Simcoe Huronia Association for Renewable Energy

H2OIL

2012-02-23T22:26:00.000-05:00

from http://h2oildoc.com/home/about-the-film:

Ever wonder where America gets most of its oil? If you thought it was Saudi Arabia or Iraq you are wrong. America’s biggest oil supplier has quickly become Canada’s oil sands. Located under Alberta’s pristine boreal forests, the process of oil sands extraction uses up to 4 barrels of fresh water to produce only one barrel of crude oil.

It goes without saying that water — its depletion, exploitation, privatization and contamination — has become the most important issue to face humanity in this century. At the same time, the war for oil is well underway across the globe. A struggle is increasingly being fought between water and oil, not only over them.

Alberta’s oil sands are at the centre of this tension. As the province rushes towards a large-scale extraction, the social, ecological and human impacts are hitting a crisis point. In only a few short years the continent will be a crisscross of pipelines, reaching from the arctic all the way to the southern US, leaving toxic water basins the size of Lake Ontario, and surface-mines as large as Florida.

H2Oil follows a voyage of discovery, heartbreak and politicization in the stories of those attempting to defend water in Alberta against tar sands expansion. Unlikely alliances are built and lives are changed as they come up against the largest industrial project in human history.

Ultimately we ask what is more important, oil or water? And what will be our response?

With hope and courage H2Oil tells the story of one of the most significant, and destructive projects of our time.

2012-02-04T18:27:00.000-05:00

Please join us Thursday, February 23rd for the screening of "Taking Root - The Vision of Wangari Maathai and the Green Belt Movement". This amazing Kenyan woman, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, died last September, but her legacy of tree planting in Kenya and around the world is a truly inspiring story. This film shows the courage and impact of one woman, and how important trees are, not only in Kenya but in our own communities. There will be discussion after the movie.

Film starts at 6:45pm, in the assembly room of the Midland Library. Admission by donation, refreshments provided by Grounded Coffee. Please bring your own mug!

RSVP.

Energy and Food

2012-01-17T13:43:00.000-05:00

Food is energy that humans can consume
We've discovered how to convert nonhuman energy--oil--into food
As the oil runs out, do we have to run out of food?
Not necessarily; here are some ideas...

Eat lower on the food chain--less meat, maybe even go vegetarian. Why?

Less energy and water required
Less chance of additives and packaging
Cheaper
More socially just

Grow your own
Buy local
Preserve or buy seasonal
Buy Fair Trade
Have less children

Local events in Huronia:

Local Food Procurement Policies--Jenn McCallum of Hundred Mile Huronia and Gary Machan of the Food Partners Alliance--Midland Council Chambers: Jan 23, 2012 @ 7pm; Penetang Council Chambers: Wednesday, Jan 25, 2012 @ 7:15pm
Simcoe County Food & Agriculture Charter - Visioning Day--Feb 21 Lakehead University, Orillia
Winter Markets

Saturdays, NSSRC, Midland 9-2
Saturdays, Karma Marketplace, Penetang 10-2

Books2eat at the Midland Public Library, 2012 Apr 1

Links

The Oil We Eat
The Future of Food
Simcoe County Farm Fresh
Savour Simcoe, 26 Aug 2012, Simcoe Cty Museum
Go Veg

Geopolitical Implications of “Peak Everything” by Richard Heinberg

2012-01-10T21:33:00.001-05:00

From competition among hunter-gatherers for wild game to imperialist wars over precious minerals, resource wars have been fought throughout history; today, however, the competition appears set to enter a new—and perhaps unprecedented—phase. As natural resources deplete, and as the Earth’s climate becomes less stable, the world’s nations will likely compete ever more desperately for access to fossil fuels, minerals, agricultural land, and water.

Nations need increasing amounts of energy and raw materials to produce economic growth, but the costs of supplying new increments of energy and materials are burgeoning. In many cases, lower-quality resources with high extraction costs are all that remain. Securing access to these resources often requires military expenditures as well. Meanwhile the struggle for the control of resources is re-aligning political power balances throughout the world.

This game of resource “musical chairs” could well bring about conflict and privation on a scale never seen before in world history. Only a decisive policy shift toward resource conservation, climate change mitigation, and economic cooperation seems likely to produce a different outcome.

more: http://www.postcarbon.org/article/660520-geopolitical-implications-of-peak-everything

Taking Root - The Vision of Wangari Matthai

2012-01-08T19:20:00.002-05:00

Taking Root tells the dramatic story of Kenyan Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Wangari Maathai whose simple act of planting trees grew into a nationwide movement to safeguard the environment, protect human rights, and defend democracy—a movement for which this charismatic woman became an iconic inspiration.

Note the 6:45pm screening time.

Wangari Maathai:

Local:

GrowthBusters - Hooked on Growth

2012-01-08T18:44:00.000-05:00

Individual and public policy decisions today are informed by a powerful, pro-growth cultural bias. We worship at the Church of Growth Everlasting. Undeterred by the facts, we’re on a collision course powered by denial and the myth that growth brings prosperity. Before we can shift our civilization meaningfully, effectively, and substantially toward true sustainability, the world must be “prepped.” We must become self-aware and recognize the programming that keeps us hooked. GrowthBusters will do just that. We’ll hear from leading thinkers of our time – scientists, sociologists, economists – to help us separate fact from superstition.
We’re approaching the end of growth. Will we embrace it? Or go down fighting?

Note the 6:45pm screening time.

http://www.growthbusters.org/

Vermicomposting

2012-01-07T14:35:00.002-05:00

According to Wikipedia, 'Vermicompost is the product or process of composting utilizing worms, usually red wigglers, to create a heterogeneous mixture of decomposing vegetable or food waste, bedding materials, and vermicast.... Containing water-soluble nutrients, vermicompost is an excellent, nutrient-rich organic fertilizer and soil conditioner.'

For more information, search the internet or contact the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre.

The Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve--A World Reserve

2012-01-04T09:53:00.000-05:00

The 30,000 Islands of Georgian Bay were designated as a world biosphere reserve because they form the largest freshwater Archipelago in the world. It is the up to all of us to develop a sustainable local economy and culture which protects this natural treasure and its unique ecology.

A new holiday tradition? Guess the nuclear cost!

2011-12-20T22:56:00.000-05:00

from Clean Air Alliance:

Some traditions are better than others. In our view, singing Christmas carols off key, exchanging hideous neck ties and sweaters, and sawing through Aunt Mabel’s Christmas cake all beat the long-standing tradition of under-estimating the real cost of nuclear fix-it projects in Ontario.

But unlike most holiday traditions of old, the tradition of vastly underestimating the cost of fixing aging nuclear plants in Ontario continues. Take the current Bruce A repair project. Originally forecast to cost $2.75 billion, it’s now estimated to cost $4.8 billion – $2 billion over budget. (Maybe they should have waited for some Boxing Day sales on parts.) No surprise; on average, every nuclear project in ON’s history has gone 2.5 times over budget.

So here’s our gift to long suffering Ontario electricity consumers: We are offering a $100 cash prize to the person with the closest estimate of the final cost of the Bruce A refurbishment project. You can put that $100 toward your share of paying down Ontario’s $19 billion nuclear debt, or pay off your hydro bills inflated by runaway nuclear project costs – either way, it beats another sweater.
To enter the contest, go to www.cleanairalliance.org/brucecontest and fill out the form with your estimate. One entry per person. Enter now.

Happy holidays!

Angela Bischoff

Outreach Director
Ontario Clean Air Alliance
160 John St., #300, Toronto M5V 2E5
Phone: 416 260-2080 x 1

angela@cleanairalliance.org

Ontario Clean Air Alliance

Ontario’s Green Future

No Nukes News

Health Power

Coal Must Go

Facebook – Ontario Clean Air Alliance

Twitter – @NoNukeBailouts

Family Henderson builds a PV solar array!

2011-12-20T12:39:00.003-05:00

In the fall of 2011, the Hendersons installed a ground-mounted PV array, almost 13,000 watt in via 54 230-watt panels, but inverters limit it to 10,000 under the Micro-FIT Progam.

The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder By Richard Louv

2011-12-17T14:22:00.002-05:00

'Supported by groundbreaking research, anecdotal evidence, and compelling personal stories, Louv shows how tapping into the restorative powers of the natural world can boost mental acuity and creativity; promote health and wellness; build smarter and more sustainable businesses, communities, and economies; and ultimately strengthen human bonds.'

Out of Kyoto? No! What you can do.

2011-12-13T19:51:00.001-05:00

Kyoto and renewable energy
Canada needs the world and the world needs Canada. And the world need renewable energy. The Kyoto Protocol is our agreement on how to get there. Remember the Montreal Protocol (that banned CFCs that created the ozone hole)? There was a time when Canada was a world leader. Now we are a world follower.

What you can do

Elizabeth May (she should know--she wrote the book about resistance) writes:

Get back up and resolve: Stephen Harper must not be allowed to get away with this. There must be a political cost.
Write letters to every newspaper denouncing the will of the majority of Canadians who support Kyoto was ignored.
Spend some time on media websites. Write comments. Vote thumbs up and down.
If you have a Conservative MP, leave them messages on the constituency phone lines. Demand an appointment.
Organize protests.
Go on line to petitions.
Send a donation to the Sierra Club, Suzuki Foundation, or WWF and ask them to mount campaigns to demand we stay in Kyoto. Our legal withdrawal does not take effect until next year, so we have time to push back.
Ask why Parliament was allowed to vote on Kyoto ratification (December 17, 2002) but given no chance to debate or vote on withdrawal in 2011. Ask why they are lying to Canadians and claiming staying in Kyoto would cost $14 billion.

Mayan and Aztec deforestation

2011-12-05T23:33:00.001-05:00

Drought vs Civilization: Climate models show what deforestation did to ancient Mayans and Aztecs. go.nasa.gov/t24H1F #agu11

Special! Mike Nickerson in Huronia--Dec 1

2011-12-01T21:07:00.000-05:00

Resilience in Changing Times

SHARE, in partnership with Transition Town Huronia and Karma Marketplace, presents "An Evening with Mike Nickerson" on December 1st. Mike is the author of Life, Money & Illusion, a book about mutual provision, the patterns of exchange between people, and between people and the natural world, and how these relationships have brought us to our situation today. He looks at problems that have emerged from practices which used to serve us well, and explains why the results from such activities have changed. He also looks at the process of transformation that will move us from our very long period of youthful expansion, to a mature state, where responsibility is taken to maintain human activity within our planet's ability to sustain us. See www.sustainwellbeing.net for more information.

This promises to be an informative and thought-provoking event, with lots of opportunity for discussion. It runs from 7pm - 9pm at Karma Marketplace (705-549-5999) in Penetang. There is a potluck, too, at 5:30pm. Donations to help cover Mike's expenses to travel here will be gladly accepted at the door, but please come even if you can't donate.

"The time has come to find a steady state….farmers, environmentalists, trade unionists and social justice, peace and other citizen activists, are protesting the agenda of the global trading regime. Enormous opposition has been expressed, and the message that something is wrong with the present globalization agenda is getting through to the public. Unfortunately, it has yet to be taken to heart by policy-makers."

Life, Money and Illusion, pp 197, 211.

COP17 in Durban

2011-11-30T22:13:00.001-05:00

The 17th United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP 17) will take place in Durban, South Africa at the Durban International Conference Centre from 28 November to 09 December 2011.

Conservation

2011-11-28T21:30:00.001-05:00

The first 'R'--Reduce

Midland PUC
The Ontario Power Authority
energy audits
kill-a-watt
insulation
more to come!

Video & Audio Online

2011-11-28T20:49:00.001-05:00

Books to Borrow

2011-11-28T20:16:00.001-05:00

The World Without Us by Alan Weisman
The Renewable Energy Handbook: A Guide to Rural Energy Independence, Off-Grid and Sustainable Livink by William Kemp
Life, Money & Illusion: Living on Earth as if we want to stay by Mike Nickerson

DVDs to Borrow

2011-11-28T19:12:00.001-05:00

Addicted to Plastic
Blue Gold: World Water Wars
Celebrate Water
Chemerical
Crude Impact
Island on the Edge
Life Cycle
Living with Renewable Energy
Mother: Caring For 7 Billion
Sharkwater
Solar Energy: Saved by the Sun
Tapped Out: The World Water Crisis
The Antarctica Challenge: A Global Warning
Visions of the Future with David Suzuki

Waterlife

2011-11-24T16:59:00.000-05:00

"BIG SCREEN VISUALS! BIG SCREEN SOUND! BIG SCREEN ISSUES! WHERE ELSE?"

***NOTE WEDNESDAY, NOT THURSDAY***

to make way for Town Visioning, Nov 24 NSSRC 7 pm

Environmental Film Series

November 23rd, 2011

7:00pm to 8:45pm

Midland Public Library Assembly Room
BYOM (bring your own mug)
RSVP
http://ourwaterlife.com/

WATERLIFE follows the epic cascade of the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. From the icy cliffs of Lake Superior to the ornate fountains of Chicago to the sewers of Windsor, this feature-length documentary tells the story of the last great supply (20 per cent) of fresh water on Earth.

The source of drinking water, fish and emotional sustenance for 35 million people, the Great Lakes are under assault by toxins, sewage, invasive species, dropping water levels and profound apathy. Some scientists believe the lakes are on the verge of ecological collapse.

Filled with fascinating characters and stunning imagery, WATERLIFE is an epic cinematic poem about the beauty of water and the dangers of taking it for granted. The film is narrated by The Tragically Hip’s Gord Downie and features music by Sam Roberts, Sufjan Stevens, Sigur Ros, Robbie Robertson and Brian Eno.

source: http://www.primitive.net/waterlife.html

"Waterlife is a dire warning in the vessel of a tone poem, simultaneously a lyrical paean to the lakes' lingering beauty and a relentless documentation of their rising toxicity."
~Rick Groen, The Globe and Mail

"As spoken by scientists, fishermen, residents and narrator Gord Downie, the film's revelations are plenty disturbing. Yet with its gorgeous imagery and ethereal soundtrack, Waterlife also emphasizes the beauty of what's at risk."
~Jason Anderson, The Toronto Star

"One of the most stunning films about the environmental crisis I’ve ever seen...not only does it contain important information presented in a way that we haven’t seen before but it is a beautiful cinematic experience."
~Agnes Varnum, doc it out

"There are a lot of environmentally themed documentaries floating around out there, but rarely do they present themselves on such a cinematically engaging level as Kevin McMahon’s Waterlife. McMahon manages to balance his information with engaging storytelling... Overall, Waterlife was probably the best experience I had at this year's Hot Docs festival."
~Jay Cheel, The Documentary Blog

"Amongst all of the beautifully shot and entirely absorbing sequences of water life there is an overwhelming sense of impending mortality, with the film acting as an elegy to not only the lakes but also life as we know it."
~Robert Bell, Exclaim

source: http://www.ourwaterlife.com/press.html

Josephine Mandamin is the respected Anishinabe Elder who walked around the Great Lakes and is featured in the film. A website devoted to her sojourn: http://www.motherearthwaterwalk.com/.

From the Director: "Thanks for showing Waterlife -- it's these screenings at organizations like the one in Midland that have kept the film alive and helped it inform people; so I am extremely grateful to groups like yours. You might want to let your group know to check out the latest campaign from Maude Barlow: http://canadians.org/water/documents/greatlakes/GreatLakes-0311.pdf."

2011-11-08T19:34:00.001-05:00

The film this month, Waterlife, will be shown Wednesday, Nov. 23rd, 2011, because the Midland Planning Committee is having a Vision Workshop on the 24th, which you are encouraged to attend!

Photovoltaic (P.V.)

2011-11-01T23:06:00.000-04:00

Photovoltaics (PV) is a method of generating electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity using semiconductors that exhibit the photovoltaic effect. Photovoltaic power generation employs solar panels composed of a number of solar cells containing a photovoltaic material. Materials presently used for photovoltaics include monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, and copper indium gallium selenide/sulfide. Due to the growing demand for renewable energy sources, the manufacturing of solar cells and photovoltaic arrays has advanced considerably in recent years [Wikipedia].

Family Henderson builds a PV solar array!

Renewable Energy Home Tours

2011-10-25T19:08:00.000-04:00

"We were quite impressed with the quality of info overall and the ease to ask questions. For us it's all about processing the info and how we can incorporate little changes one day at a time to make better decisions on how to manage our energy footprint. It's a pleasure to be surrounded by intelligent people thinking through the issues. Thank you for all the hard work that goes into organizing these events."

From June 5th, 2010: "Twenty local people were given the opportunity to learn about energy efficiency and solar installations from homeowners who have generously agreed to share their knowledge. The desire to reduce electricity and heat consumption, and to save money, is alive and well in our area!
This was the fifth Home Tour that SHARE has offered, and based on the response, we plan to continue these tours. We would like to thank the homeowners who participated in this tour, and gave such a wonderful welcome to our group."

Past Tours

20 Things You Didn't Know About... Fire

2011-10-12T12:01:00.004-04:00

Fire makes water. Fire is a tree running in reverse. Fire is not a thing at all.

by LeeAundra Keany, Discover

1 Fire is an event, not a thing. Heating wood or other fuel releases volatile vapors that can rapidly combust with oxygen in the air; the resulting incandescent bloom of gas further heats the fuel, releasing more vapors and perpetuating the cycle.
2 Most of the fuels we use derive their energy from trapped solar rays. In photosynthesis, sunlight and heat make chemical energy (in the form of wood or fossil fuel); fire uses chemical energy to produce light and heat.
3 So a bonfire is basically a tree running in reverse.
4 Assuming stable fuel, heat, and oxygen levels, a typical house fire will double in size every minute.
5 Earth is the only known planet where fire can burn. Everywhere else: Not enough oxygen.
6 Conversely, the more oxygen, the hotter the fire. Air is 21 percent oxygen; combine pure oxygen with acetylene, a chemical relative of methane, and you get an oxyacetylene welding torch that burns at over 5,500 degrees Fahrenheit—the hottest fire you are likely to encounter.
7 Oxygen supply influences the color of the flame. A low-oxygen fire contains lots of uncombusted fuel particles and will give off a yellow glow. A high-oxygen fire burns blue.
8 So candle flames are blue at the bottom because that’s where they take up fresh air, and yellow at the top because the rising fumes from below partly suffocate the upper part of the flame.
9 Fire makes water? It’s true. Place a cold spoon over a candle and you will observe the water vapor condense on the metal...
10 ...because wax—like most organic materials, including wood and gasoline—contains hydrogen, which bonds with oxygen to make H₂O when it burns. Water comes out your car’s tailpipe, too.
11 We’ve been at this a long time: Charred bones and wood ash indicate that early hominids were tending the first intentional fires more than 400,000 years ago.
12 Nature’s been at it awhile, too. A coal seam about 140 miles north of Sydney, Australia, has been burning by some estimates for 500,000 years.
13 The ancient Greeks started fire with concentrated sunlight. A parabolic mirror that focuses solar rays is still used to ignite the Olympic torch.
14 Every 52 years, when their calendar completed a cycle, the Aztecs would extinguish every flame in the empire. The high priest would start a new fire on the ripped-open chest of a sacrificial victim. Fires fed from this flame would be distributed throughout the land.
15 Good burn: The 1666 Great Fire of London destroyed 80 percent of the city but also ended an outbreak of bubonic plague that had killed more than 65,000 people the previous year. The fire fried the rats and fleas that carried Yersinia pestis, the plague-causing bacterium.
16 The Peshtigo Fire in Wisconsin was the second deadliest blaze in United States history, taking 1,200 lives—four times as many as the Great Chicago Fire. Both conflagrations broke out on the same day: October 8, 1871.
17 America’s deadliest fire took place April 27, 1865, aboard the steamship Sultana. Among other passengers were 1,500 recently released Union prisoners traveling home up the Mississippi when the boilers exploded. The ship was six times over capacity, which helps explain the death toll of 1,547.
18 The Black Dragon Fire of 1987, the largest wildfire in modern times, burned some 20 million acres across China and the Soviet Union, an area about the size of South Carolina.
19 Spontaneous combustion is real. Some fuel sources can generate their own heat—by rotting, for instance. Pistachios have so much natural oil and are so prone to heat-generating fat decomposition that the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code regards them as dangerous.
20 Haystacks, compost heaps, and even piles of old newspapers and magazines can also burst into flame. A good reason to recycle DISCOVER when you are done.

LeeAundra Keany coaches public speaking to support her writing habit. www.thecontrarypublicspeaker.com

Home Tour, October 22nd, 2011

2011-10-12T10:23:00.000-04:00

Are you free on Saturday, October 22nd? Do you want to save money and the environment? Do you enjoy vegetarian food served in a lovely forest setting with a great view? Have you ever wanted to raise chickens or own a solar array?

If yes, please join SHARE's Home Tour on October 22nd from 10am to 3pm. The cost is only $15 for SHARE members, or $20 for others. We'll car pool from Midland, and lunch is included. See the attached poster for more details.

Book soon as we only take 20 people! RSVP. Please pass this on to anyone you feel would be interested.

Can oil be ethical?

2011-10-08T14:15:00.001-04:00

October 6, 2011

Alberta’s tar sands require enormous amounts of energy and water to extract, further compounding Canada’s already excessive emissions (Credit : visionshare via Flickr).

By David Suzuki

In his book Ethical Oil, Ezra Levant raises an important point about the moral implications of products and activities in the global economy. I applaud the move to raise ethics to greater prominence in discussions around trade and economics. Questions around social justice, poverty, environment, and violence have propelled movements leading to action against sweatshops and child labour in the garment industry, to fair trade and shade-grown coffee products, to boycotts of California grapes and trade with apartheid South Africa.

Two days after he was appointed federal environment minister, Peter Kent took up Levant's slogan, trumpeting Alberta's tar sands as "ethical oil". We rightly criticize oil-producing countries that support or indulge in violence, murder, oppression of minority groups and women, and so on. But because Canada does not overtly support or indulge in such practices, does that mean our oil is more ethical? Levant acknowledges that exploiting and using fossil fuels has environmental impacts. Does that mean there is a hierarchy of ethical practices or that one ethical practice cancels out other unethical activities?

The application of ethical standards in our purchase and use of products should be applied universally and not selectively. Canada signed the Kyoto Protocol, which became international law. When Jean Chrétien signed the document, he did so not as a Liberal but as the prime minister of Canada. This meant that, as a nation, we were committed to achieving the targets set by the agreement. On becoming leader of a minority government, Harper declared his intention to ignore Canada's commitment. Is it ethical to ignore an internationally binding legal commitment? This is even more astonishing in light of Prime Minister Harper's outspoken commitment to law and order.

Canada is one of the highest per capita emitters of greenhouse gases. Our rapidly melting permafrost releases massive amounts of the potent greenhouse gas methane, amplifying our contribution to the global crisis of climate change. Alberta's tar sands require enormous amounts of energy and water to extract, further compounding Canada's already excessive emissions. Is there not an ethical component to our demand for a greater share of the Earth's atmosphere than most other nations? Rapid exploitation of Canada's tar sands — by companies from countries including the U.S., Korea, and China — is not crucial for our nation's survival or even well-being, yet we ignore the impact on the rest of the world. If that isn't unethical, I don't know what is.

Climate change is already causing more extreme fires and weather events, melting glaciers and ice caps, rising sea levels, drought, floods, altered plant and animal distribution, spread of disease, and killer heat waves, to cite just a few impacts. Canada's vast resources and space confer greater resilience than most nations, but the world's poorest areas are especially vulnerable. Floods in Pakistan's great river delta, drought across central Africa, and extreme heat in India are killing people who did little or nothing to contribute to the climate crisis. These deaths may not be as grisly or violent as those in Nigeria or Saudi Arabia, but that shouldn't matter in ethical debates.

Despite the Kyoto agreement and international efforts at Copenhagen, this unrelenting rise in greenhouse gas emissions means countries around the world intend to continue contributing to the enormous problems of unpredictable climate extremes and fluctuations that people for generations to come will have to live with. This is the most unethical practice I can imagine. In the face of overwhelming evidence that human use of fossil fuels is creating an incredible crisis of climate change, wealthy countries like Canada and the U.S., whose use of these fuels created the massive economic expansion that brought about the climate crisis, are now unwilling to reduce their emissions. It's all in the name of economic growth, not survival or the future for our children and grandchildren. That is not just unethical, it's criminal.

In today's world, all fossil fuels are unethical. There is no such thing as ethical oil. People like Ezra Levant, who say they care about ethics, should press for rapid transition from these unethical energy sources to more ethical, equitable, and sustainable sources, such as renewable solar, wind, and geothermal energy.'

source: www.davidsuzuki.org.

The Canon by Natalie Angier

2011-10-07T13:14:00.002-04:00

Science, writes Natalie Angier in The Canon: A Whirligig Tour of the Beautiful Basics of Science, is methodical, never absolutely certain (scientists make models, or theories, that approximate reality but is not reality itself), dynamic, reductionist. However, people generally are not scientific because we like certainty, are naive, ill-informed, cynical, and opinionated, like to feel in control of our destiny (whatever that is), conflate correlation with causation, and are terribly anthropocentric--most of the universe is really, really large (ruled by gravity) or really, really tiny (filled with sub-atomic particles, like electrons and quarks); consequently, we have trouble with scale.

Still with me? Do you watch documentaries? (We do.) Listen to Quirks and Quarks? (We do.) Know what a quark is, or even care? (We, or at least I, do.) Then, you are a prime candidate to read The Canon.

Want to understand where we came from, who we are, what compost heap we are likely to end up on, and what's it all about, Alfie? Want to know the basic science behind the big questions, or at least alliterate with the best of them? Want to crawl out from the cave of shadows and face the bright sunlight of truth, even if it burns? Then this book's for you.

Even if topic bored (which never happened), or the opposite happened (you read too late past the point of make-sense), Angier's writing scintillates. Here is a sample:

'We know that there is life on Earth, and that at least one species,'--she means us--'is, if not always sensible or reliable, certainly very clever at inventing tools, especially tools that allow us to engage in animated, disembodied forms of communication while simultaneously driving, jaywalking, or attending our daughter's piano recital' and she goes on to the search for extraterrestrial life.

But she faces an uphill battle, for first she has to climb the mountain of ignorance about terrestrial life. In the land that science built, America, land of Google, the Manhattan Project and umpteen Nobel laureates, land that landed on the Moon, why does Angier have to defend one of the most incontrovertible scientific ideas of all time, evolution? If we don't understand evolution and the science behind it, how are we going to understand issues pressing us today, like peak oil and climate change? More importantly, how else can us pomoes increase our wonder of the universe (or multiverse)? Most importantly, how can Angier retain her job as science writer for the New York Times?

Nevertheless, she does defend it, and presents it and the rest of biology, physics, life, the universe and, gosh, everything, with her wit and great knowledge. I would read it again, but somebody else at the library wants it.

Renewable Energy Fall Home Tour 2011

2011-09-30T05:52:00.000-04:00

DATE: Saturday, Oct 22nd
TIME: 10am to 3pm

Tour a Wyebridge area small farm
With ground-mounted solar arrays, geothermal - and chickens!

Visit a house and organic farm in Tay Township
Built with passive solar and many energy-efficient features

Includes vegetarian lunch at Sugar Ridge Retreat just south of Midland.

Car Pooling will be arranged
Tour starts at 10:00 am and ends at 3:00 pm
Cost: $15.00 for SHARE Members,

$20.00 for Non-Members

Limited Space!!

Click here to RSVP

Mother: Caring For 7 Billion

2011-09-29T19:00:00.000-04:00

More than thirty gathered to watch Mother: Caring For 7 Billion.

Susan Hirst introduced herself as President of SHARE, Mother (tonight's film), and several events for October: the upcoming film (Mad City Chickens, presented by SHARE and Karma), the Renewable Energy Fall Home Tour, and a workshop on community-owned renewable energy. finally, Susan thanked the Grounded Coffee for supplying the fairly traded, organically grown coffee.

The film's premise is that underlying all our environmental problems is the hush-hush subject of greedy human overpopulation. The answer it proposes is simple and just: educate girls and women, so they can make informed birth control decisions, feel more secure, and participate fully in both private and public life.

The film is not only factual; it is also personal, as it follows Beth from affluent America to an Ethiopian village where she meets young Zinet, who refuses the traditional role of marriage and servitude, and instead raises her AIDS-stricken nephew, goes to university, and works on a radio soap about fertility issues.

After the film, Alison mentioned the empowering micro-loans enabled by Kiva.org, John wondered about the value of immigration and the need for zero population growth, and Jen brought her personal experience of Ecuador to the table.

Howard decried the North-South inequity, Susan brought up the importance of Planned Parenthood and its recent Canadian (and American) controversy, while Myrtle mentioned Grandmother To Grandmother.

Turning to local politics, Harold pointed out that Foodstock will host over seventy chefs as part of a protest against the proposed mega-quarry, and Ian said the proper way to spoil your ballot on October 6 is to go to the voting station (yes, you have to get out of bed), take the ballot, and declare to the returning officer that you decline to vote.

Mad City Chickens

2011-09-21T21:03:00.001-04:00

Environmental Film Series

October 27th, 2011

7:00pm to 8:45pm

Midland Public Library Assembly Room
BYOM (bring your own mug)

Presented by SHARE and Karma Marketplace

http://www.tarazod.com/filmsmadchicks.html

Witness if you will Gallus Domesticus…the backyard chicken. A mere few pounds of feather, bone, and muscle; a creature regarded by many as a rather humorous, though not so intelligent agent of food production.

And yet make note of a most singular phenomenon now taking shape across suburb and city. From backyard eggs to the family’s new favorite pet, the urban chicken is forging a fresh place in the pecking order of human importance.

Mad City Chickens--a sometimes serious, sometimes whimsical look at the people who keep urban chickens in their backyards--deftly weaves multiple stories and contextual issues on city chickens and their keepers in a non-linear fashion that one rarely sees in a documentary. From leading experts to urban newbies--even a mad professor and a giant hen taking to the streets--experience the humor and heart of what’s fast becoming an international backyard chicken movement.

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

Mother Earth News Editor-in-Chief, Cheryl Long
Leading bird flu expert, Dr. Michael Greger
Rare behind-the-scenes at Murray McMurray Hatchery
Backyard Poultry editor, Elaine Belanger
Society for the Preservation of Poultry Antiquities, Christine Heinrichs
Stunning results from nutritional study on pastured eggs
Follow an urban family for an entire year as they take the poultry plunge
A factory farm hen that refused to die even after being gassed and dumped at a landfill

PLUS…coops, birds, eggs, art, images from the Seattle Tilth group, founding members of the Mad City Chickens group, a California musical hen, a Texas life-saving flock.

LINKS

Come a little earlier on October 27th, and find out more about Hundred Mile Huronia, Transition Town Huronia and Fair Trade Huronia. There will be tables offering information, and members of these groups on hand who can answer your questions. Starting at 6:30pm.

Community Power Roadmap to Success Workshop October 26th

2011-09-03T15:25:00.000-04:00

Join us for a free 3 hour interactive discussion and help to work through an actual case study model that can result in a solar community energy project in your neighbourhood! No previous experience or knowledge regarding solar power or renewable green energy is required to participate.

We are inviting individual residents and representatives from local town councils, hospitals, schools, places of worship, and service clubs and environmental organizations to get input. Light refreshments will be provided.

If you are interested in participating please email Susan Hirst of the Simcoe Huronia Association for Renewable Energy (SHARE) at s.hirst [at] rogers [dot] com or call 705-527-0922.

Pre-registration is required as space is limited.

This workshop is the result of a partnership between the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA) and SHARE. OSEA inspires and enables the people of Ontario to improve the environment, the economy and their health by producing clean, sustainable energy in their homes, businesses and communities.

For more information about OSEA and their roadmap to using energy more efficiently and producing renewable power visit http://www.ontario-sea.org/Storage/56/4826_Community_Power_Services_brochure.pdf

There will be a one hour introductory webinar to be watched at your leisure prior to the workshop, and 3 hours on October 26, starting at 5:45pm, at the Midland Public Library.

More News!

2011-09-01T23:18:00.000-04:00

Mother: Caring For 7 Billion

2011-09-01T23:14:00.000-04:00

Environmental Film Series

September 29th, 2011

7:00pm to 8:45pm

Midland Public Library Assembly Room
BYOM (bring your own mug)
http://www.motherthefilm.com/

Mother, the film, breaks a 40-year taboo by bringing to light an issue that silently fuels our most pressing environmental, humanitarian and social crises - population growth. It is a critical time to talk about this subject because for the first time, in 2011, the world’s population will be seven billion people.

Population was once at the top of the international agenda, dominating the first Earth Day and the subject of best-selling books like The Population Bomb. Since the 1960s the world population has nearly doubled, adding more than 3 billion people. At the same time, talking about population has become politically incorrect because of the sensitivity of the issues surrounding the topic–religion, economics, family planning and gender inequality. Yet it is an issue we cannot afford to ignore.

Today, nearly 1 billion people still suffer from chronic hunger even though the Green Revolution that has fed billions will soon come to an end due to the diminishing availability of its main ingredients–oil and water. Compounded with our ravenous appetite for natural resources, population growth is putting an unprecedented burden on the life system we all depend on, as we refuse to face the fact that more people equals more problems.

The film illustrates both the overconsumption and the inequity side of the population issue by following Beth, a mother and a child-rights activist as she comes to discover, along with the audience, the thorny complexities of the population issue. Beth – who comes from a large American family of 12 and has adopted an African-born daughter–travels to Ethiopia where she meets Zinet, the oldest daughter of a desperately poor family of 12. Zinet has found the courage to break free from thousand-year-old-cultural barriers, and their encounter will change Beth forever.

Grounded in the theories of social scientist Riane Eisler, the film strives not to blame but to educate, to highlight a different path for humanity. Overpopulation is merely a symptom of an even larger problem - a "domination system" that for most of human history has glorified the domination of man over nature, man over child and man over woman. To break this pattern, the film demonstrates that we must change our conquering mindset into a nurturing one. And the first step is to raise the status of women worldwide.

4 Steps to Get You On the Path to Zero Waste

2011-08-24T22:11:00.000-04:00

from greenbiz.com

Letting a revenue stream slip away from you, and actually paying someone to take it away, sounds like bad business. But that's what companies do when they send their trash to get dumped in a landfill.
Out of all the sustainability and efficiency efforts companies have adopted, one of the biggest shifts in thinking has come from goals on sending zero waste to landfill (usually shortened to "zero waste").
Companies in almost any industry are seeing significant savings -- General Motors, for example, has brought in $2.5 billion in revenue through recycling over four years and Walmart has cut by over 80 percent in one state alone the amount of waste it has to pay to send to landfill.

Not surprisingly, getting to zero is not an easy task. But as the examples from several companies who've traveled the path to zero waste show, there are some common elements to any successful strategy.

There is a common recipe for a lot of these initiatives -- a little bit of material reduction, a whole lot of recycling and reuse, and a bit of incineration (also called waste-to-energy) -- and they come down to four general categories that can help you structure your efforts:

Know What You Have
Track and Set Goals
Find a New Life
Put Employees in Charge

Zero waste is not just for giant corporations -- the lessons that these companies and others have learned can help just about any company--or individual--identify, reduce and even eliminate their waste streams entirely.

1. Know What You Have

To do something about your trash, you first have to know what you're dealing with. Look at your trash. No, really look at it. Sort it out. Find out what you're making. And only then can you do something about it.

The only way some companies have accurately determined what trash they're dealing with is by getting their hands dirty -- literally -- with a dumpster dive.

Procter & Gamble's waste reduction teams have sorted through trash at its various facilities, which make everything from makeup to shampoo to batteries to dog food.

Walmart, meanwhile, has identified around 100 waste streams created from products, packaging and food, coming from its sales floors, break rooms, bathrooms and parking lots.

And construction equipment maker Caterpillar's plants produce more than 30 waste streams like concrete, scrap metal, plastic and sludge.

Once you've figured out what kinds of waste you're creating, then you've got to keep it separated.
Before grocery retailer Supervalu started its landfill waste reduction push, its Albertsons stores in southern California were sending 2.4 million pounds of waxed corrugated cardboard to the trash. The material, which is used to ship produce, frozen food and other wet items, can't be traditionally recycled due to the wax coating.

Two Albertsons stores -- which now send less than 5 percent of their waste to landfill -- found a solution by partnering with a company that turns the cardboard into fireplace logs. But first the stores started sorting their different wastes, keeping waxed cardboard separate from other fiber-based materials as well as trash.

Sorting waste, though, needs to become second nature. It needs to be accessible and be treated as just the way things are done.

Sometimes it's not just how to sort waste, it's where. When Caterpillar's Aurora, Ill., plant started working on its waste, it quickly became clear that the best way to address it was to go right to the source. To that end, the plant put recycling in place along assembly lines and set up a conveyor to use for sorting waste. Just three months later, 40 percent of the trash along the lines was getting recycled instead of dumped, creating a projected savings of $200,000 a year.

2. Track and Set Goals

Other than "low-hanging fruit," the most overused adage in green business is "you can't manage what you don't measure." But setting goals and working to meet them is still a tall order for just about any type of waste-reduction initiative, so it's worth noting how goals and metrics can keep a company on track to zero waste.

General Motors, which has 76 zero waste manufacturing facilities and 10 zero waste non-manufacturing sites around the world, says a key to its effort has been rigorous tracking of waste along with setting goals and metrics to hold plants accountable.

Manufacturing at the General Motors Arlington Assembly Plant.

Each facility has specific goals, and the plant scorecards are tied to plant manager performance evaluations. "Tying revenue to various waste streams tends to generate more interest and helps us approach waste reduction from a sustainable financial perspective," said John Bradburn, GM's manager of waste-reduction efforts.

Pete Pearson, director of sustainability for Supervalu, says a metrics-based approach, although not as accurate as something like tracking energy, is key. "Although measuring waste is not a perfect science, every effort must be made to accurately account for materials being diverted from landfill," he said. "It must be clear to stores the correlation between landfill diversion and cost savings." Key to that is making the whole process, from sorting to tracking, easy to integrate in to employees' workdays.

Don't make recycling something that is seen as an extra effort; it needs to just be the way things are done.

A couple of Walmart's efforts on its journey to zero waste have been to change how employees think about waste (i.e. it's not trash until it's in the trash can) and the location of waste bins.

Doug Sanders, Walmart's senior manager of store operations and sustainability, said stores have looked at where they have waste containers and reallocated where bins for trash or recycling should be. In some cases, trash cans are turned into recycling bins, and one of the biggest-impact changes was also a no-brainer: The company put recycling bins at cash registers.

In addition, when employees are stocking merchandise, they now have recycling bags attached to the carts they use to make it easy to collect things like plastic wrap. "It's not a major change to their job. It's a simple function that makes it easy for them," Sanders said. "If it's difficult, it's going to be very difficult for them to want to execute the programs we want to put in place."

3. Put Employees in Charge

Companies with successful zero waste programs don't just make recycling and waste sorting a job employees have to do, but something they want to do and can get excited about.

Some have created special designations or titles for waste managers, such as PepsiCo U.K.'s "waste marshals," who are empowered to do what's necessary to deal with waste. In the U.S., PepsiCo has 13 Frito-Lay manufacturing sites sending less than 1 percent of waste to landfill. Frito-Lay plants have "site champions," and team members are assigned specific waste streams to oversee. Waste teams create scorecards and use waste bills to track the effectiveness of programs.

In addition to making waste a part of plant manager evaluations, GM rewards employees for new waste-reduction and recycling ideas.

"The key to converting these plants is people and process. For the team, it becomes a sense of pride for those that work at those facilities, and it reflects in quality and throughput," Bradburn said.

Supervalu has also developed a rewards program, Pearson said. "Whether a store director is being proactive and creating partnerships with a community farmer, or if a store associate is stepping up to lead recycling efforts in the break room," he said, "there has to be engagement from all levels of leadership, including executive leadership encouraging and praising the positive behavior."

4. Find a New Life for Waste

One company's waste is another's raw material. While that doesn't have the same ring as the original axiom, the fact remains that there are plenty of companies that thrive on the trash of others, either using it to make new products or running their operations in some way.

Procter & Gamble has devoted an entire group of employees to seeking out others who can use its wide variety of wastes, and also to find a use for inventory the company is unable to sell or would toss in the trash. The company's Global Asset Recovery Purchases (GARP) team has worked in countries around the world to find new uses for P&G's scrap product and packaging.

Feminine hygiene pads from a Hungary plant get shredded and burned to power a cement kiln, mascara gets turned into tire shine, shampoo goes into a car wash -- the list really goes on and on.

Through GARP and other efforts, P&G now has eight zero waste manufacturing plants in Belgium, Hungary, Italy, the United Kingdom and elsewhere.

GM has developed innovative ways to take byproducts from manufacturing operations and turn them into car parts or supplies.

Baling up cardboard at a Walmart store.

For example, cardboard used in shipping finds a new life as sound-absorption material, tires from vehicle testing are shredded and made into air and wView Zero Waste as a Journey

ater baffles, and paint sludge is turned into plastic shipping containers.

Walmart has also found plenty of solutions through other companies or non-governmental organizations. When the company was seeking out places to send its food waste, Walmart worked with the Environmental Defense Fund and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. But Sanders said that in its search, Walmart found plenty of individual sites it could send compost or animal feed, but no nationwide infrastructure that all of its stores could take advantage of.

So it did what only Walmart could do: It created its own network.

The company went state-by-state, looking for potential partners in companies and service provides, and identifying what was lacking. In addition to connecting composters and others who could take the waste with one another, Walmart put out calls for business in areas where solutions were needed.
In some cases, Sanders said, entirely new companies were started to serve Walmart's needs, knowing they'd be able to pull in other customers as well by putting a food waste program in place where none existed before.

View Zero Waste as a Journey

Let's pull out another cliché to close on: Like any sustainability initiative, zero waste is a journey, not a destination. If you want to be successful, don't just look at zero waste a goal to be met and then moved on from. The best and most effective programs are a constant process that, like energy efficiency or water reduction, can always be improved on.

Once you've hit your original targets, read about what other companies are doing, search for new partners and others that can reuse waste, try to make as little trash as possible, and whatever you do, don't put anything in the landfill.

Because that's just wasteful.

_{Photo cc-licensed by}_kkiser_,
edited by Peter Ladage

Pembina reacts to Ontario NDP green energy commitments

2011-08-15T23:07:00.001-04:00

Released: Aug. 11, 2011

Media contact: Cherise Burda

TORONTO — Cherise Burda, Ontario policy director for the Pembina Institute, made the following statement in response to the Ontario NDP's Affordable Green Choices list of commitments :
"The list of platform policies released today by the Ontario NDP demonstrates that energy and environment are critical issues to Ontarians. In particular we are pleased to see the NDP commit to shutting coal plants, continuing with Ontario's leading Feed-in Tariff program and increasing the target for renewable energy another 5000 megawatts.
"Our research shows that cancelling the Green Energy Act would offer virtually no relief to Ontario's high electricity prices, and could actually cost ratepayers more in the long term — which means the best way for Ontarians to reduce their energy bills is through conservation and energy efficiency. The NDP's commitment to invest in conservation programs instead of building a new expensive nuclear facility is a choice that would have lasting benefits for Ontarians.
"Ontario has established itself as a renewable energy leader, creating thousands of jobs and a growing green energy economy. It is critical that the Ontario government continues to build on this success."

Cherise Burda

Ontario policy director
416-824-0256

Learn more about Climate Change, Energy Efficiency, Pembina's Work in Ontario.
Read more media-releases related to: Climate Change, Electricity Generation, Energy Efficiency, Ontario, Provincial Action.

Green Natural Gas

2011-07-28T13:12:00.000-04:00

From Bullfrog Power:

Green natural gas comes from decaying organic matter in landfills, like orange peels, egg shells and grass clippings. When this natural material decomposes, an energy-rich gas is produced that can be cleaned and then injected into the natural gas system—similar to the way in which green electricity is injected into the electricity system with Bullfrog.

When used, green natural gas releases only the carbon dioxide that is part of the natural carbon cycle and would be produced in any event by the decay of organic waste. It is the same carbon dioxide that is needed by the next generation of plants and animals to grow.

Unlike fossil fuel-based natural gas, green natural gas does not increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. It is considered a net-zero carbon dioxide emissions energy source that enables us to use appliances and heat our homes and businesses without contributing to climate change.

Does Ontario get its coal from mountain top removal?

2011-07-28T11:30:00.004-04:00

From the Ontario Clean Air Alliance:

Does Ontario get its coal from mountain top removal?

We asked Ontario Power Generation’s President, Tom Mitchell, and he responded that this info is “commercially confidential”. He did however acknowledge that Ontario purchases coal from Central Appalachia. And that likely means mountain top removal.

In the valleys of Appalachia, a battle is being fought over their mountains. It is a battle that has taken many lives. It is a battle over protecting our health and environment from the destructive power of Big Coal.

The Last Mountain shines a light on America’s – and Ontario’s – energy needs and how those needs are being supplied.

This new documentary is being screened in upcoming weeks throughout Ontario. See the trailer and schedule of screenings here.

Hundred Mile Huronia

2011-07-27T17:50:00.002-04:00

Join the Hundred Mile Huronia Team

as we launch our year long local food campaign!

Friday, July 29, 2011 @ 12pm

at the corner of Poyntz and Main Streets in Penetanguishene

We will be installing our new learning gardens in this unused parking lot and can use all the help we can get!

Call 705-549-5999 (leave a message if you don't get to us!)

Wind Decision in Ontario

2011-07-27T11:28:00.000-04:00

Subject: [scc-one-club] Wind Decision in Ontario (Environmental Review Tribunal)

For those of you who may be following the raging debate about health effects of wind turbines, you will want to know about the decision just released by the Environmental Review Tribunal in Ontario.

TheWind Decision in Ontario folks behind this are also (we believe) affiliated with Wind Concerns Ontario, the people who sent a Notice of Libel to SCC for its report on the health effects of wind, and a whole pile of other people speaking in favour of wind "generally".

Rather than read the 200-some odd page decision... you can read Dianne Saxe's blog which picks out some of the key points.

http://envirolaw.com/erickson-appeal-decision/

This is going to be a major issue leading up to Ontario's fall provincial election.

The "pro wind" community has organized a "Friends of Wind Ontario" campaign which is a response to Wind Concerns Ontario.

Paula

Eaarth by Bill McKibben

2011-07-14T09:33:00.006-04:00

"What I have to say about this book is very simple: Read it, please. Straight through to the end. Whatever else you were planning to do next, nothing could be more important."

—Barbara Kingsolver,

author of Animal, Vegetable, Miracle

Forget the old earth. It's no more. Through our blundering, we've managed to create a new one. Let's call it 'Eaarth'. It looks like the old one, but it's hotter, drier in some spots (the spots that need water, such as rivers that no longer reach the sea), wetter in others (rising oceans, floods), more violent (hurricanes, wars).

Better get used to it, because that's the future, and the future is here now. Not in our grandchildren's time. Not in our children's time. Ours. Now.

The first half of the book lays out the challenges. The second half lays out a solution. Throughout, McKibben promises lots of statistics, and he delivers. His solution to the challenge of having less oil? Think globally, act locally. Locally, get to know your growers, your energy producers, your representatives, your neighbours. Globally, get a different slant on the news, get involved (McKibben started 350.org--global, yes, but there may be a local event too.).

Eaarth is a very good read. At the bookstore, on-line, or at the library.

The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World by Wade Davis

2011-07-09T02:56:00.001-04:00

Wade Davis is a Harvard educated ethnobotonist from British Columbia and Explorer-in-Residence at the National Geographic Society who a few years ago delivered the CBC Massey Lectures, which became a book in 2009: The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World.

Davis writes eloquently that we face a crisis in the ethnosphere--a term he coined to mean "the sum total of all thoughts and dreams, myths, intuitions and inspirations brought into being by the human imagination since the dawn of consciousness ... humanity's great legacy"--a crisis brought on by our reliance on "ancient sunshine," or fossil fuels.

However, he writes, "the hope lies in the severity of the crisis." He goes on, "these lectures set out to ask ‘why ancient wisdom matters in the modern world.’ …In truth, all the cultures I have referenced … are very much alive and fighting not only for their cultural survival but also to take part in a global dialogue thaat will define the future of life on earth. There are currently 1,500 languages gathered around the campfire of the Internet and the number is increasing by the week [though, the book begins by stating that the rate of language loss--50% in a generation--is four times the rate of mammalian extinction--Davis calls it ethnocide, for languages are the embodiment and expression of culture, unique ways of expressing 'the human imagination and heart, unique answers to a fundamental question: what does it mean to be human and alive?'--p. 19]. Why should their voices be heard? … Two words will do. climate change… the consequences of a particular world view. We have for three centuries now, as Thom Hartmann has written, consumed the ancient sunlight of the world. Our economic models are projections and arrows when they should be circles. To define perpetual growth on a finite planet as the sole measure of economic well-being is to engage in a form of slow collective suicide. To deny or exclude from the calculus of governance and economy the costs of violating the biological support system of life is the logic of delusion.

"These voices matter because they can still be heard to remind us that there are indeed alternatives, other ways of orienting human beings…. The path we have taken is not the only one available…. The diverse cultures of the world bear witness to the folly of those who say we cannot change….

When it comes to health, wind power blows away the alternative

2011-07-08T09:10:00.001-04:00

By David Suzuki

Wind energy is increasingly being considered a viable and attractive power source. Many countries, including the U.S., Germany, Spain, China, and India, are putting policies into place to drive the development of their wind energy industries. In Canada, the amount of wind energy being harnessed for use in our homes, offices, and factories has grown quickly over the past few years, led by Ontario with its Green Energy Act.

However, a backlash has been growing in many places where wind power is being developed. In Ontario, one of the main criticisms of wind development has been its impact on human health, mostly because of the noise that wind turbines produce. Yet, the peer-reviewed scientific research indicates that the sound from windmills, which generally falls into three categories (audible sound, low frequency, and infrasound), has little to no impact on human health.

This is especially true if windmills are built far enough away from residences. For example, the required setback in Ontario is 550 metres. At this distance, the audible sound from windmills has been found to be below 40 decibels, which is around the level of sound you'd find in most bedrooms and living rooms. Studies from the University of Massachusetts similarly found that even if the sound were audible, annoyance would be minimal.

Critics have also pointed to low frequency sound and infrasound as the source of health impacts from wind turbines. These are sounds that are either difficult to hear or inaudible to humans. However, Ontario's Chief Medical Officer of Health did a review of the scientific literature and found no evidence that low frequency sound from wind turbines causes adverse health effects.

Research from Sweden and the Netherlands may shed some light on the opposition that windmills are facing, despite the lack of evidence for human health impacts. At or just under 40 decibels, 73 per cent of people could notice the sound and six per cent were annoyed. But those who did not like windmills or found them ugly were more likely to notice the sound and were more likely to be annoyed by it.

Though we should always remain open-minded about new and emerging research on any issue, the evidence seems clear that wind turbines built with appropriate setbacks do not constitute a health hazard. And wind becomes a more attractive energy source when you consider the health impacts of the main energy alternative, burning coal and other fossil fuels.

The Canadian Medical Association estimated that in 2008 Canada's air pollution was responsible for 21,000 premature deaths, 92,000 emergency room visits, and 620,000 visits to a doctor's office. Even if you look only at the health impacts of Ontario coal-fired power plants, the numbers are significant and startling.

When considering whether Canada needs to curtail the development of its wind resources or expand wind power in the way that Ontario's Green Energy Act proposes, we should heed the conclusion of Maine's Center for Disease Control . After dismissing the notion of a moratorium on wind development due to its health impacts, the Center's Dr. Dora Ann Mills concluded, "If there is any evidence for a moratorium, it is most likely on further use of fossil fuels, given their known and common effects on the health of our population."

As for the impacts on wildlife, that's another story. But most scientific research shows that newer technologies and proper locating can overcome most of the threats to birds and bats . One recent study also noted that "the number of birds killed in wind developments is substantially lower relative to estimated annual bird casualty rates from a variety of other anthropogenic factors including vehicles, buildings and windows, power transmission lines, communication towers, toxic chemicals including pesticides, and feral and domestic cats."

It's never easy to find energy technologies that will satisfy everyone, but with the world facing ever-growing negative consequences of burning fossil fuels, we must weigh our options. In doing so, wind power comes out ahead. If we ensure that care is taken to use technologies with minimal environmental impact and to locate turbines in areas where effects on humans and animals are also minimal, there is no good reason to oppose wind power.

Written with contributions from David Suzuki Foundation climate change policy analyst Dale Marshall.

Photo credit: Randy Harrison via Flickr

source: http://www.davidsuzuki.org/blogs/science-matters/2011/07/when-it-comes-to-health-wind-power-blows-away-the-alternative/

Cancelling the Green Energy Act would have little effect on Ontario electricity prices: author of new report explains results

2011-07-08T08:10:00.000-04:00

Julia Kilpatrick — July 5, 2011

Ontario's electricity prices have become a hot-button issue recently.
But in spite of the increased focus on Ontario's electricity system, and in particular the Green Energy Act, there has been little information about how replacing the Act would affect electricity prices in the future.
The Pembina Institute set out to answer that question in our latest report, Behind the switch: pricing Ontario electricity options .
I sat down with Tim Weis , lead author of the report, to discuss the results of this research — and why Ontario prices are likely to continue rising sharply over the coming decade, regardless of whether the province keeps the Green Energy Act or builds something else in its place.

Tim Weis is director of renewable energy and efficiency policy at the Pembina Institute. Photo: Julia Kilpatrick, Pembina.

Q: How did you approach researching the impact that cancelling the Green Energy Act would have on electricity prices?
A: Electricity systems are very complicated; different technologies operate at different times, supply and demand fluctuate day to day and year to year, the system interacts with its neighbours and prices are contracted differently for different sources. It is difficult to model these interactions with a simple spreadsheet, so Pembina hired external analysts to develop a dynamic model of the complex inner-workings of Ontario's energy system.
We tested two main scenarios to see how maintaining support for renewable energy under Ontario's current Long-Term Energy Plan would affect electricity prices, compared to how prices would respond if the current commitment to future renewable energy development was cancelled and replaced with other sources. In the second scenario, we assumed that natural gas and some large hydro would replace the amount of electricity that is currently expected to be developed from renewable sources via the Green Energy Act's feed-in tariff . When we looked at the data, we felt that natural gas would be the most likely source that would be used to enable Ontario's supply mix to keep pace with demand.
This is a key factor that's been missing in the public debate about electricity prices — if you remove one source of electricity, in this case renewables, you need to replace it with something, and that something also has a price.
Q: What assumptions did you make about Ontario's energy system to ensure the model is accurate?
Predicting future energy prices is a real challenge, especially when there are so many unknowns about future nuclear energy prices and how natural gas markets might evolve. So we relied on publicly available, third-party data from sources such as the U.S. Department of Energy, the Ontario Energy Board and the Ontario Power Authority to make sure we were using conservative data.
We also assumed that projects of all types would be completed on time and on budget. The latter has not often been the case for Ontario's nuclear plants, so some of these assumptions may turn out to be underestimates — especially in light of the recent nuclear incident at Fukushima.
Finally, we assumed Ontario would honour any existing commitments to renewable energy providers under the Green Energy Act, that coal power would be phased out permanently as currently scheduled, and that Ontario would meet its existing climate change commitments.
Q: So what does the model predict?
What the data found shouldn't be a surprise to anyone — that electricity prices will continue climbing in Ontario, just as they are across the country. In fact, the scenarios we looked at showed that cancelling the Green Energy Act would have very little impact on electricity prices in Ontario, as there are so many other factors and necessary investments in the overall system that are also affecting prices.
But there would likely be some difference in prices over time. Although there would be virtually no change in overall system costs over the couple of years, looking at price increases five to 10 years from now suggests that ratepayers would likely start see a very slight difference (less than two per cent) if Ontario scaled back its supply of power from renewable sources. At its peak, about 10 years from now, the difference works out to a potential savings of just $4 a month on the average household energy bill.
But it's important to keep in mind that using less renewable energy would likely mean burning significantly more natural gas in Southern Ontario in the next five to 10 years, and that means more greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution, more price uncertainty, and the likelihood of requiring additional gas power plants in southern Ontario.
And since natural gas prices are forecast to steadily increase in that same time period, any initial savings in the short term turns into a longer-term cost for ratepayers, as current investments in renewable energy start to act as a hedge against the rising price of gas.
Q: How does the model suggest electricity prices will change in the long term?
As I mentioned, the price of natural gas is forecast to rise steadily in the years ahead. Meantime, renewable energy projects that are built today have long-term contracts at steady prices, and future renewables will likely be built at lower prices. That's because the feed-in tariff is designed to be reviewed and adjusted regularly — just as similar policies have operated in Europe for decades.
Two factors that have a much more significant impact on future prices are: a) what the true costs of new and refurbished nuclear reactors will be, and b) how issues such as shale gas fracking will affect long-term imported natural gas prices.
Q: What do you think is the most important finding in this new research?
Whether Ontarians choose to keep or kill the Green Energy Act, electricity prices will continue to rise in this province because of the serious — and costly — refurbishments, repairs and replacements required to fix Ontario's energy system. The majority of Ontario's electricity generation needs to be replaced within the next 10 to 20 years. You simply cannot replace assets that were bought and paid for in the 1970s with new facilities today, and expect to pay prices on par with those four decades ago.
The modelling shows that cancelling the Green Energy Act would make very little no difference to Ontario ratepayers, because to meet electricity demand, the amount of energy that's currently planned from renewable sources would have to be replaced with other options — which would likely work out to be more polluting, and less sustainable, and in the long-run more expensive.
Ultimately, this research shows that Ontario's ratepayers stand to lose more than they would gain in the short term by cancelling the Green Energy Act, because doing so would lead to higher costs and more risk in the long run.

Wind power & the importance of distributed systems

2011-06-23T13:07:00.003-04:00

Thought you might be interested to see this post from ROE ['Running On Empty'--a fuel-crisis forum--see below]. For a few days there have been negative posts about wind power. Tom Gray looks like an interesting contact for positive wind data.

Section 2h notes the importance of ‘distributed systems’ over highly centralized ones – giving Fukushima as an example.

I see this post as encouragement that SHARE is on the right track, but unfortunately under-supported due to many reasons - including - the number of other organizations competing for supporters, lack of public appreciation of the urgent need for conservation & renewable energy, or denial that it could really be ‘this bad.’ Vested interests in prolonging the myth that human activity could not affect the climate have the big bucks to promote doubt, & suppress evidence suggesting that ‘business as usual’ is proving to be dangerous as well as unsustainable.

I find it so weird to see conflicting perspectives. Last night my grandson was watching a TV programme showing an extensive man-made port in the Middle East, designed to accommodate the huge container ships. Looks like such an impressive human achievement! And encouraging the perspective that human technology and increased globalization will solve our problems.

But then I am seeing increasing examples of human error, pollution, signs of climate change, reading articles about historic examples of overshoot and collapse, disasters like Fukushima, meeting people keen to re-learn old skills (eg. growing and preserving food) & study new ones (like permaculture).

The contrast between the two perspectives is mind-boggling.

--Julie Barker

RunningOnEmpty2

24 Hour Countdown for White House Solar

2011-06-20T19:33:00.000-04:00

With just 24 hours left until the final day of Spring, it looks like the White House will fail to meet its self-imposed deadline of installing solar panels on the White House roof by June 21st.

Over the last few days, 350.org and our friends at CREDO Action have collected an amazing 125,000+ signatures on a letter to President Obama asking him to meet the deadline. More than 700 of you took the extra step to call the White House directly to deliver the message that we want Presidential leadership on climate change.

All of you know that while installing solar panels on the White House is mostly a symbolic action, it would be a simple and powerful way for President Obama to demonstrate his commitment to solving the climate crisis. And while the White House has been quick to remind us of all that it is doing to promote solar power, we know that this Presidential leadership is one of the key missing pieces to getting America moving towards a safe climate future.

Ontario racks up coal-free hours

2011-06-19T09:06:00.002-04:00

Ontario has been successfully kicking the coal habit this year. For the first five months of 2011, the province has used no coal fired electricity whatsoever 22% of the time – that’s hundreds of hours when coal plants have not been polluting our air and our atmosphere or pumping out toxins like mercury and lead. This is important progress toward ending the use of dirty coal altogether and further demonstrates that the province faces no shortage of power.

In fact, when we do burn coal, the power is exported to our neighbours in the U.S., where cleaner gas-fired plants often lie idle while dirty – but cheap – coal power from Ontario is used instead. It's a bad deal all around, which is why we continue to call on the Ontario Government to ban coal-fired electricity exports immediately.

We don’t have to wait until 2014 to stop burning dirty coal. We don’t need to ask Ontarians to endure thousands of unnecessary asthma attacks and other illnesses as a result of coal burning. We can end coal use right now. It’s the right thing to do.

Click here to send a letter now to Environment Minister John Wilkinson and provincial party leaders calling for a ban on coal-fired electricity exports.

And please help us distribute our leaflets Dirty Coal-Fired Electricity Exports are Costing Us the Air We Breathe. They’re free, and contain postcards addressed to our provincial political leaders. Order them here.

Thank you…

Angela Bischoff

Outreach Director
Ontario Clean Air Alliance

source: OCAA June 2011 Newsletter

Creating a New Nature Reserve: Malcolm Bluff Shores

2011-06-04T10:10:00.000-04:00

Bequest gifts make an impact. Find out more.

Last week, Nature Canada joined Ontario Nature to celebrate the purchase of an important piece of forested land on the coast of Ontario's Bruce Peninsula. Ian Davidson, Nature Canada's executive director, and Mara Kerry, Nature Canada's director of conservation, traveled to Wiarton, Ontario for the celebration.
Thanks to the generosity of Hugo Germeraad, a nature advocate, naturalist and long-time member of Nature Canada, a stunning stretch of Bruce Peninsula is now protected forever. This was made possible when Hugo Germeraad bequeathed a gift in his Will for the acquisition of a nature reserve.
Located some 40 kilometres north of Owen Sound, amidst one of the largest unprotected expanses of woodland on the Niagara Escarpment, this biodiversity hotspot includes Georgian Bay shoreline, wetlands, woodlands, uplands, escarpment and cliff face. A 4-kilometer section of the Bruce Trail crosses along the top of the property’s terraced bluffs, and the views are breathtaking. Nature Canada has allocated the funds to our sister organization Ontario Nature to purchase a 233-hectare parcel – the largest of three spectacular adjoining properties that together constitute the Malcolm Bluff Shores Nature Reserve.
“This very generous bequest from Hugo Germeraad will help permanently secure habitat of exceptional importance for Canadian biodiversity, including part of a major flyway for migratory songbirds and raptors heading to and from their northern breeding grounds,” says Nature Canada Executive Director Ian Davidson. “Species at risk who live on this land, including the Eastern Ribbon Snake and the Peregrine Falcon, will be protected. We are deeply grateful to the family for their thoughtful gift to nature.”
Hugo Germeraad is remembered by his family as a man “completely in harmony with nature.” Local wild birds would eat right out of his hand. He provided nesting places for migratory song birds, birds of prey – and he was an avid birdwatcher, involved with many local naturalist clubs and a member of Nature Canada since the 1970s.

source: http://naturecanada.ca/enews_may11_malcolmbluffs.asp

Inspiring People

2011-06-04T07:39:00.002-04:00

Etc

2011-06-03T19:20:00.012-04:00

Renewable Energy Home Tours--new link to an ol' favourite
News
Media--another new link to an ol' favourite
Reviews
Resources
List of Local Suppliers and Contractors
Ways To Save Energy
Energy/Money Saving Programs
Generating Power Renewably--lots of options!--under construction

Hydro
Biomass
Geothermal
Green Natural Gas
Passive Solar Heating
Photovoltaic
Wave and Tidal Bore
Wind

Using Power More Wisely--under construction too

Conservation
Heating
Lighting

Compact Flourescent Lights (CFLs)--facts, disposal, mercury, social justice
LEDs

Permaculture
Transportation
more to come...

Financial Incentives

Government Programs
Corporations
Fundraising
more to come...

DVDs to Borrow
Books to Borrow
Video & Audio Online

As carbon emissions hit record highs, it's time for a new way to move the planet.

2011-05-31T22:26:00.001-04:00

This week, the CBC reports 'Carbon emissions hit record: energy agency'.

All the more reason to join 350.org's day of global action on September 24, Moving Planet.

Fracking in Ontario

2011-05-28T17:27:00.005-04:00

source: Council of Canadians

Council of Canadians:

Fracking in Canada

2011-05-25T10:55:00.004-04:00

Fracking uses and poisons millions of litres of water per well.
Canada has no water standards.
Fracking is active in BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and New Brunswick.
Fracking is banned in Quebec.
Fracking in Ontario.
The same major companies that frack in the U.S.--Halliburton, Calfrac Well Services, Schlumberger, BJ Services--frack in Canada.

For more information,

David Suzuki on fracking
Read this Toronto Star article
or this Council of Canadians report
or Fracking Canada–a contemporary blog about fracking in Canada, with many links

AGM--Annual General Meeting--2011

2011-05-23T09:29:00.001-04:00

When: Tuesday, June 7th, 2011, 7 p.m.
Where: The Assembly Room, the Midland Public Library

SHARE needs new board members, ideas for events and educational workshops, and input from its members!! Please attend this important AGM, and consider joining the board, or an event committee. SHARE is in dire need of new “blood” in order to keep functioning as an effective renewable energy organization in Simcoe County. We would love to hear from you!!

Water use and abuse

2011-05-21T10:22:00.079-04:00

Roger Priddle spoke well on both home water heating and world-wide water issues. Roger has four 4'x8' collectors mounted on his roof, and a 650-litre reservoir in the attic and another 350-litre reservoir in the basement. He prefers not to get involved in the toxicty of ethylene glycol, using water instead to transfer the heat captured in the collectors to domestic use to wash dishes, shower, and heat with radiant floors. Although things could get much hotter, he limits the temperature to 70°C. He has two backups: several tons of rock and masonry, wood-fired, and a conventional natural gas-fired heater, though he rarely has need of them. The coldest days are in November to January, not so much because the ambient temperature is colder, but because the days are shorter and there is more cloud-cover. He uses a drain-back system for freeze protection, though the water pools in some mysterious low-lying spot, freezes on the coldest days, and blocks circulation, but Roger didn't seem bothered by it.

Solar hot water, he stressed, offers the fastest payback of all, and it is simple. 'Any kid with a LEGO set can understand this.' But conservation is the first thing. Seal the cracks. Wrap the pipes. Insulate. Roger has R80 in the attic, R46 in the walls. And no pot-lights. Pot-lights are great for mood, but terribly inefficient. So, conserve first before installing a solar hot water system.

That's what you can do at home. But what about water around the world?

Roger presented these sobering facts:

The world has a lot of water

but only 3% is drinkable
and only a fraction of that falls as rain

Desalinization is very toxic
Bottled water is expensive
Bottles create waste, such as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch, which is the size of Texas
Echoing Maude Barlow, Roger asks, is water a right or a commodity?

Questions and Answers and Community Discussion

Are septics better than sewers?

Septics put heat in the ground
Too much grey water can overwhelm a septic, flushing decomposing bacteria out of the holding tank and into the bed
Grey water is not good for sewers, either

What do you do with grey water?

Roger suggested 'putting a plug in your shower' to see how much water you use.

What is the cost of SHW?

It varies greatly, but about $5000, with a payback of less than ten years

To conclude, Roger noted that,

'Everything has ramifications. We're all wasteful in own way.'
What WILL you do?
Eight-year-olds get it
We didn't inherit the earth; we hold it in trust for our grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Solar Hot Water (SHW)

2011-05-18T17:47:00.001-04:00

simple, proven technology
popular in many countries: Greece, Turkey, Israel, Australia, Japan, Austria and China.

Things to consider include:

close-coupled versus pump-circulated
direct heating versus heat transfer
active (sometimes called "pumped") versus passive (sometimes called "compact")
back-up: 'In winter there sometimes may not be sufficient solar heat gain to deliver sufficient hot water. In this case a gas or electric booster is normally used to heat the water.... Typically includes an auxiliary energy source (electric heating element or connection to a gas or fuel oil central heating system) that is activated when the water in the tank falls below a minimum temperature setting such as 55°C. Hence, hot water is always available. The combination of solar water heating and using the back-up heat from a wood stove chimney to heat water can enable a hot water system to work all year round in cooler climates, without the supplemental heat requirement of a solar water heating system being met with fossil fuels or electricity.'
'In many northern European countries, combined hot water and space heating systems (solar combisystems) are used to provide 15 to 25% of home heating energy.'
'In 1980 the Israeli Knesset passed a law requiring the installation of solar water heaters in all new homes.... As a result, Israel is now the world leader in the use of solar energy per capita with 85% of the households today using solar thermal systems (3% of the primary national energy consumption), estimated to save the country two million barrels of oil a year, the highest per capita use of solar energy in the world.'
'Canada has plentiful solar energy resources, with the most extensive resources being found in southern Ontario, Quebec and the Prairies'
System Design Requirements include:

Freeze protection
Overheating protection
Temperature and amount of water required
Changes in ambient temperature and solar radiation between summer and winter
Changes in ambient temperature during the day-night cycle

With an ever-rising do-it-yourself-community and their increasing environmental awareness, people have begun building their own (small-scale) solar water heating systems from scratch or buying kits. Plans for solar water heating systems are available on the Internet and people have set about building them for their own domestic requirements. DIY solar water heating systems are usually cheaper than commercial ones, and they are used both in the developed and developing world. Rather than building DIY solar water heating systems from scratch, many DIY solar enthusiasts are buying simple off-the-shelf solar DIY kits, and the freeze-tolerant, zero-carbon PV active systems are becoming common in parts of Europe.

source: wikipedia

Not-So-New Stuff

2011-05-16T22:10:00.003-04:00

The Economics of Happiness
Geothermal
More ways to save energy and money
More Tips and Links
Reviewed: Emotional Awareness by The Dalai Lama and Paul Ekman, Ph.D.
All you ever wanted to know about compact fluorescent lights (cfl) but were afraid to ask--facts, disposal, mercury, social justice
Ways to save energy and money
Found! The very first meeting!
2011 Speaker Series
2011Spring Renewable Energy announced
The next film night: Earth Energy and Build Green
More pictures added to the Energy Tour Slideshows
List of Local Suppliers and Contractors, view and download and added to Links page.
Added more links!
Updated 'The Weather Makers' page

Moving Planet

2011-05-05T20:12:00.000-04:00

Read all about Moving Planet from 350.org! Already, hundreds of organizers in every corner of the planet who are making plans for September 24. Wherever you happen to be, you can help build momentum for this big day to move beyond fossil fuels:

e-Course: Transition to a Sustainable Lifestyle with the Earth Charter!

2011-05-05T10:39:00.000-04:00

In March 2011, 32 participants from 28 different countries from all over the world gathered to learn, share and experience sustainable ways of living. During this course, the Earth Charter acted as an inspirational road map for defining sustainability.

The participants met online 4 times, once a week, for 2 hours. During the sessions they were engaged with homework that reflected on topics such as the Earth Charter and ecological footprint.

During the course participants were equipped with the skills to live a more sustainable lifestyle. They learned how to implement the principles of sustainability on an individual and organizational level and to realize their role as a leader in this shift.

This course was created in collaboration between Tread Lightly and The Earth Charter International Secretariat. Tread Lightly is a free climate change education and engagement program offered by TakingITGlobal. The partners are planning on replicating the successful course in a near future again.

“The course really opened my eyes to many things that were blind to me. I will make sure that I pass the message on for others to benefit also. Starting from my NGO to the community at large.”
Participant from Nigeri

Gasland

2011-05-04T21:58:00.006-04:00

The largest domestic natural gas drilling boom in history has swept across the United States. The Halliburton-developed drilling technology of "fracking" or hydraulic fracturing has unlocked a "Saudia Arabia of natural gas" just beneath us. But is fracking safe? When filmmaker Josh Fox is asked to lease his land for drilling, he embarks on a cross-country odyssey uncovering a trail of secrets, lies and contamination. A recently drilled nearby Pennsylvania town reports that residents are able to light their drinking water on fire. This is just one of the many absurd and astonishing revelations of a new country called GASLAND. Part verite travelogue, part expose, part mystery, part bluegrass banjo meltdown, part showdown." We need to know what's going on!! Come and find out more!

7 p.m., May 26, 2011. Location is the Midland Library Assembly Room. Admission by donation, and refreshments are provided. RSVP.

Renewable output greater than Nuclear

2011-04-27T19:37:00.000-04:00

'Over the last 15 years, nuclear and wind have had a similar output (2.6 billion kWh for nuclear versus 1.9 billion kWh for wind), but nuclear subsidies outweighed those for wind by a factor of over 40 ($39.4 billion versus $900 million).

For the first time, in 2010, the amount of renewable energy capacity around the world exceeded that of nuclear. While there’s 375 GW of nuclear installed worldwide (prior to the Japanese meltdown), there’s 381 GW of renewables: 193 GW of wind, 65 GW of biomass and waste-to-energy plants, and 43 GW of solar.'--source: OSEA.

Renewable Energy Speaker Series--Solar Electricity and the MicroFIT Program

2011-04-27T12:09:00.000-04:00

Date: Wed. April 27th

Time: 7:00-8:45pm

Where: Midland Public Library, Assembly Room

Solar Electricity and the MicroFIT Program with Shawn O'Hara of GreaterEnergy and a homeowner who has installed a system.

$5.00 for SHARE members $10.00 for non-SHARE members (you are welcome to become a member!)

Contact Susan. Fee can be paid at the door. Book soon as space is limited.

Trombe wall

2011-04-25T00:08:00.002-04:00

'A Trombe wall is a sun-facing wall patented in 1881 by its inventor, Edward Morse, and popularized in 1964 by French engineer Félix Trombe and architect Jacques Michel. It is a massive wall separated from the outdoors by glazing and an air space, which absorbs solar energy and releases it selectively towards the interior at night.

Even single-pane glass works for this process, because glass is transparent to visible light, but less so to infra-red radiation. Modern variations include insulating glass to retain more of the stored solar heat, and high and low — sometimes operable — vents to allow convective heat transfer to the indoors.'

source: wikipedia

Energy/Money Saving Programs

2011-04-24T15:11:00.004-04:00

current

SaveONenergy Coupons, Fridge & Freezer Pickup, Heating & Cooling Incentives, Business CFLs
Free, professionally installed, Honeywell ENERGY STAR® programmable touch screen thermostat - $350 value
Renovating for Energy Savings — Case Studies--CMHC
FIT (Feed-In Tariff)
microFIT
ecoTRANSPORT--includes links to ecoMOBILITY, ecoTECHNOLOGY for Vehicles, ecoFREIGHT, ecoAUTO Rebate, and ecoENERGY for Fleets, and ecoENERGY for Personal Vehicles

The Economics of Happiness

2011-04-18T03:44:00.005-04:00

The Midland Library, Thursday, April 28, 2011, at 7:00pm. RSVP.

'‘Going local’ is a powerful strategy to repair our fractured world—our ecosystems, our societies and our selves.

Economic globalization has led to a massive expansion in the scale and power of big business and banking. It has also worsened nearly every problem we face: fundamentalism and ethnic conflict; climate chaos and species extinction; financial instability and unemployment. There are personal costs too. For the majority of people on the planet life is becoming increasingly stressful. We have less time for friends and family and we face mounting pressures at work.

The Economics of Happiness describes a world moving simultaneously in two opposing directions. On the one hand, government and big business continue to promote globalization and the consolidation of corporate power. At the same time, all around the world people are resisting those policies, demanding a re-regulation of trade and finance—and, far from the old institutions of power, they’re starting to forge a very different future. Communities are coming together to re-build more human scale, ecological economies based on a new paradigm – an economics of localization.

We hear from a chorus of voices from six continents including Samdhong Rinpoche, the Prime Minister of Tibet's government in exile, Vandana Shiva, Bill McKibben, David Korten and Zac Goldsmith. They tell us that climate change and peak oil give us little choice: we need to localize, to bring the economy home. The good news is that as we move in this direction we will begin not only to heal the earth but also to restore our own sense of well-being. The Economics of Happiness restores our faith in humanity and challenges us to believe that it is possible to build a better world.'

source: http://www.theeconomicsofhappiness.org/

Geothermal Domestic Heating/Cooling (Ground Source)

2011-04-16T18:26:00.003-04:00

'Ground source heat pumps use pipes buried in the garden to extract heat from the ground. This is usually used to heat radiators or underfloor heating systems and hot water.
...
Beneath the surface, the ground stays at a fairly constant temperature, so a ground source heat pump can be used throughout the year - even in the middle of winter.'

source: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/Generate-your-own-energy/Ground-source-heat-pumps

Questions to ask:

Ask for a comprehensive heat loss calculation to determine the size of unit that is required.
If there is a rebate program, make sure that the contracter is able/willing to perform and submit the paperwork.
Consider extra measures to reduce your homes heat loss. This will save money for the life of the home and may allow for a smaller/cheaper heat pump and system.
Be aware of the indoor noise emitted by the compressor and the different measures to migitate it.
Get at least three quotes (not more than five). Different contractors will have different ideas, prices, experience, etc....

source: a homeowner

Geothermal

2011-04-16T11:39:00.004-04:00

Geothermal power can refer to both geothermal electricity and geothermal heating/cooling.
Geothermal can refer to both large-scale, institutional use and to small-scale, domestic use.
So, you have four options: institutional electricity, institutional heating/cooling, domestic electricity, and domestic heating/cooling.
The latter was formerly known as 'ground-source'.

source: https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Geothermal_power

Renewable Energy Speaker Series--Geothermal

2011-04-13T11:32:00.000-04:00

Date: Wed. April 13th
Time: 7:00-8:45pm
Where: Midland Public Library, Assembly Room

Geothermal Heating Systems with Adam Smith of Yanch Heating & Air Conditioning and homeowner Dave Mattison, who has installed geothermal. Discussion to follow as time permits.

$5.00 for SHARE members $10.00 for non-SHARE members (you are welcome to become a member!)

Contact Susan. Fee can be paid at the door. Book soon as space is limited.

Home

2011-04-06T18:35:00.002-04:00

The incredible beauty and fragility of our planet are the main themes of Home. Photographed mostly from an airplane, the images are vast, and often form geometric shapes that look like works of art. The narration, by actress Glenn Close, starts with Earth's creation from a ball of gases, through the appearance of water, vegetation, sea creatures and land animals. Human history is quickly covered, then the images become more and more disturbing as panoramas of land destruction and polluted areas are shown. Grim statistics are flashed on the screen as the narrator's voice gets gloomier. The last twenty minutes or so are dedicated to solutions and good news projects, but the overall feeling for me at the end of the film was depression for the future health of our planet. At the same time, I felt an urgency to save these beautiful places for future generations. This is a documentary well worth watching for the opportunity to realize how amazing Earth is, and how much it is worth preserving.

--Susan

CFLs and Mercury

2011-03-31T17:53:00.000-04:00

CFLs, like all fluorescent lamps, contain mercury, about 3–5 mg per bulb, with the eco-friendly bulbs containing as little as 1 mg. Because mercury is poisonous, even these small amounts are a concern for landfills and waste incinerators where the mercury from lamps may be released and contribute to air and water pollution....

In areas with coal-fired power stations, the use of CFLs saves on mercury emissions when compared to the use of incandescent bulbs. This is due to the reduced electrical power demand, reducing in turn the amount of mercury released by coal as it is burned.... Coal-fired plants also emit other heavy metals, sulphur, and carbon dioxide....

The US EPA estimated that if all 270 million compact fluorescent lamps sold in 2007 were sent to landfill sites, that this would represent around 0.13 metric tons, or 0.1% of all US emissions of mercury (around 104 metric tons that year)....

Health and environmental concerns about mercury have prompted many jurisdictions to require spent lamps to be properly disposed or recycled rather than being included in the general waste stream sent to landfills. It is unlawful to dispose of fluorescent bulbs as universal waste in the states of California, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin....

In the European Union, CFLs are one of many products subject to the WEEE recycling scheme....

The Home Depot is the first retailer to make CFL recycling options widely available.

Special handling instructions for breakage are currently not printed on the packaging of household CFL bulbs in many countries. The amount of mercury released by one bulb can temporarily exceed U.S. federal guidelines for chronic exposure. Chronic however, implies that the exposure continues constantly over a long period of time....

...Researchers were unable to remove mercury from carpet, and agitation of the carpet — such as by young children playing — created localized concentrations as high as 25,000 ng/m3 in air close to the carpet, even weeks after the initial breakage. Conventional tubular fluorescent lamps have been in commercial and domestic use since the 1930s with little public concern about their handling; these and other domestic products, such as the mercury-in-glass thermometer — now banned by many countries for medical use — contain far more mercury than modern CFLs.

...The Maine DEP study of 2008 compared clean-up methods, and warned that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommendation of plastic bags was the worst choice, as vapors well above safe levels continued to leach from the bags. The Maine DEP now recommends a sealed glass jar as the best repository for a broken bulb.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_fluorescent_lamp

CFLs and Social Justice

2011-03-31T17:20:00.003-04:00

Like all fluorescent lamps, CFLs contain mercury, which complicates their disposal.
There are various aid agency-led initiatives in developing countries to replace kerosene lanterns (with their associated health hazards) with DC CFLs (with car batteries and small solar panels or wind generators). ...The cost effectiveness of battery-powered CFLs is enabling aid agencies to support initiatives to replace kerosene lamps, the fumes from which cause chronic lung disorders in typical homes and work places in third world countries.
The current price of CFLs reflects the manufacturing of nearly all CFLs in China, where labour costs less. In September 2010, the Winchester, Virginia General Electric plant closed, leaving Osram Sylvania the last company to make standard incandescent bulbs in the United States. At that time, Ellis Yan, whose Chinese company made the majority of CFLs sold in the United States, was interested in building a United States factory to make CFL bulbs, but he needed $12.5 million to do so, and the U.S. government had not helped with this. Yan said stores wanted American-made bulbs, which would be 45 to 50 cents more each, but Yan said consumers were willing to pay this much.
The UV radiation received from CFLs is too small to contribute to skin cancer and the use of double-envelope CFL lamps "largely or entirely" mitigates any other risks.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_fluorescent_lamp

CFL Facts

2011-03-31T17:00:00.002-04:00

Today’s Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs):

Use 2/3 less energy and last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs
Offer newer, more versatile and attractive designs that fit most fixtures, including dimmable, 3-way, and decorative candelabra
Provide instant, warm color illumination for interior lighting as well as appropriate indoor and outdoor reflector floodlight capacity
CFLs produce 70% less heat than standard incandescent bulbs, so they’re safer to operate and help cut costs of home air-conditioning.

Availability and Aesthetics for Home Lighting:

CFLs are stock items in hardware departments of many retail stores.
CFLs can be purchased on-line from many websites, including www.1000bulbs.com, where more variety in design and color is available.
Light warmth/color is indicated in various ways on packaging and in web or catalog descriptions. Look for ranges of 2500-3500K on the Kelvin unit scale. Otherwise look for words or color symbols indicating very warm white to warm white for interior residential lighting. Higher Kelvin scale numbers indicating whiter/cooler are more appropriate for artists, non-residential or exterior uses.

For more information about CFLs and other Energy Star products go to www.energystar.gov.

source: http://womensvoicesraised.org/theRightCFLs.shtml

In the US, a CFL has a higher purchase price than an incandescent, but can save over US$40 [2011] in electricity costs over the lamp's lifetime.
Like all fluorescent lamps, CFLs contain mercury, which complicates their disposal.
A spiral-type integrated CFL... has slightly reduced efficiency compared to tubular fluorescent lamp, due to the thicker layer of phosphor on the lower side of the twist.
Standard CFLs do not respond well in dimming applications and special lamps are required for dimming service.
CFLs that flicker when they start have magnetic ballasts; CFLs with electronic ballasts are now much more common.
The average rated life of a CFL is between 8 and 15 times that of incandescents. CFLs typically have a rated lifespan of between 6,000 and 15,000 hours, whereas incandescent lamps are usually manufactured to have a lifespan of 750 hours or 1,000 hours.
CFLs use 20 to 33 percent of the power of equivalent incandescent lamps. Since lighting accounted for approximately 9% of household electricity usage in the United States in 2001, widespread use of CFLs could save as much as 7% of total U.S. household usage.
Heating and cooling--If a building's indoor incandescent lamps are replaced by CFLs, the heat produced due to lighting is significantly reduced. In warm climates or in office or industrial buildings where air conditioning is often required, CFLs would reduce the load on the cooling system when compared to the use of incandescent lamps, resulting in savings in electricity, in addition to the energy efficiency savings of using CFLs instead of incandescent lamps. However, in cooler climates in which buildings require heating, the heating system will need to replace the inadvertently generated heat. While the CFLs are still saving electricity, total greenhouse gas emissions may increase in certain scenarios, such as the operation of a natural gas furnace to replace the unintended heating from CFLs running on low-GHG electricity. In Winnipeg, Canada, it is estimated that CFLs will only generate 17% savings in energy when switching from incandescent bulbs, as opposed to the 75% savings that can be expected if there were no heating or cooling considerations.
While CFLs require more energy in manufacturing than incandescents, ... [they have a] longer life and lower energy.
A U.S. article stated "A household that invested $90 in changing 30 fixtures to CFLs would save $440 to $1,500 over the five-year life of the bulbs, depending on your cost of electricity. Look at your utility bill and imagine a 12% discount to estimate the savings."

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compact_fluorescent_lamp

CFL Disposal (Recycling)

2011-03-30T21:14:00.003-04:00

glass tubing can be turned into new glass articles
brass and aluminium in end caps can be reused
the internal coating can be reprocessed for use in paint pigments
the mercury contained ... can be reclaimed and used in new lamps. In the United States, proper recycling ... prevents emission of mercury into the environment, and is required by most states for commercial facilities. The primary advantage of recycling is diversion of mercury from landfill sites; the actual scrap value of the materials salvaged from a discarded lamp is insufficient to offset the cost of recycling....
When discarding a fluorescent tube, the main concern is the mercury, which is an important pollutant. One way to avoid releasing mercury into the environment is to combine it with sulfur to form mercury sulfide, which is insoluble in water. ... The easiest way to combine sulfur and mercury is to cover a group of fluorescent tubes with sulfur dust and break them; when the glass is put into a bag to continue with the reaction, the mercury will combine with sulfur without any other action....
Spent fluorescent lamps are typically packaged prior to transport to a recycling facility in one of three ways: boxed for bulk pickup, using a prepaid lamp recycling box, or crushed for pickup. A fluorescent lamp crusher can attach directly to a disposal drum and contain dust and mercury vapor. ... Proper recycling of fluorescent lamps can reduce human mercury exposure.

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluorescent_lamp_recycling

In Canada, the Home Depot recycles CFLs

source: http://www.homedepot.ca/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/DisplayTemplate?storeId=10051&catalogId=10051&langId=-15&display=cfl_lander

Ways To Save Energy

2011-03-28T13:32:00.008-04:00

Dimmable CFL

'Before installing any home energy generation technologies, it is essential to minimise your energy demand by ensuring your home is fully insulated, and using energy efficient lighting and appliances. These are the most cost effective ways of reducing your energy use.' (Since this is a British site, you may want to use the Carbon Footprint Calculator below rather than their Carbon Cutter.) --source: http://www.energysavingtrust.org.uk/renewableselector/start/
Carbon Footprint Calculator
Conservation
OPA's saveONenergy program
100 ways to save energy, from Guelph, Ontario
U.S. Energy Savers
plenty more to come...

Spring 2010 Renewable Energy Tour

2011-03-28T10:59:00.001-04:00

Celtic Roots PV solar array

Saturday, June 5, 2010

9:00am to 9:30am Meet at the public parking lot on First Street near Hugel Ave., in Midland, across from the funeral home. Pay tour cost, and arrange car pooling. Drive or walk to 431 Queen Street at Hannah St., to tour first home.

9:30am to 10:30am Tour the home of Mary and Steven Rothwell and learn the techniques and challenges to improving the energy efficiency, indoor air quality and comfort of a century home.

array

10:30am to 11:00am Carpool and drive to 830 Concession Road 18 West in Lafontaine to visit Celtic Roots Equestrian.

11:00am to 12:00pm Presentation of 10kW ground-mounted solar system and meters. Thank you to owners Robert and Mary Ann McLaughlin.

12:00 pm to 12:15pm Drive to Wendy B’s Deli at 339 Lafontaine Road West.

12:15pm to 1:00pm Lunch at Wendy B’s, including soup, sandwich wrap and cold drink. Coffee, tea and desserts extra.

1:00pm to 1:15pm Drive to 308 Tiny Beaches Road N.

1:15pm to 2:15pm Tour of Roger Priddle’s off-grid home, with solar heating and electricity, a central masonry stove, and added insulation and passive thermal design.

"Earth Energy" & "Build Green", The Nature of Things

2011-03-27T22:07:00.002-04:00

SHARE's Environmental Film Night is this Thursday, March 31st at 7pm. We are presenting "Earth Energy" and "Build Green", which are 2 episodes from The Nature of Things. Location is the Midland Library, Assembly Room.
Admission by donation, refreshments provided, please bring a mug. RSVP.
We'd love to see you there!
Cheers,

Susan

Community Green Energy Workshop

2011-03-27T17:14:00.002-04:00

2004-09-25

Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre, Saturday, Sept. 25th, 2004

Agenda:

9:00 OSEA Introduction
10:15 Renewable Energy Technologies for Communities
12:00 Lunch and Marsh Tour
1:00 Community Power
2:15 Community Resource Assessment
3:30 Getting Started
4:00 Next Steps

Water Heating Options and 'Water, Water, Everywhere....'

2011-03-16T20:32:00.008-04:00

Date: Wed. May 18th

Time: 7:00-8:45pm

Where: Midland Public Library, Assembly Room

Roger Priddle is a high school teacher, environmentalist, and off-the-grid homeowner, and he will lead a discussion on his solar water heating system, take questions, and then show a PowerPoint presentation on "Water, Water, Everywhere....". The slides will feature issues and concerns around water use and conservation around the world. No admission fee. RSVP.

Renewable Energy Speaker Series, Spring 2011

2011-03-15T22:23:00.004-04:00

Midland Public Library, Assembly Room

Cost is $5.00 for S.H.A.R.E. members and $10 for non-members (or join S.H.A.R.E.!).

Wed. April 13th, 7:00-8:45pm, Geothermal Heating Systems with Yanch Heating & Air Conditioning and a homeowner who has installed geothermal.
Wed. April 27th, 7:00 - 8:45pm, Solar Electricity and the MicroFIT Program with GreaterEnergy and a homeowner who has installed a system.
Wed. May 18th, 7:00 - 8:45pm, Water Heating Options

Renewable Energy Spring Home Tour 2011

2011-03-15T21:11:00.010-04:00

DATE: Saturday, May 28th

TIME: 9am to 3pm

SITES:

Rowanwood Housing Co-operative in Oro-Medonte, with a 10kW solar installation, solar hot water heaters, community garden, sugarbush, passive solar houses, and answers to any questions about the nature of their cooperative community.
Lunch at Sugar Ridge Retreat just south of Midland.
Tour and exhibit of John Mayer's home near Orr Lake. This is a large experimental home-built solar hot air heating panel designed to operate in the afternoon. The panel takes air from inside the house, heats it and returns it between 15°C and 25°C warmer back into the house. The return on energy ratio is between 10:1 and 30:1.

The Next Environmental Film Night is March 31st, 2011

2011-03-11T17:09:00.003-05:00

Bill Lishman, host of Earth Energy

Hello filmgoers,

The next SHARE Environmental Film Night is March 31st, and we will be showing 2 episodes from The Nature of Things.

Earth Energy profiles 4 large renewable energy systems from around the world, then describes the building of an underground sustainable house right here in Ontario. Build Green shows green housing innovations across Canada, and encourages us to think outside the box.

Screening time is 7pm, with discussion to follow. Refreshments provided - please bring your own mug. Admission by donation.

RSVP to s.hirst@rogers.com, or call 705-527-0922.

Cheers,

Susan Hirst

If you would like to put up posters for the film I can email it to you.

Home

2011-02-25T02:10:00.000-05:00

The only problem with this beautiful film movingly narrated by Glenn Close is that it's mostly doom-and-gloom, with a rush of good news and positive action at the very end. Though gloomy and long and presented in the middle of winter, the showing was well attended, with some new faces as well as some long-absent ones. A brief but lively discussion followed, mostly concerning the possibility of a large solar installation--a needed, renewable energy source--on local farmland--a nonrenewable resource; sometimes the politics are halfway around the world, sometimes they're closer to home.

New Stuff

2011-02-24T23:41:00.039-05:00

Fall Home Tour

Review: The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World by Wade Davis
More News
More fascinating Links
Inspiring People
Redesigned home page, tabs at the top fewer tabs, one column--simpler!
Carbon emissions in the news
Fracking in Ontario
Fracking in Canada
AGM
Not-So-New Stuff
Solar Water Heating
The Upcoming Spring Home Tour

News Update: IT transition and the Earth Charter
SHARE's next film night, May 26th at 7pm, at the Midland Public Library, Assembly Room, features Gasland
News
Financial Assistance

List of Local Suppliers and Contractors For Renewable Energy Systems

2011-02-24T10:01:00.006-05:00

Updated April 2010

Name	Location	Website
Solar Photovoltaic and Thermal Hot Water Systems
Alternative Power Energizing	Bracebridge	www.alternative-power.ca
Dommelvalley Green Power	Barrie (Utopia)	www.dommelvalley.ca
Enviro-Energy Technologies	Markham	www.enviro-energytech.com
Enviroharvest Inc.	Nobel	www.enviroharvest.ca
Generation PV Inc.	Markham	www.generationpv.com
Generation Solar Renewable Energy Systems	Peterborough	www.generationsolar.com
GreaterEnergy	Midland	www.greaterenergy.ca
Green Hydro – Renewable Energy Solutions	Barrie	www.greenhydro.ca
Muskoka Solar	Kilworthy	www.muskokasolar.com
The Solar Power Store	Kilworthy	www.solarpowerstore.com
Solar Wind Electric	Innisfil	www.solarwindelectric.ca
Total Energy Care	Orillia	www.totalenergycare.com
Wind Turbine Systems
Enviro-Energy Technologies	Markham	www.enviro-energytech.com
Enviroharvest Inc.	Nobel	www.enviroharvest.ca
Generation Solar Renewable Energy Systems	Peterborough	www.generationsolar.com
Green Hydro – Renewable Energy Solutions	Barrie	www.greenhydro.ca
Solar Wind Electric	Innisfil	www.solarwindelectric.ca
Sun Volts Unlimited	Parry Sound, Bracebridge and Peterborough	www.sunvoltssolar.com
Geothermal/Earth Energy Systems
Custom Comfort Climatecare	Barrie	www.customcomfort.ca
Gravenhurst Plumbing, Heating and Electric	Gravenhurst	www.gravenhurstplumbing.com
NextEnergy Inc.	Elmira	www.nextenergy.ca
Nottawasaga Mechanical	Wasaga Beach	www.nottawasagamechanical.com
Yanch Heating & Air Conditioning	Barrie	www.yanchheating.com

List of Local Suppliers and Contractors

2011-02-23T21:36:00.002-05:00

View the List of Local Suppliers and Contractors or download it.

Solar News!

2011-02-23T08:08:00.001-05:00

More Solar Energy information

Community TV

2011-02-22T11:59:00.001-05:00

SHARE President Susan Hirst will be interviewed on Rogers Community TV on Wednesday, February 23rd. The show is called "Jacques Brunet Live" and it's on from 7-8pm. It's a call-in show, so if you want to call and say hi, or ask an easy question..:)...call 705-526-7905. Rogers is on Channel 53.

Manufactured Landscapes

2011-02-13T19:59:00.002-05:00

Jennifer Baichwal's cameras follow Edward Burtynsky as he visits what he calls manufactured landscapes: slag heaps, e-waste dumps, huge factories in the Fujian and Zhejiang provinces of China, and a place in Bangladesh where ships are taken apart for recycling. In China, workers gather outside the factory, exhorted by their team leader to produce more and make fewer errors. A woman assembles a circuit breaker, and women and children are seen picking through debris or playing in it. Burtynsky concludes with a visit to Shanghai, the world's fastest growing city, where wealth and poverty, high-rises and old neighborhoods are side by side.

source http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0832903/

Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home

2011-02-13T19:45:00.000-05:00

Garbage! The Revolution Starts at Home is a feature documentary about how the family household has become one of the most ferocious environmental predators of our time.

Concerned for the future of his new baby boy Sebastian, writer and director Andrew Nisker takes an average urban family, the McDonalds, and asks them to keep every scrap of garbage that they create for three months. He then takes them on a journey to find out where it all goes and what it's doing to the world.

From organic waste to the stuff they flush down the potty, the plastic bags they use to the water they drink out of bottles, the air pollution they create when transporting the kids around, to using lights at Christmas, the McDonalds discover that for every action there is a reaction that affects them and the entire planet.

Everyday life under a microscope has never been so revealing. By the end of this trashy odyssey, you are truly inspired to revolutionaize your lifestyle for the sake of future generations.

source: http://www.garbagerevolution.com/

Everything's Cool

2011-02-13T13:07:00.001-05:00

2008-12-5

Everything's Cool is a film about America finally "getting" global warming in the wake of the most dangerous chasm ever to emerge between scientific understanding and political action. While industry funded nay-sayers sing what just might be their swan song of pseudo- scientific deception, a group of global warming messengers are on a high stakes quest to find the iconic image, the magic language, the points of leverage that will finally create the political will to move the United States from its reliance on fossil fuels to the new clean energy economy - AND FAST.

We follow the country and our global warming messengers through an extraordinary three years of transformation, from 2003-to the eve of 2007: Bill McKibben, Ross Gelbspan, Dr. Heidi Cullen, Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus, Rick Piltz, Bish Neuhouser

source: http://everythingscool.org/article.php?list=type&type=4

Be the Change

2011-02-12T12:13:00.000-05:00

2009 Jan 30

Be the Change explores the motivations for, and the challenges and rewards of, trying to live more lightly. This is a “100-kilometre” film made entirely in the Ottawa region, using sustainable practices whenever possible.

Addicted to Plastic

2011-02-12T11:52:00.001-05:00

2009 Feb 27

ADDICTED TO PLASTIC is a feature-length documentary about solutions to plastic pollution. The point-of-view style documentary encompasses three years of filming in 12 countries on 5 continents, including two trips to the middle of the Pacific Ocean where plastic debris accumulates. The film details plastic's path over the last 100 years and provides a wealth of expert interviews on practical and cutting edge solutions to recycling, toxicity and biodegradability. These solutions - which include plastic made from plants - will provide viewers with a hopeful perspective about our future with plastic.

Being Caribou

2011-02-12T11:45:00.000-05:00

2009 Mar 27

A Human Migration to Understand Caribou Migration

The purpose of this trip was not to go on a 1,500-3,000km Arctic expedition. It was, and still is, an urgent quest to understand one of North America’s last great mammal migrations before it’s too late — and communicate what we found, to the rest of North America.

The decades-old battle over the fate of the 123,000-member Porcupine Caribou Herd is heating up and could be over within the first few months of 2005. Pro-development oilmen in the US Oval Office, along with a Republican-controlled Senate and Congress, make development of oil and gas reserves in the Alaskan portion of the Porcupine Caribou’s sacred calving grounds more likely than ever (see Calving Grounds).

But what do we really know about these caribou and how they might be affected? What hardships do they already face, and how much more, if any, stress can they handle?

That is the goal of Being Caribou – to go beyond the quick visits of past media coverage and arm’s length science to live life as a caribou for seven months. We will swim the same rivers, plow through the same snowdrifts, and endure the same clouds of insects, cold nights, and miles of endless travel on an annual migration. We will go deep into the life of the herd, encounter the same grizzly bears, wolves, and eagles that they do, and witness the daily struggles that lead to birth and death. And when we return from the experience seven months later, we will have a truer understanding of what’s at stake.

source: http://www.necessaryjourneys.ca/beingcaribou/why.htm

The Gospel of Green

2011-02-12T07:41:00.001-05:00

2009 Apr 22

As the world confronts the reality of global warming and the inevitable end of oil, the questions of what to do and how to sustain energy without oil or fossil fuels becomes more urgent. Bob McKeown and a fifth estate team travel to Germany to meet Hermannn Scheer, called "Europe's Al Gore," a parliamentarian who is leading the way to increase Germany's reliance on renewable energy sources such as wind power and solar power. To date, 15% of Germany's energy comes from renewable sources. Scheer estimates that if Germany continues on this course, by 2030 that will be 100%. So, if one of the world major industrialized nations can achieve this, why can't a country like Canada? The answer may lie in the fifth estate's investigation of the influence, in this country, of conventional energy industry on politicians.

The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil

2011-02-12T07:32:00.000-05:00

When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1990, Cuba's economy went into a tailspin. With imports of oil cut by more than half – and food by 80 percent – people were desperate. This film tells of the hardships and struggles as well as the community and creativity of the Cuban people during this difficult time. Cubans share how they transitioned from a highly mechanized, industrial agricultural system to one using organic methods of farming and local, urban gardens. It is an unusual look into the Cuban culture during this economic crisis, which they call "The Special Period." The film opens with a short history of Peak Oil, a term for the time in our history when world oil production will reach its all-time peak and begin to decline forever. Cuba, the only country that has faced such a crisis – the massive reduction of fossil fuels – is an example of options and hope.

source: http://www.powerofcommunity.org/cm/index.php

The Suzuki Diaries: Sustainability in Action

2011-02-12T07:22:00.000-05:00

David Suzuki and daughter Sarika travel to Europe to visit inspiring people and projects that give hope for a sustainable future.

For the past 30 years, geneticist and science broadcaster, David Suzuki, host of CBC's "The Nature of Things," has been warning television audiences around the world about the dangers of taking nature for granted. He has urged us to change our consumer lifestyles, and to put brakes on an economic system that values unlimited growth above all other considerations.

THE SUZUKI DIARIES takes a different path. It follows Suzuki and his youngest daughter, Sarika, as they travel to Europe to explore what a sustainable future might look like, and to see if two different generations can find reason for hope.

As they travel through Germany, Denmark, France and Spain, father and daughter begin to see what is possible as they meet the people who are working towards restoring the equilibrium between human needs and planetary limits.

Amongst the projects the people and projects they feature are: in Germany, Hermann Scheer, politician and author of the innovative and influential feed-in tariffs that created vibrant renewable energy industry; Berlin's photovoltaic-powered central railroad station; the newly renovated Reichstag Building; and Studio 7.5 which designed the fully recyclable Mirra chair.

In Denmark, they visit Preben Maegaard, president of World Wind Energy Association. Denmark leads the world in the proportion of energy use that comes from wind. They also look at Copenhagen's traffic where 40% of the population bicycles to work or school.

In France they tour the farm of Nicholas Joly, a banker turned organic farmer who is producing biodynamic wine.

And in Spain, they check out a major concentrating solar power project by Abengoa Solar and the new high-speed rail network, where 190-mph trains will hopefully make carbon-intensive air travel between the major cities obsolete.

source: http://www.bullfrogfilms.com/catalog/suzd.html

Blue Gold: World Water Wars

2011-02-12T07:08:00.001-05:00

2009 Oct 23

In every corner of the globe, we are polluting, diverting, pumping, and wasting our limited supply of fresh water at an expediential level as population and technology grows. The rampant overdevelopment of agriculture, housing and industry increase the demands for fresh water well beyond the finite supply, resulting in the desertification of the earth.

Corporate giants force developing countries to privatize their water supply for profit. Wall Street investors target desalination and mass bulk water export schemes. Corrupt governments use water for economic and political gain. Military control of water emerges and a new geo-political map and power structure forms, setting the stage for world water wars.

We follow numerous worldwide examples of people fighting for their basic right to water, from court cases to violent revolutions to U.N. conventions to revised constitutions to local protests at grade schools. As Maude Barlow proclaims, “This is our revolution, this is our war”.

source: http://www.bluegold-worldwaterwars.com/

Crude Impact

2011-02-12T06:55:00.002-05:00

2009 Nov 13

An examination of the interconnection of human domination of the planet and the use of petroleum, and offers solutions for how we can stop our progression down this destructive path.

source: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0932519/

The Next Industrial Revolution: William McDonough, Michael Braungart and the Birth of the Sustainable Economy

2011-02-11T22:01:00.000-05:00

2010 Apr 30, 2008 Apr 18

Architect Bill McDonough and chemist Michael Braungart bring together ecology and human design.

While some environmental observers predict doomsday scenarios in which a rapidly increasing human population is forced to compete for ever scarcer natural resources, Bill McDonough sees a more exciting and hopeful future.

In his vision humanity takes nature itself as our guide reinventing technical enterprises to be as safe and ever-renewing as natural processes.

Can't happen? It's already happening...at Nike, at Ford Motor Company, at Oberlin College, at Herman Miller Furniture, and at DesignTex...and it's part of what architect McDonough and his partner, chemist Michael Braungart, call 'The Next Industrial Revolution.'

Shot in Europe and the United States, the film explores how businesses are transforming themselves to work with nature and enhance profitability.

source: http://www.bullfrogfilms.com/catalog/next.html

Chemerical

2011-02-11T21:41:00.001-05:00

2010 May 28

Canadian director Andrew Nisker is back with another environmental documentary. The award-winning filmmaker behind the eco-hit Garbage! The Revolution Starts At Home, now tackles household cleansers and chemical-based hygiene products in his new film Chemerical.

Using a similar formula to his previous environmental documentary Garbage, Nisker helps an ‘average’ Canadian family to get off the toxic teat and start living their lives free from harmful chemicals and other toxic substances. The Goode family of five, like many North American families, are using too many toxic chemicals in their home and require serious detoxification. Nisker asks the family to go chemical free for three months in a bid to raise awareness about the harmful and often carcinogenic chemicals that fill our homes and offices.

The Goode family struggle does present some interesting viewing, at times humorous, and at other times their resistance and naiveté is annoying, but for individuals who rely on chemical cleaning agents and noxious hygiene products, the Goode journey is probably quite illuminating.

A Farm for the Future

2011-02-11T21:32:00.001-05:00

2010 Jun 25

Wildlife film maker Rebecca Hosking investigates how to transform her family's farm in Devon into a low energy farm for the future, and discovers that nature holds the key.

With her father close to retirement, Rebecca returns to her family's wildlife-friendly farm in Devon, to become the next generation to farm the land. But last year's high fuel prices were a wake-up call for Rebecca. Realising that all food production in the UK is completely dependent on abundant cheap fossil fuel, particularly oil, she sets out to discover just how secure this oil supply is.

Alarmed by the answers, she explores ways of farming without using fossil fuel. With the help of pioneering farmers and growers, Rebecca learns that it is actually nature that holds the key to farming in a low-energy future.

source: http://www.thebiggreenidea.org/news/article/a-farm-for-the-future-bbc-2-20th-feb-2009/

Simcoe Huronia Association for Renewable Energy

H2OIL

Energy and Food

Geopolitical Implications of “Peak Everything” by Richard Heinberg

Taking Root - The Vision of Wangari Matthai

GrowthBusters - Hooked on Growth

Vermicomposting

The Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve--A World Reserve

The 30,000 Islands of Georgian Bay were designated as a world biosphere reserve because they form the largest freshwater Archipelago in the world. It is the up to all of us to develop a sustainable local economy and culture which protects this natural treasure and its unique ecology.

A new holiday tradition? Guess the nuclear cost!

Family Henderson builds a PV solar array!

The Nature Principle: Human Restoration and the End of Nature-Deficit Disorder By Richard Louv

Out of Kyoto? No! What you can do.

Mayan and Aztec deforestation

Special! Mike Nickerson in Huronia--Dec 1

COP17 in Durban

Conservation

Video & Audio Online

Books to Borrow

DVDs to Borrow

Waterlife

Photovoltaic (P.V.)

Renewable Energy Home Tours

20 Things You Didn't Know About... Fire

Fire makes water. Fire is a tree running in reverse. Fire is not a thing at all.

Home Tour, October 22nd, 2011

Can oil be ethical?

October 6, 2011

Sign up for our newsletter

The Canon by Natalie Angier

Renewable Energy Fall Home Tour 2011

Mother: Caring For 7 Billion

Mad City Chickens

Community Power Roadmap to Success Workshop October 26th

More News!

Mother: Caring For 7 Billion

4 Steps to Get You On the Path to Zero Waste

Pembina reacts to Ontario NDP green energy commitments

Released: Aug. 11, 2011

Cherise Burda

Green Natural Gas

Does Ontario get its coal from mountain top removal?

Hundred Mile Huronia

Wind Decision in Ontario

Eaarth by Bill McKibben

The Wayfinders: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World by Wade Davis

When it comes to health, wind power blows away the alternative

By David Suzuki

Cancelling the Green Energy Act would have little effect on Ontario electricity prices: author of new report explains results

Julia Kilpatrick — July 5, 2011

Wind power & the importance of distributed systems

24 Hour Countdown for White House Solar

Ontario racks up coal-free hours

Creating a New Nature Reserve: Malcolm Bluff Shores

Inspiring People

Etc

As carbon emissions hit record highs, it's time for a new way to move the planet.

Fracking in Ontario

Fracking in Canada

AGM--Annual General Meeting--2011

Water use and abuse

Solar Hot Water (SHW)

Not-So-New Stuff

Moving Planet

e-Course: Transition to a Sustainable Lifestyle with the Earth Charter!

Gasland

Renewable output greater than Nuclear

Renewable Energy Speaker Series--Solar Electricity and the MicroFIT Program

Trombe wall

Energy/Money Saving Programs

The Economics of Happiness

Geothermal Domestic Heating/Cooling (Ground Source)

Geothermal

Renewable Energy Speaker Series--Geothermal

Home

CFLs and Mercury

CFLs and Social Justice

CFL Facts

Today’s Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs):

Availability and Aesthetics for Home Lighting: