Carbon Tax Surprise!

Wednesday afternoon, July 2nd, I got a life-time surprise (ok, I’m exaggerating a little here). My landlord ringed the bell of my door and asked my permission to get in and take measurements of all our windows: we are going to get brand new, energy efficient windows! I never thought that my landlord will make any investment in my apartment: he still fix the toilet with gift wrapping tape. But one day after the carbon tax started, my landlord is taking action to save some money on their natural gas bill. I’m really impressed, but hope my rent won’t increase too much in the fall…

Carbon tax, here we go!

At least two major events are happening on July 1^st. Of course it is Canada day, but it is also the first day where the carbon tax will be effective in all British Columbia.

Consumers of gasoline will have to pay 2.4c more per liter of gasoline. This increase seems quite small compare with the 1.40$/L that we are currently paying at the pump. However, the carbon tax is a fundamental shift in the way we approach taxation. Taxing gasoline, and then green house gas emissions, finally recognize that our atmosphere is not a free dump and there is a cost associate with it. The tax is also revenue neutral for the government, and BC resident should receive a 100$ check per mail soon. The end result is that if you pollute less, you will pay less.

The irony is that a relatively conservative government had the courage to install this new tax. Filling up our cars is arguably part of our western culture and usually politicians are afraid of higher gasoline prices. Shamefully, the provincial NDP is working hard to derail the carbon tax. They are circulating a petition “Let’s axe the tax”. For a party who claim themselves “progressive”, pro-environement, it seems that the NDP is denying is own values for the sake of building cheap political support. Everyone dislike payings taxes. However carbon tax is unpleasant, but essential, like cleaning up your room, emptying your garbage cans, wash the bathroom, pay your credit card…

There are 2 Facebook groups supporting the carbon tax, please join them!

Lead the Way - Support BC's Carbon Tax!: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=17834728353

BC needs a Carbon Tax: http://www.facebook.com/groups.php?ref=sb#/group.php?gid=5044474509

Things are finally changing?

I would argue that the western world is finally starting to act towards solving climate change. I would also argue that this change is made possible with the combination of two factors: high climate change awareness, thanks to from the population and the oil prices skyrocketing.

Many news in the past week made me think that way. Québec and Ontario got together earlier last week to sign carbon trading agreement. SUV and light truck sales felt sharply and big automakers, like GM are announcing gas guzzlers car plan closing. Also, airlines seem to cut down drastically the number of flights that they offering. In Montreal, politicians are debating about charging drivers to cross the bridges, something that I would never believe possible. Many companies, once huge skeptics, are recognizing the issue. Try to guess from which website I took this quote: “we recognize that climate change is an important global issue, involving risks that could be significant for society and ecosystems”. The answer is the former major founder of climate change skeptic, Exxonmobile… They are still pushing hard to get an new oil sand mine in Alberta to go ahead, but at least, they are not in their denial phase anymore…

Some of you might be skeptical, since our prime minister recently made a trip around Europe to promote is doomed climate plan (First, he should have stayed home and saved some green house gas emissions from flying; second, I’m surprised that he doesn’t fear to be ridicule in Europe, we are currently under UN investigation about our non respect of the Kyoto protocol).

The path towards curving our emissions is still not totally clear, especially around Ottawa and Fort McMurray, but we have to admit that something is happening, no?

Pangea Day, tomorrow!

Interesting movie event tomorrow. Pangea Day is a global event aiming at bringing the world together through film. Why? According the website: “In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it's easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that – to help people see themselves in others – through the power of film.” When all humankind gets together, that must be a genuine path towards sustainability…

http://www.pangeaday.org/?vid=1
http://www.pangeadayvancouver.com/

Also, the Club is hiring…We are looking for more willing people to fill up our news section. Please email me if interested.

Bisphenol-A: only a start?

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is an infamous chemical celebrity these days. Our Canadian government was the first in the whole world to list this compound as toxic. I’m glad to see that sometimes, we are leaders… BPA is known as an endocrine disruptor, hence potentially causing damage, for instance, to our reproductive system, development and brain. BPA is present in high density plastic bottle (polycarbonate, the popular Nalgene(TM) bottle, baby bottles and the lining of metal cans) For those who had the chance to study harmful chemicals would know that a chemical itself is not sufficient to cause damage. For chronic exposure, both the nature of the compound and the sufficient concentration of the chemical are necessary. For adults, exposure to BPA is usually too small to be a concern and our liver can degrade the BPA. However, infant are particularly at risk, since their liver is too young to degrade this chemical and BPA concentration get higher in heated plastic baby bottles. Radio-Canada made a great report (check for “bouteille dangereuse”) last weekend on the matter, for those who can listen French, like every good Canadian J. They pointed out that BPA is only one of hundreds of endocrine disruptor that we use in our society and ends up in our water stream. The fishes and frogs are much more affected by those chemicals: where males are known to be changing sex, their reproductive abilities highly limited and high death rates… I think it is time for a big clean up in our food/chemical industries…

Friday Night Madness

It was hot Friday night on Campus. Full day protest, bonfire and 19 protesters arrested. If you frequent UBC, you will have notice the Trek Park and the Knoll Aid campaign. Student for a democratic Society (SDS) actively campaign against the current development plan of the University Boulevard. They don’t want to see more business on campus, don’t want to see an underground bus loop and are against the UBC governance structure in general… SDS is supported by the Student Environmental Center and the Center for Social Justice. After the arrests, these groups immediately send a press release condemning police brutality and unjust arrest during a peaceful protest.

Well, when people set up a big bonfire at the middle of a campus, block the work of firefighters, insults them and then policemen, can you really call it a peaceful protest??

I would argue that protest is a sign of healthy democracy. Civil disobedience can be very courageous and many of us will never dare to do. But come on, pick the right cause! Saving a grassy knoll!, No to an underground bus loop! Is it all left wing student movements can come up with in 2008? Is our society is going that well? What about our slow and insufficient response to global warming, ending extreme poverty, access to clean water, respecting indigenous rights, etc. There are plenty of causes to fight for.

Ten thousands of people live in the university land, 7000+ students live on campus, and many more are coming. Environmentalist, social activists love the terms sustainability both often don’t accept that the economy is also part of the concept. To avoid having a car dependent campus, you need food outlet, shops, all the basic needs must be fulfilled.

And if you think that underground transit facilities and unsafe and ugly, watch this video!

Earth Hour!

What should you do, Saturday 8-9PM!? Turn off your light, unplug your computer, do a major power shut down on everything you can thing about! Yes is Earth Hour, see that video!