lake, Goldeneye
consists of a rustic cabin, a handful of trailer-bunk houses, a
kitchen and dining room, a spacious assembly hall and assorted outhouses.
It demands lots of work, over the short, medium and long term, but
volunteer support and creative energy have been enormous.
New project possibilities
In its first two seasons of operation, Goldeneye has hosted forest
researchers and their staff from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta,
engaged in work on forest fire history, conifer regeneration, forest
succession and disturbance dynamics, the effects of forestry on
understory species diversity, and arthropod (insect) diversity.
MFRAC hired a high school student to manage the Goldeneye station
last summer, and it has high hopes of engaging someone this coming
season. Among the projects he or she might tackle are the establishment
of Goldeneye as an elderhostel stop, developing a demonstration
eco-village (with a cabin built out of donated, salvaged cedar telegraph
poles), and the launching of a summer interpretive program for high
school students and other interested locals.
With MFRAC's second publication near completion -- an ecotourism
guide of the region - the idea has been put forward to develop Goldeneye
as a launch pad for guided tours up and down the Duck and Porcupine
Mountains. The May 24-26 event will be a debut. People will begin
to gather on the evening of Friday, May 24, but activities will
start in earnest on Saturday morning, with a bird outing (neotropical
migrants will hopefully be present in large numbers). In the course
of the weekend, a half-dozen tour leaders will lead groups through
nearby wetlands and old growth stands. Graduate student Jeff Shaddock
will lead tours to insect traps established as part of a Goldeneye-based
research study directed by Richard Westwood. Manitoba botanists
Elizabeth and David Punter will accompany participants on plant
identification outings along nearby paths.
For further information about the Goldeneye Field Station and Education
Centre, and about its May 24-26 event, contact Dave Kattenburg at
725-3308, or at kattenbu@westman.wave.ca.
Job Opportunity - ECO-JOURNAL Editor
The Eco-Network wishes to contract out the editing of Eco-Journal for the next several issues, and invites candidates to send a letter of interest by May 3 to 2-70 Albert St. R3B 1E7, or to mbeconet@mts.net The ideal candidate will have experience in writing and editing, excellent communications skills and both knowledge of and interest in environmental issues, especially in Manitoba. The assignment will include both soliciting and writing articles, seeking advertisers, and working closely with Eco-Network staff.
What's Happening - Calendar of Events
Sat. April 20, 6:30 pm - Project Peacemakers Eco-Friendly Dinner at Crossways in Common, Adults $10, Children 5 and under $5. Speaker: Megan McKenzie, Project Peacemakers staff on: "Caspian Basin Oil and Natural Gas Pipelines, An Examination of US Interests in the Policies towards Afganistan" Call 775-8178 for info. and tickets.
Sun. April 21 - Fort Whyte Centre Third Annual Eco-Adventure to kick off Earth Day celebrations at Fort Whyte. This is a paddling, running, blading and cycling race through the City of Winnipeg. Pre-registration necessary - call 204 989-8364 or visit www.fortwhyte.org
Mon. April 22 - Consumer Assoc. of Canada presents "Walking Softly on the Earth", presentations on how to lessen our impact on the environment, speakers include Randall McQuaker of Resource Conservation Manitoba. Environmental displays, raffle and more! $3 at the door. 7:00 pm Franco-Manitobain Cultural Centre. For more info. call 452-2572 or 1-888-596-0900.
Wed. April 24, 7 pm - Save Our Seine River Environment Inc. Park Proposal for “Bois des Esprit” Morrow Gospel Church 755 St. Anne’s Rd. Hear about a proposal to save 80 acres of forest south of John Bruce Road, under threat from the proposed Southglen bridge. Call Jules Legal 255-6800 or Marcel Ritchot 792-3154 for more info.
Sat. April 27, 10 am - Manitoba Naturalist Society Urban Naturalist Workshops - Early Birders: an introduction to birdwatching. Kildonan Park Call (204) 338-4590, Email urbanat@hotmail.com, Website www.wilds.mb.ca/urbanat
April 30,
May 1, May 4, May 7, May 9, May 14 - Resource Conservation Manitoba
Free composting Workshops at various city locations. Call 204 925-3777
for more information and to register.
May 9-11 Open and Controlled Society – Access to Government and Corporate Information. An examination of the state of access to information in Canada. Speakers include: Ken Rubin, Access to Information Activist and Consultant (Ottawa) Hugh Segal, President, Institute for Research on Public Policy (Montreal) Mme. Andree Delagrave, Chair, Federal Access to Information Review Task Force, John Reid, Information Commissioner of Canada. Phone: (204) 474-8116 or e-mail: pgthomas@cc.umanitoba.ca website www.openandcontrolledsociety.ca or www.mla.mb.ca/ocs for more information.
Fri. May 10 and Sat. May 11 - Evergreen Foundation Conference on Schoolyard Greening, Fort Whyte Centre. Registration is $30. Call Barb at 284-6776 for information.
May 24-26
Mixedwood Forest Research & Advisory Committee (MFRAC) Weekend
Event at Goldeneye Field Station and education Centre, Wellman Lake,
Duck Mountain Provincial Park.
Includes interpretative walks by forest researchers, slide
show talks, lakeside camping, MFRAC Annual General Meeting.
Registration is $125, $80 for students.
Contact Dave Kattenburg for details (204) 725-3308
May 26 1:00 pm - Manitoba Naturalist Society Urban Naturalist Workshops Manitoba’s Wild
Flower Wealth: an introduction to common wild flowers Assiniboine
Park $15, $10 for MNS members.
In depth courses are also being offered on Birdwatching,
Nature and Landscape Photography, Wild Flowers, Trees and Shrubs,
and Exploring Nature in Winnipeg.
Call (204) 338-4590, Email urbanat@hotmail.com,
Website www.wilds.mb.ca/urbanat
Sat. June 1 – Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society's "Run & Walk for Wilderness" in Assiniboine Park featuring a 10K & 5K fun run and 3K walk. Great draw prizes, t-shirts plus refreshments from Tall Grass and Organza. Raise pledges and earn Mountain Equipment Co-op gift certificates. For a registration brochure, call CPAWS Manitoba at 339-0247 or visit www.cpaws.org
June
3-7 Take the Commuter Challenge - for information, contact RCM at
925-3773.
Fri. June 14, 2002 Manitoba
Forestry Association Bus
Tour: Nursery
Stock, Mushroom Talk & Arboretum Walk A one-day wide-range learning
experience for landowners interested in nursery propagation, mushroom
cultivation, and tree shrub identification. Non-members $25, Members
$20. Call (204) 453-3182 or see www.mbforestryassoc.ca
or www.woodlot.mb.ca
Going
Green, Getting Fit, and Having Fun!
by Andrea Lamboo Miln, Resource Conservation Manitoba
Are You Up for the Challenge?
It's that time again! Time to gear up for the Winnipeg Commuter
Challenge.This year the Challenge takes place during Environment
Week from June 3rd - 7th.The Commuter Challenge is a Canada wide
alternative transportation event targeted at workplaces and schools.It's
a friendly five-day competition to see how many individuals can
adopt alternative forms of transportation to get where they are
going!
Last year's Challenge was a huge success! Resource Conservation
Manitoba (RCM) along with its Challenge Planning Partners, engaged
over 70 workplaces and schools, doubling the number of participating
organizations from the previous year. Twenty-three hundred people
walked, rolled, cycled, rode the bus and/or carpooled during Challenge
week. Through their efforts, Winnipeggers along with their respective
workplaces/schools, avoided 34 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions
by choosing healthier, less polluting alternatives to single-occupancy
vehicle commuting. The results point to a tremendous potential for
emissions reductions if green methods of commuting were adopted
year round.
It will be tough to beat such great results but RCM's Green Commuting
Initiatives is working hard to build on last year's success. This
year we are working closely with our Workplace/School Coordinators
to bump up participation, we are assisting larger workplaces in
getting organized, and we are expanding school involvement in the
Challenge. Stay tuned for Challenge 2002 results!
Active Transportation Work in Manitoba Schools!
This year marks a first for RCM. We are bringing our active transportation
work to Manitoba schools! RCM is very excited to be working with
4 schools in Winnipeg to pilot our brand new SAGE Program. SAGE,
standing for safe, active, green and easy ways to school!, is a
program designed for elementary schools in Winnipeg and provides
parents, caregivers, and teachers with a healthy, fun way of getting
kids to and from school. The Program aims to form "Walking School
Buses" along safe routes where volunteer "Bus Drivers" (usually
parents or caregivers) take turns walking children to and from school.
That's not all! RCM is also partnering with Go for Green, a national
non-profit organization which encourages active living and the environment,
and the Manitoba Product Stewardship Corporation to promote International
Walk to School Day in Manitoba.
For more information on the Winnipeg Commuter Challenge and our
active transportation programs for schools visit our website www.resourceconservation.mb.ca,
call us at 925.3773 or drop us a line at andrea@resourceconservation.mb.ca.
Your turn:
WINNIPEG WATER WOES
By Bruce Maclean
When a tap is turned in Winnipeg few pause to wonder about the source
of this precious liquid. Shoal Lake, its origin, was once one of
the best quality bodies of water in North America. It has since
deteriorated due to cottage development, commercial and sport fishing,
mining, logging and the needs of a few native communities to the
point where a water treatment plant is now slated to be built here
in Winnipeg. The plant is needed to combat two culprits - giardia
and cryptosporidium, which can cause serious illness and are not
killed by the current treatment that Shoal Lake water undergoes.
To date the only additions to Winnipeg water are chlorine (for disinfection against bacteria and viruses) and fluoride (supposedly to strengthen teeth and bones), both of which pose health risks. The chlorination can lead to the formation of carcinogenic ihalomethanes to our water and the addition of fluoride (a compound used frequently to make pesticides) has harmful effects on human health. (Footnote here?) Add to this intolerably high levels of lead in some connection pipes of the distribution system and the untold amounts of asbestos leaching from disturbed cement pipes and it makes drinking Winnipeg water a questionable proposition for health (1). Perhaps not as questionable as when turning the tap in Calcutta, Sao Paulo or Cairo, but nonetheless questionable.
Even with a new treatment plant we will still be sending clean water through dirty pipes. Mismanagement, apathy and ignorance have allowed a pure source of drinking water to reach such a deplorable state.
Tap Water Vs. Bottled Water
The alternative appears to be bottled water. A rough estimate is
that half of Winnipeggers drink the stuff. Many do so for aesthetic
purposes, due to a general dislike of the chlorine taste, or are
simply following a growing consumer trend. Yet, in many instances
bottled water is no better than tap water and although it must follow
guidelines set by Canadian law, there are no formal consequences
if the bottler fails to meet them. As such, quality varies immensely.
As well, few consumers are aware of how label values compare with their local tap water (2). Advertising further confuses the issue. Bear in mind that the world market for 89 billion liters of bottled water is estimated at 22 billion USD. One bottled water; 'Crystal Clean' with the label boasting mountains and crystal clear springs was in fact bottled in an industrial parking lot next to a hazardous waste site (3).
Exascerbating an already grave problem
We sit at a balance point here and I would like to make this very
clear. Do we, as a society, upon recognition that our water supply
is potentially unsafe, ignore it and turn to alternate, corporately
controlled supplies of bottled water, or do we organize to fix the
problem at its source - because bottled water is a band-aid solution.
Tap water, if we could ensure a clean, safe supply, produces virtually no waste. The water moves directly from the lake to the mouths of the 600,0000 customers in Winnipeg through 270 km of pipe. The bottled water industry though, has untold environmental consequences.
Plastic is the most important packaging material of this industry - 1.5 million tons per year, and has staggering pollution associated with it (4). The bottles are either made from PVC plastic or PET plastic, which is made from fractions of natural gas or crude oil changed chemically into solid form (5). One gallon of oil can contaminate 1,000,000 gallons of water and often does so in the extraction and transport of the crude, either intentionally or accidentally. In the manufacture of the bottles, benzene, cadmium compounds, carbon tetrachloride, chromium oxide, diazomethane, lead compounds, styrene and vinyl chloride are released, some of which are known carcinogens. Transportation of the filled bottles releases greenhouse gases and contributes to global warming. Even the most benign of the industry, the 5-gallon re-fillable jugs, still require manufacture, transportation and consumption of water to rinse and clean the jugs.
Furthermore, plastics are a significant component of the waste stream. In 1998 they comprised 10.2% by weight and 24% by volume in the United States. They also comprise 6 % of all litter. In some jurisdictions plastic bottles are incinerated to produce energy but this releases heavy metals like cadmium and lead into the air. Also released is hydrochloric acid - a major contributor to acid rain. The energy value of PET plastic bottles is around 11,000BTU's per pound, but it takes 49,000 BTU's to produce one pound of PET. This 38,000 BTU's per pound comes from the burning of fossil fuels, hydro power, nuclear power or other non renewable forms of energy (5). The combined impacts of this industry through air and water pollution seem only to exacerbate the deterioration in quality of the drinking water that they are intending to replace.
Looking forward
No simple solution appears to present itself. If tap water is potentially
dangerous and bottled water, albeit sometimes cleaner, is in the
long run leading us towards greater dangers, then where do we go?
Manitobans are among the highest water users in the world. Much
of the existing water legislation is medieval and some areas still
charge a flat rate per use. Those who pay a flat rate use an average
of 403 liter per day. Those who pay by volume use 261 liters per
day. Industrial consumption works on a three-tiered system whereby
the more water you use the less you pay per 100 cubic feet. These
are strong disincentives for water conservation.(6).
Winnipeg consumption is growing at 1% per year and although the
level of water that we draw from Shoal Lake is nearly at capacity
(300 million liters/day), the capacity of the pipe is less than
what we can legally take (454 million liters/day)(6). The pipe itself
is 84 years old and in serious decay. Proposals from the city do
not include rebuilding a new pipeline alongside the old one with
increased capacity and introducing strong conservation legislation,
but do include two projects that would disturb provincial parks.
One proposal is to tap the Sandilands at an 85 million dollar price
tag and the other proposal is to build a pipeline to Natalie Lake
at about 350 million. Some proponents have even suggested taking
Assiniboine river water as a source!(7) The financial commitment
for conservation, (technological innovation and education) coupled
with realistic legislation to curb a ONE PERCENT increase in water
use will cost much less than any of the other proposals and is the
only sustainable option.
Denial
The biggest obstacle in this water debate is denial. First we must
recognize that we face a serious problem. The events in Dauphin
and Walkerton should be wake up calls. We need to build the water
treatment plant. We need to systematically remove the old poisoned
pipes. Legislation at a local, federal and international level needs
to protect our watershed from any further development. Strong conservation
measures are needed to curb our use. The creation of a water tax
on bottled water could pay for these things as the average user
of bottled water is paying as much as 1000 times more than a person
who drinks tap water anyway (4). Also needed is mandatory labeling
of bottled water that can be easily comparable to the free tests
of tap water that should be available to every citizen. We have
a long way to go.
References:
1. Pip, Eva. (2002) Personal communication, Winnipeg, Manitoba.
2. Pip, Eva. (2000) Survey of Bottled Drinking Water Available in
Manitoba. Canada Environmental Health Perspectives:37(9) 863-866.
3. (2002) Available: http://www.NRDC.org/water/drinking
4. Environmental News Service. (2002) Tap water versus Bottled water
debate boils over. Available:wysiwyg://13/http://ens.lycos.com/ens/may2001/2001L-05-03-12.html
5. Steinwachs, Marie. Plastic. Available: http://www.epa.gov/grtlakes/seahome/housewaste/house/plastic.htm
6. City of Winnipeg. (1991) Maintaining a quality water supply for
Winnipeg. Winnipeg:35pp.
7 Water Watch. (2002) A Primer on Manitoban Water Issues.
Bruce Maclean is an unaffiliated environmental activist in Winnipeg
New
Climate Change Material Added to Alice Chambers Memorial Library
Thanks to the Manitoba Climate Change Hub for the following books
that are now housed in the Alice Chambers Memorial Library. A complete
listing of books, articles and guides can be found at: http://www.web.net/men/cchlit.htm
Beating the Heat: Why and How We Must Combat Global Warming
A lively, concise, and rigorously-researched exploration of this
imminent crisis. Shows the causes and consequences of climate change,
rebuts the deceptive arguments of climate change skeptics, and presents
practical and affordable solutions that will assure a climate-safe
future.
Author: John J. Berger. Berkeley Hills Books, Berkeley, CA., 2000.
135 p.
The Carbon War: Global Warming and the End of the Oil Era
This book relates events from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change's 1988 set up through to the summit in Kyoto, Japan in 1997.
As the Guardian claimed, "The Carbon War is a must for anyone interested
in observing how a few global oil corporations hijacked governments
over the climate change negotiations."
Author: Jeremy Leggett. Penguin Books, Toronto, 1999. 342 p.
The Change in the Weather: People, Weather, and the Science of Climate
New York Times's science reporter offers a look at the science of
climate change and introduces readers to the international community
of scientists consensus - the earth is indeed getting warmer, and
human activity is partially at fault - which remains a topic of
fierce debate.
Author: William K. Stevens. Dell Publishing, New York, 1999. 359
p.
The Coming Storm: Extreme Weather and Our Terrifying Future
Journalist Bob Reiss takes readers to the front lines of some of
the decade's most destructive storms and describes global warming
through the eyes of those most involved - researchers, meteorologists,
and the families that have been affected. Interviews with top scientists
around the globe provide predictions which include rising seas,
a surge in tropical diseases, extreme heat waves, severe storms,
and mass migration from destabilized countries.
Author: Bob Reiss. Hyperion, New York, 2001. 323 p.
Greenhouse: The 200-Year Story of Global Warming
This book takes an in depth look at global warming and how it has
been perceived overtime. It also looks at individuals who have had
an impact on amount of greenhouse gases put into the environment,
namely Henry Ford for the invention of the automobile, Harry Newcomen
who invented the steam engine and a host of other contributors.
Author: Gale E. Christianson. Greystone Books, Toronto, 2000. 305
p.
The NO-NONSENSE guide to CLIMATE CHANGE
Sifts scientific theory from scientific fact and presents the impacts
on health, farming, and wildlife, along with an analysis of political
negotiations on the issue and the potential solutions to it.
Author: Dinyar Godrej. New Internationalist Publications, Toronto,
2001. 143 p.
Power: Journeys Across an Energy Nation
Toronto journalist Gordon Laird's book is part travelogue and part
oral history. Power describes a country addicted to energy through
visits to Saskatchewan's nearly derelict Uranium City, Fort McMurray
(epicentre of one of the world's biggest potential sources of greenhouse
gases), the Alberta oil sands, Sable Island, Kemano, the Sydney
tar ponds, and ripped-up boreal forest. Laird shows some of the
legacy of energy gluttony - leaky radioactive waste dumps and destroyed
salmon rivers while at the same time discussing energy production,
export, climate change and environmental degradation.
Author: Gordon Laird. Penguin Books, Toronto, 2002. 347 p.
State of the World 2002: Special World Summit Edition
Evaluates what has been achieved since the 1992 Earth Summit in
Rio. The authors shed light on possibilities for change and how
existing technologies and resources can solve many of our most pressing
problems. Spells out priorities for the Johannesburg Summit in seven
key areas: agriculture, energy policy and climate change, chemicals,
international tourism, population growth, resource-based conflicts
and global governance. There is a 26-page chapter "Moving the Climate
Change Agenda Forward" that deals with evolving science, technology,
policy, business and politics, ending with world summit priorities
on climate change.
Author: Worldwatch Institute. W.W. Norton & Co. Inc., New York,
2002. 265 p.
Storm Warning: Gambling with the Climate of Our Planet
Canada's premier science writer shows the strong evidence that our
climate is changing due to human interference, and that the events
of recent years are just a dress rehearsal for dramatic changes
in the earth's climate. Climate conferences like those held in Rio
in 1992 and Kyoto in 1997 were supposed to set the world on a course
for change. Instead, they have led to political squabbles, watered-down
resolutions and a disturbing failure to reduce the greenhouse gas
emissions that have been targeted as the main culprit in creating
the global warming trend.
Author: Lydia Dotto. Doubleday Canada, Toronto, 2000. 332 p.
Reform
of Federal Pesticide Regulations
By Liz Dykman
Bill C-53 "An Act to protect human health and safety and the environment
by regulating products used for the control of pests" passed first
reading in the House of Commons March 20, 2002. This is an amended
version of the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA), the federal law
governing the importation, sale, manufacture and use of pesticides
in Canada.
The
current Act is 33 years old and in need of some changes. Reforms
have been in the works since at least 1994 and in May 2000 the House
of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development
produced recommendations on changes to the regulations. These recommendations
called for implementation of the precautionary principle, given
the links between pesticide exposure and diseases such as cancer.
The Committee called for evaluations of toxicity based on the effects
on children, rather than adult males who have higher resistance,
re-evaluation of pesticides approved before 1995, and a phase-out
of pesticides for cosmetic purposes over a five-year period.
The goals of the amendments include:
- Putting children's health first,
- Taking into consideration aggregate exposures and cumulative effects,
- Allowing the refusal of registration applications or de-registration
of products if information on risk and value are not supplied by
the registrant,
- Making mandatory the reporting of adverse effects of registered
pesticides,
- Providing opportunities for public participation,
- Strengthening compliance measures,
- Requiring the review of pesticides registered before 1995 and
again after 15 years.
Tracking of pesticide use
The law will require reporting of sales, which until now has been
done voluntarily by only some manufacturers. This will allow some
tracking of the levels of use of pesticides. Canada has been one
of the few industrialised countries without some system of tracking
and therefore no reliable data on the levels of sales or use of
pesticides.
The goal of the legislation is not to reduce pesticide use necessarily,
but to reduce the risks to health and environment associated with
pesticide use. The legislation also includes the concept of value
- a pesticide must serve a useful purpose bearing in mind other
available pest management strategies.
No ban on cosmetic use
Many people concerned about the impacts of pesticides on health
and the environment had hoped that the federal government would
implement a ban on the cosmetic use of pesticides on lawn, parks
and golf courses, as was recommended by the House of Commons Committee.
On February 14, 2001 Marlene Jennings, Liberal MP for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce-Lachine
introduced a private member's bill to prohibit the use of chemical
pesticides for non-essential purposes. The federal government has
not taken this step in the amended PCPA, saying it is outside their
jurisdiction to do so. This responsibility has been deemed municipal
jurisdiction. It may be that recent Supreme Court rulings, such
as that involving the right of Hudson, PQ to enact a pesticide ban
have entrenched this trend to move responsibility for pesticides
down to the provincial or municipal level. Thirty-seven municipalities
have enacted bans on cosmetic pesticide use in the absence of federal
action over the last few years.
Besides not including a ban on cosmetic use, other shortcomings
highlighted by environmental groups are the fact that the act does
not aim to reduce use of pesticides and that there is insufficient
government support for a transition to organic practises in agriculture.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) called for a moratorium on
approvals for products for which effective non-chemical alternatives
are available.
Progress on reducing pesticides
The amendments introduced by the federal government are definitely
an improvement over existing legislation. And there are other signs
of progress. Along with municipal by-laws banning cosmetic use of
pesticides, another encouraging development is the decision by Loblaws
announced March 12, 2002, not to sell chemical pesticides in its
440 garden centres in Canada. This will take effect by spring 2003.
The stores are focusing on safer, organic alternatives and will
provide educational handouts to consumers on reducing chemical pesticide
dependency.
Spring
into Compost!
By Susan Kennedy - RCM's Compost Action Project
Whether you love herbs, flowers, or vegetable gardens, planting
time is upon
us! Have you considered adding compost to all your garden beds and
plants
this year? It's a great soil amendment. Haven't got around to it
"just yet",
maybe this spring is the time to start! Considering that compost
is free and
gives you many benefits over store bought fertilizers, maybe it's
time to
get to it!
Taking into account that any garden's foundation lies in the soil,
what do
you do each year to improve it's fertility? Growing plants take
up the
nitrogen, phosphorus and other elements they need out of the soil.
That
means that the humus content gets depleted: the very habitat of
helpful
micro and macro-organisms that feed on "bad" bacteria and fungi.
Without the
addition of new organic matter, the soil will become sterile and
barren.
Commercial liquid fertilizers address this problem by giving plants
mega
doses of nitrogen and other nutrients to make plants grow. Unfortunately,
fertilizers are generally water-soluble, so much of what is applied
is
washed away by the next rain. Compost has a natural time release
system that
will not burn your plants, and continues to feed them for months
and even
years to come. This great habitat makes certain that the helpful
organisms
stick around, making your garden a great success.
Don't forget that soil is quite different for the potting soil that
you find
at the garden store! It's a jungle of micro and macro-organisms,
(eg.
bacteria, fungi and worms) who live in a world of sand, clay, humus,
minerals and nutrients. By adding finished or partially finished
compost to
your garden every year, you are ensuring the plants grown are better
equipped to handle drought and disease, while building the soil's
long term
fertility.
Sounds good? If you are already composting, harvest any finished
compost and
apply on garden beds four inches deep one month before planting.
A layer of
1/2 -3 inches is plenty, but if you don't have enough try spot composting
exactly where the plants are going. Remember finished compost should
be dark
brown, crumbly and sweet smelling. If it's not ready yet, use it
as mulch
around plants after you put your garden in.
New to composting or still have questions? Want bin plans, pest
proofing
tips, or all the details about how you and your garden can benefit
from the
"black gold"? Call the Compost Infoline toll free in Manitoba at
1-866-394-8880 or 925-3777 in Winnipeg. We are here to answer all
your
composting questions.
Note: This article will also appear in the next issue of Manitoba
Gardener
QUICK
FACTS: Linking Transportation Choices to Climate Change
The transportations sector
is the single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada,
and emissions from vehicles are growing faster than any other sector.
From pg 13, Canada’s Perspective on Climate Change,
Gov. of Can., 1999.
Passenger transportation is responsible for 18% of Canada's total
greenhouse gas emissions (GHG). (National Air Issues
Coordinating Cmmte. 1996. Review of Canada's National Action Program
on Climate Change. November 1996, p.14) It also represents
45% of the GHG emissions produced by the average Canadian family.
(Kranjc and Hengeveld. 1993. Greenhouse Gas Miser
Handbook. Greenhouse Gas Committee, Canadian Climate Center. p.9)
Reducing transportation-related GHG emissions is clearly
central to any efforts by individuals and families to protect the
climate.
In addition to releasing GHG emissions into the atmosphere, fossil fuel combustion produces highly toxic air emissions, as well as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, volatile organic compounds and small airborne particulate matter. These emissions contribute to acid rain, smog and other forms of environmental degradation. www.climatechangesolutions.com/english/individuals/opportunities/transport/chart1.htm
Motor vehicles are the single largest source of harmful air emissions that contribute to human health problems like cancer, premature death, impaired lung function, shortness of breath, wheezing, asthma attacks and many bronchial and respiratory illnesses.
www.climatechangesolutions.com/english/individuals/opportunities/transport/chart1.htm
By cutting GHG emissions, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulate
matter (microscopic particles of dust and gases) and other pollutants
would also be reduced, improving air quality and saving lives. According
to the report - co-authored by Dr. Quentin Chiotti of Pollution
Probe and Natty Urquizo of Rainmakers Environmental Group - air
pollution accounts for an estimated 16,000 premature deaths every
year in Canada. www.msc.ec.gc.ca/cd/climate/newsbytes/story1_e.cfm
How many lives could be saved by reducing GHG emissions resulting
from human activities? One study found that a reduction of 15% of
GHG emissions in developed countries and 10% in developing countries
would result in 700,000 fewer premature deaths globally each year
just from lower levels of particulate matter. www.msc.ec.gc.ca/cd/climate/newsbytes/story1_e.cfm
Automobiles produce about 25% of the world's carbon dioxide (CO2)
emissions. www.climatechangesolutions.com/english/individuals/opportunities/transport/chart1.htm
Every tonne of carbon burned produces 3.7 tonnes of carbon dioxide.
The global consumption of fossil fuels is estimated to release 22
billion tones of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere every year.
Can Pers on CC: Science Impacts & Adaptation,
1999.
Emission from the transportation sector constituted 31% of Manitoba’s
emission in 1999. MCCTF Report - Manitoba and Climate
Change: Investing in our Future, 2001.
Commuting by car is the largest single source of GHGs in Manitoba.
MCCTF Report 2001.
An unpublished research report of IISD referenced in Manitoba and
Climate Change: A Primer, 2001 states that nearly 80% of Manitobans
rely on automobiles to get to work.
Trucking is the most significant form of moving freight within the
province [Manitoba] and between the province and other locations.
Manitoba and Climate Change: A Primer, 2001.
Ten seconds of idling uses more fuel than restarting your engine.
www.climatechange.gc.ca
One busload of passengers takes 40 vehicles off the road during
rush hour, saves 70,000 litres of fuel and avoids over 175 tonnes
of emissions a year. www.climatechange.gc.ca
For every $241 million invested in public transit, 21.4 full-time
jobs are created. www.davidsuzuki.org/
“Did you know”
"In the United States, there's something like 30 billion dollars
a year goes into subsidizing oil... Well, if that's the real cost
of oil, all of the renewable resources are economic right now."
Donald W. Aitken, Senior Staff Scientist, Union of
Concerned Scientists