1210212.us16.myftpupload.com Managed WordPress Site

Tag: environment

  • Get Outside and Exercise!

    Get Outside and Exercise!

    We’ve all been there – you wake up to start your day and immediately start thinking of how you can’t wait to get home to go back to bed later. You feel run down and yawn throughout your classes. Your head feels foggy and you have trouble concentrating. All of these signs point to a lack of energy and balance, which can be easily rectified by exercising regularly.

    Maybe you have a full schedule of classes, you work a part-time job and still need time to study on top of that. Don’t worry – you can fit in exercise each day in simple ways! Try walking to and from school each day, if possible. Speed up your normal walking pace slightly to get your heart pumping. You can also jog/run home from school each day to increase the cardiovascular benefits.

    If you have a little more time on your hands, even on weekends, try going to a community centre in your area. Community centres often have exercise equipment you can use for a much lower fee than a regular gym would. Treadmills and elliptical machines are great ways to get in a cardio workout without having to worry about poor weather.

    Many of us feel uncomfortable working out in front of others, so you can even do exercises at home while watching TV or a movie. Try some simple yoga moves, sit-ups or even jumping jacks. There are many great (and free!) websites that offer tips on different at-home workouts you can do that do not require any equipment. You may also want to purchase a workout DVD that combines your interests with exercise. For example, there are DVD’s that involve dance, ballet and even Bollywood moves.

    Another easy option is to play Wii or X-Box Kinect. Many of us own these systems already, so playing a game that involves movement instead of sitting will add up. Many Wii systems come with sports games inside the box, so there is no extra expense incurred. These games will even track your progress and tell you your “exercise age”, which are great motivators.

    Exercising regularly will ensure that you have energy when you need it most. Exercise has also been proven to lower stress and help with anxiety and depression. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins which essentially help you to feel better and calmer. You should aim to exercise for 30 consecutive minutes each day for the maximum benefits. It is also important to not exercise just before you go to bed, as the increased endorphins can prevent you from falling asleep right away. However, exercising regularly does help you to get a deeper sleep more often.

    So make time for yourself each day and get in some exercise. Motivating yourself can be difficult sometimes, so be sure to tell a friend or family member about your goals and they can help to get you moving. Remember – short term pain, long term gain!

  • Students Going Green

    Students Going Green

    Focusing on the sustainable environment as a student can help you reduce your ecological footprint while at the same time stepping in the right direction for your future career path.

    As the global warming debate increases its heat in society, universities are picking up on the need to teach students the importance of being environmentally friendly in their future places of work.   The Calgary Herald recently stated that “so-called “green jobs” are growing at more than twice the rate of traditional jobs in Canada–9.1 per cent over the last decade compared with the average of 3.7 per cent”(Sankey, 2009). Starting to incorporate sustainable thinking into your student life not only does the obvious, which is to help the environment, but can give you a competitive edge in a job market that is increasingly catering to environmentally friendly applicants.

    Many colleges and universities are offering programs that are entirely environmentally focused.  If you are passionate about the environment, this is a great route to take, as it will allow you to not only embrace your passion, but enter a growing and dynamic industry.  Some examples of environmentally focused programs are:

    • Trent University’s degree in Environmental and Resource Studies
    • York University’s Faculty of Environment offers a wide variety of environmentally focused programs ranging from environmental design to ecofeminist politics.
    • Seneca College’s Environmental Technician program

    This is just a small sampling, and most post secondary institutions offer similar programs.  If a program entirely devoted to the environment is not for you, try to take some sustainability focused course along your educational path.

    Incorporating environmentally friendly thinking into your everyday campus life will not only contribute to improving the natural environment, but can help you to obtain skills and knowledge that will give added value to your employers in the work place.  Here are some great ways to be environmentally friendly in your university life:

    • Walk, bike, bus to school.  Many schools offer bus passes included in tuition or a discount on monthly passes.  As well, Bixi Bikes, available in places like Toronto and Montreal, is a great way to get around (Bixi Bikes, 2010).  Bixi Bikes provides the ability to rent a bike from one location, and drop it off at another.  On campus parking can be expensive and scarce, so alternative transportation is not only great for the environment, but also great on your wallet.
    • Buy used text books instead of new ones, which is also a wallet-friendly environmental move.
    • Save paper! If your professor allows it, email in assignments instead of hard copies.  If you are required to hand in hard copies, print on both sides!
    • Bring a travel mug to school for your coffee – most coffee places will offer you a discount.  When you think of all the time spent at school, and all the coffees you will drink, the savings can actually add up! The same goes for reusable bottles for water.
    • If you are doing your own groceries, bring a backpack and reusable bags to the grocery store.  If you are eating in the cafeteria, bring a container for leftovers so you do not waste food, and get a snack for later.

    A pro-environmental attitude in university can be a spring board for a lifetime focus on sustainable living, which will only become increasingly important in years to come.

  • We Can Make Canada’s Reality Match Its Image

    We Can Make Canada’s Reality Match Its Image

    Canada is blessed with some of the last vestiges of pristine nature on Earth — unbroken forests, coastlines and prairies, thousands of rivers, streams and lakes, open skies, abundant fresh air. Many of us live in urban areas, but our spectacular landscapes are embedded in our history and culture. They define and shape us as people.

    We are also defined by our Constitution, which is far more than a set of legal prescriptions. It embodies our highest aspirations and values. As our nation’s top law, one would expect it to reflect our connection to the land, air, water and wildlife that keep us alive and healthy. Our Constitution’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms gives us freedom of expression, equal protection from discrimination and the right to life, liberty and security of the person. But it doesn’t mention the environment. How can we fully enjoy our freedoms without the right to live in a healthy environment?

    Some Canadians are further ahead than others. Quebec’s Environmental Quality Act and Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms both include environmental rights. Other provinces and territories — including Ontario, the Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut — provide limited environmental rights. Worldwide, 110 countries enjoy constitutional rights to a healthy environment, and 181 of 193 UN member countries support recognition of such a right. Canada and the U.S. are among the exceptions.

    The sad truth is that Canada fares poorly among wealthy nations on environmental performance. A recent ranking by the Washington-based Center for Global Development puts Canada last of 27 industrialized nations. The Conference Board of Canada rated our country 15th out of 17 industrialized nations for standards on air pollution, climate change, water and other environmental factors. And the World Health Organization reports that 36,800 premature deaths a year and 13 per cent of illnesses and injuries in Canada are related to exposure to environmental hazards — costing us tens of billions a year in health-care expenses and lost productivity.

    The benefits of constitutional protection of the environment are many and the drawbacks few. In places with such a right, people have legal avenues to protect them from activities that pollute the environment and put human health at risk.

    For example, Argentina’s constitutional environmental-rights protection was used in a case where industrial pollution was seriously affecting the health of people along the Matanza-Riachuelo River. After residents sued the national, provincial and municipal governments and 44 corporations, Argentina’s government established clean-up, restoration and regional environmental health plans. It has increased the number of environmental inspectors in the region from three to 250, and created 139 water, air and soil quality monitoring points. There’s still much to be done, but three new water-treatment plants and 11 new sewage-treatment plants mean millions of people now have access to clean water and sanitation. Many garbage dumps and polluting industries were shut down. And the local economy benefited.

    A legal right to a healthy environment is not about hamstringing corporations; it’s about ensuring they’re run responsibly and that people’s health and well-being come first. It’s also about ensuring laws are enforced and penalties imposed when they’re violated. The total amount of fines imposed under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act from 1988 through 2010 (about $2.4 million) amounted to less than what the Toronto Public Library collected in overdue-book fines in one year, 2009 (about $2.7 million)! And it’s not a right-versus-left political issue. Jacques Chirac, France’s conservative president from 1995 to 2007, made constitutional recognition of the right to a healthy environment one of his priorities. More than 70,000 French citizens attended public hearings on the issue andFrance’s Charter for the Environment was later enacted with broad support from all political parties.

    Evidence suggests that stronger environmental regulation spurs innovation and competitiveness, so the right to a healthy environment can benefit the economy. In the aftermath of the Walkerton disaster, Ontario strengthened its drinking-water legislation, which stimulated development and growth of the water-treatment technology sector. Countries with constitutional environmental protection, such as Norway, often enjoy high economic and environmental standards.

    It won’t be easy to get the right to a healthy environment enshrined in Canada’s Constitution. But with public support and small steps along the way — such as encouraging legal protection from municipal, regional and provincial governments —we can make it happen.

  • Old Growth Forests 101

    Old Growth Forests 101

    Why are old-growth forests important?

    When thinking about healthy forests, it’s not often that we think about dead, dying or diseased trees but any forest manager will tell you that they’re an essential part of a healthy forest ecosystem, and a key characteristic of old-growth.

    Dr. Bill Freedman, a professor of biology at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Chair of the Nature Conservancy of Canada’s (NCC’s) National Board of Directors, explains that “old-growth forest contains some large and old trees, but all age classes are present.” Old-growth forests exist because they have not been subjected to a significant disturbance such as wildfire or clear-cutting for a century or more. Overall, it’s not easy to pin down an age at which a forest becomes “old,” because depending on the climate, geography and soil, a forest’s composition and lifespan will vary drastically.

    So what makes old-growth forests unique, and why are they important? The first answer is that old-growth forests contain trees in all phases of their life cycle, from saplings, to mature trees, to dead standing trees and finally, as rotting trees on the forest floor. This provides a home for many species of plants, fungi, invertebrates, salamanders and snakes, and makes old-growth forests hotspots for biodiversity and a refuge for high concentrations of species at risk.

    “Protecting old-growth forests means respecting the elders, letting them die a natural death and crash down, even if they’re diseased,” notes Mark Stabb, NCC’s Central Ontario Program Manager. Dead trees significantly change the structure and composition of the forest, but there are always saplings waiting in the shadows to take their place. “This helps us understand how they will respond to disease and natural disturbances such as fire, tornadoes or earthquakes,” says Stabb.

    “There aren’t many old-growth forests left compared to a couple hundred years ago,” he adds. But the 200-year-old Happy Valley Forest (HVF) Natural Area in Ontario is a good example of a forest that is growing old. Located just 35 kilometres from Toronto, this 2,851-acre (1,154-hectare) forest is an outstanding example of mature Sugar Maple and beech forests characteristic of the Oak Ridges Moraine. The HVF is critical habitat for over 110 breeding bird species, including the nationally significant Acadian Flycatcher and Cerulean Warbler and amphibians like the Jefferson Salamander.

    Dr. Henry Barnett, whose land NCC helped protect in the HVF and who has been instrumental in convincing neighbours to put their land under conservation protection, remarks, “with more than 210 acres (85 hectares) protected so far, hopefully the Happy Valley Forest will have a chance to become truly old-growth in the years ahead.”

    Provided by Nature Conservancy Canada

    www.natureconservancy.ca

  • Outdoor Therapy

    Outdoor Therapy

    The benefits of outdoor activity are well known. Whether you’re hiking, biking, swimming, or running, these activities are all great ways to get your heart rate up and stay healthy. However, less physically demanding outdoor activities (such as gardening or washing a car) are also good for your health. Mental health, that is. Sometimes just being outdoors makes you feel good, and it’s no wonder. Fresh air, open space, sunshine, greenery…who doesn’t love these things? Especially after being cooped up in an office or classroom for hours on end every day, being outdoors is a sure-fire way to boost your mood and make you feel more relaxed.

    The positive influence of the outdoors is so great that it is even being recommended as a form of therapy in and of itself.1 Instead of relying on pharmacological intervention, some therapists recommend “outdoor therapy” as an alternative way to help people with affective disorders (such as depression).2 In general, it has been found that people who try outdoor therapy experience “improvements in self-concept, self-acceptance and more realistic self-perceptions, and reduced conflict, depression, and anxiety.”3 These effects have been shown with a variety of individuals of all ages, genders, races, personality types, and mental health statuses.4 Of course anyone can benefit from outdoor therapy, even if you’re simply having a bad day or are feeling a little under-the-weather.

    There’s no one particular activity which is recommended above others as the best form of outdoor therapy; however, it has been noted that a short camping trip (even a mock-camping trip in one’s own backyard!) can be a remarkably effective way to reduce stress, anxiety, or bad mood.5 This may be due to the fact that camping is meant to take you away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life where most of one’s stress originates. When you’re camping you don’t have to worry about studying for an upcoming midterm or fret about that long list of things “to do.” In fact, when you’re camping the only things you really need to worry about are what you’re going to cook for your next meal and keeping ample wood on the fire. I wouldn’t necessarily classify these things under “worries,” however. Even though it may just be for a couple days, camping allows you to relax and rejuvenate, leaving you feeling refreshed and ready to once again tackle all life’s challenges. Granted, not everyone considers giving up all connections to civilization for a weekend foray into the depths of the wilderness to be a relaxing experience. If you don’t like camping, then it probably won’t help to ease your stress or anxiety. Conversely, it will probably increase your bad mood, which would be counter-productive. That’s why outdoor therapy can be tailored to individual preferences. If you’re an athletic person, then maybe going for a run or hiking with some friends will boost your mood. On the other hand, if you just need some time to yourself and prefer something a little more low-key, then just grab a book and head to the local park for a quiet afternoon.

    So next time you’re in a bad mood, feeling stressed out, lonely, overwhelmed, frustrated, or you simply want some alone time- head outside and try some outdoor therapy. Whether you decide to go for a five kilometer run or grab a coffee and read a good book, you’ll be amazed at how much better you feel after stepping outside to clear your mind.

  • Great Changes for the Great Lakes

    Great Changes for the Great Lakes

    Across the world North America is known for many things; the culture, the people and the great outdoors. Part of that great outdoors is the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes are an integral part of our North American identity; and to preserve that identity in 2005 the premiers of Ontario and Quebec and the leaders of eight American states that border the lakes came together and signed the Great Lakes Water Pact.

    The Great Lakes Water Pact is a pact that has introduced strict regulations in regards to the usage of the Great Lakes and it has sunk the tentative thoughts of shipping water to thirsty regions in the United States and Middle East. It was signed by the Canadian provinces and the American states that surround the Great Lakes; Ontario, Quebec, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota. The agreement includes rules that make it difficult for communities surrounding the Great Lakes watershed to use the water and also aims to prohibit the commercial export of the lake water by restricting withdrawals of water to five gallon (twenty litres) containers.

    The affects this pact has on future generations are great. The Great Lakes are a natural resource that are depleting and are not renewing as fast or as much that is necessary. More than thirty five million people rely on the lakes for drinking water, and the lakes are only able to replace one percent of that per year.

    The Great Lakes Pact is important for North America’s future generation because it ensures that not all the lakes will be used up and it will be saved from disappearing. This works in the favour of future generations because it guarantees that the lakes will be there for their own usage as well just as it was there for the past generations usage. Not only does it assure fresh and natural drinking water for generations to come but it also promises that the amount of surface water in the world stays intact. The Great Lakes contains twenty percent of the world’s surface water and this pact will make sure that the surface water will remain for years to come. Without that surface water the world may dry up which in turn will not only affect people directly but also indirectly via the drying up of crops and vegetation.

    The Great Lakes Water Pact was signed in the year 2005 but its positive effects will last the world for years to come, both directly to people close to them and indirectly to people around the world. Directly through the fact that the Great Lakes are a source of fresh drinking water for people that surround them and indirectly because of the Great Lakes being a source of surface water that helps hydrate crops and vegetation, and without the lakes those crops and vegetation’s would dry up and therefore not feed communities around the world.

  • Bike Riding Across Canada

    Bike Riding Across Canada

    Starting on her bike ride this month, Angella will be travelling through one of Canada’s smaller ecozones. This region, called the Pacific Maritime ecozone, covers approximately 196 000 km2, approximately the size of the country of Senegal. It spans the whole length of British Columbia’s western edge, which also includes Vancouver Island and the Queen Charlotte Islands. The close proximity to the Pacific Ocean means that winters are mild with temperatures ranging from 4°C to 6°C, while summers are cooler with an average temperature of 12°C to 18°C.

    The Pacific Maritime region is mountainous, and by the end of the week Angella will have travelled 369 kilometres over land, but also, more than 750 metres (2470 feet) up. Her climb in elevation between Victoria and Princeton will be equal to climbing almost to the top of the world’s tallest building, the Burj Khalifa, at 2700 feet.

    As Angella passes through this region, she’ll notice that the Pacific Maritime ecozone is home to the tallest trees in Canada. These trees are found in the forests that occupy 45% of the region’s land mass and cover approximately 10 million hectares. Five different forests make up this region: the Western Hemlock forest, Mountain Hemlock forest, Douglas fir forest, Arbutus and Garry Oak forest, and the famous Temperate Rainforest. Each one consists of various coniferous trees.

    Angella may see a large diversity of wildlife on her ride. Woodland animals are common throughout the region, and include Black and Grizzly Bears, Moose, and Cougar. Much less common, and unique to this ecozone, is the Vancouver Island Marmot, a highly endangered animal found only on Vancouver Island.

  • Report shows action on climate change is critical

    Report shows action on climate change is critical

    The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change just released the first of four chapters of its Fifth Assessment Report. It shows scientists are more certain now than in 2007 when the Fourth Assessment was released that humans are largely responsible for global warming — mainly by burning fossil fuels and cutting down forests — and that it’s getting worse and poses a serious threat to humanity. It contains hints of optimism, though, and shows addressing the problem creates opportunities.

    The IPCC was set up in 1988 by the World Meteorological Organization and UN Environment Programme at the request of member governments. For the recent study, hundreds of scientists and experts worldwide combed through the latest peer-reviewed scientific literature and other relevant materials to assess “the state of scientific, technical and socio-economic knowledge on climate change, its causes, potential impacts and response strategies.”

    Scientists are cautious. That’s the nature of science; information changes, and it’s difficult to account for all interrelated factors in any phenomenon, especially one as complicated as global climate. When they say something is ‘extremely likely’ or 95 per cent certain — as the latest report does regarding human contributions to climate change — that’s as close to certainty as science usually gets. Evidence for climate change itself is “unequivocal”.

    According to the latest installment, which cites 9,200 scientific publications in 2,200 pages, “It is extremely likely that human activities caused more than half of the observed increase in global average surface temperature from 1951 to 2010.” It also concludes oceans have warmed, snow and ice have diminished, sea levels have risen and extreme weather events have become more common.

    The report also dismisses the notion, spread by climate change deniers, that global warming has stopped. It has slowed slightly in recent years, scientists say, because of natural weather variations and other possible factors, including increases in volcanic ash, changes in solar cycles and, as a new scientific study suggests, oceans absorbing more heat.

    An increase in global average temperatures greater than 2 C above pre-industrial levels would result in further melting of glaciers and Arctic ice, continued rising sea levels, more frequent and extreme weather events, difficulties for global agriculture and changes in plant and animal life, including extinctions. The report says we’ll likely exceed that threshold this century unless we choose to act.

    This means a strong, concerted global effort to combat climate change is necessary to protect the health of our economies, communities, children and future. That will cost us, but far less than doing nothing. Although governments of almost 200 countries agreed global average temperature increases must be kept below 2 C to avoid catastrophic warming, we are on track for the “worst case scenario” outlined by the first assessment report in 1990. Research indicates it’s possible to limit warming below that threshold if far-reaching action is taken. We can’t let skeptics sidetrack us with distortions and cherry-picking aimed at creating the illusion the science is still not in.

    The reasons to act go beyond averting the worst impacts of climate change. Fossil fuels are an incredibly valuable resource that can be used for making everything from medical supplies to computer keyboards. Wastefully burning them to propel solo drivers in cars and SUVs will ensure we run out sooner rather than later.

    Working with other nations to meet science-based targets to cut global warming pollution and create clean, renewable energy solutions would allow us to use our remaining fossil fuel reserves more wisely and create lasting jobs and economic opportunities. That’s why the David Suzuki Foundation is working with the Trottier Energy Futures Project to identify clean-energy opportunities for Canada.

    Shifting to cleaner energy sources would also reduce pollution and the environmental damage that comes with extracting coal, oil and gas. That would improve the health of people, communities and ecosystems, and reduce both health-care costs and dollars spent replacing services nature already provides with expensive infrastructure.

    The IPCC report gathers the best science from around the world. It’s clear: There’s no time to delay. The first chapter examines the current science of climate change, the second will look at impacts and the third will consider strategies to deal with the problem. A report synthesizing the three chapters will be released in 2014. We must take it seriously.

  • Making a Difference for Canada’s Environment

    Making a Difference for Canada’s Environment

    When you hear the words “global warming” or “climate change” you might immediately think of its impact on humans and our habitat. But what about the animals living in Canada – how does climate change affect them?

    Canada is the second largest country in the world and home to many different species of animals, all with unique needs. Some thrive in temeperate rainforests, like that found on Vancouver Island in British Columbia. Others need the cold climate of Canada’s vast north, like Iqaluit or Churchill, Manitoba on Hudson’s Bay.

    Climate change affects all of these animals. Perhaps the most well-known issue is with polar bears in Canada’s north. Global warming is changing how long ice is available in the north and this greatly affects the ability of the polar bear to hunt, swim and move about their habitat. Ice has been thinner and melting faster than ever before, causing many polar bears to scavenge for food in nearby towns. Unfortunately, many of these bears then can easily come into contact with humans and will have to be either put down or tranquilized and moved away from the town. However, the problem of not being able to hunt will cause a vicious cycle of the bear then returning to the town to find food again.

    A similar problem exists in the temperate rainforest of British Columbia (yes, Canada does have a rainforest. How amazing is that?). Grizzly and black bears thrive on hunting salmon in these habitats, but even the salmon spawns have been decreasing in size due to pollution and overfishing. When they cannot hunt, they also enter nearby towns and inadvertently threaten human populations.

    What can we do to help these animals? There are a number of seemingly small steps we can take to help slow down the effects of climate change that will in turn work to restore the natural habitats of these beautiful animals. One of the easiest things we can do is to turn down our thermostats. It may seem like a difficult thing to do in a Canadian winter, but lowering our heat consumption saves energy. Saving energy reduces the amount of fossil fuels our energy-producing plants need to expend. Turn your heat off when you leave the house or when you are sleeping.

    Another easy change is to take public transportation. Even if you only take it once a week, you are reducing the number of harmful emissions and pollutants in the air which threaten the ozone layer (causing the heat to rise). Imagine if we all took public transportation more rather than drove our cars – we would make a huge impact on the amount of pollution in our air!

    Our cell phone chargers, MP3 player chargers and other electronic devices all use up energy when they are plugged into the wall – even if they are not charging anything! Always unplug these chargers from the wall when you are finished using them.

    Finally, an easy way to reduce waste in our environments (which pollute our waters and forests) is to bring a reusable bag with you whenever you buy groceries. Most grocery stores now charge for plastic bags in an effort to convince people to bring their own reusable bags. It’s very easy to do – just pop one in your back pack and leave it there! You will never be without it or run the risk of forgetting it. Plastic bags do not break down for hundreds of years – imagine an entire forest filled with plastic bags, or our rivers and lakes choked with them. Breaking our addiction to these bags because they are convenient is very easy to do and will make a huge difference for our environment and animals.

    It may seem like an impossible feat, but making small changes in our everyday lives will make a big impact on the wonderful environment we get to call home. We are lucky to share this world with beautiful animals like polar bears, and it is our responsibility to help protect them. Implement these small changes listed above, encourage your friends and family to do the same, and we can ensure Canada remains beautiful and diverse.

  • Incinerating Trash is a Waste of Resources

    Incinerating Trash is a Waste of Resources

    Many urban areas have built or are considering building waste-incineration facilities to generate energy. At first glance, it seems like a win-win. You get rid of “garbage” and acquire a new energy source with fuel that’s almost free. But it’s a problematic solution, and a complicated issue.

    Metro Vancouver has a facility in Burnaby and is planning to build another, and Toronto is also looking at the technology, which has been used elsewhere in the region, with a plant in Brampton and another under construction in Clarington. The practice is especially popular in the European Union, where countries including Sweden and Germany now have to import waste to fuel their generators.

    The term “waste” is correct; there’s really no such thing as garbage. And that’s one problem with burning it for fuel. Even those who promote the technology would probably agree that the best ways to deal with waste are to reduce, reuse and recycle it. It’s astounding how much unnecessary trash we create, through excessive packaging, planned obsolescence, hyperconsumerism and lack of awareness. This is one area where individuals can make a difference, by refusing to buy overpackaged goods and encouraging companies to reduce packaging, and by curbing our desire to always have newer and shinier stuff.

    We toss out lots of items that can be reused, repaired or altered for other purposes. As for recycling, we’ve made great strides, but we still send close to three quarters of our household waste to the landfill. Considering each Canadian produces close to 1,000 kilograms of waste a year, that’s a lot of trash! Much of the material that ends up in landfills is usable, compostable or recyclable, including tonnes of plastics.

    Turning unsorted and usable trash into a valuable fuel commodity means communities are less likely to choose to reduce, reuse and recycle it. Burning waste can seem easier and less expensive than sorting, diverting and recycling it. But once it’s burned, it can never be used for anything else — it’s gone!

    Incinerating waste also comes with environmental problems. Although modern technologies reduce many air pollutants once associated with the process, burning plastics and other materials still creates emissions that can contain toxins such as mercury, dioxins and furans. As with burning fossil fuels, burning waste — much of which is plastics derived from fossil fuels — also produces carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide emissions that contribute to climate change.

    Burning waste doesn’t make it disappear, either. Beyond the fly ash and pollutants released into the atmosphere, a great deal of toxic “bottom ash” is left over. Metro Vancouver says bottom ash from its Burnaby incinerator is about 17 per cent the weight of the waste burned. That ash must be disposed of, usually in landfills. Metro testing has found high levels of the carcinogenic heavy metal cadmium in bottom ash, sometimes twice the limit allowed for landfills. High lead levels have also been reported.

    Incineration is also expensive and inefficient. Once we start the practice, we come to rely on waste as a fuel commodity, and it’s tough to go back to more environmentally sound methods of dealing with it. As has been seen in Sweden and Germany, improving efforts to reduce, re-use and recycle can actually result in shortages of waste “fuel”!

    It’s a complicated issue. We need to find ways to manage waste and to generate energy without relying on diminishing and increasingly expensive supplies of polluting fossil fuels. Sending trash to landfills is clearly not the best solution. But we have better options than landfills and incineration, starting with reducing the amount of waste we produce. Through education and regulation, we can reduce obvious sources and divert more compostable, recyclable and reusable materials away from the dump. It’s simply wasteful to incinerate it.

    It would be far better to sort trash into organics, recyclables and products that require careful disposal. We could then divert these different streams to minimize our waste impacts and produce new commodities. Organics used in biomass energy systems could help offset fossil fuel use while creating valuable supplies of fertilizers. Diversion and recycling lessen the need to extract new resources and disrupt the environment while creating more value and jobs. That’s a win all around!