Kate Mizenka takes us on a tour of a wonderful farm conservation project, Elk Root Conservation Farm.
https://elkrootconservation.org/. Solita Work from the West Kootenay Cycling Coalition tells us about real progress on a possible separate bike route all the way between Nelson and Castlegar. Follow the Coalition on Facebook: West Kootenay Cycling Community.
Download or listen to July 19th 2022 show here:
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ENVIRONMENT NEWS
Wildfires and heatwaves that are wreaking havoc across swathes of the globe show humanity facing “collective suicide”, the UN secretary general has warned. Governments around the world are scrambling to protect people from the impacts of extreme heat.
António Guterres told ministers from 40 countries meeting to discuss the climate crisis on Monday: “Half of humanity is in the danger zone, from floods, droughts, extreme storms and wildfires. No nation is immune. Yet we continue to feed our fossil fuel addiction.”
He added: “We have a choice. Collective action or collective suicide. It is in our hands.”
Wildfires raged at the weekend across Europe and north America. In south America, the Macchu Picchu archaeological site was threatened by fire. Extreme heat has broken records around the world in recent months, as heatwaves have struck India and south Asia, droughts have devastated parts of Africa, and unprecedented heatwaves at both poles simultaneously astonished scientists in March.
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The German government is under pressure to extend the heavily subsidised monthly public transport pass it launched in June.
The “€9 ticket” project, which grants everyone living in or visiting Germany unlimited travel across the country on regional transport at a cost of just €9 about $20 a month, is due to expire at the end of August. It has two aims: to lure people out of their cars and help ease the cost of living crisis.
In June alone about 31 million people bought the pass, which can be used on regional trains, buses, trams and underground rail networks. Rail lobbyists and environmentalists have hailed it as a huge success and there is widespread agreement that it has triggered a welcome buzz around public transport
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Every time an e-bike or e-cargo bike is used lieu of a car, society receives a cascade of benefits, says a new report. Greenhouse gas emissions are dramatically lower, even if the car being replaced is electric. A two-wheeler consumes little street space and poses a negligible safety risk to other road users. And even with the motor providing some of the muscle, the cyclist will receive a surprisingly good workout.
A 2018 analysis of e-bike users conducted by Cherry and his collaborators found that just under 10% of e-bike trips replaced car trips. A separate study examining bikeshare in Knoxville, Tennessee, concluded that 11% of e-bikeshare trips replaced car trips — compared to virtually none of the pedal bikeshare trips. The pattern seems to hold in the U.K. as well; an e-bike trial in Brighton reduced participants’ miles driven by 20%.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-03-15/the-electric-vehicles-we-need-now-are-e-bikes
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US climate action is struggling because of one man. Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia informed Democratic leaders Thursday that he will not support any new climate spending or tax increases targeting the wealthy and large corporations, sinking his party’s revived push for renewable energy investments and further undercutting the country’s ability to rein in carbon emissions.
Manchin has close ties to the fossil fuel industry and he played a key role in tanking the Build Back Better package just months earlier, Climate advocates are dismayed at tghe power one person has over a process with implications for billions of people across the planet.
One spokesperson said: ”Biden must declare a climate emergency, and do everything in his executive power to stop the climate crisis immediately.”
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Metro VAncouver mayors released bold plans for more alternative transport last week. These include, A new gondola to Simon Fraser University, doubling the bus service, and hundreds of kilometres of new cycling paths.
Also receiving a green light Thursday was a plan for 450 kilometres of new traffic-separated cycling paths, including bike networks in every Metro Vancouver Urban Centre, and 200 more bike lockers, according to a Metro Vancouver news release.
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In Canada, 8 out of 10 new car sales are highly polluting SUVs and trucks. These gas guzzlers are the auto industry’s “cash cows”, making car companies rich at the expense of a sustainable future. The federal government needs to stand up to the greedy auto industry and follow through with their promise to ban the sale of gasoline cars by 2035, while fining car companies that aren’t shifting their business towards electric vehicles (EVs).
Evnvironmental Defence has a new petition demanding the federal government do more for a clean car standard. Search EnvironfmentalDefence.ca.
https://act.environmentaldefence.ca/page/108610/action/1
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Vancouver City Council votes today July 19th on whether to sue big oil for climate damages. We’ll report new week on the outcome to see if Vancouver is joining the SueBigOil.ca campaign.
Victoria City Council has voted to change the traffic bylaw to make more streets 30km/h. Collisions between vehicles and pedestrians and cyclists correlate with an 85% probability of death at 50km/h, which is the default speed limit for the city’s streets unless otherwise posted. The probability of death drops to 30% at 40km/h and 10% at 30km/h or less.
Saanich council has also brought forward a “Vision Zero” report on ways to prevent traffic-related deaths, and in March its council voted to lower speed limits to 30 km/h on streets without a continuous yellow median.
https://www.capitaldaily.ca/news/lower-residential-speed-limits-victoria
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Climate Action Provincial Assembly BC Local Government Elections
Coming up tomorrow, the West Coast Climate Action Network WECANn is hosting the 2nd Climate Action Provincial Assembly This one is focussing on actions for the BC Local Government Elections that are coming up in October. The online event is Wedenday, Wednesday July 20, 6pm. For a link to join in go to https://westcoastclimateaction.ca/. and click on the Events tab.
Longest running Enviro News show on the Radio! 