E-Waste: What is it, and what do we do with it?

When humanity entered the Information Age, it was heralded as the end to paper waste.  Everything would be electronically created, storage, shared, and viewed.  Computers, the Internet, wireless, and the mass of new technology was going to remove the need for this kind of waste.  What wasn’t thought of was the new kind of waste that was going to be created as obsolete or broken down electronics and gadgets became replaced by the next version. 

E-waste has become a growing concern for most nations.  Landfills have become filled with our old computers, cell phones, printers, iPods, and other electronics that we take for granted.  However, our experience in dealing with waste in general is showing that we are prepared to deal with e-waste so long as we are committed to doing so.  Recycling programs, government initiatives, and social responsibility are leading the challenge in dealing with this by-product of evolving technology. 

What is E-Waste?

E-waste is what has become known as the discarded electronics and appliances that are commonly found in homes and businesses.  They are the computers, cell phones, printers, refrigerators, gaming consoles, and other consumer electronics that have become obsolete, broken, or surplus.  On average, the most common electronic devices are replaced frequently:

• Cell phones – replaced every 22 months.
• Desktop computers – replaced every 2 years.
• Televisions – replaced every 10+ years.
• Portable music players – replaced every 2-3 years.
• DVD players – replaced every 4-5 years.
• Printers – replaced every 5+ years.

Every year, there is between 20 to 50 million metric tons of e-waste, representing the faster growing portion of municipal waste. 

Historically, e-waste has contained many hazardous materials.  There was lead and mercury in old cathode ray tube televisions, cadmium in batteries, and the presence of hexavalent chromium, acrylamide, polybrominated biphenyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ether in many other electronics.  In throwing such waste into landfills, these hazardous materials and chemicals can leach into the soil and cause significant and irreparable damage to delicate ecosystems.

Statistics and Perspective

Our lives are centred around electronics.  The average home will purchase $1,179 worth of electronics every year.  To put this into perspective, approximately 5.1 million televisions were purchased in the United States for the sole purpose of being ready for the 2012 NFL Superbowl.  Over 99 million televisions are stockpiled for sale in the United States at any given time.  All of these will one day end up as e-waste. 

Initiatives to reduce the amount of e-waste the end up in landfills are underway.  One of the driving forces behind this is the amount of expensive metals that are used in the construction of electronics that can be reused and sold.  In 1 million cell phones, there is 24 kg of gold, 250 kg of silver, 9 kg of palladium, and 9,000 kg of copper.  These are able to reused in new electronics, reducing the amount required to mine them.  These metals are also commodities themselves, and are easily traded and sold as well.

What is Being Done

The reasons for reducing the amount of e-waste are many, from reducing the sizes of landfills, preventing hazardous materials from leaching into the environment, and creating businesses that harvest precious metals.  First, it is important to note that many of our electronics are now manufactured with less environmentally damaging materials.  The transition from CRT TVs to LED TVs removed the need for lead and mercury.  Cadmium is no longer used in batteries (still in rechargeable ones) and hexavalent chromium and acrylamide and no longer used in any electronic manufacturing.  Finally, flame retardant materials such as polybrominated biphenyls and polybrominated diphenyl have been phased out as safer materials have replaced them.  This has massively reduced the amount of hazardous materials that leach into the soil from e-waster that does make it to the landfills.

Canada has adopted the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, a government initiative that amalgamates the efforts of more than 25 different agencies in combating environmental issues.  Through this, the Electronics Product Stewardship Canada, a not-for-profit organization, has been created.

It is currently operational in 7 different provinces with it pending approval in the 3 others.  The territories currently have no plans for inclusion under this initiative.  This has created a nationwide standard for e-waste recycling.  In addition, several major municipal governments in Canada have passed even stricter bylaws to further remove e-waste from their landfills.  This has led to direct cost savings for cities are landfill use is lowered.  It is estimated that British Columbia has saved almost $24 million through their recycling programs and Ontario has saved more than $65 million.  This has led to Canada becoming an international leader in e-waste management and recycling.  Even the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic medals were all made from recovered materials from e-waste! 

What Can You Do?

The reduction of e-waste begins with us.  We must evaluate whether we really need that next generation cell phone now or if our current and still working one is good.  Electronics that we are no long using can also be given to others to use, sent to recycling centres, or be donated to programs such as Computers for Schools or through partners of the federal Crown Assets Distribution.

We all want new technology and electronics.  However, we must be conscious in how we dispose of the ones we are no longer using.  In doing this simple act, we can lower the amount of e-waste that makes its way to landfills and can extend the lives of electronic devices through donation or recycle them so that their materials can be used in the new gadgets that we want!

Sources: Treehugger, Electronic Recyclers, E Waste Guide, Crown Assets, Electronics Take Back, FCM, ec.gc.ca, tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca, epsc.ca, Electronics Take Back Home, Serendipityoucity, Environmental Quality, djc

São Tomé and Príncipe: A Tiny Nation with an Environmental Perspective

São Tomé and Príncipe is a small nation in the Gulf of Guinea off the west coast of Africa.  Its name was given for the two main islands that comprise the country, the largest of each archipelago that it is made of.  While such a tiny nation would not normally register for its green record, looking at what they have done to improve their environment shows that no country in the world is exempt from caring for it. 

As a developing nation, São Tomé and Príncipe’s needs are different that those of Canada or Europe.  However, they still strive for sustainability, economic growth, and cultural expression, just like any other.  In pursuing this, they are working with other nations and organizations to ensure that their growth is not only economically sustainable, but that it is environmentally viable as well.  This article seeks to explore the Small Island Developing State (SIDS) that is São Tomé and Príncipe and show how every nation is responsible for protecting this world.

Food Security

As a part of the National Poverty Reduction Strategy, São Tomé and Príncipe are working to reduce poverty by half and add annual real GDP growth of 5% per year.  As a part of this, the African Development Bank has invested in São Tomé and Príncipe’s fisheries.  The goal is to reduce the food deficit in the country through sustainable practices that will ensure a lasting supply of food for the population as well as maintain environmental standards that will make it lasting.

São Tomé and Príncipe estimates it could bring in between 23,000 and 29,000 tonnes of fish per year.  This would help lower the current 22% of citizens who do not have enough food resources.  Environmental awareness actions within the program are meant to educate fishery workers on sustainable and green practices in order to ensure that a consistent stock is available every year.  This has been received through the Environmental and Social Management Plan, designed based on previous African Developmental Bank initiatives in other nations.  Such measures include:

• Cleaning of runoff water before re-entry into the ecosystem;
• Repopulation of old fishing tracks in order to protect historical and cultural fishing areas as well as ensure sustainability within existing water systems; and
• Ensuring proper disposal of waste and toxic liquids through controlled landfills and incinerators.

Implementation of this plan is also a part of the island nation’s National Climate Change Adaptation Strategy, signed in 2005.

Ocean Protection

Much of São Tomé and Príncipe can be classified as coastal.  The country has a rich diversity of undeveloped coastal areas; however these are threatened by deforestation, coastal erosion due to mining, desertification, unregulated tourism development, and a general lack of township planning.  There is also a newly emerging offshore petroleum industry that is growing and contributing to environmental concerns.  This is why a National Ocean Policy has been proposed by the United Nations for São Tomé and Príncipe as well as all SIDS nations.  This is important as continued erosion is damaging environments as well as tourism and fisheries development.

To counter growing oil production, the government passed the Oil Revenue Management Law, which is now considered a model for other nations.  Through the aid of the Earth Institute at Columbia University and the World Bank, a percentage of oil revenues are diverted to future environmental needs.  This means that any offshore oil development must is required to contribute to environmental protection of the surrounding ocean area.

The Rio Convention of 1992 deals with sustainable development on a global level in dealing with resource development.  While non-binding, it has been used in the case of São Tomé and Príncipe to manage economic growth from natural resources in coastal areas while ensuring sustainability in the environment where it is being conducted.  The 1994 UN Conference on Sustainable Development of Small Island developing states, held in Barbados, is also being used to establish programs that take into account coastal and ocean issues for any new construction development on the islands.  This includes paying attention to coral reef habitats, wetlands, and life-support systems for marine wildlife.

National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA)

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Article 4.9, recognizes a classification of nations known as Least Developed Countries (LDCs).  These nations, of which São Tomé and Príncipe is a part of, have special needs when it comes to how they are able to incorporate climate change initiatives while continuing to develop other areas of their country.  Article 4.9 states, “The Parties shall take full account of the specific needs and special situations of the Least Developed Countries in their actions with regard to funding and transfer of technology.”  The use of NAPAs in such nations enables foreign aid for adaptable changes that place an emphasis on climate variability.

There are two NAPAs currently operating in São Tomé and Príncipe.  First, there is the Adaptation to Climate Change initiative that was begun by the World Bank.  The second is the Strengthening of the Adaptive Capacity of Must Vulnerable Sao Tomean’s Livestock-Keeping Households, initiated by the African Development Bank.  Key environmental vulnerabilities were outlined in six sectors: agriculture, forests and livestock; fisheries; public works, infrastructure and tourism; energy and water; health; and public safety and civil protection.  By working on climate change initiatives as well as certain social areas, the goal is to improve both the environment and the standard of living.  The UNFCCC is also coordinating their efforts, as well as those of the World Bank and African Development Bank, through the Poverty Reduction Strategy and the Rio Convention on desertification and biodiversity.  Additional funding for these programs have also come from the Japan Adaptation Programme.

It is important to note that this is only the beginning of the work that NAPAs wish to do in São Tomé and Príncipe.  There are a total of 22 projects currently outlined for the island nation.

The Future of São Tomé and Príncipe

As a SIDS and LDC nation, São Tomé and Príncipe has severe restrictions on what it is able to accomplish environmentally.  However, through external aid, such as the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the United Nations, they have been able to implement new strategies and begin projects to ensure a higher standard of life, meet basic needs of the population, and do so through sustainable and environmentally sound methods. This environmental transformation is also helping economically as new and existing industries are strengthened and can have an environmentally sound future.

Sources: UNFCCC, AFDB, Eco Bank, UN.org, Rolas Furnas Geysir, West Africa, World Bank, Vintage Jhan BlogSpot Image

Sustainable Urban Planning

What is Urban Planning?

Urban planning is the branch of architecture dealing with the design and organization of urban space and activities, including the physical arrangement of the cities and the condition they are in. Cities have employed planners to lay out their infrastructures for years and, like many professions, urban planning has developed over time to reflect the changes in our society and our planet.

Historically, urban planning was primarily concerned with the placement of certain things near other things (i.e. a waste treatment plant should be far away from an elementary school, but a park could be nearby). As the awareness of climate change has grown, and a general shift has been made to a more eco-friendly way of life, urban planning can now take sustainability to heart and begin building greenest cities from the ground up.

How can a city "Go Green"?

These days it’s hard to say exactly what makes a city “green”. As creativity and innovation thrive, new and better ways to live environmentally friendly are constantly being revealed. Any step in the right direction is a good one and, lucky for us, there are many ways for our cities to show their green sides.

Clearing the clutter

Urban sprawl is the uncontrolled spread of urban development into neighboring areas; much like organizing your closet or defragmenting your computer, putting stuff where it belongs can greatly increase the available space you have by maximizing the space you use. Urban planning that reduces sprawl is considered green because it increases the density of city infrastructure and fits the same amount of “city” into a smaller area. Cutting back sprawl can positively impact a city’s sustainability in a number of ways:

Wildlife Refuges

When a city is compact, land that would have otherwise been used by sprawl is left in a more natural state. This provides opportunities for wildlife habitat and also acts as a reserve for native plant species. Available wildlife habitat keeps wildlife and humans both safer, and interactions to a minimum. The forests and vegetation that grow on this land will also act as a natural water filtration system and a carbon sink.

The city of Seattle, Washington comprises over 54,000 acres of land; of this, more than 6,000 acres is green space. The city’s Urban Wildlife and Habitat Management Plan lays out guidelines for managing land such that crucial wildlife habitat is left undisturbed. Land that is considered to be of particular importance for wildlife is acquired by the city to prevent its development, and green spaces are linked whenever possible.

Food Security

In addition to threatening natural ecosystems, urban sprawl threatens farmland. As the need for growth in the city centre pushes the city limits outwards, productive farmland is bought up and developed for other uses.  This increases a city’s dependence on food grown out of town or overseas.  When food isn’t grown locally, it requires large input of energy (usually in the form of fossil fuels) to transport it to where it will be consumed. 

To help protect farmland, the Town of Oliver, BC, collaborated with Land and Water BC to create the Wine Village and Kettle Valley Railway Plan. The plan conceptualizes a compact, pedestrian-friendly village with mostly multi-family dwellings. Surrounding the village is fertile wine country, agrotourism to which is marketed by the village in order to give agriculture in the area a boost and ensure continued production.

Fossil Fuel Use

It’s not just food that uses up fossil fuels to get around!  When a city begins to sprawl, opportunities to take alternate forms of transportation begin to diminish. People become reliant on their cars to get around, since walking, cycling, or public transit are often no longer viable options. Air quality suffers, as does the health of the individual who is now hopping in their car instead of hopping on their bike.

BedZED, short for Beddington Zero Energy Development, is a multi-use planned community in London, England.  It includes both residential and commercial spaces, and has been built to be carbon neutral.  Ideally, workers in the office space would live in the residential buildings and be able to walk neatly to work. 

Affordability

Another unfortunate, and probably less thought-of, effect of urban sprawl is its effect on our pocket book.  Whenever new housing developments or commercial properties are built, the infrastructures to support them need to follow.  Tax payers end up footing the bill for extra roads, sewers, water, and electric that wouldn’t be necessary in a more compact city layout. 

In Vancouver, BC, zoning bylaws were amended in 2009 to allow a secondary dwelling structure on many previously single-family lots. The secondary “laneway” house can be as large as 750 square feet, depending on the size of the lot. Laneway houses can be used as guest houses, as in-law suites, or as rental properties to increase the homeowner’s income. 94% of lots outside of Vancouver’s downtown core were affected by the zoning change. The potential for increasing residential without rebuilding is huge, and all without creating the need for new roads or sewers.

Where to start?

For the city that’s ready to make the first step, there are many resources available to help. British Columbia’s Ministry of Community Development has published an e-book, A Guide to Green Choices, aimed directly at communities looking to improve. The BC Climate Change Council offers Sustainability Facilitators and planners free of charge to local BC community governments.  Outside of BC, consultants such as PlanGreen will help communities establish policies and meet their environmental goals. 

What can I do?

There are lots of things you can do to help your community reach its green goals!

Contribute to infilling

Infilling is the process of increasing the density of a city by replacing or adding to existing developments. Infilling reduces urban sprawl and helps to prevent habitat loss and unnecessary infrastructure. You can help in a couple of ways:

• Consider a dwelling in a multi-family development, such as a condominium or a town-home.
• Give tiny houses a chance! In areas where lane-way houses are allowed, consider downsizing your life and living in a tiny house or a small house.  Seven hundred and fifty square feet may seem small, but a tiny house done right can pack a lot of house into a little space. Check out the Tumbleweed Tiny House Company to see floor layouts of dwellings under 900 square feet.

Make yourself more food-secure

Food security is a term that’s used when talking about how stable our food supply is. When food is shipped in from overseas, it is not a secure food system. Something like a fuel shortage or a political disagreement can disrupt shipment and leave us hungry. To help make yourself more food secure, try some of these ideas: 

• Support local farmers. Farmers markets are a great place to buy produce, and they’re a lot of fun, too. Supporting our local farmers ensures they are there when we need them.
• Grow your own food if it’s possible. Find a community garden, or dig a plot in your backyard. Even a container on your patio helps a little.  Looking for more space to grow or have space to spare? Maybe a yard-sharing program is for you. Yard sharing programs connect people who need space and people who have unused property. In Metro Vancouver, you can check out Sharing Backyards. 

Plan your commute

• Live as close to work as you can. If you can walk or cycle to work, you are not using any fossil fuels. You’ll find you also free up all sorts of time if your commute is suddenly cut in half.
• Use public transit if you can
• Is there an option for you to telecommute? Take it whenever possible, even if it’s only one day a week, every little bit helps.
• If you can’t manage without your car, carpool! If it’s an option for you, you could also consider vehicles that use alternate forms of energy, such as natural gas or electricity.     

Be part of the solution

Most importantly, get involved! It’s your community, make it into what you want it to be. Stakeholders of the Resort Municipality of Whistler, BC, together with municipal staff, created a document they called the Whistler Environmental Strategy (WES). While the Municipal Council didn’t endorse the project, the resulting document has still influenced the decision-making process within the municipality. Several areas of environmental concern outlined in the WES have been further investigated and included in budgets and plans. Your voice can only be heard if you say something.

Sources: Seattle.gov, Coach House Builders, Plan Green, CSCD, Infrastructure, Vancouver, Wallpapers, Tumbleweed Houses, Blogspot Image, Macleans, CSCD

Bixi Bikes Coming to Vancouver

We're thrilled to see progression in the plan to introduce Bixi bikes to Vancouver as the Velo-City Conference was attended late last month: 

Bike share is coming to Vancouver, and we must make it work

The international Velo-City conference is underway in Vancouver as of Tuesday morning and I arrived in time to hear an inspired talk by urban cycling advocate Gil Penalosa. Judging by the Twitter activity throughout the morning, Penalosa's message excited the full house in attendance at the Wall Centre. While Penalosa's full presentation — available here — is fast-paced and rich with detail, it was nicely summed up by an Australian delegate named Stephen Yarwood.

Given the way the Vision council have married themselves to the cycling issue, it was perhaps predictable that the site of the Velo-City conference felt like an offsite City Hall. Mayor Gregor hung around to do interviews while his chief of staff parked himself in front of the venue most of the morning. Even Penny Ballem paced around the site. The always affable Jerry Dobrovolny, Vancouver's Director of Transportation listened intently to Penalosa's speech, which he quipped might put him out of a job. Penalosa's message was to be bold, to be fearless in the face of public opposition, and to make cities as safe as possible for cycling with many miles worth of separated bike lanes. Vancouver, said Penalosa, has not been nearly bold enough when compared to cities like Chicago.The real star of the show that morning, however, were the over 600 Bixi bikes shipped in for the conference and parked in front of the Wall Centre convention facility. Bixi is the Montreal-based bike share manufacturer that will be providing the two-wheeled transport for Vancouver's bike share program. The operator for the Vancouver bike share will be the Alta company based out of Portland, Oregon.

I had the pleasure of having my first bike share experience, after I signed an insurance waiver and gave conference organizers a stamp of my credit card. To get access to a bike I simply inserted the card provided by Velo-City, waited a few seconds for the light to turn from red to green, and pulled the bike out while slightly lifting the rear of the bike from the seat. With my complementary Lazer bike helmet strapped on I took a short ride downtown. 

The Bixi bikes are beautiful machines. They are definitely more sturdy than your typical hybrid or road bike, and sport wide tires with a street-friendly tread. The seat is wide and comfy, something many casual riders prefer. 

The seat post – which I got a blurry image of – is easily adjustable, and thankfully you're not able to easily slide the seat and post right off the bike. That would be a big target of theft otherwise. 

My demo bike was a three-speed but the bikes on order for Vancouver's bike share will be a seven-speed bike to better manage our city's hilly terrain. The gear changer is located in the right half of the handlebar, and the left side has a small bell you can ring with your thumb when needed. There is a small amount of space over the handlebars to locate a small basket if necessary. 

The brakes are built into the wheel hubs, and while you're riding enough power is generated to run safety lights embedded into the frame of the bike, improving your visibility in traffic. Overall it's a solid and comfortable ride, but the slightly heavy frame had my quadriceps burning up a few hills. For all my Bixi bike images see this Flickr set... Read the full story at City Caucus

Bicycle sharing programs have been active in many cities throughout the globe, much like car-shares and other eco-transportation services that are new to Vancouver. As part of Vancouver's Greenest City Action Plan we are expecting to see a significant increase in bicycle transportation services and improvements. The increase in bikes and bike lanes pose a natural deterrent to motor vehicles as those that are inclined to choose cleaner modes of transportation can with ease, and those that prefer to utilize motor vehicles may chose to go elsewhere. The city's green transportation initiatives focus on walking, cycling, transit, and greenways. By designing streets with pedestrian priority, expanding the bicycle network, improving public transit, and increasing public green space, one can imagine a healthier, greener city in the future. Bixi is expected to be active in Vancouver by 2013.


Watch here to learn more about Velo-city Vancouver:

Sources: City Caucus, Bixi, Vancouver Greenest City, Velo-city, Vancity Buzz, UBC Transportation