The ice storm that knocked out electricity to parts of New Brunswick has killed people, at least indirectly, and has placed many thousands in mortal danger. The indirect deaths were from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. CO, when it is not…
Ontario carbon cap and trade: guaranteed to have zero impact on carbon emissions
On July 1 2008 I filled up my rental car in Parksville British Columbia, in preparation for a trip to the west coast of Vancouver Island. That gasoline cost upwards of $1.50 a litre, and was the most expensive gasoline…
Canada’s coal phaseout plan: fairy tales during sudden death
What explains the weary, insipid, and reality-challenged federal government announcement yesterday of an accelerated coal phaseout deadline in Canada? I think it was part of the still-unfolding juvenile emotional response to the still-stunning US election result. Trump says he will…
Stalingrad on the Hudson: why the Indian Point nuclear plant must not fall
The grim, horrific, and epic battle of Stalingrad marked the turning point on the Eastern Front of the Second World War. Hitler’s 6th army threw all its men and resources into capturing the city, and was bludgeouned into surrendering. From…
Does cap and trade really reduce carbon emissions? No
Finally, some electricity price relief, to come perhaps in a few years. The Ontario government announced last week it was abandoning plans to expand wind and solar capacity expansions it had written into its most recent energy plan. But energy…
How much does it cost to not dump carbon dioxide into our air? an extreme cautionary tale from Ontario
In 2003 a new Ontario government came into power on a pledge to, among other things, eliminate coal from the provincial electricity generation mix. This was for health and environmental reasons. While the health reasons were long on syrupy think-of-the-children…