Our Horizon

A bold non-profit climate change organization. We want Canadian municipalities to put climate change & air pollution warning labels on gas pumps. Watch our TEDx and help us #FaceTheChange at www.ourhorizon.org. *Note: our labels will be implemented by...

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An intern’s view

My name is Katie. I am an intern with Our Horizon from Seneca College's Green Business Management Program. Part of the reason why I chose the program at Seneca was because it included an internship position. I didn't know where I'd end up or what I would be doing, but I was excited to gain some new experience. When I received the list of internship positions, Our Horizon struck me as something I wanted to be a part of. I have a background in Political Studies and Psychology, so this idea grabbed my attention right away. I put it as a top choice and a few days later I found out I got it! Naturally, I was a tad nervous on my first day. I didn't have a lot of experience in organizations like this, but Rob was extremely welcoming and enthusiastic. He told me about the organization and the accomplishments they'd had so far, and he spoke with excitement about his idea. I could already tell he cared deeply about this project. 

Our Horizon is a non-profit that's trying to get climate change warning labels put on gas pumps. We are working with municipal governments to pass this policy proposal into law. If enough smaller communities commit to this idea, it will be easier to approach and discuss the initiative with larger cities. The labels are just stickers, something so small and inexpensive, yet the effects can be significant. Here are a few reasons why I find our initiative effective:

1) People pump gas. Every day. And they don't usually think about it. This idea actually gets people to think about it. Mindfulness is so important to change, and making this everyday act (pumping gas) mindful by bringing it into the individual user's hand is essential to change in behaviour. What a different world we would live in if people were mindful, and if they reflected on the things they have always done and never questioned. Why are we doing this? Is there a better way? What can I do to help?

2) Similar to the above point, this initiative takes an issue that seems so enormous and far away and brings it closer to us. It makes it proximal. Climate change is a big, bad word and is something that can be uncomfortable to talk about, but it needs to be talked about. The stickers on gas pumps take the effects of climate change which people push away into the future and literally expose them to your face right now through the pump in your hand. This makes it real and close. Bringing these issues closer means people will be more likely to think about it or do something about it, whether it's riding their bike, walking, taking public transit, carpooling, or contacting their local political representative.

3) These stickers assign responsibility. Now, I understand, nobody wants to feel guilty. Nobody wants to be blamed. But we are all to blame (I include myself here). The way society has evolved means that the lifestyles we live can be criticized. When a pump with this sticker is in your hand, you feel the burden of that responsibility. Not so fun, but definitely necessary. 

All of this sounds slightly depressing right? Well let's not think of it that way. Let's think of this as an important initiative to get our mindsets changing when it comes to our future. Let's understand our own place in this puzzle and learn about better opportunities that we can take advantage of. We live in this amazing time of rapidly evolving technology, innovation and knowledge. We have the solutions, we just all need to get thinking about it. What I also like about this idea is that it's not forcing anybody to do anything. It is just a means to provide information, and the more information we have, the better the solutions we can come up with. 

From the time I started with Our Horizon I have seen a lot of exciting changes. The next exciting thing in the works is an e-book! Yes, Rob is planning on writing a book that will explain the idea and go into some of the personal stories/journey behind it. There has been a lot of interest in our initiative already and this book will be an excellent way to lay out the story. Rob has inspired many people so far, and this book will just continue to spread the word! Looking forward to the weeks to come :)

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Res(v)olution's Eve

Well, I’m back on the ferry again.  Actually, I’m waiting for the ferry – as I was late for the 5pm sailing. But 2 hours early for the 7pm!! First in line! BOOM.  Fortunately, for you however, unlike the last time I was writing around boats, I don’t feel like a pirate at the moment.

I’m returning from Vancouver on the eve of one of the biggest milestones of the Roadtrip to Change All Roadtrips: the UBCM vote on the gas labels resolution.  I have done all that I can and it’s now out of my hands.  I leave it to the capable (??) hands of our municipal leaders.

This week, mayors and councillors from across the Province have gathered in Vancouver at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) annual convention to shake palms, slap backs and discuss pressing municipal issues.  Tomorrow, they will vote to decide whether the UBCM should to endorse the implementation of gas labels.  This is not the only thing they will vote upon – there are about 200 resolutions on the table.  However, it is most certainly the most important one.  Well, that may or may not be true: today they voted on a resolution concerning the whether the right to a clean and healthy environment should be enshrined in the Canadian Charter (aka “the Blue Dot Movement”).  I’ll admit that this is somewhat important….but gas labels are definitely up there!

Our resolution is labelled B112 and was sponsored by the City of Colwood.  For those following the #RT2CARTs closely, you may be surprised to hear this, as I have been saying that it was the District of West Vancouver that passed the UBCM resolution.  This is true, West Van passed a resolution in January, but Colwood also passed a similar resolution and it is theirs that is being considered. 

The resolution states:

WHEREAS there is evidence that combustion of petroleum products such as gas and diesel used in vehicles contribute to greenhouse gas emissions that affect natural systems in ways that are injurious to human health and to the natural environment upon which we all depend for food and life;

AND WHEREAS sea level rise resulting from greenhouse gas emissions will cause significant harm to coastal communities:

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM support, and will implement where possible, legislation to require retailers of petroleum products to provide plastic sleeves (nozzle toppers) with warning labels on pump handles for all fossil based liquid fuels.

Endorsement of this resolution does not bind anyone to do anything, but it would be a critical show of support for the initiative.  Municipalities would see that they are not alone in considering the labels, and the Provincial government would see that there is broad support for this idea. This would come at a good time, given that the Province is in the middle of drafting the B.C. Climate Action Plan.  (Just squeak it in there….go on, squeak it in!)

Fingers n’toes crossed for a positive outcome.  I have a number of councillors willing to speak in support of the idea at the time of the vote and Rob and I spent the last few days drafting short but punchy speeches.  The only possible glitch is that the resolution is so far down the list (112!!) that they may not get to in time.  If that happens, it goes to the UBCM executive for further debate – from there, I have no idea what happens. 

However, I feel good about things.  First, the Blue Dot resolution was successfully endorsed, so Mother Earth is on a roll here.  And second, I have recently given generously of myself and added to the population of man-buns living in B.C., so I think the province owes me something in return.  I will happily take an expedient voting process and successful outcome for the one they call B112.

As Javert said on the streets of 18th century Paris:

One more day to revolution, Will they nip it in the bud? Labels will shake us from our stupor, Stop the fill of cars with crud!

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Back to the island!

Avast there shipmates!  I am writing this sat under the rigging of the Queen of New Westminster, seabirds wheeling above me and calling plaintively, as I gaze out across the windswept Salish Sea.  The salt air stings my cheeks but the steady roll of the vessel comforts me.  I’m on my way back to the rocky shores of Victoria, my sojourn in mainland Canada complete and only one sailing remaining in the much vaunted #Roadtrip2ChangeAllRoadtrips.

Tis been a while since me last etchin’s in the ship’s log so I’ll give you the rundown of me comings and goings over the past fortnight.  Last I wrote was from the berth of Prince Rupert, a salty seadogs’ cove if I ever did clap eyes on one. 

From Prince Rupert I returned to Smithers where I plumbed the depths of my artistry to create a 3 minute video for a competition to win a voyage to the UN climate change convention in Paris, this coming Decembarr.  I spent the best part of 48 hours drawing and redrawing, recording and rerecording, and generally getting fed up of seeing stick figures of myself and of hearing my own voice.  However, I ended up with a rather shipshape whiteboard animation video explaining what our gas labels campaign is all about.  If your Book o’Faces hasn’t been awash with it already, you can find it here.

From Smithers, the winds blew me south to BC’s landlocked interior where I made proclamations to the City of Kamloops, the Regional District of North Okanagan, and the Thompson-Nicola Regional District.  I’d be a crab’s uncle if I told you that this trip was a rousing success; while RDNO took to the idea like a cabin boy to rum, Kamloops was more cautious, and the TNRD reacted like Blackbeard had come amongst them.  However, I must say, that there was good, full discussion about the idea with all parties, (which is always appreciated) and I hope that I have provided some food for thought in the lead up to the upcoming UBCM grogfest.

When I returned to Vancouver, I spent a number of days drafting a lengthy scrawl for the BC Climate Leadership Team.  This is a multi-disciplinary crew that has been mustered by the BC government to chart a course for BC’s carbon future.  We have been in touch with Tzeporah Berman (a crewmate of said Team) and were invited to send in a synopsis of our initiative. I penned a hefty tome, but hopefully it is well received – and acted upon.  Be warned that the Climate Leadership Team is currently accepting public input about their new Climate Act Plan – check out their Discussions Paper and take the survey here or send in your ideas to [email protected].  The sun sets on submissions on the 14th o’ Septembarr.

The minute I had delivered my submission to the Climate Leadership Team I hove to and dashed up to Pemberton for a presentation before the Squamish-Lilooet Regional District. The initiative was very well received and the Board of Directors passed a motion supporting the initiative. They were also keen to encourage their own municipalities to move forward with the labels.  I'll be sure to keep a weather-eye on that! A few days later the idea got picked up by a Whistler-based magazine, Pique - you can find their article here. (Also, Blackbird Bakery in Pemberton makes delish cookies. Fact.)

I have also been trying to prepare for the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention, happening in a few weeks’ time.  I must have mentioned this before, but it’s the annual grogfest of municipal mayors and councillors from across the province.  They hold workshops, meetings, and vote on resolutions.  These resolutions are non-binding decisions on topics that are important to municipalities and therefore, the province.  Both the District of West Vancouver and City of Colwood have proposed resolutions in relation to our gas labels.  The resolution that will be considered is the Colwood version, which requests that:

“…that UBCM support, and will implement where possible, legislation to require retailers of petroleum products to provide plastic sleeves (nozzle toppers) with warning labels on pump handles for all fossil based liquid fuels.”

This resolution is categorized in Section B, which means that it is bound together with other resolutions that will be voted on as a block.  These blocks often pass easily, however, someone who opposes a resolution may pull the resolution out of the block for debate and vote.  In the event that our resolution is pulled (I have been assured by some that it will be!), I hope to have a number of councillors stand up and speak in support of it.  I’ve been casting e-messages to the four winds, but if you have any close bunkmates who are mayors or councillors, send them my way!

Finally, it hasn’t all been work: I gathered up my sea-legs and turned them to a spot of landlubbin’. I hiked up to Wedgemount Lake, just north of Whistler, with Big Toe and my friend Maddie.  It’s a steep hike in, but it’s beautiful lake with bueno vistas in every direction and a sweet glacier nearby. Camping up there is almost enough to make one think twice about the sailor’s life!

Below: Big Toe leaping for joy at the sight of Wedgemount Lake. 

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The North.

Ok, it’s been a few weeks and boy have I covered some ground since my last post.  Let’s rewind and go back pre-Valhalla to Grand Forks, if only to say that the presentation to the Kootenay Boundary Regional District was quite well received and a number of mayors followed up with me by email to say that they would take the initiative to their own councils.  From Grand Forks I went to Rossland, which was very nice, though unexceptional but for a nice swimming pool, tasty craft brewery and this sculpture.

From Rossland I went to Nelson and over the long weekend I went to Valhalla, as you know.  Post Valhalla, I spent another 4 days in Nelson…basically waiting for a city councillor to make themselves available to meet up with me.  A number of people had mentioned that Nelson would be exactly the type of place to pick up on these labels, and since I couldn’t make it to a council meeting, I thought I should make sure I at least got some facetime with a local politician.

During my time in Nelson, I stayed at a different place each night.  Most of the time, I didn’t know where I would stay until that evening.  I was surprised to find that I was quite unsettled not to know where my next sleep and shower would occur.  Pre-Valhalla, I stayed with roommate of a friend of a friend of mine.  After Valhalla, I stayed one night at Kokanee Creek Provincial Park (but they charged me $32/night to camp on the grass next to a parking lot so I didn’t go back there).  The next night I camped on a beach about 10min walk down the railway tracks.  (So illegal.  So rebellious.).  In the morning I cooked and ate breakfast on a street curb and showered and shaved at the local pool (after a swim).  The last night in Nelson I stayed at a hostel – mainly because I had to meet the councillor the next day and wanted to look reasonably fresh.  And each of these days I basically spent in the library – setting up future council presentations and writing letters to people I think should be interested in what I am doing!

As for the meeting with the Nelson councillor, Michael Dailly, it was good – he got the idea immediately and said that he would raise the idea at the next council meeting.  Hi5!

Gonna have to squint for (or magnify) this one, but it’s worth it.  Words by William Henry Channing and found in the bathroom of the Dancing Bear Inn, Nelson.

After my meeting I started my trek north, to my next base in Smithers.  I broke the journey into 3 legs: Nelson to Salmon Arm (I saw a moose along the way), then Salmon Arm to Prince George the next day (passing through all the Mile Houses along the way…70, 78, 90, 100, 150), and finally, on to Smithers. I have a friend, Kyle, whose family lives in up there.  They are a wonderful and generous people, putting me up (and putting up with me!) for a week having not previously known me from a hole in the ground - I really am indebted to them. 

From Smithers I “popped” out to Terrace (a 2.5 hour drive either way) for a council meeting.  Despite giving a less than stellar presentation, the council passed a motion to support the consideration of the labels at UBCM and directing staff to look into the labels in Terrace.  Ohyeahbaby! 

The next day, I had an interview with CBC radio Daybreak North, I link to which I’m still searching.  The interview was live at 7am (bright and early - my forte) but I think it went reasonably well – my Mum said it was good, so clearly that’s a definitive review!  I also met with the Smithers’ mayor, Taylor Bachrach.  I’d go so far as to call him the Gregor Robertson of the North, and he too was quite supportive of the labels, though it remains to be seen if the Smithers council will bite too.  (I wrote them a nice letter that was considered as official correspondence at their last meeting and I’m waiting to hear back what happened.)

I took Wednesday off to go fly-fishing on the Babine River with Kyle.  Tricksy business, fishing is.  It took me some time to figure out how to wave the ole fishgrabber, and I don’t think I ever really sorted it out, as I didn’t catch any fish.  This despite spending 4 hours hip-deep and thousands of fish passing us at the time – there was a weir up the river that was counting the fish and a single gate (of 8 spread across the river) gets between 1000-2000 fish through an hour.  However, listen to this duet by Bing and Satchmo and you’ll know why we fisher folk do what we do.

Intently watching the tip of a an empty fishgrabber on the Babine. Hope springs eternal.

At the time of writing I’m in Prince Rupert – sat in the Pioneer Hostel, though I will be sleeping camped in the back-garden.  I presented to the Skeena-Queen Charlotte Regional District earlier this evening.  My delivery was back upto scratch this time, and I saw some nodding heads throughout the presentation with some questions afterwards.  But they seemed more eager to wait for UBCM than act themselves, as they couldn’t see around the need for gasoline right now where they live.  As you, know, the fact that alternatives are not ready to go tomorrow is not a reason not to have the labels.  It’s the reason we need the labels. 

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An Idiot Boy’s Guide to Valhalla Provincial Park

I think I mentioned in my last post that I was heading to Valhalla Provincial Park for the long weekend to do a spot of camping.  Let me tell you about.

Valhalla, in Norse mythology, is great hall in which fallen warriors, selected by the god Odin himself, are granted the privilege of feasting in the afterlife.  It is rare that a living mortal enter those halls.  One may only do so by stealth, bravery, or sometimes….dumb luck.

On Saturday afternoon, I set out from Nelson to the Valhalla Provincial Park.  I planned to drive to Gimli Ridge trailhead, hike in to the closest campsite and then ascend the Ridge on Sunday morning.  I would return to the car on Sunday afternoon, drive to the Gwillim Lakes trailhead, camp Sunday night at the nearest campsite and then hike to Gwillim Lakes and back on Monday. Easy peasy. 

My little Mazda 3 has served me faithfully so far, but I tested its limits this time.  The drive to Gimli Ridge trailhead was over a logging road, that is to say: a surface akin to that of the moon.  As my little car bounced from pothole to tectonic fissure my brain tallied the mounting damage to the undercarriage while my face did its best impression of 13 year old Jim Carrey in front of a mirror.  Eventually, I reached a hill that was too steep and too unstable to gain any traction.  Thwarted.  I reversed down and made my way back to the Gwillim Lakes trailhead.  This road was more palatable and my wannabe lunar rover made it there in one piece.

However, it was now 7:30pm and I was just about to start my hike.  Apparently the trek to Gwillim Lakes would take 2.5 hours but there were some campsites only about 1hr in.  I set off.  I made it to the first campsite a Drinnian Lake in 35 mins and chatted with the people who were there.  That spot was quite beautiful but there were more campsites further along and I got the impression that Gwillim Lakes wasn’t actually that far off.  Buoyed by my quick progress I pressed on. About 9pm I found myself travelling downhill towards a rockslide and the base of a waterfall.  My guide book said I had to traverse a narrow rockslide and then begin the final ascent. I knew that the waterfall was coming from the Gwillim Lakes basin.  It all made so much sense. 

Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the trail any more. It seemed to vanish in the rockslide and I couldn’t pick it up on the other side.  I started ascending the side of a rock face but I was doing it on all fours - it seemed way too steep to be the trail.  It was also getting quite dark.  I decided to camp for the night at the bottom of the little valley that I was in.  I pitched my tent, made dinner and settled in for the night.  I made a rock cache to bear-proof my food and got a good night’s sleep….albeit one fearing that I would wake up to the rap of a Park Warden on my tent flap with a fine for camping illegally. (Because there are oh so many Park Wardens patrolling the off-piste sections of the park, at night)

On Sunday morning I retraced my steps, back the way I had come.  It still seemed like I had come the right direction and had to traverse this rockslide.  The book said so.  I decided that I must have to climb the waterfall. A foolproof plan; the route was guaranteed to lead me directly to the lakes. I’m young and fit and as you can see, it’s not a Niagara Falls style get-up, just a stream over some rocks.  Probably only 50-70m of vertical.  It looks like a staircase. From a distance. 

This picture was taken from the trail, overlooking the rockslide/ravine that I lost myself in and clambered out. I'll also take this moment to formally introduce Big Toe, my more photogenic travelling companion.

As I’m here writing this blog, I think you know that I made it.  But it got a bit hairy in some sections.  About ¾ the way up I reached a particularly tricky section and sat down.  What kind of a fool am I?  This was not the right way. I looked back down and across the expanse from where I had come and immediately knew exactly where I had gone wrong. My retracing earlier that morning hadn’t gone far enough.  Anyway, there I was.  I was too far up to turn back.  Must press on.  I heaved my bag over an overhang and scrambled up.  I left the bag there and finished the climb unencumbered.  What a difference 50 less pounds made!  I got to the lakes and soon bumped into another (more intelligent) camper.  I told him what I had done and asked if he would mind looking for me if I hadn’t returned in about 30 minutes, as I still had to retrieve my bag.  He looked at me as if I had 4 heads and wished me luck. He was on his way to the outhouse.  Besides sheer incredulity, I don’t think that much of what I said registered with him.

This last section entailed the most dangerous part – scaling across and up a wall of loose packed dirt with my rucksack on my back.  A bag that seemed more subject to gravity than normal objects.  But I made it.  All told, it took me two hours to get up the waterfall.  It would have taken 20 minutes from my initial wrong turn along the proper trail.  Worth it? Absolutely. Trails are for sissies. Amirite?  I had a wonderful day and a half frolicking in the alpine meadow, reading the Pope’s recent encyclical on the environment, exploring the peaks that ringed the alpine lakes, swan-diving into said lakes, all the while getting savagely terrorized by the mosquitoes that reside there.  And by Odin’s raven, I savoured every sweet moment of my time up there.

Gwillim Lakes - alpine lakes and meadows ringed by rocky peaks. Slightly overcast day. Big Toe looking on.

On Monday I hiked down. It took me 1 hour and 35 mins. My departure from the trail was drastic and blatant. I had to have stepped over a log that was purposely blocking that pseudo-trail that I had taken.  It would have been impossible to do it the daylight. 

It could have happened to anyone.  It would only happen to me.

Alternative titles for this post included:

-          F is for Foolish, not Fun.

-          Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

-          Don’t tell me Mam about this!

-          Only Mad Dogs and Englishmen…

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So it begins...for realz.

I’ve been talking about it for some time. The Roadtrip to Change All Roadtrips. I’ve been hashtagging the heck of out of it since the West Coast decided to make brown the new green.  And yet, people have still been asking me: so when do you start travelling around BC?

Well, technically, I’ve been doing it since I trekked out to Langley on June 5th. If nothing else , my first interaction with Vancouver traffic made it a noteworthy experience.  But apparently that doesn’t count because it’s still in Metro Vancouver.  And trips to Chilliwack and Abbotsford are similarly mundane to most people.  Even my epic trip to Vernon (fraught as it was with dead batteries and gas scares) doesn’t seem to count for much. 

But now. Now, I’m sat in a little Mexican joint called El Taco drinking a bottle of (quite filthy) Dos Equis, next door to the Green Party office in Nelson. That’s far out.  In fact, I just heard that phrase yesterday from the owner of the Mountain Shadow Hostel in Rossland.  First time I had heard it in ages.  It was quickly followed by “f*ck yah”.  I thought I also heard “groovy” and “rad” but that might have been my imagination.

Anyway, I think even the doubters will agree that the #Roadtrip2ChangeAllRoadtrips has officially started. I presented to the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary in Grand Forks yesterday evening and there is no turning back now. I will not be returning to the urban bosom of Vancouver.  No.  I shall live out of my car for the next month and a half, travelling from municipal town hall to municipal campsite, as I wend my way around the province.  The drive has been beautiful so far.  The southern Okanagan and the West Kootenays are amazing – barren and brown in some places but fertile and lush in others.  Certainly a different climate than the Wet Coast.  However, here too they are suffering from severe heat and drought, with “fish kills” in many rivers due to high water temperatures. 

Neato gang! Check out the Spotted Lake! Known as Klikuk to the Okanagan indigenous peoples, it's a saline endorheic alkali lake near Osoyoos.  What is that? Well, basically, lots of funky mineral deposits that are revealed when the water evaporates in the summer. It is sacred to Okanagan indigenous peoples who believe that the lake has healing powers.  NOW YOU KNOOOW!

I am also coming to realize that there will be some logistical issues to figure out. First: food. How to eat cheap, preferably cooking for myself while keeping my food cool when it is sat in the 2005 Mazda Oven.  I may go through a lot of ice this summer.  Second: keeping the Mazda Oven tidy.  It’s chock full with stuff: several nifty outfits, camping gear, a cooler with numerous empty jars of Adam’s PB, a bike and parts, a float belt for pool running, etc. Where to put things so they are tidy and accessible?  That’s the question.  I find myself going from door to door looking for something that I will inevitably be found under the front door seat. Third: internet.  Where and when?  Used to having web connection upon command, I’ll have to get good at sniffing out internet in each town and being comfortable sitting their long after my orange mocha frappuccino has run dry .  Forth: travelling company.  Radio is spotty in these parts and my phone has limited songs so there is little to keep me occupied.  To remedy that, I picked up my first hitchhiker yesterday– though after 5 hours driving on my own he was less chatty that I was hoping for.  Still, he respected my request that he not kill me, so I’m content with that.

Anyway, I must be off because I need to find a place to sleep tonight. I think sometimes the uncertainty of it all is the hardest part.  Asking questions of baristas and strangers may be essential.  But I think I’ll probably get used to it.

Also, I’m planning to spend the long weekend in Valhalla Provincial Park.  The Roadtrip’s first camping experience.  It’s gonna be far out…man.

[ourhorizonorg]

Part III - Anti-Tobacco: A blueprint for Carbon Reduction?

I hope I have now made myself clear.  Tobacco warning labels work, and we might expect that climate change warning labels on gas labels to have a similar effect.  But what else can health warning labels on tobacco packages, and the broader tobacco reduction efforts teach us?  I think that they can be an effective blue print for a low-carbon future.

You see, the potential for scary warning labels is not the only thing that link tobacco and fossil fuels. These nasty products and their respective industries are remarkably similar in many ways. 

1) Their normal, intended use is dangerous – to the people who use them and those who do not. 

2) Their normal, intended use is also addictive. 

3) Their use has been a normalized, everyday part of our society for generations. 

4) Their use and presence permeates our media - advertising and entertainment. 

5) Their respective industries wield huge power over government and the industry. 

6) Their respective industries knew about the true nature of their products long before broader society did, yet actively kept this from us and spent millions of dollars on mis-information campaigns. 

 (Did you know that Exxon knew about climate change, and the link with fossil fuels, as early as 1981 – 7 years before the James Hansen of NASA broke the news to the US Congress – and yet funded climate change denial campaigns for the next 27 years? )

7) Finally, remedial action will take concerted action from individuals, governments, and non-governmental organizations.

Tobacco use and fossil fuel use are also similar in that they result from a number of factors.  Some are shared between them: We are taught from a young age through the media to desire and use cars just as we were (less so now in Canada than before) to desire and use tobacco.  As with tobacco, the use of cars (and other motorized vehicles) is a result of social factors such as where we live, our education, social economic status, and learned behaviours from those around us.

The addictive qualities of fossil fuels require some exploration, because we don’t think the consumption in cars as being an addictive - and I doubt it is in a metabolic sense.  However, I think that our physical dependence on the car is clear.  Most Canadian cities have quite literally been built around the car (Vancouver’s Greenest City Action Plan proudly claims that it is one of only a few major North American cities that does not have a highway cutting through its core) and the more we drive our cars, the more our governments invest in and expand the roads between where we are and where we need to get to.  

Interestingly, the more roads we build, the more people drive.  This is part of a broader phenomenon known as “induced-demand”, though with specific reference to cars it is known as the “fundamental law of road congestion”.  There is a good WIRED article about it here, with its scientific study footnoted below.[1]  Counter-intuitively, adding roads does not relieve congestion; it just results in more drivers.  It’s an addictive cycle of DOOM!!! (Fortunately, taking roads away reduces drivers.)

Also, the convenience and sense of autonomy that cars provide is rewarding and reinforces their use.  People have told me that once they got a car, they just used it more and can’t see themselves getting rid of it.  (I also happen to know that certain people have money on whether or not I will keep my Mazda 3 once this roadtrip is done.) Most people cannot envision a life without their car – which is often a problem we run into when we suggest that our survival depends on getting rid of the car (at least, the carbon fueled version as we know it today). 

So if you suspect that “fossil fuel addiction” might be a term that has too often been bandied about by the hippie-types, if the use of the automobile does not mimic, on a landscape scale, the neural rewiring within our brains that underpins the biological and physical dependence created by addictive substances, then I’m not sure what will.

Now, of course there are some differences.  Smoking, while it affects others, is a highly personal activity that is not required to get to work or pick your kids up from school.  You can stop smoking, basically whenever you like – addiction and social pressures aside – as there are no systemic factors requiring you to continue smoking to make a living.  And while the dependence on smoking is constructed – we can actually live without tobacco and without a direct replacement.  In comparison, we do need some form of transportation to get around this large country of ours.  But maybe that’s the key point – we need some form of transportation, not fossil-fuelled transportation.  A subtle difference, but framing it that way might help us open our minds to alternatives. 

Regardless, the difference between tobacco and fossil fuels only means that we’re looking at a longer term game in weening ourselves off fossil fuels and finding low carbon replacements.  We do have some time to make this transition, though not much, so we need to get started now.

Fortunately, the similarities between these two problems suggest that the solutions are also similar. This is comforting because a successful strategy in tackling one might be instructive in developing a strategy to tackle the other.  And, I must say, we have figured out a pretty robust tobacco control strategy –and places that are actively implementing it, like Canada, have been quite successful in doing so.  According to a report from the University of Waterloo, there are fewer smokers today than there have been since measurements began in 1965, at which point 1 in 2 Canadians smoked - now we’re about 1 in 7, or about 4.2 million people.[2]  Between 2001 (when graphic health warning labels were introduced) and 2013, the prevalence of people smoking in Canada dropped from 21.7% to 14.6%.

So perhaps we should look to tobacco control (beyond the use of warning labels) to figure out how to tackle fossil fuels?  Tune in later for more on this.

[1] Duranton, G.& Turner, M. (2011) The fundamental law of road congestion: Evidence from US cities.  The American Economic Review 101:6 pp 2616-2652

[2] Ried, JL, Hammond D, Rynard VL, Burkhalter R. Tobacco Use in Canada: Patterns and Trends, 2015 Edition. Waterloo, ON: Propel Centre for Population Health Impact, University of Waterloo.

[ourhorizonorg]

That Time I Was (almost) Happy to Fill Up My Car With Gasoline.

On Wednesday I headed east to spread the gas label gospel to the heathens in  the Interior of BC.  I had a presentation before the Columbia-Shuswap Regional District in Salmon Arm on Thursday and was hoping to catch the Penticton council on the following Monday.  However, as I turned the key in my ignition, the engine failed to respond.  Dead battery.  Zounds.  No neighbour was around (except for the one that said “Oh, that sucks” when she asked me what I was waiting by my car for) so I booted up the computer to look for a roadside assistance company.  Blue screen of death.  Zut alors. I looked in the glovebox for a number and found the Mazda roadside assistance number.  Coverage ran out 5 years ago.  Flippin heck.  But they gave me the BCAA number.  $117 and 2 hours later and I’m finally the road. Halleluiah.  

This delay wouldn’t have been a problem but for the fact that had to pick up my friend Maddie from the ferry terminal and get her to her grandmother’s 98th birthday dinner in Vernon by 6pm.  Those type of numbers don’t come around very often you know.  However, we were on the way, though under a slight time crunch.

As we approached the town of Merritt, I noticed that I had less than a quarter of a tank of gas left.  Going into Merritt was a bit out of the way so, Maddie asked if we could just continue Kelowna.  Looking at the fuel gauge, the number of km’s we had already done on the tank, and the sign that read “75km until the next gas station”, I took the square root of the hypotenuse, carried the one, and decided to go for it and skip Merritt.  A wise move.  But only just. 

It was wise because we arrived at the birthday party just before the last of the salmon was polished off.  It was unwise because the car became rather quiet and my palms rather sweaty as the needle seem to creep closer to zero faster than the remaining km’s to Kelowna.  We coasted down hills and crawled up them.  However, Maddie was confidently reminding me that “it was going to be all downhill soon”.  I’ll never doubt that woman again.  We crested the Pennask Summit and started a descent that almost blew my mind.  I put the car in neutral and coasted for 25km straight, stopping only when I saw a tow truck picking up another car.  Unfortunately he had no gas on board (the only time he had come out without a spare canister) but he confirmed that we could likely make it.  And we did.  Boy was I relieved to fill my car up at that gas station.  I’d say happy, if not for the guilt that filling up creates in me.

And we also made it to the party, albeit fashionably late.

My time in the Okanagan was spectacular, if uneventful from a gas labels perspective.  The Columbia Shuswap Regional District Board of Directors asked ZERO questions following my presentation.  These labels are likely the most radical thing to happen to gas stations since the squeegee was invented. How can you not have a single question?  This was also the case when I went to Abbotsford and Maple Ridge earlier this week, though the Abbotsford council did tell me that they are broadly supportive of implementation at the provincial level.  I take solace in the fact that I had much more lively teleconference on Wednesday with a Climate Protection Subcommittee from Metro Vancouver with councillors who were much more engaged.  

The spectacular part of the trip came in the form of the tremendous hospitality which I received from Maddie’s family, my reacquaintance with some family relations of my own (the Haack’s), an intense game of Ultimate Frisbee against some 8 year olds (never refer to it as merely “frisbee”), watching the Minions movie at a drive-in theatre (slightly underwhelming), and swimming in the beautiful Kalamalka Lake (see below for an actual picture that I took with my “new” phone).  

  Penticton didn’t work out because of council procedure so I’m currently back in Vancouver.  However, so as not to leave on a bad sour note, I’ll say that a high school student Duncan Gillespie received an encouraging reception when he took the labels to the Vernon council as did two SFU students, John Nguyen and Salil Jakhadie when they presented to the Burnaby council.  Great work from some of our volunteers!

And #sorrynotsorry for the huge pictures. The people want pictures. The people get pictures. Big style. (But seriously, I'll change that when I can figure out how.)

[ourhorizonorg]

Update & Mr. Too Cool 4 Labels

Ok, so I’m going to whip through my last few weeks because there is a fair bit to tell.  I’ll keep it “short” though so I can fit Part II of the Smoking Series in as well without really boring you.

1)      Called up City of Chilliwack.  I said, I can I present to you?  They said, it was more appropriate for the Fraser Valley Regional District because they take the lead on air quality stuff.  I said, thanks for the suggestion but municipalities do have the jurisdiction. They said, we’re still not accepting your request to present to us. Fine.

2)      Called up Fraser Valley Regional District (FVRD).  I said: sorry for such short notice but can I present to you?  They said: yes, as long as you’re not asking for money. I wish.

3)      Presented to FVRD.  They listened politely and some councillors seemed supportive.  Others seemed confused as to why I was coming before a Regional District, as it the regulation of businesses in this manner is the jurisdiction of a municipality.  Facepalm. 

4)      Presented to Township of Langley.  Was excited going there because their Environment Committee (which I visited in early June) had been so supportive.  Gained a few supporters on council, but as I found out later from a Committee member, the council decided against the recommendation of the committee.  That is, council doesn’t support the label.  Boo.

5)      Went directly from the Township to the City of Langley.  Learned a lot about methadone clinics.  Underwent a Spanish Inquisition (didn’t expect that!) from the council for about 30mins, with highlights being “Now, I’m a smoker and the labels don’t work for me…” and “Why of all the million causes we’re faced with, I’ve made a list here …proceeds to read list… should we act on yours?” For the answer to the 1st question, see Cigarette Series Part II below. And for the 2nd question, see the Question of the Day.  However, all that being said, when I finally walked out, despite the council not taking any action, I sensed that I had changed some strongly-held views.  Booyah... small victories.

6)      Was told by two people, on the same day, that my blog (to paraphrase) is too long and needs pictures.  AKA: boring.  Duly noted.  It may not look like it, but I’m working on that!  I swear.

7)      Met with City of North Vancouver staff about label design.  Was 15 minutes late because I dropped a pyrex dish on a shelf full of glasses just before I was leaving. F my L. 

8)      Once at the meeting, realized I have to temper my wants/expectations/visions for the labels with what their legal team thinks is possible.  We’re beholden to the CNV for their courage in moving ahead and I must remember that getting any label on will be a big enough deal!  Baby steps.

9)      Spent the next 3 days designing labels for the CNV. (I’ll have my way eventually!)  Today, did a recon mission of the 6 gas stations in the CNV. Rolls up on a on a bike. Writes stuff in a notebook. Takes 17 pictures of the gas station and pumps nozzles from different angles. Rolls out. Another day in the life.

10)     A friend of my sent me a phone with smart phone capabilities. Blog potential: boosted. (....once I figure out this tricksy touchscreen magic.)

And now for Smoking Series Part II: Mr. Too Cool 4 Labels.

So that friend. The one who smokes all the time and says that the labels don’t bother him. He says that he doesn’t even look at them.  Everyone seems to have a friend like this, particularly those who oppose our gas labels.  Let’s talk about him for a minute because he is the stereotype of the anecdotal evidence that we have to fight through in explaining why our labels work. (And don't get me even started with climate deniers.)

First off the evidence is in. The real evidence. As undoubtedly compelling as this guy's lived experience is, his own personal interaction with a warning label does not trump a decade of scientific evidence that disagrees with him. .

Second, it must be very difficult for this guy to ignore the warnings completely as Canada’s new regulations require that the warning labels cover 75% of the front and 75% of the back panels of the cigarette carton.  He must have veeeeery selective vision.

Third, to paraphrase the findings from a 2011 report prepared for the Australian Department of Health and Aging, this guy may be an idiot. To put it more politely, he is understating or failing to recognize the impact of the labels. The report notes that:

1)      While smokers claim not to notice or think about the warnings, they do admit to doing certain things that show that the warnings work (eg hiding or covering up the box).

2)      Almost all of the study participants (smokers) could easily identify a specific health consequence from the current suite of warnings.

3)      Even if smokers dismiss the warnings as being unlikely to happen to them, they are still conscious of the warnings, which have an emotional impact.

4)      The health warnings prompt family and friends to ask the smoker to quit.

There you have it: despite what Mr. Too Cool 4 Labels says, the health warnings change smoker's behaviour, increase their knowledge of health consequences, and affect them on an emotional level.  Plus, the warning prompt others to encourage them to quit.

Can our labels do the same? I don’t see why not. Just imagine what the conversation will be like in the car ride home from the gas station if a child sees a cute polar bear on the pump.

There is much more to write on anecdotal evidence, and why it is important (though a frustrating exercise) not to let people get away with relying on it in the face of overwhelming evidence….. but maybe I’ll save that discussion for now.

Cheerio!

[ourhorizonorg]

Do Cigarette Warning Labels Work?  Part 1

Here it is, the long awaited and frequently alluded to blog about cigarette labels.  I thank you all for you patience and I hope that you didn't struggle to keep yourself busy as you waited.  Here's to hoping it lives up to expectation!

It’s no secret that our labels were inspired by the graphic health warning labels that are found on tobacco products.  They look the same, and heck, we think they are going to have the same impact as well.  The similarity will actually help their effectiveness because Canadians are quite familiar with this type of label, with respect to both the concept and design.  In fact, Canada was the first country to implement graphic health warning labels in 2001 and now 77 countries around the world use them.  In our presentations to councils, we note this link to cigarettes labels. 

And it in trying to determine whether the gas labels will be effective, it is common that councillors will ask: “Do the cigarette labels work?”

The answer is yes.

The evidence that we cite in the Our Horizon legal report comes from a 2009 meta-study requested by the European Commission, Directorate General of Health and Consumer and conducted by Sambrook International.  This study evaluated and assessed 229 studies on health and tobacco labelling and interviewed 111 people who had relevant knowledge of the effectiveness of textual and pictorial warnings on tobacco packages and/or the health effects of tobacco.

The study concludes that:

“[there] is strong conclusive evidence that [tobacco health warnings] have a strong impact in educating consumers about the health risks of tobacco use and stimulating discussion with family members and friends.  They also have a positive impact in changing smoker’s attitudes [towards tobacco use] and behaviour (in particular not smoking around others, smoking less and trying to quit)”. 

Education, stimulating discussion, changing attitudes and behaviours - that’s exactly what we should expect that gas pump labels will do.  The study is clear to note that the labels “are also a critical element of an effective tobacco control policy.”  That is, they are part of a wider policy.  And an important part, at that.  So too should our labels be part of a broader government strategy to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and transition to alternative transportation options – even if not all of the parts of this strategy are in place at the moment.  It seems that only local governments are actively developing this type of strategy in Canada, which is part of the reason why we’re targeting this level of government to champion our initiative.  Foremost among them are the regional districts and their constituent municipalities of Metro Vancouver and the Capital Regional District on Vancouver Island. 

Other reasons why cigarette labels work? Frequency and volume of exposure.  The 2014 publication by the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) entitled “Cigarette Package Health Warnings: International Status Report” notes that:

“Warnings are always working — 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. A pack a day smoker would take his or her pack out 20 times per day, 7300 times per year. Warnings are also seen by those around the consumers, such as family, friends and co-workers.”

Just how many people visit gas stations each day and how many times will they return over the course of a week, a month or a year? 

Further proof of effectiveness is the opposition to the labels by the tobacco industry, as noted by the CCS's International Status Report:

The tobacco industry opposes larger, picture warnings as a way to protect sales volumes — if such warnings would not work, then why is the industry so often opposed? An abundance of research studies as well as country experience provide overwhelming evidence about the beneficial impact of larger, picture warnings.

From personal experience, I can tell you that Big Tobacco didn’t (and still doesn’t) take the health warning labels sitting down. Like many Canadian law students, I worked my way through RJR McDonald Inc v Canada in my first year constitutional law class. This Supreme Court of Canada (SCC) case considered whether the federal government of Canada could enact the Tobacco Products Control Act and whether the requirement for health warnings on tobacco packages. The TPCA was found to be legit, but the labels had to go because they were unattributed.  That is, the government hadn’t put their name on the warnings so it would look like the tobacco companies had put them on themselves.  The government responded by slapping “Health Canada” at the bottom of the warnings and BOOM, warning labels were a thing.

Years later, Canada introduced new legislation, the Tobacco Product Information Regulations (TPIR) that sought, amongst other things, to increase the minimum size of graphic warning labels from 33% of the package surface to 50%.  Big Tobacco responded with another lawsuit, Canada (AG) v JTI-MacDonald, which also went the distance to the SCC.  There, the court found that the labels do infringe freedom of expression under s.2(b) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, BUT (and this is a big “but”) that this infringement was permitted under the Charter for a number of reasons:

1)      There is a clear connection between the requirement of these warnings and the government’s objective of reducing the incidence of smoking and related death and disease. The court cited its earlier case (RJR McDonald), noting that both parties (Canada and Big Tobacco) agreed that the health warning labels are effective in increasing public awareness and reducing incidence of smoking in society.  The court also noted that a “mass of evidence in the intervening years supports this conclusion.”

2)      The increase in the label size was a reasonable requirement given other countries having similar requirements and consistency with the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control guidelines.

3)      The benefits flowing from the larger warning labels outweigh the detriments to Big Tobacco’s expressive interest in creative packaging. 

For law folks tut-tutting over my lack of formal case citations, here you go: Canada (Attorney General) v. JTI-Macdonald Corp., [2007] 2 S.C.R. 610, at para 133- 140. Also, I haven’t done a thorough analysis, but I think we could draw upon these reasons in defending gas pump warning labels

It’s also important to note that challenges to tobacco legislation seems always to fail. I’ll admit I haven’t completed a win/loss assessment of tobacco court battles, but I haven’t heard of a tobacco company winning in their challenge to health warning labels or other health measures.  I gather that their only successes come from the threat of litigation, in which they threaten to sue and otherwise attempt to bully (or coerce) national governments not to implement the warning labels. If you’d like a little light, but informative, entertainment related to tobacco and associated litigation, John Oliver did quite a good piece on tobacco (despite all his loud interjections into his own monologues).

So it looks like warning labels work.  Science knows it, the government knows it, the court know it. Heck, even big tobacco knows it. But what about that friend of yours? He smokes all the time and says that the labels don’t bother him. He says that he doesn’t even look at them. What's up with that?  Find out more in Part II – coming up soon!

PS. Another good resource for information about tobacco labels is http://www.tobaccolabels.org/.

[ourhorizonorg]

The pen is mightier than the sword...be wary.

The Media. Journo's. Paparazzi. Love them or hate them, depending on what slant they take on your story. A bad one can be such a pain, especially given that the news has such an influence on people. I mean, who fact-checks a story that you read/hear/see on the news? Who has the time?  I have had two experiences with the media since I have started this gig. The first didn't go so hot. The second, much better, but still not perfect. Let me tell you about it.  

Story 1: An Obtuse Angle.

After I presented to the Richmond council a few weeks ago, I sat and waited until the meeting was over so I could chat with some of the councillors who had stood out as possible champions and drivers within the council. As I was packing up, a reporter popped up out of nowhere and asked for my name and telephone number. And then he dashed off....didn't ask me any other, more substantial, questions. After chatting with councillors, I left and walked past this reporter, at this point interviewing the mayor. I didn't interrupt but thought that perhaps I should stick around and see if the reporter wanted to chat. Regrettably, I didn't. It probably wouldn't have made much difference anyway.  A day later, Rob informed me that an article had come out in the Richmond Review (apparently the Google machine informs Rob of things like this....some kind of sorcery, that I don't understand.) 

I was crushed when I read the title - "Pitch for gas pump labels sputters at city hall" and the article itself, as short as it was, didn't leave me feeling any better.  Curious? You can find it here. You may recall from a previous blog, that I was quite encouraged by the presentation in Richmond. I felt that I answered all of the questions well, particularly those about full-service pumps and the wisdom of targeting gas stations not car dealerships. The problem is that the article didn't capture any of that conversation and the snippets from the meeting that the reporter included made 1) me look ignorant of a relatively critical piece of information, 2) the mayor and one of my biggest supporters (Councillor Steves) look opposed to the idea, and 3) our approach look ineffective and inflexible. The reporter had his angle coming into it. Perhaps it easier and more interesting to tear down than build up. I don't know. However, it was then that I realized how much media can twist an issue. We all know it happens, but you never realize how much until you have the luxury of comparing what was actually said with what was then printed and read.

I was incensed and wrote a scathing reply to the reporter. Absolutely lambasted him and cautioned him to remember the important role of the media in reporting fairly. Fortunately, I didn't send it. I had Rob review it and then I drafted another one. This time more constructive. A little more, "Hey - let me respond to the issues you raised", instead of "Hey, jerkface!". The reporter responded by encouraging me to write to the editor. Perhaps a fool's errand (given that it hasn't been printed) but I obliged. You can read my reply in the "Questions of the Day".

I'm not sure what the learning experience is here, except to know that this can and will happen. Just be careful when you read the news again, I'm not sure what the journalistic standards at the Richmond Review are, but this type of spin can happen anywhere. Is it possible to step back, read between the lines, and not get sucked into whatever is being pushed at you?  It's tough. But try. You might be looking at an incomplete story with a frustrated guy like me on the other end.

Story 2: The Catch-Phrase.

Rob posted this article on Facebook recently, so you might have caught it. It's a pretty good one from the Surrey Leader and can be found here I did a phone interview with the author and it looks like he chased down a number of people in this game, including Councillor Steves from Richmond who (magically) seems now quite supportive to the idea. The article is balanced and fair, quoting people who are gung-ho and others who are more reserved, but overall quite positive. I especially like the last line:

"It's a way of turning up the heat, no doubt about it," Meredith said. "Does it get the hard core guy driving the Escalade or the Hummer? Probably not. Does it get a whole bunch of the younger crowd or the people who are on the margin? You bet your boots it does."

"You bet your boots it does."  Thanks Mr. Meredith, I like that. 

However, I don't like the first few lines, which include the words "guilt" and "shame".  These are not words that I want to headline our campaign. I want: "information", "awareness",  "dissatisfaction", "frustration", and :"concern". These are words that inspire change! The G and the S word are too negative, too loaded with a sense of personal failure, and too easily ignore the fact that we need to change a system in order to change our own behaviours. The lesson here is that I must be more aware to avoid those nasty words the next time and ensure that my message continues to be positive and inspiring.  Sound bites matter.  

That's all for now. I'm going to release a multi-part series on the connection between smoking and climate change. Prepare yourself accordingly.

[ourhorizonorg]

North Van - you little beauty!

What a week! And it’s only half over!! I’ll spit it out right now and save the suspense. On Monday evening, the 16th day of the 6th month of 2015th year of our Lord, the City of North Vancouver has passed a resolution to implement climate change and air pollution warning labels in their municipality.  Unanimously, I might add.  They’re not supporting. They’re doing. For realz.  Canadian first.  Historic. Groundbreaking. Climate leadership. Other superlatives.

And it wasn’t even me who earned this victory.  You would think it should be, as it’s kinda my job to do so.  But no.  It was Emily Kelsall, going one better than the last time she stood before a municipal council.  Emily is the high school student from West Vancouver who secured the West Van resolution that passed in January and kick-started this whole campaign here in BC.  Back in 2014, Emily heard Rob Shirkey (Our Horizon’s founder) on the radio one morning talking about the labels.  She liked the idea and took it straight to the West Van council.  Bright and full of spunk, Emily convinced that council to pass a resolution that asked for the labels to be implemented across BC and Canada.  This is the resolution that will go before the Union of BC Municipalities in September, and the resolution that I’m trying to secure support for this summer.  Fast forward to Monday, when Emily went one better at the City of North Vancouver.  What a champion! I wasn’t able to make the meeting but I watched it later – Emily delivered a stellar presentation which the council immediately got behind to….well, make history.

So that happened.  I’ll keep you posted as we roll this out. I have already been in touch with North Van staff to see how we can implement the labels.

What else happened?  On Saturday afternoon I manned a table at Greenpeace’s Toast the Coast event at Jericho Beach.  The event was to celebrate an oil-free coast and commit to keeping it that way – free of pipelines, tankers and inevitable spills.  I had arranged to set up a table there alongside a number of other environmental organizations to present our labels to event-goers.  The overall event seemed to be a roaring success…..I can’t say too much about it because I was chatting gas labels all evening with interested Vancouverites.  But the music was bumping and the speakers (which included Jane Fonda though I completely missed her) seemed to be well-received by the hundreds of people who stopped by.  Plus it was a beautiful day to hold the event – Vancouver is a beautiful city.   Special thanks to Anur, Mae and their friend Rachel for helping me to secure a table.  And shout out to Shivani (an ex-Horizon intern) for stopping by to (wo)man the table and also to Emily eco-star Kelsall for (wo)manning the table too.

And what else?  I presented to Coquitlam council on Monday.  Compared with Emily’s efforts, I received a much more muted response.  I hope I’m wrong, but I’m not sure we’ll see much action from Coquitlam and it was particularly frustrating in that I had to drive almost an hour each way for a 5 minute delegation - though I did squeeze an extra 5 out of them.  But I guess I shouldn’t expect a rapturous welcome wherever I go!

However, the Climate Action Committee at the regional district of Metro Vancouver gave me something close to that today.  I spent all day yesterday preparing for my 5 min delegation (trying to channel my inner Emily!) as I knew this committee would have most of the region’s eco-heavy hitters.  The chair was none other than Derek Corrigan, the Burnaby mayor and voracious opponent of the Kinder Morgan pipeline.  My delegation was well delivered and was followed by about 45 minutes of question and answer.  (Watch out for some of those Q’s on Question of the Day!)  That’s a much better return on my 5 minutes! While Metro Vancouver doesn’t have the legal jurisdiction to implement the labels itself, a motion to refer the issue to staff to see how the region could support the idea was passed unanimously and I’m quite optimistic to see how it turns out. Plus, a number of the committee members seemed quite eager to take the idea back to their municipalities.  Who will step up next?  As we say when chasing wickets in cricket, where there’s one, there’s two!

Anyway, time for bed now so I must sign off.  I’m staying at the haus of Anders Klaus, a good friend of mine from my days at Queen’s.  We spent part of evening debating which version of Leonard Cohen’s Halleluiah is the best. I spent the rest trying to make him listen to Leonard Cohen. Tomorrow I shall continue to try make gas label magic here in Vancouver.

[ourhorizonorg]

Transit troubles; not a trifling topic!

Despite all the nice things that I said about the Skytrain in my last post, I wasn't able to make it to the City of Burnaby Environmental Advisory Committee meeting on Tuesday evening. The Expo line from Vancouver city centre to Burnaby was down and out so I had to catch a bus. Unfortunately, so did all of the other hundreds of people who were trying to get home from work at that time. So, I dutifully lined up at a bus stop to watch bus after bus pass me by with signs that read "Sorry, bus full". I even walked a few stops up the busline to see if I could catch the bus before it filled up. Nada. (The city is too big for that trick). Then I tried a different bus. Same deal. I even tried to split a cab with another dude in line, but the cab phone line were busy. (I did share the gas labels initiative with him...he was into it). Then I tried a different subway line across town. However, the ticket machine didn't accept my debit, credit or cash. It just wasn't meant to be. By this point, I was already 30mins late for the meeting. Sorry Burndog. (Don't worry, this isn't the last that Burnaby will hear from us; some Our Horizon volunteers from Simon Fraser University will be presenting to them at their next council meeting.)

In the back of my mind, I was thinking....if only I had my car. First, it was parked in Kitsilano, too far to get in time. Second, traffic would have been mad, so I would likely not have got there in time anyway. But third, it's a veritable wonder of technological prowess and logistical coordination, so it shouldn't be surprising that its not perfect all the time. Perhaps we should expect these types of delays and frustrations. 

Unless, of course, we make investments into the transit system - just as the residents of Metro Vancouver were asked a few weeks ago in a transit referendum. The votes are still being counted but the debate was highly charged. The Yes side claimed the tax is necessary to fund critical transit developments as the region grows. The No side claimed the money is already there, but is wasted by inefficiencies, executive bonuses, and other wastefulness by the Translink corporation. However, both sides agreed that road and transit congestion is bad and more and better transit is necessary to service a growing region.

What do I think? Like climate change, improving transit requires action from all angles - reducing wastefulness and improving efficiency is critical, but so is money to pay for improvements and better service. How would I have voted? Probably yes. How many Vancouverites burn through 35 cents (or more) of gasoline while stuck idling in traffic every day? (That's the daily increase in tax for the average household that the referendum is asking for) and increases in funding don't prevent improvements elsewhere in the Translink organization and system delivery.

However, let's take our heads out of our wallets and think about the other reasons we need to improve transit. Sea level rise, species extinction, forest fires, pine beetle expansion, drought (as the entire west coast of North America is experiencing right now...not just California). Perhaps if we were more regularly reminded of the big picture and experienced a greater moral and social imperative to flight climate change, we might not fret over an extra 35 cents or might have acted more swiftly to stem excesses and wastefulness when we see it. I think you see where this is going. Gas labels!! Governments only act when their constituents demand them to. Our labels will engage citizens in a way that tax hikes cannot. Regardless of the how the referendum turns out, can our labels be an important piece in the conversation to improve transit in the Lower Mainland (and elsewhere around the world)? I think you know the answer to that.

Be easy.

Ps. Quick note about me: I'm well. Currently staying in Kitsilano with my buddy Josh Potvin - an absolute gem of a man. I went to the women's World Cup game last night and had a blast, inspiring a number of 12 year olds to join me in chanting "Come on you Camerooniaaaaaans". And I'm going to a Greenpeace event tonight on Jericho Beach. It's called "Toast the Coast" and encourages us to celebrate our oil free coast. With pipeline developments in the works, just how long it remains that way will be up us!

[ourhorizonorg]

TOL & Richmond

After the hay wagon dropped me off in Vancouver, I stayed the night with a buddy in Kitsilano.  The next day (Thursday), I headed up to Langley (the horse capital of Canada) for a presentation before the Township of Langley Community Participation, Infrastructure and Environment Advisory Committee.  (We’ll refer to that mouthful as the TOL-CPIE.)

I dashed into the meeting room about 10 minutes late.  Classic Matt Hulse. A combination of 1) a lack of a smartphone, 2) an inadequate regional map, 3) inaccurate google maps and 4) a clueless gas bar attendant, led me to the City of Langley town hall, which is a neighbouring municipality and not where I wanted to go to.  However, the TOL-CPIE Committee was quite gracious and actually allowed me to speak for about 30mins, following which they asked some quite insightful questions.  I asked the Committee to make a recommendation to council either to implement the labels and/or support the West Vancouver resolution.  I cannot speak for the Committee, but the signs were encouraging that they will take one or both of those actions.  The Committee members were quite concerned with climate change and recognize that municipalities do have considerable jurisdiction to take positive action.  I didn’t know what to expect from Langley and the Committee members seemed quite stoney-faced when I walked in.  But my presentation seemed to be very well received and by the end I felt compelled to bare all and tell them that: “I like you guys”.  On June 29th, I’ll return to Langley to present to the Council and hopefully seal the deal.  Needless to say I’ll keep you posted.  Let’s go TOL!  (Also, big thanks to Mr and Mrs Gale, parents of my good friend Sarah, for letting me stay at their lovely house in Langley.  Very nice people.)

Yesterday, I presented to the City of Richmond council.  That beautiful, sleek, nicely painted, well-frequented, and climate-friendly machine they call "The Skytrain" took me from doorstep to doorstep in no time flat.  And this time, I arrived on time.  I knew that the Richmond council was my type of council almost immediately when they started discussing the impact of the Californian drought and a resolution calling for a 2 year moratorium on the Site C dam.  For those not in BC, Site C is an $8 billion hydro-electric dam on the Peace River in north-eastern BC which makes zero sense for a host of reasons.  Allow me to list them: flooding approximately 32,000 acres of primo farmland and erasing the huge food growing and carbon capture potential of that land, flooding traditional and culturally significant First Nations territory without proper consultation or accommodation, creating huge quantities of methane gas (as these dams always do), further condemning the survival of the Wood Buffalo National Park – a UNESCO World Heritage Site, generally costing too much, and diverting investment into smaller & smarted energy projects.  Hydro power has been a boon to BC and much of Canada, but let’s not kid ourselves that it’s green, or blind ourselves to the other alternatives. 

So, I knew I didn’t have to convince these guys of climate change.  This time I only had 5 minutes, but I think it might have been enough.  Great questions were asked and the only curveball was that Richmond doesn’t actually have any self-serve gas pumps anymore!  It’s all full-service.  Wild.  So, either we really educate those Richmond gas attendants, or we find a different location for the labels.  I think we can work around that, there might be some regulations we have to consider for information on the pump  but a label at head-height next to the dollar and litre counters might just do the trick. (Plus it would counter concerns raised by the Canadian Convenience Store Association about the cost of the rubber mounts on gas pumps for the labels.) Again, no resolution was made at this particular meeting, but I’m encouraged by the Richmond council and will be sure to keep in touch.  

There was one particularly great question that was asked by the Mayor of Richmond during my presentation.  To see that question, and my answer, I’ll direct you to the Question of the Day tab on the left of the screen.  I anticipate that I’ll get some good ones as I go, so this will be an ongoing feature.

Finally, if you are a UVic Law student enticed to this blog by my recent post on facebook then here are the answers to the questions I posted:

1)  Sleeping on Sean Tevlin’s couch is great and I’m grateful for his hospitality.  The cushions are clean and well stuffed, though I have actually moved them to the floor and sleep there. It’s better for the back.  He has a great place in Yaletown and I’m slowly adjusting to life in the big city. For those interested to know what it’s like, it was fairly aptly described by Brett and Jermain (Flight of the Conchords) in their smash hit Inner City Pressure.

2)  I had to buy a car for this job.  Given the objective of Our Horizon, this is possibly the most contrarian thing I could possibly think of doing, besides opening a small fracking and Arctic oil drilling business.  I didn’t realize how difficult driving would be for me to do until I found myself crawling through Vancouver traffic.  More on that later….much more. Just you wait.

3)  Raisins and peanut butter.  I am carrying a large cooler around with me with food that I need.  This is so I don’t immediately take over the fridge/shelves of which ever kind Samaritan I am lodging with.  In this cooler is a collection of fruit, dried legumes, rice, quinoa, and a piece of ginger.  The staples.  However, a large bag of raisins and some tubs of Adam’s peanut butter have been the real saving grace.  Unfortunately, the bag of raisins is not a deep as I thought and I am now cursing Bulk Barn’s poor corporate strategy in not opening shop in Vancouver.

That’s all for now!  Be easy!

FYI: Richmond is the largest producer of cranberries in North America. Or so they say.

[ourhorizonorg]

So it begins....

BOOM! It has started! The Roadtrip to Change all Roadtrips has begun!  On Tuesday June 9, 2015 at the break of dawn I sold the last of my possessions, burnt my clothes, bought a poncho and cut my hair into an eco-chic man-bun. I thumbed a ride on a hay wagon to Vancouver and I have now officially begun my province-wide campaign to convince BC municipalities to implement climate change and air pollution warning labels on gas nozzles.

Well, I did at least one of those things. I definitely started the campaign. However, I actually packed my possessions into a Mazda 3 and caught the last ferry to Vancouver (having missed the earlier one). No ponchos were involved and no hair-sculpting has occurred...yet.

I am currently in Vancouver and this eco-mission is officially underway.  This is the first leg of the trip: the Lower Mainland.  I will spend the next month and a half here visiting the surrounding municipalities and regional districts. From here I will travel east into the Okanagan and as far as Nelson.  Then, I'll head north into the hinterlands of BC, right up to Prince Rupert. I'll backtrack down to Bella Coola and board a vessel to Port Hardy on the north reaches of Vancouver Island. Then, I'll meander down that fair island back to Victoria, arriving home in mid-September.

I will be staying with friends, friends and family of friends, strangers (aka: friends I haven't met yet) and where possible/necessary, the great outdoors.  (I will post my route soon so let me know of available lodging along the way!)

The objective: visit municipal councils and regional district boards and ask them to do at least one of two things:

1) Implement climate change and air pollution warning labels on gas pumps within their jurisdiction.

2) Support a resolution that was passed by the District of West Vancouver which promotes the idea of legislating the labels - by municipal, provincial or federal fiat. This resolution will go to a vote at the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM) convention in September and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) in June 2016. While non-binding, the endorsement of this resolution by the UBCM and FCM would be a serious signal of intent to Canadian law-makers that these labels have a role in the transition towards a health climate and clean air.

In November of this year, the UN Framework for the Convention on Climate Change will hold the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP 21) in Paris. We're hoping to send Rob Shirkey, our Executive Director, over to Paris to show the world that Canada has returned to a leadership position (read: we're not leaders right now!) in the fight against climate change. We hope he can point to Canada and say: "We're taking action on climate change. These labels are a catalyst for this action. Take these labels back to your own country and let's make this global!"

I think that about sums up all I shall write for now. I had an encouraging visit to the Township of Langley on Thursday and will write about that soon. I'll also be adding some interesting and interactive features to this blog so keep a weather eye out!  Also, note that I recently took over this blog from Shivani, a previous Our Horizon Outreach Coordinator, so earlier blogs are hers. The blog will be evolving in time!

I look forward to sharing my adventures with you all and please hit me up with questions or comments!

Cheers!

Matt

[ourhorizonorg]

10 ways to effectively recycle

Keep a battery bin: not only can parts of batteries be used again, but batteries themselves are very hazardous. You DONT want toxic chemicals leaking out of their onto your hands, or the hands of the person who has to dispose of your trash. Do everyone a favour, and keep a battery bin in your house where you keep all of your old batters. Then, once a month or however frequently is required, drop of all of your used batteries at the local depot.

Lotion bottles - lotion bottles and shampoo bottles can be recycled in some regions, including Markham. Make sure to check out your municipal governments website to check if you are throwing out objects that could have a new home.

Keep a recycling bin in your office or dorm room. I know you may want so save space, and so you only put a garbage bin in their, but most of the time you are going to dispose of substances in the closest bin possible. Keep a recycling bin. In your office so that you can sort your waste immediately, and make life easier for yourself.

Keep all of your bins together. Similar to the one above, keep your recycling bin, garbage bin, and compost bin right next to each other to make sorting not only easy, but the most convenient option.

Have bigger recycling bins around your house than garbage bins. 

Keep a recycle "bag" in your car so that you can effectively sort trash on the go.

Print a list of what goes into what bin and post it above your bin.

Don't pour water down the drain - plants

Be strategic about where you put your trash receptacles. Blue bin by the printer, green bin in the kitchen, the easier you make it for yourself and others, the more likely you are to follow through.

Share this list and this petition to get climate change information labels onto gas pumps, to give new life to it! 

[ourhorizonorg]

There is no time like the present to be an activist. And teens, this includes us too.

When I was younger, I cared about climate change much more than any of my other classmates. While they quickly disposed of their garbage from lunch, I would sit there and sort through mine, trying to figure out which was recyclable instead of just throwing everything in the trash can. I joined environment clubs when I was in high school, but other than recycling and informing myself and others about the crisis, my love of the environment seemed to stop there. Perhaps it's because I was told by adults that I couldn't do anything about it. Personally, I think it's because I watched so many documentaries and movies on climate change, and all I saw were adults: adults doing things in labs, after getting multiple university degrees. I remember telling myself at the age of eight that I was going to be one of those people in a lab when i grew up. My plan to save the world was to do it after I became a research scientist. Ten years later, I've stuck to that plan. But now I see that I didn't have to. In fact, it would have been better had I not. This summer, I am working for Our Horizon, a non-profit that is trying to get climate change information labels onto gas pumps, to make the long term consequences of our action of filling up gas more visible. Last year, a 16 year old from West Vancouver brought this to her council, and they are pursuing the idea. Many of the councillors said that Emily was an inspiration, and she is. My question is, why can't we all be like Emily? It doesn't have to be about climate change. I know a lot of teens that are passionate about everything, from feminism, to lgbtq rights, even solving world hunger, yet very few act on their beliefs. Maybe it's because adults always tell us that it's never going to work. Maybe it's because we're afraid of failing. Or maybe it's because we don't want to look uncool in front of our friends. In my life, I've faced all three, but that didn't stop me. When people tell me my generation is lazy, I scoff at them in disbelief. Through social media, our generation has informed millions about what is right about our world, and what is wrong with it. I have seen teens start to question things that the majority of society disregards as normal. We have the network, the belief system and the conscience, but too many of us are bystanders. It can be something as simple as starting a petition and sharing it with your twitter and tumblr followers, or something as complicated as starting a fundraiser. I challenge you to act, and see where it gets you. Volunteer at an animals shelter. When school starts, talk to your principal and see what ways you can improve student life. Bring in a guest speaker. Educate your friends on your issue. I guarantee you that you will gain some of your strongest supporters right in your group of friends. Don't ever believe that just because you are a teen, no one will listen to you. If you are well informed, passionate, and well versed, more people will pay attention to you because you are so young. The time of adults thinking that we are "Just kids" who "don't know anything" is over. It's time we show them what we are capable of.