Nike’s step in the right direction
October 31, 2008
Nike is taking a large corporate step in the environmentally conscious direction with their “Considered Design” initiative.
Study: Biotechnology reduces carbon footprint of milk by 9 percent
October 31, 2008
A study from Cornell found that the use of biotechnology in the dairy industry has significant carbon reductions.
Full Story [Michigan Farm News]
Reckless consumption threatens planet: WWF
October 31, 2008
The World Wildlife Federation has said that given the current global consumption levels, we would need two planet earths a generation from now.
Full Story [The Globe and Mail]
Carbon footprint standard for all products drawn up by Government
October 31, 2008
England will have the world’s first standardized labelling and measuring of shop products carbon footprints.
Prowling the Pumps – October 28, 2008
October 31, 2008
Canadian Gasoline Prices
Average across Canada
| This week: | $0.978 per litre |
| Last week: | $1.044 per litre |
| Last Year: | $1.003 per litre |
A couple of firsts this week – first time since we started prowling the pumps last April that the average price of gasoline in Canada is less than one dollar, and is less that the comparable period last year. And it’s still dropping – 6.6¢ per litre this week to $0.978 per litre. Our hypothetical 80-litre tank was $5.28 less expensive to fill this week than last.
Gasoline prices slid in every province, with the Northwest Territories, at 13¢, dropping the most .
Overall, the average gasoline price in Canada has dropped 40.5¢ per litre since its all-time high of $1.383 per litre during the week of July 15. And this means that our hypothetical 80-litre tank now costs $32.40 per litre less than it did only three months ago. The reasons remain the same – declining demand for gasoline and cheap oil.
Least Expensive Gasoline in Canada (per litre)
| Excluding Taxes | Taxes | Total | |
| Ottawa, ON | $0.613 | $0.290 | $0.903 |
| Kingston, ON | $0.613 | $0.291 | $0.924 |
| Hamilton, ON | $0.638 | $0.291 | $0.929 |
| London, ON | $0.639 | $0.292 | $0.931 |
| Peterborough, ON | $0.649 | $0.291 | $0.940 |
Despite all the surveyed cities in Alberta having gasoline prices less than a dollar per litre and despite gasoline taxes in Alberta averaging 5.5¢ less than in Ontario, Ontario claimed all the spots in the low-price five.
Most Expensive Gasoline in Canada (per litre)
| Excluding Taxes | Taxes | Total | |
| Whitehorse, YT | $0.994 | $0.220 | $1.214 |
| Labrador City, NL | $0.803 | $0.404 | $1.207 |
| Yellowknife, NT | $0.935 | $0.264 | $1.199 |
| Gander, NL | $0.752 | $0.397 | $1.149 |
| Fort St. John, BC | $0.824 | $0.323 | $1.147 |
Two cities in the pricey five are below $1.15 per litre and the other three are hovering around $1.20.
The big questions last week regarding the price of oil were How low will it go? and How fast will it turn around? Well, last week WTI dipped as low as $63.15 US per barrel. Some pundits are saying it could go as low as $50.00 US per barrel. Others are saying OPEC is looking at a range from $70.00 to $90.00 US per barrel. But prices continued to slip even after OPEC announced a 1.5 million barrel per day production cut back. And word is, if prices continue to fall, OPEC will meet in an “extraordinary” meeting prior to their scheduled meeting in December.
Have oil prices fallen too far? Should we brace ourselves for a “technical correction?
We’ll see what happens next week.
We’ll see what happens next week.
Pricing by Province
| Last Week | This Week | Change | |
| BC | 1.162 | 1.115 | -0.047 |
| AB | 1.007 | 0.965 | -0.042 |
| SK | 1.102 | 1.056 | -0.046 |
| MB | 1.111 | 1.020 | -0.091 |
| ON | 1.045 | 0.982 | -0.063 |
| QC | 1.088 | 1.055 | -0.033 |
| NB | 1.067 | 1.027 | -0.040 |
| PE | 1.049 | 0.986 | -0.063 |
| NS | 1.088 | 1.040 | -0.048 |
| NL | 1.192 | 1.153 | -0.039 |
| YT | 1.249 | 1.214 | 0.035 |
| NT | 1.329 | 1.199 | -0.130 |
Recycle your water bottles on your laptop
October 30, 2008
LEEDS leather goods company has new laptop sleeve made from recycled bottles.
Climate ideas put under spotlight
October 30, 2008
Scientists are debating the merits and potential risks of altering our oceans so they can soak up C02.
Polar warming ’caused by humans’
October 30, 2008
An international group of scientists has provided strong scientific evidence that the rise in global warming is caused by man.
“Carbon army” hopes to grab slice of New Deal cash
October 29, 2008
Channelling Roosevelt’s “New Deal” policy from the 1930’s depression investors and green advocates are hoping that investment in carbon cutting measures can help stimulate the economy.
Hidden cost of China’s coal is $250 billion: survey
October 28, 2008
A variety of ill effects caused by the Chinese coal industry cost the country approximately $250 billion in 2007.