Emissions harm the poor while the rich get tax breaks

Emissions for the poor, tax breaks for the wealthy TheStar.com - comment - Emissions for the poor, tax breaks for the wealthy
February 23, 2008
Albert Koehl

The Harper government is sometimes accused of favouring the rich while ignoring the poor – even cozying up to wealthy oil barons at the expense of regular Canadians.

It would be nice if Harper could say it wasn't so. Unfortunately, there's enough evidence in the climate change file alone to make the case.

Soon after coming to office, the Harper government abruptly eliminated a $500 million program, the Energuide for Low Income Households, designed to help poor families do home retrofits to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions. In stark contrast, the government's last budget effectively assured wealthy oil and gas corporations that all of the federal tax breaks they currently enjoy, amounting to about $1.4 billion each year, would remain in place until at least 2010.

There is no doubt that low-income households (and many middle-income ones for that matter) need help to reduce energy use, not only because energy bills are on the rise. The poorest Canadian households already spend 13 per cent of their income on energy bills, compared to about 4 per cent of income for other households. The inability to pay energy bills is the second leading cause of evictions in cities like Toronto.

The cancelled EnerGuide program would have helped 130,000 low-income households reduce energy bills and achieve potential greenhouse gas reductions of 3.4 tonnes annually per home. Green Communities Canada, a group that delivers energy efficiency programs, estimated that the $500 million government investment would have produced $1 billion in energy savings, retrofit jobs, and other benefits – not to mention the obvious environmental payback.

Although the EnerGuide program was introduced by the previous Liberal government, partisan politics alone cannot explain its elimination. The Harper government also scrapped another conservation program directed at higher income households, but quickly reintroduced it under a different name.

The irony was that the low-income fund was likely to pay the biggest greenhouse gas reduction dividends since poorer families often live in leaky homes and can't afford energy efficiency improvements without outside help.

Oil and gas corporations don't need federal handouts. In 2006, the industry made $31 billion in profits. The price of a barrel of oil today hovers near $100. And while the industry gorges itself on record profits, its out-of-control oil-sands projects disgorge massive amounts of greenhouse gases and also poison the water, land and air.

At first glance, the 2007 federal budget finally seemed to acknowledge the absurdity of spending taxpayer money to promote oil and gas projects and associated greenhouse gas emissions.

The budget actually included the phase-out of the Accelerated Capital Cost Allowance (ACCA), a generous subsidy for oil-sands projects, noting that "this preferential treatment is no longer needed." These words suggested a new direction; the fine print largely confirmed business as usual.

Oil-sands projects that were started before March 2007 would continue to benefit from the ACCA while the slow phase-out for other projects would not even begin until 2011, and stretch to 2015. (By that time, government subsidies that the industry has begun demanding for carbon capture and storage projects might well dwarf current handouts.) The Pembina Institute, an Alberta-based think-tank, calculates that 90 per cent of oil-sands projects currently on the books will therefore receive substantial federal subsidies.

Finance Minister James Flaherty devoted numerous pages of his budget to comforting oil and gas CEOs about the eventual phase-out of the ACCA. In fact, the budget – perhaps borrowing from Depression-era programs – called the phase-out conditions "transitional relief."

If the inequality in the government's treatment of rich polluters and poor households indicates government priorities, then the future is bleak for Canada's most vulnerable because global warming will affect them first, and most dramatically.

Hurricane Katrina made this clear. As the chair of the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change recently commented: "It is the poorest of the poor in the world, and this includes poor people even in prosperous societies, who are going to be the worst hit."

Full article continued at: Emissions for poor, tax breaks for wealthy

Eco Lifestyle for Longer Life, Healthier Planet

article from Yahoo.com

Go Green for a Long Life

by Dr. Maoshing Ni

There are places in the world where a concentrated number of people routinely live to 100.

From the lush valleys of Ecuador to the peaceful island of Okinawa to the pristine hills of the Himalayas, these centenarian clusters all have something in common: an environment conducive to a healthy, long life-clean air, pure water, and nature unspoiled by the modern world.

In our Western world, we have to contend with the toxic by-products of our technological advances. Not only have we made our environment cancerous for ourselves, but we have also made it harder for other organisms in nature to thrive. By living in harmony with nature, we bring health to ourselves and to the planet.

Make Our World Less Plastic
Plastic, lightweight, durable, and versatile is everywhere in our modern world - bad news for the environment and our health. Many plastics release vinyl chloride and other harmful gases or contain phthalates that can lead to cancer, birth defects, and lung and liver disease.

Some plastics are right out in the open, like the ones found in our TVs, computers, telephones, coffeemakers, water bottles, and food containers. But some plastics show up in places where you might least suspect them, in carpeting, chewing gum, cosmetics, mattresses, sanitary napkins, polyester clothing, tissues, toilet paper, and upholstery.

Minimize plastic usage to cut your health risks. Use glass water bottles, wooden toys, personal care products and cosmetics made with natural ingredients, and natural fiber clothing, bedding, and mattresses.

Unbleached Paper for the Planet
Paper products do not come naturally white. All white paper is bleached with chemicals that leave behind harmful residues of dioxin, which is a known carcinogen.

These residues are found in coffee filters, diapers, lunch bags, napkins, paper towels, tissues, and toilet paper. When dioxin enters the landfill as waste, it leaches into the soil, contaminating groundwater. Using unbleached paper products is good for both you and the earth.

Green your Clean Routine
Seeking longevity means protecting ourselves from products that are dangerous to our health. Household cleansers containing bleach or chemicals are harmful to inhale. Instead of these, choose natural cleaning products that have recently come onto the market, which are safe and will not pollute the environment. You can use natural brands sold in your local health food stores.

Look no further than your own kitchen for these simple, homemade cleaners:

• Stovetop: sprinkle baking soda on, let it sit five minutes, then scour with steel wool or scrubber. For stubborn spots, mix dishwashing liquid, borax, and warm water, spray the mixture on, and let it sit for 20 minutes before scouring.

• Diluted vinegar is an effective cleanser in the kitchen and bathroom, and will work for tiles, windows, toilet bowls, mirrors, and even carpets. The acetate acid in vinegar also helps inhibit bacteria and mildew.

Try this formula: mix one cup of distilled white vinegar with one cup of water and use it just like you would use any other cleaning product. For those jobs requiring elbow grease, avoid chlorinated powder and scour with baking soda instead.

Eat with Environmental Edge
Commercially grown produce is filled with pesticides, herbicides and toxic chemical residues. Conventional meat, poultry, and dairy products contain high amounts of pesticides, hormones, and antibiotic drugs that are harmful to your health.

These toxins show up in a variety of places, including the water supply, breast milk, and urine. They cause degenerative changes, hormonal problems, immune system disorders, and cancer in both people and animals.

For your own wellbeing and the health of the planet, search out organic foods; whenever possible, buy only organic and free-range poultry and meat.

I hope you find ways to be in harmony with nature! I invite you to visit often and share your own personal health and longevity tips with me.

May you stay healthy, live long, and live happy!

-Dr. Mao



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Earth Hour; Toronto among World Wildlife Fund project leaders

Earth Hour Information; Sydney, Australia idea goes global

It started with a question: How can we inspire people to take action on climate change?

The answer: Ask the people of Sydney to turn off their lights for one hour.

On 31 March 2007, 2.2 million people and 2100 Sydney businesses turned off their lights for one hour - Earth Hour. This massive collective effort reduced Sydney's energy consumption by 10.2% for one hour, which is the equivalent effect of taking 48,000 cars off the road for one hour.

With Sydney icons like the Harbour Bridge and Opera House turning their lights off, and unique events such as weddings by candlelight, the world took notice. Inspired by the collective effort of millions of Sydneysiders, many major global cities are joining Earth Hour in 2008, turning a symbolic event into a global movement.

Turning the lights off for Earth Hour is a great first step, but if you really want to see a difference, then make Earth Hour part of your everyday life.

Simple things like turning off appliances while not in use and switching your light globes to energy efficient bulbs, will all help us reach our goal of reducing our annual emissions by 5%. Even something as simple as turning out lights when you’re not in a room and switching to cleaner sources of electricity like “green power”, make a big difference.

Originating in Sydney in 2007, the Earth Hour campaign has now gained global attention. As a result, on 8pm March 29, 2008 millions of people in some of the world’s major capital cities will unite and switch off for Earth Hour. See what is happening in your city and how you can get involved.

Major cities participating include:

* Adelaide »
* Canberra »
* Brisbane »
* Chicago »
* Christchurch »
* Copenhagen »
* Melbourne »
* Sydney »
* Tel Aviv »
* Toronto »



WWF.ca is helping organize Canadian participation in the event. On March 29, 2008, cities across Canada, and around the world will turn off their lights for Earth Hour, a WWF event to raise awareness about climate change and symbolize that, working together the people of the world can make a difference in the fight against climate change.

Earth Hour has grown from a single event in Sydney, Australia in 2007 to a global phenomenon that will occur across six continents and in as many as 20 cities in 2008.

Toronto was the flagship Canadian city to commemorate Earth Hour 2008 but dozens of others including Ottawa and Montreal have already joined!

Our goal is to get thousands of businesses and individuals to participate in this historic event, so we can show the nation and the world that Canadians are leaders in addressing climate change, one of the most critical issues facing our world today.

Don't stop at Earth Hour - live The Good Life everyday! The Good Life is WWF-Canada’s new campaign that helps Canadians track the actions they are taking for the planet so you can actually see how your actions add up to help fight climate change.

Are you a business or community planning an event? Tell us what you are doing for Earth Hour at earthhour@wwfcanada.org and we will let others know what else is happening that night around Canada.


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Can Birtukan Mideska unite Ethiopian opposition?

Ethiopia is a crucial emerging democracy that has suffered from a fractious political opposition, with dozens of parties competing in the 2005 election, aligned into two main opposition groups. They attempted some unity AFTER the election, but by then the damage had been done. Refusing to enter parliament after attaining almost 160 seats (up from 12), was a bizarre sign of immaturity that robbed Ethiopia of the powerful democratic opposition it badly needed.



With national elections just over two years away and the political opposition still divided among two or more camps, perhaps the beautiful and intelligent Birtukan Mideska can become a unifying force and provide her nation with a credible and worthy alternative to the PM and the EPRDF. It may not be her who emerges, but it will be good for the nation if the opposition leader is prepared to run in 2010, 2015 and 2020, because it may require 5 years as Official Leader of the Opposition before a new leader gains enough popularity to lead a new party or coalition to government. And even if the opposition did win in 2010, Meles Zenawi would still be young enough to engage in powerful campaigns in 2015 and 2020.

Following article from Nazret.com:

Ethiopia - Former CUD elects supreme council members

By Kirubel Tadesse

Source: Capital

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - Losing the party’s name to Ayele Chamiso’s group and its election emblem to Lidetu Ayalew’s (MP) party, the former Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), an opposition party in Ethiopia, which is now operating as two separate groups; one led by Engineer Hailu Shawl and the other by first vice president Birtukan Medeksa, has elected sixteen new members for its supreme council in the presence of nine out of fifteen executive committee members.

Sources told Capital that the sixteen new members of the supreme council include Professor Mesfin Woldemariam, who did not want to be part of any leadership and twelve Members of Parliament including Temesgen Zewidie (MP). According to the source, the four members, including Prof. Mesfin and Aserat Tase were elected out of twelve nominees presented from the Birtukan’s group and the MPs were nominated from the Temesgen Zewidie (MP) group, which is now participating in the House of People’s Representatives as parliament group after Ayele Chamiso won the legal battle for the name ‘CUD’.

The election of the supreme council members came after the meeting of the supreme council members which were originally elected in the May 2005 national elections, ordered the executive committee to elect new members.

Even if some members of the executive committee are too missing, sources explain that nine out of an original fifteen attended the appointment of the sixteen new members of the supreme council. According to the sources, the final appointment of the members was decided in a meeting held on Friday, February 1, 2008.

The sixteen elected members are to replace the council’s members which have spent more than six months abroad, and those who informed their decision of retiring from the party. They are also to replace the members of the council which withdrew from the coalition along side Lidetu Ayalew (MP) to continue in their won original party.

Even if sixteen new members are elected and eighteen to twenty others are working with the Birtukan group and some with Engineer Hailu, many are still missing but the source explains that Birtukan’s group want first to finalize any possible reconciliation or talks of a split before replacing the remaining members. The executive and supreme council members who are working under Engineer Hailu didn’t participate in the nomination or election of the sixteen members of the council.

Sources also explain that Birtukan Medikisa and Temesgen Zewidie (MP) are expected to give the first joint press conference stating the appointment of the supreme council members and the possible process of forming a new party.

Nazret.com - Best Ethiopian News Website

Green Synagogue is solar-powered and eco friendly

story from The Toronto Star


Worship; Where greenliness is next to . . .

From solar panels to windows and paint, synagogue keeps the faith with eco-efficiency

Catherine Porter, Environment Reporter, TheStar.com

Think of it as the Darchei Noam's new green yarmulke – a row of solar panels and a reflective, white membrane covering the synagogue's new roof.

But here, it's a symbol of the congregation's commitment to the environment, as well as God.

"It's a Jewish value – to heal the world and take care of the planet," says Tamara Zielony, looking out at the newly-arrived burgundy chairs lining the sanctuary.

When worshippers fill them for the first time today to watch as the synagogue's Torah scrolls are delivered into the sanctuary's ark, marking the official opening of the building, it will be as the greenest Jews in the country.

Rows of energy-efficient compact fluorescent and ceramic metal halide lights dangle from the ceiling. The beige carpet is 100 per cent recycled. The walls were coloured a rich mahogany with natural paint that emits no asthma-inducing volatile organic compounds. And the window curtain that lines the whole north side is double-paned with thermal insulation and built to ensure that no joints would leak air.

"Anything we bought was energy efficient," says Alan Levine, the enthusiastic chair of the congregation's construction committee. "We designed the building with environmentally sustainable principles."

Darchei Noam's members are leaders in an emerging green religious movement. Just down Sheppard Ave., the new home for St. Gabriel's Catholic Church was built with a green roof and solar wall – garnering it the country's first and only gold-standard certificate for a religious building by the reputable LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Green Building Rating System.

The non-profit organization "Faith in the Common Good" now includes more than 100 faith groups, many actively working to reduce their carbon footprint in the face of global warming.

"Eco-spirituality is a common denominator among all faiths. All have instruction in their holy texts to revere the natural world, to keep it holy," says Rory O'Brien, a co-ordinator with the multi-faith group. And despite dwindling congregations, religious sanctuaries have the potential to make a big impact.

"There are 30,000 faith buildings across the country, 7,000 in Ontario. If we green them all and prevent all the energy losses, we'll save a lot of money and tonnes of greenhouse gases from going into the atmosphere," O'Brien says.

If there's one place that people can be truly motivated by the greater good – rather than the bottom line – it's here, in a place of worship.

Darchei Noam is a reconstructionist congregation – a progressive branch of Judaism that holds democracy and social justice among its tenets. After 30 years of worshipping in rented space, the congregation bought an old synagogue on Sheppard Ave. near Allen Rd. five years ago, and set out to raise money – and ideas – for its renovation.

The $6.5 million result is breathtaking in beauty and eco-consciousness. The original brick walls were insulated and then stuccoed. The old boiler was ripped out and a high-efficiency heating system installed, which allows different parts of the building to be heated at different levels and draws cool air from outside instead of motoring up the air conditioning.

"To have enough hot water for 300 people one day and six the next would have been very wasteful," says Levine, opening a closet to reveal a gas-fired water heater that heats water on demand. He opens the door to the women's washroom and jumps inside, triggering the lights above. "Most spaces have motion sensors, so the room's only lit when it's in use," he says.

Led by a member-architect and the volunteer "Shomrei Adamah" committee (Hebrew for "guardians of the Earth"), the congregation examined every element, right down to the glass dishes in the kitchen – replacing paper – and the bike rack in the basement, which come spring will move outside.

Their next step is buying green office and cleaning products, says Zielony, who, inspired by the project, built a green roof on her North Toronto home.

Instead of applying for expensive LEED certification, the congregation decided to install 22 solar panels along the roof, which will generate around 5,000 kilowatt-hours over the year – enough to power half a home.

He doesn't know how long it will take to pay off the expensive retrofits in energy savings.

"We never needed to justify the investment from a payout point of view. We justified it from an environmental point of view," he says.



WHAT'S GREEN AT DARCHEI NOAM

• Programmable thermostats in most rooms

• Carbon dioxide sensors, ensuring air is brought in from outside only as needed

• Tinted, double-glazed windows with low heat-transmission that in many places open, so Mother Nature can do some of the cooling in spring and fall

• Motion-activated sinks and low flush toilets and urinals

• Waste diversion of all recyclable and organic materials

• White roof, which reflects hot summer sun and reduces air conditioning

• 100 per cent recyclable carpet made out of reclaimed materials

• Solvent-free paints

• Compact fluorescent light fixtures and lamps


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January 2008 was a roller coaster ride for alternitve energy stocks investors, as many renewable power stocks saw declines for 30% to 60% from the eall-time highs reached during the year's first week.

Buying opportunities for longer term investors may have arisen in renewable energy sector leaders such as top geothermal power company Ormat Technologies (ORA) and investors looking for more diversified positions should consider entering into dollar cost averaging programs as a way of acquiring equity in clean energy investment funds.

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