The Green Room

Lynn Keating from Calgary, AB writes:

For several years now, we have filled up our hybrid vehicles with fuel that contains ethanol, thinking this was the environmentally correct action.  However, lately I have been reading articles indicating this may not be so. What is your position on this controversial topic?

Ryan Kadowaki, Climate Change Administrator for the David Suzuki Foundation responds:

While our organization has not been directly involved with the biofuels issue, I would say that we foresee a niche market for these fuels. The large-scale use of biofuels, though, is problematic.

Biofuels are not capable of replacing oil entirely, and there is the very real concern about using farmland to supply fuel for vehicles rather than growing food for human consumption. For biodiesel, we absolutely support its production when the fuel source is recycled cooking fat (i.e. deep fryer grease), as this constitutes reusing a "waste" product (though of course there would be other potential uses for it).

For ethanol, we do favour lignocellulosic ethanol (made from straw, corn husks, forest residue, etc.) because it does not require arable land to produce and it also has a much higher net energy (although this may have negative consequences for soil nutrient levels). In terms of the net-carbon benefits of using corn-based ethanol, there is still considerable debate on this issue, but as of yet, the modest to non-existent greenhouse gas benefits do not appear to outweigh the issue of arable land use.

Additional insight on this issue can be found in a Science Matters article by Dr. Suzuki on September 14, 2007, "Biofuels not necessarily all that green" .

Sonya Tremblay from Nova Scotia writes:

I am an educational assistant at West Colchester Consolidated School in Bass River, Nova Scotia. I head up an environment/science club for grades 1 to 3. This year, the kids have learned a lot and have done a lot to help save our planet.

They’ve made a print of their hand and wrote on it “lend a hand and turn off the lights.” They then went around and posted them by each light switch. They made posters and sent out the nature challenge to all the grade levels from primary to grade 9.

The group also made an environment quilt of drawings from students in all grade levels showing how they could help save the planet or what the community could do. Each child was given a 8×8” square of paper to draw their rough copy. After that was complete they were given the same size quilt square to reproduce their piece to sew together in one big quilt.

I have never seen such a beautiful quilt. The children all came together to make it and stand up for a cause. It now hangs in the school gymnasium, and it’s amazing to see the children come in the gym and go find their square. You can see how proud they are. I thought I would share this idea with you and tell you that you can make a difference in so many ways.

This year’s First Annual Reyouzd Festival in Bruce County, Ontario called together eco-retailers from across the province to raise awareness on the art of reusing. They also raised money for students entering post secondary studies in Environmental, Landscape, or Farm Science Programs in Ontario. And the David Suzuki Foundation was represented through distribution of printed materials and screening The Sacred Balance .

For the occasion, the vacant Teeswater Town Hall was bedecked with handmade flags from reclaimed materials and extreme birdhouses created by John Looser of Brussels, Ontario . Reused fridge magnets with a picture of the world in a pair of hands saying "You Can Make a World of Difference — Buy Used" were handed out as a keepsake, and the message was clear: buying used is the easiest and most cost-effective thing you can do to help sustain our environment.

Huron-Bruce MPP Carol Mitchell opened the festival, which played host to WWF-Canada and more than 40 other exhibitors. Highlights included the trio Dropping Science rapping a message about the environment and farming practices, as well as the interesting garden planter made from a repurposed dog bone container by Gloria Lloyd of the Kincardine area. Artists who paint on anything (barn board, used sheets, etc.) and use anything (reclaimed house paint, art paints, etc.) to produce their works that even incorporated egg shells in one piece, also participated and inspired.

"I think people are doing wonderful things in this part of the country," says the festival’s Lynne Taylor, who’s planning next year’s second installment. "Come see us sometime. We don’t say ‘Bruce County: Ontario’s Natural Retreat’ for nothing!"

Right now, one of the most important things all Canadians can do for the sake of the planet is participate in the upcoming Federal Election.

“If we fail to put the focus on the environment, the message to the next government - regardless of which party prevails - will be a mandate for more inaction.

We cannot let that happen. We do not have the time or the luxury.” David Suzuki, September 2008

Election Day will be here before you know it.

• Arm yourself with information.

• Ask candidates the hard questions.

• Vote.

We’ll help. Join the conversation at www.voteenvironment2008.ca .