Imagine a world with abundant, clean energy. How different would our human civilization be with fewer energy limitations – less risk of climate change, no peak oil, and more renewable ways to provide power to an exploding global population?
Fourteen UBC students studying architecture and planning have been working on a project that projects Vancouver into the future - 2050 to be precise, and asks the question what would Vancouver, as a sustainable city look like? The students have taken into account a number of factors including population growth, an aging demographic, migration and birth patterns, and energy consumption. Over the next six weeks the Tyee will publish the results of their findings/musings on a city that hopes to be "the greenest city."
According to a study conducted at SFU low income students are much more likely to live in and attend school in heavy traffic areas. Car exhaust carries a range of pollutants including carbon monoxide, lead and Formaldehyde, and is "associated with lower lung function, impaired lung growth, asthma, ear infections and lower cognitive functioning." Exposure to pollutants has also been associated with lower reduced cognitive abilities and sleep quality. The study captured traffic patterns and income in 10 Canadian cities and found the traffic patterns to be consistent.
According to a study by the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, in 2010 the top 100 best paid executives made a salary 189 times greater than the average Canadian income, $8.8 million compared to $44,366. For most Canadians wages have stagnated or gone down when accounting for inflation, but Canada's top CEO's wages have increased 27% since 2009. Author of the report, economist Hugh Mackenzie believes the best way to redistribute this wealth is through taxation.
After complaints about the water started to flood in from residents of Pavilion, Wyoming, the EPA decided to do some testing. Results showed "that ground water in the Pavilion aquifer contain[ed] methane, benzene, other petroleum hydrocarbons and other chemical compounds." The toxic chemicals are suspected to be the result of nearby fracking.
The poverty wealth gap is growing in the majority of the 30 OECD countries. In fact, two thirds of the countries have seen an increase in poverty and income disparity. A recent report by the OECD shows that inequality is growing in Canada, Germany, Norway and the United States. But incomes in Greece, Mexico and the United Kingdom became more equal. Poverty is having its largest impact on young people and families with children.
Current emissions reductions targets are likely to create a warming of 3.5°C by 2020, far below the original pledge of 2°C lower. The Climate Action Tracker has done an analysis that shows what the financial and environmental risks are. The tracker is continually updating according to the latest information available. What the current analysis shows is that "for every US$1 of investment not spent on reducing emissions in the power sector before 2020 an additional US$4.3 would need to be spent after2020 to compensate for the increased emissions.
The Centre for Civic Governance has been tracking developments in the Canadian European Comprehensive Trade Agreement and in particular potential impacts on municipalities. Our latest Trade and Policy Update provides information on the likelihood of increased legal and administrative costs, the threats to local decision-making and the potential for the privatization of municipal water services.
Preliminary calculations for ballots cast in Saturday's municipal election show that only 29.51% of eligible voters cast ballots. The municipality of Greenwood had the highest voter turnout at 69.84% and Chilliwack had the lowest with 17.50 %. Read more at CivicInfo BC.
Ecosystem and climate stability are being threatened by erratic day-to-day weather, according to Princeton University researchers. Climate Change models typically consider the average weather per month, and do not show the variability that takes place. The Princeton researchers developed a new computer that could analyze data on a daily basis capturing the sometimes extreme variability.
