clean nova scotia's clean and green, winter 2009

CLEAN NOVA SCOTIA • 1

Words to live by:

Environments are not just

containers, but are processes that

change the content totally.

- Marshal McLuhan

Vol. 4 No. 2 Winter 2008

ISSN 1715-7897

Did you know that about 70% of the world is covered by water, yet only 3% of the

world’s water supply is freshwater? Of this, less than 1% of the world’s total water is accessible for human use. In Canada, we have the largest amount of surface area freshwater anywhere in the world. However, this has lead to a common misperception that Canada has a limitless sup-ply of water. This misperception, coupled with the continued destruction of important eco-systems, such as wetlands, threatens the quality and quantity of water in Canada.

Wetlands are an example of an ecosystem whose importance and functions are often overlooked by many Canadians. In Canada, wetlands account for 14% of the land area or 1.2 million square kilometres (Environment Canada, 2008). The definition of a wetland is a place that temporarily or permanently collects water for a period of time long enough to cre-ate wet-altered soils. One of the major benefits of wetlands is that they are a natural filter sys-

tem. They are able to remove impurities in the water while it travels from the surface through the soil to its final destination. Other than filtering water, wetlands replenish groundwater reservoirs and reduce the effects of droughts and flooding. They are also important for pre-serving biodiversity due to the unique wildlife habitats that they create. Did you know that wetlands can even moderate climate change? This is because wetland plants are able to take carbon dioxide out of the air and sequester it into the soil below.

Historically, human activities have destroyed wetland ecosystems to turn the area into more “productive” lands, such as for agricultural uses. It is believed that 50% of the world’s wetlands have been lost since 1900 (Environment Cana-da, 2008). Human activities continue to change the natural function of wetlands today through a variety of land use planning and development projects. To raise awareness about the impor-

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Nova Scotia’s Air Quality

Health Index(2)

Steel Oil Tanks: Reduce your

chance of a leak(4)

EnvironmentalSuperhero

Contest(6) e

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by Julia Pelton

QuagmireAin Canada’s wetlands

The fine print on your bar of chocolate

(8)

2 • CLEAN NOVA SCOTIA

Clean and Green is published quarterly by Clean Nova Scotia, Aaron Veinotte and Natasha Sider, editors. The opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the editors, nor Clean Nova Scotia. Articles may not be reprinted without permission. Subscribe online for e-mail delivery at www.clean.ns.ca/c&g. Call 1-800-665-5377 for print copy. Next deadline for content is April 30. © 2009, Clean Nova Scotia

The AQHI is measured on a scale ranging from 1-10+. The AQHI index values are also grouped into health risk categories as shown below. For HRM’s AQHI, visit

http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/airquality/pages/nsaq-001_e.html

The Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) is a scale designed to

help individuals understand what the air quality around them means to their health. As a health protection tool, it is designed to help individuals make decisions to protect their health by limiting short-term exposure to air pollution and adjusting their activity levels during increased levels of air pollution. It also provides advice on actions you can take to reduce your air pollutant emissions to help improve the quality of the air we all breathe. Please visit www.airhealth.ca for more information.

Nova Scotia’s

The AQHI was developed by Health Canada and Environment Canada in collaboration with provinces, includ-ing Nova Scotia. Currently, the AQHI is available only for the Halifax Re-gional Municipality with expansion to other areas in Nova Scotia beginning soon.

Nova Scotia Environment is leading the implementation of the AQHI in Nova Scotia. The Lung Association of Nova Scotia, in partnership with Clean Nova Scotia, is delivering public outreach and promotion of the AQHI in the Halifax Regional Municipality this winter.

Nova Scotia’s Air Quality Health Index

tance of wetlands and the threats to them, Clean Nova Scotia developed Quagmire - A Wetland Decision-Making Simulation Game. The goals of the game are to engage students in a reality-based environmental situa-tion to increase their knowledge of wetlands, encourage critical thinking skills and to have students evaluate complex issues. These goals are at-tainable through playing the game. Each student has the chance to take on a different interest group includ-ing industry, government, tourism, aquaculture and environmental organizations to debate the fate of a proposed highway project through a salt water marsh. Through this process, the students learn the im-portance of a saltwater marsh and the how different stakeholders depend on or may impact it. By discussing the important issues surrounding the wetland, students are able to talk out the different perspectives and learn from each other’s roles.

Green Street is a “Standard of Excel-lence” for high quality environmen-

tal education programs that are provided by prominent Canadian environmental organizations. Green Street pre-screens environmental organizations and their programs to ensure that students and teachers

receive quality materials. Clean Nova Scotia is proud that Quagmire has been chosen as a FREE Green Street educational resource for Canadian teachers. To register for this program, please visit www.green-street.ca.

Testimonies from Teachers:“The students’ participate in discussion of a real issue in their world. Their commitment to the roles and the critical thinking

skills they were able to display was due to the strength of the materials.”

“The debate was well received as being both educational and a lot of fun. It really got the kids involved and as it was well

set up and made the research manageable too. The excellent scope of the simulation easily covered the necessary course requirements as well. It brought home the struggles of our two local wetlands to our students in a very graphic way. It

also paved the way for an excellent follow-up in regards to a local dump/ground-water issue as well.”

“Green Street has enhanced our children’s understanding of the interconnectedness of life and has increased the depth and

breadth of their experiences.”


Charles P. Allen High School (CPA) launched

DriveWiseR’s Idle-Free program on Tuesday, January 20, 2009. Media and public officials were on-hand to help launch the initiative. Mr. Jeff Lewis, Principal, CPA, the Honorable Barry Barnet, Minister of Energy, and Mary Hodgett, member of the Environment Club at CPA, all spoke about the Idle-Free initiative. “It is important for CPA to be involved with “Idle Free” because the carbon emissions which our high school produces collectively, are more harmful to the future of our world than many realize,” says Hodgett.

The Environment Club at CPA has been working with Towards a Brighter

Future to come up with ideas on what they can do as a group to bring awareness to environmental issues. Last year the club showed their interest in working on idling issues within the community when they held a

demonstration at a local coffee shop to bring awareness to the harmful effects of drive-thru idling. This year students wanted to continue this work so they teamed up with the DriveWiser Idle-Free program to make CPA an Idle-Free school, bringing awareness to all students, staff, and community members about the issue.

“CPA students and staff are committed to making our school more environmentally safe, for our planet and CPA students! Hopefully the involvement of CPA will motivate

other schools and public locations to become “Idle Free”,” says Hodgett.

Students will now approach businesses within the Bedford community to encourage them to designate their business/building an Idle-Free zone.

The launch was a huge success and received a great deal of media attention, even on an internationally historic day – the inauguration of President Barack Obama. CTV, CBC Radio, Global, and the Chronicle Herald are just a few media outlets that covered the story.

What does the future hold for this club? With intrinsically motivated students like these, who knows what they will do next. If these students are an accurate representation of our future community and world leaders – the future is looking bright.

CHARLES P. ALLEN HIGH SCHOOL GOES IDLE-FREE WITH THE HELP OF DRIVEWISER, TOWARDS A BRIGHTER FUTURE, AND SOME DETERMINED STUDENTS by Cyndi Fraser

Romance is in the air!! Valentine’s Day conjures up images of

beautiful red roses, decadent chocolate and greeting cards full of sweet messages that will melt your heart. It’s too bad that for every long-stemmed rose, heart-shaped box of chocolates and fancy store-bought greeting card is the potential for disturbing environmental and social wrongdoing. Here are some ways to say ‘I love you’ while loving the planet:

It has been said that the way to a man’s (or woman’s) heart is through their stomach – show your partner you care with some home-made goodies, such as Valentine’s Day cookies or candies. Package your treat in tissue made from recycled paper and place it inside a recycled cookie tin.

According to Hallmark, Valentine’s Day is the second most popular card-sending holiday following Christmas. Millions of Canadians purchase cards to say, ‘I love you,’ which requires

a lot of paper and fuel to deliver them! Despite the fact that recycled paper and vegetable-based inks are available, most of the greeting cards manufactured are still being printed on virgin paper using petroleum-based dyes. Many end up in the garbage when discarded. For a more personal touch, make your own card or opt for an E-greeting. If you do buy a store-bought card, ensure it is made from recycled products.

Imported champagne might be tasty, but the kilometres it must travel to reach your liquor store is harmful to the environment. Why not try a local vineyard for a delicious sparkling wine? It will reduce pollution, support local

business and save you some money! Consult the Wines of Canada website for a list of wines available in Nova Scotia, including organic options.

Dining out on Valentine’s Day can be anything but romantic for the environment. In many cases, produce purchased by restaurants is transported great distances, contributing to pollution. Instead, prepare your

Valentine a meal that shows them how much you care. Pop into your local farmer’s market to shop for seasonal organic produce which is pesticide free and supports your community.

Fair trade chocolate will leave your partner’s mouth full of sweet decadence while supporting sustainable agriculture and healthy communities. Look for items that have little packaging and that are Fair Trade certified, organic and shade grown. Free from harmful pesticides and child labour, this tasty treat is bound to show your partner that you care about them as well as the environment.

A dozen red roses are not only expensive to purchase, but costly to the earth as well. Often high levels of pesticides are used in their production, which pollute surrounding waterways and communities. Save money and the planet by purchasing an organic shrub or flowering plant that can be planted outdoors in the spring. Or, bring home a nice bouquet of organic, dried flowers from your local farmers market and put them in a beautiful vase made from recycled glass or other recycled materials.

Have an Earth-FriendlyValentine’s Day!

by Natasha SiderValentine’s Day!


Top Ways to Reduce Corrosion:1. Keep your oil tank relatively full over the summer to deter internal condensation

2. Keep the perimeter of your oil tank free of ice, snow, insect nests, debris, and vegetation for easy inspection and reduced corrosion

3. Ask your service professional about solutions for sludge and water build-up inside of your tank

4. Do not empty oil from an expired oil tank into a new tank as this also transfers moisture and sludge content from the old tank into the new tank

5. Do not place your oil tank up against your house as leaves and debris can become trapped between the tank and the building

6. Do not position your oil tank directly under house eaves due to falling ice, snow and debris

While many homeowners are seeking alternatives to conventional oil-based heating systems, many of

us continue to rely upon oil as a heat source. With that recognized, it is important that every homeowner take the actions necessary to keep their oil tank maintained accord-ing to Nova Scotia Environment’s recommendations lest they find themselves with a pricey oil clean-up bill.

A leaking oil tank can cause detrimental effects to sur-rounding environments by leaking into soil and finding its way into nearby wells, neighboring properties and wildlife habitat. Clean up costs for a drippy oil tank can vary from thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Some of the causes of a leaking oil tank include corrosion and improper maintenance. Corrosion can occur both inside and outside of the tank and can be reduced if certain precautions are taken (see “Top Ways to Reduce Corrosion”).

By performing routine maintenance and installing protec-tive devices you can reduce your chances of a spill. Regu-larly check for signs of rust, damage, dents, or the scent of oil. In addition, have your oil tank inspected annually by a heating service professional. Furthermore, consider adding protective devices to decrease the likelihood of a spill (see “Preventing Oil Spills).

Most oil tanks are located outdoors adjacent to the home and are composed of steel. Nova Scotia Environment rec-ommends placing your oil tank inside as there are consider-able advantages (see “Benefits of an Indoor Oil Tank”). If you’re thinking of purchasing a new oil tank, why not

Steel Oil Tanks: Reduce your chance of a leakFrom your friendly environmental home assessor on behalf of Nova Scotia Environment

consider a fibre glass tank or a stainless steel model? The advantages of these innovative oil tanks are lower oil leak risk and a possibility of a longer insurable lifetime. Avoid purchasing a “refurbished” oil tank. These tanks may have met their life expectancy and are probably not insurable.

Even if you take all recommended precautions, accidents, vandalism and overfilling are other causes of oil spills. Con-sequently, it is of utmost importance to confirm that your property has up-to-date insurance coverage to protect you and your family from the financial burden of the clean up costs. Be sure that your insurance covers both your prop-erty and your neighbours’ properties.

A

E

F

G

Preventing Oil Spills


Benefits of an Indoor Oil Tank:1. Out of the weather

2. Lower risk of accidental damage or vandalism

3. Lower maintenance costs

4. Longer life expectancy

5. Better performance

6. Earlier leak detection

7. Insurance companies will usually insure for a longer lifetime

Preventing Oil SpillsA. Oil-level gauge protector: Protect the gauge of your oil tank from becoming cracked from falling ice, snow or debris by covering it with a metal gauge protector.

B. ID Tag: The metal label located on the side or top of your oil tank lists important details, including the age, steel thickness and capacity of the oil tank. In addition, the metal label confirms if the tank was produced according to national standards.

C. Valve and line protector: Install a metal or wood canopy over your valve and line to protect against falling ice, snow or debris.

D. Supply Line: Nova Scotia Environment recommends a minimum of one horizontal loop in the supply line. If the line is too short, movement and frost-heaving may break the supply line that enters from the oil tank into the home.

E. Drip Tray: Install a drip tray underneath an indoor oil tank and supply line. If a leak were to occur, the contents of the leaked oil would be collected in the tray.

F. Stable base: Ensure all legs of the oil tank are sufficiently stabilized over a cement base or reinforced patio stones.

G. Paint: Apply a rust-proof paint to all parts of an outdoor oil tank in order to reduce corrosion

A

B

C

D

Preventing Oil SpillsA. Oil-level gauge protector

B. ID tag

C. Valve and line protector

D. Supply Line

E. Drip Tray

F. Stable base

G. Paint

Did You Know?You can book an appointment for a free Envi-

ronmental Home Assessment. An Environmental Home Assessment is a confidential home visit

from a trained assessor who will deliver education on oil tanks, septic systems and wells.

Call 1-866-500-3427 for more information or to

book your appointment today.


Clean Nova Scotia introduced a new event this year during Waste

Reduction Week (October 19-25) called the Environmental Superhero Contest. Generously sponsored by Tim Hortons, the contest was designed to stir up the creativity and imagination of children between the ages of 7-9 across the province. Children were asked to come up with their best environmental superhero idea; tights or no tights we were looking for some cool characters to save our planet. With ads in the papers and information in schools, over two-hundred entries poured into Clean Nova Scotia from 13 elementary schools as well as from three independent groups.

The judges for the contest included Waste Reduction Week Program Coordinator, Kari Riddell, Communications Coordinator, Natasha Sider, and Communications Officer, Aaron Veinotte who had the difficult task of selecting only 10 winning entries. Not only did the artists need to come up with an Earth loving superhero but they also had to tell us about their own ‘super-person’ activities – the ways they worked as individuals to reduce waste on a daily basis. There were many great ideas – mostly around removing litter from our landscapes, but the judges were able to select 10 entries that stood out above the rest.

Seven out of the ten winners were sent a special superhero cape, hand-made by local seamstress Joan Smith in Cole Harbour. The capes were made of a shimmering gold, silver and blue material and featured the letter ‘E’ in green on a golden background. The capes were also made with safety in mind by replacing ties with elastic loops meant to go around the shoulders, not the neck, as seen in the photo above. Superheroes need to play safe too!

Joan did an excellent job making the capes which were very much appreciated by the winners and envied by fellow classmates.

The eco-powers of our cape winning entries included a special turtle that eats green house gases; two mighty men that picked up litter in their own creative way; a woman that senses stray garbage with her mind; a superhero that turns garbage into bikes; a superhero named ‘Plant Man’ that plants trees at an incredible speed, and finally ‘Clean Man’ who steps on polluted water to make it clean. All of the above are fantastic ideas and though the said powers are not real, the good green work that we do as mortals is very much real and extremely effective.

The top three winners, ages 7, 8 and 9, had their unique superhero ideas transformed into professional comic book characters by Halifax artist, David Howlett. The three winning entries happened to cover land, air and water issues– the perfect superhero team! Each drawing was carefully framed and presented in person during school hours allowing teachers and classmates to see and appreciate the winning art work. Our eldest winner received her prize not only in front of her class but also in the presence of her father, brother and school principal, making it a very special day.

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PRESENTING SPONSOR EVENT SPONSOR

Waste Reduction Week

What imaginary power would your very own superhero have to help save the Earth from pollution? Draw your own superhero, tell us about its powers and tell us why you, the

artist, are a ‘Super-Person’ working to reduce waste every day. One entry per child on an 8 1/2 x11 piece of paper. Use both sides if needed.

Enter to win one of 10 exciting prizes! Prizes include professional drawings of the top three entries or one of seven Super-Person capes!

All entries must be received by October 31, 2008For more details go to www.clean.ns.ca/wrw or call 420-7927 or 1800-665-5377

e?e

?October

19-25th

Environmental Superhero

Contest Hey Kids ages 7-9 in

Nova Scotia!

An example of the newspaper ad used to promote the contest


by Kari Riddell


Each child was asked to tell us why they considered themselves super-people when it comes to protecting the environment.

Here is what some of them had to say:

“I walk to school about every day.”

“I put my water in a water bottle that I can use over and over again.”

“I don’t litter and I love animals.”

“I give my toys away instead of throwing them out.”

“I recycle bottles and paper.”

“I take care of the Earth, it is aaaawesome, I love it.”

“I compost in my back yard.”

“I turn the light off when I have to leave”

“I respect the grass.”

“I pick up garbage at lunch time with my friends. It is really fun.”

“I turn off all the lights to save energy”

“I take care of my things. They have to last.”

“I am and Enviro Star.”

“I recycle today so we don’t have to do it later.”

This lucky winner came from the EXCEL (after school) program at

George Bissett School. “Lightning Girl” has many powers but the one that impressed the judges was her ability to remove oil from the water in

her lightning bubble.

This lucky winner came from Ecole Beaubassin. “Arbo” is a superhero that removes dead trees, and plants new ones in their place to help

clean the air. Arbo has one hand that is a hook and one that is a shovel.

This lucky winner came from Springvale Elementary School. The artist didn’t give her superhero a name but the hero’s power to pick up litter

with her long hair sounded like a great idea!

“Clean Man” was another great example of an environment superhero who does simple things that

compliment his supernatural abilities.


by Kari Riddell


The United Nation Convention on the rights of the child say that every child has the right to a good

quality education (article 28), the right to protection from any kind of exploitation (article 36), and no one is allowed to punish them in a cruel or harmful way (article 37). Everyone under 18 has these rights. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, article 4, says that no one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms.

Up until a couple of months ago, I would have said I do not violate any of these rights. Imagine my surprise when, as I devoured a Fruit and Nut Bar, a friend made a pass-ing comment about ‘child slave chocolate.’ What?

Thus began my journey into the embarrassing, exploit-ative, archaic world of cocoa harvesting. The word slave is not an exaggeration: nor is the term child labour.

What if I told you over 250,000 children are behind over half of the chocolate produced world wide? A large portion of the cocoa industry violates every one of these and other rights on a daily basis: Children under legal working age work in dangerous conditions; they wield machetes and spray pest and herbicides. Minors are trafficked for work in cocoa agriculture. Children and adults are not paid basic daily wages, and some are not paid at all. It’s dangerous and heavy work. It takes 400 cocoa pods to make one pound of chocolate (that’s about 4 chocolate bars) and these pods must be hand picked.

The toll on the environment is relentless. Rain forest is cleared for cocoa cultivation. As with large scale coffee planta-tions, these huge cocoa fields are not grown in the tradi-tional manner; under the cover of large trees. Without this shade, the plants are exposed to insects, requiring the use of insecticides and pesticides, which infect the wa-ter supply and the air quality. The crops are not rotated which necessitates artificial fertilizers to replenish the nutrients in the soil (www.fairtradecoffee.org).

Are we really talking about chocolate? That indulgent midnight snack? That Yule-tide treat? The quintessential way to say, “I love you,” on Valentine’s Day? Grandma’s chocolate chip cookies? It’s hard to believe such a dirty, detestable secret lies at the heart of such a common and pleasurable treat.

International media shed light on this crisis in 2001. Since then, protocols have been signed and projects have been implemented. However, the most recent report by the university assigned the task of overseeing these proj-ects reports that some progress has been made, but so far progress is marginal.

We bring this industry’s atrocities to your attention because as consumers of their delicious product, we are all complicit in these violations. We also brought it up because we wanted to bring you the good news. There are other options. Delicious options.

Big companies, like Nestle, Mars, Cadbury and Hershey, purchase their cocoa on international exchanges where cocoa from different countries is not identi-fied by region and it is not possible to ensure what environmental and labour standards are used. For now, the only way the consumer can guarantee their chocolate is free from environmental and human exploitation is by buying products which carry a fair trade label.

To qualify as fair trade, the product must meet international Fairtrade standards which are set by the international certifica-tion body Fairtrade Labelling Organiza-tions International (FLO), the umbrella organization of 20 labeling initiatives glob-ally. The cocoa is purchased directly from small and cooperative farms, at a fair price. They receive a guaranteed price which cov-ers real production costs, regardless of how low world market prices fall.

Fair trade also promotes sustainable agricultural practic-es which use minimal or no pesticides. On small, family-owned farms, cocoa plants are usually inter-cropped. In Ghana, farmers also plant plantains, maize and spices which provide needed shade for the cocoa plants.

In Nova Scotia, we have several options, like Just Us! and Cocoa Camino, available in most large and small grocery stores. After my friend pointed out that my Fruit and Nut bar qualified as ‘child slave chocolate,’ I realized how important it is to be well-informed before making purchasing decisions. It is my hope that this article will help you to do the same.

To find out more visit:

http://www.fairtrade.net

http://www.organicconsumers.org

http://www.laborrights.org

http://www.ilo.org/global/lang--en/index.htm

InSha klesThe fine print on yourbar of chocolate

“There are other options.Delicious Options.”

Delicious Options.

by Gina Patterson

clean nova scotia's clean and green, winter 2009

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