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The Canadian EarthCare Society (EarthCare) is a non-profit environmental organization with a mandate to protect Earth's environment through advocacy and public education...
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What's New?| OKANAGAN LAKE FLOATING BRIDGE TO BE SUNK IN LAKE!!!!!!
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Rational
For Not Sinking The Bridge Re: Sinking Old Okanagan
Lake Bride into Okanagan Lake Plans to sink the old Okanagan Lake Bridge into Okanagan Lake should not proceed for a number of important technical reasons. 1. Approving the sinking of the old bridge provides a significant cost savings benefit and a quick and easy disposal option for the contractor, SNC Lavalin, without providing the necessary public due diligence required to protect the human uses of lake water. 2. In March 2005, the Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) completed the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency’s initial project screening review of the new bridge project. The scope of the DFO review was limited to issues involving fish and wildlife values. It did not consider the direct and indirect impacts on human health resulting from disturbing sediments on the lake bottom caused by sinking the old bridge pontoons and piers. 3. The old pontoons and piers will have a sizeable impact footprint on the lake bottom. This footprint was increased by 60% to 11,000 m2 in the March 9, 2008 reclamation plan update prepared by Talisman Land Resource Consultants Inc. and presented to DFO and BCMOE. No technical reports have been posted on the Canadian Environmental Assessment (CEA) Registry to estimate the amount and extent of sediment redistribution that will occur when the pontoons and piers sink to the bottom of the lake. 4. Okanagan Lake water is used for drinking water supplies, agricultural irrigation and fish habitat in both Canada and the United States. No technical reports have been posted on the CEA Registry to address the potential for local and international impacts resulting from redistributing sediments from the lake bottom. 5. The March 2005 DFO screening review did not solicit public input on plans to sink old bridge pontoons and piers in the lake. This oversight limited public involvement in the review and failed to address potential impacts disturbed sediments could have on water quality and water users. 6. There have been no technical reports posted on the CEA Registry that specifically estimate the public costs to mitigate social, economic and environmental impacts to Okanagan residents that could result from the sinking the old bridge. 7. There have been no technical reports posted on the CEA Registry that compare the sinking of the old bridge into Okanagan Lake with other decommissioning options. The sinking of the pontoons and piers has not been justified and cannot be supported as a matter of public convenience and necessity. 8. DFO has approved the sinking of the bridge for its own self-interest to gain compensation and to provide 1,100m2 of new or upgraded fish habitat in the Okanagan Lake basin. 9. DFO’s mandate and expertise to address public health issues is limited. The involvement of other local, provincial and federal agencies is required in a new screening review to demonstrate that the sinking of the bridge is a matter of public convenience and necessity; that it does not pose public health risks; and that it is in the long-term interests of the Canadian public. For these reasons, the DFO approval and authorization to sink the old bridge in Okanagan Lake should be rescinded and plans to sink the old bridge delayed until it can be objectively demonstrated to be in the best interests of all water users in the Okanagan Basin. |
Pontoon Article in Kelowna Daily Courier Pontoon options sought Regional district directors are searching for alternatives to dumping the 12 pontoons and two piers from the old floating bridge into Okanagan Lake. They will ask SNC Lavalin and the Ministry
of Transportation for a copy of the environmental
study on plans to sink the concrete pontoons
and the two semi-floating liftspan piers. |
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LIBERAL GOVERNMENT BANS URANIUM MINING IN PROVINCE
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Rainbarrels are a great way to conserve water |
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Because Every Drop Count$ EarthCare has painted and plain rainbarrels for sale year round. You can purchase a rain barrel for $50.00 including taxes and a garden watersaver kit adapter for $25.00 plus GST. Please call 861-4788 to order your barrel now. |
Spring Water Conservation Products Now Available |
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ZEBAZeba is a biodegradable, non-toxic, odourless, corn starch based super-absorbant product that promotes healthy lawns, landscapes and houseplants with less watering. For more details and sale information follow the link. |
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Pesticide Free Organic Lawn Care Company comes to Kelowna Turf Logic is a Nation-wide Natural Lawn Care Franchise for residential customers with everything you need for a beautiful, natural lawn. Turf Logic has used the science of nature to improve lawn care and has developed an environmentally friendly solution for today’s lawns. The Turf Logic trained professionals will analyze your lawn and apply your customized pesticide-free treatments for a lush, healthy pesticide-free lawn. Visit http://www.logicalliance.ca/turf/ for more information or call Gary Klammer at 826-0729. |
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 A typical pesticide application in a residential neighbourhood |
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Pesticide
Bylaw Update On Monday afternoon Kelowna City
Council passed Option 2 which does
the following: |
For
Immediate Release "Kelowna City Council has taken one step forward and two steps back. Passing a pesticide bylaw that ban’s the use of pesticides and provides an education program for the public is good, but does not go far enough. To allow the pesticide industry to have an ‘open market’ on the spraying of poisons in our community is ludicrous.” says Lloyd Manchester Canadian EarthCare Director in response to City Council’s decision to allow spray companies to continue to operate outside of the bylaw.
“The City has consistently stated that it should be able to continue using pesticides while the public can not. Council’s decision to use a new organization, (PlantHealth BC) shows that we already have a problem with spray companies. The application of cosmetic pesticides should not be allowed,” stated Manchester
Manchester says, There are currently 145 communities across Canada that have adopted pesticide bylaws. Spray companies have been forced to seek organic solutions for lawn care.
“Based on this decision, Kelowna can not be considered ‘a green community’ as a result of their recent decision,” stated Manchester.
For more information please contact: Lloyd Manchester at 878-9352 or 861-4788 |
Green Initiative Defeated “Kelowna City Council has taken
a huge step backwards in protecting
the health of our citizens by refusing
to recognize the need to curb the use
of pesticides in our community,” says
Lloyd Manchester Canadian EarthCare
Director. Manchester’s comments
are in reference to City Council’s
decision Monday to not support adoption
of a proposed pesticide bylaw. |
EarthCare granted Intervener status by the B.C. Court of Appeal in the case Gehring vs. Chevron. B.C. Court of Appeal to hear from environmentalists on Chevron contaminated site liability Madame Justice Rowles of the B.C.
Court of Appeal announced that the
Kelowna-based environmental organization,
Canadian EarthCare Society, will be
allowed to make submissions to the
court on Chevron’s liability
for gas contamination at a former gas
station in Salmon Arm. Canadian EarthCare
had applied to become an intervener
in the appeal of Gehring v. Chevron,
a precedent setting case that will
set the rules for who will be required
to pay for the clean up of contaminated
sites in British Columbia. |
| PESTICIDE
BYLAW UPDATE... YOUR COMMENTS NEEDED NOW! |
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Deadline
for comments The City of Kelowna is seeking input on the recommendations of City Staff on a pesticide reduction program which includes the implementation of a pesticide bylaw. Your input is needed
now. Please
respond to the recommendations directly.
For example: I support recommendation
Number 1 To view the recommendations click
on this link Written comments should
be sent to City Clerk's at cityclerk@kelowna.ca before
4 p.m. October 15th. |
Please feel free to call or meet with City Councillors. Their phone numbers are: Barrie Clark 764-7062 Brian Given 979-1313 Carol Gran 861-7837 Colin Day 861-0695 Michelle Rule 762-3749 Andre Blanleil 862-5092 Norm Letnick 864-2260 Robert Hobson 469-6224 Mayor Sharon Shepherd 469-8980 |
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Further reading on pesticides ...
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Kelowna City Council deferred making a decision on implementing Pesticide Bylaw and education program at their meeting of July 9th. Your help is still needed to keep the pressure on to implement a Pesticide Bylaw. You can still download and send our sample letter to the Mayor and Council or you can e mail it to: mayorandcouncil@kelowna.ca. Medical Doctor rebutt's the Pesticide
Industry. Please click
here to view... |
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The Interim Evaluation Report of Toronto's Pesticide Bylaw has been submitted to the Board of Health. The summary report is available online at http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2007/hl/bgrd/backgroundfile-1671.pdf The larger technical report is available at http://www.toronto.ca/health/pesticides/city_reports.htm |
LOCAL
COMMUNITIES HELP SHAPE The Parks Canada national park reserve
feasibility study is now
about half way towards the completion
of a
park proposal in late
2007. Over the past several months,
First Nations,
stakeholders, and
local communities have been providing
input
to an emerging vision
for a potential national park reserve – what
we (Parks Canada) are calling a draft park concept. To view the pdf click here. Also available E-News January 2007 in
pdf. |
Community Program helps Earthcare Don't leave home without it. By using this card when you make purchases at Huskey / Mohawk stations you can help raise money for Earthcare. Contact the office to participate in this program which so far has raised $250.00 for our programs. |
 from Capital News |
Opening up parks for commercial resorts Why should the public subsidize developers
by allowing them access to public park
lands on which to build their commercial
enterprises? EarthCare joins Campaign for B.C. ParksVisit the Friends of the Campaign for
BC Parks |
Pesticide Bylaw |
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Encourage Council to
adopt a pesticide by-law in our community
that would ban the use of cosmetic pesticides such
as 2,4-D. |
HOW SAFE IS YOUR DEODORANT/ANTIPERSPIRANT? |
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All anti-perspirants
and some deodorants contain aluminum.
Aluminum clogs your pores and is the
element that keeps you from sweating.
Inhibiting a natural process by which
you release toxins from your body is
essentially unhealthy. As well, aluminum
is absorbed and accumulated in the body,
and has been linked to serious illnesses
including osteoporosis, extreme nervousness,
anemia, headache, decreased liver and
kidney function, forgetfulness, speech
disturbances and memory loss. |
Solutions to make your lawn healthy and how to use native plants to reduce water consumption
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Is a National Park Reserve Feasible? |
| The South Okanagan-Lower Similkameen is part of the "Interior Dry Plateau", a region of rolling plains dissected by deep valleys and long narrow lakes with a particular ecosystem. This area is one of the most interesting and ecologically diverse parts of Canada with many native plants and animals, and natural communities found nowhere else in Canada. The Interior Dry Plateau Natural Region is currently not represented in the national parks system. Parks Canada and the province of British Columbia are examining the possibility of protecting this area by identifying a certain park boundary. Read more... |
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Uranium mining in the Okanagan Valley |
Take Action on Uranium Mining |
Update: Coalition Organized to Oppose Uranium Mining in British Columbia
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Update: Boss Gold International (BOG.H) now controls the Blizzard Uranium Deposit
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We will be updating our site on this issue as time permits. In the meantime, we encourage you to write letters to the government requesting that Uranium mining not be allowed in British Columbia and that a moritorium be enacted. Read More.... |
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Meg Sears 2,4-D document |
| In this article: Pesticide regulation is examined in the context of Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency’s assessment of the chlorophenoxy herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) for turf. 2,4-D. Read More... |
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City Of Kelowna Launches "Be Pesticide Free" Campaign |
| The City of Kelowna is launching a new campaign encouraging residents to reduce pesticide use and explore pesticide alternatives for the home and garden. To promote the "Be Pesticide Free" campaign, the Environment Division is offering Pesticide Free lawn signs and carabiner key chains that include "recipe" cards for creating eco-friendly pesticide alternatives such as "hot and spicy pest repellent", "vinegar weed eradicator" and "orange zest". Read More... |
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City of Kelowna Considers Enacting Pesticide Bylaw |
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| Kelowna City Council, in their meeting on Monday, considered creating a bylaw prohibiting the use of certain cosmetic pesticides, citing existing support for such a bylaw and the need for education of the effects of pesticides on groundwater and wildlife. Read More.... |
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EarthCare Kicks off the Green Vacation Challenge
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View our Website at www.greenvacationchallenge.com
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- Also, check out the Press Release
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Katimavik Volunteers Katimavik volunteers Karen Ka-Yan Cheung from Burnaby (left) and Jennifer Brooks from Mackenzie B.C. take in the sites of Kelowna from Knox mountain. Jennifer is working with EarthCare while in Kelowna |
Katimavik Volunteer Katimavik volunteer Jennifer Brooks from Mackenzie B.C. shows off two rainbarrels that she painted for EarthCare. |
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For Older Updates, See our ARCHIVE
| How We Do It | ||
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EarthCare has used appeal processes, the court systems, discussions with politicians, corporations and stakeholder groups to create an atmosphere that fosters positive change. Over 90% of our work is educationally based. We support the public in voicing their concerns on environmental issues that affect their lives. EarthCare hopes that you will utilize our website to become aware and effect change. Please use our take action section!! It is important to let decision makers know how you feel. Our mission is to create change in a positive manner for the benefit of all. We hope you will join us. |
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* Contact information for BC MLAs, the Minister of Forests and the premier is available on our "links and resources" page.
| Volunteer? | ||
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The Canadian EarthCare Society is always looking for community concious individuals who would like to do more to help. Volunteers are a big part of our organization. If you feel you fit this bill then we encourage you to please fill out our volunteer application... |
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