From ggallon@ecolog.com Sun Feb 6 12:54:57 2005 Date: Wed, 26 Jan 2005 13:14:57 -0500 From: ggallon@ecolog.com To: cestvr@ces.iisc.ernet.in Subject: Gallon Newsletter [ Part 1, Text/PLAIN (charset: ISO-8859-1 "Latin 1") 1,583 lines. ] [ Unable to print this part. ] p { margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1px } body { font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: normal; font-style: normal } THE GALLON ENVIRONMENT LETTER Canadian Institute for Business and the Environment Fisherville, Ontario, Canada Tel. 416 410-0432, Fax: 416 362-5231 Email editorial: info@cialgroup.com Email circulation: ggallon@ecolog.com Vol. 10, No. 2, January 25, 2005 Honoured Reader Edition **************************************************** HONOURED READER EDITION This is the honoured reader edition of the Gallon Environment Letter and is distributed at no charge. To add or delete your email from this free edition send a note with Add or Delete and your email to Email circulation ggallon@ecolog.com. Paid subscribers receive a more complete edition without subscription reminders and with extensive links to further information following almost every article.Organizational subscribers also receive the monthly Sustainable Technology & Services Supplement. If you would like to subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription. Individual subscriptions are only $30 including GST. Organizational subscriptions are $184 plus GST and provide additional benefits detailed on the web site. If you feel you should be receiving the paid subscriber edition or have other subscriber questions please contact us at info@cialgroup.com . **************************************************** **************************************************** ABOUT THIS ISSUE In editing an electronic environment magazine, for which length is not dictated by advertising revenue, one is always faced with the challenge of how much to include. Some readers tell us that Gallon Environment Letter is too long; others tell us that we should pay more attention to the issues which interest them most. We try to strike a compromise but we have to confess that this is one of the longest Gallon Letters ever, especially for our organizational subscribers who receive the Sustainable Technologies & Services Supplement. To help you navigate through it, we are looking into providing an on-line table of contents as suggested by some of our readers: we'll report on that approach in a future issue. In the meantime, we invite you to learn who has won our Eco-Councillor contest. Not only is the winning eco-councillor outstanding but the runners up, to be entered into our Eco-Councillor Roll of Honour, have also done some tremendous things for their municipalities. This issue our theme is off-road vehicles: we cover the issues and provide the data. If you are quick there is still time make proposals to Environment Canada on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from off road vehicle; but it does not look like a ban is one of the options being considered! We have a very interesting Letter to the Editor from Prof. Bill Rees commenting on a couple of items from our last issue; we have a report on corruption at Monsanto, we draw your attention to a very interesting e-dialogue process on sustainable development topics at Royal Roads University, and we have a couple of food items, one of which applies Life Cycle Assessment to imported food products and comes up with some surprising conclusions. In Stuff the Teddy Bears we try to encourage charities to give real thought to the contribution they are making, or not making, to Sustainable Development. Organizational subscribers receive our blue-green supplement which features a special review of Environment Canada's National Sustainability Framework and Sector Tables and many other articles of particular interest to the green and blue business community. Anyone is welcome to take out an organizational subscription. Natural resources Minister John Efford attracted some flack recently when he told the press that the government intends to roll back greenhouse gas emission reduction requirements on large industrial emitters. Why he chose to make the announcement last week has left many people inside and outside government scratching their heads. Now we are witnessing full damage control, with an unnamed 'well-informed' source promising a new Climate Change Program for Canada just three months after Environment Minister Stephane Dion told the media that Canada already has a plan which only needs to be refined. The government may not know what it is doing on climate change but the Gallon Environment Letter certainly does. Next issue, arriving in your inbox in early February, will be our climate change special, explaining everything about the Kyoto Protocol, pro and con, in plain language. If the government sends us its plan by then we'll also tell you about that. If not, we'll tell you why not. Meanwhile enjoy this off-the-road issue. **************************************************** THE GREMLINS DID IT The last issue was dated January 13, 2003 when it should have been dated January 13, 2005. **************************************************** PROFITABILITY AND SUSTAINABILITY Last issue we wished all our readers a Happy, Profitable, and Sustainable 2005 and we meant it! One of our readers, however, protested that profitability should come after sustainability. We beg to differ, with an explanation! Sustainable development is widely recognized as representing the convergence of social, economic, and environmental considerations. Increasingly, the concept is being broadened to include cultural considerations. So far so good, but much less consideration has been given to what the economic aspect of Sustainable Development actually means, especially when the concept of sustainability is being applied to an organization. There are three ways to run an organization: at a loss, at break even, or at a profit. These have nothing to do with the kind of organization it is: even a non-profit organization or a government can make a profit or a loss, though we sometimes use the term surplus rather than profit if the ledger of a non-profit shows an excess of income over expenses. We are inclined to see profit and surplus, at least in common usage, as synonyms. It is rare that an organization will be run at precisely break even for an extended period of time. So the real options are profit or loss. GL contends that if something consistently runs at a loss without a long-term guarantee of funding, then it is inherently not sustainable. Subsidies are often not guaranteed for the long term: the provider of the subsidy could pull the plug and the organization will go down the pipe. So we are left with one requirement for sustainability: the organization must be profitable. Our world view includes 'if it's not profitable it's not sustainable'. And profitability has to come before, or at least at the same time as, sustainability. Colin Isaacs, Editor Canadian Institute for Business and the Environment *************************************************** ECO-COUNCILLOR: WE ANNOUNCE THE WINNER Last Fall, we invited our readers to nominate elected municipal and band council members who have performed outstanding environmental service connected to their role as a politician. Our idea was that municipal politicians who are pushing for environmental and sustainable development initiatives are often toiling in the dark, unrecognized and frequently unwelcomed by their colleagues. By recognizing such individuals we hope that light will shine on the work of these people and that many more will be encouraged to join their ranks. While we may have been right that eco-councillors are often toiling in the dark, we were impressed by how many of our nominees were nominated by their fellow councillors. The greening of municipal councils is clearly underway in at least some parts of Canada. Our 2004 Eco-Councillor Roll of Honour includes a truly impressive group of people. Congratulations to all and many thanks to the nominators. A big thank you to our panel of judges: Elizabeth May, Executive Director, Sierra Club of Canada; Mayor Sylvia Sutherland, Mayor of Peterborough and Professor William Rees, School of Community and Regional Planning, University of British Columbia.. Finally we are pleased to announce that our panel of judges has selected Councillor Clive Doucet, City of Ottawa, as the winner of the Gallon Environment Letter Eco-Councillor Award for 2004. The text of his nomination, submitted by Rebecca Aird, appears below. Councillor Doucet will be invited to the Americana Pan-American Environmental Technology Trade Show in Montreal April 6-8 to be formally recognized for his work. The following are the municipal politicians who were nominated and who will be listed in Gallon Environment Letter's Eco-Councillor Roll of Honour Councillor Donald Benham and Councillor Jenny Gerbasi, City of Winnipeg, Manitoba Nominated by Kaj Hasselriis These two councillors fought hard for a Bus Rapid Transit system in Winnipeg. Unfortunately they have not yet achieved success but their efforts will continue. Councillor Allen J. Dowhan, City of Dauphin, Manitoba Nominated by the Mayor and Council of the City of Dauphin Among other initiatives, Councillor Dowham has pushed for pocket park enhancements along Main Street and the Cenotaph, has started a comprehensive tree management program incorporating integrated pest management and use of more organic products, has initiated an Urban Forestry Program to replenish tree populations, and has introduced a municipal composting program. Councillor Virgil Hammock, Town of Sackville, New Brunswick Nominated by members of the Tantramar Environmental Alliance Mr. Hammock has pushed for a municipal ban on cosmetic use of pesticides and is a constant voice for the support of environmentally responsible and health-related activities in Sackville. Councillor Ken Melamed, Village of Whistler, BC. Nominated by Smart Growth BC Councillor Melamed brings a strong environmental perspective to the council table, playing a key role in the development of "It's Our Future", Whistler's new sustainability initiative. He is a leading voice to ensure that Whistler's environmental integrity is protected through the upcoming 2010 Winter Olympics. His clear and consistent efforts on the sustainability front have played a major role in broadening the thinking of his council colleagues as well as staff and the public. Whistler has moved from more simplistic environmental positions to the adoption of a Natural Step framework for sustainability that balances environmental and economic interests effectively. This was accomplished largely through Ken's leadership and has led to Whistler becoming a world leader among resort towns in the area of sustainability. Councillor Johnny W.A. Michasiw, Town of Shoal Lake, Manitoba Nominated by the Shoal Lake Regional Community Development Corporation Councillor Michasiw has been relentless in the promotion of recycling. Today over 95% of the town's population recycle. His advice is regularly sought after by other communities and he has conducted over 100 tours of the Shoal lake recycling centre. Councillor Michael Phair, City of Edmonton, Alberta Nominated by Roy Neehall A consistent champion for environmental initiatives such as expansion of the public transit system, strong urban design to increase quality of life in the downtown, Edmonton's world leading waste management system and development of green spaces. Councillor Denise Savoie, City of Victoria Nominated by members of Capital Regional District Roundtable on the Environment Councillor Savoie exemplifies sustainability: committed to her community, and passionate about the 'environment', social and economic justice; she is a classy and inspiring leader. She chairs the CRD Roundtable on the Environment (RTE), and played a key role in the construction of the Galloping Goose Trail, the pilot Canadian "rails to trails" initiative leading to the Cross Canada trail. Highlights amongst the RTE accomplishments under her leadership are sustainability planning and reporting, pesticide use reduction, greenhouse gas reduction, transportation demand management, and LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design) Silver Status for the new CRD Headquarters project. The next phase of construction targets Gold. She has also provided leadership on The City of Victoria Greenways Plan and municipal Integrated Pest Management. Mayor: Barbara Sharp, City of North Vancouver Nominated by Professor Don Alexander, Malaspina University College Mayor Sharp was instrumental in the creation of the City's Environmental Protection Program (EPP), and was the Council Liaison to the EPP Committee from its inception in 1995 until the adoption of the Committee's Action Plan in 2000. The Plan includes promoting habitat enhancement projects, a Drainage System Protection By-law and an environmental monitoring program for the City as a whole. She has also supported greenhouse gas reduction initiatives, involving her community in the Partners for Climate Protection program and serving as its representative. The City has fulfilled the first two milestones, completing its emissions inventory and setting reduction targets. She is on the board of the International Centre for Sustainable Cities and represented the Greater Vancouver Regional District at the Earth Summit in Johannesburg and at the 2004 World Urban Forum in Barcelona. She has been tireless in promoting greater density in her City, and the quality urban design that needs to accompany it in order to make it successful. And the Winner Is . . . Councillor Clive Doucet, City of Ottawa Nominated by Rebecca Aird as Follows: Clive Doucet's profound understanding of sustainable development is evident in his writing (including articles on sustainable urban issues for the Globe and Mail ' e.g., The Oil Crisis 'R' Us, October 5, 2004, Page A19), and in many activities and stands he has taken as councillor for Capital ward in the City of Ottawa. He has shown tremendous support for community-oriented neighborhoods and sustainable infrastructure. He has effectively fought against the widening of two main thoroughfares that cut through the ward (the 417 Highway and Bronson Avenue), and against a car-oriented future for the Alta Vista Transportation Corridor. His creative approach to participatory democracy is evident in such related activities as the Smog Breakfast he hosted on a 417 overpass. But Clive is much more than a naysayer on increased urban automobile traffic. As an advocate for public transportation and light rail in Ottawa, he can take a major share of credit for the development and implementation of the successful O-Train pilot. As the Vice-chair of the Transportation committee, Clive continues to work with Mayor Chiarelli on plans to take the O-Train city-wide, with an East/West line. Clive has implemented better bicycling and pedestrian routes, as well as traffic calming measures, in both his communities and throughout the City. He has successfully lowered the speed limit on many residential streets in his ward from 50km/hr to 40km/hr. During the reconstruction of Bank Street in Old Ottawa South, he insisted on the incorporation of many pedestrian-friendly features such as wider sidewalks, permanent cross walk markings, reconfigured intersections, corner bulb-outs, and protective road pinching for students at the local elementary school. Clive is now working towards greening Lansdowne Park, and on installing a pedestrian bridge that would connect two of Capital Ward's communities. Clive also clearly knows a lot about the economic dimensions of sustainable development. He often speaks passionately, cogently and concretely -- with examples from our municipal budget -- about the shifts that need to be made from continued investment in urban sprawl towards more life-affirming, environmental choices. His dismay at Ottawa's recent budget-setting fiasco, which backed Councillors and citizens into battles on such fundamental social infrastructure as libraries and services to seniors, has also turned him into an advocate for participatory budgeting processes. Clive's understanding of the importance of identity, as well as his enormous personal empathy for those who are empassioned to make and sustain meaningful connections to place, shine through in his writing on the history of the Acadians. His commitment and personal integrity are evident in both the way he challenges his constituents to face the impact of personal decisions and the need to take personal responsibility, and in the 'lead by example' approach he takes in his own life. He cycles to work for the better part of the year, and skates to work on the Rideau Canal in the winter. In short, we are blessed to have Clive working on our behalf to help clear Ottawa's path to a sustainable future. The fact that voters in this ward have elected Clive for three consecutive terms has been a great boost to my civic pride! *************************************************** MOTORIZED OFF-ROAD VEHICLES: A GALLON LETTER SPECIAL REVIEW **************************************************** The issue of motorized off-road recreational vehicles creates a great divide between those who like to roar around and those who prefer the peace and quiet of nature. Landowners and conservationists are frequently concerned about issues relating to land access and effects on wildlife. Everyone, except perhaps the guy or gal on the snowmobile or all-terrain vehicle, is concerned about the pollution. Although much of the literature on harm done by ORVs relates to passive damage, GL notes that in the small world here in Fisherville, active damage is also common. ORV riders bring chainsaws and cut trees to make trails in wetland woods and hammer up blinds for hunting. Some put up trail markers as if the private land on which they are trespassing is their own personal playground. The local constabulary has purchased some snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles for enforcement purposes but the areas are too big and the riders too mobile. When off-roaders trespass, trash a natural area, heedlessly create pollution and noise, or kill themselves and others, responsible off-road vehicle users pay a high price. Incidents are leading to a growing demand for closure of trails, more restrictive rules to protect the environment and natural soundscapes, and higher fees for trail use to cover the cost of enforcement or repairing damage. This is definitely a case illustrating the truth of the following quotation: "Free human beings differ not only with regard to the characteristics of the environmental settings which they find most desirable, but also with regard to life-styles, aspirations and last but not least their views of man's place in nature" (Only One Earth, 1972). And some of the examples in this issue show examples of the controversy which results when society tries to balance protection of environment with people's lifestyles. Ward, Barbara and Rene/ Dubos. Only One Earth: an unofficial report commissioned by the Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment. New York: W. W. Norton Inc., 1972. [hard copy] **************************************************** SOME ORV ISSUES The New Hampshire Off Highway Vehicle Association proactively works on environmental issues, tries to educate its members and the public, and maintains a Legal Defense Fund to keep trails open. Their issues include some good ideas for other jurisdictions: Identification of riders ATVs and Trail Bikes must be registered by law if operated off the owner's property. There are no trail fees in New Hampshire. The registration certificate must be carried by the operator and the vehicle must have registration decals. Registration monies are used by the state to purchase land for ATV riding areas, some with campgrounds, access to business districts and event areas. Operation requirements Ban on driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs; no riding on roads or right-of-ways of roads, bridges, parking lots unless posted with permission; valid driver's license or OHVA Safety Certificate; stop when requested by landowner and give name and address. Conditions based on age apply for those under 18. Increasing restrictions and setbacks for ORV Clubs Anti-ATV groups seek more legislation to take environment into account. The New Hampshire OHVA says members should find out what the opposition is lobbying for (know your enemy) and seek to be unified in lobbying of legislators on the message: We advocate safe, responsible and sound use of Off-Highway vehicles. A club Safety Awareness trailer educates users of snowmobiles and ATVs. Irresponsible use leads to many setbacks for the club due to trail closures. Social issues and lack of community support for ATVs is leading to bans in such areas as the White Mountain National Forest. The Forest Service released a draft policy on ORV use in National Forests in July 2004. A court ruling in 2004 indicated that local municipalities could put state trails in their jurisdiction under the local planning board leading to ORV bans. Sound Monitoring Jamborees, Snowmobile and ATV shows and other gatherings are a important part of the activities of the OHVA. A mandatory sound check is done before riders are allowed on the trails with the legal limit being 96 db. Environmental Effects Sources of studies and information on environmental effects such as sound monitoring; wildlife and vegetation effects; soil and water effects and other environmental impact studies are provided by the OHVA through its office. Member Volunteers as Stewards Local clubs act as stewards by helping to develop and maintain trails and educate local users through a Trail Patrol. The theme is ""Ride as if everyone is watching...Talk as if everyone is listening." Private landowners Over 80% of the land used by ORVs in New Hampshire is private land. Common complaints from landowners include operating without landowner permission, excessive speed (speed limits are set in legislation), and disregard for landowner privileges. Unposted land is automatically off-limits to ORVs. Riders are permitted only on specially marked trails or when they have specific landowner permission to enter and use an area. Accidants and Insurance The state law contains accident reporting requirements. Since 1996, 45 people have been killed on ORVs in NH due to excessive speed, riding on thin ice, riding in unfamiliar areas at night and failing to wear protective equipment. ORV insurance is not required but recommended. The Club helps to obtain insurance for events and liability. Landowners are specifically exempted by state law from legal action by a ORV rider sustaining any injuries on their land. Wetland and Wet Seasons During mud seasons, ORV traffic can be particularly damaging. The club asks riders to protect the legal riding opportunities by following the motto, "Stay on the Trail or Stay Home." Riding in wetland is against the law and subject to a fine of up to $10,000 and may include costs of restoration. Wetlands provide critical habitat for wildlife and damaging vegetation in or near stream, ponds and wet meadows can pollute the water. Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** ORV ACCESS HARMFUL TO BC BACKCOUNTRY A fact sheet by the BC Chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society discusses the transformation of the British Columbia's wilderness where off-road vehicles have gained access to traditionally unreachable wilderness. Impacts include: * Wildlife noise and disturbance cause animals to relocate to areas less suitable and more exposed to predators. * Many animals and birds live on the edge in terms of matching the energy in to energy required for survival. Too much disturbance, especially in winter, can mean they run out of energy and die or fail to feed their young. * Air and water pollution * Vegetation and destruction possibly of threatened speices * Wildlife mortality due to collisions * Transport of invasive species * Habitat destruction Among the policies recommended are: * Careful regulation or ban on snowmobiles, all-terrain vehicles and tour helicopters in critical habitat such as that of the red-listed mountain caribou. * Pollution prevention in wilderness areas. Recreational motors discharge as much as one third of their fuel unburned, polluting soil, streams and lakes. Vehicles also create air and noise pollution and contribute to climate change. * Sensitive habitat protection. Irresponsible ORV use results in driving over marshes, riverbeds, alpine and meadow habitats which are susceptible to damage. Erosion may result. Lichens which may have taken centuries to grow can be destroyed in a few minutes. Damage such as deep tire tread marks may take years to restore. * Prevention of path creation for predators. ORVs leave trails which may become unnatural corridors for predators such as animals or human hunters. * Protection of the ecological dynamics of the wilderness areas. Snowmobiles seem to be more benign but they compact the space between the snow and the soil which often serves as shelter for voles, mice and other organisms. * Management plans which cover motorized use. Certain parks may ban ORV use while others allow it on a properly controlled basis. * Keeping up with the changes in technology of ORVs. Reviews should take into account that new machines may have reduced air and noise pollution but may be faster and more powerful, thus able to go further into remote areas. Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** FINAL REPORT ON ORVS IN NOVA SCOTIA A Nova Scotia task force on off-highway vehicles issued a report with 39 recommendations in November 2004. Among these are safety training, licenses for operators, restrictions of full licenses to those 16 or over, establishment of a trust fund for a network of user-pay trails, bans on use in protected wilderness and stricter conditions for access to other land, ecologically sensitive areas and municipal water supply areas. Third party liability insurance would be mandatory. The report recommends the province work with other governments at the federal and provincial level to develop standards for machines in regard to noise, tires and design. The highest priority is on enforcement since the mobility of off-road vehicles means it is difficult to police their activity. Licensing of operators and registration of vehicles help to identify ORV users. A special enforcement task force would develop education and self-policing strategies. Amended legislation should increase the range of offences, apply driver demerit points on the driver's license and increase the fines. Infrastructure to accommodate ORVs such as dedicated trails would help to accommodate the sport while at the same time protecting natural areas. It is recommended that private landowner rights be protected by requiring ORVs to obtain written permission before entering on private land and to have third party liability insurance. Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** CANADA'S COMMITTMENT ON OFF-ROAD ENGINE EMISSIONS Under the Canada-United States Air Quality Agreement, Canada has committed to stringent new NOx and VOC reduction standards for vehicles, engines and fuels. These include off-road vehicles and small engines. Canada plans to implement regulations with emission standards corresponding to those of the US Environmental Protection Agency. Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** NUMBERS OF OFF-ROAD RECREATIONAL VEHICLES IN CANADA According to Environment Canada, there are 1.4 million off-road recreational vehicles in Canada. They are used for 156 million hours (roughly 18 years) annually and include: Off-road motorcycles: about 78,000 in number (used 6 million hours/year) Snowmobiles: 733,000 (42 million hours/year) All Terrain Vehicles: 433,000 (23 million hours/year) Golf Carts: 75,000 (81 million hours per year) Specialty Vehicle Carts: 58,000 (5 million hours per year) Interestingly, the use of recreational vehicles is dwarfed by lawn and garden equipment which totals almost 7 million in number of engines, used for 281 million hours (32 years) a year. Judging from the assiduous mowing of two acre lawns in the rural area around Fisherville, many people regard their ride-on lawn mower as a recreational vehicle too. But although GL's editor did once watch as a farmer drove a tractor into the parking lot of the local IGA to get a few groceries, most people on lawn tractors tend not to engage in the most damaging behaviours of recreational vehicle. Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** KEY AIR REGULATIONS FOR OFF-ROAD ENGINES According to Honda Engines Europe, the world's leading environmental regulations affecting ORVs are from the California Air Resources Board, US EPA, and the future plans of the EU. California was the first in the world to regulate off-road engines less than 25 Horsepower. Tier 1, December 1990, required reducing hydrocarbon and NOx emissions by 20% in engines of less than 25 HP for specified classes of engines. Tier 2, in effect from 2000-2010, adds diesel engines, reduces emissions from 30-67% depending on the class of engine, and requires an endurance test. These standards apply only to California. The US EPA adopted Phase I standards similar to CARB beginning in 1997. Phase II standards are in force beginning for some classes in 2006 and others in 2007. In the EU, Stage 1 was scheduled in 2004 with some classes of engine with Stage 2 taking effect in 2006. All engines to meet standards by 2011. Honda has a number of classes of engines which meet later stages of the EPA and EU 6 or 7 years ahead of schedule. Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** ENVIRONMENT CANADA TO PROPOSE REGULATION ON ORV EMISSIONS Environment Canada conducted a consultation on Marine Engine and Off-Road Recreational Vehicle Emission Regulations in 2004. When published in the Canada Gazette, the regulations will set emission standards for the first time for the 2007 and later model years of snowmobiles, off-highway motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles. Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS OPTIONS FOR ORVS Environment Canada has a consultation running until January 28, 2005, on how to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from off-road vehicles and equipment. The category includes industrial and farming equipment. In total transportation emissions, off-road GHG emissions are second after on-road. Recreational off-road vehicles contribute 5% of off-road GHG emissions compared to 3% for lawn and garden. Efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions relate primarily to improved fuel efficiency. Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** BOMBARDIER RECREATIONAL PRODUCTS - A CANADIAN LEADER Bombardier Recreational Products, a private company with headquarters in Valcourt, Quebec, spun off from Canadian aerospace company Bombardier, is reducing its work force and closing plants and divisions such as the Utility Vehicle section but is still making profit. Manufacturing plants in Valcourt and Sturtevant in North America and Ciudad Juarez in Mexico, Rovaniemi in Finland, Gunskirchen in Austria and Dong Guan in China are expected to remain open. BRP Annual sales in 80 countries total about Canadian 2.5 billion annually. In addition to marine engines, BRP designs, manufactures and sells snowmobiles, watercraft, all terrain vehicles including karts and quads, sport boats, and Rotax engines. Engines are produced for other manufacturers for vehicles such as motorcycles. The Power Sport section raised year-to-date revenues of 1,420.5 million. The company states that its snowmobiles, the Lynx(R) and Ski-Doo(R) brands are number one in their markets in Europe and North America. Ski-Doo is a proprietary name but skidooing has come to be a generic term meaning to ride a snowmobile and a skidoo suit is defined as a snowmobile suit in the Canadian Oxford Dictionary. BRP Knows No Boundaries BRP's web site says it cares about the environment. There is an Environmental Guide for Watercraft Operators and emission reductions on some off-road engines are ahead of the US EPA deadline of 2006. But mostly the theme is that these vehicles can take you whereever you want to go: CEO Boisjoli comments "We have a unique opportunity to start anew without having to start over, and we are determined to use it to lay claim to every playing field - snow, water, off-road, on-road, or in the air." Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** ISMA SUPPORTS USE OF WILDERNESS FOR MOTOR SPORTS The International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association represent four snowmobile manufacturers: Arctic Cat (Thief River Falls, Minnesota), Bombardier Recreational Products BRP (Valcourt, Quebec), Polaris Industries (Medina, Minnesota) and Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (Cypress, California). President and Chief Executive Jose Boisjoli of Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. is a member of the board of the ISMA. The manufacturers say that tourism is an economic driver and snowmobiling is a big part of winter tourism. In 2003-2004, 2.3 million snowmobiles were registered in North America, a 43% growth compared to the 1980s when there were 1.6 million. Studies indicate that $25 billion worth of economic benefit in Canada and the US are directly related to snowmobiling and 10% of all tourist spending in the snowbelt is due to the sport. An average snowmobiler spends $88.30 per day and an average snowmobile trip is 2.5 days consisting of an average party of 5 snowmobilers. The ISMA supports coalitions fighting to retain access to wilderness areas in national parks and other lands. Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** SNOWMOBILES CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE IN YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK In January 1999, the National Park Service received a petition from a coalition of environmental groups, the Bluewater Network, asking for a ban on snowmobile use in the national park system. According to the US National Parks Service Air Resources Division, one snowmobile produces as much total air pollution per passenger mile as 39 automobiles. One snowmobile produces 98 times more hydrocarbons and 36 times more carbon monoxide than one automobile. Studies from both the US EPA and the NPS indicated that banning snowmobiles would improve air quality and protect habitat and wildlife. Just before its departure the Clinton administration issued the ban the Bluewater Network was seeking. Snowmobile Ban Overruled The ban was challenged. One group, the BlueRibbon Coalition, which says it represents 600,000 recreationists in US states, expressed a commonly held view, "Preserving our Natural Resources FOR the Public instead of FROM the Public." BlueRibbon and The International Snowmobile Manufacturers Association acted as intervenor in support of snowmobile access. In February 2004, a temporary lifting of the ban was ordered because of undue hardship to the businesses relying on snowmobile tourism. In October 2004, federal court judge Clarence Brimmer ruled against the ban until the National Parks Service provided more scientific data and did a better job of consultation with the affected states and the public. Temporary Winter Use Plan On November 4, 2004, the National Part Service approved a Finding of No Significant Impact for the Temporary Winter Use Plans and Environmental Assessment for Winter Use in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks and the John D. Rockefeller, Jr., Memorial Highway. The temporary policy, to be in effect to the end of winter 2007, will allow 720 commercially guided snowmobiles per day (or about half the historic peak day entries) into Yellowstone and 140 into Grand Teton and the Parkway where guides are not necessary. The vehicles must stay on roads used in summer by automobiles or in areas used by motor boats. Because roads are not open to ordinary vehicles, snow coach or snowmobile is about the only way to see Old Faithful, the famous geyser, or access interior cross-country skiing or snowshoeing. With some exceptions, snowmobiles in the parks must meet Best Available Technology requirements. Best Available Technology BAT A typical non-BAT two-stroke snowmobile emits 150 g/kW-hr of hydrocarbons and 400 g/kW-hr of carbon monoxide. Sound emissions are supposed to be less than 78 dBA. The Best Available Technology standard lists specific brand names. To be listed a product must meet standards of less than 15 hydrocarbon g/kW-hr, less than 120 carbon monoxide g/kW-hr and 73 or less dBA. Among the sixteen machines on the BAT list, the 2002 Polaris Frontier Touring has the lowest emissions of hydrocarbon (3.19 g/kW-hr) and carbon monoxide (79.15); the 2003 Arctic Cat 4-Stroke Touring had the lowest noise level at 70.1dBA. In order to qualify for the BAT list, the only Bombardier products that meet the low emission requirements must be equipped with BAT upgrade kits to meet noise requirements. Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** ANTI-ORVERS ARE ANTI-HUMAN? For John Steward, Director of Environmental Affairs, United Four Wheel Drive Associations, the ultimate issue is access to trails, whether they are on private or public lands. He says that wilderness initiatives are really a plan to displace people and return 50% of North America to the habitat existing before Columbus arrived, "Do the math. Where do humans and recreation fit into the scheme?" He says, "Our sport is in the cross-hairs of wilderness zealots. It matters not whether you ride a mountain bike, drive a 4x4, ride a dirt bike, use a wheel chair or any other form of mechanical means for off-highway recreation. The use of public lands for recreation and extraction of critical natural resources is the target." Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Re: Biofuels and One-Tonne Challenge GL Vol. 10 No. 1 Colin, As usual, I really enjoyed the latest Gallon Environment Letter (13 January 2005). Indeed, it inspired the following comments - one cautionary about biofuels, the other to point out an error in the 'one-tonne challenge' campaign. First the cautionary note: Biofuels may become locally useful for particular purposes such as improved air quality, but are unlikely to become a significant component of the energy budget for thermodynamic reasons. The Jan 13 Letter actually contains some of the reasons for this, but I think they need to be highlighted and better understood by the public. For example, you point out the controversy over the net energy gain from ethanol. Even the most optimistic studies put it at 20-30%, but these have been challenged by more comprehensive assessments both in the US by Tad Patzek at UC Berkeley and David Pimentel at Cornell, and in Europe. Both Patzek's and Pimentel's analyses suggest that corn ethanol production is a net energy sink by a significant margin - it takes more fossil energy to produce ethanol than is retrieved in the product. Patzek also argues that in 2004 ethanol production from corn in the US generated eight million tonnes of incremental CO2; that is, CO2 emissions over and above the amount of CO2 generated by burning gasoline with 115% of the calorific value of this ethanol. Clearly, from neither the energy supply nor the climate change perspectives is ethanol a viable volume substitute for gasoline. Certainly ethanol producers know this. Fact is, there would be virtually no fuel ethanol production without significant government subsidies. Public funds are needed to level the marketplace playing field because of the high production costs of ethanol. Indeed, the cost of the fossil fuel alone needed to produce crop ethanol makes it economically unviable and this will not change as fossil fuel prices rise with scarcity. In this light, Canada has erred seriously in following the US subsidy-based model for ethanol production. Subsidies distort the market, disadvantaging non-subsidized technologies that might actually have greater real potential and creating a new subsidy-dependent industry that may never be viable due to the increasing costs of inputs. It seems that the excitement over ethanol is fueled largely by self-interested lobby groups, bad policy at NRCan (or agency capture by producers), and general public ignorance. At the root of the problem with ethanol (and other crop-based biofuels) is the low average energy density per unit area. Sticking with ethanol for the moment, it would take almost two hectares (about 4.5 acres) of cornland to provide sufficient fuel for the average US automobile. This is three to four times the land area required to feed the average American, assuming current cropping methods and diet. Simple arithmetic reveals that to fuel the entire US vehicle fleet on ethanol would require the entire massive cropland inventory of the country. Meanwhile, the US would have dug itself deeper into the energy deficit pit (and there's still the little matter of zero food production!). In short, all the data suggest that subsidizing ethanol may make for good politics, but for bad economics and disastrous ecology. The situation is not much more encouraging for other much talked-about biofuels. In a recent sobering article on biofuel prospects for Europe, George Monbiot reports that while recycled cooking oils in the UK could contribute up to 100,000 tonnes of biodiesel fuel annually, this is equivalent to only 1/380th of that country's road transport requirements! He also notes that the most productive oil crop that can be grown in the UK is rape (canola in Canada) with an average yield of 3-3.5 tonnes per hectare. Since a tonne of rapeseed can produce 415 kg of biodiesel the average hectare of arable land could provide 1.45 tonnes of transport fuel. But road transport in the UK consumes 37.6m tonnes of petroleum products annually, so that to run the UK's auto and truck fleet on rape-based bio-diesel would require 25.9 million hectares. Problem: there are only 5.7 million hectares of cropland in the UK. All in all, it seems that we shouldn't hype biofuels just yet and perhaps never, except as a local niche fuel source. Actually, the National Farmers' Union position in the 13 January Letter sums things up pretty well. ONE-TONNE CHALLENGE As for the one-tonne challenge, contrary to the national adverts and the data you present in the 13 Jan Letter, the average Canadian does not produce 'an average of over five tonnes of greenhouse gases' per year. Rather, the average Canadian consumes/oxidizes about five metric tons (tonnes) of carbon in fossil fuels each year. Each tonne of carbon burned produces in 3.7 tonnes of carbon dioxide, thus Canadians' annual per capita production of carbon dioxide alone is actually about 18 tons (i.e., this does not account for other greenhouse gasses). Hence, the five tonnes of GHG per capita referred to in the ads for the 'one-tonne challenge' and repeated in the newsletter'is off by a factor of almost four (again, considering carbon dioxide alone). The difference is important because if we are being asked to reduce our GHG emissions by one tonne, it is a relatively trivial task - a 5.5% reduction in per capita fossil fuel use. But if we are being asked to reduce carbon consumption by one tonne, this is a full 20% cutback and a little harder for the average citizen to contemplate let alone achieve. I hope you can bring these points to the attention of at least your own readership. All the best. William E. Rees, PhD Professor, University of British Columbia, School of Community and Regional Planning 6333 Memorial Road Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z2 Phone: 1 604 822-2937; Fax: 1 604 822-3787 SCARP Website: www.scarp.ubc.ca/ **************************************************** **************************************************** HONOURED READER EDITION This is the honoured reader edition of the Gallon Environment Letter and is distributed at no charge. To add or delete your email from this free edition send a note with Add or Delete and your email to Email circulation ggallon@ecolog.com. Paid subscribers receive a more complete edition without subscription reminders and with extensive links to further information following almost every article.Organizational subscribers also receive the monthly Sustainable Technology & Services Supplement. If you would like to subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription. Individual subscriptions are only $30 including GST. Organizational subscriptions are $184 plus GST and provide additional benefits detailed on the web site. If you feel you should be receiving the paid subscriber edition or have other subscriber questions please contact us at info@cialgroup.com . **************************************************** CORRUPTION AT MONSANTO COMPANY On January 6, the US Securities and Exchange Commission filed two settled enforcement proceedings against Monsanto Company for making illicit payments (bribes) in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act FCPA. The first was a suit filed in the US District Court for the District of Columbia seeking a civil penality. The second was an administrative order finding Monsanto violated the FCPA, ordering the company to cease and desist, and requiring Monsanto to submit to an independent review. Monsanto neither admitted or denied the charges but consented to the $500,000 civil penalty and the issuance of the administrative order. US MONSANTO OFFICIAL KEY TO BRIBE CHARGES The charge was that, in 2002, a senior Monsanto company official located in the United States authorized and directed an Indonesian consulting company to make an illegal payment totalling $50,000 to an Indonesian Ministry of Environment official to overturn a law seen to be bad for Monsanto. The law, known as AMDAL, required that agricultural products such as Monsanto's genetically engineered Bollgard Cotton undergo an environmental impact assessment before the cotton could be grown in Indonesia. The law was not overturned. The senior Monsanto official in the US is said to have set up a scheme for false invoices which were then approved for payment by him. LONG-TERM CORRUPTION IN INDONESIA BY MONSANTO The Commission also charged that from 1997 to 2002, Monsanto paid out about $700,000 in illegal or questionable payments to at least 140 current and former Indonesian officials and their families. The largest payment was to the wife of a senior Ministry of Agriculture official for land and a house. Accounting records kept by Monsanto hid the source, use and nature of these payments. From 1996 to 2001, Monsanto conducted no internal audits of its Indonesian affiliates, even those required under Indonesian law. In 2001, Monsanto reported some irregularities to the SEC in regard to its affiliates but the company's reporting did not include the $50,000 payment. In summary, the SEC claims are that: 1. Monsanto knowingly and corruptly authorized the making and made a payment to influence a foreign official in violation of the anti-bribery provision of the FCPA. 2. Monsanto failed to make and keep books and records which, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflected Monsanto's transactions and dispositions of its assets in violation of the Exchange Act. 3. Monsanto failed to devise and maintain a system of internal accounting controls in violation of the Exchange Act. 4. Monsanto knowing circumvented or knowingly failed to implement a system of internal accounting controls or knowingly falsified any book, record or account in violation of the Exchange Act. 5. Monsanto directly or indirectly, falsified or caused to be falsified, any book, record or account in violation of the Exchange Act. Criminal Evidence for Possible Charges by US Dept. of Justice In addition to the SEC action, the US Department of Justice entered into an agreement with Monsanto Company to defer prosecution on a criminal act. Monsanto will pay a $1 million penalty and will for a three year period have an independent expert monitor new internal policies and practices and audit compliance. If Monsanto fails to comply, criminal charges may proceed. GL doubts that US $1.5 million in fines has much of an impact on a company with an annual revenue of $5 billion, but opponents have been questioning governments' willingness to trust Monsanto's information about the environmental safety of its products. The charges and the fines add much credibility to Monsanto's critics. Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** INDONESIA INVESTIGATES CORRUPTION RE: MONSANTO In Indonesia, the Corruption Eradication Commission, set up just over a year ago, is showing whether it can be a real watchdog in its investigation of government officials alleged to be involved with bribery by Monsanto. Anti-corruption measures are seen as essential to reassuring foreign investors that Indonesia is a good place to invest. The former agriculture minister, Bungaran Saragih, denied bribes were offered to approve genetically modified cotton. The Commission is also talking to the current Minister of National Development Planning and Minister of the Environment. ISubscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** E-DIALOGUE AT ROYAL ROADS Ten sustainable development e-dialogues have been completed in a pilot project led by Royal Roads University Professor Ann Dale. The topics have included Nuclear Waste Management (January 2005), Climate Change (September 2001), and Sustainable Community Development (September 2003). Each e-dialogue has two discussion tracks: one with a panel of experts and the other with audience members including Royal Roads students and the broader community. The pilot is testing use of the Internet and software to improve real time interactivity between panellists to increase literacy on sustainable development issues. It will also research whether knowledge shared in this process can influence Canadian decision-makers to adopt better public policy on sustainable development. In the future, RRU hopes to hold three e-dialogues a year. The e-dialogue Steering Committee includes Nancy Averill, Director of Research & Methodology, Public Policy Forum; Tony Boydell, Dean of Science, Technology and Environment Division, Royal Roads University; David MacIsaac, Transport Canada; and Jamie Smith, Treasury Board Secretariat. To take part in the discussion, one has to register to obtain a login name and password. Once inside, one can select a topic and the most recent postings are at the top of the page. Options are to post a new topic or to post a new comment. The screens are automatically refreshed within some seconds so new posts are displayed to keep the participant up-to-date on the discussion. Attachments up to 3 megabytes can be posted. The participant can see the dialogue of both the e-Panel and the e-audience and post questions for the panelists from which the moderator will select to give to the panel. A google search can be done on that screen for relevant documents. The e-Audience is open a week before the e-Dialogue for posting thoughts. Background reading is provided for each e-Dialogue. All the completed dialogues are available on the web site for review. GL found several of the dialogues to be of considerable interest: bureaucrats and industry partricipants in particular seemed to respond in a much more open way in the e-dialogues than in typical structured public consultation meetings. Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** E-DIALOGUES(TM): THE ECONOMICS OF GREEN BUILDINGS IN CANADA Held October 7, 2004 and moderated by Dr. Ann Dale and Rodney McDonald, the Green Buildings e-dialogue covered in two hours more than most documents cover in a hundred pages. The panel members were: Alex Zimmerman, President of Canada Green Building Council. Pierre Guevremont, Chief, New Buildings Program of the Office of Energy Efficiency, Natural Resources Canada Nils Larsson who said "In my mind I am tall, thin and all dressed in black, just like a real architect" is an architect and executive director of International Initiative for a Sustainable Built Environment Paul Stevens, Senior Principle with Toronto-based ZAS Architects Corin Floor, responsible for managing the building program for Mountain Equipment Co-op. Gordon Shymko, principal of G. F. Shymko & Associates Inc., an engineering consulting firm specializing in energy and environmental engineering. Rodney McDonald participated from Winnipeg and the panel members were all in their normal place of work. All the discussion involved keyboarding. The panel was initially asked to address three questions: What is a green building? What are the economic barriers to green building? How is the design process integral to the success of a green building project? The discussion gives a very worthwhile insight into the economics of green buildings. Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** ENERGY USE COMPARISON OF LOCAL AND GLOBALLY SOURCED FOOD Energy saving is often given as a reason for reducing the global transport of food. Energy use contributes to global warming and to air pollution. For example, a 1995 study states that use of German-produced redcurrant juice to replace orange juice from Brazil in Gereman households would save 40 million liters of transportation fuel. However a 2003 study questions the assumption that local food is always more energy efficient. The authors say that previous conclusions lack empirical data and have often not used a repeatable methodology. Elmar Schlich and co-author Ulla Fleissner conclude that certain products can be transported long distances and still use less energy overall than a regionally or locally produced product. In fact, the distance to market is such a small component of the energy used in production that it is hardly a factor in the life cycle of the two foods studied. The study, done over a five year period, covered fruit juices and lamb meat. Calculating Energy Use Throughout the Food Lifecycle The energy used from the time the product is a crop/livestock through processing, packaging, transport, and distribution is assessed to examine what kind of effect the distance food travels has on energy use. Energy turnover is calculated at kWh per kg or litre of food. Fruit juices from Brazil and from European and German farmers are compared. Lamb meat from New Zealand and lamb meat from German farmers are the second comparison. The study is interesting in terms of the detail required. To assess the energy used in the juice requires data on how the oranges are grown, the trucking distance from plantation to squeezing and concentration facilities, the sea transport, the capacity of the various carriers e.g. 16,000 ton vessels carry 40 containers with 400 tons of orange juice concentrate each. Only about 8-10 vessels are needed to supply the entire German population with enough juice for a whole year; the concentrate keeps frozen for six months. Dilution and return of the refilling bottles are included in the calculation. Similar data is also collected on apple juice from European farmers and processers. Companies with under 100 tons of fruit per year have an overall energy turnover of 1.1 to 2.5 kWh/litre while companies with more than 2,000 tons per year have less than 0.5 kWh/l. Just in terms of transport and distribution, small fruit companies need 0.5-0.8 kWh/l while even though they are covering large distances, the large companies use only 0.1-0.3 kWh/l. Smaller businesses did not have the investment in energy saving technologies. For juices, German businesses made small-sized transports of the crop and had inefficient distribution systems. For lamb, the climate in Germany resulted in higher energy use because in New Zealand the beneficial climate meant little additional feed had to be given. Transporting frozen lamb meat from New Zealand to global markets by sea transport using freezers and coolers takes less energy than local transport and distribution and is an insignificant factor compared to the energy savings achieved by large scale efficiency and logistics of production and distribution. The conclusion is that the larger the number of items or tonnage produced the greater the Ecology of Scale, which is affected more by the operational efficiency than by marketing distance itself. Note that the results are only for the food items studied. The authors plan to review wine shipped in bottles to determine if a less concentrated product which has heavy packaging gives different results. They have also done an analysis of non-food ecology of scale such as passenger transport and housing. There are many reasons besides food miles energy for sourcing food from local suppliers in season. However, GL suggests that policy decisions related to the environment need to take into account complexities as illustrated in this study. Trade with the environment in mind may lead to more sustainable food production in both the developing world and the industrial world. Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** BENEFITS OF VALUE-ADDED AGRICULTURE A recent report by Canadian Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture and Forestry, chaired by Joyce Fairbairn, promotes value-added agriculture. Value-added is anything which enhances the product so the market will pay a premium for it compared to commodity prices but the report suggests that an increasingly important factor to consumers is "the origin of their food, how it is grown, processed and prepared.' Food safety, environmentally sensitive production practices such as organic farming, animal welfare standards and non-genetically engineered foods are identified as value-added by Michael Presley, Director General, Food Value Chain Bureau, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. According to the report, adding value on the farm can help to strengthen the community and the country and serve to: a. Increase employment. b. Revitalize rural communities. c. Reduce the economic risk associated with trade by reducing dependency on world prices for commodities. d. Diversify the economic base of farms and the rural communities which support and depend on them. e. Improve farmers' financial stability. f. Provide opportunities for improvement by connect the farms to research and innovation. g. Provide markets for smaller farms and companies through niche markets. h. Improve the quality and market demand for regional and Canadian products; i. Promote partnerships along the food value chain; j. Help retain young farmers. Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** STUFF THE TEDDY BEARS FOR TSUNAMI CHILDREN ADRA Canada, a relief agency operated by a religious group based in Oshawa, Ontario is running a campaign for collecting teddy bears for the orphans of the tsunami. Miss Canada International Nicole Kostrosky and Miss Teen Canada International Amanda Klyn are travelling across Canada collecting teddy bears from Canadian children to send to Asian children. An editorial in the Red Deer Advocate says the idea probably comes from businesses that run beauty pageants and manufacture toys. The editor asks, "What is it about our society that makes the dispersal of plush toys seem an appropriate response to disaster?... It's a waste of time, money and energy." Gallon Environment Letter agrees with the Editor of the Red Deer Advocate: sending teddy bears, probably manufactured in Asia, from Canada to Asian children is a poor response to the tsunami situation. The two Misses should spend their time doing something useful such as mobilizing funding and technical help to assist reconstruction of a home-based craft toy industry in the areas hit hard by the tsunami. Send a teddy and it will provide a child with a few minutes of pleasure; teach a parent to make a teddy and provide a lifetime of economic well-being and pleasure for everyone in the family. Subscribers see a link here. Subscriptions cost only $30 per year for individuals, $184.00 plus GST for organizations. To subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription **************************************************** In the Sustainable Technologies and Services Supplement, prepared especially for our organizational subscribers, you can find the following articles National Sustainability Framework and Sector Tables CGA-Canada Surveys Corporate Sustainability Reporting Sell, Donate or Recycle Used Electronics on Ebay Environmental Standard for Corporate Members of QUANGOs AgCanada Untendered Contract to AC Nielsen on GE Labelling New Journal about Oceans Applications for NB Environmental Trust Fund Honda Debuts ULEV Pickup Truck BioWillie **************************************************** HONOURED READER EDITION This is the honoured reader edition of the Gallon Environment Letter and is distributed at no charge. To add or delete your email from this free edition send a note with Add or Delete and your email to Email circulation ggallon@ecolog.com. Paid subscribers receive a more complete edition without subscription reminders and with extensive links to further information following almost every article.Organizational subscribers also receive the monthly Sustainable Technology & Services Supplement. If you would like to subscribe please visit www.cialgroup.com/subscription. Individual subscriptions are only $30 including GST. Organizational subscriptions are $184 plus GST and provide additional benefits detailed on the web site. If you feel you should be receiving the paid subscriber edition or have other subscriber questions please contact us at info@cialgroup.com . **************************************************** xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Copyright (C) Canadian Institute for Business and the Environment 119 Concession 6 Rd Fisherville ON N0A 1GO Canada. Fisherville & Toronto All rights reserved. Distribution managed by EcoLog Information Resources Group Readers are advised to check all facts for themselves before taking any action. The Gallon Environment Letter (GL for short) presents information for general interest and does not endorse products, companies or practices. Advertising or sponsorship of one or more issues consistent with sustainable development goals is welcome and identified as separate from editorial content. Subscriptions for organizations $184 + GST = $196.88 includes monthly Sustainable Technologies and Services Supplement STSS ; for individuals (non-organizational emails and paid with non-org funds-does not include monthly STSS): $30 includes GST. Issues twice a month. http://www.cialgroup.com/subscription xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx