This column is an imaginary correspondence between Maddie the Motorist, Byron the Bicyclist and Patty the Pedestrian.
Dear Byron the Bicyclist;
So Canadians’ per person fossil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are almost twice that of the average Chinese person? How can that be when their skies are so polluted?
The One Ton Challenge suggested we cut our emissions by 20 per cent which would assume our emissions are only five metric tons, not almost metric 15 tons.
Finally, how can I envision a metric ton of carbon dioxide, a gas?
Signed; Maddie the Motorist
Dear Maddie;
I will answer your last question first. Although it is not visible, the slightly heavier than air ton of carbon dioxide takes up a sphere (think balloon) 32 feet or nine metres in diameter.
The One Ton Challenge was only about direct household emissions which was an average five tons per person per year. The rest, 10 tons comes from industry, non-residential buildings, commercial transport and other sectors.
Carbon dioxide is not the same as pollution.
Particles can be part of carbon emissions but the two are different. Global warming is mainly concerned with CO2 release from fossil fuels such as coal, gasoline, diesel and natural gas.
Canada and China’s relative share of these sources varies a lot. For example, China uses much more fossil fuel, especially coal, to generate electricity and power industry. In Canada, we have a mix of sources: hydro, oil in the Maritimes and in Ontario, nuclear.
In transportation, Canadians emit a much larger share of CO2. That mainly means personal and commercial vehicles. Since 1990, we increased our transportation emissions by 33 per cent The good news is that it has levelled off since 2005.
If we decide to walk and bike more, both the planet and our bodies will become healthier.
Signed; Byron the Bicyclist
Bert Groenenberg is a cyclist and pedestrian who has mainly biked or walked to work on Oliver Street for 30 years.
Read more: COLUMN: Sharing the Cariboo roads – right of ways
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