LISTEN OR DOWNLOAD FEB. 6 SHOW HERE:
Some top Canadian experts have formed the Affordability Action Council and published a list of action recommendations for the federal government to help Canadians make ends meet AND reduce energy costs and emissions. The EcoCentric talks with Yasmin Abraham from Kambo Energy Group in Vancouver about the report, and about how climate action can be within reach of people who are now struggling just to keep from going deeper in debt.
The federal government announced last week that it is running out of money for the Greener Homes program, years before the end date of 2027. What does that mean for local folks who want to make houses cozier, lower emission and cheaper? Carmen Proctor, Nelson climate and energy manager tells us not to panic, the programs draw on many sources and will continue.
North America has lost 3 billion birds in recent years and Nelson’s Elizabeth Cunningham talks to us about getting Nelson on the map as a Bird Friendly City.
LINKS MENTIONED:
Kambo Energy Group http://kambo.com/
The former EcoSave program now Regional Energy Retrofit Program.
Helping people get support for making their homes cleaner and lower cost.
https://www.nelson.ca/222/Energy-Retrofit-Program
Nature Canada’s Bird Friendly City program
https://naturecanada.ca/defend-nature/how-you-help-us-take-action/bfc/
UPCOMING EVENTS
Wednesdays February 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th. 1-3:30 pm.
Mountain Station Rail Trail Nelson
In partnership with Interior Health, Elemental Journeys is hosting nearby-nature walks at Mountain Station, every Wednesday in February up at the Mountain Station “Rail Trail”. Join us for this Mental Health Awareness month where we’ll find opportunities to wander, sit still, reflect, and share the wisdom of the forest.
Please wear waterproof boots and good layers. Snacks and water encouraged 🙂
Sliding scale donation of 15-25$ or less if needed.
Friday, February 9th. 6 pm.
Deep Sea Dreamscape Parade & Group Ride
Are you feeling stuck indoors due to the cold winter weather? Check out The Polka Dot Dragon Lantern Festival – a free community-based event that brings people together to make and experience festival art in mid-winter. Whether you are an artist, a cyclist, or resident at large, get out and experience the magic, be a part of the festival.
Ride in the Polka Dot Dragon Lantern Festival Parade on Friday, February 9th. Decorate your bicycle with lights, lanterns and more, wear a costume and join the Deep Sea Dreamscape Parade floating down Baker Street. Meet at Hall Street Plaza at 6 pm.
Saturday February 10th
West Kootenay Cycling Coalition is having another Group ride.
Cyclists Meet up at the Nelson Visitor Centre, Railway Station at 4:30 pm, ride departs at 5:00 pm and pedals through town to Lakeside Park. Try winter riding during Go By Bike Week with your neighbours and be a part of the Lantern festival at Lakeside Park!
https://westkootenaycycling.ca/events
📅February 13, 2024, 7-8:30 PM
📍Nelson and District Rod and Gun Club, 801 Railway St, Nelson, BC
The Cottonwood Creek Revival (CCR) Project is working to improve the condition of the creek and explore opportunities that could improve the health of the creek in the long term.
Join Living Lakes Canada, Friends of Kootenay Lake Stewardship Society and the Nelson District Rod Gun Club and Conservation Society for a public meeting about the Creek Revival project. Findings from a recent technical report will be discussed and community members will be able to share their concerns during an interactive session.
Register to attend: https://action.livinglakescanada.ca/ccr_meeting
Thursday February 15th, 6:30pm-8:30pm
Climate Action Provincial Assembly (CAPA)
From West Coast Climate Action Network (We-CAN): By joining our 6th Climate Action Provincial Assembly you will be able to: (1) Hear ten of BC’s most effective climate leaders with their five-minutes answers to this question: “What are the three most effective things climate action groups and organizations can do to accelerate progress in BC’s climate movement?” (2) Participate in a break–out group with other climate activists to consider the speakers’ ideas, and ask how they might apply to the work of your climate action group. (3) Take their answers back to your group, and consider if you can use them to build a more integrated and powerful climate movement. WestCoastClimateAction.ca
Register Here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMlce-rqjsjHd1my64t1zbi63eajB9OlXzJ#/registration
Friday, February 16
Online: Noon to 1 pm registration required
Climate Hub Webinar: Innovative community buildings
West Kootenay Climate Hub is celebrating several innovative community buildings in our communities that make a difference for the climate and community.
Nasukin (Chief) Jason Louie will share the story of the Wilfred Jacobs Building, a newly opened centre offering community and health services to members of the yaqan nukiy (Lower Kootenay Band) First Nation.
Tammy Verigin-Burk, Executive Director of Castlegar Chamber of Commerce, will share about “The Confluence” — the Castlegar Visitors Centre and Chamber of Commerce building under construction.
Morag Carter, Executive Director of the Skills Centre in Trail, will share about their current project retrofitting a large community building in Trail to create a fully inclusive, climate friendly, community building.
https://www.westkootenayclimatehub.ca
ENVIRONMENT NEWS BITS
Global renewable energy capacity grew by the fastest pace recorded in the last 20 years in 2023, which could put the world within reach of meeting a key climate target by the end of the decade, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA).
Additions to the world’s renewable energy grew by 50% last year to 510 gigawatts (GW) in 2023, the 22nd year in a row that renewable capacity additions set a new record, according to figures from the IEA.
the IEA says The “spectacular” growth offers a “real chance” of global governments meeting a pledge agreed at the Cop28 climate talks in November to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030 to significantly reduce consumption of fossil fuels,
I’m going to play a clip from Parliament in Ottawa that was recorded yesterday. It is Ontario NDP member of Parliament Chartlie Angus introducting a motion in the House of Commons, Monday, February 5th. Charlie Angus explains it best himself:
A crowd of about 400 people filled a lecture hall at Ottawa’s Carleton University Friday evening to hear U.S. climate author and organizer Bill McKibben talk about how we win the fight of our lifetimes on climate change, and how the “outside” game of non-violent protest is already making a massive difference.
Citing climate change as “the greatest challenge human beings have ever faced,” McKibben pointed to a factor that makes it particularly hard to address. “This is a time test, and humans are not used to time tests,” he said. “Most of our political questions occur over and over and over again. We make some progress, and we backslide a little, and we continue on, and the next generation takes them over.”u
But “this one is not like that,” with scarcely 5½ years remaining in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 2030 deadline for cutting global greenhouse gas emissions by half. “That leaves not much time to do the most important task that humans have ever tried to undertake,” he said.
The independent parliamentary budget watchdog reports the oil industry tax credit meant to help jump-start carbon capture projects could cost $1 billion more than the federal government estimated.
Finance Canada forecast that the carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) investment tax credit would cost $4.6 billion between 2022-28. The Parliamentary Budget Officer now estimates the CCUS investment tax credit will cost $5.7 billion.
Carbon capture has been proposed as a way for the oil and gas industry to continue production without driving climate change. But the technology hasn’t shown itself capable of scaling up to capture a sufficient amount of carbon emissions — and it’s expensive.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/carbon-capture-tax-credit-climate-pbo-1.7101808
In a statement on its website, Trans Mountain Corp. said last week it has encountered “technical issues” between Jan. 25 and Jan. 27 during construction work in the Fraser Valley between Hope and Chilliwack, B.C.
The project’s costs have spiralled through the course of construction from an original estimate of $5.4 billion to the most recent estimate of $30.9 billion.
Its initial request to use a different size of pipe for the location in question was denied by the Canada Energy Regulator due to concerns around pipeline quality and integrity.
Fernie, B.C., is researching a new backup drinking water supply after selenium levels exceeded provincial water quality guidelines in tests of its secondary water source near the Elk River earlier this year.
For decades, selenium has leached into local waterways from piles of leftover waste rock at coal mines in the Elk Valley, that were owned by Canadian mining giant Teck Resources. The company invested more than $1.4 billion in water treatment and other measures to reduce the pollution. Teck also paid several multi million dollar record fines for violations exceeding allowable seleniumm levels in the Elk River watershed.
Longest running Enviro News show on the Radio! 