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December 17, 2007 The Honoured Reader (free) edition of the Gallon
Environment Letter Vol. 12 No. 12 December 10, 2007 has been posted
click here.
*****
Editorial by Colin Isaacs: LET'S
NOT WAIT FOR BALI TO ACHIEVE RESULTS
SEASONAL
READER SURVEY RESULTS
Theme: INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY
VIRTUAL
MEETINGS: ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS
TECHNOLOGY
TO SAVE WILDLIFE
Thermal
Imaging
DNA
RADARSAT
SUSTAINABLE
AFRICA: FROM LIBRARIES TO NETWORKS
Uganda:
Lake Victoria Reserve
DENSO:
ADVANCED ELECTRONICS IN WORLDSKILLS COMPETITION
Advanced
Electronics for Environmental Benefit
Expansion
in Canada
DATA CENTRES:
BIG ENERGY GUZZLERS
BEST PRACTICES
FOR DATA CENTRES
GREEN
GRID: EARLY DAYS FOR ENERGY-EFFICIENT DATA CENTRES INITIATIVE
IBM: BIG
BLUE GOES BIG GREEN
New IBM
Data Center
GOOGLE
SEARCHES FOR GREEN
VIRTUAL
AND REAL WORLDS
FEDEX:
LOGISTICS
GERMANY'S
BLUE ANGEL ECOLABEL CERTIFIES ELECTRONIC ITEMS
Blue Angel:
Electronic Equipment and Services
LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR
THE BOOKSHELF
30 SECOND
SUMMARY
GLOBAL
ENVIRONMENT OUTLOOK NOT SO GOOD
The Role
of Business
AUDIT:
CANADA'S DEPARTMENTS SD STRATEGIES MOSTLY UNSATISFACTORY
GREENWASH
ACCUSATION UNSUPPORTED BY TRANSPARENT INFORMATION
CITIZEN
APPLICATIONS TO THE ENVIRONMENTAL COMMISSIONER OF ONTARIO
EXTRACT
FROM REMARKS ON THE RELEASE OF THE 2006/2007 ANNUAL REPORT
by Gord Miller, Environmental Commissioner
of Ontario
ANTI-SEALING
BOOK FROZEN OUT OF ST. JOHN'S
****************************************************
ABOUT
THIS ISSUE
Information technology is often seen as
a term describing computers, the internet, search engines, geographic
positioning systems, and much more. However, IT may also be a set of technologies
that can make one of the greatest contributions to the greening of society.
In this issue we explore IT and the green revolution. Although our focus
is on how IT can help green, we also recognize that IT has an environmental
footprint of its own and that the footprint can include toxic substances
as well as energy use. Germany's Blue Angel has developed an ecolabel
program for some green IT equipment.
As we go to press the climate change gab
fest in Bali continues. While intergovernmental conferences can play an
important role, this one seems doomed to achieve very little, in part
because of the intransigence of Canada and the United States. Our editorial
suggests that the solutions to climate change may be something for which
we should not be waiting for solutions from governments.
We have four letters to the Editor, including
one from a Natural Resources Canada expert who tells us that some
information we obtained from Environment Canada's website gives a
perception of greater abundance of freshwater in the Great Lakes
than it should. That is not a surprise - they are a big organization
- but what is surprising that most of us probably thought that the original
information was correct. How much of the world's water would you say the
Great Lakes contain? Read on for the right answer.
Our bookshelf highlights a big book
by a number of Canadian authors designed to save us from ourselves,
as long as we do not drop it on our toes - it is 482 pages - and our 30
Second Summary congratulates Amory Lovins for a recently received award.
UNEPs 2007 Global Environment Outlook is pretty depressing and may set
you straight on some things you thought you knew - for example, the 2007
hole in the ozone layer over the Antarctic is the largest ever. Despite
the gloom and doom, UNEP sees progress in some areas and an increasing
effectiveness in the role of business.
The relevant Commissioners have been censuring both
the federal and Ontario governments - the two Commissioner's reports make
interesting reading and we deliver a summary of some of the elements of
each. Recently an important consulting firm in the field of green product
marketing published a serious attack on virtually all green products in
Canada. GL looked behind the scenes and found a study lacking scientific
credibility and doing something that the company itself describes as a
'sin'.
Finally, and partly in memory at this
time of year of Gary Gallon and partly because it is something of a sad
but funny story, we bring you the story of a little young person's book
that conveys a number of important messages, or at least it will do so
if a St. John's bookseller does not get his way. How unseasonal to ban
a children's book just because it gives to the lives of baby seals.
If Canada's environmental reputation survives
Bali there is another long-term issue that seems likely to further add
to our country's international reputation as an environmental pariah.
Next issue we will explore current developments in the field of asbestos.
****************************************************
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December 17, 2007 Events Posted click here
New additions are:
April 2008 Growing
the Margins Conference & Exhibition (farm and food bioenergy and products).
London, Ontario.
June 2008 FITT 2008
National Conference on the competitive global environment. Ottawa, Ontario.
Environment Week across Canada. Green Stop in Alberta and federal activities.
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December 10, 2007 The Honoured Reader (free) edition of the Gallon
Environment Letter Vol. 12 No. 11 November 19, 2007 has been posted
click here.
*****
Editorial by Colin Isaacs: ENERGY
EFFICIENCY IS MOVING TOO SLOWLY
OUR READER
SURVEY AND GIFT OF CHOCOLATE
Theme: GREAT
LAKES
ACCOUNTABILITY
FRAMEWORK FOR THE GREAT LAKES WATER QUALITY AGREEMENT
Indicators
Needed for Both Policy and Science
GEORGIAN
BAY ASSOCIATION: GRASSROOTS FUNDING OF STUDY OF LAKE LEVELS
IMPACTS
OF LOWER LEVELS IN THE GREAT LAKES
FALLING
LAKE LEVELS: CLIMATE CHANGE, NATURAL CYCLE OR MAN-MADE CHANGES
BUSH FAILS
IN GREAT LAKES WATER RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT VETO
GREAT
LAKES-ST. LAWRENCE SEAWAY: HWY H2O
Marketing
Hwy H2O
GREAT
LAKES WATER COMPACT BANS/LIMITS DIVERSIONS
WWF CANADA
LAUDS LAKE SUPERIOR MARINE CONSERVATION AREA PLAN
BP'S MODERNIZATION
PLAN: A WAVE OF PROTEST ON THE GREAT LAKES
Indiana
Governor
Indiana
Department of Environmental Management
HAMILTON
HARBOUR RAP
GREAT
LAKES UNITED: LIMITED ENDORSEMENT OF GREEN MARINE
LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR
GUEST
COLUMN
When Governments
Greenwash by Wendy Priesnitz, Editor Natural Life
THE BOOKSHELF
30-SECOND
SUMMARY
GREEN
TORONTO AWARDS
TIME COFFEE
TABLE MAG-BOOK: GLOBAL WARMING
CLIMATE
CHANGE AND THE MEDICAL PROFESSION: A BABY STEP FORWARD
ENVIRONMENTAL
SCIENTIST RECOGNIZED BY GOVERNOR GENERAL
NOW MEANS NEXT YEAR, MAYBE
THIS SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY
& SERVICES SUPPLEMENT
With this issue our organizational
subscribers receive our Sustainable Technology and Services Supplement
with articles entitled:
Great Lakes Shipping Makes Green
Promises
Clothing Company: Green Giant
Winners and Losers in the Corporate
Greening Race
CME Environmental Technology Award
The Little Car That Can - Be Sold
in Canada
CCME Pollution Prevention Awards.
****************************************************
ABOUT
THIS ISSUE
Our seasonal chocolate survey comes back
this season with a link to a reader survey that will help us plan the
future direction of Gallon Environment Letter. Click on this linke [no
longer active] to take the short survey
or read more about the survey below and enter to win a pound of some excellent
fair trade organic chocolate.
This issue features the Great Lakes, a
environmental topic that in the 1990's was routinely on the front pages
of our newspapers. Today we do not hear as much about the Great Lakes,
and they are certainly not getting the attention from environmental groups
and governments that they once did, but that does not mean that the problems
are solved and, fortunately, working on the problems is being done. Our
Great Lakes coverage highlights some of the current activities and some
of the initiatives that are winning environmental support and environmental
criticism.
We also include very appropriate Letters
to the Editor from former York University Dean of Environmental Studies
Dr. David Bell, from Michael Barkusky, and from Joseph Baker, the inaugural
Independent Commissioner for the Environment in the Australian Capital
Territory, in response to our environmental education feature. We love
receiving your comments and updates.
Our Guest Column is entitled When Governments
Greenwash [ed note: they don’t do that, do they?] and is from Wendy Priesnitz,
Editor, Natural Life magazine. Peter Burstyn contributed to our Bookshelf
feature by recommending several books including Cradle to Cradle by McDonough
and Braungart. The Cradle to Cradle concept seems to be getting much more
attention recently so the recommendation and reference is very timely.
In our 30 second summary Prof. Bernard Drobenko of the Faculty of Law
and Economic Sciences at the University of Limoges sends a heads-up on
his new (October 2007) book on Water Rights. Nominations for the Green
Toronto Awards open soon, Dr. David Bell was one of the 2007 winners.
Another book that might be great for Christmas giving, unfortunately not
Canadian, is the Time coffee table magazine format book on Global Warming.
Our review notes the wonderful illustrations.
We also report on a recent scientific
report on Global Climate Change and Children’s Health, give you a brief
biography of the latest environmental inductee into the Order of Canada,
and explain how our federal government has redefined “now” to mean “next
year”. By the way, the office of the Governor-General has told us that
the reason there are not more environmental recipients of the Order of
Canada is that very few are nominated. If you know of appropriately qualified
candidates the nomination process is described at http://www.gg.ca/honours/nat-ord/oc/oc-info_e.asp
Organizational subscribers also receive
the Sustainable Technology and Services Supplement with this issue.
In our next issue we will be announcing
the 2007 Gallon Environment Letter EcoCouncillor award and the feature
will be a series of articles on Green Electronics and the important environmental
role being played by information technology. Meanwhile enjoy this issue,
enter to win holiday chocolate, and keep those Letters to the Editor coming.
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December 10, 2007 Events Posted click here
New additions are:
December 2007 Water
Source Protection Funding by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment announced
December 3. Toronto, Ontario
April 2008 The Ontario
Environment Industry Association (ONEIA). Environment Industry Day, Toronto,
Ontario.
June 2008 Canadian
Pollution Prevention Roundtable. Edmonton, Alberta.
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October 16, 2007 The Honoured Reader (free) edition of the Gallon
Environment Letter Vol. 12 No. 11 October 12, 2007 has been posted click
here.
*****
Editorial by Colin Isaacs: ONTARIO
ELECTION HIGHLIGHTS FLAW IN ENVIRONMENT STRATEGIES
Theme: ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION
ROBERTA
BONDAR: ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION ON ONTARIO SCHOOLS
Environmental
Education Elsewhere
Recommendations
FOOD KNOWLEDGE
GREEN
TEACHER: EDUCATION FOR PLANET EARTH
NEPAL:
NATURE EDUCATION FOR DEVELOPMENT
CORPORATE
SUPPORT FOR GREEN LEARNING
GREEN
STREET
CITIZEN
SUPPORT: CRITICAL TO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
RRFP:
EDUCATION FOR STEWARDSHIP
EDUCATING
CONSUMERS ABOUT RISK
CALIFORNIA
GETS GREEN SCHOOLS
ENVIRONMENT
CANADA: ENFORCEMENT SCHOOL
VOLKSWAGEN:
AUTO EDUCATION
30-SECOND
SUMMARIES
CANADIAN
BIG BUSINESS: WAIT FOR CONSENSUS ON CLIMATE CHANGE
Five Key
Elements
Members of
Task Force on Environmental Leadership
GERMAN
COURT: NO CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO CERTAINTY
OECD ROUND
TABLE: BIOFUEL SUBSIDIES OFTEN HARMFUL
Subsidies
for Environmental Improvements
The Trouble
with Certainty
Recommendations
BOOK:
HOT AIR
Smell
Test of a Checklist
THE
LAST STAND: CAN'T SEE THE TREES FOR THE CLIFF
RICK MERCER
REPORT: THE BOOK
GUEST
COLUMN:
Summary
of Speech Delivered to Young Environmental Professionals: September 18,
2007 by Charles Caccia
THE BOOKSHELF
BARK FOR
TAKE OFF
****************************************************
ABOUT
THIS ISSUE
Environmental education is not being
done as well as it might be in many Canadian schools. GL's assessment
is that schools in general are good at instilling environmental
values but not nearly as good at teaching environmental science,
environmental economics, or environmental policy. The result is
that fairly simple things, like recycling, are taught well but more
complex challenges, like reducing our greenhouse gas emissions,
remain something of a mystery for most families and most young Canadians.
In this issue we look at some of the recent developments in school-based
environmental education that hold promise of a greener education
system, and hence a greener society, in the future. In a future
issue we will review environmental education at the post-secondary
level.
In our environmental education feature,
a recent report by Dr. Roberta Bondar and others is particularly
relevant. Congratulations to the group for telling it like it is.
We have a total of ten articles about environmental education, many
of which connect with our mandate of emphasizing the link between
business and the environment.
Our editorial reviews the recent
Ontario election and finds that environment was not just pushed
off the agenda by the religious school funding issue or by a biased
media. There is something wrong with the way activists address the
environment issue - we make some 'helpful' suggestions.
Also in this issue, our 30-second
summary section includes news of the CCME Extended Producer Responsibility
Task Group and progress in Nova Scotia, a fascinating presentation
on human behaviour ('More food makes more people.'), and a reaction
to our editorial on Extended Producer Responsibility for nuclear
fuel. The Canadian Council of Chief Executives (CCCE) recently published
its latest commentary on climate change - we dissect it and dismember
it! Even so, it is not all bad. We should also note for readers
who first turn to the end of each issue for our regular 'funny'
that a second 'funny' for this issue is embedded in our commentary
on the CCCE report. Happy Motoring!
While speaking of CCCE, it is one
of the major Canadian proponents of market 'certainty' when it comes
to government environmental initiatives. A court in Germany has
recently ruled that the German government has no obligation to provide
certainty. If only such a court decision would be enough to end
the corporate whining!
CCCE is not the centre of the universe,
though it might aspire to that lofty goal, so this issue continues
with a report from the OECD Round Table on Sustainable Development
which concludes that biofuels may have not only fewer benefits than
expected but may also be the future cause of major inflation and
world hunger.
While this is not a climate change
issue of GL, one of our three book reviews is also about climate
change. We challenge the new Jeffrey Simpson - Mark Jaccard book
with the same vigour as in our review of the CCCE climate change
report. Our second book review will serve to calm your troubled
nerves - it is of a book about the 1000 year old trees of the Niagara
Escarpment. The book is truly inspirational and could be an excellent
corporate holiday gift for environment-minded companies. Our third
book review, Rick Mercer Report: The Book is nothing if not lightsome,
but illustrates how environment is, at least for now, becoming entrenched
in some pretty unusual places, including the world of Canadian political
satire.
We end this issue with an important
guest column from Charles Caccia, a Bookshelf item from Dr. Laura
Westra, and an excellent idea for renewable power from Bark magazine.
In the next issue we plan an update
on Great Lakes and other Canadian water quality and water quantity
issues. Meanwhile, enjoy this issue and keep those Letters to the
Editor coming. We welcome all perspectives, whether we agree or
not, and particularly solicit input from those who disagree with
our content.
****************************************************
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October 16, 2007 Events Posted click here
New additions are:
November 2007 Courses
on regulations and compliance, GHG and air emissions at Toronto Board
of Trade Downtown, Toronto, Ontario.
What’s next? – Policy responses to the IPCC Fourth Assessment
Report” Berlin, Germany.
CCME Pollution Prevention Awards-Applications.
June 2008 2008 Summer
Institute in Advanced Coastal Management. Narragansett, RI
July 2008 Global
Ecological Integrity Group. Reconciling Human Existence and Ecological
Integrity. Berlin, Germany
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Please note: The Honoured Reader edition of the Gallon Environment
Letter does not contain most of the links of the paid subscription. However,
any urls listed, checked at the time of publication of each issue, may
no longer be current.
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