Driving a gasoline powered car is getting more expensive these days as a consequence of the war with Iran and the closure to most oil tankers of the Strait of Hormuz. Our industrial and consumer world is still largely energized and sustained by oil, and about 20% of the global consumption of about 100 million barrels per day must pass unimpeded through that narrow gap in the Persian Gulf. Limit supplies and the price goes up. So, while the subject of oil is current and the price of gasoline has our attention, this is an opportunity to consider the environmental implications of what we are doing as consumers of these fossil fuels.
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How did settlers get to British Columbia?
Europeans knew about North America for over a century before they began settling here. Basque, Portuguese, French, and English fishermen regularly sailed to Newfoundland and Nova Scotia in the 1500s and 1600s for the rich offshore cod harvest. They often camped on the beaches but rarely stayed through the harsh winters. At the time, most Europeans lived in smoky, windowless huts heated by an open fire on the floor—hardly an incentive to brave even colder conditions overseas.
Archaeologist William Gilbert, working at Cupids in Newfoundland, suggests a few changes in homes construction changed everything.
“Recently it has been suggested that the late 16th century innovations such as fireplaces, wooden floors, glazed windows and woolen and felt clothing may have made it easier for Europeans to adapt to and survive during our cold northeastern winters. The first successful colony was established at Port Royal in Nova Scotia in 1605, followed by Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607, Quebec City in 1608, and Cupids in 1610.”
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Busting myths about BC’s coming electrification
According to some estimates, BC would have to double its electrical output if everyone switched to electric vehicles by 2035. Others talk about blackouts and rolling brownouts if we don’t back renewables up with LNG or nuclear power. Clean Energy Canada has just released a report that claims this is not true, the province’s electricity grid can handle the increased demand from EVs, heat pumps and extreme weather events, while electricity trading keeps energy bills low.
“Over the last year or two, we’ve been seeing quite a bit of incorrect information on BC’s electricity system. It’s being circulated and reiterated in the media. The purpose of this report was to do some myth busting and do some deep dives into the actual data to figure out what trends are actually happening,” explained Mark Zacharias, Executive Director of Clean Energy Canada.
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How are we doing with Climate Change? The ABC’s of Global Warming
By Ingo Overmann
It is my sincere belief that thereason we are NOT making the urgently needed progress on climatechange is because far too many people do not understand the ABC’s.This applies to residents of remote areas like Smithers and Cortes Island just as much as someone living in the densely packed suburbs of GreaterVancouver. If you want to test that statement for yourself, please ask the next 10 ordinary people you meet ‘How many POUNDS of CO2are created by the use of 1 litre of gasoline?’ Prepare to be amazed.We may be prey to the greenwashing and misleading statements of climate change deniers, but the lack of knowledge lies with us, and is ours to change.
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