As published in the Erin Advocate
It always seems like there’s more stuff going on than a person could ever get to, but on one recent weekend I tried to cram in as much as possible. After helping to build picnic tables for the new Riverside Park in Erin (official opening soon) and doing a ton of garden work, I got to four local events.
Rock ‘n’ Roll etc. at Legion
Thanks to Jerry Staples and Norma Pokocky for making everyone feel welcome at their Band Showcase and Jam at the Erin Legion. They had invited four bands to come out and play for fun, and the music was good.
Between the main sets Jerry and Norma did some guitar pieces in classical style. I brought my guitar and did a few selections from my songbook.
They’ve been having these jams for a couple of years, and people are welcome to show up and play on their own or with an informal group. Or just have a beer and listen. The next one is on October 18, starting at 7 pm. Admission is $5.
Demanding action on climate change
A group of eight Erin area residents was among the 300,000 plus at the New York Climate March.
“This event will serve as a huge signal to the powers-that-be that drastic actions and a commitment to huge reductions in greenhouse gases are needed when nations of the world gather in Paris in December 2015 to ratify a new climate agreement, in order to preserve a livable climate,” said marcher Liz Armstrong.
Meanwhile, a group met at the All Saints church hall to show some solidarity with the travellers (one of 2,646 rallies in 162 countries) and see an excellent film called Disruption, presented by Transition Erin. Check it out at www.watchdisruption.com, or visit www.peoplesclimate.org and www.citizensclimatelobby.ca
The Value Crisis
A large crowd turned out to a book launch at the Historic Alton Mill Arts Centre, in support of author Andrew Welch, who is also Town Crier for Erin and Caledon and a leader with Transition Erin.
His book, entitled “The Value Crisis – From dollars to democracy, why numbers are ruining our world”, provides an entertaining and thought-provoking analysis of our value systems.
It seems the more we rely on numbers and dollars to measure value, the less attention we pay to traditional systems that could support a better quality of life. The website: www.thevaluecrisis.com.
Interfaith Speakers Series
Speaking of traditional value systems, I ventured over to a fascinating talk on the ancient Hindu faith by Shirish Nathwani. It was sponsored by Central Peel United Churches and organized by Rev. Felicia Urbanski of Erin United.
“Our communities are becoming more diverse, so it’s important to be in dialogue and see the face of each religion by meeting the people,” she said. The next session is October 26, 2-4 pm at Caledon Village Place, with Idrisa Pandit speaking on the Muslim faith.
Election stuff
Voters should have received their mail-in ballots by now for the municipal election – if not they should call the Town at 519-855-4407. Kits can be returned by mail until October 18, or in person to the Municipal Office any time until 8:00 pm on Election Day, October 27.
Municipal office hours are extended on Thursday, October 23 to 8:00 pm and they are open on Saturday, October 25 from 10 am to 2 pm. Voters may also deposit their kits after hours through the mail slot at the office main entrance.
Previously I had written that a sealed ballot box would be attached to the mail slot, but actually it is the whole entranceway that is sealed off so that only election officials will have access to kit envelopes.
Showing posts with label Carbon Tax. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Carbon Tax. Show all posts
October 08, 2014
April 23, 2014
It's not too late for climate change solutions
As published in Country Routes
Measures to counter the damaging effects of climate change can be achieved without catastrophic costs and devastation of the world economy, according to new studies in the debate over global warming.
That’s music to the ears of environmental activists like Erin’s Liz Armstrong, who have pushed for practical climate action at the local level.
She has started a chapter of the Citizen’s Climate Lobby (CCL), designed to influence political decision makers at various levels of government.
Two recent reports from the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on
Climate Change (IPCC) say that while the risk of increasing droughts, floods,
crop failures and severe storms due to the carbon from fossil fuels is reaching
an alarming level, the ability to do something about it remains well within the
reach of national governments.
“It will get worse before it gets better, but it’s not too late, and it is not going to cost the earth,” said Armstrong. “We have to buckle down and steel ourselves to do this. It is the developed countries that are causing the problem. There is no excuse not to act.”
The IPCC report says climate change is “unequivocally” caused by people burning fossil fuels and that it poses a serious threat to peace and stability. Scientists warn that we need to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent or more by mid-century to avoid calamity.
“The good news is that it will not cost much compared to the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and compared to the cost if we do nothing,” said Armstrong.
Her group is meeting on the first Saturday of each month at Erin United Church, training on how to engage politicians and the public, planning local action and getting updates from CCL leaders. She can be contacted by email: liz@lizarmstrong.ca, and more information is available at www.citizensclimatelobby.ca.
The federal Conservative government has put a lot of energy into oil sands expansion, pipeline plans and energy exports. They have promised tougher environmental legislation, and say Canada is on track to trim greenhouse gas emissions by 17 per cent by 2020 from their 2005 level. But The Toronto Star reports that Environment Canada is less optimistic, saying last fall that at the current rate, we will achieve a mere 0.4-per-cent cut.
The Citizen’s Climate Lobby favours a “Carbon Fee and
Dividend”, essentially a carbon tax placed on fossil fuels at their source.
This would result in higher fuel prices, but all of the extra money would be
rebated equally to Canadians. It would be a market-driven system, benefiting
those who use less fuel.
The Lobby also objects to the current distortions in the marketplace, in which taxpayers’ money is used to mask the true cost of energy. A report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) calculated that Canada provided $26 billion to subsidize the energy industry in 2011, which is $787 per person.
IMF First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton said removing these subsidies worldwide could lead to a 13 percent decline in carbon dioxide emissions. This would reduce global energy demand and strengthen incentives for research and development in energy-saving and alternative technologies.
Canada already has a thriving “green” sector, innovating and making money in areas such as energy, infrastructure, transportation, biorefinery, industrial processes and wastewater treatment.
“Canada’s clean tech sector is now a $11.3 billion industry, it employs more Canadians than aerospace, and has the potential to grow to $50 billion by 2022, representing 2% of the global market share,” said Armstrong, suggesting that subsidies for clean technologies instead of oil would be a better investment for Canada.
A study by Analytica Advisors estimates employment in the clean tech sector could grow from the current 41,100, to more than 75,000 in the next eight years.
“Canadian innovation is helping to clean up contaminated land and water, store energy for use during peak demand, improve efficiencies in solar systems and transform greenhouse gases into stronger concrete to build greener buildings,” says the Citizen’s Climate Lobby, commenting on the study.
“Other countries have taken notice, buying environmentally-friendly Canadian technologies that help reduce and recycle solid waste, improve efficiencies and reduce our reliance on fossil fuel and petro-products. Approximately 74 percent of Canadian clean technology companies are exporters, with 42 percent of export sales going to non-US countries.
“While Canadian clean technology enjoys strong market diversification overseas, it struggles to compete domestically. One challenge is the price of carbon-based energy, which is relatively cheap in Canada compared to many countries.
“At a time when the world is thinking twice about investing in a high carbon future, Canada can ill-afford to put its economic eggs in the oil sands basket. According to the IPCC, the world must keep two thirds of all fossil fuel reserves in the ground to avoid dangerous global warming.
“Canada is at a crossroads. Does it invest in dirty oil and pipelines, and lock the country into a high-carbon economy, or does it focus on transforming its economy, using clean technology to drive innovation and economic growth?”
“Building a green economy will create more long-term jobs,” said Armstrong, who remains hopeful that some of those companies could be attracted to Erin. “Smart municipalities are making plans and looking to the future. Election candidates need to say what type of development they would like to see here in the next 50 years.”
Climate change could mean a low flow of water in the West Credit River at certain times. As a precaution against excessive contamination from treated sewage effluent, a 10% cutback has been made in the maximum number of new residents to be allowed in Erin village and Hillsburgh.
Food is another key aspect, with crop yields and fish harvests declining as the world population increases, making it difficult to sustain a quality, affordable supply.
“This is no longer a picture about poor farmers in some regions being hit by climate change,” said Tim Gore, head of policy for food and climate change at Oxfam. “This is a picture about global agriculture being hit – US, Russia, and Australia – with global implications for food prices.”
A TD Bank report says natural catastrophes will cost Canadians an estimated $21-$43 billion per year by 2050.
“The frequency of weather events has increased,” said lead author and TD economist Craig Alexander. “Storms that used to occur every forty years are now occurring every six years. And because of the composition of Canadian economy and society, we’re ending up with more damaging events.”
He said city dwellers are at the highest risk, and with Canadians becoming wealthier, they have more valuable assets to lose in the event of a catastrophic storm. Repairs after a catastrophe tend to inflate the GDP, masking the costs that are shared broadly via the insurance industry and government relief funding.
The TD report highlights estimates that for every dollar invested in adaptation to climate change prevention, such as severe weather resistant buildings, from $9-$38 worth of costs will be avoided in the future.
“Here in the Town of Erin, we should be cognizant of these predicted increases of weather and climate extremes when planning and building new (or replacing old) infrastructure, housing, roads and bridges, etc., significantly boosting their capacity to withstand more punishing climate stresses than in the past,” said Armstrong.
“All of these suggestions were brought forward in 2011 by Amaranth Mayor Don MacIver, an Environment Canada climatologist who was a member of the IPCC. Our Council (present and future) needs to be aware, and prepared to act on his suggestions and forewarnings.”
Measures to counter the damaging effects of climate change can be achieved without catastrophic costs and devastation of the world economy, according to new studies in the debate over global warming.
That’s music to the ears of environmental activists like Erin’s Liz Armstrong, who have pushed for practical climate action at the local level.
She has started a chapter of the Citizen’s Climate Lobby (CCL), designed to influence political decision makers at various levels of government.
 |
| Liz Armstrong |
“It will get worse before it gets better, but it’s not too late, and it is not going to cost the earth,” said Armstrong. “We have to buckle down and steel ourselves to do this. It is the developed countries that are causing the problem. There is no excuse not to act.”
The IPCC report says climate change is “unequivocally” caused by people burning fossil fuels and that it poses a serious threat to peace and stability. Scientists warn that we need to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent or more by mid-century to avoid calamity.
“The good news is that it will not cost much compared to the total Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and compared to the cost if we do nothing,” said Armstrong.
Her group is meeting on the first Saturday of each month at Erin United Church, training on how to engage politicians and the public, planning local action and getting updates from CCL leaders. She can be contacted by email: liz@lizarmstrong.ca, and more information is available at www.citizensclimatelobby.ca.
The federal Conservative government has put a lot of energy into oil sands expansion, pipeline plans and energy exports. They have promised tougher environmental legislation, and say Canada is on track to trim greenhouse gas emissions by 17 per cent by 2020 from their 2005 level. But The Toronto Star reports that Environment Canada is less optimistic, saying last fall that at the current rate, we will achieve a mere 0.4-per-cent cut.
The Lobby also objects to the current distortions in the marketplace, in which taxpayers’ money is used to mask the true cost of energy. A report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) calculated that Canada provided $26 billion to subsidize the energy industry in 2011, which is $787 per person.
IMF First Deputy Managing Director David Lipton said removing these subsidies worldwide could lead to a 13 percent decline in carbon dioxide emissions. This would reduce global energy demand and strengthen incentives for research and development in energy-saving and alternative technologies.
Canada already has a thriving “green” sector, innovating and making money in areas such as energy, infrastructure, transportation, biorefinery, industrial processes and wastewater treatment.
“Canada’s clean tech sector is now a $11.3 billion industry, it employs more Canadians than aerospace, and has the potential to grow to $50 billion by 2022, representing 2% of the global market share,” said Armstrong, suggesting that subsidies for clean technologies instead of oil would be a better investment for Canada.
A study by Analytica Advisors estimates employment in the clean tech sector could grow from the current 41,100, to more than 75,000 in the next eight years.
“Canadian innovation is helping to clean up contaminated land and water, store energy for use during peak demand, improve efficiencies in solar systems and transform greenhouse gases into stronger concrete to build greener buildings,” says the Citizen’s Climate Lobby, commenting on the study.
“Other countries have taken notice, buying environmentally-friendly Canadian technologies that help reduce and recycle solid waste, improve efficiencies and reduce our reliance on fossil fuel and petro-products. Approximately 74 percent of Canadian clean technology companies are exporters, with 42 percent of export sales going to non-US countries.
“While Canadian clean technology enjoys strong market diversification overseas, it struggles to compete domestically. One challenge is the price of carbon-based energy, which is relatively cheap in Canada compared to many countries.
“At a time when the world is thinking twice about investing in a high carbon future, Canada can ill-afford to put its economic eggs in the oil sands basket. According to the IPCC, the world must keep two thirds of all fossil fuel reserves in the ground to avoid dangerous global warming.
“Canada is at a crossroads. Does it invest in dirty oil and pipelines, and lock the country into a high-carbon economy, or does it focus on transforming its economy, using clean technology to drive innovation and economic growth?”
“Building a green economy will create more long-term jobs,” said Armstrong, who remains hopeful that some of those companies could be attracted to Erin. “Smart municipalities are making plans and looking to the future. Election candidates need to say what type of development they would like to see here in the next 50 years.”
Climate change could mean a low flow of water in the West Credit River at certain times. As a precaution against excessive contamination from treated sewage effluent, a 10% cutback has been made in the maximum number of new residents to be allowed in Erin village and Hillsburgh.
Food is another key aspect, with crop yields and fish harvests declining as the world population increases, making it difficult to sustain a quality, affordable supply.
“This is no longer a picture about poor farmers in some regions being hit by climate change,” said Tim Gore, head of policy for food and climate change at Oxfam. “This is a picture about global agriculture being hit – US, Russia, and Australia – with global implications for food prices.”
A TD Bank report says natural catastrophes will cost Canadians an estimated $21-$43 billion per year by 2050.
“The frequency of weather events has increased,” said lead author and TD economist Craig Alexander. “Storms that used to occur every forty years are now occurring every six years. And because of the composition of Canadian economy and society, we’re ending up with more damaging events.”
He said city dwellers are at the highest risk, and with Canadians becoming wealthier, they have more valuable assets to lose in the event of a catastrophic storm. Repairs after a catastrophe tend to inflate the GDP, masking the costs that are shared broadly via the insurance industry and government relief funding.
The TD report highlights estimates that for every dollar invested in adaptation to climate change prevention, such as severe weather resistant buildings, from $9-$38 worth of costs will be avoided in the future.
“Here in the Town of Erin, we should be cognizant of these predicted increases of weather and climate extremes when planning and building new (or replacing old) infrastructure, housing, roads and bridges, etc., significantly boosting their capacity to withstand more punishing climate stresses than in the past,” said Armstrong.
“All of these suggestions were brought forward in 2011 by Amaranth Mayor Don MacIver, an Environment Canada climatologist who was a member of the IPCC. Our Council (present and future) needs to be aware, and prepared to act on his suggestions and forewarnings.”
December 04, 2013
Armstrong helps deliver carbon message to MPs
As published in The Erin Advocate
Erin environmental activist Liz Armstrong has taken up a new strategy in her ongoing effort to make a difference in the greenhouse gas debate, travelling to Ottawa to meet with MPs as part of the Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL).
Concerned about the effects of oil sands development and the risks of associated pipelines, the group is promoting government incentives for a transition to a clean energy economy. They say existing incentives for fossil fuel initiatives should be cancelled, and that consumers should gradually pay more of the true cost of oil.
So we’re back to the debate over a carbon tax, an idea that sparked hostility from voters when the Liberals pitched it back in 2008. The new twist is to make it more palatable by giving all the revenue back to consumers.
CCL is calling it a Carbon Fee and Dividend, in which a tax would be placed on carbon-based fuels at their source (well, mine or port of entry). Companies would pass these costs to customers, resulting in higher fuel prices.
The tax would increase annually so that within 10 years, clean energy would be cheaper than fossil fuels. All of the money collected would be returned equally to all Canadians through tax rebates or “dividends”. Those who use a lot of energy would pay more overall, but CCL estimates that 66% of households would break even or end up with more money.
On November 18, a group of 36 citizen lobbyists went to Parliament Hill and had personal meetings with 25 MPs from various parties. Local MP Michael Chong, who is part of the All-Party Climate Caucus, was not able to meet with them.
Armstrong said people should not be afraid to contact their elected politicians when they have concerns or questions.
“It’s healing the break between people and government. There is a chasm, miles wide. People are cynical. I’ve come to believe that we really do need to engage much more often and in a positive way with politicians. They are the people that we’ve elected to represent us and to do our bidding.”
Consumers need to do much more than buy energy-efficient light bulbs and hybrid cars if they want to make a dent in the amount of carbon going into the atmosphere, she said, just as they need to do more than just vote to be an active member of a democracy.
“Climate change is such a huge issue – it seems overwhelming, because the issue has not really turned any corners. The climate has kept going down – we’re on the same path as we were back in 1989, with probably more greenhouse gases than ever.”
She said Canada is “in a pickle” because of pulling out of the Kyoto climate change agreement, and while the federal government may promise to meet certain targets, it is an “outright prevarication” when the changes are not implemented to make it possible.
“I look for positive things that are happening, but on a very deep level it’s terribly disturbing. When I realized what we’ve set loose in terms of unfettered capitalism that allowed pollution to get out of hand, I thought, western industrialism is driving this whole mess.
“What’s missing is how to engage, especially with politicians, how to sustain the effort and how to maintain your sanity and have fun,” she said.
“More and more people in the world are realizing, that with all these carbon finds, and there have been so many of them with exploration, fracking, and getting to the extreme oil and gas, that we have way more carbon that we could let loose, than the atmosphere can ever take,” she said. “We have to get off fossil fuels. Before they run out, they’ll cook us.”
Anyone who would like more information about the Citizens Climate Lobby is welcome to email: liz@lizarmstrong.ca.
Erin environmental activist Liz Armstrong has taken up a new strategy in her ongoing effort to make a difference in the greenhouse gas debate, travelling to Ottawa to meet with MPs as part of the Citizens Climate Lobby (CCL).
Concerned about the effects of oil sands development and the risks of associated pipelines, the group is promoting government incentives for a transition to a clean energy economy. They say existing incentives for fossil fuel initiatives should be cancelled, and that consumers should gradually pay more of the true cost of oil.
So we’re back to the debate over a carbon tax, an idea that sparked hostility from voters when the Liberals pitched it back in 2008. The new twist is to make it more palatable by giving all the revenue back to consumers.
CCL is calling it a Carbon Fee and Dividend, in which a tax would be placed on carbon-based fuels at their source (well, mine or port of entry). Companies would pass these costs to customers, resulting in higher fuel prices.
The tax would increase annually so that within 10 years, clean energy would be cheaper than fossil fuels. All of the money collected would be returned equally to all Canadians through tax rebates or “dividends”. Those who use a lot of energy would pay more overall, but CCL estimates that 66% of households would break even or end up with more money.
On November 18, a group of 36 citizen lobbyists went to Parliament Hill and had personal meetings with 25 MPs from various parties. Local MP Michael Chong, who is part of the All-Party Climate Caucus, was not able to meet with them.
Armstrong said people should not be afraid to contact their elected politicians when they have concerns or questions.
“It’s healing the break between people and government. There is a chasm, miles wide. People are cynical. I’ve come to believe that we really do need to engage much more often and in a positive way with politicians. They are the people that we’ve elected to represent us and to do our bidding.”
Consumers need to do much more than buy energy-efficient light bulbs and hybrid cars if they want to make a dent in the amount of carbon going into the atmosphere, she said, just as they need to do more than just vote to be an active member of a democracy.
“Climate change is such a huge issue – it seems overwhelming, because the issue has not really turned any corners. The climate has kept going down – we’re on the same path as we were back in 1989, with probably more greenhouse gases than ever.”
She said Canada is “in a pickle” because of pulling out of the Kyoto climate change agreement, and while the federal government may promise to meet certain targets, it is an “outright prevarication” when the changes are not implemented to make it possible.
“I look for positive things that are happening, but on a very deep level it’s terribly disturbing. When I realized what we’ve set loose in terms of unfettered capitalism that allowed pollution to get out of hand, I thought, western industrialism is driving this whole mess.
“What’s missing is how to engage, especially with politicians, how to sustain the effort and how to maintain your sanity and have fun,” she said.
“More and more people in the world are realizing, that with all these carbon finds, and there have been so many of them with exploration, fracking, and getting to the extreme oil and gas, that we have way more carbon that we could let loose, than the atmosphere can ever take,” she said. “We have to get off fossil fuels. Before they run out, they’ll cook us.”
Anyone who would like more information about the Citizens Climate Lobby is welcome to email: liz@lizarmstrong.ca.
April 17, 2013
Climate activists hoping film sparks a revolution
As published in The Erin Advocate
Don't be too alarmed, but you should be aware that some people in Erin are talking about Revolution. It is of the polite and peaceful nature, of course, but it is definitely radical – prodding people towards new ways of thinking about the survival of our species, and towards action.
Climate change might seem like old news by now, or too political, or too complicated to fit into a busy lifestyle, but it is not going away. About 120 people did come out to the Legion last week to see Revolution, at Erin’s 2013 Fast Forward Environmental Film Festival.
Presented by the Climate Change Action Group of Erin (CCAGE) and Transition Erin, and sponsored by Treehaven Natural Foods, the film starts out with the fight to stop the slaughter of sharks for shark fin soup.
Director Rob Stewart of Toronto goes on to document the death of coral reefs and the acidification of oceans due to carbon dioxide emissions, which could wipe out the fishing industry within 35 years.
He heaps special scorn on Alberta's tar sands, as a blatant example of corporate greed and environmental degradation, and covers the efforts of environmental activists to influence global climate change negotiations.
Erin District High School student Sarah Graetz helped introduce the film, saying it is important, especially for young people, to rise to the challenge presented by climate change and be aware of what others are doing.
"I'm definitely not going to sit around and do nothing about it," she said. "As part of today's young generation, our biggest crime so far is ignoring what's going on, and turning away from it.
"I'm looking forward to making a difference, but it's a little hard knowing the facts. I'm just a speck, this one little person in a big world full of people who know more than me, talk louder than me, and have more money than me. But, even being a speck, I can make an impact – a small ripple, if you will – and hopefully it will spread."
The movement has become apocalyptic in its tone, forecasting the extinction of the human race if we don't change our ways. We may be more ambitious than the sharks, but perhaps less resourceful, since they have been around for 420 million years and survived five mass extinctions of other species. Our Homo erectus ancestors evolved only 1.8 million years ago, and Homo sapiens only 200,000 years ago.
Liz Armstrong of CCAGE urged people to promote the Revolution, which opened at major cinemas in Guelph and Brampton last weekend.
"We think this film can be a huge force for positive action on climate change, led by youth," she said. "We can make it truly revolutionary, help it make an indelible mark and a turning point."
Erin's film nights are made special by organic snacks, and last week's featured a spicy Marinated Goat Cheese, from What's Cookin', and Parsnip Chips by LolaJean Gentles. There was promotion of Erin's "FoodShed", which like a watershed, refers to our local resources.
"We try to put people in touch with a really easy, accessible way to be part of the beginning decline in carbon dioxide emissions, by eating differently," said Cathy Hansen of Bernway Farm. "We talk of organic food, of local food, of seasonal food, of simple food, and of storied food – food that has a story that we can relate to that comes from our community."
Armstrong asked people to contact local MP Michael Chong (866-878-5556 or michael.chong@parl.gc.ca) to support stronger climate change policies. And she asked them to take personal action to reduce their carbon footprint, suggesting the website: www.12simplethings.org. For a wide range of local initiatives (and FoodShed recipes), go to: www.transitionerin.ca.
This Saturday, April 20, there's a hands-on gardening workshop called Way to Grow, Erin, 12:30 - 4:30 pm, at Field of Dreams Farm, 9347 Sideroad 9. It will cover seeding, composting, backyard chickens, fruit trees and raised-bed gardens.
On May 4, Erin Trails, CVC, the Rotary Club and other groups are teaming up for a community tree planting at the Deer Pit next to the Elora-Cataract Trail behind the tennis courts starting at 9 am.
That same day, Transition Erin is having its official launch, or "unleashing", noon to 2 pm in the Shamrock Room at Centre 2000. There will be a free hearty soup lunch and author Mike Nickerson will speak about the philosophy of the Transition Movement.
Also on May 4, Erin residents can pick up free trees to plant at home, at the Works Yard on Trafalgar Road. Wellington's Green Legacy Program is providing 5,000 trees, and there is a limit of 50 per family. Donations to the Food Bank will be welcome.
Don't be too alarmed, but you should be aware that some people in Erin are talking about Revolution. It is of the polite and peaceful nature, of course, but it is definitely radical – prodding people towards new ways of thinking about the survival of our species, and towards action.
Climate change might seem like old news by now, or too political, or too complicated to fit into a busy lifestyle, but it is not going away. About 120 people did come out to the Legion last week to see Revolution, at Erin’s 2013 Fast Forward Environmental Film Festival.
Presented by the Climate Change Action Group of Erin (CCAGE) and Transition Erin, and sponsored by Treehaven Natural Foods, the film starts out with the fight to stop the slaughter of sharks for shark fin soup.
Director Rob Stewart of Toronto goes on to document the death of coral reefs and the acidification of oceans due to carbon dioxide emissions, which could wipe out the fishing industry within 35 years.
He heaps special scorn on Alberta's tar sands, as a blatant example of corporate greed and environmental degradation, and covers the efforts of environmental activists to influence global climate change negotiations.
Erin District High School student Sarah Graetz helped introduce the film, saying it is important, especially for young people, to rise to the challenge presented by climate change and be aware of what others are doing.
"I'm definitely not going to sit around and do nothing about it," she said. "As part of today's young generation, our biggest crime so far is ignoring what's going on, and turning away from it.
"I'm looking forward to making a difference, but it's a little hard knowing the facts. I'm just a speck, this one little person in a big world full of people who know more than me, talk louder than me, and have more money than me. But, even being a speck, I can make an impact – a small ripple, if you will – and hopefully it will spread."
The movement has become apocalyptic in its tone, forecasting the extinction of the human race if we don't change our ways. We may be more ambitious than the sharks, but perhaps less resourceful, since they have been around for 420 million years and survived five mass extinctions of other species. Our Homo erectus ancestors evolved only 1.8 million years ago, and Homo sapiens only 200,000 years ago.
Liz Armstrong of CCAGE urged people to promote the Revolution, which opened at major cinemas in Guelph and Brampton last weekend.
"We think this film can be a huge force for positive action on climate change, led by youth," she said. "We can make it truly revolutionary, help it make an indelible mark and a turning point."
Erin's film nights are made special by organic snacks, and last week's featured a spicy Marinated Goat Cheese, from What's Cookin', and Parsnip Chips by LolaJean Gentles. There was promotion of Erin's "FoodShed", which like a watershed, refers to our local resources.
"We try to put people in touch with a really easy, accessible way to be part of the beginning decline in carbon dioxide emissions, by eating differently," said Cathy Hansen of Bernway Farm. "We talk of organic food, of local food, of seasonal food, of simple food, and of storied food – food that has a story that we can relate to that comes from our community."
Armstrong asked people to contact local MP Michael Chong (866-878-5556 or michael.chong@parl.gc.ca) to support stronger climate change policies. And she asked them to take personal action to reduce their carbon footprint, suggesting the website: www.12simplethings.org. For a wide range of local initiatives (and FoodShed recipes), go to: www.transitionerin.ca.
This Saturday, April 20, there's a hands-on gardening workshop called Way to Grow, Erin, 12:30 - 4:30 pm, at Field of Dreams Farm, 9347 Sideroad 9. It will cover seeding, composting, backyard chickens, fruit trees and raised-bed gardens.
On May 4, Erin Trails, CVC, the Rotary Club and other groups are teaming up for a community tree planting at the Deer Pit next to the Elora-Cataract Trail behind the tennis courts starting at 9 am.
That same day, Transition Erin is having its official launch, or "unleashing", noon to 2 pm in the Shamrock Room at Centre 2000. There will be a free hearty soup lunch and author Mike Nickerson will speak about the philosophy of the Transition Movement.
Also on May 4, Erin residents can pick up free trees to plant at home, at the Works Yard on Trafalgar Road. Wellington's Green Legacy Program is providing 5,000 trees, and there is a limit of 50 per family. Donations to the Food Bank will be welcome.
November 30, 2011
Eden Mills really is going carbon neutral
As published in The Erin Advocate
In the global effort to reduce carbon emissions, it is important to look for ways to take action locally. Perhaps Erin could borrow a few ideas from Eden Mills, a village of 163 homes on the Eramosa River near Rockwood, where they have made much progress in making their community carbon neutral.
It started with the Millpond Conservation Association, which for more than 20 years has managed their local historic millpond property as a public conservation area.
They have done dam upgrades, dredged the pond bottom, strengthened the shorelines, maintained a beach, preserved wetlands through a stewardship agreement with landowners, promoted environmental education and paid for insurance so the public can use the area for things like swimming, canoeing and skating.
It is difficult to imagine such a thing in Erin, where most of our shorelines are not readily accessible to the public. That, however, is not today's topic.
In 2007, Eden Mills Going Carbon Neutral was a new project for the Millpond group, with the goal of becoming the first carbon neutral village in North America. It is an example of grass-roots action – not waiting for governments to take the lead.
Linda Sword spoke on behalf of the Eden Mills project at the recent "Making Erin Greener Than Our Shamrock" event, co-sponsored by the Environmental Advisory Group of Erin and the Climate Change Action Group of Erin.
"I am excited to meet another community working together to make change," she said. "Going carbon neutral means emitting no more carbon dioxide than we absorb, and that means both reducing our use of fossil fuels and increasing our absorption of CO2."
Of course, it is not possible to completely avoid emitting carbon, especially in our oil-driven economy. But Eden Mills has shrunk its overall carbon footprint by 12 per cent in three years, half by capturing more carbon with thousands of newly-planted trees, with help from the Wellington Green Legacy Program. The other half is from conservation and increased use of green energy sources. The project was praised at the annual international symposium of the Canadian Institute of Planners last year, as a model for others to follow.
"We can see the results of one person’s change rubbing off on another," said Sword. "While one neighbour replaces appliances, the next stops using the clothes dryer, choosing air drying. While one neighbour buys food at the local organic farm, two other families join up to manage a vegetable garden in their backyards and share the produce. The examples are many, and the financial savings are often significant."
The process relies on getting good technical advice, to estimate how much carbon is stored locally and how much more can be captured through tree planting. The local carbon footprint (emissions from households, businesses and travel), is estimated using household surveys (done every two years).
Fourth year students from the University of Guelph Environmental Studies program helped calculate the baseline carbon sequestration rate, while graduate students from the School of Forestry studied the relative sequestration rates of young trees. Students continue to help with the design and analysis of the surveys. About half of the households provide full information, which remains confidential, since the students provide direct feedback to the residents, but only totals and analysis to the organization.
The baseline was an annual emissions footprint of 4,621 tonnes of carbon, with lack of public transportation being a key factor. That's been reduced by six per cent. The baseline of sequestration was 2,608 tonnes – emissions already being neutralized every year by trees and vegetation. That has been increased by six per cent.
To achieve the carbon neutral balance, they started with a goal of neutralizing just over 2,000 tonnes, and now have 1,367 to go.
Sword is the author of a handbook called So You Want to Go Carbon Neutral? It takes a Village, one of several resources available through the Education section of the group's website, www.goingcarbonneutral.ca. They offer DVD-based workshops and host guest speakers.
Eden Mills resident Richard Lay, a professional engineer with Enermodal (Canada's largest green building consulting firm), has been a key player in the village's environmental progress. He founded the Millpond Conservation Association, volunteered professional advice for Going Carbon Neutral and did a full energy audit of the Community Hall.
Last month he was awarded the 2011 Engineering Medal of Achievement for the University of Guelph. A few weeks later, he accepted the Tree of Life award on behalf of his firm, from the association of Canadian Consulting Engineering Companies.
Last week, the Millpond association and the Eden Mills Community and District Club announced that they have been awarded a Trillium Foundation grant of $120,000, and a $50,000 incentive loan from the Wellington-Waterloo Community Futures Development Corporation. It will help pay for reductions in the carbon footprint of their community hall, installation of solar panels and improved accessibility.
In the global effort to reduce carbon emissions, it is important to look for ways to take action locally. Perhaps Erin could borrow a few ideas from Eden Mills, a village of 163 homes on the Eramosa River near Rockwood, where they have made much progress in making their community carbon neutral.
It started with the Millpond Conservation Association, which for more than 20 years has managed their local historic millpond property as a public conservation area.
They have done dam upgrades, dredged the pond bottom, strengthened the shorelines, maintained a beach, preserved wetlands through a stewardship agreement with landowners, promoted environmental education and paid for insurance so the public can use the area for things like swimming, canoeing and skating.
It is difficult to imagine such a thing in Erin, where most of our shorelines are not readily accessible to the public. That, however, is not today's topic.
In 2007, Eden Mills Going Carbon Neutral was a new project for the Millpond group, with the goal of becoming the first carbon neutral village in North America. It is an example of grass-roots action – not waiting for governments to take the lead.
Linda Sword spoke on behalf of the Eden Mills project at the recent "Making Erin Greener Than Our Shamrock" event, co-sponsored by the Environmental Advisory Group of Erin and the Climate Change Action Group of Erin.
"I am excited to meet another community working together to make change," she said. "Going carbon neutral means emitting no more carbon dioxide than we absorb, and that means both reducing our use of fossil fuels and increasing our absorption of CO2."
Of course, it is not possible to completely avoid emitting carbon, especially in our oil-driven economy. But Eden Mills has shrunk its overall carbon footprint by 12 per cent in three years, half by capturing more carbon with thousands of newly-planted trees, with help from the Wellington Green Legacy Program. The other half is from conservation and increased use of green energy sources. The project was praised at the annual international symposium of the Canadian Institute of Planners last year, as a model for others to follow.
"We can see the results of one person’s change rubbing off on another," said Sword. "While one neighbour replaces appliances, the next stops using the clothes dryer, choosing air drying. While one neighbour buys food at the local organic farm, two other families join up to manage a vegetable garden in their backyards and share the produce. The examples are many, and the financial savings are often significant."
The process relies on getting good technical advice, to estimate how much carbon is stored locally and how much more can be captured through tree planting. The local carbon footprint (emissions from households, businesses and travel), is estimated using household surveys (done every two years).
Fourth year students from the University of Guelph Environmental Studies program helped calculate the baseline carbon sequestration rate, while graduate students from the School of Forestry studied the relative sequestration rates of young trees. Students continue to help with the design and analysis of the surveys. About half of the households provide full information, which remains confidential, since the students provide direct feedback to the residents, but only totals and analysis to the organization.
The baseline was an annual emissions footprint of 4,621 tonnes of carbon, with lack of public transportation being a key factor. That's been reduced by six per cent. The baseline of sequestration was 2,608 tonnes – emissions already being neutralized every year by trees and vegetation. That has been increased by six per cent.
To achieve the carbon neutral balance, they started with a goal of neutralizing just over 2,000 tonnes, and now have 1,367 to go.
Sword is the author of a handbook called So You Want to Go Carbon Neutral? It takes a Village, one of several resources available through the Education section of the group's website, www.goingcarbonneutral.ca. They offer DVD-based workshops and host guest speakers.
Eden Mills resident Richard Lay, a professional engineer with Enermodal (Canada's largest green building consulting firm), has been a key player in the village's environmental progress. He founded the Millpond Conservation Association, volunteered professional advice for Going Carbon Neutral and did a full energy audit of the Community Hall.
Last month he was awarded the 2011 Engineering Medal of Achievement for the University of Guelph. A few weeks later, he accepted the Tree of Life award on behalf of his firm, from the association of Canadian Consulting Engineering Companies.
Last week, the Millpond association and the Eden Mills Community and District Club announced that they have been awarded a Trillium Foundation grant of $120,000, and a $50,000 incentive loan from the Wellington-Waterloo Community Futures Development Corporation. It will help pay for reductions in the carbon footprint of their community hall, installation of solar panels and improved accessibility.
September 21, 2011
Getting serious about transportation alternatives
As published in The Erin Advocate
For the past 15 years, I've been thinking about cycling to Hillsburgh and back, along the route of the old Credit Valley Railway, but have never gotten around to it. I've needed a special event to prod me into action, and now it has arrived.
There's a community bike ride this Saturday, September 24, on the Elora Cataract Trail, with registration starting at 8:30 am in Erin and at 9:15 am in Hillsburgh. It is a political demonstration, of the decidedly peaceful variety, to show local politicians and provincial candidates that people feel strongly about curbing greenhouse gases, promoting alternative methods of transportation and reducing Canada's carbon output.
Sponsored by Credit Valley Conservation Authority (CVC), the Climate Change Action Group of Erin (CCAGE) and Erin Trails, it should be an enjoyable way to bring people together. It is part of a world-wide day of cycling action called Moving Planet: A Day to Move Away from Fossil Fuels. A visit to www.350.org will update you on the many efforts to reduce the earth's carbon dioxide level to 350 parts per million. For more information on the Erin "Ride for Change", contact Heidi Matthews at 519-833-9816 or email: gsheidim@gmail.com.
A bike ride won't shut down the carbon-producing tar sands in Alberta or produce immediate changes in our consumption-driven, car-dependent economy. But doing something is always more powerful than just talking. If millions of people not only speak up to say that current trends are unacceptable, but also demonstrate that they are willing to make lifestyle changes to benefit the planet, they will have an impact.
Another way to make a difference locally is to fill out the on-line survey that is part of the Wellington Active Transportation Plan, which aims to get more people involved in things like walking, jogging, running, cycling, in-line skating, skateboarding and even snowshoeing. The goal is to make non-motorized transportation more practical for commuting to work or school, for recreation and exercise, and for destination travel such as shopping and visiting friends.
This would be achieved not just through education, but by improvements to infrastructure such as bike lanes and trails. It is a joint effort involving the Public Health Unit, the County and local municipalities.
Do a search on Wellington Active Transportation or go to www.surveymonkey.com/Wellington_Questionnaires to access the survey. It will take about 15 minutes to complete, asking about current activities and priorities for improvements. You do not have to provide personal information.
In the Comments section at the end, I made two suggestions. If you agree with them, please back them up with your own comments. First, that both the County and local municipalities should commit to creating paved bike lanes whenever a road is being rebuilt. This does cost more initially, but some costs are recovered over time because the wider pavement lasts longer.
Second, that Wellington County establish a fund, similar to those in Peel and Halton Regions, to contribute towards the purchase of lands for protection of natural areas and development of recreation and trails. Such deals are typically coordinated by conservation authorities and often require funding from several sources – provincial, region/county, town and charitable foundations.
I saw a notice recently that Centre Wellington (Fergus-Elora) is launching a formal study to create a Trails Master Plan, a process they expect to cost about $50,000. Erin does not have that kind of money for trails, but it is worth noting that trails have become a high priority for many municipalities.
Trails are not a recreation luxury. They should be a key part of the local infrastructure, supporting physical and mental health, environmental protection, road safety, tourism, economic development and the town's reputation at large.
For the past 15 years, I've been thinking about cycling to Hillsburgh and back, along the route of the old Credit Valley Railway, but have never gotten around to it. I've needed a special event to prod me into action, and now it has arrived.
There's a community bike ride this Saturday, September 24, on the Elora Cataract Trail, with registration starting at 8:30 am in Erin and at 9:15 am in Hillsburgh. It is a political demonstration, of the decidedly peaceful variety, to show local politicians and provincial candidates that people feel strongly about curbing greenhouse gases, promoting alternative methods of transportation and reducing Canada's carbon output.
Sponsored by Credit Valley Conservation Authority (CVC), the Climate Change Action Group of Erin (CCAGE) and Erin Trails, it should be an enjoyable way to bring people together. It is part of a world-wide day of cycling action called Moving Planet: A Day to Move Away from Fossil Fuels. A visit to www.350.org will update you on the many efforts to reduce the earth's carbon dioxide level to 350 parts per million. For more information on the Erin "Ride for Change", contact Heidi Matthews at 519-833-9816 or email: gsheidim@gmail.com.
A bike ride won't shut down the carbon-producing tar sands in Alberta or produce immediate changes in our consumption-driven, car-dependent economy. But doing something is always more powerful than just talking. If millions of people not only speak up to say that current trends are unacceptable, but also demonstrate that they are willing to make lifestyle changes to benefit the planet, they will have an impact.
Another way to make a difference locally is to fill out the on-line survey that is part of the Wellington Active Transportation Plan, which aims to get more people involved in things like walking, jogging, running, cycling, in-line skating, skateboarding and even snowshoeing. The goal is to make non-motorized transportation more practical for commuting to work or school, for recreation and exercise, and for destination travel such as shopping and visiting friends.
This would be achieved not just through education, but by improvements to infrastructure such as bike lanes and trails. It is a joint effort involving the Public Health Unit, the County and local municipalities.
Do a search on Wellington Active Transportation or go to www.surveymonkey.com/Wellington_Questionnaires to access the survey. It will take about 15 minutes to complete, asking about current activities and priorities for improvements. You do not have to provide personal information.
In the Comments section at the end, I made two suggestions. If you agree with them, please back them up with your own comments. First, that both the County and local municipalities should commit to creating paved bike lanes whenever a road is being rebuilt. This does cost more initially, but some costs are recovered over time because the wider pavement lasts longer.
Second, that Wellington County establish a fund, similar to those in Peel and Halton Regions, to contribute towards the purchase of lands for protection of natural areas and development of recreation and trails. Such deals are typically coordinated by conservation authorities and often require funding from several sources – provincial, region/county, town and charitable foundations.
I saw a notice recently that Centre Wellington (Fergus-Elora) is launching a formal study to create a Trails Master Plan, a process they expect to cost about $50,000. Erin does not have that kind of money for trails, but it is worth noting that trails have become a high priority for many municipalities.
Trails are not a recreation luxury. They should be a key part of the local infrastructure, supporting physical and mental health, environmental protection, road safety, tourism, economic development and the town's reputation at large.
April 06, 2011
Filling those blue boxes is just not good enough
As published in The Erin Advocate
If your proficiency at diverting paper, glass, cans and plastic into blue boxes every week has you feeling like a proud environmentalist, maybe it's time to check the bar. It was raised, quite a while ago, and now some are suggesting that the Blue Box Habit is doing more harm than good.
The issue is illustrated in the "3 R's" slogan, proclaimed by governments and activists seeking to change how people deal with trash. "Reduce, reuse and recycle" has been etched on the public blackboard, but only the third part has really sunk in.
The idea was to first reduce the amount of waste we buy and create, then reuse whatever we can, and only then put material into recycling programs. Of course, it is still better to fill blue boxes than to ship it all to the dump, but it is still an expensive pile of stuff to process – a cost borne by taxpayers, not the companies that manufacture the waste.
There were some interesting comments on the topic after last month's showing of the film Tapped, about the bottled water industry. It was part of the Fast Forward Film Festival, presented by Credit Valley Conservation and the Climate Change Action Group of Erin (CCAGE), which opposes the trend to single-use plastic containers.
The prime target is Nestlé, of course, getting its water virtually for free from high capacity wells in Aberfoyle, Hillsburgh and other small towns in Canada and the US. Should the provincial government simply charge high fees for water extraction, like they would for oil? Would that further legitimize the practice?
The Town of Erin might not mind a slice of that revenue – it would be like having a casino in your territory. Environmental benefits could flow from a huge increase in the price of bottled water: less consumption, less harmful plastic, fewer tanker trucks and less need to recycle.
Nestlé will seek renewal of its Hillsburgh license next year and there will be lots of opposition. If you want to get in on it, or help make bottled water an election issue, contact Liz Armstrong of CCAGE at liz@ican.net, Wellington Water Watchers at 519-780-5030, or go to www.wellingtonwaterwatchers.ca.
Nestlé has tried to purchase some good will in Erin and Aberfoyle with major donations to parks and recreation facilities, and the world's largest food processor makes much of its recycling efforts.
"Recycling is garbage," said Mike Nagy, one of the driving forces at Water Wachers, during the forum after the film. "It's a way of making you feel you're doing something good for the environment. You are not. Refuse, reduce, reuse. Because if you go by the theory that recycling is better, and I have 50 blue boxes in my driveway, I'm 50 times better than you, because I am recycling more. It's the reverse.
"We need to remove profiteering. If they get the water, and you want to buy it, it should be your right. But it should cost a lot of money. And it should be in returnable glass that you take back, not recycle. Fifteen years ago, we bought pop in this province in returnable bottles, and it's gone.
"The best thing that ever happened to the environmental movement was the blue box, and the absolute single worst thing that ever happened to the environmental movement was the blue box. It was a convenient way for industry to make you dispose of their products...and it costs the taxpayers a ton of money."
He said that since the blue box was introduced, we have not just recycled more, but the number of packaged products has increased dramatically.
Doug Hodgson, a farmer and environmental lawyer who operates Uphill Farm Organics at Third Line and County Road 50 in Erin, sponsored the film night and had the last word.
"Bottled water is a small piece of a much larger picture on water," he said, noting that 70 per cent of the fresh water in the world is used for agriculture. "Bottled water is really the low hanging fruit. If we want to do something about climate change, start with the easy stuff. Bottled water is a product we just don't need. Just drop it.
"The enemy isn't really Nestlé. The enemy is us. They're selling it to us for a buck and a half, but we're paying a buck and a half.
"If you want to change human behaviour, look at our tax laws. We need carbon taxes. We have to de-carbonize our economy. If you look at the bottled water industry, they're not paying for the damned stuff. All the costs are energy costs... So vote for carbon taxes. Double the cost of bottled water."
If your proficiency at diverting paper, glass, cans and plastic into blue boxes every week has you feeling like a proud environmentalist, maybe it's time to check the bar. It was raised, quite a while ago, and now some are suggesting that the Blue Box Habit is doing more harm than good.
The issue is illustrated in the "3 R's" slogan, proclaimed by governments and activists seeking to change how people deal with trash. "Reduce, reuse and recycle" has been etched on the public blackboard, but only the third part has really sunk in.
The idea was to first reduce the amount of waste we buy and create, then reuse whatever we can, and only then put material into recycling programs. Of course, it is still better to fill blue boxes than to ship it all to the dump, but it is still an expensive pile of stuff to process – a cost borne by taxpayers, not the companies that manufacture the waste.
There were some interesting comments on the topic after last month's showing of the film Tapped, about the bottled water industry. It was part of the Fast Forward Film Festival, presented by Credit Valley Conservation and the Climate Change Action Group of Erin (CCAGE), which opposes the trend to single-use plastic containers.
The prime target is Nestlé, of course, getting its water virtually for free from high capacity wells in Aberfoyle, Hillsburgh and other small towns in Canada and the US. Should the provincial government simply charge high fees for water extraction, like they would for oil? Would that further legitimize the practice?
The Town of Erin might not mind a slice of that revenue – it would be like having a casino in your territory. Environmental benefits could flow from a huge increase in the price of bottled water: less consumption, less harmful plastic, fewer tanker trucks and less need to recycle.
Nestlé will seek renewal of its Hillsburgh license next year and there will be lots of opposition. If you want to get in on it, or help make bottled water an election issue, contact Liz Armstrong of CCAGE at liz@ican.net, Wellington Water Watchers at 519-780-5030, or go to www.wellingtonwaterwatchers.ca.
Nestlé has tried to purchase some good will in Erin and Aberfoyle with major donations to parks and recreation facilities, and the world's largest food processor makes much of its recycling efforts.
"Recycling is garbage," said Mike Nagy, one of the driving forces at Water Wachers, during the forum after the film. "It's a way of making you feel you're doing something good for the environment. You are not. Refuse, reduce, reuse. Because if you go by the theory that recycling is better, and I have 50 blue boxes in my driveway, I'm 50 times better than you, because I am recycling more. It's the reverse.
"We need to remove profiteering. If they get the water, and you want to buy it, it should be your right. But it should cost a lot of money. And it should be in returnable glass that you take back, not recycle. Fifteen years ago, we bought pop in this province in returnable bottles, and it's gone.
"The best thing that ever happened to the environmental movement was the blue box, and the absolute single worst thing that ever happened to the environmental movement was the blue box. It was a convenient way for industry to make you dispose of their products...and it costs the taxpayers a ton of money."
He said that since the blue box was introduced, we have not just recycled more, but the number of packaged products has increased dramatically.
Doug Hodgson, a farmer and environmental lawyer who operates Uphill Farm Organics at Third Line and County Road 50 in Erin, sponsored the film night and had the last word.
"Bottled water is a small piece of a much larger picture on water," he said, noting that 70 per cent of the fresh water in the world is used for agriculture. "Bottled water is really the low hanging fruit. If we want to do something about climate change, start with the easy stuff. Bottled water is a product we just don't need. Just drop it.
"The enemy isn't really Nestlé. The enemy is us. They're selling it to us for a buck and a half, but we're paying a buck and a half.
"If you want to change human behaviour, look at our tax laws. We need carbon taxes. We have to de-carbonize our economy. If you look at the bottled water industry, they're not paying for the damned stuff. All the costs are energy costs... So vote for carbon taxes. Double the cost of bottled water."
February 02, 2011
Staying in touch with the soil from which we came
As published in The Erin Advocate
I did not realize just how passionate some farmers are about the value of soil until I attended the Fast Forward Film Festival, featuring Dirt! The Movie.
The film is well-crafted, as an education about nutrients and the multitude of organisms in soil. About how farmland has been damaged by development, over-use of chemicals and the planting of single crops over large areas. It is a call for political action in defence of the land.
More fascinating was that 125 people came out to watch a movie about dirt on a frigid January evening, listen to local farmers and share ideas in an open forum.
The festival is a joint project of the Climate Change Action Group of Erin (CCAGE) and Credit Valley Conservation, with the opening night sponsored by Treehaven Natural Foods.
"We're all dirt," said Cathy Hansen of Bernway Farm in Ospringe, who helped organize the event. She is an organic farmer and local food educator. "Every last one of us relies on dirt for the sustenance of all of our cells, and for the future of our families and our children to come. Dirt is an essential living part of our planet – the only planet in the solar system with a living, breathing skin.
"You might think, how do soil and climate change go together? Soil can sequester carbon, take carbon out of our atmosphere if it's managed in the right way, but it can also give up a lot of carbon if we're not careful in how we manage our soils and our forests."
There was a panel of organic farmers, including teacher Amy Ouchterlony of Whole Village, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program in Caledon, dedicated to sustainable living (www.wholevillage.org). She said it is important not only to talk about sustainable agriculture, but to actually do it.
"We've had students come out and get community service hours on the farm, weeding, harvesting potatoes – you really need to feel that, " she said. "We need students to realize that farming is a career. It's a career path that we don't tell kids about...We're so lucky in this area, within half an hour of this spot there are more of the kind of farms this movie was talking about than any other places I can think of."
There were calls for reform of the provincial curriculum to include more about agriculture. Several elementary school students came to the microphone to participate the discussion. Holly Lauryssen and Paige Bromby of St. John Brebeuf told proudly about their school garden and the composting of lunch scraps.
"The basic knowledge is not taught in schools," said Erin farmer John Slack, President of Agricultural Mineral Prospectors Inc. "It is really up to us as a community to put these things in action. I don't have much faith in our political system, regardless of how hard we yell."
Slack had a lot to say about the unique features of the Erin landscape and the importance of preserving them. There's not room in this column, but I will share more of his comments in the near future.
Abhi Wahi is the manager of Whole Circle Farm on County Road 50 in Erin, near Rockwood (www.wholecirclefarm.ca). He spoke about building the next generation of farmers:
"Whole Circle has been taking on interns and apprentices for quite a while now. Age is not a limit, anyone can join. We train people to become farmers, to work with the soil, to build the soil using biodynamic practices, to encourage life in the soil, to grow food that is nutrient rich, food that's full of life. Not everyone who goes through our program ends up becoming a farmer, but in some way or another it does really affect their lives. They do go forward, encourage others or work within the field. We love visitors and volunteers to come by."
Cathy Hansen had an interesting idea for expanding the concept of community gardens.
"In a town like Erin where everybody is on a septic tank, not everybody can grow a garden in their backyard because of the issues around growing food in proximity to your septic field. We do have acreages in the community that would be walkable for people that would allow people to grow garden plots, like they do in the city.
"I am going to advocate that the Town of Erin start to look into the opportunity that we might have to develop, rather than a new industrial park, an agricultural park. A place that runs on a similar concept to an industrial park, except it's set up to grow food – small plot farming with infrastructures to support those farms.
"Farming is changing. Farms are no longer passing through families. We have new people coming into farming – the young, ambitious landless farmer. I would love to see Erin be put on the map for creating such a thing as an agricultural park, with infrastructure, with a small abattoir, with a functioning feed mill, with small plots available, with communal equipment."
I did not realize just how passionate some farmers are about the value of soil until I attended the Fast Forward Film Festival, featuring Dirt! The Movie.
The film is well-crafted, as an education about nutrients and the multitude of organisms in soil. About how farmland has been damaged by development, over-use of chemicals and the planting of single crops over large areas. It is a call for political action in defence of the land.
More fascinating was that 125 people came out to watch a movie about dirt on a frigid January evening, listen to local farmers and share ideas in an open forum.
The festival is a joint project of the Climate Change Action Group of Erin (CCAGE) and Credit Valley Conservation, with the opening night sponsored by Treehaven Natural Foods.
"We're all dirt," said Cathy Hansen of Bernway Farm in Ospringe, who helped organize the event. She is an organic farmer and local food educator. "Every last one of us relies on dirt for the sustenance of all of our cells, and for the future of our families and our children to come. Dirt is an essential living part of our planet – the only planet in the solar system with a living, breathing skin.
"You might think, how do soil and climate change go together? Soil can sequester carbon, take carbon out of our atmosphere if it's managed in the right way, but it can also give up a lot of carbon if we're not careful in how we manage our soils and our forests."
There was a panel of organic farmers, including teacher Amy Ouchterlony of Whole Village, a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) Program in Caledon, dedicated to sustainable living (www.wholevillage.org). She said it is important not only to talk about sustainable agriculture, but to actually do it.
"We've had students come out and get community service hours on the farm, weeding, harvesting potatoes – you really need to feel that, " she said. "We need students to realize that farming is a career. It's a career path that we don't tell kids about...We're so lucky in this area, within half an hour of this spot there are more of the kind of farms this movie was talking about than any other places I can think of."
There were calls for reform of the provincial curriculum to include more about agriculture. Several elementary school students came to the microphone to participate the discussion. Holly Lauryssen and Paige Bromby of St. John Brebeuf told proudly about their school garden and the composting of lunch scraps.
"The basic knowledge is not taught in schools," said Erin farmer John Slack, President of Agricultural Mineral Prospectors Inc. "It is really up to us as a community to put these things in action. I don't have much faith in our political system, regardless of how hard we yell."
Slack had a lot to say about the unique features of the Erin landscape and the importance of preserving them. There's not room in this column, but I will share more of his comments in the near future.
Abhi Wahi is the manager of Whole Circle Farm on County Road 50 in Erin, near Rockwood (www.wholecirclefarm.ca). He spoke about building the next generation of farmers:
"Whole Circle has been taking on interns and apprentices for quite a while now. Age is not a limit, anyone can join. We train people to become farmers, to work with the soil, to build the soil using biodynamic practices, to encourage life in the soil, to grow food that is nutrient rich, food that's full of life. Not everyone who goes through our program ends up becoming a farmer, but in some way or another it does really affect their lives. They do go forward, encourage others or work within the field. We love visitors and volunteers to come by."
Cathy Hansen had an interesting idea for expanding the concept of community gardens.
"In a town like Erin where everybody is on a septic tank, not everybody can grow a garden in their backyard because of the issues around growing food in proximity to your septic field. We do have acreages in the community that would be walkable for people that would allow people to grow garden plots, like they do in the city.
"I am going to advocate that the Town of Erin start to look into the opportunity that we might have to develop, rather than a new industrial park, an agricultural park. A place that runs on a similar concept to an industrial park, except it's set up to grow food – small plot farming with infrastructures to support those farms.
"Farming is changing. Farms are no longer passing through families. We have new people coming into farming – the young, ambitious landless farmer. I would love to see Erin be put on the map for creating such a thing as an agricultural park, with infrastructure, with a small abattoir, with a functioning feed mill, with small plots available, with communal equipment."
October 27, 2010
Looking for good news on climate change
As published in The Erin Advocate
It seems like everywhere you turn these days, someone is cranking the alarm, telling us that life as we know it will be ending sooner instead of later. In this era of instant news and short attention spans, it is hard to maintain a focus on complex disasters like climate change. They say it's happening fast, but it seems so slow.
Depressing news seems to trigger either a hope reflex or a total tune-out. People will seek a quick bite of "It's not going to be that bad", or settle for a forkful of "Why the heck should I care?"
I went looking for some good news on climate change, but the pickin's were slim. I heard climate change expert Don MacIver speak in Alton, at an evening sponsored by Caledon's Green T Environmental Awareness and Credit Valley Conservation (CVC).
MacIver has the ultimate credentials. He is a farmer, the mayor of Amaranth Township (near Shelburne) and a climate change scientist with Environment Canada. As a researcher with the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, he shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore.
"The atmosphere is unforgiving," he said. "It doesn't even know we exist. But we have tickled it. We need to find out how we're going to adapt to these changes. Damaging storms will be more common and more severe."
We will need stronger buildings, bridges, roads and drainage systems, and they will have to be replaced more often. Municipalities will need plans to deal with more frequent flooding and heat waves, and be prepared for more freezing rain instead of snow.
Most municipalities are not even able to maintain existing infrastructure, so the situation seems bleak. Can we accept the idea that our standard of living has been unsustainably high, and that sacrifices will have to be made (higher taxes, lower expectations) if we want to preserve a portion of what we have had?
Canada's climate has changed significantly since the 1950s, accelerated by human activity. Temperatures have increased, especially in the winter and spring, with the annual average up 1.4 degrees. There will be more wildfires, more drought in the prairies and higher sea levels – though it will be a long time before we have a shorter drive to the ocean shore.
Since 1960, CVC and its partners have fought the change, planting 2,500 hectares of new forests in the watershed. They hope to capture an extra 5,400 tonnes of carbon per year, adding about .8 per cent to the 6.5 million tonnes our forests already store. As climate zones move north, they will have to plant the types of trees that now flourish in places like Pennsylvania.
The issues now revolve around mitigation, not on stopping or reversing climate change. "It is too late for that – we have to adapt," said MacIver, challenging people to be creative in their response to the crisis. "Climate change doesn't always have to be bad and disastrous."
The harsh realities will be in the news. More people (far away) will perish due to storms and floods. Aboriginal communities (far away) will have to abandon their traditional way of life. Entire species (far away) will be lost to extinction. Nations (far away) will go to war over scarce food and water.
On the bright side, we may get a 20 per cent longer golf season. As polar ice melts, Canada's economy may benefit from northern ports, Arctic tourism and access to more oil, gas and minerals. (No wonder the oil companies are in no rush to slow global warming.)
We live in a protected bubble here, overflowing with resources and suffering few natural disasters. But if the economies of our trading partners are devastated by climate change, our economy will be extremely vulnerable. When we get the inevitable "carbon tax", will we welcome a conserving lifestyle?
If farmers can deal with more drought and pests, maybe they can benefit from a longer growing season. If we can get used to hotter summers, maybe we will appreciate the money saved on winter heating.
Over a million people and a thousand stewardship groups are active in Canada, working to protect or restore forests and wetlands. Together with alternatives to fossil fuels, these efforts will be key to preserving a portion of our standard of living. The fact that Canada produces a small fraction of the world's greenhouse gases should not stop us from showing leadership in this area.
If the average citizen comes to feel personally threatened by changes in the climate, perhaps stewardship efforts will involve the majority of people – an act of communal defence on an increasingly inhospitable planet.
It seems like everywhere you turn these days, someone is cranking the alarm, telling us that life as we know it will be ending sooner instead of later. In this era of instant news and short attention spans, it is hard to maintain a focus on complex disasters like climate change. They say it's happening fast, but it seems so slow.
Depressing news seems to trigger either a hope reflex or a total tune-out. People will seek a quick bite of "It's not going to be that bad", or settle for a forkful of "Why the heck should I care?"
I went looking for some good news on climate change, but the pickin's were slim. I heard climate change expert Don MacIver speak in Alton, at an evening sponsored by Caledon's Green T Environmental Awareness and Credit Valley Conservation (CVC).
MacIver has the ultimate credentials. He is a farmer, the mayor of Amaranth Township (near Shelburne) and a climate change scientist with Environment Canada. As a researcher with the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, he shared the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize with Al Gore.
"The atmosphere is unforgiving," he said. "It doesn't even know we exist. But we have tickled it. We need to find out how we're going to adapt to these changes. Damaging storms will be more common and more severe."
We will need stronger buildings, bridges, roads and drainage systems, and they will have to be replaced more often. Municipalities will need plans to deal with more frequent flooding and heat waves, and be prepared for more freezing rain instead of snow.
Most municipalities are not even able to maintain existing infrastructure, so the situation seems bleak. Can we accept the idea that our standard of living has been unsustainably high, and that sacrifices will have to be made (higher taxes, lower expectations) if we want to preserve a portion of what we have had?
Canada's climate has changed significantly since the 1950s, accelerated by human activity. Temperatures have increased, especially in the winter and spring, with the annual average up 1.4 degrees. There will be more wildfires, more drought in the prairies and higher sea levels – though it will be a long time before we have a shorter drive to the ocean shore.
Since 1960, CVC and its partners have fought the change, planting 2,500 hectares of new forests in the watershed. They hope to capture an extra 5,400 tonnes of carbon per year, adding about .8 per cent to the 6.5 million tonnes our forests already store. As climate zones move north, they will have to plant the types of trees that now flourish in places like Pennsylvania.
The issues now revolve around mitigation, not on stopping or reversing climate change. "It is too late for that – we have to adapt," said MacIver, challenging people to be creative in their response to the crisis. "Climate change doesn't always have to be bad and disastrous."
The harsh realities will be in the news. More people (far away) will perish due to storms and floods. Aboriginal communities (far away) will have to abandon their traditional way of life. Entire species (far away) will be lost to extinction. Nations (far away) will go to war over scarce food and water.
On the bright side, we may get a 20 per cent longer golf season. As polar ice melts, Canada's economy may benefit from northern ports, Arctic tourism and access to more oil, gas and minerals. (No wonder the oil companies are in no rush to slow global warming.)
We live in a protected bubble here, overflowing with resources and suffering few natural disasters. But if the economies of our trading partners are devastated by climate change, our economy will be extremely vulnerable. When we get the inevitable "carbon tax", will we welcome a conserving lifestyle?
If farmers can deal with more drought and pests, maybe they can benefit from a longer growing season. If we can get used to hotter summers, maybe we will appreciate the money saved on winter heating.
Over a million people and a thousand stewardship groups are active in Canada, working to protect or restore forests and wetlands. Together with alternatives to fossil fuels, these efforts will be key to preserving a portion of our standard of living. The fact that Canada produces a small fraction of the world's greenhouse gases should not stop us from showing leadership in this area.
If the average citizen comes to feel personally threatened by changes in the climate, perhaps stewardship efforts will involve the majority of people – an act of communal defence on an increasingly inhospitable planet.
July 02, 2008
Moonlighting for gas money
As published in The Erin Advocate
With the price of gas these days, it’s costing me $320 a month at the gas pumps just to get to work and back, a 100-kilometre round trip five days a week to the middle of Mississauga.
So I started thinking of ways to make my money go further, or make a bit more of it. I’ve got a decent job, but we haven’t had a raise in years.
A small job on the side would ease the pain of filling my gas tank. It would have to be something flexible, not too hard, close to home and preferably interesting. But where would I find a job like that?
Then I picked up the Erin Advocate and saw that Harry Smith had written his farewell column. I’ve been out of the newspaper business for 17 years, but I’ve always thought I might return somehow, so I called Joan Murray to see if she was looking for a new columnist.
She liked the idea, but said she wouldn’t be able to pay me much. I said that was perfect. Now all I have to do is figure out what to say.
What’s on my mind is energy prices, and in particular the carbon tax plan just announced by the federal Liberals. They call it the “Green Shift”.
If elected, they would increase taxes on energy producers, who would pass the cost on to the public, who would theoretically then use less energy. We’d be doing our bit to save the planet from greenhouse gases, and be rewarded with lower income taxes and other rebates. It’s a watered-down version of Green Party policy.
People in Erin, especially those who commute to work, have good reason to be wary of this plan, which is partly designed to get people to use public transit.
How many Erin residents would move to a city or change jobs, just to avoid using their cars? Some may buy more fuel-efficient cars, but many would simply absorb the cost.
We’ll still need to heat our homes with more expensive fuel, and buy products that have been transported with more expensive fuel. A 1-2 per cent reduction in our income taxes may not feel like adequate compensation.
For the government books, the plan will be “revenue neutral”, supposedly guaranteed by law. That doesn’t means neutral for everyone – some will gain and some will be worse off. The GST was supposed to be “revenue neutral” too, but it wasn’t.
The plan includes a Green Rural Credit of $150 for “rural” Canadians. Per year. It’s not clear whether this includes people in small towns, but in any case it’s a small amount compared to the massive surge of price pressure that a carbon tax would produce throughout the economy.
It would be much more than a tax – really a massive reform of the tax system, loaded with credits, hoping to offset the impact on businesses and lower-income Canadians.
It would be an attempt to change people’s behaviour – how they travel, where they live, what they consume and how they think about the world, by deliberately inflicting economic pain.
Global climate change is a serious problem, and maybe drastic measures are needed. But who is going to vote in favour of extra pain?
Do you have confidence in Stéphane Dion to actually make it work? Do you think the Conservatives’ less drastic plan will actually do any good? It’s not a pretty picture.
Here’s my advice to Dion (though it may be too late). Get yourself elected with other more pleasant promises. Once in power, nail us with the “Green Shift”.
If that doesn’t work out, you’ll have to leave. And maybe, if a future government is forced to bring in a carbon tax, history will remember that you tried it first.
With the price of gas these days, it’s costing me $320 a month at the gas pumps just to get to work and back, a 100-kilometre round trip five days a week to the middle of Mississauga.
So I started thinking of ways to make my money go further, or make a bit more of it. I’ve got a decent job, but we haven’t had a raise in years.
A small job on the side would ease the pain of filling my gas tank. It would have to be something flexible, not too hard, close to home and preferably interesting. But where would I find a job like that?
Then I picked up the Erin Advocate and saw that Harry Smith had written his farewell column. I’ve been out of the newspaper business for 17 years, but I’ve always thought I might return somehow, so I called Joan Murray to see if she was looking for a new columnist.
She liked the idea, but said she wouldn’t be able to pay me much. I said that was perfect. Now all I have to do is figure out what to say.
What’s on my mind is energy prices, and in particular the carbon tax plan just announced by the federal Liberals. They call it the “Green Shift”.
If elected, they would increase taxes on energy producers, who would pass the cost on to the public, who would theoretically then use less energy. We’d be doing our bit to save the planet from greenhouse gases, and be rewarded with lower income taxes and other rebates. It’s a watered-down version of Green Party policy.
People in Erin, especially those who commute to work, have good reason to be wary of this plan, which is partly designed to get people to use public transit.
How many Erin residents would move to a city or change jobs, just to avoid using their cars? Some may buy more fuel-efficient cars, but many would simply absorb the cost.
We’ll still need to heat our homes with more expensive fuel, and buy products that have been transported with more expensive fuel. A 1-2 per cent reduction in our income taxes may not feel like adequate compensation.
For the government books, the plan will be “revenue neutral”, supposedly guaranteed by law. That doesn’t means neutral for everyone – some will gain and some will be worse off. The GST was supposed to be “revenue neutral” too, but it wasn’t.
The plan includes a Green Rural Credit of $150 for “rural” Canadians. Per year. It’s not clear whether this includes people in small towns, but in any case it’s a small amount compared to the massive surge of price pressure that a carbon tax would produce throughout the economy.
It would be much more than a tax – really a massive reform of the tax system, loaded with credits, hoping to offset the impact on businesses and lower-income Canadians.
It would be an attempt to change people’s behaviour – how they travel, where they live, what they consume and how they think about the world, by deliberately inflicting economic pain.
Global climate change is a serious problem, and maybe drastic measures are needed. But who is going to vote in favour of extra pain?
Do you have confidence in Stéphane Dion to actually make it work? Do you think the Conservatives’ less drastic plan will actually do any good? It’s not a pretty picture.
Here’s my advice to Dion (though it may be too late). Get yourself elected with other more pleasant promises. Once in power, nail us with the “Green Shift”.
If that doesn’t work out, you’ll have to leave. And maybe, if a future government is forced to bring in a carbon tax, history will remember that you tried it first.
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