Canadian Carbon Tax

In order to save our environment, and reach the Kyoto Protocol goal’s, I believe that a carbon tax is a good idea. People will not just reduce their emissions, there has to be a disincentive or an incentive to make a change. People need to be motivated whether it be positive or negative persuasion. If people were taxed for an excess of carbon, people would make an effort to try and reduce their emissions. However, if this tax were to work, proper techniques need to be implemented so carbon emissions can be properly measured. A reason the One Tonne Challenge was a "flop" was because there was no system to calculate the amount of carbon emissions produced by companies and people. Before any carbon tax is decided, both pros and cons of the topic need to be considered; CBC describes these points quite well in an article. We also need to be aware of the effects it may have on certain industries. For example, Alberta is one of the main produces of oil and gas in Canada, and they would be hit quite hard with carbon taxes. Also, trucking industries would suffer as they rely on the burning of fossil fuels to keep the companies going. Of course though, one of the most famous environmentalist in Canada, David Suzuki, totally agrees with carbon taxes. He makes a good point that the USA has had one for years, and if they can do it, so can we. In conclusion, I think a carbon tax would be a wise idea for Canada, but further research needs to be done.

I really enjoyed An Inconvenient Truth. After I watched the movie, I felt that I need to somehow do my part in stopping global warming or help in preserving the Earth. Of course, it is difficult to do any major change, but I thought I could at least do little things. I decided that I should be more cautious in turning off lights, turning off appliances, shorter showers and not leaving water on. Also after watching An Inconvenient Truth, I was more convinced that global warming is happening. It is hard not to believe the facts that Al Gore suggests; how could he possibly “make” up all of that information and show it to millions of people?
I have found four websites, two of which support An Inconvenient, and 2 that are against the arguments. The first website is: http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=YmFiZDAyMWFhMGIxNTgwNGIyMjVkZjQ4OGFiZjFlNjc which is titled “Gorey Truths”. This site has counterpoints for all of Al Gores main points. The second site that I found has various news paper and people that disagree with Al Gore’s statements. These people also say that Gore is exaggerating his arguments. The URL is http://newsbusters.org/node/11377 . The third website is http://tgws.org.uk/ which agrees with the documentary. The site is committed to convincing people to take global warming seriously. Their objective is stated as: “To move the crisis of Global Warming to the very top of everyone's personal and political agendas; above increasing prosperity, health, education and the "War on Terror"”. The final website that I found is also dedicated to stop global warming, with the trailer of An Inconvenient Truth accessible.
In conclusion, I think there are a lot of different ideas when it comes to global warming. Some people totally agree, while others despise the topic. It is difficult to know what is correct, but possibly with more data and scientific analyses, we will find an answer.

Did January Seem Warm to You?

The NOAA stands for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The 'Goldilocks Effect' is that Earth is the perfect temperature. Like the story of Goldilocks, she finds the porridge that is just right, and the other bowls are either too hot or too cold. Venus is too hot, Mars is too cold, and the Earth is just right.
I have always believed in global warming and I think this article proves some good points. It is not sure if global warming is for sure, and there are supporters of both sides. Personally, when December came around, and there was no snow, I got quite worried. Ever since I was little, I could remember playing in snow at least by the month of December; but this year was different. I was starting to get frustrated by January because I wanted to snowmobile and snowboard; and then it finally it happened. Suddenly, it seemed that “winter” had come and we were hit with snow. Along with the snow, temperatures dropped drastically; late January resulted in temperatures below -20 degrees Celsius. After the cold chill, I wasn’t so sure as to what to think about global warming. Yes, we had some very warm periods, but also some very cold periods as well. Perhaps, the wide range of temperatures could average out to similar trends in the past years.
At this point, I am still unsure exactly what to think. It may not be the result of global warming that we are experiencing above average temperatures across the globe. We will just have to wait to see what happens I suppose.

Incentives and Rebates

While browsing http://www.incentivesandrebates.ca/ through the incentives and rebates currently offered in Ontario, I’ve found four effective ideas that I will discuss.
The first program is a subsidized household waste recycling/composting barrel. This item is available in Hamilton, Kingston, and Hamilton. These backyard compost barrels sell at a price of $33, saving you about $20 from the normal price. The compost barrel can be purchased at the Municipal Service Centres. I like this incentive because it’s very easy to start and can benefit your own backyard. If you compost left over food, or any other compostable matter, you could later use it as soil for your yard or gardens. I think this is effective because it’s quite simple to go out and buy a compost barrel, and then easily set it up in your backyard or wherever you might store it. Also, people could save on garbage. If people instead used compost barrels for some of their garbage, they would not need to spend as much on garbage tags or garbage pick-ups.
Household waste recycling/composting: http://www.incentivesandrebates.ca/gc_fi_search_display.asp?id=112&jurisdiction=10&actionArea=7&keyword=
The second program that I like is called Car Heaven Ontario. If people have a car of 1995 vintage or older that they are still currently driving, they can call a number and their vehicle can be picked up for free. Also, they will receive a $1000 gift certificate for a new General Motors Vehicle, Saturn/Saab vehicle, or a charitable receipt for a minimum of $60. After their car has been taken, it is disposed in an environmentally friendly way. I like this incentive because there are so many old cars that people don’t know what to do with. Also, instead of people just putting them at a landfill or wreckage site, they can expose of them in a manner that will not hurt the environment. I think this is effective because people can get money out of this program. Anytime there is money involved, people are interested in participating. People who live in cities and do not have room for a second vehicle in their lane way/garage, can really benefit from this program. Car Heaven Ontario: http://www.incentivesandrebates.ca/gc_fi_search_display.asp?id=61&jurisdiction=10&actionArea=8&keyword=
The third program is a high-efficiency clothes washer rebate. This is rebate is offered to residents of Toronto. For every new qualifying washing machine, a $60 rebate will be give, plus your name will go in a draw to win back the purchase price of your machine. I like this incentive because washing machines use so much water and electricity, it would really help conserve resources by people purchasing high-efficiency washers. I think this is effective because sometimes people cannot always afford new things. Although it is only $60, it can be helpful for paying for your new appliance.
City of Toronto high-efficiency clothes washer rebate: http://www.incentivesandrebates.ca/gc_fi_search_display.asp?id=127&jurisdiction=10&actionArea=4&keyword=
The last program I have chosen is called the Summer Savings 10/10. If people cut their electricity use by 10 percent, an additional 10 percent rebate will be given on their electricity bills. I like idea because it is a very good incentive for people to cut back on energy use. Once again, this program offers money rebates which are always popular to people, and are always quite effective. Not only do people have a less expensive electricity bill, they receive an extra 10 percent off.
Summer Savings 10/10: http://www.incentivesandrebates.ca/gc_fi_search_display.asp?id=249&jurisdiction=10&actionArea=1&keyword=

Why am I taking this course?

"The sun, the moon and the stars would have disappeared long ago... had they happened to be within the reach of predatory human hands." ~Havelock Ellis, The Dance of Life, 1923

There are a couple of different reasons why I have decided to take this course. First of all, I had dropped a math course and I had an opening for another class that I could take. I looked at the options for the classes and as soon as I saw this course as an option, I wanted to take it. I have always been a person that has been very interested in the environment and things going on around the world. I’m a real animal lover and I hate to see wild animals becoming extinct and pushed out of their habitats because of the greed of human beings. I hope to learn about ways I can personally contribute into maintaining a planet suitable to all living organisms. I do not believe it is fair that humans have made other organisms extinct just because they want something out of their homes.
I have many concerns about the Earth and the environment. Even though I am only 17, I have still noticed many changes in the environment now, compared to the environment when I was younger. I remember the temperature getting very cold and lots of snow falling on the ground usually starting in November and lasting until about March when I was small. Now, things have drastically changed. This year we had a single snow storm in December, along with temperatures reaching 20 degrees Celsius, and plenty of rain. It wasn’t until sometime in January that we started to encounter cooler temperatures and more snow.
Recently in the news, it was announced that a huge sheet of ice had broken off in the Canadian arctic. It was thought to have happened about two years ago, but was just discovered. The ice sheet was approximately 11 000 foot ball fields big, and scientists were very worried about it getting into populated boat ports or other areas. When I heard of this news, it frightened me. I hate how the Earth is changing so quickly, and it feels like the Earth is almost literally "falling apart." Not many people realized the fact that the Earth is changing so drastically. Every day, many people wake up, have a hot 15 minute shower, eat half of their breakfast (throw the rest out), get into their car, get some gas and drive to work (not to mention various other things included in getting ready for the day). An abundance of the Earth’s resources are wasted every single day, but very rarely do people sit and think about how much they have used.
I think it is time that people start realizing what they are doing to the Earth and environment around them. Also, I want to learn more about what I can do to help preserve the beautiful planet we live on. It’s time to make some changes.