Environmental protection measures will have impacts over time
by Bill Rea

Ontario's Progressive Conservatives have plans to address environmental concerns if they form the next government.

But the reality is these are global issues, meaning the solutions have to be very broad based. On the other hand, there's no better place to start than here.

York North MPP (and York - Simcoe PC candidate) Julia Munro was putting forth that message two weeks ago when she addressed members of the YNOT Bradford West Gwillimbury Youth Council.

While she encouraged individual environmental protection efforts, Munro cautioned that reality indicates nothing is going to happen overnight.

Munro said the PC platform calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 10 per cent of their 1990 levels by 2020, and by 60 per cent by 2050.

She stressed that for such goals to work, they have to be realistic and attainable. Cutting levels to this degree will be tough at the start, she conceded, but things should get better. "It's fair to assume that the pace will increase," she added.

Munro also commented on the need to develop a clean source of energy, pointing to co-generation, renewable (water, wind, solar, etc.) or nuclear.

She pointed out the Liberals under Dalton McGuinty, during the 2003 campaign, promised to close all coal-fired plants by 2007. Experts at the time said that couldn't be done, and Munro said that's been demonstrated by the fact only one such facility has been closed since the Grits took over, and that closure had been announced before the election.

When it comes to dealing with emissions, Munro stressed the need for the carrot and stick concept, meaning there has to be some incentives for for industry, etc. In the same way, there will have to be incentives for individuals to do things about emissions, such as retrofitting their vehicles.

Government can help at both levels, she said, such as through strengthening of building and industrial codes, or issuing new requirements for new homes.

Munro pointed out a new heating system has been installed in her home, with thermostats located in different locations, so temperature controls don't have to be applied where they are not needed.

Munro also boasted that she has a clothesline at her home, pointing out many municipalities have bylaws outlawing them because they are deemed unsightly. "We can get out of the habit," she said.

She also addressed ethanol and how the PCs are looking at supporting it, as well as the work being done on dual fuels and hybrid cars, etc. But if someone is going to come up with products that can help the environment, they are also going to have to be sure there's a market for them. There will have to be people willing to buy into them.

There are a lot of relatively simple things individuals can do to to reduce their use of energy, such as install a clothesline or insulated curtains. It might be possible to make things progress faster, but these changes involve altering people and their habits, and that takes a while.

"You have to set goals, and that's what we're doing," Munro said.

Another problem she pointed to is climate change doesn't stop at borders.

"It's the rest of the world as well," she told the group. "Everybody has to do their part and everybody doesn't have people like you."

Munro pointed out there have been many places in the world where they didn't have regulations regarding water or sewage, so it would be a real challenge to get them worried about things like emissions.

"What's really needed is leadership," she said.

Members of groups like YNOT have the opportunity to indicate what types of changes are possible, Munro pointed out.

She added it had occurred to her that people have been living like this for a very short time. There was a time when if something was spilled, it would be cleaned up with a reusable rag, not paper towel. People would carry handkerchiefs with them, and not "umpteen Kleenex."

"Does anybody know what 'darning socks' is?" she asked the group. "When you had a hole in your sock, it got mended."

Nowadays, a sock with a hole in it goes into the garbage, and ends up dumped in a landfill site.

"We haven't always lived that way," she declared, pointing out the current level of prosperity is new.

And she stressed these are global issues.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was in Ontario a couple of weeks ago, and one of his aims was to show what is being accomplished in his state. "At this point, it's great if anyone does it," she remarked, adding if an individual province or state can set targets and establish effective ways of meeting them, others can do the same.

One woman in the audience wondered about the situation with the number of people commuting to Toronto, asking if car manufacturers can't come up with more efficient vehicles. Munro wondered if the consumers are part of the problem too. She said it's a multi-facetted issue.

She said expanding GO transit, having more dedicated bus lanes, etc. can make using other forms of transportation more appealing. She also pointed out municipal planning is concentrating more on finding a balance between employment and residential lands, so it might be easier for people to find jobs near where they live. She added that is part of the party's platform.

Munro told one man in the audience that while the province heavily subsidizes public transit, its installation is up to municipalities. Population densities and the number of people likely to get on the bus are issues. She pointed out the appropriate densities and numbers are in the south portion of York.

She added she's been asking about whether using smaller buses in lower density areas would save money, but experts have told her those savings would be "negligible."

When it comes to bringing groups and individuals together in causes such as this, Munro told YNOT president Jonathan Scott that's done by example.

"People are always willing to borrow other people's good ideas," she added. "As soon as you have something that works, people want to know about it.