Though the numbers are still far from what is being reported in European cities like Copenhagen, more and more British Columbians are adopting bicycles as their principal form of transportation. According to a spokesperson from the Ministry of Transportation, 25,115 cyclists participated in Bike to Work Week in 2014. A large number of them were in one city. Cycling is Vancouver’s fastest growing transportation sector.
By Roy L Hales Some of local residents dropped by last Wednesday, when they saw BC Hydro clearing out an area in their gravel pit at Fort St John. They were told, “We’re making a parking lot for the protesters.” This was repeated to Ken Boon, who promptly drove over to the site. He saw the enlarged parking lot and fencing. The President of President of the Peace Valley Landowner Association (PVLA) was wearing a “Paddle for the Peace” hat, when he approached the security guards. Boon says they, “were pretty guarded in their answers.” This story is one of many illustrations of confrontations over The Site C Dam.
Nancy Bepple isn’t a typical net-zero homeowner. She lives in an older home that wasn’t designed to be energy efficient, but Nancy happens to be one of those rare individuals who are very careful about their electricity usage. Consequently, 8 solar panels sufficed to meet her needs and BC has another net-zero energy home.
This is going to be what some of my colleagues call a “puff piece.” More critical evaluations may follow; this is a time to celebrate. Though SunMine has actually been feeding the grid since June 22nd, the city of Kimberley just made the official announcement. BC’s First Commercial Solar Project is operational.
BC Hydro recently slammed the most likely alternative to its proposed Site C Dam project in an interview with the Vancouver SUN. The Crown Corporation’s senior strategic technology specialist, Alex Tu, said some of the projects appear promising but stressed the cost estimates are still “very uncertain” and carry a lot of risk. What Tu did not tell the newspaper is that BC Hydro’s evaluation of Geothermal is outdated.
