Clean Energy BC – now there are two.

It’s said imitation is the highest form of flattery. Well then – I feel flattered.

The Independent Power Producers of British Columbia (IPPBC) is now officially called Clean Energy BC. Sound familiar? The industry group adopted the new name at their annual meeting in mid-June in Vancouver.

Talking about climate change. But is anyone listening?

We’ve all heard the saying “early to bed, early to rise, makes a person healthy, wealthy and wise”. Well, I disagree. If I hadn’t been working into the wee hours the other night, I think I would have been a bit less-wise the next morning. That’s because I turned on the television for a few moments to wind down before turning in, and discovered a well-written, well produced report on climate change that was as germane today as it was last December when the program first aired. What amazes me even more was that this report was only one episode in a five-year old, on-going documentary series about the metro Vancouver region, called “The Sustainable Region TV program – short stories about big issues”. The topics ranged from examining our shared infrastructure such as dams and public transportation, water resources to how to build and support a sustainable economy. There are many more topics that are well worth checking out. What interested me in particular were the reports about climate change, district energy, the environmental issues we face and what we as citizens and leaders can do to improve the local environment around us.

The program is produced by Metro Vancouver (formerly GVRD) which has obviously invested a lot of cash to produce these stories. They are not sexy enough to be shown on mainstream 6 pm news, but nevertheless, are informative, valuable and an eye opener to those who believe in living healthy and preserving an environment for the next generation.

Take the episode I saw the other evening. (#37, Climate Change) The hosts, Dagmar Timmer and Vanessa Timmer spoke to Sarah Burch, a PhD. candidate at UBC’s Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, about the impact of climate change locally. Most of us are inundated with news about droughts or floods in various parts of the world. However, we retain a mental disconnect, as we continue merrily to work and play, believing these disconcerting problems lie elsewhere, and have no direct impact on our lives.  However, all it takes is a look north, just over the closest mountains crowding around Vancouver, to see a clear example of climate change. The Coquitlam glacier, which feeds clear water to one of our drinking reservoirs, is the last remaining ice cap in this region from 10 glaciers left behind after the last ice age. It’s located in the northeast corner of the watershed in the mountains behind Coquitlam and it’s “retreating”, as the scientists say. In other words, it’s melting – fast; much faster than the other nine. The clear water we enjoy in Coquitlam comes from this glacier, but this tap is running out. The Timmer sisters report on this issue, visit the glacier with a scientist who is following the retreat and raising the alarm, and conduct interviews with Dr. Stephen Sheppard, a landscape climate researcher, who says “all the science suggests things are getting worse, a lot faster than scientists predicted”, among other equally alarming statements. The Centre has designed realistic graphics based on scientific research that provide a visual picture of what the Lower Mainland landscape will look like as temperatures continue to rise.  It’s an eye opener, especially if you own land in Richmond or anywhere near the Georgia Strait. You can be sure this isn’t a map real estate agents are handing out in that municipality.

It’s a good story, in a good series. The executive producer is Marianne Pengelly, who works with both Metro Van and the City of Vancouver to produce the reports.

Have any of you seen this series? I bet not.

It’s running on Shaw TV, either late at night, or around two in the morning. This is ridiculous. Each of these episodes is approximately four minutes long; plenty of time to introduce a topic and visually explain the issue, speak to the experts and suggest ways to improve. The series is used in Metro Van’s educational outreach programs, but that only reaches a small audience when we should all be exposed to this. The program needs a better distribution plan. I suggest the three local TV stations have a good look at these episodes and consider buying and airing some of them. You can’t get much more local than these shows, as all their advertising have been telling us recently about local TV. The series addresses important issues to people living in the lower mainland and maybe together, if enough people are aware and are working on this, we can make a difference.  If the TV executives can find a place in their schedule to run these programs, the station will gain credibility with the folks watching. I’m not suggesting replacing ET Tonight or House or Strombo, but find 22 minutes on a Saturday or Sunday morning. A well done series about our local environment once a week would not create a flight of audience. After airing, the stations can embed the series on their web page, and encourage viewers to visit. There is an audience for this among those who care about our environment and watch television.

Alternatively, Shaw should reexamine the time slot in which they are running this series. It should air earlier in the evening, and a little promotion wouldn’t hurt either.

Other than a report or two on the main channels, no one in the broadcast media is truly examining climate issues in our corner of BC. The need is there to inform, engage and find solutions to climate change.  This quote from one scientist caught my attention:

“There is an entry point for every way of knowing. You don’t have to be a climate scientist. If you’re an engineer, if you’re a biologist, if you’re in forestry, journalism, the social sciences; there is a roll for you in this issue because we need to understand those dimensions.”

Dr. Stewart Cohen, Adaptation & Impacts Research Division, Environment Canada.

Metro Vancouver should be congratulated for taking on this series.  The agency has a good website homepage that uses video wisely to convey a message and its vision that we need to live sustainably in this region. However, the homepage video does not direct viewers to the TV series page, which could get busy if this series on an important topic was seen by more people.

MC

Not your grandfather’s CBC

In a fractured media world, with information coming at you online, in print and broadcast and via visual marketing & advertising, it can be challenging to determine the true pulse of an issue; who is saying what, which way the winds are blowing and how most people are thinking. The ideal online forum is one that encourages, attracts and maintains a readership from a wide spectrum and prompts posted comments and deeper discussion. (I’d like to think my blog is like that, but like anything, it takes good writing, interesting topics and time.) There is a good one out there, however, and it’s getting bigger and better everyday.

The CBC was once the stodgy home of what the company brain trust thought was best for Canadians – good home-spun series like The Beachcombers and Chez Helen (remember that one?), Galloping Gourmet or American imports like The Waltons.  Newscasts with deep, resonant trained men’s voices, stories reflecting the nation and no chance to discuss or disagree with what was said.  Some of that is still apparent at the CBC, but my, how things are changing.

CBC Vancouver is a great example of how the media world can change for the better. It’s still delivering local and regional news on radio and television (much better than most other stations, I may add) and posting its stories online immediately afterward.  If you haven’t seen these stories, take a look.  On Friday, the Mother Corp. posted the story about the Queen Charlotte Islands being renamed Haida Gwaii. At last count, 137 people had commented on this story, and that doesn’t include those who simply read the article and moved on without participating in the discussion.  Of those who did comment, their views are varied and wide ranging, with arguments for and against and some threads just simply “out there”.  Readers can “agree” or “disagree” with comments by  clicking a button and a lot of people do, providing more insight into which way the winds are blowing on an issue.

Environmental stories generate huge responses, reflecting a shared commitment to improving our future. Reporter Lisa Johnson at CBC TV has an enviable job as a journalist covering BC’s environmental issues. Her beat is a gold mine of stories that impact on thousands of  lives and everyone seems to have an opinion on it.  Reviewing these comments can be enlightening and sometimes one or two shine through, illuminating an issue, cutting through the haze and making an issue clear.  I found an example of this Friday night.

On December 11th, a comment was posted by “Rivermaniac” at 6:48pm regarding the ongoing discussion about independent clean power production in BC.  Some writers (a minority) feel that allowing private companies to develop energy from our rivers is a sell off of our resources. With government and companies behind this – you know,  organizations with a bottom line, responsibilities to not go broke and throw people out of work, follow accounting rules and  the laws of the land – the comment “Gordon’s buddies” is often heard along with the fact BC Hydro will have to pay more for the power being independently produced than the rates we  are now paying by BC Hydro produced power. Rivermaniac’s comments seemed to to shine through and put this discussion in perspective, and I’ve included her comments in full here.  Have a read.

(cbc online discussion – Rivermaniac) Posted 2009/12/11 at 6:48 PM ET

“I can’t believe that people are actually complaining that these new power projects, the vast majority of them private sector led, are costing more per kWh than existing BC Hydro electricity.

Well, duh!

BC Hydro’s existing power comes (primarily) from massive hydro dams, which were built in the 50s, 60s and 70s — long paid off, and built for cheap dollars. OF COURSE the electricity from those dams is going to be cheaper per kWh than a brand new project!!

If you have herd of dairy cows, which you purchased years ago (at, say, $200 each), and are all paid off, the cost per 100 litres of milk is pretty low. But, if you have to buy a bunch of new cows (say, at $500 each), then the cost of the new milk is very high, but 5 new cows, in a herd of 75, won’t affect the weighted average of the milk too much.

So the new power, although much more expensive to produce than the “old power”, makes up such a small percentage of BC Hydro’s total generating capacity, that the overall impact is relatively low.

To look at it another way, let’s say that the NDP got in last May, and they outlawed all private power projects. BC Hydro’s only way to increase their capacity would be to fast track massive capital projects like Site C. Can you imagine what the cost per kWh from Site C is? Let me give you a hint: it makes Naikun-wind-generated power seem cheap in comparison. Even at that, the cost of the average kWh generated by BCH would still be relatively low, in comparison to other utilities around North America.

Well said, Rivermaniac. And thanks, CBC, for providing this forum for discussion. This is not the CBC I grew up with, and I thank God and a lot of bright people at CBC for that.

MC