Oilsands. The very word conjures up images of unparalleled natural destruction and is, unfortunately, synonymous with the word ‘Canada.’
Well aware of the stigma the oilsands brings to the nation’s reputation, Environment Minister Jim Prentice has spoken up and stated the obvious. He warns that Canada is in danger of becoming a “global poster child for environmentally unsound resource development” and says the industry must change its ways. He also warned that the government has the will and power to bring in tighter regulations, adding that, “In our efforts, we will expect and we will secure the co-operation of those private interests which are developing the oilsands.”
It’s an about-face to the stance Prentice took one year ago, in which he defended Canada’s development of the oilsands following a candid and disturbing article published in National Geographic. A year later, the deafening noise from public outcries seems to have reached his ears.
But the same old catch-22 exists. The economy or the environment? The oilsands are seen by industry lobbyists as a key pillar in economic and energy security for Canada. The government appears to agree and said it would support expanding oilsands development, though environmental obligations must be considered.
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The green credentials of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics are being questioned, in a rather ironic situation in which we see organizers desperately trying to create enough snow for the events, due to an unseasonably warm winter.
A report by the David Suzuki Foundation has critiqued efforts being made to offset emissions, especially those produced through air travel by spectators. It found that although the Vancouver Olympic Committee (VANOC) has pledged to offset 118,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions, that figure amounts to less than half of Games-related emissions.
Though organizers were commended for some advances, such as energy efficient venues and pushing public transit, they fell short of gold, being awarded only a bronze for climate impact. VANOC was also judged poorly on public engagement regarding environmental issues; however, it’s believed they still have time to get across a climate change message when the games begin.
The report also scolded the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for lacking commitment to fight climate change. It stated: “There is little evidence of strong [IOC] engagement” adding, “The Olympic movement still has long way to go to raise the bar on climate action, and to make the environment pillar a truly integral part of the Games.”
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by Amoy on February 4, 2010 Filed under Food
Soon, the bag containing the chips could disappear as fast as the chips themselves. Well, ok, maybe not as fast, but at least they could be composted if Frito Lay has their way.
Concerned about their environmental image, the snack-food giant has announced plans to begin selling Sun Chips in eco-friendly bags, starting next month.
With a name that already has a distinct ‘natural’ ring to it (hint: think ’sun’) the routine will be simple: Simply eat the chips, then toss the packaging into your backyard composter or your municipal green bin.
It appears clear that consumer voices have played a big role in the move to compostable packaging. Who can argue that snack foods are highly popular and widely consumed on a daily, if not hourly, basis? Perhaps not wanting to feel the double guilt of wolfing down an entire bag of chips and damaging the environment as well, Helmi Ansari of Frito Lay concedes: “Every time consumers talk to us and engage with us, they ask us: ‘Oh, what about your packaging?’ ”
Consumer outcries led to responses from bottled water companies who countered with bottles made from recycled plastic or by using less plastic. But this is different. Frito Lay claims their new packaging, made of sugars derived from corn, will be the first chip bag the world has seen that is completely compostable.
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Now that we’ve sorted out which country ranks first as the greenest nation, according to the 2010 EPI, how do individual Canadian cities fare?
The Canadian Press reports that in the area of urban sustainability, Vancouver, Toronto and Yellowknife are leaders in each of their respective categories: big cities with a population over 700,000, medium cities with a population over 250,000 and small cities with a population under 250,000.
According to the fourth annual study by the independent Corporate Knights group, Yellowknife has done a 3-peat and come in first again in the small cities category, thanks largely to its extensive trail system that allows many residents to walk to work, as well as using public transit.
In the medium cities category, Vancouver beat out two-time winner Halifax, due in part to stricter GHG reduction plans, an increase of bike paths and green spaces, and a penchant for local produce.
Toronto took first place from Edmonton in the big cities category with statistics on their side. Apparently, greenhouse gas emissions are 40 percent lower than 1990 levels. Also, more Torontonians prefer green commuting options and conserve energy at home.
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With recent stimulus plans providing incentive to shift towards a greener economy and with many nations establishing eco-friendly goals for the future, the race is on to become the world’s greenest nation.
To actually compare and rank so many varied and intricate ‘entities’ seems an impossible feat. But researchers at Yale and Columbia Universities have done just that. They’ve recently released their latest Environmental Performance Index which attempts to rank, in a fair manner, 163 different countries based on 25 performance indicators within ten policy categories spanning environmental public health, air quality, water resource management, biodiversity and habitat, forestry, fisheries, agriculture, and climate change.
2010 EPI Results
Released every two years, the 2010 Environmental Performance Index ranks Iceland as the overall winner. Iceland’s top-notch performance is credited in large part to its high scores on environmental public health, controlling greenhouse gas emissions, and reforestation. The country gets most of its power from renewable sources such as hydropower and geothermal energy.
Switzerland came in second, with Costa Rica in third place. Not surprisingly, Sweden and Norway came in fourth and fifth respectively. All were recognized for having made large investments for improvement in environmental infrastructure, pollution control, and long-term sustainability policies. For example, Costa Rica has made significant efforts to preserve its rain forest.
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In the context of today’s world, ‘consuming’ and ‘balance’ in the same sentence seems to be an oxymoron.
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