Richard Zurawski

Sometimes, you really do get what you wish for. Take the current Premier of Nova Scotia. As the opposition, the NDP was always touting how much more could be done to roll back the carbon effluent of Nova Scotia. Nova Scotia Power was too reliant on oil and coal, and more needed to be done to bring renewable resources on line.

The previous government, under the Conservatives, was remiss environmentally, on pretty much every level and made little effort to rectify the shortfall, but crowed the NDP, ‘elect us and we will fix all that.’ So, they were elected. Now we have a NDP government, a government that has touted itself as friend of the environment. And what do we get? What are the great initiatives that will cut down on CO2 emissions? Turn down the lights, use LEDs and bring on the recyclable bags. Use biofuel and everything will be alright. Apparently this is going to put an end to AGM, anthropogenic global warming.

And let’s do a study with a list of things that we can do in 10 years. Really? Could it it be that simple? Well no, it’s not that simple. We have been greenwashed again. It’s a case of “new boss, same as the old boss’ all dressed up as being environmentally responsible. There is so much that needs to be done and we cannot wait another decade to do what should have been done a decade ago. So what should be done? If Premier Dexter really had the environment as a priority, this is what he could do.

Scientists say a reduction of 90 per cent in the next decade. That is right, 90 per cent. It’s a staggering number, but it is doable. Scientists have already pointed out that there is a lot of what is called low hanging fruit that would help us get a long way there, over 50 per cent of the way there. Start with cars and trucks and other forms of transport. Begin with the really big waste of speed. Nova Scotia is gifted with being relatively small so reducing speed has little impact. Getting goods and materials from one place to another doesn’t really cost if you immediately slash road speeds. And with it you get an immediate saving and less CO2. How much? Twenty-five per cent!

Reinstitute rail between communities. Rail is proven, far more efficient and given the costs of roads, we could put that subsidy into rail. Another 25 per cent reduction! Light rail in Halifax, would be another immediate winner. The tracks are already there. Use ‘em for people trying to commute into and around the city. What? Another 25 per cent? Heating and cooling with electricity that comes from fossil fuels like oil and coal is a huge CO2 problem. Immediately offload the pressure on the grid by getting wind, tidal, nuclear and wave power on line. Within two to five years, another 25 per cent.

Our throwaway society and packaging of everything from food to goods to in plastic is so wasteful and unnecessary. And it contributes to a massive CO2 load on the environment. End drivethroughs and our car culture of waste. Another 25 per cent. Finally, get serious about bicycles. Riders need to be protected from other traffic. Do it with European style lanes and right of ways. Another 25 per cent.These few steps would produce immediate results and would go a long way to reducing up our CO2 footprint. And they wouldn’t change much in our lives.

But, I am not Premier, and it is not likely that anything will be done because this one doesn’t appear to care. Too busy getting those expense claims in.