Former Premier Harcourt presenting in Prince George
Former B.C. Premier Mike Harcourt is coming to Prince George to speak about the findings of the National Task Force on Sustainable Communities. In his presentation “From Restless Communities to Resilient Places”, Harcourt will discuss the impacts of globalization, environmental concerns, the consequences of downloading from senior government and the need for resilient places in an age of rapid change. This noon luncheon will be held at the Ramada Hotel on Friday, October 13th, tickets are $25. The non profit Columbia Institute is sponsoring the event and tickets can be ordered through them via forum@columbiaistitute.ca Order Form (22KB). Details (98KB).
The Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists will host a session on climate change
On Thursday, October 12th, the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists will host a one-day professional development session on climate change as part of their annual conference and AGM in Victoria. The agenda includes climate change implications for stream flow, forest fires, flood forcasting and drainage structures, etc. The full program is at http://www.apeg.bc.ca/ac2006/brochure.pdf .
Bringing these issues before their members demonstrates APEGBC leadership and diligence regarding climate change for engineers in BC. For an overview of climate change and how it may affect us, refer to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) synthesis report for policy-makers at http://www.ipcc.ch/pub/un/syreng/spm.pdf. IPCC is the intergovernmental body responsible for assessing scientific, technical and socio- economic information relevant to climate change, its potential impacts and options for adaptation and mitigation.
New study ties global warming to stronger hurricanes like Katrina.
September 11, 2006, Washington. "Most of the increase in ocean temperature that feeds more intense hurricanes is a result of human-induced global warming, says a study that one researcher says "closes the loop" between climate change and powerful storms like Katrina." http://www.cbc.ca/cp/science/060911/g091112.html
Leaders commit to new emission targets beyond 2012 Kyoto Protocol goals
September 11, 2006, HELSINKI, Finland. European and Asian leaders pledged Monday to keep cutting greenhouse gases after the UN’s Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. But delegates at the two-day summit stopped short of setting new targets beyond the Kyoto agreement, reflecting Asian concerns that sharp emissions cuts could sap the strength of energy-hungry developing economies. http://www.cbc.ca/cp/science/060911/g091114.html
Branson pledges $3B to global warming fight
September 21, 2006. "British billionaire Richard Branson said Thursday he would donate $3 billion US over 10 years to anti-global warming initiatives. The founder of the Virgin group of companies pledged all profits from his transportation and airline businesses, which will then be invested in efforts to find renewable, sustainable energy sources in an effort to wean the world off oil and coal." http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2006/09/21/tech-branson-060921.html
NASA sees rapid changes in Arctic sea ice
September 13, 2006. "NASA data shows that Arctic perennial sea ice, which normally survives the summer melt season and remains year-round, shrunk abruptly by 14 percent between 2004 and 2005. According to researchers, the loss of perennial ice in the East Arctic Ocean neared 50 percent during that time as some of the ice moved from the East Arctic to the West." http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NasaNews/2006/2006091323081.html
New Strategies to Confront Climate Change
An article published by the Canadian Environmental Grantmakers’ Network points to success stories with acid rain reduction as a prototype for effective collaboration on climate change. A series of concrete steps is proposed to help move forward on the problem of climate change with the best chance for positive results. Download (pdf, 345Kb).
What Can You Do, Really?
With thanks to Cinema CNC, McGregor hosted a special showing of the movie “An Inconvenient Truth” on September 17th. A lively discussion was held after the movie, and this question "what can you really do to make a difference" surfaced in a number of additional discussions that followed – people want to hear concrete, tangible examples of how to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions. So, here’s a list of 30 changes we can make (quoted from www.stopglobalwarming.org – presented in $US)
- Use Compact Fluorescent Bulbs
Replace 3 frequently used light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. Save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $60 per year. - Inflate Your Tires
Keep the tires on your car adequately inflated. Check them monthly. Save 250 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $840 per year. - Change Your Air Filter
Check your car’s air filter monthly. Save 800 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $130 per year. - Fill the Dishwasher
Run your dishwasher only with a full load. Save 100 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $40 per year. - Use Recycled Paper
Make sure your printer paper is 100% post consumer recycled paper. Save 5 lbs. of carbon dioxide per ream of paper. - Adjust Your Thermostat
Move your heater thermostat down two degrees in winter and up two degrees in the summer. Save 2000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $98 per year. (Also, use an automated timer thermostat that turns the temperature down while you’re sleeping and away at work. - Check Your Waterheater
Keep your water heater thermostat no higher than 120°F. Save 550 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $30 per year. - Take Shorter Showers
Showers account for 2/3 of all water heating costs. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $99 per year. - Install a Low-Flow Showerhead
Using less water in the shower means less energy to heat the water. Save 350 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $150. - Buy Products Locally
Buy locally and reduce the amount of energy required to drive your products to your store. - Buy Energy Certificates
Help spur the renewable energy market and cut global warming pollution by buying wind certificates and green tags. - Buy Minimally Packaged Goods
Less packaging could reduce your garbage by about 10%. Save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide and $1,000 per year. - Buy a Hybrid Car
The average driver could save 16,000 lbs. of CO2 and $3,750 per year driving a hybrid - Buy a Fuel Efficient Car
Getting a few extra miles per gallon makes a big difference. Save thousands of lbs. of CO2 and a lot of money per year. - Carpool When You Can
Own a big vehicle? Carpooling with friends and co-workers saves fuel. Save 790 lbs. of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars per year. - Reduce Garbage
Buy products with less packaging and recycle paper, plastic and glass. Save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year. - Plant a Tree
Trees suck up carbon dioxide and make clean air for us to breath. Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide per year. - Insulate Your Water Heater
Keep your water heater insulated could save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $40 per year. - Replace Old Appliances
Inefficient appliances waste energy. Save hundreds of lbs. of carbon dioxide and hundreds of dollars per year. - Weatherize Your Home
Caulk and weather strip your doorways and windows. Save 1,700 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $274 per year. - Use a Push Mower
Use your muscles instead of fossil fuels and get some exercise. Save 80 lbs of carbon dioxide and x $ per year. - Unplug Un-Used Electronics
Even when electronic devices are turned off, they use energy. Save over 1,000 lbs of carbon dioxide and $256 per year. - Put on a Sweater
Instead of turning up the heat in your home, wear more clothes Save 1,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $250 per year. - Insulate Your Home
Make sure your walls and ceilings are insulated. Save 2,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $245 per year. - Air Dry Your Clothes
Line-dry your clothes in the spring and summer instead of using the dryer. Save 700 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $75 per year. - Switch to a Tankless Water Heater
Your water will be heated as you use it rather than keeping a tank of hot water. Save 300 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $390 per year. - Switch to Double Pane Windows
Double pane windows keep more heat inside your home so you use less energy. Save 10,000 lbs. of carbon dioxide and $436 per year. - Buy Organic Food
The chemicals used in modern agriculture pollute the water supply, and require energy to produce. - Bring Cloth Bags to the Market
Using your own cloth bag or bin instead of plastic or paper bags reduces waste and requires no additional energy. - SPREAD THE WORD. Finally, one of the biggest contributions you can make is to spread the word! Get others onboard.
