Rob's Ramblings

Oulu vs Vancouver

2011-10-26T12:35:00.001-07:00

Oulu, Finland sounds like an interesting place. A subarctic climate but with more than 500 km of bike routes (mostly separated). Vancouver is at about 400 km, most not separated. And their modal share for cycling is between 20 and 37%. If Vancouver is going to be the world's greenest city we need to catch up with cities like Oulu. Unfortunately some of those candidates running for mayor want us to fall further behind.

[photo courtesy City of Oulu, Finland ]

Media Ignores Motor Vehicle Subsidies

2011-07-07T10:07:00.000-07:00

One of the big news stories here in Vancouver this morning is the announcement of a funding proposal for the long delayed Evergreen line. Rather than focus on the benefits of expanding cleaner transportation options most of the media seems focused on the two cent gasoline tax increase that will be used to fund the project. CBC radio is encouraging drivers to phone in and complain about the tax.

But there is no mention of the fact that driving is highly subsidized here in the Lower Mainland. Reports by Metro Vancouver and the provincial Ministry of Transport estimate the subsidy to be as much as 6 billion dollars per year. It is unlikely that this small tax increase will come close to covering that subsidy.

There is broad consensus that we need to make significant cuts to our greenhouse gas (ghg) emissions. Both the provincial government and some municipalities have set targets of 80%. With transportation being the largest source of ghg emissions in our region it is clear we have to give drivers incentives to change their behaviour as well as cleaner options.

Given this imperative the two cent tax increase seems far too low.

[illustration from Translink]

More Evidence of BC Climate Leadership Failure

2011-05-19T22:12:00.001-07:00

Canada's latest greenhouse gas emission inventory report was quietly released this week. The numbers are from 2009 (it takes over a year to compile the numbers and for some reason Canada seems to be about a month behind most other nations).

The release came only a few days after BC's new premier Christy Clark had announced her commitment to BC's "leadership" on climate change. So, how do the numbers reflect this "leadership"?

At first glance the 2009 emissions numbers for BC look hopeful. They are down 3.3% compared to the previous year. But is this decrease the result of macro economic factors in 2009 or good public policy? It appears it would be the economics - emissions actually declined for every Canadian province during 2009.

In fact, BC was the third WORST province in annual percentage change between 2008 and 2009. Only Saskatchewan and Quebec preformed worse (To be fair to Quebec their emissions are actually below 1990 levels - BC's are 28% higher).

Yes, even Alberta had preformed better than BC on a year to year basis. And they have done so both years since BC introduced the carbon tax.

Although it is still early in the carbon tax regime I think it is becoming increasing clear that this policy measure is inadequate if other policies are not in line with the government's goal of ghg reductions.

The largest increases for BC emissions during the period since 1990 have come from Mining / Fossil Fuel Industries and Road Transportation. And it is in these two areas that the government continues to show no leadership when it comes to emission reductions.

The BC Liberals have continued to support and expand subsidies to the oil and gas industry. At the same time that have invested millions in highway expansion while delaying transit projects. Their own documents show that significant emission increases can be expected from these projects.

Let's hope the world can find better examples of climate change leadership than BC.

Getting Serious about Earth Day

2011-04-24T13:15:00.000-07:00

Earth Day is usually about rallies in parks, maybe some tree planting and recently corporate sponsored events. But residents in Metro Vancouver took things to another level this Earth Day when they took direct action against climate change.

The largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the Metro Vancouver region is transportation. Despite this fact the provincial government is in the middle of several large highway expansion projects. On April 22nd a group of local residents began occupation of a highway construction site. They have set up tents, barricades, an outdoor kitchen, toilet facilities, a solar power centre and appear to there for the long term. About 25 are currently camped out, vowing to stay and stop the freeway they call a ‘climate crime.’

"Gateway's goal with the South Fraser Perimeter Highway is to triple truck traffic. What they don't tell you is that means triple the pollution, too," says North Delta resident Richelle Giberson. "I live three doors up from where this freeway is slated to go. My windows get coated in black soot from the truck exhaust already; it scares me to think about what it could be like in a few years.”

“We are planting these trees on the freeway route to demonstrate that we are fed up with battling asthma and cancers,” explains PJ Lilley, a Surrey organizer with StopThePave.org. “As a mom with kids at a school near the highway ‘fall-out zone’, I want to see a stop to the insanity of paving over our last green spaces on the Fraser River just to bring more trucks and pollution to our communities. Christy Clark’s government is not putting ‘families first’, money must go to transit, schools and health care instead.”

The province is spending an estimated $2 billion on the new South Fraser freeway and is planning to spend up to $1 billion more on the North Fraser Perimeter Road through New Westminster. Meanwhile, this week, Translink is cutting bus service.

"TransLink has cut bus service to save a few million, and meanwhile the province is spending billions on freeways which increase our dependency on cars and tar sands oil," explains Bob Ages of the Council of Canadians national board. “1950’s thinking won’t solve the problems of the 21st century.”

"We must stop spending public money to make the climate crisis worse, and shift the money to solutions like public transit and electric trains" says Eric Doherty with the Council of Canadians Vancouver / Burnaby Chapter. “It’s time for all concerned people to take a stand against these freeway projects that are cooking our planet.”

The freeway site occupation is an initiative of local residents and climate justice activists from StopThePave.org, local Council of Canadians chapters, and the Critical Criminology Working Group at Kwantlen University, and is endorsed by the over 20 groups listed at www.StopThePave.org

Trucking Myths

2011-04-21T22:01:00.001-07:00

The StopThePave Earth Day Action has inspired a serious of tweets from Dan at http://bctrucker.com/

Unfortunately these tweets promulgate myths about greenhosue gas (ghg) emissions and transportation. I guess there is still a lot of work to be done to educate the public around these issues. And in that spirit here are some of those myths:

1. Building more highways will reduce congestion, fuel consumption and ghg emissions.
There is no evidence to support this idea. In fact, the evidence all points to highway expansion increasing emissions. The proponents of the SFPR and the other gateway program projects even admit this in their own documentation. The provincial government studies, conducted as part of the Environmental Assessment Process, project an increase of 176,000 tonnes per year in greenhouse gas emissions (http://a100.gov.bc.ca/appsdata/epic/documents/p247/d24666/1189031210771_a472fd1478e9414c83aed4d70a214df5.pdf).

Gordon Price of UBC has issued a challenge for someone to show him one example of city that has reduced congestion through highway expansion. So far no one has taken him up on the challenge.

A study by the Sightline Institute estimates that "..each extra lane-mile built will increase emissions of carbon-dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, by more than 100,000 tons over 50 years. "

2. People have other transportation choices but don't use them.
There is plenty of evidence that many parts of Metro Vancouver are under-serviced when it comes it transit. Anyone who has spent time travelling in cities outside North America will realize how far we have to go in giving people real transportation choices. Zurich is often cited as a good example of this. Many car owners leave their vehicles at home and use public transit because of the excellent service it offers.

3. We should focus on reducing emission from trains
One study found that road-based passenger travel has 2 to 4 times the emissions of rail based travel. The study also found that trucks emit 12 times the ghg emissions as rail and five times as much of other emissions.

What does make sense is targeting the largest source of ghg emissions which in our region is light duty vehicles. Heavy duty trucks are farther down the list. And trains even further.

4. We need more highways to transport goods.
There is plenty of excess capacity on the existing road net work for commercial truck traffic. For example, only about 10% of the traffic on the Port Mann is truck traffic. By giving passenger commuters other options we free up this road space for trucks.

CO2 emissions, cycling and the Hornby Bike Lane

2011-02-14T15:54:00.001-08:00

In the ten years leading up to 2009 Copenhagen reduced CO2 emissions by 20%. During that time the cycling modal share increased by over 19% and the amount of "cycle tracks" (segregated bike lanes) increased by over 9%. Copenhagen found that adding cycle tracks to a road section resulted in a 20% increase in cycling.

Public Input on Bike Lanes

2010-08-11T10:53:00.001-07:00

Certain elements in the Vancouver media are trying to create opposition to the plans for the Hornby bike lane. Critics often claim that Vision, the current political party in power, has pushed forward bike lanes in an "aggressive" manner with a disregard for public process.

Ironically as the NPA leaning blog CityCaucus.com points out, the previous NPA government actually created more bike routes during its tenure.

Some of these were simply bike routes that shared the road with vehicles. But there were many actual bike lanes that gave a distinct strip of pavement to bikes. Many were downtown and some removed parking and/or lanes for motor vehicles. Examples of bike lanes introduced before Vision took power include:
- Burrard Street
- Hornby Street
- Pacific
- Carrall Street
- Homer
- Richards
- Pacific
- Beatty
- 41st
- 49th

But from what I remember in most cases there was LESS pre-construction communication and public process for these changes then there has for the Burrard bridge, Dunsmuir Lane expansion and the Hornby Lane expansion.

In advance of the the Hornby Lane there were two public open houses plus websites and social media that solicited input. And the original plans were changed based on the public input.

It seems to me that the reason we are hearing more criticism is because there has been earlier and more public communication about these projects prior to construction.

Transportation Modal Share - Vancouver vs. other Cities

2010-06-03T11:36:00.001-07:00

With recent announcements of investment in cycling infrastructure some are predicting economic disaster if Vancouver reduces the number of light duty vehicles on the road. The table below compares transportation modal share in Vancouver with other selected cities.

All of these cities have significantly less personal car use than Vancouver. In many cases it is less than half. Are these cities suffering economically?

city	country	walking	cycling	public transport	private motor vehicle
Vancouver	Canada	12%	4%	25%	58%
Metro Vancouver	Canada	11%	2%	13%	74%
New York City	US	8%	1%	54%	32%
Bern	Switzerland	11%	11%	54%	24%
Zürich	Switzerland	8%	5%	63%	25%
Copenhagen	Denmark	6%	36%	29%	26%
Berlin	Germany	30%	13%	26%	31%
Stockholm	Sweden	15%	7%	43%	33%
Dresden	Germany	24%	17%	21%	38%
Helsinki	Finland	12%	6%	40%	41%
München	Germany	9%	8%	41%	41%
Aarhus	Denmark	7%	27%	19%	43%
Bilbao	Spain	23%	0%	34%	43%
Frankfurt	Germany	11%	7%	39%	43%
The Hague	Netherlands	5%	22%	30%	43%
Amsterdam	Netherlands	4%	22%	30%	44%
Madrid	Spain	9%	0%	43%	48%
Hanover	Germany	9%	13%	29%	49%
Bremen	Germany	7%	19%	24%	50%
Hamburg	Germany	8%	8%	33%	51%
London	England	21%	2%	40%	38%

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

Double Hulled Spill Dogs Enbridge Announcement

2010-05-27T23:06:00.001-07:00

Today Enbridge announced plans to file for approval for a pipeline that would allow them to ship petroleum from a BC Coast port. As part of the announcement they tried to reassure BC residents about the risk of spills by toting the safety of the double-hulled tankers that would be used at the port. They ran advertisements in major newspapers also promoting the safety of double-hulled tankers.

Meanwhile a double-hulled tanker off the coast of Singapore was damaged on the and is leaking crude oil equivalent to 18,325 barrels.

Most Cost Effecitve way to Reuce ghg Emissions

2010-05-26T12:22:00.001-07:00

As construction starts on the Dunsmuir separated bike lane it might be helpful to remember a Norwegian study earlier this year found that building cycling infrastructure was one of the most cost effective ways to fight climate change.

Action as BC Fails Climate Goals

2010-04-26T13:27:00.003-07:00

A group of local residents occupied a construction site for the South Fraser Perimeter Road (SFPR) for several hours on Sunday and unveiled a large banner reading "Climate Action Now."

The action came on the heals of news that BC was the only province to see substantial increases in greenhouse gas emissions during 2008, the first year of the carbon tax implementation.

The SFPR is part of the massive Gateway Program which even the proponents admit will increase ghg emissions by over 170,000 tonnes per year.

The action along the SFPR alignment coincided with the annual pilgrimage to Burns Bog.Technorati Tags: stopgateway, delta, climate change, vancouver

Farms not Freeways

2010-03-24T14:10:00.001-07:00

A large sign reading "Farms not Freeways" has been erected along highway 17 in Delta, BC. Residents of the area joined forces with the Council of Canadians and GatewaySucks.org to put up the sign.

It is located near the route of the South Fraser Perimeter Road. It is estimated that over 200 acres (90 hectares) of farmland will be lost by this project. It is part of the larger Gateway Program which will increase greenhouse gas emissions by over 200,000 tonnes per year.

"Farms not Freeways" billboard - Harold Steeves Speaking Out

Would you like some chemicals with your snow?

2010-02-01T22:56:00.001-08:00

With the continuing warm temperatures in Vancouver, VANOC has had to resort to drastic measures to keep the snow at Cypress Bowl, the local snowboarding and ski venue. They have said that they may use "snow hardening" chemicals to help prepare the snow for the games. And this has local residents expressing concerns about those chemicals.

VANOC has ignored requests to identify which chemicals they will be using. They have claimed that this measure was included in the provincial environmental assessment for the venue. However, I was unable to find any mention of snow hardening or preserving chemicals in the assessment.

Generally the chemicals used to prepare ski and snowboard courses can include sodium chloride (salt), calcium chloride, urea, ammonium nitrate , and potassium nitrate. Some of the chemicals used can be bio-accumulative.

A swiss study found that water in streams fed by treated ski runs had much higher concentrations of salts than background levels measured in neighbouring streams. In fact, elevated levels were detected more than 15 years after treatment ended. The chemicals also can contribute to higher levels of chlorides, nitrogen and phosphorous in the local water systems.

This is part of ongoing analysis of how "green" the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games are. More articles at www.2010greenwatch.org

Community Activists Modify Construction Signs

2009-12-18T09:59:00.001-08:00

Morning commuters were greeted with new messages along Gateway Program construction routes this morning.

The construction announcement signs had been modified to read "Farms not Freeway", "Peatland not Pavement", "Homes not Highways" and "Transit not Truck Routes."

The action occurred on the last scheduled day of climate talks in Copenhagen. Government reports estimate the Gateway program will increase greenhouse gas emissions by over 160,000 tonnes per year. Independent modelling puts the figure at over 300,000 tonnes.

The signs modified included promises that transportation experts have consistently questioned.

Some sign promise that the project will be "Reducing Congestion." Yet, Gordon Campbell said in 2003 “You cannot build your way out of congestion”.

The signs also promise that the government is "Strengthening the Economy." The Provincial and Federal governments have provided massive investments to the Port in Prince Rupert to develop its container handling abilities. Yet the Prince Rupert port is quiet and being used at less than half of its capacity, while the Provincial Government spends billions to expand DeltaPort and its infrastructure.

Community banners vs. government bulldozers

Climate Camp in Vancouver

2009-12-17T12:32:00.001-08:00

Climate Camp in Vancouver
Concerned citizens have set up a camp at the Vancouver Art Gallery to urge action on climate change. Some of them are also fasting. The are vowing to continue the camp and fast until the end of the current climate change conference in Copenhagen.

Olympics bring dirty power to Vancouver

2009-12-15T21:16:00.001-08:00

Large events like the Olympics often require temporary structures and temporary power for those structures. This was certainly the case at the Torino Olympics where over 500 generators burnt around 8,000,000 litres of fuel.

BC Hydro and VANOC promised that the 2010 Olympics would be different - it would be using BC Hydro's clean power sources and reduce GHG emissions by 90%. But, apparently they weren't able to completely give up on the generators.

Aggreko, the official supplier of diesel pollution for the games, is bragging that they will be supplying 34 MW of generators and 31 MW of electric heat. Which based on my calculations is more than 10% of the amount used in Torino (so much for the 90% reduction).

One might expect that most of this generation was in the remote mountain venues. But the diesel generator pictured here is just one of several found at the Athlete's Village in the heart of Vancouver. And this is not a back-up generator. It appears to be running 24/7.

And VANOC and the City of Vancouver were thoughtful enough to re-route a popular bike route to run right past this pollution source.

Award Winning UBC Prof Blocks Freeway Construction

2009-12-08T11:07:00.001-08:00

UBC Professor Patrick Condon speaks
at Construction Blockade
Originally uploaded by Rob__

Gateway Work Shut Down for Four Hours

On Monday December 7th UBC Professor Patrick Condon joined a group of climate activists who occupied a freeway construction site in Vancouver. Work was stopped at the site for four hours. The protest coincided with the first day of climate change talks in Copenhagen, where Canada received yet another Fossil of the Day Award. The notorious award goes to the country doing the most to obstruct progress at UN climate negotiations.

This action was directed at the controversial Gateway Program, a massive freeway-expansion project that would increase greenhouse gases (GHGs) in a sector that is already the largest source of emissions in our region. The province's own assessment estimates the increase at over 160,000 tonnes per year. If the billions being spent on Gateway were re-directed to an emissions reduction program including cost-effective public transit, emissions could be reduced by millions of tonnes per year.

The Gateway Program is linked to a larger Pacific Gateway strategy that includes pipelines to the Alberta Tar Sands, Canada's largest point source of greenhouse gas emissions. Cars and trucks in BC already burn fuel made from tar sands bitumen, and the proportion of this dirty tar sands fuel in our gas tanks is increasing.

“As a citizen it enrages me to see Canada drag its feet on climate change through support of the world’s dirtiest fuel: tar sands,” said Patrick Condon. “As a resident it breaks my heart to see the Vancouver region abandon livability and sustainability through the construction of more freeways. And as a parent, I can’t look my kids and grandkids in the face if I don't do whatever I can to stop this madness.”

Approximately fifty people were involved in the protest. At one point construction workers moved a piece of equipment on to the site. Police physically removed protesters blocking the equipment but there were no arrests. One protester was thrown to the ground and another was hit in the throat by police.After parking the equipment workers left and did not resume work until after the protesters were gone from the site.

Patrick Condon is a senior researcher at the UBC Design Centre for Sustainability and has held the position of the James Taylor Chair in Landscape and Liveable Environments.
____________________________________
For more info on this event and the Gateway Project see http://www.gatewaysucks.org
Follow all the breaking news via http://twitter.com/gatewaysucks

North Van Sit-In

2009-12-04T15:52:00.001-08:00

North Van Sit-In
Originally uploaded by Rob__

Today citizens occupied a North Van MP's office asking for the government to set evidence based climate change targets. The aren't leaving until the MP meets their demands. Expecting the police to be called at 5 PM.

Climate Actions Galore

2009-12-02T17:38:00.001-08:00

IMGP4573.JPG
Originally uploaded by Rob__

It has been a busy few days for climate action here in British Columbia.

Yesterday activists and academics staged a mock trial that found Prime Minister Harper and Environment Minister Jim Prentice guilty of criminal negligence.

Today residents of Vancouver Island peacefully occupied Minster Gary Lunn's office.

There were also actions out in the Fraser Valley today and there will be more in the next few weeks.

Lights Draining the Green out of the Olympics?

2009-11-27T12:22:00.001-08:00

The City of Vancouver has announced a plan to light up English Bay with 20 robotic searchlights as part of the Cultural Olympiad.

If the 10,000 W lights are left on for 15 hours a day this will consume over 3,000 kWh of electricity per day. That is enough to power 10 average homes (50 energy efficient ones). Over the course the 24 days that the lights will be used they will consume 72,000 kWh of electiricy and generate 9,000 kg of CO2 equivelent greenhouse gas emissions.

And one top of that there is the issue of light pollution.

Note: ghg emissions include imported power assuming a 10% coal, 5% natural gas and 85% hydro mix.

Olympic Transportation plan already failing?

2009-10-28T14:47:00.001-07:00

Today the construction site at SE False Creek appears to be directing cyclists on the Ontario Bike route to use the sidewalk on 2nd avenue as a detour. Asking cyclists to use this narrow sidewalk is both dangerous and illegal. This is clearly in an inadequate cycling facility for a city that claims to be promoting cycling as part of it's “Greenest City” imitative,

According to maps published on October 14th the city was supposed have a marked detour in place using 3rd Ave and parts of Quebec street. It is now two weeks later and this route is still not marked.

According to the Host City Olympic transportation plan, page 4:
“Some bike routes will be temporarily altered during the 2010 Winter Games to accommodate operational and security needs. Wherever possible, bike route closures will be accommodated by safe and well-marked alternatives.”

The current route is neither “safe” nor “well-marked”.

When will city be addressing this problem?

Is the Olympic Transportation plan already failing?

A Budget to INCREASE global warming?

2009-09-02T15:19:00.001-07:00

Despite rhetoric to the contrary it appears that yesterday's BC Liberal budget is designed to increase greenhouse gas emissions in this province.

The largest sources of greenhouse gas (ghg) emissions in our province are from transportation and the fossil fuel extraction industries. So, the government chose to specifically increase activities in these areas.

There were cuts in health care, education and other social services. But no cuts in the province's controversial highway expansion projects. Even though the province's own documents admit that these projects will increase ghg emissions.

And the province kept in place the massive subsidies to the fossil fuel extraction industries. Costing the tax payers millions while increasing pollution.

But the government was not content to rely on these measures alone to increase ghg emissions. It cutback and cancelled many programs designed to reduce emissions.

The PST exemption on bikes, renewable energy systems and energy efficiency products is gone with the new HST. It also cancelled the LiveSmart program which also helped fund renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

And funding for public transit is up in the air. The government has made promises about funding for transit. But Translink, the agency responsible for delivering the services has said it does not have enough money for the evergreen line, the third seabus or additional much needed bus capacity. Again there seems to plenty of money for highway expansion but not for transit even though transit investment creates three times as many jobs.

This government's actions are clearly criminal and need to be stopped.

Car Subsidies in Vancouver

2009-07-31T11:11:00.001-07:00

A recent article (also here) is perpetuating one of the most persistent myths of modern society - that cyclists aren't paying their fare share for road use.

In fact private car ownership is one of the most subsidized aspects of our society. In Metro Vancouver taxpayers subsidize car owners to the tune of $6.6 billion per year. In places like Ontario it is even higher.

So cyclists who drive little or never are actually helping to subsidize the polluting habits of frequent car drivers.

Permaculture Design Course

2009-07-21T09:29:00.001-07:00

At the beginning of July I attended a two week intensive permaculture design course on Denman Island presented by Pacific Permaculture . Learned a lot and am now looking forward to applying some of these permaculture design techniques in Vancouver.

Carbon Tax vs. Gateway

2009-05-01T10:47:00.001-07:00

During the current BC election campaign there has been much discussion about the carbon tax. Some environmentalists have even endorsed the Liberal party based on the tax. But how does it stack up to other climate-related policies?

Based on numbers in the modeling done by the Carbon Tax Center, I estimated that the BC Carbon Tax would reduce greenhouse gas (ghg) emissions by 570,000 tonnes annually at the current rate and by 901,000 tonnes by 2012 when the rate is raised to $30/tonne.

I used a model developed by the Sightline Institute to estimate emissions from the Gateway Program. I calculated annual increases of 388,000 - 621,000 tonnes. The Gateway program alone would wipe out one to two thirds of the gains made by the Carbon Tax.

During 2001 - 2006 the emissions from Oil and Gas production increased by 1,040,000 per year. The Liberals have committed to supporting this industry so it can be expected that these increases will continue.

These two policies (Gateway and Petroleum Industry support) would result in an increase that is more than 50% higher than any reduction from the Carbon Tax.

So why all the emphasis on the Carbon Tax when other policies will wipe out any gains made by the tax?

Notes on calculations:

Calculations used a baseline year of 2006 with total emissions of 62.3 Mt CO2 eq.

The Carbon Tax Center's model uses 0.25% reduction in emissions from gasoline consumption at a $10/tonne tax and a 1.09% reduction at $30 / tonne. 36% of the BC's emissions are from transportation. So I estimated a reduction of 244,000 tonnes for a $30 tax. (62,300,000 x 36% x 1.09%).

The Carbon Tax Center's model uses 0.25% reduction in emissions from gasoline consumption at a $10/tonne tax and a 1.09% reduction at $30 / tonne. 36% of the BC's emissions are from transportation. So I estimated a reduction of 244,000 tonnes for a $30 tax. (62,300,000 x 36% x 1.09%).

The Carbon Tax Center's model uses a 3.06% reduction in emissions from "other" sources at $30 / tonne. I estimaed that another 45% of the BC's emissions would fall in this category. (consistant with other estimates that the carbon tax would cover about 70% of BC emissions). I estimated a reduction of 657,000 tonnes for a $30 tax. (62,300,000 x 45% x 3.06%). This gives us a total annual reduction of 901,000 tonnes compared to baseline year when the tax reaches $30/ tonne.

Burns Bog Pilgrimage

2009-04-27T11:53:00.001-07:00

Burns Bog Pilgrimage
Originally uploaded by Rob__

Over 100 people participated in a pilgrimage to Burns Bog on Sunday. The event organized by a multi-faith coalition had participants walk over the Alex Fraser bridge and then though the Delta Nature Conservancy.

The pilgrimage was designed to draw attention to the damage that the South Fraser Primeter Road (SFPR) will cause to the environmentally sensitive bog.

Burns Bog has been listed as threatened by the International Mire Conservation Group because of the impacts of the SFPR. In response to the mitigation measures proposed the Environmental Stewardship Branch of Environment Canada wrote that "...that the changes are not sufficient to alleviate its concerns related to the impacts of the Project on Pacific Water Shrew (PWS), hydrology, aerial deposition, and ecological integrity of Burns Bog."

10,000 people (and two polar bears) Petition Premier

2009-04-23T15:49:00.001-07:00

VANCOUVER - The Society Promoting Environmental Conservation and the Wilderness Committee delivered petitions with over 10,000 signers to the Premier's office today. The petitions ask that the government cancel the Gateway Program's highway expansion components and invest more in transit instead.

The gateway program is a transportation infrastructure project that includes over 260 km of new highway lanes.

Dozens of activists rallied outside the office in downtown Vancouver including two dressed as polar bears. The premier's office initially declined to accept the invitations. After the activists attempted to enter the nearby convention centre where the premier was speaking, staff working with the Premier agreed to accept the petitions.

“Translink is currently exhausting its capital reserves just to keep existing service going,” said Karen Wristen, Executive Director of SPEC. “At this rate, they will be broke in two years. We simply can’t afford both freeway expansion and transit development: we have to solve the transit crisis first.”

“It will be virtually impossible to reach BC’s commitments to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) if Gateway is allowed to proceed. Gateway is not just an irresponsible plan, it’s immoral,” said Ben West, the Wilderness Committee’s Healthy Communities Campaigner.

The government calculates that greenhouse gas emissions will increase by over 170,000 tonnes per year from the Gateway program.

Premeir Gordon Campbell has not yet responded directly to the petition. In recent interviews he has defended the Gateway Program.

Banners Hung over 20 Bridges

2009-04-14T16:54:00.001-07:00

Saturday also saw citizens from West Vancouver to Chilliwack hoist banners on Highway 1 overpasses across the region in a coordinated Day of Action, with slogans such as "Stop the Gateway to Global Warming" and "Better Transit, Not Freeways". Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in BC, and the protestors said emissions are expected to rise substantially if the Gateway Project is built.

Activists South of the Fraser also marked the riding office of provincial Highways Minister Kevin Falcon a "Global Warming Crime Scene" Saturday morning, and piled sand used by Ministry contractors for highway construction in front of the door.

"Kevin Falcon is a Climate Criminal, bulldozing us with freeways, and roasting the planet with greenhouse gases," said Surrey resident Jim Shook as he attached large strips of yellow "Global Warming Crime Scene" tape across the door to Falcon's office. "In solidarity with the region-wide Day of Action on Highway 1, we declare this a 'Global Warming Crime Scene' and return this freeway construction material to let him know that he should cancel the Gateway project immediately."

The activists emptied buckets of highway construction sand in front of the office, taken from an area of recently bulldozed homes in Surrey's Bridgeview neighbourhood that is being dumped with sand to prepare for possible construction of the South Fraser Perimeter Road.

According to Bridgeview resident Sonia Nazar, "Kevin Falcon has raped our community for his billion dollar freeway scheme, but our transit system is still starved for cash. Would he do this to his own neighbourhood?"

"Thousands of people from throughout Metro Vancouver have signed petitions against Gateway," says Carmen Mills, spokesperson for GatewaySucks.org. "The people of the region are clearly opposed to this project, and we will make our voices heard. With this action, we're saying it loud and clear: No Falcon Freeways!"

Gateway Day of Action: Minister Falcon's Office Declared "Crime Scene"

"Green" Power and Hypocrisy

2009-03-25T12:09:00.001-07:00

In the last few days it seems that the debate about "green" power here in the BC has heated up. The subject has come up in blogs, newspaper editorials, email lists and even at a business reception last night.

It is frustrating for me that so much of the focus for climate change solutions in BC is on electrical power generation.

Please don't get me wrong - we shouldn't ignore electrical generation. I certainly don't. My professional life is spent working on renewable energy and energy conservation solutions.

But, here in BC electrical generation accounts for only a small fraction of our ghg emissions (2%). The largest source of greenhouse gas emissions is transportation (36-40%). Shouldn't our focus be on reducing emissions in the transportation and building sectors? We are not going to meet the targets required unless we start to focus on these areas.

Why aren't these sectors generating the same amount of discussion when in fact they are far more significant than electrical generation?

In the last few days I have seen the word "hypocrisy" applied to those on one side of the "green" energy debate. It may be justified but it can certainly be applied to both sides. There are some people who have jumped on the "green" energy bandwagon claiming that they are doing so because of their concern over climate change. Yet, they they don't seem to acknowledge the much larger contributors to climate change in our province. In fact, in some cases they have even argued that we should NOT oppose the construction of new highways.

Climate Change is such a significant threat that we need to focus on all sources of emissions and all potential solutions. We certainly shouldn't be ignoring the most significant sources.

Activists Join Climate Change Day by Blocking Highway Preparation

2009-03-03T17:37:00.001-08:00

see larger image

SURREY, BC - Concerned citizens from both sides of the Fraser River participated in protesting the demolition of a large house slated for demolition in Surrey’s Bridgeview neighbourhood this morning.

The non-violent act of civil disobedience is taking place as part of a day of direct action drawing attention to activities that cause climate change in various cities throughout North America. The house in Surrey is in the way of preparatory work for the South Fraser Perimeter (SFPR) Highway, part of the provincial government's controversial Gateway project.Ministry officials plan to lay pre-load sand throughout the neighbourhood so in a couple years thearea will be ready for pavement.

“Kevin Falcon's Gateway Project is threatening to destroy this community, and outdated freeway projects like this are destroying our planet,” said Tom Jaugelis, a local resident and spokesperson for the group. “They're wasting billions of our tax dollars on this gateway to global warming that won’t even fix our congestion problems. They should be buildinghousing, and investing in other green jobs like the public transit that Surrey needs right now.”

Today in Washington DC a national coalition of more than 40 environmental, public health, labor, social justice, faithbased and other advocacy groups plans to engage in what is expected to be the largest mass mobilization on global warming in the history of the US. NASA scientist Dr. James Hansen, one of the world’s leading climate scientists is taking part in the civil disobedience.

The action in Washington is happening at a coal burning plant. In many parts of the US coal plants are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Here in Metro Vancouver vehicles are the largest source of these emissions, making up 36% of BC’s overall emissions. According to a report by the Livable Region Coalition the gateway project will increase carbon emissions by 30%.

The house in Surrey where the BC action is taking place which is located at 124 St and 116 Ave is the last still standing in Bridgeview on the proposed route of the SFPR. The working family neighbourhood was targeted early by the Gateway project, forcing many residents with deep roots in the community to leave.

Bernadette Keenan, who sits on the Board of the Bridgeview Community Association, says “The Port Mann/Highway 1 public-private partnership just collapsed, and this South Fraser Freeway does not even have a preferred bidder yet, so these projects are obviously a bad investment – economically as well as environmentally. The provincial government should cancel the misguided Gateway scheme immediately.”

As of 1 PM the protestors were picketing along the perimter of the property waiting for the former home owner to finish removing items from the house. The provincial government hired private security for the site this morning.

Update (Tuesday 9:00 AM): Protestors have now had a continous presence on the property for over 26 hours and have set up tents. They continue to wait for heavy equipment to arrive for the house demolition.

NowPublic

Lynn Valley PV

2009-02-25T13:47:00.001-08:00

The 8.75 kW photovoltaic (solar electric) installation at the Lynn Valley Care Centre in North Vancouver, BC is now online and delivering clean power to the building. Installation work by Vancouver Renewable Energy (http://www.vrec.ca ).

Efficient Car Myth

2009-02-06T12:21:00.001-08:00

With the recent announcement of a 10 lane monster bridge here in Vancouver it might be timely to examine the idea of the efficient car. Some supporters of the highway expansion project claim that we don't need to worry about greenhouse gas emissions or local pollution because the increased traffic will sometime in an unspecified future be replaced by magical super efficient cars.

A recent article in The Progressive, The Myth of the Efficient Car, examines this issue. The article points out that, "...the looming catastrophe of global pollution, including climate change, will never be solved by building more cars – efficient or otherwise."

Meanwhile the private partner involved in building the bridge, Macquaire Group, is having problems.

"they have gone mad"

2009-02-04T17:30:00.001-08:00

Quote of the day:
"To remove a bridge that is still worth at least half a billion,
and add a giant one at a cost of 3.5 billion makes no sense. With that
much money you could provide rail transit to within a ten minute walk
of over 80% of south of Fraser residents."

Patrick M. Condon
Professor, University of British Columbia
and former professional city planner
responding to the announcement of a 10 lane Port Mann bridge

Maquarie's Offices In Lock Down

2009-01-22T16:10:00.001-08:00

Maquarie Banks offices in downtown Vancouver were in lock down mode Thursday as about 60 activists rallied outside against the bank's involvement in the controversial Gateway project.

Speakers at the rally highlighted what they called the "twin meltdown" of climate change and the global financial crisas. Maquarie bank has been selected as as part of the perferred bidder team but has yet to sign a contract. Recently it has been revealed that Maquarie is having difficulty securing financing for the project.

“The Premier has more than enough reasons to rethink the Gateway Project, the international banks balking at financing the twinning of the Port Mann Bridge is only the latest,” said David Fields of the Livable Region Coalition. “ The twin meltdowns of the economy and the climate signals that we need to do it differently, that we must have economic policy and investments that support the environment. Gateway is a waste of money that has been proven to worsen carbon and other air pollution, we need transit first.”

According to the BC Treasury Board, for every million dollars spent, transit projects create more jobs than road projects by 7 to 1. A report released yesterday by Sustainable Prosperity ranked investments in public transit as the top green economic stimulus option for Canada, whereas freeway and bridge expansions were ranked as third from last.

“Back in September, 2004, BC’s Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon first announced a price tag for the twinning the Port Mann Bridge of $800 Million. The most recent numbers, as quoted in Project Finance Magazine, was $2.3 Billion, almost triple the original estimate,” said Ben West, Healthy Communities Campaigner with the Wilderness Committee.

Now, Macquarie Bank, one of the Gateway project’s financiers, has failed to meet a January 8th deadline for signing off on the project’s financing. It has been reported that Macquarie is struggling to raise the $2.3 Billion it would need due to the global financial crisis and doubts about its business practices. The federal government will table a budget on January 27th that may pass the bill for the full cost of the Gateway project onto taxpayers.

“Investing in transit first is not only the greenest and economically appropriate option for Metro Vancouver, it is also very popular with the public,” stated Fields. “A recent public opinion poll shows that residents prefer transit to freeway expansion by 2 to 1.”

A May public opinion poll conducted by Synovate on behalf of the David Suzuki Foundation and The Livable Region Coalition found that 69% of Metro Vancouver residents support redirecting money from freeway expansion to public transit in order to fight climate change. The same survey found that 60% of residents, or 2 to 1, support projects like the Evergreen Line and SkyTrain expansion to Surrey over the twinning of the Port Mann Bridge and expanding Highway 1.

Photos by Eric Doherty

NowPublic

Public barred from Gateway Announcement

2009-01-12T18:54:00.001-08:00

Public barred from Gateway Announcement
Originally uploaded by Robs__

Residents of Surrey and Vancouver were blocked from entering the site of an announcement regarding the controversial Gateway Program on Monday.

The announcement was held on private property behind barbed wire fences. Some in attendance speculated this was a deliberate attempt to keep the public from attending an event about the project which is becoming increasingly unpopular.

The announcement was billed as the official launch of construction on the South Fraser Perimeter Road (SFPR) portion of the program. But it contained little new information. The Federal government promised support but did not offer any specifics in terms of funding.

The Prime Minister painted the project as part of his government's economic stimulus package. But opponents pointed out that transit projects create seven times as many jobs as highway building.

Dozens of protesters turned out to meet the federal and provincial government officials as they entered the site. Protesters pointed out that the project will do irreversible harm to Burns Bog, destroy sacred First Nation sites, increase particulate pollution, destroy farmland, increase greenhouse gas emissions and harm neighbourhoods.

Light duty vehicles are the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the the Greater Vancouver area. Sustainability experts point out that the massive highway expansion project directly contradicts the province's climate change goals.

When Stockwell Day was driving through the entrance one of the protesters yelled "Hey, Stockwell prorogue Gateway."

Concerning the Province's plans for the SFPR, Environmental Stewardship Branch of Envirnoment Canada wrote that "...that the changes are not sufficient to alleviate its concerns related to the impacts of the Project on Pacific Water Shrew (PWS), hydrology, aerial deposition, and ecological integrity of Burns Bog."

The Gateway Program is opposed by the Livable Region Coalition, the Western Canada Wilderness Committee, SPEC, a group based south of the Fraser called The Gateway 40 network, the majority of members of Burnaby city council, all members of Vancouver city council, the majority of GVRD (now Metro Vancouver) directors, dozens of urban planners and many environmental groups . Environmentalist David Suzuki, Professor Anthony Perl (Director, SFU
Urban Studies Program), UBC professor Larry Frank (chair of
sustainable urban transportation systems), UBC Professor Peter
Boothroyd, UBC Professor Patrick Condon, Gordon Price and UBC Professor Bill Rees have all expressed opposition to the Gateway Program.

keeping it clean

2009-01-07T22:33:00.003-08:00

Nature good for the brain

2009-01-06T14:00:00.001-08:00

An interesting article on studies that show spending time in nature can help the brain function: How the city hurts your brain - Boston.com. Apparently even children with ADD function better if they spend time in nature.

Surrey Residents "Cancel" Gateway

2008-12-07T13:38:00.001-08:00

Surrey Residents "Cancel" Gateway
Originally uploaded by Rob__

As part of the International Day of Action on the Climate Crisas, residents of Surrey, BC modified a sign advertising the Gateway program. Light duty vehicles are already the largest source of ghg emissions in the lower mainland and the the Gateway program is projected to increase those emissions.

Two signs on either side of the Pattullo Bridge were modified. The banner added to the signs reads, "CANCELLED, Funding Diverted to Transit Improvements by LiverSmater BC, www.livesmarter.bc 'helping the Province go green'"

The group also created a new website, www.livesmarter.bc, which parodies an official government program designed to help citizens reduce their ecological footprint.

Fewer Roads = Less Congestion

2008-11-04T09:47:00.001-08:00

World Changing has an article about few roads can result in less congestion. To bad Kevin Falcon isn't reading this.

Open Letter to Gateway Contractors

2008-10-21T22:11:00.001-07:00

Transtoll Inc., The Macquarie Group, Flatiron Construction Corp., Kiewit Corporation,

I am writing to ask that you cancel your participation in the Metro Vancouver (Canada) “Gateway Program” as it is currently planned. Instead you should negotiate with the public and provincial government to create a new program that is environmentally sustainable and financial viable. Highway expansion does not fit these criteria.

Here are a few reasons to withdraw from the Gateway Program:

1. Reduced revenues as a result of carbon reduction programs.

Programs like BC's carbon tax are designed to encourage people to drive less. Fewer vehicle trips means less revenues for the private partner.

2. Reduced revenues as a result of peak oil.

We are already seeing people reducing their vehicle trips as a result of recent spikes in gasoline prices. As the price of a finite resources increases we will see further reductions in potential revenues.

3. Increased costs.

Rising oil prices also means increased costs for pavement – a basic component of highway construction.

4. Public Opinion.

There is widespread opposition to the Gateway Program in BC and participation in that program could be a public relations nightmare.

5. Protests.

Two recent highway expansion projects (Sea to Sky and Bear Mountain) were delayed for months by protests.

6. Financing.

The current situation in the global financial markets makes financing the project extremely difficult.

7. It is the right thing to do.

The Gateway Program will increase emissions from the sector that is already the highest source of greenhouse gas emissions in this region. It will also increase pollution that is responsible for health problems. Climate change has been called the greatest moral issue that our generation faces.

Sincerely,

Rob_

(For contact info to send your own letter: http://www.ecocascadia.org/BCCC.shtml )

Open Letter to Gordon Campbell

2008-10-09T23:06:00.001-07:00

I would like thank you for setting a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions in British Columbia by 33 per cent by 2020. This is an important step (although the science seems to indicate that we must reduce emissions even more quickly – 90% by 2030¹). As well, I thank you for introducing a carbon tax that is also small step towards reaching that goal.

In planning to meet these goals it would make sense to tackle the largest contributions to greenhouse gas emissions first.

As you may know here in the Lower Mainland the largest source of green house gas emissions is light vehicles. If we are going to meet the targets you have set out we will have to dramatically reduce the amount of single-occupancy vehicles (SOV) trips and replace those with trips on public transit (preferably electric powered). The mainstream available technology for light vehicles, such as hybrid propulsion, will not make enough of a difference to meet your targets even if the majority of car users purchase new vehicles immediately.

Given these facts the Gateway Program as it is currently planned does not make any sense. Why build more lanes on Highway One if we are going to have to reduce SOV trips so significantly that those lanes are no longer needed? Once SOV trips are reduced there will be plenty of room for transit and the 8-10% of current traffic that is trucks.

All experts agree that Gateway Program as currently planned will actually increase emissions. The Gateway Program should be revamped and all plans for highway expansion (with the exception of transit queue-jumper lanes) should be removed.

Please don't respond by telling me that transit is included in your plans. The 17% target for the distant future is too little too late. Many world-class western cities already have transit modal shares of 20-50%. We should striving to match these numbers as soon as possible.

Please don't respond by telling me that we need highway expansion to expand transit. Studies have been done that show queue jumpers would allow buses to easily move over the bridge – especially if traffic is reduced once people have the option of using transit.

Please keep your promise to fight climate change and redesign the Gateway Program.

Sincerely,

Rob Baxter

1As described by Monbiot in Heat based on a paper by Chris D. Jones et al., published in Geophysical Research Letters.

Rally

2008-09-24T13:35:00.001-07:00

There will be a rally for sustainable transportation in Surrey on Saturday, Sept. 24th. In our region transportation is the largest contribution to green house gas emissions and this is an event that directly deals with that issue. Some of us will be cycling to the event. View the proposed route here or below:
<br><small><a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 255); text-align: left;" href="http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=104443166972154694208.0004579717a05eb4331a7&ll=49.224173,-122.930973&spn=0.052352,0.26039&source=embed">View Larger Map</a></small>

Cyclists interacting with Motorists

2008-09-18T12:49:00.001-07:00

I just read this rather frightening account of a NY State Senator almost crushing a cyclist and then threatening him. It reminded me of a similar experience I had on Pacific Boulevard in Vancouver. An SUV driver veered into the cycling lane, hit my arm which I had instinctively stretched out and then yelled at me not to touch his vehicle.

But there is also a much more heartwarming account on No Impact Man's Blog where a confrontation ends with a handshake. And that too reminded me of an incident here in Vancouver. I was legally using the new bike box on the Carrall Street Greenway. A delivery van driver started shouting and swearing at me because I was in the bike box. I tried to explain what the bike box was but he just continued to yell at me telling me that what I was doing was wrong. I followed him to his next stop and started to phone the number on the side of his truck. He suddenly became much more resonable and I was able to explain to him how a bike box works. The conversation ended with an apology from him and a handshake.

Low CO2 Trip to Victoria

2008-09-07T18:36:00.001-07:00

Using public transit, ferries and a bike I did a low C02 trip to Victoria for the Labour Day long weekend.

The trip included some great examples of sustainable transportation infrastructure.

A photo essay of the trip can be found at:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/30261607@N00/sets/72157607167791879/

Lynn Valley PV

2008-08-19T11:22:00.001-07:00

Lynn Valley PV
Originally uploaded by Rob__

Work began last week on what will be the largest photovoltaic (solar electric) installation in the Lower Mainland. Located at the Lynn Valley Care Centre in North Vancouver, BC the system will generate about 9 MWh of electricity per year. Installation work is being done by Vancovuer Renewable Energy (http://www.vrec.ca/ ).

on the meaning of life

2008-06-30T21:12:00.001-07:00

Quote of the day...

"....is difficult to answer if giving meaning to life and our activities in the world is precluded by a philosophical predisposition to mistrust human action and human desire as flawed, duped, cancerous, and even the point of origin for our collective unhappiness."
Chris Carlsson from here

car free vancouver day

2008-06-16T12:53:00.001-07:00

car free vancouver
Originally uploaded by Rob__

last year - one street
this year - 3 major streets, and 21 side streets
next year - the whole city?

Burrard Bridge Bike Lane myths revisited.

2008-06-01T22:06:00.001-07:00

With the Burrard Bridge bike lanes in the news again recently and today the start of bike month, it might be a good time to review the myths about the Burrard Bridge bike lanes.

And I thought I would add another myth.....

Myth: Vancouver is too cold / rainy / hilly and we will never have the large percentage of the general population cycling like they do in some European cities.

Reality: Tronheim, Norway is one of the top cities in the world for cycling. 18% of the population uses a bike as a daily means of transportation. The city ranges in elevation from sea level to 565 metres (1850 ft). It experiences moderate snowfall from November to March. There are an average of 14 days each winter with at least 25 cm of snow cover on the ground.

Other examples of hilly cities with high cycling poplulations:
- hilly Aarhus, Denmark's second city (25% modal share);
- Gothenburg
- Berne, Switzerland, where 25% of the population ride each day through a
Alpen landscape.

Bike to Work Week

2008-05-29T09:22:00.001-07:00

Bike to Work Week
Originally uploaded by Rob__

It's bike to work week in Vancouver! Sign-up on-line, track your commute and win a bike: http://www.vacc.bc.ca/

Breakfast Quotes

2008-05-22T13:46:00.001-07:00

Some interesting quotes from this morning's Metro Vancouver Sustainability Breakfast:

“We have today the most road and parking capacity that we will ever need”
- Bryn Davidson, Executive Director, Dynamic Cities Project

"We need to redesign Gateway...[if we continue with the current design]...we will have wasted that money...we will have sunk it into a design that was inappropriate."
- Anthony Perl, Professor and SFU Director, Urban Studies Program

Come Clean on Gateway

2008-04-14T16:06:00.001-07:00

Gateway Message
Originally uploaded by Rob__

This message, "cleaned" into the cement, appeared at various spots around Vancouver on Monday. It makes reference to the province's Gateway Program - a green house gas emitting monster project of highway expansion.

Falcon Misinformed on Truck Traffic

2008-01-24T16:37:00.001-08:00

Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon claims the we need to expand the Port Mann to accommodate “commercial-goods–movement” (Jan 24 Georgia Straight). But according to his own department's figures, only 8% of the traffic on the bridge is truck traffic. Clearly the current bridge has plenty of capacity for commercial-goods-movement.

The vast majority of the traffic on the bridge is single occupancy vehicles and these drivers need to be given the option of transit now, not years in the future. Falcon does get one thing right - tolls will help induce people to take transit. But we need to start congestion pricing on the current infrastructure not future infrastructure. That is what other cities that are taking sustainable transportation seriously are doing. Why is Metro Vancouver falling behind?

More thoughts on the new BC Transit Plan

2008-01-15T21:33:00.001-08:00

Speaking about the new Provincial Transit Plan, Premier Campbell said "Our transit mission is nothing short of being a global leader in terms of public transit and transit usage."

Unfortunately, the plan will get us no where near to being a "global leader." The new transit plan has ridership reaching 17% by 2020.

But in Stockholm 70 percent of peak period trips are by public transit. In Berlin it is 40% with a goal of 80%. Paris and London are both over 20%.

Other European cities :

Utrecht - 40%
Helsinki - 30%
Zurich - 40%
Copenhagen - 31%

Even some American cities seem to be ahead of us (note: these numbers are for percentage of commuters not total trips):
Washington - 33%
New York - 53 %

I would like to see us be a global leader in public transit. But unfortunately, this plan is too little too late. Maybe if we cancelled all the highway expansion projects and made transit a priority we could start to make progress towards that goal.

Thoughts on the new transit plan

2008-01-14T12:47:00.001-08:00

The BC government has announced a new Provincial Transit Plan.

Finally something that addresses transportation, one of the biggest contributors to ghg emissions in BC. But is it enough?

It appears the first of the new projects announced won't be finished until 2014. This is after the Gateway Program highway expansion. This indicates to me that highway expansion is still the priority, not mass transit.

The goal of the plan is to increase ridership by 1-5% (depending upon the region) by 2020. This doesn't seem to be enough to meet the 33% ghg reduction that the province has set for 2020.

The plan has a goal of reducing ghg emissions by 4.7 millions tonnes "cumulatively" by 2020. I assume by "cumulatively" they mean over the course of the 6 years that the plan is rolled out. This number seems high given the 1-5% ridership change but if we assume it is correct that works out to about 0.78 million per year.

However, our current annual ghg emissions from light duty vehicles in BC are over 11.1 tonnes. That means that this plan will only reduce emissions by 7 % ! Not even close to the government's target of 33%.

Update: It turns out that 4.7 million tonnes figure is actually spread out over 12 years so the plan is even worse than I thought. It will reduce by less than 4% the emissions from light vehicles in BC.

Another City with a Congestion Charge

2008-01-04T12:23:00.001-08:00

Milan, Italy has instituted a congestion charge. It joins other cities that already have implemented or tired congestion charges such as London, Singapore (the first scheme in the world, started in 1975, upgraded in 1998), Rome, Valletta, and Stockholm. With all the talk about Vancouver being a leader in sustainability why are we falling behind the rest of the world on this very effective measure?

Peter Ladner has an interesting post on why we might want to follow Singapore's example.

Artic Ice and Highways

2007-12-16T20:43:00.001-08:00

With all the climate news focused on the Bali talks this week, another important story may have been missed. U.S. scientists presented a report that forecast Arctic ice to disappear by 2013. For a public that sometimes has difficulty understanding the more abstract qualities of climate chaos this may be a dramatic wake-up call.

If the forecast is right it will occur just one year after the highway one expansion is scheduled to be completed. This project is projected to increase green house gas emissions from the traffic - already the largest source of emissions for this region. Will there be wide spread public anger against the project? Or will the government in a desperate attempt to meet its climate change goals restrict traffic in such a way that makes the extra lanes unnecessary? Either way it seems like a bigger fiasco than the fast ferries scandal.

Kill Bill 43!

2007-11-22T21:16:00.001-08:00

Why is the Transportation Minister afraid of democratic representation?

Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Cars and Light Trucks in Canada

2007-10-18T20:18:00.001-07:00

GHG Emissions from Cars & Light Trucks
Originally uploaded by Rob__

Apologists for the Gateway Program have begun to claim that we can expand highways and reduce ghg (greenhouse gas) emissions because cars are getting "cleaner" and "total emissions continue to decline."

The problem is that they are confusing different types of emissions. It is true that emission controls for automobiles have reduced some types of toxic emissions. But these controls do NOT reduce CO2 - the major ghg emission.

Fuel efficiency does reduce ghg emissions. But after a sharp decline in fuel efficiency in the 70s and early 80s the combined fuel efficiency of light duty vehicles started rising in the 1990s (partly because people started switching to SUVs, vans and trucks from cars). see:
http://www.oee.rncan.gc.ca/english/programs/gif/mfev_figure_05.gif

GHG emissions from cars actually declined from 1990 -2005 but the total ghg emissions for car and light trucks increased (again because people have been shifting to SUVs, vans and trucks). In fact the total ghg emissions from light vehicles increased by 16%.
see:
http://www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/statistics/neud/dpa/tablesanalysis2/aaa_00_5_e_1.cfm?attr=0

Here are the totals for light vehicles:

1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005
73.82 71.66 73.27 75.06 76.91 76.97 76.03 79.63 81.78 81.55 80.8 82.75 84.28 85.01 86.18 85.9

It is clear the trend for GHG emissions from vehicles is up. If we encourage even more vehicles to take to the roads by expanding highways how can we meet Premier Campbell's target of a 30% reduction?

Update: Some people asked for trends specific to the GVRD for ghg emissions. So here it is:

"In 2003, the Greater Vancouver Regional (GVRD) published the report 'Forecast and Backcast of 2000 Emission Inventory for the Lower Fraser Valley Airshed 1985-2025'. Emissions in the report were calculated using an emissions model. GVRD greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles are estimated to have increased 28% between 1990 and 2000."

http://www.tac-atc.ca/english/resourcecentre/readingroom/conference/conf2005/docs/s17/klimchuk.pdf
page 4

Stop Gateway Rallies

2007-09-30T22:09:00.001-07:00

Bill Rees speaks at afternoon rally
Originally uploaded by Rob__

Rally outside the Bayshore Hotel
Originally uploaded by Rob__

Hundreds attended two rallies this weekend to support the Livable Region strategy and oppose the gateway program. The first rally on Saturday was a standing room only event at a hall that seated 300 people.

The second event saw hundreds brave the cold and driving rain to rally outside an appearance of Al Gore and Gordon Campbell in Downtown Vancouver.

At both events experts from a wide background spoke on the negative consequences of the Gateway Program.

Buses on the Port Mann

2007-09-28T09:28:00.001-07:00

Apologists for the Gateway Program appear to be re-writing history and claiming that Translink had no plans to run transit over the Port Mann bridge.

In actual fact a transit route with queue jumpers was originally planned to be implemented in 2004-2005 (see page 93 of Tanslink's South of Fraser - Area Transit Plan, Final Report - June 2000: http://www.translink.bc.ca/files/pdf/plan_proj/area_plans/south_fr_final.pdf)

Later it appears this was changed to 2007 (see page A8 of Three Year (2005 - 2007) Implementation & Financial Strategy - December 2004 :http://www.translink.bc.ca/files/pdf/plan_proj/ThreeYr05-07Strategic.pdf )

The two maps below produced by a third party illustrate the plans outlined in the documents referenced above.

The Port Mann bus route is shown in red. The 2000 Transit plan had the route stopping at central Surrey - this map extends that route.

The queue jumper lanes.

Update: This project is also mentioned in the "KEEPING GREATER VANCOUVER MOVING" Executive Summary - Translink 3-year Plan & 10-year Outlook p6 ( http://www.translink.bc.ca/files/pdf/plan_proj/executive_summary_June17.pdf
) :"Complete queue jumper lanes at the Port Mann and Second Narrows Bridges by 2007;"

Punishing People in Cars

2007-09-27T14:12:00.001-07:00

Mike Harcourt, speaking on Gateway asks, "Why punish people in cars?"

We might also ask, "Why punish transit users?" Right now transit users have to put up with over-crowded buses and sky trains, increased fares and a bus fleet that is smaller than plans called for. And they are only getting vague promises of improvements in the distant future sometime after the Gateway program.

So why are we rewarding people in cars with more lanes? These are the people that are contributing to climate change that will have severe consequences for the planet. These are the people that are contributing to pollution that kills 6,000 Canadians every year. And pollution that increases the frequency of asthma attacks among our children.

Why not reward those people who make choices that make our planet a better place to live? Why not reward those whose choices improve our health and well being? Perhaps not everyone can make that choice, but why not reward those that do?

Emission Free Transporation Options

2007-09-26T20:25:00.001-07:00

The anti-clean air gang continue their campaign of wishful thinking by proposing that somewhere in the hypothetical future technology (like hybrids) will allow us to expand our highways and still reduce harmful pollution and green house gas emissions.

The fact is only about 1% of cars sold in Canada are hybrids. And hybrids still pollute and release green house gases.

And we already have transportation solutions that are virtually emissions free (SkyTrain, LRT and electric trolley buses). Why don't we expand this infrastructure now and wait until the other technology is widely adopted before expanding highways?

Powered by ScribeFire.

Seling Real Estate in a Hummer

2007-09-16T19:02:00.001-07:00

With growing public consciousness around climate change and all things sustainable I find it strange that anyone would want to advertise their business on the side of a Hummer H2 (except maybe Hells Angels).
It certainly won't be helping the price of real estate in Richmond. Maybe there should be a boycott of Glen Warren Re/Max Real Estate Vancouver

Commute Times: Perception vs. Reality

2007-09-10T23:13:00.001-07:00

The asphalt lobby is making a big deal about an opinion survey that found that people in Metro Vancouver have a perception that congestion is getting worse and commute times are getting longer.

A more rigorous study that measured actual commute times found that although traffic has slowed, actual commute times have shortened in the last ten years.

Hybrids and Highway Expansion

2007-06-11T14:08:00.001-07:00

I have been thinking more about the idea that fuel efficient vehicles will help mitigate highway expansion.

Only about 1% of vehicles currently sold in Canada are hybrids.  The best estimates I have seen predict that the Gateway project will increase automotive emissions by 31%.   Hybrids under best conditions can reduce emission by half.  So if, 1% of the increase is from vehicles that reduce emissions by half that means that the increase will be 30.85% instead of 31%.

How will a 30.85% increase instead of 31% help us meet Premier Campbell's target of a 33% reduction?

How do we explain to parents of an asthmatic child that their asthma attacks will be 30.85% worse instead of 31% worse?

Hybrid vehicles are a small part of the solution, but if we really care about people in our region we need better solutions.

Bizarre Gateway Arguments

2007-06-08T10:44:00.001-07:00

The arguments of proponents of the Greater Vancouver Gateway Project keep getting more bizarre.

First, they tried to use the news that BC has reduced it's green house gas emissions to argue that we need to exapnd highways.

Except the fact is that BC reduced emissions during a period when we were NOT building highways but instead making limited investments in public transit.  Why would we want to reverse this trend and invest money in highways instead of transit? Especially when the the reduction we have seen is only one tenth of the Province's own modest emissions targets? And when even the Province admits that the Gateway project will increase GHG emissions?

Now, they are trying to argue that the increased use of hybrids means we should support the Gateway program.

These are the same people that tried to argue that the Gateway program would reduce pollution from idling (even though there is no evidence to support this happening for more than a short time period). Aren't they aware that hybrids like the Prius don't produce pollution while idling and that as hybrids become more popular it renders one of their chief arguments mute?

Don't Build It and Traffic will Stay Away

2007-06-01T10:29:00.001-07:00

In a recent column in the Surrey Leader BC Trucking Association president Paul Landry said:

“...there are people who think you can reverse that logic and apply it to roads – “If you don’t build it, they’ll stay away.” Unfortunately, if you follow their logic you’ll not only end up without a Field of Dreams,...”

Of course this is just one man's opinion and he offers NO evidence to support that position.

In fact, the evidence suggest otherwise.

Extensive research has found that traffic can be reduced if you “don't build it” AND give people alternatives.

Here is part of the summary of the report:

“This paper reports on two phases of research, resulting in the examination of over 70 case studies of roadspace reallocation from eleven countries, and the collation of opinions from over 200 transport professionals worldwide. ... significant reductions in overall traffic levels can occur, with people making a far wider range of behavioural responses than has traditionally been assumed.”

SPEC Ads

2007-05-30T14:11:00.001-07:00

A recent comment on this blog claimed that SPEC did not support commuter or transit trains in the Fraser Valley. Of course, this is false. Ironically enough just today SPEC announced an advertising campaign to promote passenger rail in the valley.

Audio ad clips:
Traffic Jams
Next Stop- Langley

Print Ad:
http://www.cleanairradio.ca/images/Print_Ad2_web.jpg

And speaking of media. Here is a great video about the South Fraser Perimeter Road:

Academics/Experts on Gateway and Congestion

2007-05-29T17:17:00.001-07:00

I came across the most bizarre quote from another blogger. In response to the statement, "double the Port Mann bridge and you'll get double the traffic within a year or so" he states, "this assertion is utterly false. No responsible expert would state such rubbish."

Why does the Gateway Projet bring out such Orwellian Doublespeak?

In fact the exact opposite is true. Experts almost universally agree with this statement. Here are a few quotes.

Larry Frank, currently the UBC chair of sustainable urban transportation systems:

"Building these highways in the absence of strict growth controls will only result in more congestion and auto dependency.....You cannot build your way out of congestion."

quoted from: h ttp://www.straight.com/article/plan-to-build-city-for-fitness-not-fatness

Bill Rees, UBC professor:

“In our province, we have the ludicrous Gateway project, ...There’ll be more cars, and in about three months, we’ll be jammed up and more cars will be idling than now.”

quoted from Vancouver Sun May, 2007 and http://stephenrees.wordpress.com/2007/05/07/pushing-the-planet-to-its-limit/

Gordon Price, director of SFU’s City Program:
"[the Gateway emissions projection] just doesn't pass the smell test."
http://www.sfu.ca/sfunews/Stories/sfunews09280701.shtml

John Robinson, a professor at UBC's Institute of Resources, Environment and Sustainability,
said the controversial Gateway Program could undermine the premier's climate change goals by creating more car-dependent sprawl rather than more compact communities. He said there has been no serious analysis of the long-term implications of Gateway on climate change.
http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/story.html?id=7833cf0a-b519-4b51-9a59-b14fcb9a3f51&k=43792

Patrick Condon Professor, UBC Design Centre for Sustainability:
"The Port Mann project is propelled forward by assumptions that are 20 years out of date."
http://thetyee.ca/News/2009/03/25/LightRail/

Mark Jaccard,Simon Fraser University professor
is also critical of the Gateway project
http:www.sierraclub.bc.ca/quick-links/publications/cool_b-c.pdf

Christopher Barrington-Leigh, PhD, Department of Economics, UBC
"These deep problems with the Gateway rationale, its published documents, and its public accountability must be addressed ...."

Gateay Project not an environmental debate?

2007-05-13T10:46:00.001-07:00

At a press conference last friday Federal International Trade Minister David Emerson said regarding the Gateway Project:

"But don’t disguise that debate as an environmental debate,.."

This is probably the most bizarre statement from Emerson.  The gateway project will include:

- an increase of container ships which each contribute more than pollution than 2,000 diesel trucks (including particulate matter which has NO safe level).
- the loss of a wildlife management area three times the size of Stanley park
permanent damage to the hydrology of Burn's Bog
- the loss of 1,000 acres of farmland
- an increase of 31% in on-road green house gas emissions
- the serious health concerns associated with increased traffic

And it is not an environmental debate?????

This is Orwellian double-speak at its worst.

Highway Exapnsion as Common Sense

2007-05-05T00:33:00.001-07:00

The opponents of a liveable region have taken to using the phrase “common sense” as an explanation of why we need to expand the Port Mann bridge.

Of course “common sense” can be applied to almost anything. I am sure that at one point people thought the concept of a flat earth was “common sense.”

Transportation and pollution are issues that are too important to be discussed with terms like “common sense.” Instead shouldn't we be looking at the evidence?

- Doesn't the evidence suggest that highway expansion does not relieve congestion?

- Doesn't the evidence suggest that highway expansion will increase pollution and greenhouse gas emissions?

- Doesn't the evidence suggest that highway expansion will lead to increased health problems?

Reducing Commute Times for Families.

2007-05-04T19:40:00.001-07:00

A recent opinion piece tried to make the argument that we need to twin the Port Mann Bridge to give people more time with their families.

The MacPhee, Collins and Smith study found that travel time by a light rail transit system from Abbotsford to Coquitlam would be about 40 minutes as opposed to the 1.5 to 2 hours in the article's scenario.

Evidence from across North American suggests that adding freeway lanes (especially just one in each direction) reduces congestion for only short periods of time (sometimes only a few months). After which people would be back to the 1.5 to 2 hour commute.

So if we really want to give people more time with their families why not implement the best solution NOW? Why implement a very expensive short term fix that has all the associated problems with pollution and global warming?

Investors Greeted by Protesters at Goldcorp AGM

2007-05-02T22:39:00.001-07:00

Investors faced a spirited protest as they entered Goldcorp's annual general meeting in Vancouver. Protesters in masks handed out leaflets detailing Goldcorp's environmental and human rights violations in the Americas.

Goldcorp's mining operations in Honduras and Guatamala have contaminated water supplies with heavy metals. Authors of independent studies on the water supply contamination have received death threats.

More info on Goldcorp's mining operations and the effect on local populations can be found at:
http://thetyee.ca/News/2007/02/07/MarlinProject/

http://blog.reportero.org/?page_id=80

http://www.dominionpaper.ca/weblogs/dawn/1059

NowPublic

Tags: Environment | Goldcorp | human rights | mining | Vancouver

Gateway will help transit?

2007-04-29T11:38:00.001-07:00

Jordan Bateman has blogged "...road and transit options--Gateway will help us with both..."

That Gateway will somehow help with transit is one of those ideas that keeps getting repeated but there seems to be no evidence to support it.

There have been some vague promises about bus service on the twinned Port Mann bridge in the far distant future but there have been NO specific plans on incorporating transit into the Gateway project.

In fact, transit projects keep getting delayed and reduced due to funding cuts. If the funding that is planned for the Gateway project could be used by transit we might be able to meet the original targets for bus and rail expansion in the lower mainland.

Transit is a much more efficient way to move people in an urban environment. But currently people are choosing to drive single occupancy vehicles because our buses and skytrains are overcrowded. An investment in transit could provide immediate congestion relief.

Climate Change Rally In Vancouver

2007-04-17T14:49:00.001-07:00

On April 14th residents in Vancouver, BC joined cities acroos North America in urging governments to act on the issue of climate change.

NowPublic

Hundreds Rally Against Gateway Project

2007-03-31T23:36:00.001-07:00

An overflowing crowd packed the East Delta Community Hall to hear speakers call for a stop to the South Fraser Perimeter Road, Deltaport Expansion and the province's "Gateway Project." Organizers estimated that close to a thousand people came to at least part of the rally.

The Gateway Project includes a plan to expand a long stretch of Highway One leading into Vancouver and twin the Port Mann bridge. Another part of the project, the South Fraser Perimeter Road, will destroy Burn's Bog, remove over a thousand acres of farm land and increase pollution around several schools in Delta.

Although people came from West Vancouver, Lion's Bay and Vancouver, it was clear that majority of the those present were from south of the Fraser River. Proponents of the province's plan have tried to claim that there is near universal support for their project in communities south of the Fraser.

A group of 17 cyclists travelled from Vancouver to the rally and cyclists also rode from Surrey.

Speakers included politicians from the federal Conservative Party, the federal Green Party, the provincial NDP, local municipal governments and a former Socred minister. Environmentalists and academics also spoke about the dangers of port and highway expansion.

The speakers were often interrupted by shouts and applause from the rather boisterous crowd. Many speakers pointed out the threat to democracy from the Liberal government that is forcing this project on communities without public input.

One family whose community will be directly impacted by the South Fraser Perimeter road said this was the first protest they had ever attended.

NowPublic

Trucks on the Port Mann

2007-03-22T11:23:00.000-07:00

The recent Vancouver Sun editorial (“Gateway is important for our future economic well-being” March 22^nd) repeated the big lie that Highway One expansion is necessary to accommodate truck traffic volumes.

In actual fact only 10% of the traffic on the Port Mann bridge is truck traffic. If the other 90% of drivers were given viable public transit options there would be more than enough room for truck traffic on the existing bridge.

Protesters Outnumber Supporters at 2010 Olympic Ceremony

2007-03-12T20:14:00.001-07:00

Protesters greatly outnumbered public supporters at Olympic flag lighting ceremony in Vancouver. In the public viewing area the chants of the protesters drowned out the speakers for most of the ceremony. People chanted “Homes not Games,” “No Olympics on Stolen Native Lands,” and “No Justice, No Peace.”

Security for the event at city hall was tighter than at previous Olympic ceremonies and some commented this was an ominous indication of things to come for the city of Vancouver. Police and other security personnel ringed the entire two blocks and everyone who entered city hall grounds was supposed to be subjected to a search. Early on police turned away one person because he was wearing a bandanna. He was able to enter the grounds later.

When a large group of protesters arrived at the site the police initially tried to prevent them from entering the grounds. However, the crowd moved on to a different location where they overwhelmed the police and passed the perimeter. The police made a few more attempts to prevent protesters from reaching the fenced off area where the ceremony was to take place. But in the end all protesters were allowed to move freely about the public viewing area.

Speakers and others participating in the ceremony itself were kept behind two fences and two rows of police.

The ceremony itself seemed somewhat disorganized. There were long gaps in the program, speakers seemed distracted by the protesters and the flag lighting itself seemed rather anti-climatic.

NowPublic

Update on Arrests at Betty Krawczyk's Sentencing

2007-03-08T18:55:00.001-08:00

The two supporters of Betty Krawczyk who were arrested following her
sentencing were released without a clear explanation of what they
were charged with and with no date to appear in court.

One of those arrested said he assumed that they would be charged with
violating the court injunction that was read to them. He hopes to
challenge it in court. The court order was against anyone blocking
doors in the courthouse and he believe that the bailiffs were the one
primarily blocking the doors.

Highway activists remain defiant in spite of the sentence given to Krawczyk.
The organizer behind gatewaysucks.org said, “Ten months in prison,
the judge said, is necessary as a "deterrent" to
further action – Betty's, and ours.In spite of all the injustice
surrounding her treatment, we must remember the fundamental reason
why Betty is in jail now. She is there because it is fully unjust,
corrupt and obscene to continue building highways through living
communities, whether inhabited by eagles or humans...We shall not be
deterred.”

A local environmental consultant said that this story needs to be “send
it to newspapers all over . ....you might get a ruckus happening over
there calling for the head of VANOC and Minister Falcon. It’s worth
a try…, , , other countries would love to run this story about
barbaric North Americans politicians sending elderly women to jail…”

The next major event for those working to stop highway expansions will be
a Mass Rallyfor Sustainable Transportation held Saturday, March 31st,
2007 in Delta. It will take place from 2:00
– 5:00 pm at the East Delta Community Hall 10379 Ladner Trunk Road,
Delta (Between Highway 99 and Burns Bog). Speakers will include Gord
Price, Livable Region Coalition; Donna Passmore, Gateway 30 Network;
Representative, BC Liberal Government (invited!); Adriane Carr, Green
Party of Canada; David Chudnovsky, NDP Transportation Critic; Jim
Houlahan, CAW local 111 (Bus Drivers)

Transportation options for getting there: Translink's C76 Community Shuttle from
the Ladner or Scottsdale Exchanges. Or put your bike on the 351 bus
in downtown Vancouver and ride from the highway 99 / highway 10
intersection.

NowPublic

Wilderness Protector Sentenced to 10 months – Law Courts Locked Down.

2007-03-05T13:31:00.001-08:00

Betty Krawczyk was sentenced to 10 months in prison today for her involvement in protests against highway expansion at Eagleridge Bluffs. When observers of the proceedings attempted to ask questions about the extraordinary security measures in place, the court security responded by locking down the courts for almost two hours.

Hundreds of people had shown up well before the 9 AM start time for the hearing. Many were angry that Krawczyk was being sentenced by the same judge who had recently sentenced Harriet Nahanee. Nahanee died from pneumonia which she may have picked up while in jail.

Courtroom security decided to implement extraordinary security measures, checking bags, refusing entry to those with bags and even doing prolonged inspections of bicycle helmets. These security measures had not been in place for any other trail involving Eagleridge Bluff protesters.

By slowing the process for people entering the courtroom, less than one third of the observers were able to get into the courtroom before the sentence was passed.

When Krawczyk's supporters asked members of the sherrif's department why they public was not allowed full access to the hearing, they were told to go to an office in the
court building.

A short while later these supporters re-entered the law courts building and headed toward the office they had been told to visit. However, security forcibly prevented them
from entering the office and formed a blockade in front of the
offices. The supporters sat down waiting to talk with someone about
lack of public access to the courts. In response, the law courts
security decided to lock down parts of the court preventing everyone
except lawyers from entering.

They kept the lock down in place for about two hours. At the that time an injunction was read to the
supporters sitting in the building foyer. Most chose to leave but
two were arrested.

NowPublic

harriet nahanee

2007-02-25T12:39:00.001-08:00

harriet nahanee
Originally uploaded by Rob__.

CBC Radio is reporting that Harriet Hahanee has died (also coverage here, here and here). In her early life she was a victim of residential schools. At the end of her life she became a victim of the province's ideology of development regardless of the consequences. Perhaps she will be remembered as the first person to die as a result of protesting development around the 2010 Winter Olympics.

In January, Madam Justice Brown sentenced the Squamish elder to fourteen days in jail for asserting her rights under the Constitution as an Indian and refusing to apologize to anybody, including the court, for blockading construction at Eagleridge Bluffs.

Betty Krawczyk, who had been acting in the courtroom as a McKenzie Friend of the court on Harriet's behalf objected to the sentencing. She felt the Surrey Pre-Trial Centre would not be safe for someone in Harriet's condition.

Betty was forcibly ejected from the court room and refused re-entry.

While jailed Nahanee developed pneumonia, was hospitalized and died as a result of complications from that illness.

Jailing Wisdom

2007-02-19T20:29:00.000-08:00

Last summer a first nations elder taught me how eat shoots of salmon berry bushes. I am interested in indigenous edible plants, so I was excited to learn that more of the plant was edible than just the berries.

It was a wonderful moment on the edge of magnificent forest. The moment stuck with me partly because the elder seemed so kind, generous and wise.

Today that elderly women is fighting for her life. She developed pneumonia while in a pre-trial detention centre. She was arrested for trying to defend that magnificent forest that we stood on the edge of.

More details including constitutional arguments that may have made her sentencing illegal can be found on Betty's Early Edition blog.

CO2 is a pollutant part 2

2007-02-15T19:59:00.000-08:00

"A substance or condition that contaminates air, water, or soil. Pollutants can be artificial substances, such as pesticides and PCBs, or naturally occurring substances, such as oil or carbon dioxide, that occur in harmful concentrations in a given environment."

pollutant. (n.d.). The American Heritage® Science Dictionary. Retrieved February 15, 2007, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/pollutant

"physical, chemical, biological, [or] radioactive . . . substance or matter which is emitted into or otherwise enters the ambient air." (CAA, sec. 302(g))"

The Clean Air Act in the U.S.

CO2 (carbon dioxide) is a pollutant

2007-02-15T18:39:00.000-08:00

I recently got into a online discussion with someone who made the ridiculous argument that CO2 (carbon dioxide) can not be classified as a pollutant. Below are the reasons he gave that it is not a pollutant and my responses:

".. benign gas..."

Many pollutants are "benign" at low levels. The are several ways in which CO2 is not benign at higher concentrations.

"..occurs naturally..."

Many pollutants (maybe even most) occur naturally - asbestos, mercury, sulphur, radiation,

"helps to maintain the earth at a temperature suitable for life"

Ozone as it exists in the atmosphere also helps to maintain life on the earth. But it is also considered a pollutant.

"...essential to the growth of all plants..."

Nitrates are essential to plant growth. Sulphur is an essential element for cell growth. But both are considered pollutants.

Nairobi, Malaria and climate change

2007-02-12T22:33:00.000-08:00

A recent article in the International Herald Tribune by Paul Reiter attempted to throw doubt on the climate change consensus by raising the old malaria in Kenya controversy.

I wonder if the author was trying to qualify for the $10,000 offer from the AEI?

Selected quotes from the article and my responses follow.

“I am not a climatologist,...”

But then he goes on to try to make claims about climate science. Isn't it interesting that often the most adamant deniers are often people speaking outside of their area of expertise?

“...that this consensus is a mirage”

But he offers nothing to support this statement. It is incredibly dishonest. By any reasonable definition there clearly is a consensus and even most people in the denier's camp have come to admit this.

“...Al Gore's film, ... which claims that Nairobi ...”

The film is filled with much more convincing evidence that global warming is occurring. Why are critics continually pulling out this one small item from the film? Perhaps the other evidence is just to hard to find holes in?'

But it turns out that even the situation in Nairobi is not as simple as the critics would have you believe.

"...and published their findings in the journal Nature”

This article was published in February 2002. What he fails to mention is that a response was published to that article later in the same year (also in the journal Nature).

In the second article Professor Mike Hulme, a climatologist, and medical epidemiologist Dr Jonathan Patz, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Maryland said the data used in the previous research is not precise enough to rule out a link.

He also fails to mention that in 2005 the same journal, Nature published another article that showed evidence that climate change will increase malaria rates around the world.

It seems that this author was using selective research to make his point.

"Stop Cooking the Planet” Event

2006-11-10T09:31:00.000-08:00

At least 25 people braved the monsoon rains to participate in the “Stop Cooking the Planet” event outside Kevin Falcon's breakfast speech. One TV station (Radio Canada/CBC) showed up and there was some good dialogue with people entering the event.

Kevin Falcon, BC's transportation minister was discussing plans to increase BC's greenhouse gas emissions by building more freeways.

I have photos of the event up at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/30261607@N00/

If anyone wants higher resolution copies of the photos let me know.

Boing Boing and Wind RECs

2006-11-04T09:28:00.000-08:00

A Boing Bonig post (later updated) on Whole Foods selling Renewable Energy Certificates generated a fair amount of blog discussion. There have also been responses in a Treehugger post and a Sustainablog post.

First in the interest of full disclosure – I am a co-owner of an organization that sells carbon offsets (although we are a co-operatively owned non-profit).

To respond to some of the concerns:

“...How can you even be sure the money will go towards wind energy...”

Because these projects are audited by a third party and certified. The third party guarantees that the money will go towards wind energy. The auditing and certification is quite intensive and expensive.

“...why perpetuate the idea that alternative energy costs more...”

All legitimate offset programs must meet the criteria of “Additionality.” This means that offsets can only be used for projects that would not otherwise be financially viable. And the the offsets can only be used for the portion of the cost that is “additionality.”

“..a for-profit company (I assume that this is the case her) is kinda odd...”

See the comment above on “additionality” - the money can only be used on a project that was not otherwise financially viable.

For example, let's say that the utility grid buys power at 9 cents a kWh, but it costs 10 cents /kWh to produce wind power – the offsets would cover the 1 cent difference.

“..others were upset that the card looked like a phone card...”

I agree that this was a mistake. Most offset sellers produce “certificates” rather than “cards” - I do think cards are confusing for consumers.

“...if I were so inclined, more easily just invest in a publicly traded....”

You are completely missing the whole point of OFFSETS. People buy OFFSETS to OFFSET a specific amount of ghg emissions – it might be for a trip they took, an event, their annual power consumption or their total annual ghg emissions. That's why these are called OFFSETS. They are not investments, they are not donations, they are OFFSETS.

If you buy equity in a corporation you have no idea how much ghg emissions that equity investment offests. However, if you buy an offset (or green-tag / REC) you know who much ghg emissions that is offsetting.

And you should have some guarantee of that offset. For larger projects there is usually some soft of third party audit or certification. For the smaller projects that my organization does we send a report to offset purchasers of the project and our accounting is completely public. Our policies and methodology is based on the so-called “Gold Standard” of carbon offsets (although the projects are not in the majority-world so they don't qualify for the Gold Standard).

I can't find anywhere on RCE website that mentions what certification process they use.

And then of course there is the whole issue of the new ISO 14,000 standard .....

Seriously folks, before you label all this a “scam” maybe you should at least do a little research on the Gold Standard, the ISO 14064 standard, Green-E certification, EcoLogo certification, etc. Etc.

“...I don't think these things are part of planning a windmill project at all....”

Sorry, you are wrong. Many larger renewable energy projects account for selling carbon credits as part of their financial model. Some projects would not even go ahead if it weren't for carbon credits being used either directly (sold by the project developer) or indirectly (the utility paying a premium for green power because they can sell carbon credits).

In fact, even the old version of RETScreen software used carbon credits as part of their financial analysis. Which means carbon credits have been part of even the most basic planning process for several years now.

“...for the purpose of building profits. ..under the pretext of 'doing your part to save the environment'”

If you buy RECs from a source that uses third-party verification/ certification the third party guarantees that there is a specific environmental benefit (measured in pounds/kgs of ghg emission reductions). TerraPass has a good explanation of verification at: http://www.terrapass.com/projects/verification.html

A certain percentage (sometimes 10%) of the cost of the credit does go to management fees (the profit part) but the majority of the cost should go to the environmental benefit.

You seem to be implying that all of the cost of the credit goes to building profits with not guarantee that there is an environmental benefit. This is a serious accusation and it would mean that the third party verification organizations have defrauded people of thousands of dollars. If you really believe that you should start a class action law suit. Good luck with that.

“..$15 and they use about $2 to buy and resell CO2 credits...”

But that assumes that RCE is buying credits from the the Chicago Climate Exchange instead of using funds to support real world renewable energy projects.

The CCE carbon credit pricing is notorious for being well below the cost of real world renewable energy projects. That is because the CCE credits are used on a wide range of projects some of which are a bit dubious (sequestration projects, majority-world projects that use cheap labour, etc.).

You will find that cost of the renewable energy projects is often more than $15 per tonne. For example, in our local area we have calculated the cost for solar hot water projects to be about $35 / metric tonne and for solar photovoltaic projects more than $100 / metric tonne. And that is just the cost of additionality – not the total cost of the project.

“...What exactly do they recieve [sic] in exchange...”

Only the knowledge that a specific amount of their ghg emissions has been offset.

I realize this may sound strange to some people but there is a well established market for these offset credits. Not only among individuals, but also businesses that have made a commitment to being “carbon neutral.” And major events have made a commitment to carbon neutrality. The 2006 Olympics purchased carbon offsets and the 2010 Olympics has a multi-million dollar budget just for carbon offsets.

“...green energy co-op in your community...”

This has been used extensively in Europe. There are also a few examples here in North America:

http://www.windshare.ca/
www.peaceenergy.ca
http://www.ccenergy.com/
www.vanrenewable.org

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Up-selling Pollution?

2006-09-05T19:11:00.000-07:00

I have been car-free since '03, so occasionally I rent a car or use the local car co-op. Last week when I rented from Enterprise Rent-A-Car, I dealt with an aggressive customer rep who insisted that I should upgrade to a larger less fuel efficient car. He implied that the small car that I had reserved was not available. When I asked if any other cars were available he only mentioned one but said it was booked out later that day. He became angry that I did not want the larger car and keeping stating that it would be more “fun.” Only when I started to leave the office did a small car magically become available.

Not only was the this practice deceptive but it also has ecological consequences. If the rental agency aggressively encourages people to upgrade to larger vehicles that they don't need, they are encouraging unnecessary pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Six thousand people die prematurely in Canada each year from air pollution, thousands of children suffer heightened asthma attacks and climate change threatens life all over the planet. Is this how Enterprise Rent-A-Car defines “fun”?

How do we encourage car rental agencies not to aggressively encourage fuel inefficient upgrades? Are other agencies as bad as Enterprise Rent-A-Car? How do shift our culture away from the idea that “Bigger is Better (and more fun)” and “More Consumption is Good”?

2010 Vancouver Olympics Scar

2006-08-26T15:30:00.000-07:00

2010 Vancouver Olympics Scar
Originally uploaded by WestCoast TreeHugger.

Construction continues on the new highway from Vancouver to Whistler. This section of construction destroyed a rare Arbutus ecosystem, wetlands that were home to an endangered frog species and migratory bird nesting habitat (an act that is illegal under Canada's wildlife act).

All this despite a promise in the 2010 Olympic Bid to reduce the use of automobiles for the games.

Boycott Deakin Equipment?

2006-08-17T15:43:00.000-07:00

Should we start a boycott of Vancouver's Deakin Equipment?

Photo by Sarah Pullman

fog in the cariboo

2006-07-22T14:02:00.000-07:00

I drove east on an almost deserted highway to the town of Horsefly. Pickup trucks with bumber stikers that said "Piss off a Liberal - Buy a Gun" were parked beside neo-hippies from Spirit Dance. It was the first annual Arts, Music and Dance festival.

I was disappointed with rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah." But the local duet did a better job of Sarah McLaughlin. When I took shelter from the rain I met a family from Mexico that traveled to the Yukon every summer until they stopped in William's Lake.

The last set was played by a blues band but no one danced the last song except for a young single mother and her daughter.

They burnt TVs in a large bonfire. The fog rolled in from the mountains and mixed with the aroma of beer and pot. There seemed to be clarity around the bonfire or perhaps just echoes of Cohen's song.

But in the bright sunshine of the morning the clarity of the fog was replaced with confusion. When I asked for the best way home, Jeff said "You can't get there from here."

Solar in North Vancouver

2006-07-12T10:27:00.000-07:00

The first solar photovoltaic grid-tie system in North Vancouver is up and running.

Eagleridge Bluffs Protest in Court

2006-05-04T14:43:00.000-07:00

Today the Eagleridge Bluffs Protest had its first day in court. About 150 people showed up to rally and many of them stayed for the start of the hearing.

A few people offered support for the my sign which read, “Trains Not Lanes” and expressed their frustration with the tunnel option that the coalition seems to be emphasizing.

The hearing had to be moved to a different court room due to the size of the crowd. When I left the lawyer for the concerned citizens was making the case that the construction contractors had broken their contract by not filing an Environmental Management Plan for the entire section that they were working on.

The Resurrection of Environmentalism?

2006-04-18T12:57:00.000-07:00

In the year and a half since Shellenberger and Nordhaus released their famous (or infamous depending upon your viewpoint) essay on the “Death of Environmentalism” it has almost seemed like environmentalism has in fact died. There have not been large scale protests like the ones that lead up to and followed the WTO meetings in Seattle (at least not here in North America). And although there have been blockades in the forests they are much smaller than the “war in the woods” that occurred during the 80s and 90s.

Environmentalists (and other activists) that I have talked to lately have been bemoaning both their own apathy and the apathy of others. The local weekly newspaper here even had an article in their most recent edition called “Apathy is the new activism”

But perhaps the “Resurrection of Environmentalism” occurred Easter Monday in a most unusual location – West Vancouver, Canada's richest municipality.

Hundreds of people gathered to protest the logging and construction of a highway through Eagleridge Bluffs, a scenic area with a sensitive ecosystem that a couple of endangered species inhabit. Ironically the destruction of the Bluffs is part of perpetration for the 2010 Olympics which are being billed as the “sustainable” olympics.

Of course there have been protests against logging before. But there a couple of things that make this one unique.

First it is not on some remote logging road, but on the edge of an urban area. Nearby homeowners can camp over night in the tent city that has sprung up but still go home for a shower.

Secondly (and perhaps more importantly), the protesters themselves are unusual. Many are professionals with above average incomes who have never been to a protest before. And some have said they are willing to be arrested if that is what it comes to. And this group has been joined by more seasoned activists – some who have spent years fighting clear-cut logging in the wilderness.

At the rally on Monday I was talking to a couple of other activists from east Vancouver. One of them remarked at how different this protest seemed from others she had been to. “If feels like a church picnic,” she said.

In my mind this protest is not without its problems. The coalition that is organizing the protest is suggesting a 4 lane tunnel as the alternative to the destruction of the bluffs. Of course this solution does nothing to address climate change issues and other forms of pollution from increased traffic on the expanded highway. I think that the only truly sustainable solution is to introduce good passenger rail service and improved public transportation along the corridor.

But perhaps the unique and diverse group of people congregating at Eagleridge Bluffs is an example of the “expansive vision” that Shellenberger and Nordhaus described in their essay.

Climate Change Train Wreck

2006-04-13T08:30:00.000-07:00

An ad that everyone should see:

Found at Sarah Pullman's blog.

Highway one and triple convergence

2006-04-11T22:20:00.000-07:00

I recently had a conversation with a friend (Nancy Callan, author and environmental food activist) about the expansion of highway one. I mentioned that freeway expansion rarely solves the congestion and often during peak hours congestion returns to previous levels in a matter of months. This occurs because of triple convergence (also here). At the time I had forgotten what the three convergences were but after a little research here they are:

many drivers who formerly used alternative routes during peak hours switch to the improved expressway (spatial convergence);
many drivers who formerly traveled just before or after the peak hours start traveling during those hours (time convergence);
some commuters who used to take public transportation during peak hours now switch to driving, since it has become faster (modal convergence)

Burrard Bridge Bike Lane Myths

2006-01-13T11:43:00.000-08:00

Vancouver's new mayor and council has reversed the previous council's decision about the burrard bridge bike lane trial. I am finding that there are still a lot of myths out there about the bike lane trial:

Myth: The electorate has spoken in opposition to the bike lane trials by electing the NPA.

Reality:
The only poll I saw showed that 50% of the population supported the lane reallocation trial. The other 50% was divided among those that were neutral or opposed the lane reallocation. So, only a minority opposed the bike lane reallocation. And even among those that opposed it I found many were confused about basic facts and would change their mind when given all the facts.

Myth: The bike land trial is only supported by a “radical bike lobby.”

Reality:
The bike lane reallocation plan was supported by a board coalition that included:
- the mainstream cycling groups in Vancouver
- transportation policy groups that advocate for public transportation
- one the most famous and respected urban planners in the world (a person even NPA mayor Sam Sullivan called “a hero”)
- Vancouver's Heritage Preservation Society (definitely no “radical bike lobbyists” here)
- the West End residents association (representing hundreds of people who are certainly not all “radical bike lobbyists”) - which has been tirelessly advocating for this change for over a decade
- environmental groups who do not directly advocate for cycling
- and others.....

Myth: Cyclists make up only 3% of commuters.

Reality:
According to the GVRD Regional Travel Survey (2000), 7% of the total trips in Vancouver are made by bike and 30% of people travel by bike occasionally. The occasional cyclists stated that having "dedicated bicycle lanes on major roads and bridges" would most likely induce an increase in bicycle commuters.

Across the GVRD, walking and cycling trips increased by 29% between 1994 and 1999. More people now move around downtown Vancouver by foot or bicycle than by car. Walking and cycling trips increased from about 70,000 trips a day in 1994, to about 108,500 trips – or 32% of all trips. Auto trips account for about 30% of downtown travel, and public transit about 40%.

Myth: The current infrastructure is fine.

Reality:
Five years ago, a cyclist was seriously injured and suffered permanent injuries after being knocked off her bicycle by a pedestrian and hit by a van.

The existing sidewalk is 2.8 metres wide. Only half of that is designated for bikes. The standard for cycling facilities that carry the number of cyclists the Burrard Bridge carries is 3.7 metres.

Myth: The 1996 bike lane trial was a disaster.

City staff admitted after the trial that they did not properly prepare the public for the trial. They did not give advance warning and did not put up proper signs approaching the bridge. This did result in chaos for the first couple of days, but only the first couple of days.

During the trial the number of cyclists using the bridge increased dramatically (39%) while the car traffic literally disappeared. There was a decrease of 8800 car occupants (9% decrease).

Delays were reduced from 20 minutes early in the week to a few minutes after only 5 days If the trial had been allowed to continue those delays may have decreased even further.

sunsets

2005-12-18T22:59:00.000-08:00

Are there really three species that watch the sunset? And what are they?

Vancouver Election

2005-11-12T17:02:00.000-08:00

I am always reluctant to vote since I think that the system of representational democracy needs to be replaced with something less heirarchial and even more democratic. But until that change happens, and while we spend our other days working for that to happen, I don't think that it hurts to cast our ballots in the meantime. And municipal politicians seem to be the most responsive to the needs of the people.

So here is who I am thinking of voting for in the Vancouver elections (subject to change):

Mayor (1)

WEST, Ben (yeah, I know that Jim Green is the lesser of two evils when compared to Sam Sullivan - but I can not in good conscience vote for a mayor from the party that abandoned their election promises, abandoned COPE, supported P3 programs (RAV) and voted to do business with a war criminals (SNC-Lavalin)).

Councillors (10)

BASS, Fred COPE
CADMAN, David COPE
DEAL, Heather Vision Vancouver (based on her work with David Suzuki Foundation she seems to be the only one from Vision Vancouver with any credibility)
LIVINGSTON, Ann Green Party of Vancouver
LOUIS, Tim COPE
POTVIN, Kevin (Don't agree with all of his positions but it might be good to have an independent on city council for a change)
ROBERTS, Anne COPE
WOODSWORTH, Ellen COPE
???

Park commissioner (7)

KASSIS, Omar COPE
LEHAN, Mel COPE (has a good reputation as a community activist and based on my conversations with him he seems committed to sustainability issues)
MACKINNON, Stuart Green Party of Vancouver
MANN, Tracey Jastinder
Green Party of Vancouver (a women of colour - we need a few more of these in government)
MCGINN, Jenn COPE
ROMANIUK, Anita COPE
SUNSHINE, Earl P. (don't know much about this guy but if we are living on first nations land we probably should have some first nations people in government)

School Trustee (9)

BLAKEY, Allen COPE
BOUEY, Jane COPE
GREGSON, Sharon COPE
HERRON, Noel COPE
KENYON, Angela COPE
LEW, Conrad COPE
MILLSIP, Kevin COPE
REIMER, Andrea Green Party of Vancouver (probably one of the best politicians in Vancouver)
WONG, Allan COPE

Green Festival

2005-11-09T20:50:00.000-08:00

I just returned from the Green Festival in San Francisco. One of the most interesting talks I attended was by William McDonough who thinks that businesses must go far beyond "corporate sustainability" and triple bottom lines to something he calls "cradle to cradle design." Another inspiring presentation was by a panel on workers cooperatives that featured the Bay Area Network of Workers Cooperatives. The story of the People's Grocery of Oakland was especially exciting. It was also great to see environmental sustainability coming together with social, racial and economic justice (at least in this presentation).

I also went to a couple of presentations on permaculture which I didn't find too helpful but they did encourage me to do more in that area.

There were also a lot of interesting products. Recognizing the inherent contradiction of over-consumption as part of a festival about sustainability, I managed to resist the urge to buy anything. However, in the future I probably will replace my plastic water bottle with one of these stainless steel ones and I may also get a portable UV water treatment system to replace the chemicals I currently use.

It was good to see a booth about salmon farming along with the other booths encouraging action on other important issues.