OCTOBER 2009

The Sustainable Environment Network Society (SENS) Newsletter


Environmentally active for over 40 years!

 

Support Us! You can become a member (Family - $20.00, Individual - $15.00, Basic - $5.00), attend our monthly meetings (the 4th Thursday usually), donate and/or volunteer.  Mailing address: c/o the Boys and Girls Club, 3300-37th Avenue, Vernon, V1T 2Y5.  Website:  www.sensociety.org 

*** SENS provides tax-deductible receipts for donations ***

SENS STUFF

1. Wanted: Energetic individual to coordinate volunteers for SENS. Call Julia at 250-542-0892.

 

2. Local Air Quality Panel: On October 22nd @ 7 pm in the Schubert Centre, listen in as local officials and experts discuss AQ, answer questions and outline the steps needed to improve it. Admission by donation to assist with room rent.

 

3. The SENS 350 Climate Change Pledge: This made-in-Vernon action asks you to list one significant action you have taken or are taking to reduce emissions and demand that our government support a goal of 350 ppm at the Copenhagen Summit and that subsidies that generate greenhouse gas emissions be removed. To sign, please visit: http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dC1Mckl5WEFseTFWVkI0MDhXTFpoSFE6MA

 

LOCAL STUFF

1. 100 Mile Diet Challenge: Sign up for the Gold 100% local food diet, the Silver 75% or the Bronze 50% food diet and eat locally produced & processed foods. Dare your friends, neighbours and co-workers to take the pledge and eat locally! Take the pledge at: www.foodaction.ca

 

2. BC Hydro Power Smart Challenge: Everyone is invited to join the City of Vernon in doubling our communityfs participation through BC Hydro and to reduce personal energy consumption by at least 10%. Sign on at: wwwa1.bchydro.com/profiler/ProfileStartExternal.do

 

3. The Town That Food Saved: On Monday, October 5th (7 – 9 pm) in the All Saints Anglican Church, Tom Stearns tells his story of turning his little town into a healthy, vibrant community through food-related partnerships. Also included is a discussion: hrevitalizing our local food systemh. Thank-you to the Food Action Society of the North Okanagan for organizing this.

***The North Okanagan Community Food Portal and Local Food Directory will be on display during this evening and can also be accessed at www.foodaction.ca

 

4. Waste Reduction Week in Canada: October 19 – 25.  What are you doing to reduce your ecological footprint? More at www.wrwcanada.com

 

5. Natural Step Sustainability Course for Leaders: Dec 2-3 in Vancouver, a practical course designed to give a solid grounding in organizational sustainability. Focus is on participation and practical experience with opportunities for dialogue and hands-on application. Space limited.

Register at: http://thenaturalstep.org/en/canada/learning-programs/level-one-course 

 

6. New Sustainable Organization for Rural B.C.: The Cascadia Conservancy Society is a non-profit organization that promotes advocacy, conservation, understanding and sustainable development and hopes to strengthen the link between rural communities and natural eco-systems. The top priority for the Conservancy will be helping communities protect and improve access to vital resources such as water, food and shelter. Managing such local resources can lead to specialized green jobs, attract new investment and generate tourism. To learn more, please contact the Society at 250-542-4048 or by Email at: cascadiaconservancy@gmail.com

 

6. Call2Recycle® Session: This free and easy program for recycling rechargeable batteries is holding a public consultation session in Kelowna, Wednesday, October 7th at the Delta Grand Okanagan, 10:30 am - 12:30 pm. Details/register at: www.call2recycle.org/british-columbia

 

SENT BY MEMBERS AND READERS

1. Big Win for Canadafs Endangered Species: In a September 9 ruling, the Federal Court admonished the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) for failing to identify the habitat of the Nooksack dace, an endangered fish restricted to only four streams in B.C.fs Lower Mainland. The ruling will ensure greater protection of species-at-risk and their habitats across Canada. For more information, please visit www.ecojustice.ca.

 

2. Toxic Waters: Some US companies are flagrantly breaking pollution laws by dumping toxins into waterways without poenalties thus tap water can contain tissue-damaging and cancer-causing chemicals. Details at: www.nytimes.com/2009/09/13/us/13water.html?_r=2&th&emc=th

 

3. Dirty Oil: A new Greenpeace report is shaming Canada and the federal government for its abysmal record on climate change (wefre now a leading emitter), its attempts to block international agreements on climate change and its defense of dirty oil. It clearly shows how Canada is not doing its part in the fight against climate change - in fact, it is accelerating it. To meet future energy needs in the tar sands nuclear power has been suggested. www.commondreams.org/headline/2009/09/15-1

 

4. Self Sufficient Communities: For détails on the Transition Towns Movement :

 http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/19/magazine/19town-t.html

 

5. Anti-Incineration Statement: Read details and sign on at  http://preventcancernow.ca/main/issues-actions/stop-incineration/sign-our-position-statement

 

FROM RECYCLING COUNCIL OF BC (RCBC)

1.BCfs Trash to Stay at Home: The provincial government plans to outlaw the international export of B.C.'s trash, but with the Cache Creek dump expected to be full by 2010, this is a concern for several lower mainland cities which planned to move garbage outside BC. Plans to build up to six incinerators in the lower mainland are 5 - 7 years away. The government could extend the Cache Creek license for another 10 – 15 yearsc

Incineration Pros:  Waste would go to a state-of-the-art Energy from Waste facility in Gold River to be built by Covanta Energy Corporation and Green Island Energy for 2013. The facility would generate 90 megawatts of energy annually and generate over $500 million dollars in economic activity during construction, $30 million in economic activity annually once operational, and create 350 construction jobs, 130 full-time operational jobs, and 575 indirect jobs.

Incineration Cons: This Gold River garbage incinerator was quietly granted an exemption from the Environmental Assessment process in August.  The company will self monitor the air quality. The Gold River Plan will cost 700 million to build; yet recycling and reusing waste would save millions and use ¼ the energy. Recycling produces 11 jobs compared to 1 incineration job for related volumes. Incinerators are an excuse to over consume – other incinerators (eg in Burnaby) use recyclable materials (a resource) to keep them fed. Burning is not efficient and only reduces the waste to 25 % of its original volume, while creating a toxic ash (long-term health effects not known). Burning garbage costs $52 per tonne; burying at Cache Creek costs $35 per tonne.

FROM CANADIAN ENVIRONMENTAL NETWORK

1.MiningWatch Canada: According to MiningWatch, the Canadian government has consistently failed to create meaningful measures to regulate the activities of Canadian mining companies operating overseas. A private member's bill, number C-300, represents the best chance for urgently needed regulation. It is currently being reviewed by the House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development.Lletters in support of Bill C-300 are urgently needed to ensure that overseas Canadian mining companies live up to international human rights and labour standards and environmental best practices, and that therefs NO government financial/political support for companies that abuse human rights and environment. More at: http://www.miningwatch.ca/index.php?/corporate_social_res/support_c300

 

2. Greenwashing: Only 2% of North American products are greenwash-free. The rest make false environmental claims.  Report by Terrachoice is at www.sinsofgreenwashing.org

 

FROM SMART GROWTH BC

1. Saving B.C. Transit: According to the Wilderness Committee, the transit funding crisis in B.C., which will result in expansion cancellations and cuts to bus service, could be solved by canceling the $1.5 billion South Fraser Perimeter Road, a controversial piece of the Gateway project that endangers farmland, burns bog and species at risk. Instead of going where needed, this money is being wasted on freeways! This is no way for our BC government to reach that lofty goal of reducing climate changing emissions 33% by 2020 and doubling transit ridership to reach their carbon emissions reduction targets. More information: www.wildernesscommittee.org/gateway

 

2. Smart Growth Homes: Most North American households preferred single-family homes, but therefs a strong and growing consumer preference (expected to rise to two thirds of households within two decades) for smart growth features such as short commutes and proximity to transit. Contributing factors? - an aging population, rising fuel prices, and increased health and environmental concerns. More at www.vtpi.org/sgcp.pdf.

 

3. The Zero Waste BC Network: This network has just been launched in order to coordinate efforts to fight waste incinerators that have been proposed throughout B.C. It intends to focus on diverting materials away from incinerators or landfills with gzero wasteh strategies, including curb-side compost pickup and enhanced recycling programs. Go to: www.zerowasteBC.org.

 

4. Carbon Neutral Community: By 2010 The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) has committed to the goal of becoming the first carbon neutral community in Canada by 2010, 2 years ahead of schedule. Their plan takes into consideration employee travel as well as measuring the greenhouse gas emissions from government operations  (buildings, fleet vehicles,etc) and then reducing those emissions to net zero. Whistler must drop its carbon emissions by 10 % next year and 30 % by 2015, and will also purchase carbon offsets to bring its net emissions to zero.

 
FROM GUY DAUNCEYfS ECONEWS

1.19 Breakthrough ideas for the 21st Century : These ideas address sustainability, climate change, collapsing ecosystems and more, and have the ability to créâte some kind of shift in the next 3 – 5 years, The list of 19 breakthroughs and a vidéo are at  http://bit.ly/nXQeg

 

2.The Cell Phone Danger: In a 10 to 15-year old year old, radiation from a cell phone permeates 30% of the way into the brain on the side where the phone is held (50% for five year olds). A recent study supports this, finding that among people who begin using cell phones before they turn 20, the risk of brain cancer after one or more years of use is 5.2 times greater than for the general population (1.4 times for those who are 20+). Every independently funded study has found an association between long-term use (over ten years) and brain tumours. visit: www.wiredchild.org.

3. Toxic Cause for Autism: Autism is a tragic brain development disorder that causes much distress and suffering to both parents and children. Reports of it are on the rise many times over in North America. Genes cannot change this fast; nor does better reporting account for all these increases, so there must be something harmful in the environment thatfs doing this. The culprit might be the hundreds of neuro-developmental toxins that mothers and babies are exposed to. Evidence seems to support this as links to autism were found to chemicals that contain these toxins, such as air fresheners, antibacterial soaps, pet shampoos, pesticides and cosmetics. Until the suspect is nailed down and banned, pregnant mothers should avoid all artificial chemicals. We need to treat pregnancy as a time of simple purity, with lots of contact with nature.

4. Canadafs Asbestos Exports: Thetford Mines, in Quebec, has been producing asbestos for over 100 years. We have banned its use in Canada since it is such a lethal carcinogen, but we still allow - and encourage - its export, with the government funding promotion of its sale overseas. It may indeed be safe to use, provided people take precautions, but Canada sells 95% of its asbestos to poor countries where protection is non-existent. There is still no ban in Canada to stop these sales. Write to party leaders urging an end to this awful practice. Form letter, addresses, link to an informative CBC video and more details at: www.preventcancernow.ca

 

5. Livesmart BC Action: The BC governmentfs LiveSmartBC program that provided incentives for home energy audits and efficiency upgrades has been so successful that the entire $60 billion, 3-year budget has been spoken for in just 15 months. The government is letting the program die, now,  just when homeowners were becoming engaged, and the green jobs energy efficiency sector of the economy was beginning to grow.

Action: Send a letter or email urging the government not to abandon its climate action goals, and to include a replacement LiveSmart program in the February 2010 budget. Gordon Campbell, PO Box 9041 Stn Prov Gov, Victoria V8W 9E1. premier@gov.bc.ca
 John Yap MLA, Minister of State for Climate Action, Legislative Assembly, Victoria V8V 1X4
 john.yap.mla@leg.bc.ca


Sign the online petition at: http://www.petitiononline.com/bcsea01/petition.html

 

Co-edited with Egan Mandreck