With the provincial election in full swing, all parties are making environmental promises. The reigning Liberals are promising to:
• Create a tough new toxic reduction law
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 6% below 1990 levels by 2014, 15% below by 2020 and 80% by 2050, e.g. by
– Continue to replace coal-fired electricity, doubling renewables and doubling conservation
– Build more rapid transit
– Provide rebates / tax incentives for energy efficient appliances and home improvements
– plant 50 million new trees by 2020
– Eliminate inefficient lightbulbs
– Encourage real time energy metering
• Work with Cancer Care Ontario and the Ontario Medical Association to identify, target and reduce the number of cancer-causing agents released into our environment
• Ban the cosmetic use of pesticides
• Implement the new Endangered Species Act, beginning with caribou habitat in the Boreal Forest
• Create stronger protections for threatened lakes like Lake Simcoe
• Consider applications by regional and county governments to grow the Greenbelt
• Support sustainable forestry by purchasing more FSC certified paper, and
Work with retailers to reduce packaging.
It’s good to see environmental issues staying high on the political agenda.