I live in Saint John, New Brunswick Canada, a city of about 100,000 people. Although this area has weathered the current recession better than some areas in North America, it has historically not thrived economically as well as many other areas in the past number of decades. Many people in this area seem to have always put jobs ahead of the environment.
Recently it was announced that there would not be a second oil refinery built in Saint John at Eider Rock. This was supposed to be a joint project between Irving Oil and BP. There were some people that were really disappointed in this decision. I was not one of them. Saint John already has one of the largest oil refineries in North America only about 2 miles from the downtown area. It also has a newly developed LNG facility on the eastern boundaries of the city. Add to that two paper mills inside the city, two power generating facilities in the area, and a nuclear power plant less than 30 miles outside the city, I think we have enough heavy industry and pollution to deal with. Of course the people who were extremely disappointed at the recent news of the cancelled oil refinery were the ones that stood to make money of the project. From business contractors to even real estate agents and landlords who thought property values would jump, are upset the project did not go through. Many people in the Saint John area seem to have the attitude that if they can make some money then who cares about the environment. Actually this attitude is not limited to this area. This is the attitude that seems to be at the root cause of environmental issues around the globe.
Is there any wonder why some companies set up heavy industries in somewhat economically deprived areas? They do this for a few reasons. The first reason is that labor is cheaper. In an economically deprived area with high unemployment people will work for less, therefore the labor cost is cheaper for the companies. Secondly, people are so starved for employment and the economic spin-offs from this; people and even governments will often be more lenient regarding environmental issues. Therefore, large corporations that operate large paper mills, oil refineries and other manufacturing facilities get away with more in regards to being able to pollute our air, soil and water. People that are unemployed or work for minimum wage often overlook environmental and health concerns for hopes of earning a decent wage.
I wonder why Irving has set up many industries in the Saint John area. Yes, this area has a geographic advantage being close to the United States marketplace, but the Saint John area has been historically an economically deprived region in many cases. With that being said, the citizens here as well as the government often turn a blind eye to environmental issues with the threat of losing jobs. Also, many people here will work for less than other places in the country. With this attitude, this area will always be exploited and a few powerful businessmen will control the people and government.
I wish to point out that I am by no means against business and development. I am pro business, but I am against one or a few powerful companies dictating the terms of their policies to the citizens and governments. I am against companies that turn a blind eye to environmental issues in the name of money as well. Every company, whether high and mighty or small should follow the same rules and be treated the same by governments when it comes to environmental standards. Governments and industries should be developing clean green energy sources of power. Saint John sits on the Bay of Fundy, home of the world's highest tides. Why aren't we developing tidal power in the area more? Recently, I had the chance to visit the Kent Hills Wind Farm a few hours outside of Saint John. Why can't we build a wind farm in the Saint John area to take advantage of the wind that often blows off the Bay of Fundy? I never hear too much talk of green energy in the Saint John area. It seems that a powerful oil company holds us hostage as citizens and governments. How much longer do we need to be brainwashed as citizens? We as individuals and governments should be following the green trail more than the money trail.
Showing posts with label Thursday. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Thursday. Show all posts
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Catch the Green Wave...Thursday, May 7. 2009
In Canada, and other parts of the northern hemisphere, May is a beautiful month. It is wonderful because the outdoors turn "green". The leaves blossom on the trees and shrubs, plants and flowers come to life and the grass is green. It is a time when more people get outdoors. People will visit a park to walk, hike or just sit and relax over a cup of coffee or tea. Cycling enthusiasts will be on their bikes and some may even take that early camping trip. I love this time of year. After a brutal, cold Canadian winter, I appreciate the warmer weather and the ability to enjoy nature at its best. Spring is like the rebirth of nature around this part of the world.
Many of use tend to take Mother Nature and the environment for granted. Just going to the park and seeing ducks swimming in the pond and birds flying about make me want to do my part in protecting our environment. Just the sounds and smell of nature are refreshing. Listening to birds in a park, away from the noise pollution that we are accustomed to in the city is relaxing. If you are in a wooded area this time of year, you probably can smell the freshness of the trees blossoming and the flowers blooming. The fresh smell of nature certainly beats the smell of urban pollution caused from automobiles, trucks and heavy industry. I frequently hike a few of the big parks in my area which over looks the Bay of Fundy and scenic lakes. The two main parks in Saint John, New Brunswick are the Irving Nature Park which is a peninsula on the shores of the Bay of Fundy. The other one is Rockwood Park, which has numerous lakes throughout, and miles of combined walking or biking trails. There are areas in these parks that have spots for barbecuing and benches to sit down relax and just enjoy nature. These parks and others are gems that we are fortunate to have. There are also many other smaller parks and beaches in my area that I often visit to enjoy the great outdoors. Many areas in North America and other parts of the world set aside areas that we can go to relax and get away from our stressful busy lives to enjoy nature. I personally, never get tired of the great outdoors, assuming that the weather is tolerable.
Many parks and scenic areas are falling victim to our modern lifestyle. Pollution, whether it is air pollution, soil pollution, water pollution and even noise pollution has a detrimental affect on the balance of nature. You don't have to be a big company to contribute to harming our environment. Many individuals perform harmful environmental practices. It is disturbing to see the amount of garbage thrown around in neighborhoods, parks and water supplies. Everyday I walk by litter, which includes plastic food containers, paper and plastic bags, coffee cups and more. There is a strict indoor smoking policy in my province which forces people to go outside to smoke. This is a great thing; however the fringe benefit of this is the amount of cigarette butts on the ground. If I had a nickel for every cigarette butt I pass by everyday when out walking, I could quit my day job. It is sickening. Where do these butts go? In our soil and water of course! Also there are people with dogs and other pets that when they let them outside they can't clean up after them. I am not sure if this is laziness, ignorance, stupidity or a combination of these, but this is unacceptable. How much effort does it take to put garbage in its proper spot? There should be more stiff fines and penalties for people caught doing this. As well, businesses and corporations need to be more environmentally responsible in regards to dumping toxins into soil, water and our air.
Many of us need to step back from our busy, hectic lifestyles and get out and enjoy nature. We as humans are designed to interact with the outdoors and nature. Nature is a gift to the human race. While we are outdoors hiking, biking, camping or any other outdoor activity we should take some time to reflect on the beauty around us and realize that as remarkable as nature is, it is still fragile in many ways and our actions can affect nature and our climate, for not only our generation, but our children's and grandchildren's generation. It is up to all of us to be environmentally responsible.
Many of use tend to take Mother Nature and the environment for granted. Just going to the park and seeing ducks swimming in the pond and birds flying about make me want to do my part in protecting our environment. Just the sounds and smell of nature are refreshing. Listening to birds in a park, away from the noise pollution that we are accustomed to in the city is relaxing. If you are in a wooded area this time of year, you probably can smell the freshness of the trees blossoming and the flowers blooming. The fresh smell of nature certainly beats the smell of urban pollution caused from automobiles, trucks and heavy industry. I frequently hike a few of the big parks in my area which over looks the Bay of Fundy and scenic lakes. The two main parks in Saint John, New Brunswick are the Irving Nature Park which is a peninsula on the shores of the Bay of Fundy. The other one is Rockwood Park, which has numerous lakes throughout, and miles of combined walking or biking trails. There are areas in these parks that have spots for barbecuing and benches to sit down relax and just enjoy nature. These parks and others are gems that we are fortunate to have. There are also many other smaller parks and beaches in my area that I often visit to enjoy the great outdoors. Many areas in North America and other parts of the world set aside areas that we can go to relax and get away from our stressful busy lives to enjoy nature. I personally, never get tired of the great outdoors, assuming that the weather is tolerable.
Many parks and scenic areas are falling victim to our modern lifestyle. Pollution, whether it is air pollution, soil pollution, water pollution and even noise pollution has a detrimental affect on the balance of nature. You don't have to be a big company to contribute to harming our environment. Many individuals perform harmful environmental practices. It is disturbing to see the amount of garbage thrown around in neighborhoods, parks and water supplies. Everyday I walk by litter, which includes plastic food containers, paper and plastic bags, coffee cups and more. There is a strict indoor smoking policy in my province which forces people to go outside to smoke. This is a great thing; however the fringe benefit of this is the amount of cigarette butts on the ground. If I had a nickel for every cigarette butt I pass by everyday when out walking, I could quit my day job. It is sickening. Where do these butts go? In our soil and water of course! Also there are people with dogs and other pets that when they let them outside they can't clean up after them. I am not sure if this is laziness, ignorance, stupidity or a combination of these, but this is unacceptable. How much effort does it take to put garbage in its proper spot? There should be more stiff fines and penalties for people caught doing this. As well, businesses and corporations need to be more environmentally responsible in regards to dumping toxins into soil, water and our air.
Many of us need to step back from our busy, hectic lifestyles and get out and enjoy nature. We as humans are designed to interact with the outdoors and nature. Nature is a gift to the human race. While we are outdoors hiking, biking, camping or any other outdoor activity we should take some time to reflect on the beauty around us and realize that as remarkable as nature is, it is still fragile in many ways and our actions can affect nature and our climate, for not only our generation, but our children's and grandchildren's generation. It is up to all of us to be environmentally responsible.
One Small Green Step per Person = One Giant Green Step for Mankind...Thursday, March 5. 2009
Whether you believe it or not, each one of us can make a difference in saving our planet from environmental harm and combating global warming. Small actions by everyone of us all add up. We all contribute to either harming the environment or making green decisions to help save our environment. What is your choice?
In the next couple of months there are many green initiatives that we can all participate in. Saturday, March 28, 2009 from 8:30 to 9:30 PM is Earth Hour. Earth Hour is an annual international event created by the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature/World Wildlife Fund), held on the last Saturday of March, that asks businesses and households to turn off their non-essential lights and electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change. Earth Hour began in Sydney, two years ago, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability crusade, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Earth Hour 2009 movement intends to reach more than one billion people in 1000 cities around the world, encouraging communities, business and governments to participate.
Earth Day 2009, April 22, will mark the beginning of the Green Generation Campaign. This initiative will culminate with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in 2010. In conjunction with the Green Generation, thousands of events are currently being planned in schools, communities, villages, towns and cities around the world.
On Saturday April 25th 2009, we are challenging you to make your streets and neighborhoods cleaner, by simply picking up one piece of litter and putting it in the garbage or compost depending on what it is. This could be any discarded piece of trash from the roadside, sidewalk, park, etc. The more people who participate in this event the cleaner and safer our neighborhood will become. Cleaner neigherboorhood day is an initiative launched by Nexplan recycling last year and we plan to make it an annual event with more people participating every year.
It should be noted that while these events are one day, these events are really symbolic to the way we should live everyday of the year. These events are there to remind us the power of each one of us collectively to make a real difference. We must expand these habits beyond just these dates to make a lasting impact and leave a better planet for our children and grandchildren. We need to conserve energy. We need to precycle and recycle. We need to encourage one another to live environmentally friendly lifestyles and hold businesses and goverments accountable for enviromentally harmful practices. We are at a crossroads in regards to the economy and the environment. There never has been a better time to go green. The time for action is now. Are we up for the challenge?
In the next couple of months there are many green initiatives that we can all participate in. Saturday, March 28, 2009 from 8:30 to 9:30 PM is Earth Hour. Earth Hour is an annual international event created by the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature/World Wildlife Fund), held on the last Saturday of March, that asks businesses and households to turn off their non-essential lights and electrical appliances for one hour to raise awareness towards the need to take action on climate change. Earth Hour began in Sydney, two years ago, when 2.2 million homes and businesses switched off their lights for one hour. In 2008 the message had grown into a global sustainability crusade, with 50 million people switching off their lights. Earth Hour 2009 movement intends to reach more than one billion people in 1000 cities around the world, encouraging communities, business and governments to participate.
Earth Day 2009, April 22, will mark the beginning of the Green Generation Campaign. This initiative will culminate with the 40th anniversary of Earth Day in 2010. In conjunction with the Green Generation, thousands of events are currently being planned in schools, communities, villages, towns and cities around the world.
On Saturday April 25th 2009, we are challenging you to make your streets and neighborhoods cleaner, by simply picking up one piece of litter and putting it in the garbage or compost depending on what it is. This could be any discarded piece of trash from the roadside, sidewalk, park, etc. The more people who participate in this event the cleaner and safer our neighborhood will become. Cleaner neigherboorhood day is an initiative launched by Nexplan recycling last year and we plan to make it an annual event with more people participating every year.
It should be noted that while these events are one day, these events are really symbolic to the way we should live everyday of the year. These events are there to remind us the power of each one of us collectively to make a real difference. We must expand these habits beyond just these dates to make a lasting impact and leave a better planet for our children and grandchildren. We need to conserve energy. We need to precycle and recycle. We need to encourage one another to live environmentally friendly lifestyles and hold businesses and goverments accountable for enviromentally harmful practices. We are at a crossroads in regards to the economy and the environment. There never has been a better time to go green. The time for action is now. Are we up for the challenge?
Industry & Environment....Thursday, August 7. 2008
I live in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada. I don't want to offend anyone in Saint John that happens to read this, but many parts of Saint John stink. It is an old industrial city and is controlled greatly by one giant company that has had its way too long as far as environmental issues are concerned. I do want to point out that Saint John has natural beauty, being surrounded by the Bay of Fundy and two major rivers and various lakes. Also, I am not anti business and believe that business is a key part of a vibrant community. What I am against is business turning a blind eye as far as environmental toxins and pollution are concerned. It seems that around here the almighty dollar comes before the environment. This could be an example of the town or city you live in. People in many parts of the world can relate to the following examples of putting money ahead of the environment.
I will begin this article with Mispec Park. I remember going to this beach as a little boy (that was 40 years ago). It used to be packed with people of all ages enjoying a nice summer day. When the tide was out it was one of the nicest beach areas I have ever seen. People could be seen building sand castles, throwing a football or a frisbee, or walking along the dunes. There were even a few brave enough to swim in the frigid Bay of Fundy waters. There is even a small hiking area and picnic area there. It was the place to be back then. Irving Oil and the Spanish-based Repsol are now building a $750 million liquefied natural gas (LNG) at Mispec Point and the beach is practically empty. The liquefied natural gas facility is expected to begin operation in late 2008. It seems that Mispec Park as a beach and family park is currently dying a slow death. In addition to this, Emera Inc. is completing 145-kilometre natural gas pipeline to ship the LNG from Mispec through Saint John to the Maine border. This pipeline is being constructed through the city, including Rockwood Park, despite objection from many people and businness throughout the city.
In Saint John it is common practice to dump raw sewage into the harbour. The harbour feeds into the Bay of Fundy, which has a rich ecosystem. Saint John has the distinction of being the only municipality in Canada that discharges raw sewage into streams that run through the heart of its city, and finally into the harbour. Health risks associated with waters receiving raw sewage include amoebic dysentery, cholera, typhoid, Hepatitis A, and a variety of other gastrointestinal, respiratory and skin disorders. There are parts of the city close to the streams and the harbour that a person can actually smell raw sewage. In fact, at times you can get a strong whiff of raw sewage while walking along a certain part of Saint John's main walking trail. The Bay of Fundy has been described by some as the world's largest toilet because of the density and high tides of the bay and the garbage and raw sewage being dumped into it. It is difficult for the naked eye to see the size of the problem. This is totally unacceptable in the twenty-first century to allow this to happen. It will cost millions of dollars to solve this problem, while we, as citizens of this city sit and wait for the problem to get fixed, while the three levels of government decide who and how this will be paid.
The pollution levels in Saint John have been something that has plagued this city for a number of years. It is worse depending on the wind direction and air mass. Sometimes foggy days make the situation worse. I have heard many people that live outside Saint John as saying the city is "dirty and it stinks". Why is that? A lot has to do with the pollution. I have heard many people that have asthma say that it gets worse living in the city. Our main shopping district and a couple of sub-divisions are located within two miles of Canada's largest oil refinery! I made I trip to that area a few weeks ago on a foggy night and the smell was awful. In fact it aggravated my slight asthma condition that night. Again, politicians and media tell us that the issue is not bad at all. But anyone in Saint John knows that one big company primarily controls the government and media.
This is my home city. There are lots of beautiful areas and bright spots in Saint John. I am not all negative, however some issues need to be addressed. The media and politicians try to avoid talking about the dirty issues. They would rather ignore it or sugar coat it. I would assume that this could be somewhere you live as well. It seems that these days that the environment takes a back seat to big business and industry, especially where big business and industry control politicians. Politicians look after big business first and the environment and the average citizen second.
I will begin this article with Mispec Park. I remember going to this beach as a little boy (that was 40 years ago). It used to be packed with people of all ages enjoying a nice summer day. When the tide was out it was one of the nicest beach areas I have ever seen. People could be seen building sand castles, throwing a football or a frisbee, or walking along the dunes. There were even a few brave enough to swim in the frigid Bay of Fundy waters. There is even a small hiking area and picnic area there. It was the place to be back then. Irving Oil and the Spanish-based Repsol are now building a $750 million liquefied natural gas (LNG) at Mispec Point and the beach is practically empty. The liquefied natural gas facility is expected to begin operation in late 2008. It seems that Mispec Park as a beach and family park is currently dying a slow death. In addition to this, Emera Inc. is completing 145-kilometre natural gas pipeline to ship the LNG from Mispec through Saint John to the Maine border. This pipeline is being constructed through the city, including Rockwood Park, despite objection from many people and businness throughout the city.
In Saint John it is common practice to dump raw sewage into the harbour. The harbour feeds into the Bay of Fundy, which has a rich ecosystem. Saint John has the distinction of being the only municipality in Canada that discharges raw sewage into streams that run through the heart of its city, and finally into the harbour. Health risks associated with waters receiving raw sewage include amoebic dysentery, cholera, typhoid, Hepatitis A, and a variety of other gastrointestinal, respiratory and skin disorders. There are parts of the city close to the streams and the harbour that a person can actually smell raw sewage. In fact, at times you can get a strong whiff of raw sewage while walking along a certain part of Saint John's main walking trail. The Bay of Fundy has been described by some as the world's largest toilet because of the density and high tides of the bay and the garbage and raw sewage being dumped into it. It is difficult for the naked eye to see the size of the problem. This is totally unacceptable in the twenty-first century to allow this to happen. It will cost millions of dollars to solve this problem, while we, as citizens of this city sit and wait for the problem to get fixed, while the three levels of government decide who and how this will be paid.
The pollution levels in Saint John have been something that has plagued this city for a number of years. It is worse depending on the wind direction and air mass. Sometimes foggy days make the situation worse. I have heard many people that live outside Saint John as saying the city is "dirty and it stinks". Why is that? A lot has to do with the pollution. I have heard many people that have asthma say that it gets worse living in the city. Our main shopping district and a couple of sub-divisions are located within two miles of Canada's largest oil refinery! I made I trip to that area a few weeks ago on a foggy night and the smell was awful. In fact it aggravated my slight asthma condition that night. Again, politicians and media tell us that the issue is not bad at all. But anyone in Saint John knows that one big company primarily controls the government and media.
This is my home city. There are lots of beautiful areas and bright spots in Saint John. I am not all negative, however some issues need to be addressed. The media and politicians try to avoid talking about the dirty issues. They would rather ignore it or sugar coat it. I would assume that this could be somewhere you live as well. It seems that these days that the environment takes a back seat to big business and industry, especially where big business and industry control politicians. Politicians look after big business first and the environment and the average citizen second.
If you are going to talk the talk…you need to do the walk....Thursday, May 1. 2008
It seems that every time you go into a restaurant, grocery store or retail store you hear the word "green" or "reduce, reuse and recycle". This is a great initiative by business and it makes customers aware of the simple things we can do to offset global warming and reduce CO2 and other emissions into the earth's atmosphere. But what is the real motive behind the "green" message that many businesses send to their customers? They can issue reusable shopping bags and advertise environmentally friendly products, which are a start, however what happens behind closed doors is a different story. Take the large fast food restaurant that throws out food at the end of every day instead of donating it. This is in the midst of food shortages in many parts of the world. Many large retail stores commonly throw merchandise in the garbage if it can't be put back on the shelf for resale. They tend not to donate used merchandise, as it is too much hassle for them. There is something wrong with this picture.
How about the individual that pretends to be environmentally conscious but does not really change the way they live? They may waste a large amount of water in their home, drive inefficient vehicles, and use an enormous amount of pesticides and chemicals in and outside their home. In a lot of cases these days, corporations as well as individuals, are more concerned about their image rather than protecting the environment. A business can have "green logos" everywhere to make them selves look good. A lot of people have a big home with garages and a few cars to give off an image and impress others. We are primarily judged by material things and what we own in North America. So a huge home with a 3-car garage and the greenest yard in the neighborhood (using dangerous pesticides most of the time) are more important to some of us than the environment. A lot of people in our society seem to think; "I myself will not make a difference so let's have someone else and our governments take care of the problem". We have seen what happens when the majority have that attitude.
I don't want to give anyone the impression that I am faultless. I am part of the North American society and have materialistic values to some degree. But I realize that I need to adhere to environmental friendly practices if I am going to write about them. All of us need to look at their own actions and ask, "Am I doing my part and practicing what I preach"?
How about the individual that pretends to be environmentally conscious but does not really change the way they live? They may waste a large amount of water in their home, drive inefficient vehicles, and use an enormous amount of pesticides and chemicals in and outside their home. In a lot of cases these days, corporations as well as individuals, are more concerned about their image rather than protecting the environment. A business can have "green logos" everywhere to make them selves look good. A lot of people have a big home with garages and a few cars to give off an image and impress others. We are primarily judged by material things and what we own in North America. So a huge home with a 3-car garage and the greenest yard in the neighborhood (using dangerous pesticides most of the time) are more important to some of us than the environment. A lot of people in our society seem to think; "I myself will not make a difference so let's have someone else and our governments take care of the problem". We have seen what happens when the majority have that attitude.
I don't want to give anyone the impression that I am faultless. I am part of the North American society and have materialistic values to some degree. But I realize that I need to adhere to environmental friendly practices if I am going to write about them. All of us need to look at their own actions and ask, "Am I doing my part and practicing what I preach"?
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