Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Sun Shine
As I sit here in the sun today I wonder where is our Solar Energy Policy? Renewable energy is an area we have not seen fit to sufficiently exploit. The current Conservative Government is asleep at the switch. With proper incentives we could have a booming industry that would develop new technologies and reduce our fossil fuel dependence. It is time for an election for a new nationalist focused government with a revolutionary approach to Canada's energy self sufficiency.
As I sit here in the sun today I wonder where is our Solar Energy Policy? Renewable energy is an area we have not seen fit to sufficiently exploit. The current Conservative Government is asleep at the switch. With proper incentives we could have a booming industry that would develop new technologies and reduce our fossil fuel dependence. It is time for an election for a new nationalist focused government with a revolutionary approach to Canada's energy self sufficiency.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Take a Stroll
With the coming of the warmer weather here in Ontario go out and take a stroll along one of the many trails in all our communities. Listen to the sounds of spring. We can keep our Space Ship Earth and all its myriad of inhabitants safe and healthy by all doing a little bit. Have you put in low energy light bulbs?
With the coming of the warmer weather here in Ontario go out and take a stroll along one of the many trails in all our communities. Listen to the sounds of spring. We can keep our Space Ship Earth and all its myriad of inhabitants safe and healthy by all doing a little bit. Have you put in low energy light bulbs?
Friday, April 11, 2008
Why Sustainable Development: Just the Facts
-Two thirds of the worlds forests are gone and since 1950 in Canada we have removed 50% of Canada’s forests.
-85% of the world’s fish stocks have been fished out
-since 1970 every species except humans is declining.
- Canada’s production and known reserves of natural gas pecked in the early 90s
- half of the oil on earth has been used
- grain production has been declining since 1985.due to densification in Africa and Australia.
-food grain supplies are shrinking as more grain production goes into ethanol
- Safe drinking water is becoming scarcer.
The Conservative government reduced corporate, personal and GST taxes saving us $60billion but left us with insufficient funds to implement a sustainable environmental policy even if they had one! Prime Minister Harper does not demonstrate that environment matters as shown by his lack of participation in Earth Hour.
Where is the political leadership to save us??
-Two thirds of the worlds forests are gone and since 1950 in Canada we have removed 50% of Canada’s forests.
-85% of the world’s fish stocks have been fished out
-since 1970 every species except humans is declining.
- Canada’s production and known reserves of natural gas pecked in the early 90s
- half of the oil on earth has been used
- grain production has been declining since 1985.due to densification in Africa and Australia.
-food grain supplies are shrinking as more grain production goes into ethanol
- Safe drinking water is becoming scarcer.
The Conservative government reduced corporate, personal and GST taxes saving us $60billion but left us with insufficient funds to implement a sustainable environmental policy even if they had one! Prime Minister Harper does not demonstrate that environment matters as shown by his lack of participation in Earth Hour.
Where is the political leadership to save us??
Thursday, April 10, 2008
What Happened to Peace, Order and Good Government?
The BNA Act states that our governments are to provide Peace, Order and Good Government, yet when I see the number of times our various levels of government are told by courts to live up to the letter of the law I wonder what kind of message they are giving by continuously flaunting laws. For example, the BC government has been ordered by the Privacy Commissioner to cease blocking the required release of information and to be more transparent with environmental requests.. On other fronts, Environment Minister John Bairds' decision to only order and environmental assessment on the wharf portion and not on the total new refinery to be built by Irving is in court, while Ontario recieved a the scathing report by NAFTA's environmental watchdog that Ontario's forestry policies are inadequate to protect birds nest and in violation of NAFTA's environmental regultions. It is time we did not have to go to court to get our governments to follow the laws of the land.
The BNA Act states that our governments are to provide Peace, Order and Good Government, yet when I see the number of times our various levels of government are told by courts to live up to the letter of the law I wonder what kind of message they are giving by continuously flaunting laws. For example, the BC government has been ordered by the Privacy Commissioner to cease blocking the required release of information and to be more transparent with environmental requests.. On other fronts, Environment Minister John Bairds' decision to only order and environmental assessment on the wharf portion and not on the total new refinery to be built by Irving is in court, while Ontario recieved a the scathing report by NAFTA's environmental watchdog that Ontario's forestry policies are inadequate to protect birds nest and in violation of NAFTA's environmental regultions. It is time we did not have to go to court to get our governments to follow the laws of the land.
Tuesday, April 08, 2008
Little Things Help
Have you checked the pressure in your tires lately? By having your tires properly inflated you not only improve your mileage but save your tires by reducing the tire ware. Both this help our environment.
Have you checked the pressure in your tires lately? By having your tires properly inflated you not only improve your mileage but save your tires by reducing the tire ware. Both this help our environment.
Sunday, April 06, 2008
Forest Loss is Dramatic.
We have one of the worlds largest boreal and mountain forests which can be great carbon sink. However, we are losing them at an alarming rate. Governments need to implement a cutting policy that is sustainable. The current clear cutting not only destroys large tracts of virgin forest that take generations to recover but destroy the habitat of millions of song birds and push species, such as, the Woodland Caribou onto the endangered list. This practice of clear cutting in hand with the advance of the pine beetle is stripping future generations of a vital resource that will be needed for future utilization and provide a source of employment. Governments need to implement a green sustainable forestry policy now so this sector does not go the way of the cod fishery!
We have one of the worlds largest boreal and mountain forests which can be great carbon sink. However, we are losing them at an alarming rate. Governments need to implement a cutting policy that is sustainable. The current clear cutting not only destroys large tracts of virgin forest that take generations to recover but destroy the habitat of millions of song birds and push species, such as, the Woodland Caribou onto the endangered list. This practice of clear cutting in hand with the advance of the pine beetle is stripping future generations of a vital resource that will be needed for future utilization and provide a source of employment. Governments need to implement a green sustainable forestry policy now so this sector does not go the way of the cod fishery!
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Global dimming is a fact of life now. The particles form aerosol cans are the major factor creating the smog that reduces the amount of sunlight reaching the earth’s surface. The particles from the cans adds to the soup in our air that is attributed between 800 and 1,700 deaths in Toronto a year. On top of this are the millions of dollars lost to our economy due to respratory sickness and demands on our medical system. The dimming is also blamed for reductions in water evaporating which leads to less rain and therefore the droughts we have experienced which in turn leads to reduce crop yields.. Some statistics suggest that rice production in China is down 30% and 10% in India. All levels of Government have to act now to improve the quality of our air.
Thursday, April 03, 2008
I am embarrassed and ashamed of the position Canada took at the UN Human Right Commission meeting. We are the nation that blocked a resolution supported by all the other members of the UN Human Rights Commission that water have declared that water is a basic human right. If Canada does not support that water be a basic human right then does that mean the conservatives want water to be considered a commodity because if so this would be a disaster. Under NAFTA and the current SPP negations it would open our fresh water up to North American bulk exports. Net result Canada lose sovereign control over a critical resource and how it will be used for our citizens.
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
I have decided to post all my blogs for April on the theme of the environment.
I believe that the Canadian public is ahead of the various levels of government in their desire to see change to protect the environment and live greener lives. Experience shows that we can push the legislators to bring in and rigorously enforcemen, tough pollution regulations, stronger building codes, substantial carbon taxes and the removal of subsidies to petroleum companies. In hand with this it is essential new technologies are encouraged and favourably treated as a way of doing business.
I believe that the Canadian public is ahead of the various levels of government in their desire to see change to protect the environment and live greener lives. Experience shows that we can push the legislators to bring in and rigorously enforcemen, tough pollution regulations, stronger building codes, substantial carbon taxes and the removal of subsidies to petroleum companies. In hand with this it is essential new technologies are encouraged and favourably treated as a way of doing business.
