green progress, large scale
There have been several positive environmental advances in Canada lately.
Ontario will ban sales of incandescent light bulbs by the year 2012. This will supposedly be the equivalent of taking a quarter-million cars off the road. (I'm not sure if that's true.)
Nova Scotia is phasing out plastic bags in their liquor stores by this fall. The city of Edmonton is considering banning plastic bags or taxing their use. The LCBO, which controls sales of wine and liquor in Ontario, is is also considering a ban. (Impudent Strumpet may have a better idea.)
Canada will soon be the first country to list Bisphenol-A as a toxic substance, and ban its use in baby bottles. The Bisphenol-A ban marks the first time Canada has taken the international lead to ban the use of a harmful substance. The Bisphenol-A ban is being compared to the US's ban of DDT 30 years ago, which was the result of pressure from consumers and environmental groups.
Quebec has already banned the use of so-called "cosmetic" pesticides, and Ontario will soon follow. Even more significant is the announcement by megastore Home Depot to stop the sale of pesticides in Canada. Canadian Tire announced it would do the same, and Loblaws has already done so in its garden centres.
This is exciting news. Pesticides have been linked with leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Parkinson's disease. They serve no practical purpose beyond silly social customs about which plants are acceptable and which must eradicated. Long live the dandelion!
Unfortunately, this is a Canadian trend, not a North American trend. From the Globe and Mail:
How many news stories in Canada could contain that phrase, "stark contrast to the United States"?
Ontario will ban sales of incandescent light bulbs by the year 2012. This will supposedly be the equivalent of taking a quarter-million cars off the road. (I'm not sure if that's true.)
Nova Scotia is phasing out plastic bags in their liquor stores by this fall. The city of Edmonton is considering banning plastic bags or taxing their use. The LCBO, which controls sales of wine and liquor in Ontario, is is also considering a ban. (Impudent Strumpet may have a better idea.)
Canada will soon be the first country to list Bisphenol-A as a toxic substance, and ban its use in baby bottles. The Bisphenol-A ban marks the first time Canada has taken the international lead to ban the use of a harmful substance. The Bisphenol-A ban is being compared to the US's ban of DDT 30 years ago, which was the result of pressure from consumers and environmental groups.
Quebec has already banned the use of so-called "cosmetic" pesticides, and Ontario will soon follow. Even more significant is the announcement by megastore Home Depot to stop the sale of pesticides in Canada. Canadian Tire announced it would do the same, and Loblaws has already done so in its garden centres.
This is exciting news. Pesticides have been linked with leukemia, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Parkinson's disease. They serve no practical purpose beyond silly social customs about which plants are acceptable and which must eradicated. Long live the dandelion!
Unfortunately, this is a Canadian trend, not a North American trend. From the Globe and Mail:
The actions in Canada are also in stark contrast to the United States, where Home Depot's U.S. parent continues to sell these products nationally, although it does face some local restrictions.
How many news stories in Canada could contain that phrase, "stark contrast to the United States"?
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