Queen’s ‘green’ grade a step up from last year

The Sustainable Endowments Institute of Boston released its annual ranking of environmental performance for North American colleges and universities. 

Full Story [thewhig.com]

Prowling the Pumps – September 24, 2008

Canadian Gasoline Prices

Average across Canada

The average price of gasoline in Canada dropped a remarkable 15.5¢ this week. Our hypothetical 80-litre tank was $12.40 less expensive to fill this week than last. Gasoline prices slid everywhere except in the Yukon and Northwest Territories, both of which stayed at the same price as last week.

Although hurricane activity in the Gulf of Mexico has abated and actual hurricanes are not a problem this week, some Gulf coast refineries are still out of commission. And only two-thirds of Gulf of Mexico oil production has been restored. This in itself should have pushed oil and gasoline prices higher, but the U.S. financial crisis seems to have had an overall dampening effect on prices.

Least Expensive Gasoline in Canada (per litre)

Despite Alberta having the lowest average gasoline prices, the five least expensive cities in which to buy gasoline are all in Ontario. And Kingston reappears after a one-week absence.

Most Expensive Gasoline in Canada (per litre)

Pretty much the same story as last week for the pricey five. Whitehorse back in, Victoria back out and a bit of jockeying around for the other four.

The financial crisis in the US is causing a lot of volatility in the global oil markets. WTI prices slid as low as $91.15 US per barrel last Wednesday, then rocketed $16.37 US per barrel to close at $120.92, after flirting with $130.00 mid-session. Although part of this rise was due to settling of September futures prior to October becoming the front-end month, a weakening U.S. dollar did put upward pressure on crude prices. Since Monday, oil has remained above $100 US per barrel.

As ever, we’ll see what happens next week.

Pricing by Province

	$/litre	Last Week	This Week	Change
BC	1.475	1.333	-0.142
AB	1.352	1.199 -0.153
SK	1.449	1.279	-0.170
MB	1.409	1.232	-0.177
ON	1.399	1.211	-0.188
QC	1.431	1.273 -0.158
NB	1.406	1.258	-0.148
PE	1.380	1.276	-0.104
NS	1.442	1.263	-0.179
NL	1.525	1.400	-0.125
YT	1.399	1.399	0.000
NT	1.567	1.567	0.000

How you can make a positive impact

This article outlines energy saving tips from the David Suzuki Foundation.
Full Story [canada.com]

B.C. students challenged to go green

The B.C. government has launched the Green Games, a competition for students in kindergarten through Grade 12 to create projects in their school or community to promote sustainable development, reduce greenhouse gas emissions or encourage environmental stewardship. 

Full Story [canada.com]

How green is your four-day work week?

The Globe and Mail explores whether or not a four-day work week is actually better for the environment than the standard five-day week.

Full Story [The Globe and Mail]

Warming to a hot idea

NRGreen Power is using waste heat from its four pipeline compressor stations in Saskatchewan to generate electricity for the province. 

Full Story [canada.com]

Montreal rolls out bike-sharing plan

Montreal launched a new bike sharing program called Bixi, which will have 2,400 bicycles available at 300 stations around the city by the spring of 2009. 

Full Story [The Globe and Mail]

A stocking full of coal or an atmosphere full of gas?

The more concerned about climate change we get, the more difficult it can be to absorb the only thing more invisible and pervasive than greenhouse gas: guilt. Taking the weight of an entire planet on your shoulders is tiring work, to be sure, and every decision we make to reduce our carbon footprint seems impossibly insignificant when compared to kilotonnes of annual Canadian emissions.

But if years of dealing with crushing guilt has taught us anything, it’s surely that the best (or, at least, easiest) way to defray our feelings of inadequacy are to point fingers. And where better than into our past?

While conventional wisdom tells us that our current levels of pollution far outstrip our past’s, researchers at Reno, NV’s Desert Research Institute have found the highest levels of heavy metals in arctic ice from the periods of highest coal use, namely about a century ago. Taken from Greenland, the core samples suggest that it was during the time that North America and Europe were still voraciously consuming impurity-laden coal that the most pollution was created, as much as two to five times more than our current levels, which are a byproduct of cleaner-burning oil and gas.

It’s important not to read too much into the discovery, assuming, that is, you’re held back by the bounds of personal environmental restraint and the recognition that making more responsible choices about your energy use is an important responsibility.

In the absence of those, however, you’re free to blame your great-great grandfather for everything from the melting arctic ice shelves to your disappearing beer. Personally, I never liked him anyway.

Research keeps on truckin’ (with cars)

Despite what the ‘50s might have had you believe, the world of tomorrow isn’t going to happen overnight. Cars fueled by alternative powers sources have been in development for years, with the electric car, one of the most recently lauded fuel technologies, actually over 100 years old.

Hydrogen fuel cells are impractical, electric cars are limited in their range by the charge in their batteries — the technologies that will one day let us drive our cars without filling the skies with greenhouse gases are in constant development, being refined, improved and sometimes even temporarily abandoned. But the bottom line is that they’re continuing to evolve.

Here, then, is a pair examples showing how alternative fuel technologies are on track for making the mythical, technicolour future we all imagine into a full-colour reality.

The Chevrolet Volt
GM’s stated vision for the Chevrolet Volt is of a consumer-ready electric car that will begin to see widespread production by 2010. Before that happens, however, issues like cooling the car’s battery and ensuring its lifetime (a replacement could cost as much as $10,000), have to be resolved before anyone begins lining up to purchase the admittedly sleek vehicle. With an ambitious timetable they’re likely to be held to, however, GM has definitely put themselves in a position where the only way out is forward.

Improving hybrid technology
For both electric and hybrid cars, the technology responsible for storing the car’s energy is the most essential part of the equation. Now, a joint project launched by Volkswagen and Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment BMU called the “Electromobility Fleet Test” has began work on an “energy storage module” designed to improve the efficiency of hybrid vehicles. Promising to create a storage medium that will withstand the usual environmental pressures on a hard-living battery, as well as a long service life, the project could well be the next step in making hybrid cars even more practical than they already are.

Eco-friendly products: not always as advertised

Attendees of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival received eco-friendly giveaways, including biodegradable body wash and carbon-negative bottled water.

Full Story [National Post]

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