Your Daily Greens: High Flying, The 3 R’s and Unpalatable for Apple

Photo: Proposed Changes to the Georgetown Rail Corridor

Daily happenings around the GreenSphere (People, Companies & Communities):

Trains, Planes and Automobiles: The Ontario government has finally approved major expansion of the railway in Toronto’s west end. This includes the long sought-after rail link between downtown Toronto and the Pearson International Airport. However, it’s only on the condition that the engines use clean diesel technology that doesn’t yet exist. The project is strongly opposed by local residents, the Public School Board and the city’s Medical Officer of Health – who want the trains to be completely electric to eliminate the pollution caused by diesel engines.

Unpalatable for Apple: Apple is the latest company to quit the US Chamber of Commerce because of its opposition to climate change regulation. They, along with utility giants Exelon and Pacific Gas & Electric, have decided to leave America’s biggest business lobby and, instead, support government intervention against companies who do not put the environment first. The USCC believes business comes first and has been opposed to the Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to use the Clean Air Act to limit greenhouse gas emissions. It believes that such limits would raise costs to businesses.  Apple claims that “as a company we are working hard to reduce our own greenhouse gas emissions by relying on renewable energy at our facilities and designing more energy-efficient products for our customers…and it is frustrating to find the Chamber at odds with us in this effort.”

High Flying: According to Environment Minister Jim Prentice , the Canadian government is giving notice that new “efficiency targets” and fuel standards will soon be enforced in the airline industry. Airlines will no longer be able to hide in the clouds, out of the way of environmental legislation.  New policies will be aggressive and bold to bring Canada’s environmental airline standards in line with the U.S. and Mexico. Mid to long-term targets for reducing GHG emissions span between 2020 and 2050.

The 3 R’s: eBay’s Green Team, along with The Uniform Project, has launched an initiative intended to save shoppers money and to save the environment. The Re+Purpose Campaign champions a savvy, eco-conscious ideology that consumers must embrace to live more sustainably by using vintage, antique or refurbished items – things that already exist. Running for six weeks beginning October 7, it will focus on fashion and home decor, climaxing with a national contest for the most creative do-it-yourself home decor reuse project.

Tagged as: Airlines, Apple, Business, Commuting, eBay, Environment, Trains, Transit