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Seven sectors of Ontario's economy are challenged to find ways
to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases - or mitigate the effects
of climate change. Three major types of activities that apply
to all sectors are outlined below.
7.2.2.2 Sectors in Ontario: a to g
Mitigation - ways to reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases - represents
a new direction for our future as a sustainable and healthy community.
The sectors discussed here are key to reducing the impacts of
climate change. Government policies and action on emission reduction
or mitigation in all ministries are especially important now.
The province faces the double challenge of climate change and
a growing population. The present premier and his government
has committed itself to a vision of Conservation Culture - which
includes encouraging us to reduce our consumption of fossil fuel.
Source: H. Hengeveld et al., (2002) Science and Impacts of
Climate Change CD -Presentation Graphics MSC Environment
Canada/ ESS Natural Resources Canada, December
Three activities are described below for use in any or all
of 7.2.2.2 a to g
Read all 3 and discuss your choice of activity and your sector
topic with your supervisor to avoid duplicate assignments from
these or new personal choices.
How will changes in these sectors affect the amount of carbon
dioxide released annually?
- buildings/construction
- transportation
- industry
- agriculture
- waste management
- energy supply
- forestry
Activity ONE - Class
teams approach with individual options.
- Check out the Ontario Sectors shown as ministries in the
government of Ontario. www.gov.on.ca
- Form class teams. Each team member chooses one sector or
ministry as their main focus - E.g. Agriculture@gov.on.ca
- Each team member then copies the
mandate for their ministry and thern searches the rest of
the ministry or sector web site
for news releases, policy announcements, agencies which mention
the environment - or mitigation efforts
e.g.1 A act, bill, permit, regulation etc. to reduce fossil
fuel consumption or to establish new government positions or
programs which support this idea.
e.g.2 A press release about new permits to build windmills,
or rebates on the purchase hybrid cars or insist on a % of
methanol in the gasoline sold within the last year.
- Each team member signs up to collect reports, articles, ads
as mentioned in the #3 for a scrap book of their findings and
present a report over the next month for a their sector.
- The team captains and teacher organize a class presentation
day. Each team will report to the rest of the class on the
progress that is being made in each sector in Ontario on the
topic of mitigation or emission reduction strategies.
NOTE: there may be other ministries that your team members wish
to follow that could be added to this list.
P. S. Also check out the Environment
Bill of Rights - www.eco.on.ca
Activity TWO - Individual Research
and reporting
- Choose one of the following ideas for one of the sectors.
- Research it to answer the following questions.
a) is the idea in practice already, in the research stage
or concept stage?
b) what positive benefits and what negative consequences could/
have come from implementing this idea?
c) what steps would be needed to make it good government policy
and support introduction of the idea in Ontario?
Choices: The sectors are listed below with several ideas in
each for choosing a topic.
Discuss any idea to reduce dependence
on the burning fossil fuels with your supervisor to avoid duplication
in class - whether
on this list or not!
a -Infrastructure design:
Green Roof construction, incineration of waste to provide institutional
heating, revised building codes for greater extreme weather protection
and safety. Aquifer and well water ownership and priorties Eg.
How are urban users, at some distance to the Great Lakes, able
to receive water from the Great Lakes? How is payment adjusted
to allow this? Water meter installation in all communities to
reducing water usage. Energy is also saved in pumping and treating
water and sewage as well as reducing water use.
"Smart " electrical meter
installation re rates for off peak usage to encourage using
less energy especially at peak
times and less energy over all.
b-Transportation :
New technology engines, no idling laws,
/bus car pool lanes priority in traffic lanes / private vehicles
must yield to buses - light
rapid transit to airports-
alternate fuel and smaller vehicles for local delivery and in
city driving
Improved rail track to allow more and faster service eg Windsor
Montreal corridor
Interchangeability of rail, ship and truck cargo containers
Conversions of small engines to less polluting and more efficient
use energy.
Eg leaf blowers, lawn mowers, motor bikes, recreational land
and water vehicles
c - Industry:
Increased efficiency insulation and air movement in factories,
apartments, residences, commercial buildings to reduce energy
use. Rethink to Reduce energy use in the factory itself eg Loblaws
using heat released from refrigeration units for heating stores,
eg.
Smarter technology to increase efficiency and reduce use of
fossil fuels at factories
eg. co-generation at Canada Starch Company, Cardinal, Ontario.
Rethink and redesign where needed -from
purchasing raw materials to accounting and production, to the
design, use and delivery
of the product or service. E.g, Defasco- recycling metals, Hamilton
Ontario, Interface Flooring- leased carpet squares.Belleville
Ontario.
See references: natural step, energy audits, waste audits, recycling
grey water, R3000,
d - Agriculture -green cover plan, nutrient management plans,
crops for new CHU's
Use of GPS to fertilize fields "on demand",
reducing both manufacture and application
Machinery with alternate fuels eg recycled oils or biogas and
greater efficiency
Incentives for crop vs. forest cover
incentives - riparian shade,
sloughs, burms,
e - Waste management - organics separated
for composting, incineration with proper scrubbers etc to process
toxic and regular waste
with generation of heat eg. steam to heat institutions or generate
electricity
packaging reduction, bag limits, manufacturers redesign for
disassembly e.g. computers.
Reclaiming wastes for recycling or new uses, eg. grey water
ecology
Separate sewage/runoff lines for more efficient treatment and
avoidance of storm water/sewage mixing.
f - Energy Supply
Encouragement of efficient appliances , smart meters with time/rate
discounts, off grid return sales for solar, wind, heat pumps,
bonuses for reductions in levels of use.
Increased parking urban costs, green belt planning includes
local food growers,
Parking lots nodal design connected for transfer to local transit
GTA continuous loop tickets
Cooperative, joint venture windmill, waterpower or solar power
installations
Planned replacements for ice roads for far north deliveries.?
New Dirigibles design?
Activity THREE - Individual
Human efforts to reduce the sources and enhance the sinks of
greenhouse gases
i.e. reduce energy use and emissions- manage for a conservation
culture may include:
Changes in Individual behaviour with respect to:
Reducing nutrients and runoff eg from fertilizing lawns, washing
cars, crops or farm
Participation in planting, mulch and measure programs: private,
public - forest, field,
Purchasing energy efficient light bulbs or appliances with lower
energy requirements
Joining a cooperative car share program with purchasing discounts
and reasonable insurance.
Buying locally-food, manufactured products
or service to reduce transportation costs as well as provide
local jobs and reduce
commuting.
Greening of cooperative buildings, apartment buildings, townhouses,
detached home
Installation of non-fossil fuel sources electrical energy -
wind, solar, heat pump
Reducing domestic electrical energy usage
Reducing domestic water usage
Carrying out regular engine tune ups and tire checks for reduced
fuel consumption
Purchase of hybrid and/or hydrogen vehicles or micro vehicle.
Choose design with reduce phantom power -standby modes/energy
savers /cutouts
See the One-Tonne Challenge too!
- Choose one of the above or one of your choice that is a emission
reduction strategy. Discuss this with your family for more
ideas.
- Research what, where and how - even
if - your choice is being done already.
- Before you begin, design the steps to be taken to show the
expected change in individual behaviour and steps needed to
carry out and to evaluate your task.
- Set up your activities log for later analysis for savings.
- Implement your plan for at least one month.
- Your log should allow you to calculate how much the greenhouse
gas production was reduced as a result of your activities.
Add this to your one-tonne challenge total.
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