THE GALLON ENVIRONMENT LETTER
Canadian Institute for Business and the Environment
Institut Canadien du Commerce et de l'environnement
506 Victoria Ave., Montreal, Quebec H3Y 2R5
Ph. (514) 369- 0230, Fax (514) 369- 3282
Email [log in to unmask]
Vol. 2, No. 25, September 22, 1998
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CANADA CANADA CANADA CANADA
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DR. LEN GOOD APPOINTED NEW DEPUTY MINISTER ENVIRONMENT
Moving quickly, the Prime Minister’s Office and the federal Environment
Minister, Hon. Christine Stewart, appointed Dr. Len Good new Deputy
Minister of Environment Canada. The choice is excellent. Len Good is
a long time high level government official with good contacts in other
ministries. Len Good use to be the Deputy Minister of Environment
Canada for four years 1989 to 1993. He was primarily responsible for
implementing Canada’s “Green Plan”, the last ambitious effort to
protect the environment in Canada. Len Good leaves his appointment
as Canadian Executive Director of the World Bank to take the DM
post. At World Bank, Dr. Good continued to support environmental
efforts and promote the transfer of environmental technology. Prior to
1989, Dr. Good was Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet in the Privy
Council Office (PCO) for two years. This experience will assist him
in helping Environment Canada move some of its important issues
through Cabinet, such as a meaningful new Canadian Environmental
Protection Act (CEPA).
Len Good is also well positioned to deal with the climate change
portfolio, given that he was Assistant Deputy Minister responsible
for the Energy Sector in Natural Resources Canada (NRCan). Len
Good began his career in government in the Finance Department
(1976 to 1978) and with the Treasury Board Secretariat (1973 to
1976). Line ministries like Environment Canada must have their
new Cabinet programs pass the rigorous review of the Finance
Dept. and the Treasury Board before they are approved by Cabinet.
Len Good has a Ph.D, Economics from the University of Western
Ontario, having received his B.A. and M.A. Economics from the
University of Toronto.
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CANADA HAS 14 ISSUES TABLES ON CLIMATE CHANGE
Fourteen Canadian Greenhouse gas reduction tables were created by
the federal government in cooperation with the Provinces to provide
expert and detailed input to help Canada and the Provinces to identify
and analyze greenhouse gas reduction opportunities. This is part of
Canada’s efforts to meet its commitment to achieve a 6% reduction in
its 1990 level of greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2012. The Tables,
each with a particular issue or sector focus, have been formed by the
National Climate Change Secretariat based in Ottawa, and led by David
Oulton. The tables are on the following issues,
o agriculture and agrifood
o analysis and modelling
o buildings
o credit for early action
o electricity
o enhanced voluntary action
o forest sector
o industry
o international flexibility mechanisms
o municipalities
o public education and outreach
o sinks (carbon sequestration)
o technology
o transportation
Table members are drawn from government, industry, environmental
non governmental organizations, and other representatives. The tables
have typically 15 to 25 members, and will draw on a broader body of
experts in Canada to guide their discussions. For more information
contact the Canada’s National Secretariat, National Climate Change
Secretariat, 55 Murray Street, Suite 600, Ottawa, Ontario, K1N 5M3,
ph. (613) 943 2678, fax (613) 943 2695, website
<http://www.nccp.ca/html/index.htm>http://www.nccp.ca/html/index.htm/
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CLIMATE CHANGE INDUSTRY STEERING COMMITTEE
The Industry Steering Committee on Climate Change (ISC3) has
been created by the National Climate Change Secretariat. This group,
comprising industry associations and a number of large natural
resource companies, was established to "participate constructively
in a national dialogue to define the elements of a sensible Canadian
strategy on climate change, and allow industry to pursue prudent
actions to mitigate its contributions to GHG emissions having regard to
continuing scientific uncertainties and constraints related to technology,
economics and competitiveness." Ron Portelli, President of the
Canadian Environment Industry Association, will represent CEIA
on the main ISC3 group. For more information, contact Rebecca
Last, CEIA National, at Tel (613) 236- 6222, ext. 2.
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EMISSIONS CAP NEEDED FOR TRADING GREENHOUSE GASES
SAYS ONTARIO REPORT
In its Second Interim Report to Ontario's Energy Minister, Jim
Wilson, the Market Design Committee, a public advisory group
to the provincial government, has recommended that the creation of
a competitive electricity market should be combined with emission
caps with respect to all electricity generated in Ontario or imported
into Ontario. Jack Gibbons, Chair of the Ontario Clean Air Alliance
(OCAA) said, "emission caps will ensure that competition does not
lead to increased air pollution. And, if set at appropriate levels, these
caps could actually improve air quality in the province." The
Committee's report can be downloaded from its web site at
<http://www.omdc.org/>http://www.OMDC.org.
The Ontario Clean Air Alliance is a coalition of 42 health,
environmental and consumer organizations, utilities, and associations.
Contact, Jack Gibbons, Chair, Ontario Clean Air Alliance, 517
College Street, Suite 400, Toronto, Ontario, M6G 4A2,
Tel: (416) 9233529, Fax: (416) 9235949, email: [log in to unmask]
Website <http://www.web.net/%7Eocaa>http://www.web.net/~ocaa
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USE “WORK AT HOME” COMPUTER EMPLOYMENT AS
WAY TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
Want to get people out of cars? Want your company to reduce the use
of fossil fuels in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? Then your company
should
promote telecommuting, thereby reducing your employees’ use of the car.
That is
the message given to the Canadian government by the Canadian Telework
Association (CTA). Already, according to Statistics Canada, there
are 1 million teleworkers (employees working from home or other
locations) growing to 1.5 million by the year 2001. According to
Bob Fortier, President of CTA, if each of Canada's 1 million
teleworkers were to telework 1 day per week, in a year, they would
save 200,000 tonnes of air pollution and C02 emissions, eliminate
the burning of 81 million litres of gasoline and diesel fuel, and
result in 1 billion fewer kilometers being driven. As a sidebenefit,
Canadians would save $34 million in fuel costs, and some 50 million
hours of time, which they could spend with their families, or on their
nonwork lives. CTA requests that the Government of Canada recognize
telework as part of the environmental solution to reduce greenhouse
gases and air pollution, and promote telecommuting as part of Canada's
national energy strategy.
CTA reminds us that the U.S. Government recognized the importance of
telecommunications as part of the solution by placing
particular emphasis on transportation and air quality planning in the
Clean Air Act. President Clinton's Climate Change Action Plan
encouraged significantly higher usage of telework as a strategy to
reduce transportation demand and global warming while moving
towards cleaner air. Contact Bob Fortier, The Canadian Telework
Association (CTA), Ph. (613) 225 5588, Fax(613) 225- 0161,
email [log in to unmask], Website
<http://www.ivc.ca/part3.html>http://www.ivc.ca/part3.html
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GREEN GRID ELECTRIC CO., ONTARIO
Greengrid Electric is a new Canadian company, a subsidiary
of Enershare Technology Corporation, which has been on the
leading edge of energy management and natural gas deregulation
across Canada. Greengrid Electric is preparing to sell 100%
renewable electricity product to consumers and business in the
coming deregulated Ontario electricity market. It has already
signed its first letter of intent for the development of a new small
hydro facility on the TrentSevern, Ontario waterway at an existing
Parks Canada dam. Greengrid plans to move quickly to displace coal
and nuclear generation once customers are given the choice and
opportunity to purchase an environmentally superior product.
Contact David Argue, Vice President, Greengrid Electric,
ph (613) 353 1074, email [log in to unmask]
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THE BICYCLE INDUSTRY IS A GREEN INDUSTRY
It is time to treat the manufacturers of bicycles as a green industry sector.
The use of bicycles as replacements for the use of air polluting and green
house gas generating cars and buses, is one of the most effective ways of
reducing pollution. Bicycles are pollution prevention at its best. Eliminate
the use of a polluting substance, in this case, the automobile, by riding
a bike to work.
This is what the Worldwatch Institute in New York found in its latest study.
In its report entitled, "When Cities Take Bicycles Seriously", Worldwatch
reported that, "Americans drive cars and taxis more than 1.5 trillion miles
each year." The author of the report, Gary Gardner, found that, "shifting
just
5% of those miles to bicycles would save the United States taxpayers and
consumers at least US$100 billion annually." Much of urban travel is already
"bike-sized". In other words, 40% of all trips in the United States, and
50% in
Britain are 2 miles or shorter. "Cycling could eliminate some of these short,
air-polluting trips," Gardner said, citing estimates that 90% of emissions
in a 7-mile trip are generated in the first mile before the engine warms up.
Visit Worldwatch website at http://www.worldwatch.org
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MORE PROBLEMS WITH CANADA’S DRI
CLIMATE CHANGE ECONOMIC STUDY
Letter to the Editor, To the Gallon Letter, from Amory Lovins
Rocky Mountain Institute, Colorado
The DRI study sounds really bizarre -- I can't imagine any realistic
conditions under which the market would clear at prices that high.
Only an econometrician ignorant of energy engineering and its
economics could assume with a straight face that coal prices could
go that high. Please note that at market-clearing (permit) prices at
least fivefold below those mentioned, all or nearly all existing North
American coal-fired power stations will shut down because it'll be
cheaper to build and run combined-cycle gas-fired power stations.
There are lots of other competitors too, some of them even more
formidable.
Lovins wrote the above in response to the DRI Standards and Poor authors’
study entitled, “Impacts On Canadian Competitiveness Of International
Climate Change Mitigation”, by Christopher Holling and Robin
Somerville. The DRI Standards & Poor study postulated that —
“In Canada, enduser energy prices are higher under carbon stabilization
as a result of permit prices that range from $325 (1995 Canadian dollars)
per tonne of carbon (toc) in 2010 to $425 per toc by 2020. As a result,
the energy cost, expressed in 1995 dollars, rises by about 50% for oil
products and rises by 400% for coal products by 2020, relative to the
price level expected in the businessasusual outlook.” Some reasons
will be found in
<http://www.rmi.org/catalog/climate.htm>http://www.rmi.org/catalog/climate.htm
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INFLEXIBLE ECONOMICS STUDIES LIKE DRI STANDARDS & POOR
FAIL TO PREDICT THE VARIABLES OF ECONOMIC REALITY
Letter to the Editor, Amory Lovins
Amory Lovins goes on to write that, “Obviously, another key assumption
is whether they (DRI) assumed that all profitable energy efficiency had
already been bought, so the only way to get people to use energy more
efficiently is to raise the price.” Lovin’s further stated that,
“econometricians
normally do assume this, then crank the model, using historic elasticities.
The Rocky Mountain Institute’s own economic studies, ‘Climate Making
Sense’ and, ‘Making Money’, however, documents numerous firms that
are earning high returns, often 100-200% per year, by buying previously
unbought energy efficiency, even at today's low and falling real energy
prices. This normally means they are overcoming the market failures that
previously prevented their buying that efficiency.”
Lovin’s adds that, “(economic) practitioners are very familiar with those
market failures; and there are scores of them. Our (RMI) paper catalogues
and documents them -- and, more importantly, shows how to turn each
obstacle into a business opportunity. Many smart firms are already
applying that guide to discovering new profits, and doing extremely
well out of it. However, this practical business experience is universally
ignored by economic theorists, who prefer their tacit perfect- market-
equilibrium assumption. The practical effect of this bizarre assumption
is that they treat saving fossil fuel as if it cost more than buying fossil
fuel, when
actually, empirically, it costs less!”
Lovin’s ends by stating that, “more broadly, I'd say that in the US,
the smart firms are already behaving as if the Kyoto Protocol had
already been ratified. (They're being very clever at inventing new
ways to make money from climatic protection.) The more firms
behave in this way, the more likely and the less necessary it will
become that the Protocol actually gets ratified.”
Contact, Amory B. Lovins, Vice President, Chief Financial Officer,
and Director of Research Rocky Mountain Institute, Inc., and Director,
The Hypercar Center and Principal, The Lovins Group, Inc., 1739
Snowmass Creek Road, [Old] Snowmass, Colorado 81654-9199,
ph. (970) 927 -3128, fax (970) 927- 4178
email [log in to unmask] , Website <http://www.rmi.org/>http://www.rmi.org
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CANADA AND THE U.S. POOR WHEN IT COMES TO
PROMOTING BICYCLES FOR GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION
AND AIR POLLUTION CONTROL
.
Worldwatch found that Canada and the United States are worst amongst
nations, when it comes to promoting the use of the bicycle. In Canada
and the U.S., bicycles are used for less than 1% of all trips. However,
in several major cities in the Netherlands, Denmark, and Germany, bicycles
account for 20 to 30% of all trips. In many Asian cities, the bicycle's share
of trips is even higher, accounting for more than half of all trips in some
Chinese cities-more than buses, cars, and walking combined. Increasing
the use of bicycles could be a cost effective way to substantially help
Canada and the U.S. meet their greenhouse gas reduction commitments
to the Kyoto Protocol.
In Japan, local governments bolstered the "bike and ride" link with railways.
The number of train station bike parking spaces rose from 600,000 in 1977
to nearly 2.4 million in 1987, maintaining the high levels of railway use
despite rising levels of car ownership. (Construction of covered and locked
bike racks costs from $50 to $500 per space-a fraction of the $12,000 to
$18,000
to build garage space for each car.) Copenhagen's City Bike program makes
2,300 bicycles available for public use around the city. Users pay 20 krona
(about $3) to check out a two-wheeler, but the fee is refunded when the bike
is returned. For information about bicycles contact The National Bicycle
Greenway at website <http://www.bikeroute.com/>http://www.bikeroute.com/,
or the
Alliance for Paving
Moratorium at
<http://www.bikeroute.com/AutoFree>http://www.bikeroute.com/AutoFree/, or the
San Francisco
Bicycle Coalition at website <http://www.sfbike.org/>http://www.sfbike.org/
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TORONTO EYES DEEP LAKE WATER COOLING
REDUCE FOSSIL FUEL USE AND GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS
Reduce the use of coal fired electricity plants to run air conditioners.
That’s the message from those proposing to pump cold water from the
bottom of Lake Ontario to cool buildings in downtown Toronto during
the heat of Summer.
Toronto District Heating Corp., a nonprofit utility, plans to use
frigid water from the depths of Lake Ontario to naturally chill the
water that currently cools buildings in the downtown district.
Replacing fossil-fueled electric air conditioning as early as next
summer, the Deep Lake Water Cooling project could reduce
carbon dioxide emissions by 30,000 tons annually, engineers say,
improving air quality in the city dramatically. The project is
estimated to cost C$110 million (US$72.6 million). The proposal
has already garnered environmental approval from the Ontario
provincial government. The next step is to gather private-sector
funding to construct a 1.6-mile intake pipe and a downtown
distribution pipe. The intake will draw water from more than
200 feet deep in Lake Ontario where it's a constant 40 degrees
fahrenheit year-round. New and existing pipelines will run the
lake water through heat exchangers that transfer its coolness to
water in a cooling loop that supplies chillers in downtown towers.
Source, The Journal of Commerce, August 13, 1998, by Amran
Abocar (Reuters).
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GREENMAX ELECTRICITY FOR CALGARY RESIDENTS
USE WIND POWER INSTEAD OF COAL - FIRED ELECTRICITY
Enmax, (Calgary's electric system, announced the GREENMAX program.
It is a green power offering for residential and commercial customers of
the City's distribution utility. The program offers only wind energy, based
on measured customer desires, and makes use of the deregulated electric
industry in Alberta to provide the green power. It provides an alternative
to the polluting coal and oil - fired electricity normally supplied to
customers
in Alberta. Vision Quest Windelectric Inc. of Calgary is the chosen supplier
for the up to 6,900 MWh per year of wind energy. Vision Quest is installing
new turbines this autumn to support the GREENMAX program, and additional
facilities will be installed as the program grows. For more information,
contact
Jason Edworthy, Executive Director, Vision Quest Windelectric Inc.,
#100, 3553 - 31 St., NW, Calgary, Alberta T2L 2K7, Tel. (403) 289- 4553,
Fax (403) 282- 1238, [log in to unmask], website
<http://www.greenenergy.com/>http://www.greenenergy.com
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AUTO SHARE
REDUCE YOUR USE OF THE CAR — TIME TO SHARE A CAR
CUT GLOBAL WARMING GASES
In cities across Canada a new series of non profit organizations are
springing up to organize the sharing of cars amongst families and
individuals who don’t always need a car. It is for individuals that have
opted for bicycles and rapid transit in town an who need cars for special
occasions, like trips, or big shopping. Car Sharing is a means of having
access to a car when needed, without the burden of ownership, maintenance,
insurance, etc. Members pay a small monthly administration cost to cover
some of the fixed costs of the car and when they decide to use a car, they
pay a low hourly (or half hourly!) and kilometre rate. First, a $20
non-refundable
registration fee is collected from candidates to allow us to do a credit
check
and give us the time to go over the Driver's Abstract with the insurance
company.
The one-time Membership costs $500. If you should ever leave the
organization,
you'll get back 100% of this fee. However, to foster a stable membership
base,
you must be prepared to join for at least 6 months. Contact, Auto Share -
Car Sharing Network, Tel (416) 465- 1366 Fax (416) 465- 5586, E-mail
[log in to unmask]
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RESIDENTIAL ENERGY CONSERVATION WEBSITE
The Residential Energy Efficiency Database (REED) in the U.S.
This site provides a user-friendly technical and educational source
of information and publications on designing, building, renovating,
and operating healthy, energy efficient residential buildings. REED
is a free, interactive service featuring overviews of indoor air quality
and potential pollutants, energy efficient housing plans and construction
ideas, insulation recommendations, and a homeowner's guide to energy
savings. A minority of the information is only applicable for Canadian
residents; otherwise, this site meets its goal of reaching a global audience.
Visit the website at
<http://www.its-canada.com/reed/index.htm>http://www.its-canada.com/reed/ind
ex.htm
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ATTEND ONTARIO’S EECO ‘98 ENVIRONMENT BUSINESS
CONFERENCE
One of the best environment business conferences in Canada,
Environment and Energy Conference of Ontario 98 (EECO ‘98)
is held annually by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE),
in cooperation with the Canadian Environment Industry Association
(CEIA), Ontario Chapter, and others. The conference this year will
be held November 24 25, 1998, at the Metro Toronto Convention
Centre, Toronto, Ontario. Entitled,"Solutions That Don't Cost The
Earth: — Improve your Bottom Line and Prevent Pollution”, the
EECO ‘98 Conference will focus on the issues of ISO 14000: what is
it, how to do it, and why do it; climate change: expert advice, directions
and solutions; and, government environment and energy priorities. Plan
to attend on behalf of your company, or purchase display booth space in
the business exhibition. Contact: Ana Rosati, MOE at ph. (416)
327 7721, or email [log in to unmask] , For information
on exhibiting and sponsorship, contact, Dennis Onn MOE at
ph. (416) 327 1439, email [log in to unmask] Or can also
fax either person at (416) 3271261. Visit MOE’s website at
<http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/>http://www.ene.gov.on.ca/
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SIGN UP FOR CORPORATE ETHICS ACCOUNTING TRAINING
If you are a company that wishes to better understand ethics investment
and accounting for your firm and for investors looking at your stock
you may wish to sign up for one of a number of ethics accounting
courses announced by EthicScan based in Toronto. Called “Standards
for the New Millennium”, a series of courses are offered during the
period of October 18 through 23, 1998, by the Social and Ethical
Auditing, Accounting, and Reporting (SEAAR), the Institute for Social
and Ethical Accountability (ISEA), the New Economics Foundation (NEF)
and EthicScan. For more information visit the websites
<http://www.standards2000/>http://www.standards2000 or at
<http://www.ethicscan.on.ca/>http://www.ethicscan.on.ca
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GUELPH AND WATERLOO REGION SERVED BY
ENVIRONMENTAL BUSINESS NETWORK
Environmental Business Source (CTT), launched last spring, has recently
merged with the Guelph-based Environmental Business Network (EBN).
The new EBS(CTT) provides its corporate and municipal members with
a variety of services, including seminars and certificate training, a
confidential hotline, and research library, among others. Their last
networking breakfast was held September 11, 1998 at the University
of Guelph Arboretum, on "Waste Diversion /Waste Recovery Waste is
an Untapped Resource." For more information about EBS (CTT) membership
call Ph. (519) 575- 4795 or email [log in to unmask]
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CEIA NEWFOUNDLAND INDUSTRY RESOURCE DIRECTORY
Want to know which environmental company to hire in Newfoundland
consult the 1998 Newfoundland Environmental Industry Resource
Directory to be published this Fall. Alternatively, if you are an
environmental company working in Newfoundland & Labrador make
sure that you are in the directory. Contact Bryan Holland, Communications
Manager, Newfoundland Environmental Industry Association (NEIA),
Tel (709) 772- 3337, fax (709) 772- 3213, E-mail [log in to unmask]
Website <http://www.neia.org/>http://www.neia.org
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U.S. AIR POLLUTION FALL OUT ON CANADA
AND THE U.S. NORTHEAST
The Governors of the northeastern states like Maine, Massachusetts,
Vermont, and New York, are suffering air pollution and acid rain from
coal fired fossil fuel plants in the U.S. Midwest. The same transboundary
air pollution is affecting Ontario, Quebec, and other parts of Canada. It is
time Canada’s provincial and federal governments joined with the U.S.
northeast states and reducing the air pollution. New York Senators, Daniel
Patrick Moynihan and Alfonse D'Amato introduced legislation in the U.S.
Senate that would reduce the coal fired and oil fired electricity pollution
from the U.S. Midwest. Support from Canada would be timely. The New
York Times wrote a recent editorial supporting the Senators stating that,
"the legislative equivalent of the E.P.A. regulations." The NYT stated that
the legislation, “is being opposed by Midwestern utilities and their
Congressional allies." Source, "Bad Air Days [Editorials]." New York
Times, August 17, 1998.
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Subscribe to "The Gallon Environment Letter". The 8 to 10 page newsletter is
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Copyright (c) 1998 Canadian Institute for
Business and the Environment, Montreal
All rights reserved.
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