Ways to help the environment

[Topaz]

I'm wondering how this forums feels about government making industry, taking back the garbage they produce instead leaving it up to the public sector? I'm think of the packaging of things we buy, since plastic is starting to show not good for our health, maybe we should switch back to glass bottles with return fees. Have any of you any other ideas?

[mikedavid00]

I'm wondering how this forums feels about government making industry, taking back the garbage they produce instead leaving it up to the public sector? I'm think of the packaging of things we buy, since plastic is starting to show not good for our health, maybe we should switch back to glass bottles with return fees. Have any of you any other ideas?

All those returned glass bottles will cuase carbon emisions from all the trucks going back and forth. And then I have to drive back to the store to return the bottles creating more carbon emissions.

My footprint! oh my!

The gov't should not be involved any more than they are in anything. That's the last thing we need.

[DrGreenthumb]

well one thing that would help the environment the most would be to vote out the Conservative party. I'd like an NDP prime minister, but I'll settle for Dion.

[Michael Bluth]

well one thing that would help the environment the most would be to vote out the Conservative party. I'd like an NDP prime minister

If the only issue facing the Federal Government were the environment perhaps Jack Layton as Prime Minister wouldn't be an utterly laughable idea.

But there are a number of issues that would have to be balanced.

Loss of confidence by the markets in the NDPs ability to govern the economy.

Loss of national security and international prestige as the NDP pulled us out of NATO.

Loss of tens of thousands of critically needed professionals in law, health care, accounting and engineering as the top wage earners in the country stream anywhere possible to avoid the NDPs 'fair taxation'?

Who would be the Minister of National Defence? Dawn Black? Only experience other than being an MP was being a political staffer. No work at all related to defence.

Minister of Foreign Affairs? Paul Dewar? Are the NDP serious with a former elementary school teacher as shadow Foreign Affairs Minister?

Minister of Justice? - maybe Svend might finally win a seat in the House again. It would be ok to have a convicted criminal as Minister of Justice wouldn't it?

What role would Penny Priddy? Wouldhe would keep people safe from pictures of James Moores girlfirend as Minister of Public Safety?

Loss of democratic principles as the NDP apportions seats on a quota basis to various socio-eocnomic groups.

Lack of any check on the power of the government of the day as the Senate is abolished with no replacement.

NDP Prime Minister

[margrace]

On the news yesterday, somewhere in the Maritimes and I forget where, they are refusing all electronics at the local dumps, instead they have set up a depot to accept these. How will it be paid for? There will be an extra tax on all electronics bought of from $40 down. That money will go to support the new depot. I presume this stuff will be recycled.

[Borg]

On the news yesterday, somewhere in the Maritimes and I forget where, they are refusing all electronics at the local dumps, instead they have set up a depot to accept these. How will it be paid for? There will be an extra tax on all electronics bought of from $40 down. That money will go to support the new depot. I presume this stuff will be recycled.

Ahh yes - the "tiny additional tax".

Yet another cost to be borne by the government and their financial supporters - the tax payer.

And in the end it will create nothing more than a new and costly industry - I cannot wait until the next fiscal year when it is decided that even more money will be needed to support this "recycling" program.

Nothing more than another make work initiative in eastern canada.

Borg

[margrace]

Ahh yes - the "tiny additional tax".

Yet another cost to be borne by the government and their financial supporters - the tax payer.

And in the end it will create nothing more than a new and costly industry - I cannot wait until the next fiscal year when it is decided that even more money will be needed to support this "recycling" program.

Nothing more than another make work initiative in eastern canada.

Borg

Every dump in our area has to be replaced, they are all at capacity, the price quoted for this is 3 to 5 million per dump, then there;s the problem of finding a new and safe place. It would be interesting to know how much the new dump in Oro Mandonte is going to cost. Before you talk of money remember it goes two ways. Our dump may be leaking into the river and it was slated to be replaced several yeara ago, but there is no replacement for it.

[Borg]

Every dump in our area has to be replaced, they are all at capacity, the price quoted for this is 3 to 5 million per dump, then there;s the problem of finding a new and safe place. It would be interesting to know how much the new dump in Oro Mandonte is going to cost. Before you talk of money remember it goes two ways. Our dump may be leaking into the river and it was slated to be replaced several yeara ago, but there is no replacement for it.

To me this is a separate issue you have thrown into the fray to deflect my comment.

So - bring in Euro tech and burn - create power and throw away something to the tune of approximately 50 pounds of slag for every tonne burned. As well, emissions are greatly reduced with this tech.

Already in use over the pond.

Initial costs are high, but eventually it is self funding or at least close to it.

Borg

[Canuck E Stan]

On the news yesterday, somewhere in the Maritimes and I forget where, they are refusing all electronics at the local dumps, instead they have set up a depot to accept these. How will it be paid for? There will be an extra tax on all electronics bought of from $40 down. That money will go to support the new depot. I presume this stuff will be recycled.

Other cities have been recycling electronics for years.The Maritimes just now woke up on this issue.

[Wild Bill]

To me this is a separate issue you have thrown into the fray to deflect my comment.

So - bring in Euro tech and burn - create power and throw away something to the tune of approximately 50 pounds of slag for every tonne burned. As well, emissions are greatly reduced with this tech.

Already in use over the pond.

Initial costs are high, but eventually it is self funding or at least close to it.

Borg

With apologies to Dr.Greenthumb, we vividly remember the example set here in Ontario by Ruth Grier, the environmental minister under Bob Rae's government. Bob's people were rabidly against incineration of waste, in any form or by any means whatsoever! This severely crippled our hand in dealing with waste, as it meant far greater volumes sent to landfills.

Now it happened that there was a private company from the States who had an incineration system that they claimed gave off "mice nuts" amounts of emissions into the air. The heat was used to drive generators for electric power, which was sold to the local grids. The final ash products were very clean and easily disposed. The company had pictures and video of one of their plants in Florida, where it was carved into and under a low hill that was covered with grass and trees, making a beautiful park.

Ruth and the NDP gang refused to hear their presentation and blew them off!

So the company came back and offered to fly Ruth and a dozen or so of her entourage of politicos and any scientific types she wanted down to see their Florida plant. All expenses would be paid. They just wanted Ruth and the NDP to take a fair look at the operation to see how environmentally friendly and how cost-effective it was.

Ruth and the NDP flatly refused to go!

So Borg, you make a viable suggestion but I'm afraid that Dr.Greenthumb's champions might not be the best vehicle to affect positive change...

[August1991]

Ahh yes - the "tiny additional tax".

Yet another cost to be borne by the government and their financial supporters - the tax payer.

And in the end it will create nothing more than a new and costly industry - I cannot wait until the next fiscal year when it is decided that even more money will be needed to support this "recycling" program.

Nothing more than another make work initiative in eastern canada.

On the contrary, without a financial incentive, there is no way that we will succeed in protecting the environment. Scarlett O'Hara may have depended on the kindness of strangers but that's no way to run a country.

Ideally, all electronic items (my personal favourite is all manner of batteries) should contain a hefty deposit at purchase just as we now pay a deposit for pop bottles. When you return the battery to the proper location for disposal, you get the refund.

Some batteries are particularly toxic and at present, people have no incentive to dispose of them properly. They throw them in the garbage or just throw them on the ground.

----

The environment is man's slave. We use it without having to pay for its services. As with slavery, the greatest sin is that this leads to wasted potential. When something appears to be free, it is abused.

Edited December 16, 2007 by August1991

[Dustin]

No! We do not need anything like this forced upon us by the government, esp for something which is still just a theory. It is good to be a good steward of the enviroment but I think it should be done from our own personal will.

[Topaz]

I was listening to the president of Hazardous Waste of Canada and he first said the the PM should first apologize to the Canadian people for letting China's toxic products into Canada. He said the Pm can sued China for doing so but hasn't. Anyway, you can't burn any of the products from China because of the nature of the toxins in them and all these things are now going into the Canadian pits! I was surprised when this finally came out in the media because I had heard a gentleman talk about China's manufacturing sector about 2 months before. He said China is at war with US (I guess Canada too). The manufacturing sector is OWNED by the Chinese military and this is how they are getting rid of their toxins and they don't care who it hurts. What better way to hurt another nation and get rid of your chemicals! I'm sure the US must know about this after all, they do it too, by putting depleted uranium in their bombs for Iraq.

[geoffrey]

well one thing that would help the environment the most would be to vote out the Conservative party. I'd like an NDP prime minister, but I'll settle for Dion.

Sadly, the Conservative party and the PC's before are the only parties in Canadian history that have actual real results on the enivronment.

You can sign all the stacks of paper you want, but that doesn't make problems go away. Eventually, you actually have to do something. That fact is lost on Dion and was lost on Chretien and Martin.

[jdobbin]

Sadly, the Conservative party and the PC's before are the only parties in Canadian history that have actual real results on the enivronment.

The PCs had a reputation on the environment.

The Conservatives have not done anything in more than two years.

[bush_cheney2004]

.... What better way to hurt another nation and get rid of your chemicals! I'm sure the US must know about this after all, they do it too, by putting depleted uranium in their bombs for Iraq.

Oh my...and I wonder where all that depleted uranium came from....hmmmmm?????

http://www.carleton.ca/jmc/cnews/19012001/n1.htm